Sunday schools are a cause uniting Bulgarians around the world

For the second consecutive year, the jury of an essay contest for pupils and university students from Bulgarian communities abroad has given recognition to young people living abroad. The initiative is organized by the Bulgarian National Radio under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria and is part of the media efforts to forge stronger ties with Bulgarian compatriots around the globe.

Among this year's award winners was 18-year-old Yunona Bulyashki. She shared reflections that resonate with any young person standing on the threshold of a new chapter in life. Born in Bulgaria, Yunona moved to the UK when she was just two years old. Nevertheless, she spends every summer in her homeland and it seems that time has been enough to inspire her to pursue her further education in Bulgaria:

Some of my classmates plan to come here to continue their education. I am also thinking of returning to Bulgaria. It feels like something is missing because I haven't spent enough time here. I want to come and live here for a few years just to see what it’s like in my own country. I’ll probably pursue something related to music or art, since I’ve been playing the piano since I was very young.”

The family made the decision to leave in 2011, when Yunona’s older sister wanted to study in the UK. They settled in Oxford, where, years later, Yunona began attending the "Slovo" Bulgarian Sunday School; after completing the eighth grade, she transferred to the "Ivan Stanchov" Sunday School at the Bulgarian Embassy in London. Her mother, Tatyana, acknowledges that at both schools they encountered wonderful teachers. Yunona says that two of her teachers - Anna Yordanova-Piron at "Slovo" and Zdravka Momcheva at "Ivan Stanchov", gave her some of the most precious gifts:

"Ms. Anna Piron is a wonderful person. Her teaching style and understanding show that she loves her job and takes pleasure in teaching us. It comes naturally to her and I have been admiring her since I was very young. I have also been studying with a teacher from the 'Ivan Stanchov' school for two years now. They show me Bulgaria through their eyes as educators, but what matters most to me is that I feel a bond with them. I feel them as family and I can speak with them more openly. To them, Bulgaria is not just a country - it is home."

It is to them that Yunona Bulyashki also owes her interest in writing - something evident in the essay where she seeks the answer to a highly relevant question: what is the cause that could unite Bulgarians around the world?

"In my opinion, Sunday schools are a very good starting point. As a student at a Bulgarian school abroad, I feel familiar with the culture and history, and I have also met many Bulgarians. That is why I believe schools are the places that connect us.”

On the eve of the Day of Bulgarian Independence, we asked what being independent means. For Yunona, it means being free, unconstrained by limitations that might hinder her drive to develop and pursue her interests. The difference in age and accumulated experience leads her mother, Tatyana, to view the matter differently:

“Broader horizons and the freedom to speak one's mind are important. The very fact that we can be who we are today, thanks to the many people who sacrificed their lives for this, allows everyone, regardless of where they live, to contribute to the country's prosperity and development. Nowadays, our children can study and develop anywhere and in recent years more and more of them are returning to their homeland. I believe this is a very positive turn of events that will lead to a wonderful future for Bulgaria.”