How a green card from the lotery can change your life! ✈️ The person we are talking about is our mother . She is now forty years old , but when she was fourteen she emigrated in America with her family. Why ? Well her mother won a green card from a lotery . She won a chance to start a new better life with her family. That‘s exactly what they did ! In 1996 they desided to emigrate from Bulgaria. They traveled by plane. Well they missed it at first because they were little comfused – that was their first time at the airport! But after one night there , the airport transfered them to another plane. After 15 – 16 hours of flying they finaly landed at the airport in Chicago. Mum‘s parents had friends in Chicago who went there years ago too. That‘s why they desided to help my mum‘s family. After 1 month of living in their friends house they rented a flat. Everything seemed great .... except one thing – the language . My mother and her family didn‘t know English at all. They couldn‘t speak to anyone , read or write or even watch the news . They knew that they need to do something. That‘s why mum and her brother immediately went to school and their parents started private lessons . After 11 years of living their my mother met her husband – our dad Orlin . Then we came on this world . But when we were only 1 year old our parents desided to move back to Bulgaria, because they wanted us to know Bulgarian language , culture and traditions perfectly . Now we live a happy live That‘s our mother‘s emigration story. PresilaM BG MartinM BG

All your dreams can come true! The person I'm writing about is a family friend called Milena. In September 2007 she went to England directly by plane to enroll in a Master’s degree in International Commercial Law at Nottingham Universitya course that is top in the UK and it gives you the opportunity to be taught by renowned professors leading in their areas. She went to England with a pre-prepared plan and had to take some tests in English to qualify for the course and attend interviews with the University. For her the best thing for the relocation was meeting new people, making new friends, and exchanging experiences. But studying law and the terminology of the natives was difficult for her at first. She also missed her family and friends a lot. Then she moved into student accommodation and entered a week of events called "the freshers’ fair"- she was introduced to the campus by older students. Milena joined the basketball team and debating student society which helped her make friends. She also attended a lot of different lectures, and she met a lot of the professors that helped her select what she wanted to specialize in law. The only problem with her relocation was missing her parents and brother who were still very proud of her. She made sure to do well on exams so she wouldn't disappoint. Milena also made sure to come to Bulgaria for every holiday and spend time with her family. This relocation had a positive impact on her life. Even though studying in Nottingham wasn't easy, that made her a worldly person. When she relocated, local people were very polite. They were always willing to help and give advice. The only problems were administrative but there were always ways to overcome them. Also, law books were very expensive so she had to collaborate with other students because of that. From a climate perspective the first month was the hardest for her. I heard the whole story for the first time. And I think that she relocated for a very good reason, but I also think that it's very hard to be that far from your family and your closest friends. The story shows that if you follow your dreams you will succeed. DenitsaA BG

An adventure from Bulgaria-Greece-Switzerland Sashka lives in Geneva, Switzerland at the moment. But before Switzerland she has lived in Greece too and she is from Bulgaria. How she has achieved that we’ll find out now. She had lived in Greece searching for a job. Some years later Sashka decided to move to Geneva with no plans at all because of will and business. The only thing she knew was that she was going to babysit. She told her family and close ones that as she’s working abroad it doesn’t matter whether she is in Greece or Switzerland. Sashka only packed clothes for three months. She moved to Switzerland by plane from Athens to Geneva. The flight took 3 hours. There were no problems during the journey. The people who hired her also ensured her establishment in the new city. She lives with them. There were no problems with that and she had no financial ones. She has adapted very fast to her new conditions of life because Sashka thinks it is easier to adapt to new conditions when the environment is better than the last one. Also, The Swiss treat her with respect and always greet her even though she’s Bulgarian. They are very sociable and friendly. She doesn’t often communicate with her family and close ones. It was fifteen years ago when Sashka moved to Switzerland. Sometimes she visits her family back in Bulgaria. PavelS BG

