Mid-September marks the return to school of the kiddos in 
Bulgaria. I can't really remember what the first days of school were like for us when we were kids, but in Bulgaria the first day as well as the days leading up to the first day are a complete celebration. It's a nice way to get back into the swing of things. On Sunday we arrived at the school at noon and were greeted by two kids in traditional Bulgarian dress holding bread (called pogacha) and salt. It is customary to welcome guests this way. Each person tears off a bit of bread and dips it in salt (or sometimes honey) and eats it. We were then given zdravets (or wild geranium) as a symbol of luck and health. Zdrav means healthy in Bulgarian. 
Each year on the Sunday before school starts the they invite a local priest to come and give his blessing for a good school year. As each person files into the room they take a candle and light it. The ceremony lasts for no more than ten minutes while he goes through Orthodox songs and text. Wil likens the prayers to an auction and in a way that is what the prayers sound like. After prayers he blesses people individually by tapping them on the head with the bunch of leaves that he has dipped in water and then he goes from room to room sprinkling water in the classrooms and blessing them as well. After a coffee and treat break we toured the school to see the classrooms. In the weeks leading up to the first day the teachers were very busy cleaning up and painting their rooms and they look amazing. 
The first grade building was especially amazing because since the kids are all new to the school this year the teachers wrapped up their books and set out presents and balloons to welcome them. Monday was the official first day and included an official ceremony where some of the kids performed songs and dances. 
They raised the Bulgarian flag and it ended with one of the kids throwing water on the steps (also for good luck). Then all of the kids file class by class under a wreath. The kids then went to their classrooms with their parents (there are no actual classes on the first day) and watched presentations by the teachers. In the principal's office we popped open some Champagne and toasted to a good school year. That night there was a discotheque outside the school - they had invited a clown DJ and the kids danced until the fireworks ceremony after it got dark.
Bulgaria. I can't really remember what the first days of school were like for us when we were kids, but in Bulgaria the first day as well as the days leading up to the first day are a complete celebration. It's a nice way to get back into the swing of things. On Sunday we arrived at the school at noon and were greeted by two kids in traditional Bulgarian dress holding bread (called pogacha) and salt. It is customary to welcome guests this way. Each person tears off a bit of bread and dips it in salt (or sometimes honey) and eats it. We were then given zdravets (or wild geranium) as a symbol of luck and health. Zdrav means healthy in Bulgarian. 
Each year on the Sunday before school starts the they invite a local priest to come and give his blessing for a good school year. As each person files into the room they take a candle and light it. The ceremony lasts for no more than ten minutes while he goes through Orthodox songs and text. Wil likens the prayers to an auction and in a way that is what the prayers sound like. After prayers he blesses people individually by tapping them on the head with the bunch of leaves that he has dipped in water and then he goes from room to room sprinkling water in the classrooms and blessing them as well. After a coffee and treat break we toured the school to see the classrooms. In the weeks leading up to the first day the teachers were very busy cleaning up and painting their rooms and they look amazing. 
The first grade building was especially amazing because since the kids are all new to the school this year the teachers wrapped up their books and set out presents and balloons to welcome them. Monday was the official first day and included an official ceremony where some of the kids performed songs and dances. 
They raised the Bulgarian flag and it ended with one of the kids throwing water on the steps (also for good luck). Then all of the kids file class by class under a wreath. The kids then went to their classrooms with their parents (there are no actual classes on the first day) and watched presentations by the teachers. In the principal's office we popped open some Champagne and toasted to a good school year. That night there was a discotheque outside the school - they had invited a clown DJ and the kids danced until the fireworks ceremony after it got dark.
No comments:
Post a Comment