Today's Good News

While watching the news today, stories were especially thought-provoking and inspired this blog entry. The first story is about Joshua Childers, a three-year-old toddler who escaped from his house and got lost nearly three days ago. His parents and numerous volunteers searched for him for two days and two nights and, fortunatelly, Donnie Halpin, a 57-year-old construction worker found Josh on Wednesday afternoon. The little boy had been out in the cold, wet woods, wearing just a T-shirt and one shoe, and managed for survive before he was found. I was extremely happy to hear that there were no long-term damaging effects and Josh hadn't been severely traumatized. Such a task would be nearly impossible for an adult, and even more so a kid of Joshua's age, but he proved that he was tough.

The next story is about the new face of Connie Culp, the woman who was shot in the face by her husband in 2004. The rifle had irreversible damages and Connie has been in hospitals/nursing homes ever since, seeking treatment and hoping for improvement. Since that unfortunate date she has undergone many life-saving operations and recently got a face transplant which made her look as close as possible to what he used to look like before the incident. Today, Connie can breathe by herself and lives fairly independently. She says she has forgiven her husband and has a newfound purpose in life - to fight for better societal acceptance of victims of disfiguration. Her positivity made me happy and truly inspired me.

Swine flu

After SARS and Avian flu we are facing another menace-Swine flu.The disease is a combination of pig ,bird,and human genes to which people have limited natural immunity. According to WHO Swine flu" had spread to at least nine countries. In the United States nearly 100 have been sickened in 11 states". The disease is disseminating rapidly and could affect significantly our lives.As a matter of fact it alredy does.People fear.We change our daily behavior because it is such a serious issue.Scools close,restaurants, clubs and churches remain empty. More people wear gloves and masks,avoid subway or stay home because expirience some of the disease's symptoms.Furthermore,travel plans change which would lead to impact on the global airline industry and the economics as a whole.Everyday we hear about new cases and victims.Such information could be frustrating and petrifying.We have to find a way to protect ourselves. Vaccine would be the best solution,but while waiting for it,here are some suggestions, widely agreed upon health experts, that would help us to avoid getting sick or spreading the virus.

These precious advices are:Wash your hands,cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze,stay home, don't touch your face,avoid sick people,and let,s hope for the best solution in a short amount of time.

Missing: Natalee Holloway

last Sunday, my family and I watched the movie "Natalee Holloway", presented by LMN. It was about the story of young american girl (Natalee Holloway), who vanished on May 30, 2005 during a high scool graduation to Aruba. According to the advertisment all parents should watch the film.Very true.I was totaly moved by the tragedy of Natalee and the grief of her parents.How shouldn't I? I have a teenager daughter, too.It could happen to anybody at anytime.

Natalee was last seen leaving a bar with Joran Van der Sloot,a Dutch teenager. He was arrested ,but released pretty soon,because there was not enough evidence to keep him in jail.The main suspect of the case turned to be a pathological liar. Van der Sloot's testimonials varied from leaving the victim helpless on the beach to dumping her in the pond.Still,maybe he is the only one, who knows the truth...
Almost a week after I have seen the movie I can't prevent thinking of this tragedy,that caused the loss of a young life,full of promises for the future. I have such sympathetic feelings for the parents who are totaly devastated but tireless in their efforts to find out the truth and fight for justice.This very touching story has been watched by an average of 3.2 million viewers and I hope it would enhance people's awarness of such dangers

A Tribute to the Heroes

With today's post I would like to show my immense respect and admiration toward all the people who participated in the mission to free from captivity Captain Richard Phillips, as well as the captain himself. Phillips, captain of a U.S. cargo ship which was attacked by Somalian pirates last week, showed great bravery dealing with this situation by letting himself be captured in order to save his crew. A very smart and a courageous man, and a true professional, Captain Richards put himself in imminent danger and proved that he is fully capable of protecting his sailors. The sailors themselves say that, "he is a true hero" who saved their lives. At the same time, he is very modest, saying that the U.S. military are the real heroes.

