Small Town Atmosphere

Pleven isn't really a small town, but it often feels that way. Actually, it is getting smaller due to the lack of jobs that forces many people to find work elsewhere. My point is that for me, living in a small town like Pleven is sometimes surprisingly different from living in a big city like San Francisco or Seattle. For one thing, people here are usually very polite to each other. Whenever you enter a public space you are obliged to greet the other people in the room (I see this every day in the teacher's lounge and at the gym). As a foreigner, shopkeepers are very gracious and patient with me as I stumble over my limited Bulgarian to explain what I want. And then they compliment me on how well I speak. Such flattery! There are also some expressions that I particularly love: Vsichko hubavo (which literally means "everything nice," used like "have a nice day") and Chestit praznik ("happy holiday," used when it's an actual holiday, or your name's day, or something like International Women's Day).

Yesterday I was buying some cherries (they are in season now) at my local fruit stand when I realized that I was out of cash. Sometimes that happens. You don't pay for anything with a credit card here like in the States so I knew I had to go to the ATM to pay for my fruit. But the young man who works there just smiled and told me to come back with the money another day. This is totally normal, and I understand that it happens in neighboring countries as well. What a surprise it was to find that kind of trust and neighborliness from someone I'm not even on a first-name basis with!

Another thing I love is just going for a walk in the town center and chatting with friends in a cafe for hours on end. There are so many cafes here, and now that the weather is warm again they all have outdoor seating where people gather to catch up on the town gossip- one drawback to living in a small town is that everyone knows everyone. I once was in Lovech, a town about 30 kilometers from here, visiting a friend when she overheard two girls talking about me in Bulgarian. I had never seen either of them before. Maybe they went to my school or recognized me somehow. But it was weird and at the same time I felt sort of like a public figure at that moment. I know that I'm not but I must have looked strange to people at first, as I am one of very few foreigners living here.

I will definitely miss my neighborhood and how easy it is to meet people walking around the town when I'm living in the capital next year. I can only imagine the culture shock I'll experience when I go back to the U.S. this summer!

Parade Exposes Gaps in Response to Crime

I went to the 4th annual LGBT Pride Parade in Sofia on Saturday. Having lived in San Francisco for several years, I know that there's no comparison for what I'm used to; but the feeling of solidarity and activism among many people I met was the same. If you're not familiar with the level of homophobia in the Balkans, keep in mind that even having a parade is a significant accomplishment. It's not generally acceptable for gays, lesbians bisexuals and transgender folk to be open about their identity, as most Bulgarian families are very conservative. There were threats by members of an ultra-nationalist political party (Ataka) to stage a counter-protest to the event, but luckily nothing of the sort happened. I did witness several onlookers giving parade-goers the middle finger, but this provocation was only met with smiles and blowing kisses. The number of participants was estimated at about 1200, and there were quite a few observers along the route waving and cheering the crowd onward. There was a massive police presence there (which the organizers of the parade were obliged to pay for- this is illegal under EU legislation), participants were not supposed to leave the parade route once it started and were also advised to leave in large groups to avoid possible hate-motivated attacks. Unfortunately, there was an incident that evening where five participants were attacked by skinheads. They informed the police, who are investigating the crime as an act of "hooliganism" rather than a hate crime. This is a major problem here because LGBT issues are not taken seriously by the government. Read Amnesty International's report here. Hopefully, this incident and recent others like it (such as the attack on the Banyi Bashi mosque) will create the necessary momentum to fix the judicial problems here and bring Bulgaria up to date with EU standards for human rights. 

Cultural Events in Sofia

Last weekend in Sofia I went with a few friends to check out the Thai Cultural Festival in Borisova Gradina. Despite the threat of rain (luckily it didn't!) a lot of people showed up to sample Thai food, learn about traditional handicrafts, martial arts and music. It was pretty small-scale compared to similar events on the West Coast of the United States, mainly because our immigrant populations are huge compared to here. But it was really cool to see the different exhibits and to experience some diversity of culture for a change. Apparently Thailand is a popular tourist destination for Bulgarians. I've noticed you can find a lot of ingredients (mostly sauces and noodles) for making Thai food here, too.

Last week was also Sofia Design Week, which unfortunately I didn't see very much of. I did see some open galleries featuring international artists, a small street fair with locally made t-shirts, jewelry and art, and an online poll to choose a design logo for Sofia's bid as a 2019 European Capital of Culture. I'm so excited to live in Sofia next year and be able to attend more events like these! It's too bad that there isn't more distribution of cultural exhibitions and international performances across the country in the smaller towns. But the reality is that most foreigners and organizers of cultural programs live in Sofia. It will be a nice change to be living in a city again, especially with all the opportunities to meet new people and network my way into a more permanent career. 

In other news, summer is finally here! We've had crazy monsoon season type rains lately but the last few days were gorgeous (and hot, really hot). It's good I'm getting out in July because I hear that Pleven gets unbearably warm in the high summer. The end of the school year is approaching quickly, and there are many things to do before I leave for Warsaw. I have to admit that I am counting down the days... one more month until Seattle!

TED Talks and Mean Streets

Misha Glenny, the BBC journalist and historian on Southeastern Europe, has a video talk about globalization and organized crime on TED. By the way, this is an awesome website where you can watch free videos on thousands of subjects like social media and democracy, creativity and reforming the educational system (among others). A recent post on Balkan Leaks, which publicizes government documents to promote transparency and combat corruption, features a scathing report by the American Embassy that portrays Sofia as a hotbed of organized crime, a corrupt judicial system, and a general lack of infrastructure such as well-maintained roads. While I don't think the picture painted is quite so bleak, it does point out some glaring problems that Bulgaria must deal with in order to achieve economic recovery. The video (below) puts into focus the rise of globalized illegal markets after 1989 and how their success is directly related to Western consumerism.

