Our first weeks here
(borrowed from the blog of our Volunteers: here)
Arrivals are never easy and less with the uncertainty of not knowing what you will find. A long trip for all, houses of all kinds and a great fatigue that would be rewarded when we discovered Preslav for the first time.
One week we have been getting to know each other, exchanging our cultures and passions. Games days, Bulgarian weddings and barbecue. Days of not sleeping, of falling under the effects of the Rakia. Days to enjoy.
When you are going to share an experience how are you with people from your country as well as places like Poland, Latvia, Sweden, Turkey, Italy or Portugal, the first thing to do is to leave the prejudices, share goals together and not stop traveling in this intense month and a half.
After this first week, we will soon begin to fulfill our respective responsibilities. Some of us with children in the summer camp, others restoring and translating in the museum and others fulfilling their dream in the archaeological excavation.
“I want to try everything in Bulgaria”
We are living everyday a new adventure.
From the beginning we could experience lot of different things. Related to work, people but above all, discovering new places.
Veliki Preslav gave us the opportunity of attend a Bulgarian Wedding Party, enjoy the sky while we were walking and singing in the darkness after a perfect bbq or feel the kindness of the locals who offered to take us by car (Two times, even to the Hospital and the “Bara”) and dancing bulgarian songs with us, as if we were old friends.
Furthermore, we have been able to verify in first person that it is not a myth that the cucumber is eaten here all the time…and the same with the fabulous cheese!
We are the lucky ones that have daily contact with local children, and that they tell us how proud they are of their nature and their perfect combination of beach, culture and history. We have felt this atmosphere since the first moment. Bulgarian people can be very very proud of the green colour (the third of Bulgaria is covered by forest) and of has one of the most ancient cities in Europe and the first to use the cyrillic alphabet.
We discoved special places like the Tombul mosque, the largest temple in the country in size and architectural importance and the second most important in the Balkans (after Edirne). Also the magnificent Founders of the Bulgarian State monument that allowed us to have a new perspective watching Bulgaria from the top. Yes, Shumen is cool 
We have been able to visit the world heritage site in Madara, wear the typical historical costume in Pliska, enjoy the Black Sea in Varna (playing with the waves and dancing in a disco with the sea in the background) and of course, immerse ourselves in the forest of the Aladzha Monastery, a place to remember forever!!. and not just because we almost got lost in the middle of the natural park, or that we were walking along the highway….We will remember because we have tried everything!!! We are open to adventure and excited even when we try a 6-seater taxi or the driver decides to put on party music after a Harry-potter Bulgarian Style train trip.
Probably, we wont go to Hogwarts but I’m sure we will continue to live the magic of Bulgaria.
Picture by: Amina Hilbert 
Text by: Daya Morales