March 1 is my favorite Bulgarian holiday...Baba Marta. She is a slightly mean grandmother who chases away winter, but who can also make some pretty horrible weather through the month of March. To ward off the bad luck she might send, Bulgarians give eachother "Martenitsas" (shown above) made of white and red thread (white means luck and red means health). They wear them until they see a stork, at which point they tie them to a blooming tree and make a wish...
Today I didn't teach but I went into school anyway because on holidays there is always banitsa, wine and fun times. First, however, I had to go to Yambol to get a package.
The package was the miracle. Back in October my dear friend Katie sent me a package. Said package never came, never came, and I was beginning to think it had been lost at sea. Last week, on Thursday (the day AFTER I am able to pick up packages), I got a notice saying I had a box. I didn't know who it was from, but I was NOT expecting the one from Katie.
The weather was beautiful today. It was a nice ride to Yambol, then it was nice to wander around looking at the martenitsa stands lining the road. I went to the post office and stood on the usual line. When it came time for me to sign the book and take my box away, I looked at the address and saw it was, indeed, Katie's box.
Where has this box been? I have a feeling that it went ground...which means it crossed the Atlantic and then the whole of southern Europe. This box is better traveled than I am! What has it seen? The wonder of it!
Anyway, this is my favorite holiday because it is so bright...it is so visual. None of the other Bulgarian holidays thus-far have been very visual. But with all these cool red and white bracelets, it somehow feels like winter is on the way out. It might also have been the weather...
Now for the other random photo. The top one is the view from the window in my hallway. I have taken this same picture in every season and every time of day...This one comes from last week. The moutains in the distance are the eastern-most peaks of the Balkan Mountains.
So I'm not feeling very poetic at the moment. And I'm hungry.
2 comments:
We need a Baba Marta day to chase away our winter too. I think I'd like the old gal!
What a fun holiday! You went to school when you did not have to......that is special!! I am so glad Katie's package arrived!!! I think there may be two from us next week! MOM
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