Armenian citizen in Bulgaria On December 7, 1988, a strong earthquake occurred in Armenia. A few years later, and a war with Azerbaijan, thousands of men and boys died every day. Because of this, my father's family was forced to leave the country. So my dad, his parents, his sister and his two brothers ended up in Bulgaria in 1994, facing many difficulties. During their entire stay in the country, they wandered from place to place. 1997 my father decided to go to Turkey (a country hostile to Armenia) to find a job there. He went there and realised that it was not as he was told it would be. He tried to enter Bulgaria again, but they didn't let him. He stayed for about 8 hours in the neutral zone (between the two countries) because it must pass 24 hours to get back to Turkey, but one of the Turkish workers at the border felt bad for him and let him back. So my father stayed in Istanbul for two months. He met two of his compatriots, who offered him accommodation in a hotel, where he could stay. In 1999, they extradited his family back to Armenia, but not him, because he had a document that he is a refugee. In his homeland then, the concept of "refugee" did not exist. Before his departure to Turkey, he met my mother. They have also been through a lot of hardships together. From 1994 to 2006, my father lived illegally in Bulgaria for 12 years. During this time he had a business, drove a taxi, etc. In 2006 he was extradited to his homeland. In November, he passed through Turkey to come to the border and pick up my mother, and they both went to Armenia and got married there. He took her back to Bulgaria. (he couldn’t enter Bulgaria yet) In 2007, my father received a call from the Bulgarian Embassy in Armenia, informing him that his visa had been approved. He returned to Bulgaria, and on April 15 he celebrated his thirtieth birthday there. Now my father is a legal citizen of Bulgaria, he has a successful business and a wonderful family. He says that all the trials he has

overcome have affected him in a positive way and he feels at home despite the difficulties he has gone through. My father has taught me a lot and continues to teach me. I will be glad to show one day that the efforts made by him and my family were not in vain. MariamB BG

DREAMS COME TRUE! My grandfather has a cousin that has graduated from Language High School in Sofia with a gold medal. She won a scholarship to study in Moscow - microbiology. It happened at the end of the last century. She used the opportunity to pursue her dream and therefore went to Moscow, travelling by plane. When she first arrived it was a big challenge for her to get used to the new atmosphere. But gradually, she gets used to it and finds many new friends. After some time she managed to defend her doctorate degree. She starts to work at the "Academy of Sciences - Moscow". She has met with her future husband, who is a Russian and married him. Her husband works as a director and professor-doctor in the "Academy of Sciences - Moscow" - a corresponding member of the sciences. It's not a planned plan, it's the relationship between the two that makes her stay in Russia forever. They had a son. He graduated from Moscow and continued his studies in the USA. There he defends the degree of professor - Microbiologist. Every summer he and his family and my grandparent's cousin come to Bulgaria to visit their relatives. She loves Bulgaria so much, and for that she saved her Bulgarian citizenship simultaneously with her Russian citizenship. Besides Bulgarian and Russian, she also knows how to speak English. Before my mother, my aunt and my grandparents also have gone to Russia to visit her and her family. I am not hearing this story for the first time because my grandfather has told it to me many times. I think that this makes me think about how important it is to follow our dreams and don't stop, because, in the end, everything we've sacrificed to succeed deserves it. Remembering this story gives me motivation to continue studying hard so that one day I can study abroad and be able to make my dreams come true. MariyaA BG

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS My grandmother has a brother named Jordan. His dream has always been to study architecture, so he took the opportunity to move to the beautiful city of Rome in Italy to study this great major. The event happened in 1980. When he decided he was going to study in Italy, he immediately bought a ticket for the most recent flight to Rome. There he graduated from La Sapienza University. At first it was very difficult for him to adjust to the new atmosphere and the new way of living, but his first impressions when he went to Rome were how well-mannered, friendly and kind the people in the city were. At the university, people were also really nice because they showed him around and helped him get used to the environment. That was very important to him and he was very grateful to his mates. At the university, Jordan met a girl with whom he went to lectures together. They were very close, they understood each other very well and had common interests. That's why one day Jordan asked Antonia to be his girlfriend. She agreed and the two became inseparable. A year after graduating, the two married and started the job they both dreamed of. They are now brilliant architects in Rome. Not long after, they had two children. The girl's name is Magdalena and the boy's name is Luka. The family continues to live in Italy and continues to build happy and unforgettable moments together! This story touched my heart and made me believe that you should never give up on your dreams, no matter how impossible they seem! StellaD BG

