Historical Bulgarian of the Week - Hristo Botev:
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Dobre dushliv do moi purvo blog. My name is Tyler Wasson and I will be posting a section every Saturday entitled, "Historical Bulgarian of the Week".
(Side note1- All research was done without Wikipedia and some information was taken from web-sites entirely in Bulgarian so I hope none of the information I give is wrong. Let me know if you catch a mistake.- End Side Note1)
Bulgarians are proud of their historical figures. From my host father to my coworkers to the many other Bulgarians I have met I have been taught a great deal about Bulgarians long and rich history.
For my first episode I choose Hristo Botev (Христо Ботев). господин ("Mr.") Botev is perhaps Bulgaria’s most famous poet.
Mr. Botev was born in the Bulgarian town of Kalofer on January 6, 1848. His father was a teacher whom was very knowledgable on Bulgarian history. Also his father was also heavily involved in the “Bulgarian Historical Revival”. The B.H.R. was an attempt by Bulgarians to maintain as much of their culture as possible during the Ottoman Rule (1396 – 1878).
I would parallel his father to an American who knew a lot about our the history of our Founding Fathers and firmily believed in the principals of the American Constitution. Maybe one of the founding fathers themselves... This was a hard comparison to make. Ideas? Suggestions?
Here is a picture of Hristos parents at their wedding:
For comparison here is a picture of George Washington (not to be mistaken for “George Vaflington” whom you will see posting on Tuesday) and his wife at their wedding:
For High School young Hristo Botev moved to Ukraine where he was supposedly influenced by the popular Russian poets of the time. In 1867 he took over his father’s job as a teacher. However that did not last long as he made a public speech lambasting the Ottoman leaders and the Upper Class. Apparently he was a great speaker… somewhat similar to Kennedy in his appeal. Kennedy at his wedding:
Because of his anti-government speech he was forced out of the country. He moved to Romania where he began living with many like-minded Bulgarians. He formed many of his great revolutionary theories and he did most of his most famous writing during this period of his life.
One web-site I found had this to say, “Hristo Botev’s idea of national liberation did not come down to simple opposition of Bulgarians against Turks, but in terms of struggle for democracy, human rights and social justice in a broader context”.
Perhaps my favorite quote from him was on the same site. It goes as such: “It is but through striking a solidarity union based on reason and brotherly love among the nations of the world that an end could finally be brought to penury, misery and the parasites of the human kind, and it is but this union that is able to impose the principles of true liberty, brotherhood, equality and happiness around the globe”. Very Marxist…
Botev was shot and killed.
After doing all this research and learning so much about Mr. Botev the most important thing I learned is that he could grow one wickedly awesome beard:
Sorry that I got carried away, I must have beard envy...
Back to a serious note, I included one of my favorite poems from him, in Bulgaria first and than followed by the English translation.
Към брата си
Тежко, брате, се живее
между глупци неразбрани;
душата ми в огън тлее,
сърцето ми в люти рани.
Отечество мило любя,
неговият завет пазя;
но себе си, брате, губя,
тия глупци като мразя.
са разпалили душа млада;
ах, ръка си кой ще турне
на туй сърце, дето страда?
Никой, никой! То не знае
нито радост, ни свобода;
а безумно как играе
в отзив на плач из народа!
Често, брате, скришом плача
над народен гроб печален;
но, кажи ми, що да тача
в тоя мъртъв свят коварен?
Нищо, нищо! Отзив няма
на глас искрен, благороден,
пък и твойта й душа няма
на глас божий - плач народен!
To My Brother
It's difficult to live, my brother,
among such thick-skulled blunderheads;
the fires of my youth are smothered,
my heart is torn to bitter shreds.
I love the land where I was born
and I protect its ancient wealth,
yet when I show these oafs my scorn
I bring destruction to myself.
Dreams of darkness, thoughts of storm,
have nailed my young soul to the cross.
O, who will place a friendly hand
upon my heart in its distress?
