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.