It also puts my life right now into perspective, as I am living in a former socialist country grappling with some severe economic and political troubles. My presence here is entirely thanks to globalization and the funding of the U.S. government, along with the America for Bulgaria Foundation. I know that part of the attraction living here for me are the rapid changes taking place, especially in Sofia. While I try to pinpoint just exactly what makes me want to pursue a career here (or in the region), I am continually reminded of how lucky I am to be able to share my culture and teach my native language abroad. I hope that I can return in kind the generosity I've received here through sharing my experiences back home and showing people the beautiful, energetic  and positive side of this country: one that contradicts the one-sided, more cynical narrative that we all too often hear.  

New beginnings... sort of

If you've been keeping up with recent posts you'll know that after I go back to the States for a long visit this summer I will be returning to Bulgaria to teach again for another year. Only this time, things will be different. Firstly, I'll be living in Sofia, which has many opportunities to network and hopefully seek out further employment either here in Bulgaria or at least in the region. Sofia isn't a huge city but it's the only place in the country where you can find such high numbers of international organizations, young professionals and students. Oh, and there's also an airport. Secondly, I'll be working in a new school. This is sad for me in one sense because I love my classes and I've become close with a lot of my colleagues here in Pleven. But I will be able to come back and visit as often as I like, and hopefully have some guests in Sofia as well. My new school is funded in part by the Lauder Foundation, and students are taught both English and Hebrew as foreign languages. They have a lot of contacts with the American Embassy, which hopefully means that there will be more ways for me to get involved and learn more about the Public Affairs sector of the Foreign Service. One exciting event next year is a Hebrew teacher's conference to be held in Sofia, where I'll get to meet all of the teachers (mostly from the United States) in attendance. I met with my head-teacher at the new school this week to discuss my role in the classroom next year, and I think we'll make a really good team. It's an advantage for me to already have had the experience teaching this year, so I know what to expect, what works and what doesn't, etc... The biggest decision I need to make now is about accommodation for next year. I've been looking through agencies and the best thing about this economic crisis, in my opinion, is how low the rents are right now. I have a few leads from friends who know a place that will be available, so hopefully I can narrow it down soon. It would be best to figure that out now rather than when I come back in September so I don't have to scramble for a place (or end up signing a year lease in October!). After spending the weekend in Sofia I can already tell that next year will be a really good experience for me. I'm pretty excited.

Loving Bulgaria

In my conversations with people I meet here I'm usually asked if I like Bulgaria. When I reply that yes, I actually love Bulgaria, and I'm planning to stay here for another year, I often get some quizzical looks. While a lot of people are quick to point out its flaws, it's clear that they like it here, too. There's just a perception that foreigners have negative associations with Bulgaria and it comes as a surprise that one of them would choose to stay a while. Some of my colleagues are very enthusiastic about my decision to return to my "heaven in Bulgaria," as one of them put it. She also suggested that next year I might find a husband and settle down permanently. Although that's about as far away from my intention as possible, I do feel good about staying and learning more about this fascinating place.

Bulgaria's location is perfect for someone interested in the Balkans, which I am. Ever since visiting Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia two years ago I became determined to learn more and experience the diverse cultures that make up this historical crossroads of Southeast Europe. There are elements of shared culture between all of these countries and across the region, including Greece and Turkey, which make for excellent opportunities for exploration. Understanding the differences between these cultures and my own has helped me more closely examine American identity and the assumptions we make about others. I think that being more aware of these contrasts can help bridge the gaps in efforts towards mutual understanding and hopefully benefit everyone. 

What else is there to love about Bulgaria? Its natural beauty is breathtaking, with several distinct mountain ranges, river canyons, fields of sunflowers and roses, not to mention the sea coast. The food is delicious, varied and meant to be enjoyed over several glasses of rakia (which I also love). It has a long and rich history, being the oldest country in Europe, with many archaeological treasures. And the people I've met here are some of the warmest and friendliest ones I've ever known. I have a lot to learn still, not least of which is the language (but I'm trying, as my students can assure you). Maybe Dessy's right and I will find my "luck" here in Bulgaria. I'm just glad that I don't have to say goodbye quite yet. 

From San Francisco to Istanbul...

I was wandering around the backstreets of Istanbul's Cihangir neighborhood last week with two fellow USF alums when one of them commented on the improbability of such a meeting, in a city over eight thousand miles from home. Then I got to thinking: a year ago, would I have imagined that the three of us (who all studied the Middle East with one favorite professor) would be spending time together now in Turkey? Maybe I didn't foresee then it but I can say now that our shared passions for new experiences, travel and culture have undoubtedly led us to this point in our lives and it makes perfect sense for us to be here, living out those passions. And when I think of my other friends doing similar things, not necessarily living abroad but definitely pursuing exciting things that they love, I feel both lucky to have this opportunity and inspired by them to continue exploring new ones.

I was reminded a lot of San Francisco during that week in Istanbul. Of course, there are major differences between the two cities, but the fact that they are both hilly, surrounded by water, have similar architectural styles and are full of art galleries as well as inviting cafes was more than enough to stir up some nostalgia for the Bay. There was also the Bosporus Bridge, very similar in structure to the Golden Gate Bridge, and the cable car line that runs from Taksim to Tunel Square, reminiscent of its iconic counterpart in San Francisco.

I don't know if many people who have visited both cities found their similarities so striking but it is undeniable that they have both inspired numerous poets and artists with their beauty, often layered beneath a grimy urban exterior. What I really love about both places is that they're not really like anywhere else. And they certainly instill a very unique pride in their residents, whether temporary or permanent. Maybe that's why it's so easy to fall in love with either one of them.