My First Impressions of Bulgaria

Mariana, Ruby and Esther at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

This mission trip is not what I had originally imagined. Many of my friends from college are also on mission trips this summer, and theirs are between one and four weeks, where they go into the community and do a lot of evangelism or work. This is what I think of as a typical mission trip. However, this is very different because over the last few weeks, I have spent more time getting to know the country before I start the more “traditional” mission work. These are just a few of my observations.

I am living in an apartment in Sofia with two other girls. This means we do a lot of normal things that give me a better impression of what it would be like to live here. I go grocery shopping nearly every day. The stores have mostly the same things here, but not quite, and the different language makes it a little bit harder to know what I am getting. Getting around the city is also very different. I have mostly walked, but I have also tried public transport. I am so used to using a car to get around in America, and so I have enjoyed getting to walk more (except when it is very hot out). The city is full of parks, which makes it easier to walk through the city. However, they are not perfectly kept like in America, but much more natural. They are also full of people. Every bench has someone on it, and every grassy area has someone picnicking. It makes the city feel more friendly. The culture also seems so much more relaxed. The mornings are fairly quiet in the city. No one ever seems to be rushing. No one is very strict on start times, so it is okay if you are running a couple of minutes late. They had a king who was once a few minutes late for a funeral and therefore survived an assassination attempt, so if you are a couple of minutes late, it might just save your life.

Overall, I have enjoyed my time here exploring the city and learning about the culture. I believe that these experiences will help me better serve the children I will be working with throughout the last part of my trip.