The smell of my mother’s freshly made banitsa on a Sunday morning. The sound of the tramp passing through Sofia’s center. The sight of the white, green, and red stripes. The healing touch of the Black Sea. The taste of my grandma’s lutenitsa made with all the love in the world.
Bulgaria and I never had the perfect relationship, we had our ups and downs but I started growing fond of it when I was far away. I understood how much it gave to me and hopefully one day I will be able to give something to it.
When I met new people at Dickinson and I told them I was from Bulgaria, I received many responses along the lines of, “Wow, cool” and “So interesting”. It’s even more interesting when you get to know it and it’s a country worth knowing about; I am trying not to be biased.
Our history is what will always fascinate me and have my respect. Our delicious food with many spices will forever have my heart. Our beautiful seaside and magnificent mountains will always fill me with energy.
I was recently talking to a friend in the Dining Hall and he asked me which country is similar to Bulgaria in terms of culture and I had a hard time coming up with an answer. This conversation led me to the conclusion that no other country resembles it, it really is one of a kind.
Although it’s a small country in Eastern Europe, for its size it has many traditions that can be called truly Bulgarian. The typical Bulgarian dance “horo” where people hold hands and follow certain steps in combination with a Bulgarian song embodies the beauty of Bulgarian culture.
I believe Bulgaria is one of those places that everyone has to visit in their lifetime because it’s an experience unlike any other. It will show you a world that only few are aware of but whoever experiences it, even just for a while, will always keep it alive in their memories.