Associate Professor from Western Carolina University

visiting Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria

as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar

Baba Vanga’s Museum in Rupite

According to what I heard, Baba Vanga (1911-1996) was a prophet who brought peace and healing to people. When she was a teenager, she was sucked up by a tornado into the air and dropped to a field causing her eyes to bleed. She lost her eyesight since then, but she...

Rila Monastery

Rila Monastery of Saint Ivan Rilski is perhaps the most notable symbol of Bulgaria, being a haven and flame of hope for Christianity since the 10th century, respected by the Ottoman Empire, Russia, and many other countries, as evidenced by the many gifts the monastery...

Vitosha Mountain

Vitosha Mountain is so close to Sofia city and visible from almost everywhere in town. The affinity made me feel as if it was some kind of backyard hill for an easy hike. We didn’t do any research on how or where to hike, and headed out there on a weekend day, after a...

Melnik and Rozhen Monastery

The Bulgarian Fulbright Commission has taken great care to involve scholars and students to experience Bulgaria, such as organizing a trip to Melnik and the nearby Rozhen Monastery. This town is quite close to the Greece border and to the south of the Rila and Pirin...

St. Sophia Church

St. Sophia Church in Sofia was what got Sofia its current name, and it seems to be still a busy place as every time we went there, there was a baptism ceremony or two. If one could recover the St. Sophia Church in Nessebar from its ruins, that church might look very...

Bulgarian Archaeological Museum

Having been to the archaeological museums in several other cities except in Sofia, we had to laugh at ourselves for being perhaps too homey in Sofia. Our time in Sofia is dwindling down, and the Bulgarian Archaeological Museum is right at the corner. We should...