No one, no one. Freedom, joy
neither does it recognize;
yet it passionately joins
its answer to a people's cries.
Brother, I shed tears in secret
where anguished people are interred;
but, tell me, what should I respect
upon this dead, insidious earth?
Nothing, nothing. To a frank
and upright voice there's no reply,
and your soul, too, does not react
to the voice of God - a people's cry.
Translated by © Thomas Butler. All rights reserved!
-------End of Poem----------
"There is no power over those who are ready to lose their lives in the name of freedom and for the good of humanity."
- Hristo Botev
Thank you all for you time. More to come next week on my end; Same bat time, same bat channel... Stay tuned...
Tyler.Keith.Wasson.
Some of the web-sites where I got information: http://www.bnr.bg/RadioBulgaria/Emission_English/Theme_Profiles/Material/botevpers.htm; http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/hristo-botev-and-his-revolutionary-poetry/id_7334/catid_30; http://www.slovo.bg/showbio.php3?ID=2;
Posted byPavel at 12:06 AM 4 comments
Labels: Bulgarian History
Bulgarian Transportation of the Week: Minibus
Friday, March 7, 2008
Ah, the minibus (микробус) just like a regular автобус, but without the safety. Minibuses are large vans or small buses (mini, if you will) and tend to service short routes in between large cities or really windy roads way out in the stix. They usually depart from bus stations, bus stops or unmarked places that only the locals know about. You can also flag them down. This PCV has caught minibuses from Dimitargrad to Stara Zagora, from Kazanlak to Stara Zagora and from Smolyan to the middle of no where. They are also usually cheaper than the standard bus and afford even less comfort. Some minibuses will refuse to depart unless every available space is taken, giving situations like this:
Keep in mind, this was a good 10 minutes or so before I departed and the driver was able to sell several more tickets. And what is a Peace Corps experience with with out daily awkward moments? There were six of us travelling together and we all sat in the back. We were the first stop. Hilarity ensued.
Needless to say, travelling by minibus is a great way to meet new people and experience new smells. It only adds adventure to your adventure.
All in all, travelling by minibus is a unique experience and it's not to be missed. You'll come away with a new mode of transport under your belt and a redefined sense of "personal space". I find it's overrated anyway.
Until next week, 4ao!
Posted byJimmy at 9:43 AM 0 comments
Labels: Minibus, Trasportation of the Week
Smells of Bulgaria
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Last week after work I was a little tired and wanted to make a simple dinner rather than spending two hours in the kitchen preparing stuff. So I had a look around the kitchen and saw a brownie mix that had been sent all the way from America. That box was worth about $12 because of shipping to get it over here, but much more than that actually because it is not available here anywhere! I would buy it for $30 if I could!!! I have been so happy that my family has been so helpful with that sort of thing. We have been sent just about everything you can think of that could possibly make living overseas a little more like home.
Excited and full of hope again, I mixed up the brownies, carefully heated the oven to the right temperature, and threw them in the oven for our dinner that night! I had a few minutes to kill so I thought I would try multitasking and run down to the store on the corner to get some bread for the next day. The bread here is much different than the States, it only takes a few days before it starts growing little green friends, so we have to buy it often.
I got back approximately nine minutes after I had put the brownies in the oven and so I knew I had a little more time before the brownies would be finished, but I decided to check them just to make sure. To my horror, when I opened the oven door I smelled the most nauseating and disappointing smell of perhaps the last seven months. It was a classic case of burnt around the edges, but not quite done in the middle. But the conditions were exactly the same as the last time that I had made brownies! What was my mistake?! I will never know.
The silver lining was that we were able to salvage the inside of the brownie goodness. So we still ate it for dinner that night right out of the pan with forks, but it was not quite as satisfying as neat little squares. This has taught me an important lesson, and that is to never ever let something on or in the stove out of my sight, even for nine minutes.
Posted byUnknown at 7:01 PM 3 comments
