Smell of a Memory

Albena - my 2nd home

alinche — Sun, 1 Apr 2012 03:18:00 GMT

Life took me on an unbeaten path - to work away from my homecountry. I knew nothing of Bulgaria except the capital is Sofia and it is the 'neighbour' of my homecountry... The language, the people, the culture, the food - everything was but a big question mark to me. My plan was to resist there for 6 months .... but life had other plans for me : it lasted exactly 3 years later ! What happened between these 3 years ?! I had an unbelievable journey inside of this country and inside myself !

ALBENA, a name so very similar as mine, a name taken out of a story, is simply a summer resort. Living to get to know this resort through 4 seasons and changes made me understood there lies more that an eye can catch. Albena became my home and the people working there - my family.

As time passed by I've learnt the language, the songs that made other people's hearts sing, the history and the customs. We had moments of happiness and moments of sadness - but we all passed them together, as a team, as relatives.

It is incredible how close you may feel to people you've never known and never shared memories until then. But memories is something that you build...

Three years it took me to gather information and fill my brain and my heart. At the end of these years I have realised something - I was RICH ! Was I able to give something in return ?! I sure was - a part of me :)

I can make right now a list of people I knew and made my day or a list of places I've seen and left me speechless, but the experience itself is beyond words.

For all this and much more, Albena is my 2nd home :)

Photos: Profile

alinche — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 23:34:00 GMT

My Scholarship entry - Understanding a Culture through Food

alinche — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 23:31:00 GMT

There I was, in a very small Thai village... I was having a quarrel with myself : yes, I did consider an 'out-of-the beaten path' experience, but what exactly should I expect ?! I got only 1 day left - did I make the right choice ?! At some point, I realised a little woman was standing in front of me, reading all my thoughts all over my face. She smiled... Waved to me as to follow .. I did as if I was hypnotised. No questions asked. She showed me the rooms of her house, one by one. My eyes were covering every inch of the room in hunger for learning more about her house and way of life. In fact, I did step into her life without knowing...

Outside the house, on the terrace, a little girl was waiting for us. She felt happy to see me and took my hand. She did not understand English, nor did I understand her words, and yet communication was perfect. The both stopped next to what appeared to be an open-air kitchen. There were all kind of ingredients, some known by me and some not. There was so much colour in front of me as before a painting.

I was just about day-dreaming of what my lunch would look like when the woman invited me, with her eyes, very firmly and yet tender, to start cooking ! There MUST be a mistake ! I can hardly fry an egg !!! She was gentle, took my hand and made me touch each ingredient whispering the local name. It was music to my years... A whole symphony was about to happen...

While I was introduced to the mystery of mixing the raw ingredients, the little one was watching the 'show', making funny faces or clapping from time to time. Little did I know that she was my best fan ! Through the cooking process, I did get to taste, smell and take a close look at each ingredient, but more than this - I got to experience the respect the Thai people have for food, fish, plants.

A month had passed.... tsunami came ...Through tears, I called my local friends to lunch ... I cooked Thai food and the smell brought back sweet & sour memories... closer to them..