Bulgaria... and the incredible feeling of being at home
I love Bulgaria!!
It's not the most beautiful country I've ever visited... nor the one with the most amazing history... nor the one that impressed me the most... but it is, for sure, the one where I feel most at home!
I arrived to Sofia and found my way to the MC flat... had a shower and walked the 20min to the office, as if I were walking in my hometown... I arrived to the office and was welcomed with warm hugs from a "family" that hosts me so well...
(view from the window of the office)
...I participated in a conference where I discussed interesting topics with people that are very inteligent and willing to change the world... I shared my learnings, my trips and brazilian culture with people that are preparing for their exchange and were asking me inteligent questions about Brazil (not the stereotypes smaba-naked-women-soccer-and-
(with the people from the conference)
(working with the new MC team - creating the planning model for the LCs)
...how could I not like it?
Besides that, I learnt a lot about Bulgaria, the culture... I can already read cyrilic, I understand some words... I learnt how to dance "xopo", typical bulgarian dance... they took me to a typical bulgarian restaurante to eat typical food...
(with the guys from LC Sofia UNWE, in the bulgarian restaurant)
And it was not only this!
The guys there spoiled me a lot! :) They would carry my luggage/backpack, cook for me, take me for a walk around the city, invited me to visit their cities (and therefore I visited Veliko Tarnovo and Varna), hosted me in their houses, didnt leave me alone not even for a minute (there was always someone taking care of me... and when one person couldnt be with me anymore, he would call someone else to come to be with me), they were awesome touristic guides, were very happy every time I read cyrilic or said some words in bulgarian... and one of them even took my clothes to wash in his washing machine...
(dinner with the MC - the guys cooked for us!! :D)
...very good to have people thinking about me, taking care of me, making me feel safe and comfortable...
I love Bulgaria!!
(it's not even 12hs since I left the country and I already miss it)
(Barbara Basso - april 2009)
