Green Library 2014 Promo and Bulgarian National Radio Interview

This video was an exercise in spontaneity: we came up with the idea for it, wrote the lyrics and the music, shot it, cut it and uploaded it within 6-7 hours. Extra footage is from our first Green Library event at Lyulin, which took place last Saturday, and, apart from the rain, which spoiled our plans a little bit, it was quite successful.

I mean, we even went to the Bulgarian National Radio for an interview. Valya, Boryana and Zanda were the ones who spoke the most, presenting our activities and inviting the listeners to our event in Lyulin, but it's no small thing getting to speak in Bulgarian on the freakin' national radio, if only just for 15 seconds! The people were kind enough to share the interview with us. Valya starts speaking at 0:25, Boryana at 2:00, Zanda at 4:00, Maria at 4:20, Vicente at 6:55 and myself at 07:10. Here it is:

Many thanks to Maria and Zanda, who had the original idea, and everyone else who helped make this a reality. See you next Saturday!

One Minotaur, one Labyrinth and One Ball of String

In English...

...and in Bulgarian!

Two of the five visiting Greek girls - Lena, Lenio, Konstantina, Efi and Dimitra - have already left. It always breaks my heart bonding with people over such small periods of time and then having to say goodbye, or at least "see you later", so soon. Anyway, it was an absolutely great experience taking part in these workshops, escaping in the process our own collective labyrinth and bringing to life something valuable for children and adults alike. All of the countless hours of Skype calls between us paid off in the end! And there's more to come.

I took more than 20GB of video yesterday, and it might take me a while to edit together and upload something worthwhile; when I do, however, I'll place it in this post.

These workshops took place under the action of the Greek N.G.O ''Εμείς και ο Κόσμος/ Nuestro Mundo'' (www.nuestromundo.gr) in collaboration with the Central Library of Sofia/ Sofia City Library, on the occasion of their collaboration within the framework of realization of the Project of European Voluntary Service (EVS) Web Culture in the Library. The workshops are included in the broader activities developed by ''Nuestro Mundo'' in collaboration with European Educational Institutions concerning the theme of Stereotypes in Genders and of Children's Literature. This project, is funded with private resources of the NGO ''Nuestro Mundo'' and it is supported by the Project European Voluntary Service (EVS) Web Culture in the Library.

July Summer Reading at the American Corner

This is the schedule of the July Summer Reading at the American Corner. This year's theme is Planet Earth. We'll be happy to see you!

July 4, 17:00
Movie: Earth-creation of a planet
4 юли, 17:00 ч. Филм: Земята-създаването на една планета

July 5, 11:00 to 13:00
Children's activity: Water
5 юли, 11:00-13:00 ч.
Детско занимание: Water

July 7, 17:30
Read aloud in English
7 юли, 17:30 ч.
Четене на глас на английски език

July 8, 13:00 to 17:00
Making presentations / Programming with Scratch
8 юли, 13:00-17:00 ч.
Изработване на презентации/Програмиране със Scratch

July 9, 11:00 to 12:00 am
Children's film: Until the Arctic
9 юли, 11:00-12:00 ч.
Детски филм: До Арктика

July 10, 11:00 to 13:00
Children's activity: Plants
 10 юли, 11:00-13:00 ч.
Детско занимание: Plants

July 11, 17:00
Movie: The wonders of the ocean
Диана/Камелия 11 юли 17:00 ч.
Филм: Чудесата на океана

July 12, 11:00 to 13:00
Children's activity: Ice / Snow
12 юли, 11:00-13:00 ч.
Детско занимание:Ice/Snow

July 14, 17:30
Reading aloud in English
14 юли, 17:30 ч.
Четене на глас на английски език

July 15, 13:00 to 17:00
Making presentations / Programming with Scratch
15 юли, 13:00-17:00 ч.
Изработване на презентации /Програмиране със Scratch

July 16, 11:00 to 12:00
Children's film: Animation
16 юли, 11:00-12:00 ч.
Детски филм: Анимация

July 17, 11:00 to 13:00
Children's activity: Volcanoes
17 юли, 11:00-13:00 ч.
Детско занимание: Volcanoes

July 18, 17:00
Movie: Life
18 юли, 17:00 ч.
Филм: Зараждането на живота

July 19, 11:00 to 13:00
Children's activity: Moon
19 юли, 11:00-13:00 ч.
Детско занимание: Moon

July 21, 17:30
Reading aloud in English
21 юли, 17:30 ч.
Четене на глас на английски език

July 22, 13:00 to 17:00
Making presentations / Programming with Scratch
22 юли, 13:00-17:00 ч.
 Изработване на презентации /Програмиране със Scratch

July 23, 11:00 to 12:00
Children's film: Animation
 23 юли, 11:00-12:00 ч.
Детски филм: Анимация

July 24, 11:00 to 13:00
Children's activity: Animals
24 юли, 11:00-13:00 ч.
Детско занимание: Animals

July 25, 17:00
Movie: The great secret of water
25 юли,17:00 ч.
Филм: Великата тайна на водата

July 26, 11:00 to 13:00
Children's activity: Oceans Висенте
26 юли, 11:00-13:00 ч.
Детско занимание: Oceans

July 28, 17:30
Reading aloud in English
28 юли, 17:30 ч.
Четене на глас на английски език

July 29, 13:00 to 17:00
Making presentations / Programming with Scratch 
29 юли, 13:00-17:00 ч.
Изработване на презентации /Програмиране със Scratch

30 July, 11:00 to 12:00
Children's movie: Timon and Pumba Safety Smart
30 юли, 11:00-12:00 ч.
Детски филм: Timon and Pumba Safety Smart

July 31, 11:00 to 13:00
Children's activity: Earth Structure
31 юли, 11:00-13:00 ч.
Детско занимание: Earth Structure

August 2, 11:00 to 13:00
FINAL
2 август, 11:00-13:00 ч.
ФИНАЛ

Russian conference in Rodina Hotel

Last weekend Dimitris, Zanda and I had the opportunity of helping with the organization of a conference about the developing of Russian culture and image in Bulgaria. The library participated throug its Russian Center, so we did our part as European Volunteers. The conference took place in Hotel Rodina in the center of Sofia, but we also went to other places.

First day of the conference we help filling 180 bags, 1 per participant in the conference, with a pen, a notebook, and a belt for the identification.

                                                Zanda, Dimitri and I, filling the bags

After doing this we went with the russian guests to the museum of Bulgarian History so they could know more about the history of the country. In the museum there are highly valued treasures for Bulgaria, like somme of the most ancient archeological remains in Europe, or objects that belonged to Vasil Levski, the great hero of bulgarian independence.

Back to the hotel the conference started. My task then was taking photos of the room and the speakers.

Some moments of the conference

Unfortunately I don´t speak russian so I don´t know exactly what the conference was about but I Know for sure they explained the activities that take place in the Russian Center.

Next day, Sunday, we took a bus with the attendants to go to the Rila Monastery and the village of Melnik, so they could feel the taste of the bulgarian countriside. Rila is one of the most important religious centres for bulgarian orthodox and Melnik is well known for its good wine. We visited one of its many wineries.

                                       

Rila monastery

Enjoying the red wine of Melnik

Finally on monday Maria, Boryana and I were invited to the famous restaurant "Chevermeto" where we could try some bulgarian style meats and enjoy with traditional dances of the country. This were staged by a group of professional dancers, but the russian guests have also their chances to dance, that they didn´t lose. Neither did we.

Jāņi - Latvian Midsummer

On June 23rd we celebrated Jāņi together with our Latvian friends, which is their celebration of midsummer, complete with fires, homemade cheese, beer (very important) and attempting to stay up until sunrise - whoever fails to do so is cursed with sleepiness for a year, at least in Latvian tradition. What is important to note here is that of course the night of June 23rd in the high latitudes of Latvia isn't more than 3 or 4 hours long, which means that Jāņi doesn't translate so well for countries that aren't situated quite as close to polar bears and baby harp seals as the Baltics are - call me Bulgaria. Some of us made the brave attempt, but the idea of sleeping around the fire, or in custom hammocks, beat the spirits of all but the toughest.

The celebration took place in a summer house on Stara Planina close to Rebrovo, which is in a forested valley next to Sofia. It never ceases to surprise me with how many beautiful spots of nature, mountains, lakes, rivers and forests, exist no farther away than a single hour's trip from Bulgaria's beating heart.


A taste of the 40-minute train ride, together with Janis, Rian, Zanda and Vicente.

Latvian homemade "cheese"

What? ZANDA is evolving!

So much green... Jāni had his day

Wild strawberries! City boy was excited!

Picking flowers for the Jāņi crowns

After the sun set, the fireflies came out to play. Some of us, including myself, had never seen a firefly before, and that we were excited doesn't even begin to describe it. The attempt of a video above doesn't remotely do the experience justice, but at least you can catch part of the vibe, especially played by the sound of the chatter of the crickets and the song of other little creatures of the night.

I'll leave you with an interesting observation: Greece, Bulgaria, Spain, Latvia, Denmark and I'm sure further countries still, all share the same obviously pagan celebration on the same day - the summer solstice - but it's everywhere under the guise of the same obviously christian name: St. John's. Vicente's theory is that the pagan festival had existed everywhere in Europe since ancient times, and very early on in its history christianity decided to keep it intact in order to not not alienate the recently-converted pagans. It added, however, the "front" of the christian saint to more covertly incorporate the old celebration to its own traditions. Who knows?