Blagodaria, Bulgaria

This book tells the story of two years spent living, teaching and exploring in Bulgaria. It is a fascinating account of the people in a country still recovering from the breakup of the Soviet Union, told from the perspective of an American lawyer teaching English to teenagers, and her librarian husband. The author describes the personal joys and frustrations of teaching in that environment. It could be read as a travelogue – not only of Bulgaria but also the many other countries visited during this time - filled with detail about local attractions, food, art, people and culture, but is so much more, a rich tapestry of experiences and interactions.This is not an easy read because it weaves together many different aspects of living and working in a foreign country. The author describes the people – some who became lasting friends, others encountered only briefly - who shared part of their life stories. It is sprinkled with translations of Bulgarian “proverbs” that illustrate how history – both recent and distant – has shaped the outlook and ethics of the people, like “Stretch out your feet according to your rug.” She came to understand their “brooding solitariness” and their complicated “inferiority/superiority complex” and their underlying pragmatism – “Be the devil’s partner until you cross the bridge.” (proverb). I really liked the proverbs.

My husband and I both recently read this book. We had no preconceived notions about what we were looking to find in its content. We both thoroughly enjoyed reading it. We found it a delightful telling of the author’s experiences and observations about her time in Bulgaria and travels to other countries. We left with the impression that the author not only loved her time in Bulgaria but also loved the people of Bulgaria, reluctant to leave them when her work there was over. This book opened our eyes to how many great people there are who are willing to go to a foreign country to serve the needs of other people, leaving behind all of the comforts and advantages of their own homelands. We recommend this book to others who want to go along on a fun and interesting journey. The author provides descriptions and details to help you feel like you are traveling right along with her.