Public Transportation

Growing up in the suburbs of Houston, the only public transport I had been exposed to was the school bus. It wasn't until living in downtown Austin that I rode a public bus for the first time, but even then, transport was not a regular part of my commute. In Bulgaria, public transportation has not only been ingrained in my daily life but also etched into my mind and heart as one of my greatest gratitudes for living in Sofia! This is rooted in the great freedom of movement and not driving, along with the space for reflection I’ve experienced within this way of moving.

First off, the modes of transport here are vast; I can hop on a bus, trolley, electric trolley bus, tram, metro, or train! Although my first introduction to all of these lines was overwhelming, a handy-dandy app called Moovit has been a trusted guide in telling me when and where transport is coming depending on my route. There is a learning curve in estimating commute time, yet patience has grown alongside it as the journey becomes just as valuable as the destination. Aside from getting around the city, public vehicles have allowed me to commune with myself, people, and God. For myself, this travel time is a useful opportunity to develop hobbies I enjoy, like reading and crocheting. This has inevitably led to some missed stops and re-routing, but it has also led to friendly conversations with older people who rejoice to see a young person not consumed by a screen. As for people, there is no better place to people-watch and learn cultural norms than this realm where humans of all kinds collide; I’ve seen the respect and courtesy of young adults giving up their seats for elderly Bulgarians, and I’ve seen class and racial distinctions as some people deliberately distance themselves from people who are homeless or Roma.

And as for the Lord, God has used public transport to teach me to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance and even to allow my day to be side-tracked by God. This has looked like taking specific routes where I see the same person begging and that frequency has turned into familiarity and a relationship where we get to bless one another's day. This has looked like listening to devotionals and using that time to pray. This has looked like practicing my memory verse in Bulgarian while I wait at a stop because I just missed my bus, even though I ran to it. And, this has looked like being nudged by the Spirit to sit in a certain seat next to someone and just practice speaking Bulgarian, unaware of the fruit that may or may not come of that. In the States, I hopped in my car each morning, feeling fairly in control over my transition from point A to point B. Now, I soak in the joy of the unexpected blessings that God has along the journey.