MEETING NELI’S FAMILY IN BULGARIA I traveled recently to Bulgaria to meet my daughter -in-law (and co-publisher) Neli’s parents and her family for the first time and celebrate Easter with them. Neli’s large family, as well as the majority of the population (76 percent), are Christian Orthodox. Bulgaria’s constitution guarantees religious freedom, but designates Orthodoxy as a "traditional" religion and Easter is a big celebration. It was a wonderful experience getting to know her family and a real adventure to discover her fascinating home country. Since I don’t speak the language, poor Neli had to translate the entire time for my son and myself. Bulgaria is a beautiful country in Southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south and the Black Sea (which is actually of precious turquoise www.ScuppernongGazette.com
blue) to the east. Bulgaria's location was a historical crossroad for various civilizations and as such it is the home of some of the world's most ancient and amazing cultural artifacts. Prehistoric cultures began developing on Bulgarian lands during the Neolithic period. Its ancient history was marked by the presence of the Thracians, and later by the Greeks and Romans. The emergence of a
1878 resulted in the Third Bulgarian State, recognized in 1908. The following years were marked by several conflicts with its neighbors, which prompted Bulgaria to ally with Germany in both World Wars. In 1946 it became a communist republic with a single-party system until 1989, when the Communist Party allowed multi-party elections. After 1990 Bulgaria transitioned to democracy and a market-based economy.
unified Bulgarian ethnicity and state dates back to the First Bulgarian Empire, which dominated most of the Balkans and functioned as a cultural hub for Slavic peoples during the Middle Ages. With the downfall of the Second Bulgarian Empire in 1396, its territories came under Ottoman rule for nearly five hundred years. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–
Neli’s father Penko came to Sofia International Airport to get us with his Diesel Jeep®, because we had a lot of luggage. I was as nervous as one can be; meeting Neli’s Dad for the first time - and I think, so was he. Penko drove us for 3 hours through Bulgaria’s precious countryside to their home and business in Radnevo. Radnevo is a small city in southern Bulgaria with a population of over 13,000 and the home of internationally recognized footballer Andrey Zhelyazkov. I don’t know what I expected, but what I found was beyond and then some. Neli’s mother Elena, her sister
Fall 2012