Interview
Bulgaria was a communist country. The government didn’t care how people lived. They used propaganda to keep us ignorant. We were taught that the West was bad, that Americans were greedy and war mongers. We did not know any different since we were not allowed to travel to non-socialist countries. My husband was working as a printer when he heard that the government was building a formica factory. He applied and was accepted. The training was in Italy but when he left he didn’t come back. He sent someone to come get my daughter and me. I really didn’t want to leave the country. It was in the summer of 1969 when we left. We left in the middle of the night to cross the Yugoslavian border and then into Italy where my husband was. We were caught at the Yugoslavian border. I was so scared. Yugoslavia had a treaty with Bulgaria to return with an escort anyone caught trying to escape across the border. This meant that I would have gone to jail and they would have given my daughter to someone else. I remember praying to God ‘if you exist help us. If not, I know you don’t exist.’ They interrogated the man who was helping us first and then me. I was so scared. I was amazed when they said we could go back without escort. In other words try again and don’t get caught! I will never forget what they told me. They said, “Why don’t your men get up and fight for your freedom.” But we had no weapons. I don’t understand these people in America who say we should not be able to have guns. Bad people will always have guns. We need to be able to defend ourselves. The refugee camp we arrived at in Italy was full of communist country citizens. We were treated better in the camp then we were in our own country. They fed us, gave us water, we had our own room, and it was free! We had to decide where we would start our new life. We had a choice between Australia, Sweden, Canada, and the United States. We didn’t want to go to Canada because we knew it was cold there. That was at least one time when geography class helped me. I remember even the Italians wanted to go to America so we thought it must be good. After three months they told my husband he had to leave to make room for the new arrivals since he had been there longer than we had. He left for Chicago on November 18, 1969. There were organizations like the World Council of Churches and the IRC who would help. When you arrive you receive $75 and then you are let loose. A sponsor was supposed to pick up my husband at the airport but he never showed up. Here he was, he didn’t know anyone and didn’t speak any English. Amazingly he met Bulgarian man who gave him a ride to a hotel whose owner was also from Bulgaria. A month later my daughter and I were able to leave and join my husband. I will never forget the day my daughter and I arrived. It was December 18, 1969. It was my first time on an airplane. I was so amazed at all the beautiful Christmas decorations. I remember thinking that the airport was decorated for us. I didn’t know what Christmas was. The Bulgarian government told us there is no God. The hotel room had its own bathroom with a toilet and sink and a kitchenette. I would have given my right arm for that in Bulgaria. Being in America was a fairytale. The realization that Americans were not greedy warmongers was relaxing. My husband found a job as a printer a week before we came. He worked seventy hours that week. His paycheck was only $180. He took us to the store and told me I could get anything I wanted. I told him we couldn’t afford to be throwing away our money but he insisted. Ice cream was expensive in Bulgaria so I bought a pint of orange sherbert. I put it in the refrigerator and when we woke up the next morning the ice cream was on the bottom of the refrigerator. We didn’t have refrigeration in Bulgaria. We only bought for the day. I didn’t know ice cream was supposed to go in a freezer. We thought that was funny. I remember going to the supermarket and wondering why a small piece of meat cost more that a large piece. Later I found out that the small piece was filet minion. It was like living on another planet. The cars were huge. I remember our first car seemed gigantic to me. We didn’t have much. If you don’t know the language you start at the bottom. I get furious at those who use the system and don’t work. There were international institutes that taught free English lessons but I think learning on your own is the best way. We learned English by not getting together with Bulgarians all the time. We read and watched T.V. I was disappointed when I was learning English and I began to understand the news. It made me realize that there are problems everywhere. I remember being disappointed about segregation. They were shipping kids to different schools all the way across town in order to desegregate. They wanted to bus our children to other parts of the city. We received our citizenship at the bicentennial in September 1976. When we left Italy we were given Italian passports with a green card. After we arrived we were required to register at the post office every year. Five years later we had to have an interview, take an oath, and learn about the American government. We were then granted citizenship. In 1978 the Bulgarian government finally gave permission for my parents to visit but they were only allowed to come separately. The government was afraid that if they left together they would never come back. My husband’s father died before he was able to visit. In 1982 my daughter and I went back for the first time. I was asked what it was like in America. My sister said, ‘what do you think it’s like there? She can come here but we cannot go there.’ Bulgaria changed in 1989. It was chaos there. There was no food to eat even if you had money. Because of this my sister and her children came to visit us for ten months. A few years later my mom had to come for a while too. My parents did not want to live here. I do not want to move to Bulgaria. I think the U.S. is the best place. When I was in beauty school something said to me ‘read the bible.’ I collected twenty-five cent tips until I could buy my first bible. I read it cover to cover, even the preface. I asked my friend to go to her church. I didn’t realize there were so many denominations. Why the competition? There is an ideal you can strive for. One day I’m going to answer for what I do. Love neighbor as self. Love God. Love neighbor