Bulgaria is gold ~ България е злато

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---THE UNPUBLISHED NOW PUBLISHED SERIES: BLOG ARCHIVES JULY 2010 ---

Mondays are red, the number two is blue, Lisa comes in a multitude of green shades…sometimes olive and other times turquoise depending on her mood. I often subconsciously associate colors to people, places and things, I don’t know why but I read about it in Scientific America once, how right-brained artsy types like myself sort of color code the world, conceive everything more as an aura of color, and how this is "special". It’s like living in a rainbow, and I quite don’t mind.

So what do I think of Bulgaria?

Bulgaria is gold. The golden fields of sunflowers, glistening golden jars of honey, the golden bricks that lie around the Alexander Nevski church, a church with gold plated domes, the warm golden glow of the candles inside, the golden mask of a Thracian king, the mustard gold of the historical houses of Koprivshtica, even the Shkembe soup is sort of a gold. There seems to be, or I seem to notice, a trace of gold everywhere I go. The family room at the house is painted a happy pale golden yellow which (non) coincidentally matches the shirt Stoyan is wearing. It is as if there was a constant sunrise that surrounds us, and I somehow always feel “sunny”.

But it’s not just in the tangible, this aura of gold feels most fitting for Bulgaria, a hopeful country; Having broke free of Turkish rule and busting through a wall of communism, the country proudly expresses it's pride and freedom as it passionately dives into the future with respect to the past.

Locals constantly question me, “What is my impression of Bulgaria?” I found US foreigners are a rare breed here in the country, so they are curious on our opinion. My impression has been formed not just by the experiences in this country, but more by my experiences in the other country’s I’ve been. I found Bulgaria to be reminiscent of many places and people around the world that I already know… a comforting soup that has simmered just right. I can’t quite yet place my finger on all the ingredients, but I can definitely pick out a few:

HOW TO MAKE BULGARIA:

By Sherry Berger

Start with generous amounts of Italy, stir slowly:
Constantly reminded of my time in Italy, the value of family and friends, a casual and natural pace of everyday life, a certain lack of scheduling/deadlines (a best/worst trait). The appreciation placed on the preparation of food and the importance of homegrown and homemade. The slower pace allowing for the pleasure and enjoyment of good –no AMAZING– food and drinks with your closest family and friends. At any time of the day you can share a coffee with anyone of your friends or family and heck, why not, even complete strangers. No one is ever too busy for that.

Whisk in some Scotland
Many of the stone fortresses and castles with a history of brutal battles, and the sound of bagpipes suggest a feel of Scotland, however it’s more so the people, who possess a roughness and toughness like you definitely don’t want to mess with them because they’ve been through it. But don’t be scared, they don’t hold a grudge; they live for the day, seize the moment and do it with gusto and spunk… just don’t get in their way.

Blend in together Prague, then Vienna
Walking around the city of Sofia, I’ve found architecture much like Prague, a colorful combination of Medieval, Baroque, and Renaissance architecture, and a handful of utilitarian block architecture, just to let you know communism was there. Also a bit of an influence from the Vienna Secession…

Add a dash of East Berlin
The promise of a city emerging, much like I felt on the streets of East Berlin surrounded by the buzz of slow and steady construction. Bulgaria is full speed ahead, ready to embrace motivation and become a serious competitor in the modern world. Having recently signed into the European Union, the opportunities and possibilities will be endless.

Season with Costa Rica
In rural Bulgaria, green villages speckled with terracotta roofs are nestled nicely in between mountains. Living off the land is the way of life for most. The smell of fresh manure is ever-present. It’s not always a smooth drive through the country. You can expect some cows blocking the potholed covered road ahead. Like Costa Rica, I find it beautiful. Man-made structures have not infiltrated the space yet. For my city eyes seeing so much green is like…well, is like seeing gold. Despite the beauty, these areas sometimes feel neglected, or unappreciated. Gypsies, the children and their culture are looked down upon, much like the Nicaraguan children of Costa Rica…although I scan my memories of every country I’ve been, and there is always a “minority” looked down upon.

Just a sprinkle of the Jersey Shore
Yes, that’s right. The New Jersey shore. And for anyone privileged enough to have experienced it, specifically Wildwood NJ. This seems odd doesn’t it? What’s the atmosphere of a Jersey shore doing in an old European country like Bulgaria? Well I guess it would be like adding a dash of sugar to tomato sauce. Doesn’t feel like it would make sense, but important to balance out the taste of the soup. Bulgaria had it’s own Jersey shore; it’s called Sunny Beach. Perhaps I should have made an effort to visit Golden Sands beach instead, given all my golden metaphors. But you can still find gold even here, big gold chains around big Bulgarian necks.

Secret Ingredient
Although I have found many associations and comparisons, there is one thing I have found no comparison for, this is the spirit of Bulgarian people. The passion I find living inside many of those I’ve met is like no other. The other day Marin was trying to explain something to me, he was saying it was when a Bulgarian feels very very intensely about something, but he couldn’t think of an English word equivalent. I thought to interrupt “Passion, you mean?” Marin looked at me, “well no Sherry, because there is passion, then there is BULGARIAN PASSION”. He is right, there is nothing like it. And if you haven’t experienced this first hand, I suggest you find yourself a Bulgarian and indulge in a conversation. They’re easy to find, just look for the gold aura.

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