How my grandfather moved from Northern to Southern Bulgaria I was born in the village of Altimir. Near Byala Slatina. There I graduated from Vasil Levski high school. After that I went to Krumovgrad. Because of the barracks. Then I went to Lovech to work in a motorcycle factory. After 3 years I returned to Byala Slatina. A friend who was a soccer player noticed my soccer skills. Shortly after that I received an invitation to the football team in Smolyan. The team's goal was to enter Group B. I think that because of me the team was able to enter the B group. I played as a central defender. Then I used to say, The man passed, but the ball remained. While I was a football player in Smolyan, I found a good friend who was then the best football player in Bulgaria - Todor Diev. He was also our sponsor. But after the team lost in Group B, the team fell apart. I left the football team. But in Smolyan I graduated from the teachers' institute. After 4 years in Smolyan. I went to a village near Gotse Delchev-Satovcha. In Goce Delchev, I got married and started working as a teacher of PE. Both my children were born there. To this day, I live with my wife in a house in Satovcha. But we also have an apartment in Smolyan, where we go during the cold months. -Tell me something interesting about your football career! After the loss in Group B, the team disbanded. And I firmly stated that I was leaving. And I left. But a month after I left, one of the newly formed team asked me to join. But I told him that after my departure the management cannot let me play. So it happened. But while I was a teacher in Gotse Delchev, I made a new football team - from enthusiasts.

We trained and played until I became their coach. I was a coach until I retired. Football gave me a lot - I got to know the most famous Bulgarian football players. But I was the happiest because I was a good friend with Todor Diev who saw potential in me. Unfortunately, he died in 1995. Where do you prefer to live? I don't remember much about Byala Slatina, I also had many friends there, but since I left it, I haven't returned a single time. Many things rustle in my Rhodopes... first the people, then the clean air and nature. AtanasK BG

My great grandmother – from Serbia to Bulgaria My great grandmother and her family moved from Serbia in 1937, because after the Serbo-Bulgarian war they left the village they lived in and moved to Bulgaria. They have left their lands, houses, pastures and animals. My great grandmother’s family took with them the most necessary-clothes and some food. They didn't write a letter or note before they left. They traveled on foot and by carts for about a month. It rained during their journey. My great grandmother and her family settled in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian government from the 1930s offered them an area for settlement and they chose the area in Targovishte. The mayor has assigned them a place to build a house. My great grandmother’s family had no money for materials and couldn't immediately start building their house. After a year, they managed to adapt to the new conditions, started working and overcame financial and psychological problems. They have started building a house on the greensward. All the people of the village helped them. After they started working, their lives changed in a positive direction. They kept in touch with their relatives with letters and sometimes visited them. My great grandmother and her family often share this story because they are nostalgic for their left lands in Serbia and because we must to know where our ancestors came from. HristiyanaV BG

The story of my parents living in Armenia They left in 2003, soon after they got married. They had been invited from the director of a big factory in Armenia. The move happened according to plan. The only things they got were clothes and shoes, because everything there was already paid. They kept contact with their families by calling them every week. My parents got there by plane. It took them 2 days. The only problem was the climate. They left Bulgaria in September in slightly cool weather. When they landed in Moscow it was below zero and there was snow, and in Yerevan in Armenia it was 33 degrees at 3 a.m. They were accommodated in a previously prepared house. They had no habituation challenges except getting used to the temperature. The main help they got came from one of the managers in the factory. Every winter and summer they came to visit their relatives. They are not afraid to share their story and the lesson they share is “There is no better than homeland”. HristinaK BG

Migration Now I will tell you the story of my uncle Dimitar. He was born in Plovdiv on the 26th of November, 1971. Dimitar is my mother’s brother. He did gymnastics and kyokushin. He studied fashion design. A long time ago, uncle Dimitar decided to move to the Czech Republic. Since then, his life has changed. For better or for worse, you’ll find out later. Here are his answers to a few questions. I: When did you move to the Czech Republic and how old were you? D: I moved in 1996 when I was 25. I wasn’t that old. I: Why did you move? Did you plan it or it happened suddenly? D: I didn't plan it at all. It happened spontaneously. I went to visit a friend in Czech. He offered me a job there. I tried the job and I liked it. The boss also liked me, so I decided to stay. I: What did you take with you? D: I went to my friend's house with a suitcase of clothes for only five days. When I found out about the job, I went back to Plovdiv to get more things. Then I also told my family about my decision. I: How did your family react? D: My mother, my father and my sister were very sad and they wanted me to come back. At first they couldn’t believe it, but at last they accepted it. I: How long was your trip? D: The trip took 24 hours. I: What did you use to travel to the Czech Republic? D: I travelled by bus. I: Did you have problems moving to the Czech Republic? D: No I didn’t. Everything was fine. I: Who helped you settle in? D: At the beginning, while I was looking for a place to stay, my friend let me stay with him for a short time. After about two weeks I found an apartment and started a new life. I: How long did it take you to fit? D: I adapted really quickly.

