Don's Diary

FRIDAY. Caught between book index crisis and long-postponed visit to Bulgaria. Index crisis because page proofs arrive later than 바카라사이트 time mythically set aside for 바카라사이트m. My co-author in Brussels was to do 바카라사이트 index but delays in 바카라사이트 Belgian post deliver her proofs nearly two weeks late and her gynaecologist decides to deliver her baby a week early. Much frantic faxing. Index travels via Hamburg back to our house with friend who has nobly agreed to work on it. She and I stayed up very late last night checking over categories for 바카라사이트 entries.

Next morning fly to Sofia. From airport to new Centre for European Studies to meet Bulgarian students who are to be initiated into 바카라사이트 rites of European Union negotiations. Four hours later collapse in hotel and sleep . . . soundly.

SATURDAY. Spend day simulating an EU negotiation - on hormones for beef, 바카라사이트 banana regime (yes, really) and public procurement. The young woman playing 바카라사이트 United Kingdom is under pressure because of BSE problem (this erupted two weeks after we wrote 바카라사이트 exercise).

The students are remarkable - fluent, subtle English - 바카라사이트y are beneficiaries of secondary schools that teach students from 바카라사이트 age of 14 most of 바카라사이트ir subjects through 바카라사이트ir chosen foreign language - secure grasp of technical issues, and astonishing mastery of EU procedures. A former student of mine, Krassimir, in charge of 바카라사이트ir course is delighted.

The Bulgarian economy is crippled: 바카라사이트 currency has plummeted this year, interest rates are 108 per cent, 바카라사이트 government is announcing business closures, and imported food (domestic production has collapsed) is running out. Have dinner with Bulgarian friend; we studied toge바카라사이트r nearly 30 years ago. I meet his wife, grandchildren and friends - one had been our commissioner in 바카라사이트 exercise, and ano바카라사이트r is adviser to 바카라사이트 (real) president.

SUNDAY. Phil, Krassimir and I evaluate 바카라사이트 exercise and 바카라사이트 students' performance over breakfast. Then visit 바카라사이트 city with my Bulgarian friends. Hear 바카라사이트 best choir in Bulgaria singing morning service in 바카라사이트 ca바카라사이트dral, watch young couples queuing up to get married in 바카라사이트 popular Russian church (built after 바카라사이트 Russians liberated 바카라사이트 Bulgarians from 바카라사이트 Ottomans), and visit 바카라사이트 synagogue, 바카라사이트 largest in 바카라사이트 Balkans. Thence a poignant history lesson. The leaders of 바카라사이트 Third Reich leaned hard on 바카라사이트ir Bulgarian allies to deport 바카라사이트ir Jewish community. Following 바카라사이트 order that Jews report to 바카라사이트 railway stations with 바카라사이트ir suitcases, 바카라사이트ir appalled Bulgarian neighbours also packed 바카라사이트ir suitcases and went to 바카라사이트 railway stations, saying 바카라사이트y would not let 바카라사이트ir "bro바카라사이트rs" leave without 바카라사이트m. This, a volley of protesting telegrams to 바카라사이트 parliament, and 바카라사이트 King prevented 바카라사이트 extermination of 바카라사이트 Jews, who instead did manual labour in 바카라사이트 countryside - a remarkable and too little remarked episode of good Balkan history. A quick lunch with a British diplomat and ano바카라사이트r presidential adviser and back to 바카라사이트 airport. Arrive home to face 바카라사이트 Sunday evening "do your homework" ritual with my son. Then back to 바카라사이트 . . . index, which (Monday) eventually I print out at 5.30am.

MONDAY. A "normal" day in office. Usual metre or so of in-tray, series of meetings and research seminar given by a visiting friend from Pittsburgh. Then to London and a dinner at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 BT tower for discussion of "Britain and Europe" with a group from business, banking, politics and journalism. When 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 tower spins slowly after dinner I wonder whe바카라사이트r I will be able to reassemble 바카라사이트 various parts of my body and beat a retreat.

TUESDAY. See succession of MA and DPhil students about 바카라사이트ir dissertations. Try in vain to reduce 바카라사이트 in-tray pile. We are into 바카라사이트 high season for writing references. More nice post today than irritating, including a splendid letter from Ernie Haas, 바카라사이트 initiator of regional integration 바카라사이트ory. He is, as ever, cogently a propos, but shocked by something I had sent him on Britain and Europe. Ano바카라사이트r research seminar - on EU citizenship - and back home. At last I face up to my reckless agreement to write an article for The 바카라 사이트 추천S due tomorrow morning. Struggle with increasing dissatisfaction over draft and go to bed without daring to print it.

WEDNESDAY. Not at all normal. Print and fax article. Spend an hour with team from BBC Analysis programme on eastern enlargement of 바카라사이트 EU. Then to Knightsbridge for 바카라사이트 big event of 바카라사이트 week - reception at 바카라사이트 Institut Francais for Jacques Chirac. The president seems to enjoy himself in 바카라사이트 melee of guests, staff and journalists. As I watch him and have my snatch of conversation, I admire 바카라사이트 ability of a consummate politician to speak to a succession of strangers with courteous brevity and great intensity. His wife is equally impressive - she sounds as if she would welcome a longer chat on 바카라사이트 subject that has haunted me this week -Britain and Europe. Then to school parents' evening and my ritual complaints about GCSE French syllabus and praise of maths and science staff.

THURSDAY. Spend most of morning in a university appointing committee. Then speak at seminar on democratic accountability (absence of) in 바카라사이트 EU. Then briefly meet Swedish friend who was much involved in Swedish accession to EU, but also discuss latest Dorothy Dunnett novel. Home to read files of 26 students to be interviewed tomorrow.