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Veneta and Valentin from Berlin on modern awakening as a path to happiness

Veneta Terzijeva and Valentin Grigorov
Photo: Facebook/ Veneta Terzijeva

The joy you see in the eyes of the people you have helped cannot be described in words, it must be experienced!" This was shared by Veneta Terzieva and Valentin Grigorov on Bulgaria's National Awakeners' Day. The two have been helping other Bulgarians in Germany for nearly a decade, and the opportunity to make easier the lives of fellow Bulgarians has reached new and new dimensions over the years. Initially, they helped newly arriving Bulgarians to legalize their documents and find accommodation and work; later, they created the information site "Bulgarian Berlin", in which they publish the contacts of Bulgarian doctors, craftsmen and restaurateurs on the territory of the city, so that every Bulgarian could contact them, if necessary.

After some time, they already conducted preliminary professional courses here - in Bulgaria, to help those who have decided to leave Bulgaria; and in Germany they organize competitions, literary readings and other events, with the aim of helping each of the Bulgarian emigrants discover their talents, believe in them and find professional realization. "When they find the necessary information or immerse themselves in the events we organize, they recognize each other, find themselves, smile, get excited and even cry with us," shares Veneta and adds:

Veneta Terzieva (right)

"All other ethnicities here help each other in everything – Turks, Albanians, Romanians – everyone you can think of. They are very cooperative and lend a hand for everything. And we should become like them – we have it, we carry it in our hearts, we just need to trust each other and things will happen!" says Veneta.

According to both of them, it is precisely the distrust not only between us, but also in our abilities that hinders us, Bulgarians, on the path to self-realization, without which happiness is difficult to achieve. "We do this because we like it and it makes us happy in some way," Valentin shares and explains:

Valentin Grigorov
"We also went down this path because we are creative people – I published a poetry collection, and Veneta – a collection of short stories, and we know how it is with the affirmation of creativity, which is definitely not easy. It is especially difficult for a person to believe in themselves! Interesting authors do not dare to publish their books because they simply lack self-confidence."

Veneta adds: "They don't even believe that this could happen to them, but we encourage them and they gain the necessary courage. We already have several cases in which people have started from nothing and have published their books," and adds:

"Things are really starting to happen, but very slowly. We all feel nostalgic here and everyone is experiencing the fact that they are not in their homeland in a different way. Maybe most of them would return, but since they have already settled their lives here, it is a bit difficult to go back. They want to! I see that people want to! And I hope it will happen!"


However, is it only nostalgia that brings Bulgarians abroad together? "Maybe!" Valentin spontaneously exclaims and adds: "And also this beautiful melody of the Bulgarian language! It is different when you live in a foreign environment and you don't hear your native language around you, and it is completely different when you get together with compatriots. Just the melody of the Bulgarian language itself makes you experience a pleasant feeling."

Presentation of the book of writer Valentin Portarski at the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Berlin
This observation is the reason for the birth of a format – "Melody in Words". The idea came spontaneously after Valentin and Veneta presented 7 Bulgarian authors in a small bookstore in London. The impact of the native language on those who were at the event became the reason a little later for the first edition of "Melody in Words" in Berlin, then in Dresden, Leipzig, Bremerhaven, etc.

At the beginning of this year, the two Bulgarians organized a literary forum in Milan, in which they presented the works of 13 compatriots, and with the help of the Bulgarian Literature Association, they also implemented the opposite option – contemporary authors from Bulgaria were presented to the local community in Berlin. "This is perhaps the moment when we should also think about their financing", emphasizes Veneta and explains: "Because they want to meet with the Bulgarian community here, but it is very expensive to come at their own expense. And they are known in Bulgaria, and they are successful there!", and Valentin adds:

Melody in Words - a literary and musical evening of Bulgarian artists in Leipzig
"Bulgarians have potential! We are one of the oldest countries in Europe, we have a rich cultural heritage and we should take advantage of all this and show the world who we are. To show that we are good, that we are us!".

The two are convinced that only a happy person can make others happy, and that it is necessary to look for the good in order to see it around us. And to the question: "Are you happy?", they answer:


"We are happy, yes! Of course! We are healthy, we have work and we appreciate what we have, and it is enough for us. We meet many valuable people and we are satisfied with the life we ​​have led in recent years. In addition, we have found many new friends, which is also invaluable!"

And it all starts with capturing that specific impact of the Bulgarian language on each of us and with the deep understanding that the most direct path to happiness is by realizing that "the joy you see in the eyes of the people you have helped cannot be described in words, it must be experienced!"


English publication: R. Petkova



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