I: How did your life change? D: In 1998 I met a girl called Veronica. Later in 2000 we got married. In 2002 we had a baby whom we named Trifon after my father. I: Do you keep in touch with people from Plovdiv? D: I often talk to my family on the phone. I: How often do you come to Plovdiv? D: Every summer I come for two weeks with my son and my wife. I stay with mum and dad and hang out with my old friends. I: How do you feel now that you made this spontaneous decision? D: I am very happy and thankful that this happened and that I had this opportunity. I: If you could, would you go back and change anything? D: No, because I believe that everything happens for a reason. I: Thank you for your story! When Dimitar moves to the Czech Republic he doesn't know what is going to happen. He finds a well-paid job and is happy with it. Dimitar goes back to Plovdiv to tell his family about his decision and to take some things he needs. They are very upset and are not ready to let him go but they still do it. Then he returns to the Czech Republic. At first Dimitar does not have a home and lives with his friend. Then he finds his own apartment and starts living a new life. Some months pass and Dimitar and his friend Pavel are at a party. It's at Pavel's house with some of his friends. There Pavel introduces my uncle to a girl who immediately catches his eye. After this day, they start going out together and Dimitar falls in love with Veronika. After some time, he proposes to her and they get married. Veronika gets pregnant and gives birth to a boy. They name him Trifon. They continue to live happily ever after. Now my uncle is doing well in the Czech Republic with a beautiful wife and a handsome boy who is now 20 years old. Dimitar doesn’t regret his decision in the past and would make it again.

My mother has told me this story many times and I admire it every time. This story shows that even random events and spontaneous decisions lead to positive changes in life. So don't be afraid to take risks! NataliyaV BG

The Adventurous Immigration On The 10th of November 1924, the family of my great-grandmother named Dimitriika Georgieva Batsarova was kicked from her homeland Macedonia by Greek people. At this time,she was only 1 week baby. After this miserable event occurred, they soon became refugees in their new hometown, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The unexpected travelling they had to commence was very excruciating. The five-day journey through many villages and towns, sometimes even in horse wagons, was a really hard and exhausting time for her family. They didn’t have many financial resources to support the trip, and they also had to soak the baby’s clothes (My Great Grandmother) in their armpits, because they didn’t have any other appropriate place. Unfortunately, because of these circumstances, they had lost all connections with their friends and relatives from Macedonia. But the uncle of my great-grandmother, who was the eldest brother in the family, had already moved in Plovdiv with his family. He helped them to settle in this new place and somehow to get used to the new environment, which took them a very short time. Firstly, they faced a lot of problems, because in the beginning they were six people, who lived in one small brick room. They had no money and no job, so to feed the family. So they started working very hard to try to overcome these difficulties and complications. Some months later, the grandfather of my great-grandmother came to Plovdiv as well. But before that he had sold all their lands and the house in Macedonia. That is how the great help came and save them. With the money he brought they bought twenty acres of land in Belomorski area near the place they lived. They planted a vineyard over this land and started growing it. They also bought a horse for their work and a cow for milk. Luckily, this investment turned out to be a wonderful decision, because he started to sell the grapes from the vineyard and that’s how he made a lot of money. That’s how he managed to build up two houses and also to feed the family very well. Unfortunately, another big change occurred - on the 9th of December 1944, Communists nationalized people’s property and the land was later taken by the government. This was awful for the life of this family, since

they lost their way of earning money to live. After many changes on the 10th of November 1989, the Communism passed away andthe twenty acres, which were taken from them were given back to my great Grandma. The people who worked this land were already dead, but the land was given to their inheritors. For the last time - after the borders opened in the 1980s - the brother of my great grandma went back to Macedonia as a guest to see his relatives. He was very well welcomed by his cousins. After that, they came to visit his family here in Plovdiv. This story has been passed down from mouth-to-mouth through many generations. I still remember the first time I heard it, the sadness and sorrow I felt for the sufferings of my family, which they had to endure. In conclusion to all said above is that it is extremely difficult to leave your homeland forcefully and create a new place in a new country. But this is not impossible and nowadays, it happens with lots of families all over the world. KristianD BG

The move Let me tell you about my grandparents. They moved to live on the outskirts of Plovdiv 15 years ago. On the site of their house in the city now there is a block built. When they started building the house there was a bare field, but they made a home. My grandfather retired young because he had heart problems, otherwise he worked as a truck driver. To build this house was difficult from the financial and physical point of view, but they coped. And in a little over a year, they managed to build it. In the building, which was built on the site of their old house, there are 2 apartments, in one live my family and me, and in the other my aunt. They didn't have much furniture or furnishings from their old house, so they started from scratch. They keep in touch with their old neighbors, they talk to each other sometimes they get together. They don't like the very noisy city and are glad they moved. YoanV BG

The move to Ireland and the big changes My uncle (my father’s brother) and his wife have lived in Ireland. My uncle has lived in this country 10 years, but now he is in Bulgaria. My aunt – his wife came home earlier than him, but the distance didn’t divided them. I have asked them some questions for moving from Bulgaria to Ireland and have learned things that I didn’t know before. The moving happened in 2008. My uncle’s reasons for moving were to learn English much better, to explore new country and he wanted to be with his wife. He had a week for preparation, so I can say that moving was with last-minute plan. He didn’t take any important or sentimental. Before he move home he didn’t leave letter or something else for keep in touch, because there was no need, his friends and relatives had his phone number, email or something similarly. My uncle and his wife traveled by plane and after that by bus. The travel continued three and half hours with plane. They said that the unpleasant moment was waiting and the turbulence was interesting, but I think it was scary. For my aunt the settle down in the place was perfect, for my uncle was just fine. My uncle’s wife was the person who prepared the settle down in Ireland. For uncle the biggest problem was the language barrier. The weather was a problem, too, because in Ireland usually is windy, cloudy, often rains and it’s more cold than Bulgaria. However the language was the main problem. My aunt didn’t have any problems with local people and she was very happy to be in their country, but at first she was the only person who helped herself. She didn’t have time to adapt, but for my uncle the period of adapt was around six months. Aunt was totally in her place so she didn’t have any challenges which she overcame. Her life changed in many ways and at the moment she is happy of this change. She kept in touch with her friends and relatives from Bulgaria. In Ireland she felt like as she is at home, so she didn’t want much come to Bulgaria. She doesn’t share her story to other people and doesn’t care about them. Her lesson of the moving is to live her life that she want to do that. Now about my uncle’s settle down. Irish people are very friendly, so he never had a problem with them. His wife and some friends helped him the most. The main challenges for my uncle were language, because he didn’t speak English well, new people and new traditions. He is very happy of the change, because he met new people, learned new things and visited country that with another conditions he would never visited. He kept in touch with friends and relatives by

phone and email. Uncle came back home after moving for holidays and my brother and I were very happy at this time. He never keep secrets and share his story to other people. His lessons from the moving are that person always must to try new things, experiences and meet new people. Most parts of the story I know from my grandma and my father, but when my uncle and his wife answered the questions there were things that I didn’t know before. I’m so happy of this interview because I have learned some important things of my relatives’ life. AnaZ BG

The moving The person I am going to tell you about, and her experience is my relative-my grandmother. Her name is Dora. She went to Greece in 2010. Her moving was not prepared in advance, it has happened suddenly. She has gone by bus and she traveled twelve hours. She was feeling so tired after the long drive. She didn’t find her job by herself. A woman who lived there has found one for my grandmother. Her job was to look after old people. She has changed many cities in Greece through the years. My grandmother’s biggest problem was that she didn’t know the language. It took her at least three months to start understanding and one year to start to speaking it fluently. It took her around month to adjust to the conditions of the new place. She also had to go through psychological challenges. Despite everything, she says that her moving changes her life in positive way. She has kept contact with her friends and family by phone. She has come back through the ears to see the people she miss. My grandmother didn’t keep the truth. She share her story without any worry. This is not the first time I have heard the story. It is known in the family and is told to each succeeding generation. NikolD BG

The story of my friend’s migration It was August 2015 when my friend flew to London. When she flew there she was thirteen years old so it was not her choice, but the main reasons her parents decided to move abroad were political issues, many regardless education systems, personal and professional growth. They just wanted better future for their child. The decision was spontaneous. It came from nowhere, in two days they decided to move but they knew where they can stay and where her parents can work. While she was packing her things for London she took a picture of her mom and her when she was little. She took this picture with her because she couldn’t find any reasons this photo to stay in her old house and she wanted it so she can look at it and remember her past life. Her friends from Bulgaria can still call her on her mobile but they often communicate at the social media apps. She travelled by plane and the flight was three hours and fifteen minutes. There was an interesting moment that had happened before the flight. She had gone to the bathroom and her friend was eating chocolate, but some chocolate had fallen onto the land and she didn’t pick it. My friend came back from the toilet and she sat right on the chocolate but she didn’t realize. It had melted and when she stood up her pants were all covered with chocolate at the back. She was really embarrassed but more embarrassed was her mother at this time. She lives in a flat, which is quite small, with her mom and dad. When she arrived in London her mom was waiting for her together with a person who they had met before the girl came here. They had friends in the new country so they helped them with the work and other things about their moving. At first she didn’t have any friend there and it was quite boring so she was calling and writing to in Bulgaria. She felt very lonely at the time her parents were not at home. At school it wasn’t easy too. She didn’t know English so she couldn’t talk with her classmates. She was trying to do her best and communicate with them but when they understood that she didn’t know their language they stopped talking to her and started to make fun of her behind her back because they thought she couldn’t

