Bulgaria of My Childhood – The Poetry of Those Years

by Helen Dexter (nee Bartlett)

Helen Dexter grew up in Bulgaria. Her parents came in the country in 1955 on a two-year contract to work as English teachers, but have stayed for 11 years.

Helen has had a very strong connection with Bulgaria since then. She speaks fluent Bulgarian and returned to Bulgaria with her husband Phil Dexter, also an English teacher, in the 1990s.

“The Bulgaria of then will always be in my heart!” – Helen Dexter 

I grew up in Bulgaria from the age of 8 to 19. My parents took up a two year teaching contract  with the Ministry of Education in 1955 on and our family stayed on for 11 years… I find it difficult to put into words the poetry of those years, from Lovetch with its snow-deep winter, turbulent spring of tumultuous  melting waters and baking hot summer of djanki and swimming in the Osum river…the evening howling of wolves in the distance  on our way back from long walks in the hills. Nothing can really describe the magic energy of the Balkans or the long holidays on the then unspoilt and a little wild Black Sea coast… Sleeping in villagers’ homes smelling of chubritsa on long school excursions, swimming far off into buoyant and clean Black sea water, walking home late at night down safe and clean Sofia streets smelling of lilac as a teenager… saying my last goodbyes to Sofia and my friends as I walked up Rakovski street in the hazy warm September sun…

The Bulgaria of then will always be in my heart! Beautiful country, simpler times…