Martenitsa: How To

So this afternoon, I went out to buy a few martenitsas and some groceries.  I ended up with more than 20 leva in martenitsas.  They are so cute and it seems so festive.  Also this a truly Bulgarian holiday.
When I got home and figured that I would give making my own martenistas a go.  I [...]

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March & Martenitsas

Two weeks ago table started appearing all over Sofia.  The tables were full of red and white do-hickies and priced from .10 -1.00 Leva or maybe slightly more.  Martenitsas had arrived.  The мартеница are everywhere.
They are made out of red and white string.  I am told that the red and white represent life (red) [...]

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Notes from Sofia: Homelessness

My Uncle Doug wrote an email to me recently.  He asked me:  “Is there much or any homelessness in Sofia?  You haven’t mentioned that but of course it is not something one would trumpet on a blog.”  It’s true.  Homelessness isn’t very sexy and I haven’t written about it on my blog.  Maybe the closest [...]

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Sofia University

I just taught my first regular class of the semester at Sofia University. The students were great–I didn’t know what to expect because I’ve heard a range of stories about the students, the program and the university. This said, the students had great English, worked well in small groups brainstorming, seemed excited to [...]

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Centimeters of Snow

We’ve got centimeters of snow here in Sofia.  One of my students at Sofia University told me this recently.  It’s true.  But I couldn’t help laughing inside when I heard it.
I would say that over the last two days we’ve gotten between 10 and 12 inches of snow.  It’s more or less snowed for two [...]

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Wanted: One Baba (баба)

I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can learn more Bulgarian and more about traditional Bulgarian cuisine.  It came to me recently.  I need my own Baba.  But how does an American girl go about this?  I know a few teachers at school but they are busy with their families. I know a number [...]

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Hey! I’m a teacher

Ever wonder what I do on a day to day basis? Well, I am here on a Fulbright Fellowship and I am teaching English at the First English Language High School in Sofia, Bulgaria. I teach English conversation to 7 classes of 8th graders.  It means that I get to work with them on topics [...]

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Conversation Hearts

My aunt sent me a box of Valentines including bags of conversation hearts.  I’ve gotten a huge kick out of these.  Aside from the fact that I love bad holiday candy, it was great fun watching Bulgarians read the messages on these candies for the first time.
If you’re American, you know the drill.  The little [...]

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Quick and Stupidly Easy: Coffee Cake

I made a coffee cake this past week.  Then I ate the whole thing–well and I had some friends help me.  Here’s what is great about this recipe: it doesn’t have very many ingredients so it’s stupidly easy to make–even for a girl living in Sofia, Bulgaria with a tiny kitchen and limited pots, pans [...]

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St Trifon, Dionysus & Feb 14th

I announced to one of my friends recently that February 14th is a drinking holiday in Bulgaria.  He told me: it’s a drinking holiday in the states too.  Maybe.  February 14th is St Valentine’s Day in the States.  I would argue that it’s a day for lovers, boxes of chocolate, red roses, expensive dinners and [...]

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