understand them. She had a problem only with the people around her age. Doctors, teachers and a lot more people were so respectful to her. She hasn’t had any serious challenges which she has go through. She was really young to think about the government problems. A lot of different people live in London and the challenge she had was understanding she has to respect every person no matter their color, religion and etc. When she moved there her life changed pretty much. She understood that when you move abroad your life can’t be the same. You learn something different and you have to build a new life there. She can’t say she doesn’t like it but she feels like this isn’t the place for her realization. She won’t live there but she can’t say she doesn’t like it, because every country has its own beauty and negativities. She hasn’t realized she was moving to a new country and she couldn’t imagine a new life with new friends and she thought it was a joke but she became scared when she arrived there and understood the whole situation. She comes back to Bulgaria every summer, holidays, at Christmas and every three months. She goes to Bulgaria quite often. The story is really interesting but she tells it to people who are interested and when you don’t ask her she wouldn’t tell it. So not many people know the story about her move. The message she wants to tell is that you have to get out of your comfortable zone even though if it can be scary and even though if you can be alone, just you have to trust yourself that you can do it because you aren’t losing anything if you try something new. It doesn’t mean going abroad. Even if you are trying new things, going to place where you don’t know anyone or anything that you wouldn’t typically do. Do it and take everything you could from it. It can be your worst or your best experience you have ever done, but you will learn something important from every experience you have. KonstantinaK BG

From Bulgaria to USA The story of Tanya and her family is interesting. They are an ordinary Bulgarian family, but in 2009 they won the green card lottery which gave them the opportunity to move to the USA and 2 years later they finally did it. To move from Bulgaria to the USA, they firstly had to choose a state, after some hard time thinking they've made a decision to move to New York, after that they had to find a place to stay which wasn't very easy either. In early June 2011 they finally had to go to the airport and get on their flight to the USA, which was really exhausting not only because they had to change plane in Germany, but they also were with two very little kids at the time and the two flights together took about 15 hours For many years they lived in a not so big apartment in New York City. Tanya was working for an IT company and her husband for a famous car brand, but when the pandemic came she decided that she wanted to help people and started working in the local hospital as a nurse. While working there the family started saving money to buy a house in the neighboring state Connecticut. Last year they finally bought it and moved in, but Tanya really likes the hospital she is working at so she continued working there and now she has to drive to New York City every day for 30 minutes to go to work. Even after they've moved they've never stopped celebrating the bulgarian holidays and they don't forget their roots. Every summer they go to Bulgaria and visit their family and friends and spend a lot of time in the nature, especially at the seaside. ViktoriyaM BG

The story of luck Today I will tell bout my aunt, she is my close relative and she is my second mother’s cousin. The story happened 22 years ago. It all started when my aunt wrote papers for a Green Card for America. She won the Green card, but she had to wait for two months, because she didn`t have money for the trip. She paid to Bulgarian-American company to organize the accommodation and travel. They found a hotel for her for a week. She took a few things only because she was traveling by plane. She traveled about 20 hours, From Sofia to Vienna and from Vienna to Chicago. When she left, she took the younger son with her, but the older one stayed with her grandmother. They kept in touch all the time. That was her first time to travel by plane and she was very scared. When she arrived she had to start looking for a job, a home and school for her son. Her life changed in a positive direction, because she met other Bulgarian families who helped her. This is the story of my aunt's luck. PeterP BG

Unexpected movement The whole story begins in the summer of 2002.The exact date was 17th of July. My father lived in Pangyurishte. When he finished school last vacation, he decided to apply to my current school - Ivan Vazov Language School. It was successfully accepted. He was ready to say goodbye to his parents, packed his bags and left. It was unexpected and sad. Normally, at such an elite school, he would have given up his own home and moved to a boarding house. During this time, while in Plovdiv, he practiced basketball hard. The same year they take him to the school team and go to the tournament together. During this time, my father's cousin moved into the lodgings and they began living together. Not long after, my father met my mother and that's how I was created. The important message of the story is that sometimes In life we have to make important decisions that require sacrifices! DimitarC BG