Furthermore, the Navy Seals carried out an amazing operation. They eliminated the three pirates keeping captain Richards captive using only three bullets and he was freed within minutes. They say that the training, which costs $500,000, is worth every penny when it comes to saving a human life.

Last, but certainly not least, I also admire President Obama for his commitment to end the scourge of the Somali pirates and his adequate action in a time of crisis. Without dramatizing the case more than needed or calling press conferences, Obama gave the Navy Seals a green light to perform the operation, and in this way, he and his administration passed the first test of national security.

Bulgarian Traditions III: Nestinarstvo

Finally, it seems as thought spring is just around the corner, and as the birds chirp and the grass begins to turn green I can't help, but think about St. Constantin and Helen, a Bulgarian holiday celebrated during this time of year (May 21st). Although, this holiday is significant to me for many reasons, one of which includes my niece being born on that day, perhaps the most memorable aspect of it is Nestinarsto. This tradition of walking on smoldering embers barefoot is one which I remember watching and being amazed at as a little girl.

Nestinarstvo is a tradition the origins of which can be traced both to the Eastern Orthodox Church and to other pagan traditions. There are only a few people who possess the talent to walk on such embers and not get burnt. In fact, those who can are considered masters and perform every year, until they are no longer able, at which point their duties are often passed on to their children. They are able to not only walk, but also dance on the embers as though they were doing so on the regular ground. The embers are usually arranged in a circle and the nestinari are joined by numerous spectators as they dance their way into the night.

Bulgarian Traditions II : Orthodox Easter

Today I will present another bulgarian tradition - Orthodox Easter.This year this holliday is on April,19.As an orthodox christian I am pretty familiar with the details of this celebration, called"Velikden" in Bulgaria.This holliday commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead three days after his crusifixion on Good Friday.According to the tradition, on Sunday people go to the official church service.At midnight, when the ceremony is finished, everybody is supposed to carry home a candle while it is still burning.Colored eggs are cracked after the service and during the next days.The person with the strongest egg will be the healthiest and the luckiest one during the year.The Easter breads are another orthodox tradition.These have specific name "kozunak" and can be big or small, but allways decorated.Eggs and Easter breads are given as a gift to relatives,friends,neighbors etc.The Orthodox Paschal greeting is "Christ is Risen!" The traditional answer is"Indeed He is Risen."
Although the Easter eggs are dyed in diffrent colors, the red one is a symbol of the holliday.The tradition of the red eggs is connected to a specific legend:Mary Magdalene went all over to spread the news that Jesus had risen.When she reached Rome,she took an egg to Tiberius' palace as a gift and handed it to the Emperor with the greeting:Christ has risen from the dead!"The Emperor answered:"How could anyone ever rise from the dead! It is as impossible as that white egg to turn red right now!"While Tiberius was talking, the egg in Mary Magdalene's hand changed color until it finally became bright red.Ever since this greeting has remained to express the belief of orthodox christians in the resurrection.

Bulgarian Traditions I: Martenitzi

Today, through this blog entry I would like to present to you a Bulgarian tradition with is specific to the month of March. It consists of wearing red and white decorations. They are usually made out of yarn, but many also include wood, plastic, beads, etc. Some are plain, while others are detailed and intricate. Martenitzi can take on the form of bracelets, pins, necklaces, and some are even designed so that they can be hung up around your house. The most common and easiest to make are ones which are made of a red and a white thread twisted together. However, some are much more complex and I believe that they are true pieces of art.

This tradition originated hundreds of years ago, dating back to pagan times. It is widely believed that the red in the martenitzi stands for sunshine, fertility, and good health. Simultaneously, the white is said to stand for the outgoing snow and to symbolize virtue, purity, and wisdom. For this reason, as well as to welcome spring, people exchange martenitzi with their friends and relatives on March 1st each year. They are worn until the first day of spring or until the first stork is seen. Then, they are either hung up on a tree, thrown in a river, or put under a stone for good luck and prosperity.

If you ever find yourself in Bulgaria in the middle of March, don't be surprised if you find yourself in the midst of a whole lot of red and white. Join in the fun as Bulgarians wish you good health, luck, and happiness.

Here are a few examples of martenitzi: