Reuben J. (11th Grade)

A couple of months ago, I sat down at the table of the house of Mrs. Sarah H, a prominent figure in the SCA community (which makes her sound like a tycoon, but she’s actually really nice). The topic of discussion: her early days in Bulgaria, her family (consisting of four daughters and one son, who at 5 years old was vying with me for her attention during the interview) having arrived just over 10 years ago. She told me that she came here from rural Indiana (corn!) and before that she and her husband were missionaries in Cyprus. After completing their work there, they looked around for a new missions field, and both their boss and other friends suggested Bulgaria.

Coming here for the first time was a mixed bag for her; travelling with young children was a hassle, but one which she (like many of the large families in SCA) was used to. Upon arriving in Sofia, she was initially very tired and depressed by the outwardly drab city; in the fall of the year the giant apartments everywhere are not always the most cheerful. There were also small problems, like dealing with quiet hours (times of day and night when citizens are required to not be disruptively loud) and understanding the less-than-clear machinations of their stove (at first they had to make cookies with a waffle iron!). But soon their spirits, like the mythical but ever-referenced phoenix, began to rise. They realized that Bulgaria has many of the same Turkish influences as Cyprus, since both countries were once part of the Ottoman Empire. Additionally, having children turned out to be an especial boon, as the normally taciturn Bulgarians love children and large families are out of the ordinary. Over the years, the Hawkins family has grown to love Bulgaria as their home, and Mrs. Hawkins is delighted that they got past their initial reservations.

She also stressed the fact that Bulgaria is not Bolivia.