The dream move Migrants in my family are me, my mother and my father. We migrated nine years ago from Harmanli to Plovdiv. The reason that it was offered for my father to work in a hospital. He is a doctor and he dreamed of working in a hospital. This trip was planned for a long time but it happened suddenly when a free position was opened. First my father moved and started work and one week after that me and my mother moved. We got clothes and furniture. We informed all our friends. We moved by car. It wasn’t a long trip. It was only one hour. We moved to Plovdiv. No one helped us for that move. We did that just by ourselves. We didn't have any problems. We didn't need a lot of time to adapt to the new place because we went there a lot of times before that for a short time, but we know the city and the flat. Our lives changed because my parents found new jobs. We also continued to go back where we came from to visit my grandparents. We shared everything with them. This history tells: you can get everything you want. GeorgiG BG

My aunt’s migration My aunt moved to Austria before 7 years. She went there because she wanted to lead a good, safe and peaceful way of life and to have cleaner air in her city. She told me that compared to Bulgaria, people there are well-intentioned, friendly and generous. Aunt Ani travels by buses which are electric to protect the environment. My aunt earns enough money and she told me that every person there have enough money to buy food and things of first necessity. She hasn’t got any problem when she moved there because everyone speak English. Ani has graduated there in law with German. She works as an lawyer in one of the largest law firms. She is very satisfied with her job because it is her childhood dream. Aunt Ani really wants to come to Bulgaria but she can’t because of the pandemic. I really want to see her and she will tell more interesting things about her life in Austria. VasilM BG

My cousin’s move My cousin Maya moved to Dusseldorf, Germany from Sofia with her parents, because her father works in a German company. She and her mother learned German for almost a year. She is fifteen. Her mother also got a job. Maya started studying in Bulgarian school in the city of Cologne. Мy family and I often call them on video chat to talk. We visited them last Christmas. I liked everything very much. Me and my family walked along the Rhine river and visited the Cologne Cathedral. For my cousin, the hardest thing was leaving her friend and her brother, but she has already found new friends. She goes out with her friends there in her free time. She likes Bulgarian more because there are more positive people and our country is much brighter. She thinks that Bulgaria is a much more beautiful country. Her best friends are George and Victoria, they study together. VelislavK BG

The story of resettlement This is the story of Aunt Zhelka's family - this is my uncle's mother. Uncle Plamen is my aunt Petya's husband. Aunt Petya is my mother's sister. Aunt Zhelka's family hails from Northern Dobrudja. They lived in a small village near Constanta in Northern Dobrudja. They were forcibly resettled by the Romanian authorities from Northern Dobrudja in 1940 under the Treaty of Craiova. One of the most unfavorable clauses of the Craiova Treaty of September 7, 1940 was the forced emigration of the Bulgarian population from Northern Dobrudja. Despite the attempts of our country to impose the principle of voluntary emigration of the Bulgarian population, it was categorically rejected by the Romanian side. This is one of the big compromises that Bulgaria has to make in order to regain South Dobrudja. Romanian colonists in Southern Dobrudja, forcibly settled there between 1925 and 1930 in order to change the ethnic appearance of the area, were exchanged against the indigenous and centuries-old Bulgarian population in Northern Dobrudja. The young family with two young children in their arms, crushed by grief, left their native home and with only very little luggage set off for the unknown and settled in the village of Konevo. Then the caravans with refugees, loaded with movable property, move to the Bulgarian border in three ways - with their own transport from , with train sets and by steamers from Kyustenja to the Varna port or along the Danube river to the ports of Tutrakan and Silistra. Aunt Zhelka's family used to travel by horse-drawn carts. At the border, the Romanian customs authorities subjected the migrants to robbery and extortion. Gold rings, earrings and jewelry were taken from aunt Zhelka's mother. They managed to keep their money because their father hid it in the saddles of the horses. The Northern Dobruja Bulgarians were rich and prosperous people, owning lands and herds of cattle. Coming here to South Dobrudja they find themselves with nothing and ruined. Initially, they were allowed to harvest the crops from the fields abandoned by the Romanian colonists. They are given firewood, grain and seeds for sowing free of charge. However, the problem with housing is the most serious. By the fall of 1941, the Bulgarian state gave about 1,270,000 acres of arable land and 13,000 yards, vineyards and gardens to the settlers. Aunt Zhelka's family is lucky and gets a small house. Subsequently, her parents were engaged in agriculture and handicrafts. Father also

