Conferences and Fun in Sofia

Last week I attended a conference in Sofia focusing on the development of social enterprise in Bulgaria. The idea of community oriented business is rather new to Bulgarians. Bularians generally seem to be a bit confused about why business should part with any profit, but this conference showed that the business community in Bulgaria is open-minded and has a social conscience. Sponsers were Counterpart International, USAID and Partners-Bulgaria. The programming was very well run, the materials were clearly and effectively presented and the attending enterprises were impressive in scope and product quality. I met representatives of a honey cooperative that sells honey from communities throughout the country and is based in Stara Zagora. There were craft and foodstuff, cloth and cobbler enterprises, even a nursery (for plants). The networking that the conference encouraged established some strong new relationships. I may return to Sofia periodically to visit some of the new contacts I made there.

On a social note, I visited Sofia last weekend to meet a friend's family who came to visit. I explored the city really for the first time. It is a great city for Bulgarians, really. Tourists are there, but they have not yet changed the rhythm or face of the city. It is not a beautiful city like Stockholm or Prague, and it is not wildly historic like London or Paris, but it is honestly itself. Cafes are found on almost every block and the restaurants are generally good and cheap. The cathedrals are orthadox-style, and the Alexander Nevsky cathedral outside the center is impressive. A russian bazaar outside the cathedral has antiques from the eastern-block, Soviet Union, and Nazi Germany. I got the number off of a U-boat cigarette case and will research the boat (I didn't buy it, but may get one later if it looks genuine). I went to an interesting bar with friends the last night there. There are no signs to this place, and you have to go down an alley to get there. You need to go into a toolshed-like enclosure and knock on a locked door to get in. After maybe two minutes, they let you in to a barn-like room with lofted seating. The whole place is lit only with candles. The only way, really, to get to this place is to be taken there by someone who knows it. Apparently it is where the communist party started in Bulgaria.

It has begun to snow in Bulgaria. It started while I was in Sofia, and by the time I left a couple of feet blanketed the city. Ctara Zagora has a temperate climate for Bulgaria, but it has snowed for the last week, and the nice, light powder has turned to ice. I bought snowboots just in time. Although it is below freezing, the real use of the boots is to keep me from slipping (which I've only done once). It was perhaps -6 deg. Celsius last night, which is really cold for me. I'm getting used to it. I have warm-enough clothes but I will buy a new, waterproof jacket for myself for christmas. For Christmas, I'll go back to Septemvri and visit my host family. On that note, Merry Christmas everyone. I already miss my friends and Family and I will be thinking about all of you with great fondness during the Holidays.