Easter's processions

Ester in Spain is really famous with the processions the biggest of which are made in South of Spain - Andalucia. Well here on Tenerife also there is processions whole week every day. So I was really interested to see them. On the first moment I was totally shocked from the costumes of the brotherhoods they are literally looks like the Ku Klux Klan ones. But you can judge by yourself be this photos here.

So I started to ask here and there why exactly they are wearing this scary for me costumes. The answer of everybody was that it is not scary for them because they are used to it and they neither have idea why they are wearing these costumes it is just really old tradition and they don't know where it is coming from.

I am happy that I could see the processions even if I don't really understand them I really respect the catholic tradition their way of celebrating Easter.

Welcome spring :)

Well in the end the spring came. As I told you on 1st of march we made and put martenitsas with children and the señoras from the old age home where we are helping as part of our EVS project. So today we tighten up the martenitsas on the blossoming tree and made our wishes as it is the bulgarian tradition. We comducted our ritual to welcome the spring.

They were so happy and enjoy this small ritual. Well I was even happier that I could share part of my culture with them and they accepted it and enjoyed so much.

I think this the best part of my intercultural experience to share my traditions and get to know others which actually are not so different. 

Our adventure in Malaga and Granada

Well as you read in my previous post we were on this mid-term EVS evaluation. As it was close to Malaga we used the chance and went early in the morning so we can see the city. Well what can I say it is really beautiful. We could see the most important places for less than a day. But one day I will go back there and spend enough time to enjoy this city.

After the end of the training we could go for two days in Granada. This was even more amazing town I am really in love with it. And definitely I just have to spend some time there. And of course to eat very delicious free tapas. I hope that one day I will have the opportunity just to travel and enjoy all of the beautiful and historical points in Spain and the world.

If you don't know the most important place in Granada is the castle Alhambra - marvelous place made by the arabs. Well I don't want to ruin your experience there so I will share just some photos without writing too much.

Mid-term EVS evaluation

Well let me tell you about my EVS mid-term evaluation. We were 85 people and 7 of them were mentors, the other volunteers from whole Spain, but not at all of the volunteers. All of the sessions were really good organized even a little bit too much - it was hipper tiredful. But I am greatfull to all of the people who make this reality it was really useful for me.

Anyway it was really useful to meet all of the people and share ideas with them. Also all of the so much questionnaires that we had to fill in and the stories of the other volunteers and their projects gave me the opportunity to evaluate once again how good is my project and how happy I am with it.

Other point was that we started to think about the future which is coming pretty soon for me and the hard decision that I have to get - And now what? In my working group I saw all of the opportunities that I am thinking about chosen from different people. And now I have to make my decision for my personal and professional future. Will I use all of the things that I learned here to help to young people from Bulgaria to make their dreams come true, probably yes, or I will choose other option. Well this is the big question the answer of which I still don't know. But let's see, one of my friend told me that the decisions are coming by themselves according to the opportunities that you have and the efforts you are ready to make. So only the time will show how will I ended up and what expects me in my future.

My cooking workshop is famous :)

Hey this post will be my shortest one :) I just want to show you how proud I am that my personal project is so popular and you can find it in the Local Newspaper. Is it just great! This cooking workshop is pretty popular, always the places are filling in the first day and we have waiting list. And the greatest thing is that half of the participants are local students and the other half Erasmus from everywhere. I think that the cuisine is the best way to get to know another culture and recognise how close it is to your one.

How the martenitsas came on Tenerife

Ok let me first explain you what is this martenitsa. This is a bracelet or brooch made of red and white wool that every year on first of march we are giving to our family and friends for health and happiness. Red color symbolizes the health and the white one the happiness. We are wearing this martenitsa till the moment we see stork or blossoming tree and hanging them up on this tree. this means that the spring is already here. Hanging them up on the tree or also puting them under stone we are make wishes.

This is really old bulgarian tradition that nowadays you can meet also in some of the others Balkan countries close to Bulgaria. There is a legend that this tradition comes from the times of the first Bulgarian Khan Asparuh (The founder of Bulgaria in the nowadays lands at 681 A.C.).

So as I am here on the Canary Islands making my EVS I decided to share my traditions with my friends here and with the local people. I make short presentation and explained about this in the old age home where we are helping, and in two classes with children - one in the neiberhoodceter and one in the scout place. All of them were astonished to learn something for my so far away and unknown country for them. They enjoyed so much making martenitsas and now they are wearing them and waiting the end of march to can follow the tradition.

It is so great to share something that you are so used to with people who never heard about it. And this is only one of the plenty examples of the amazing experience that you can have during your EVS.