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Time for reflection for my year of heat in the USA as a Fulbright exchange teacher in 2004/2005 came with the Fulbright Conference and Orientation Workshop in Sofia (May 12-14, 2006). I presented the outline of our book, which I have been writing with Boyan, about our impressions of life and schools in the USA. A Year of Heat in the USA should have been published by the end of July, 2006.

The 7th International Conference of the Fulbright Bulgarian-American Commission for Educational Exchange Culture, Education and Leadership Today and Tomorrow was hosted by the Vitosha Park Hotel, Sofia.

Ready to go! 

Prof. Randall Baker was the keynote speaker. He started his interesting presentation at 10.47 a.m., May 12, 2006. He used an allusion to introduce the pessimism of the Bulgarians. The name of the ancient prophetess Cassandra who always had something bad to say but nobody believed her has become a god-mother of Bulgaria according to Prof. Baker.

I met old friends and we had a lot of useful and pleasant informal communication during the conference. In the picture (L->R: Violeta, Dimiter Andreichin, Shtiliana Halacheva, Julia Stefanova). 

Thirty two teachers from 12 European countries participated in the two-day orientation program that was moderated by Jennifer Nupp and Karen Paide, Fulbright Exchange Program Officers, USDA Graduate School, USA.

First, I participated in a round-table discussion on cultural dialogues between Bulgarians and Americans, which was moderated by Julia Stefanova - an Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission in Bulgaria (May 12, 2006). Next, I gave a presentation about the similarities and differencies between the American and the Bulgarian high school at the round-table discussion on secondary school education today and tomorrow moderated by Ekaterina Vitkova, a deputy-minister of education and science in Bulgaria (May 13, 2006). Third, I contributed to the Orientation Program for Fulbright Exchange teachers from Europe (May 13-14, 2006) as a resource alumnus. In this photo (L->R): Ekaterina, Julia, and Violeta.

 

The 7th International Conference of the Fulbright Bulgarian-American Commission for Educational Exchange, which was dedicated to the 60th Anniversary of the Fulbright Program, contributed to the better understanding of the problems and concerns about culture, education and leadership today and tomorrow. 

May 1 is Labor Day in Bulgaria. There was a park event in the Borisova Gradina Park in Sofia to celebrate Labor Day. It was a day of songs, books, dancing, balloons, flowers, and smiles.  

Labor Day was a day of Bulgarian books in the Borisova Gradina Park in Sofia. Some of the writers were there and were giving autographs. 

This two-yeard old boy wanted to have all books for children that were at the booth of Zahari Stoyanov Publishing House.

With two of the colossi of modern Bulgarian literature - Leda Mileva and Anton Donchev, on May 1, 2006. 

For East Othtodox Easter 2006 we had dyed eggs and Easter bread. 

On our way to Blagoevgrad we stopped at a cafe in the village of Drugan. It was called Arizona. This reminded us our Easter a year ago in Arizona. We spent it with the Bulgarian community at the East Orthodox Church St. Sophia in Phoenix.

On both banks of the Bistritsa River that runs through Blagoevgrad we enjoyed the company of Peter, Pepa, Marek and Tsanko. 

We spent Easter Sunday 2006 with friends in Blagoevgrad. We went to the local church in Old Town. 

My old friend Marek is an descendant of Gotse Deglchev. He was very moved and proud of his ancestors, The Delchevs, when he took us to their memorial.

Marek and I were very happy to reunite in his hometown. We remembered our Auld Lang Syne at Moscow State University and shared news about our work and families.

My Easter eggs were not many. They had either stickers or the Happy Easter or Borak sign. 

I am the winner by Gergana D., 9 V Class 

March 1 is known in Bulgaria as Baba Marta Day (Grandmother March Day). On this day people exchange red and white tassels, symbols of good health and luck. In 2006 Baba Marta Day fell on a Wednesday. My students from 9 B and 9 V class gave me lots of tassles to pin to my breasts or to put round my wrist.

All decked-up with martenitsi, this student is answering questions about the Titanic as a practice of the Past Perfect Tense.

The red and white tassels are called martenitsi in the Bulgarian language.

Since Christmas there have been students' drawings in the hallways. The Art teacher does a great job with giving publicity to our students' visual thinking.

Drawings of 8th and 9th graders are on display on the hallway walls.