Event highlights Bulgarian culture

Bulgaria has much to offer culturally, said Renne Traicova, a graduate student from the East European country the size of Ohio. Bulgaria is known for its hospitality, and its residents throw good parties, she said.\nBut few students have experienced that hospitality, Traicova said, or even know about the culture and history of the country.\nTraicova said she decided to plan a cultural event with her friends to educate everyone, whether or not they have ties to Bulgaria.\nToday, in the first Bulgarian cultural event at IU, students will have a chance to experience authentic Bulgarian food, wine, folk music and dance.\nSponsored by the Russian and East European Institute Graduate Student Association, the event will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Indiana Memorial Union Faculty Room.\nAbout 150 people are expected to attend, Traicova said.\nBulgaria is known for its beautiful rose valleys, which produce rose oil for perfume. It is also the birthplace of yogurt and the home of some of the world's best wine, Traicova said. All will be included in today's celebration.\nThe anniversary of Bulgaria's independence falls in March, but Traicova said it is only an excuse to educate the community and University.\nKara Brown, a doctoral student and Russian and East European Institute outreach assistant, said it is the first independence day celebration for Bulgaria at IU.\n"(This event) has brought together Bulgarian students and members of the community (and) has reached out beyond the University," Brown said.\nTraicova said she knows of 15 students from Bulgaria, and she said the Bloomington community has a growing Bulgarian population.\n"I felt like Bulgaria was an under-represented country," Traicova said. "It's not as well known as other countries in that region."\nToday's event will feature a singer from the School of Music performing authentic Bulgarian folk music; traditional food such as feta cheese, grape leaves and lamb; and lessons in Bulgarian folk dancing, Traicova said.\nThe event will include a March tradition celebrating the arrival of spring. Tokens of the tradition made of colored yarn will be distributed. People are to tie them to a tree when they see the first stork of the season, Traicova said.\nMilena Neshkova, a graduate student from Bulgaria, said Bulgaria is an old and little known country. Founded in 681, Bulgaria gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire after a war between Turkey and Russia, she said.\nNeshkova said Bulgaria became a communist country between 1944 and 1989, with the transition from communism quieter than in surrounding countries.\nNegotiations began in 1998 for Bulgaria to join the European Union, and Neshkova said she expects the country to join between 2005 and 2010.