cultivated fields with wheat and orchards with fruit trees. Her mother sewed clothes. After several years of hard work and many difficulties and hardships, they managed to build a bigger house in Isperih. Their fourth child was born in their new home in 1951 - Aunt Zhelka. Aunt Zhelka had a calm and happy childhood despite the difficulties. She successfully graduated from high school and was accepted to study medicine in Plovdiv. She graduated with honors and today is a successful and proven doctor. In 1973, she married a professional football player from Plovdiv. In 1974, their first child was born - my uncle Plamen. In 2020, in the village of Konevo, a family meeting of the emigrants from Romania will take place - they are celebrating 80 years since the emigration. And last year, Aunt Zhelka fulfilled one of her dreams. She, together with her sisters, visits her parents' home in Romania. AngelP BG

Grandma Ivanka The person I am going to talk about is my grandma. She is seventy years old and her name is Ivanka. Нer family moved to the village of Tsaratsovo in 1962, she was only 4 years old. The reason is that the government wanted to build а dam on the site of the place where they lived. So they did not have a choice. Fortunately, the state paid them the land and they gave them BGN 28,000, which currently equals BGN 7,000. Тhe move was prepared according to a well-defined plan. They took all of their things like clothes, furniture and even the animals. They took their things by truck and during the journey their cat and dog jumped off the truck so they had to stop and run after them because of that they traveled one hour. They had to build their own house and start their new life. There were people who were responsible for the allocation of the lands in the village of Tsaratsovo. The problems they had were that they could not find building materials and the weather. The people in the village welcomed them with open arms. The biggest help was from the people not from the state. It took them five or six years to adjust here. They also had financial problems, my grandmother's father was a driver and he didn't make much money. But sometimes they deprived themselves of something, they could build their home. She said that her life has developed in a positive direction because then she would not have met my grandfather and my father would not have him therefore me and my brother too. The message of the story is that whatever happens in life we do not have to give up, and sometimes the bad things maybe are the best ones. IvankaP BG

Surprise departure The story will be about my uncle, who lives in Irland. He moved to Irland twenty years ago. There were econimic factors for his movement. He wanted well-paid work. The move was planned. He had a work there before. He took with him some clothes and some favourite photos of the family. The move was by plane and after his landing everything was arranged by the men of his new work. Throughout the years he has been adjustung to the new plane. Howerever, he missed his family. How he is satisfied with his work and comes to Bulgaria only for the holidays to see his family. GeorgiK BG

The sad move The move happened in 1923, 20 century. The reason for the move was that the Greek people in Ksanthi wanted my predecessors to become Greek. They decided to leave and to settle down in Kardzhali, Bulgaria. The trip was tiring because it was four days by wagon. Leaving home was the saddest thing for them but when they arrived they received warm welcome and the people in Bulgaria helped them to start work. DanielK BG

My mother’s migration While I was talking with my mother, I asked her about her relocation: -Mom, when did come to Tsalapitsa ? - 25 years ago. -Were there any predisposing factors for you to move? -Yes, the love with your father. -What was the plan of your movement? -Without thinking I moved to your father‘s house. -How did you come to Tsalapitsa? Car or bus or something like this? -By car. -How did the move to the new place happen? -It happened fast and normally. -Were there people who helped you settle in the new place? -Yes, my new family. -What problems occurred after your move? -I missed my friends. -How the people around you accepted you after you arrived? -They were very kind to me. -What kind of help did you get? -From your grandparents and it was moral and financial help. -How long did it take you to adjust to your new life? - Around 5 years.

-What kind of challenges you need to overcome? -To adjust to the new life and to find new friends. -What kind of things did your new life give you? -My new life gave me one wonderful husband and two amazing kids. -Do you keep your contacts with your old friends? -Yeah, on the phone and when I went to your grandma I visited them. -Do you feel embarrassed of the fact you are from this village? -No, I’m not embarrassed where I am. -What’s the lesson of your story according to you? -The lesson is that one person needs to follow his dreams. My mum was 21 years old when she came here, to the village of Tsaratsovo. She did that because of the love with my dad. She did it without my grandparents’ permission. She really fast was adapted to the new life in the new place. Maybe it isn’t really fast because she needed 5 years to do it. Because of my dad she found friends. After her marriage, some months later my brother was born and after another 9 years I was born. She still have contacts with her old friends, but she visited them rarely and for short time. She says when you love someone you will go everywhere with him because of the love. That’s my mother’s story. LubomirS BG