Sophia, Bulgaria – Carson-Newman women's tennis player Jennifer Ott is spending her summer abroad on a mission trip. Below, she details her final month outside the United States and her experiences in Bulgaria.
Month two is a few days from being over, and goodbyes are becoming the norm. My internship is wrapping up quickly, and the past two weeks we have been living in fast forward with English Camp and our final week in Sofia.
We started praying, planning and preparing for English Camp in June, and as of Saturday the 19th, we are glad to say: We made it through English Camp! It was an exciting week filled with English classes, reading and comprehension, discussions, hiking and volleyball. The week was thoroughly planned out, but by far the most enjoyable moments were outside of the plan. As a group we enjoyed hikes, game nights, karaoke, and dancing, and in a smaller settings we enjoyed conversations over coffee and walks. Our friends came to camp to be surrounded by the English language, so they were more than willing to practice their second, third, or fourth language by having fun conversations about life. Though camp was exhausting, it was a wonderful opportunity to live with our friends for a week and share the love of Christ with them by building relationships. Relationships are beautiful examples of love in action.
After camp we had one week to reconnect with our friends in Sofia and continue our friendships from camp. This past week has had a strange dichotomy of being one of the hardest weeks yet being one of the most fun weeks. Saying goodbye is hard; debriefing with the team over what all we have learned and experienced this summer was heavy with emotions. Yet on the other hand, in the span of a week I have been able to spend time with most of my Bulgarian friends having unforeseen adventures. One evening two friends and I rode the entire Sofia metro system. A rainy afternoon was spent at the bowling alley. Saturday was spent with two of my sweet Bulgarian friends taking advantage of the IKEA and its maze of home décor.
One of the most memorable adventures of this past month was the chance I had to hike with a few of the Bulgarians before camp. The plan was to have a three-person hike to a waterfall not far from the city, but that plan turned into an 8 hour hiking tour of Vitosha Mountain (which is the beautiful mountain seen from any point in the city). In my mind, I thought I was fully prepared to hike with my Bulgarian friends, because I had grown up hiking throughout the Smoky Mountain National Park. So I would be fully prepared, right? Wrong. Bulgarians hike to leave the city and fulfill their sense of adventure for the week. So we took a city tram to its furthest stop, and then we began hiking from there… at the base of the mountain. Lilly (another American intern) and I curiously asked our seven Bulgarian guides where our destination was, and they all smiled and pointed to a communication tower on the peak of the mountain. Needless to say after many hours of fun conversations, sweating, and confusion we made it to the top for a breathtaking view of the city. Then our guides took us further into the mountain to a waterfall hidden in the crevice of two conjoining mountains. For the entire day I had absolutely no clue where I was, how long it would take to reach our destinations, or even if we would make it out before dark. In my pack I had two granola bars, water, and some crackers, not nearly enough for an all day adventure. Yet, the Bulgarians were prepared with snacks and meals, and it was a blessing to see how they welcomed us and shared their food with us. Hiking was their weekly tradition for their summer, and now we were initiated into the group. The Lord used one long day on the mountain to form lasting relationships that I will be forever grateful for.
This summer in Sofia has been a journey and an adventure that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Living in Bulgaria, in a new culture, and working among new people has produced challenges, but it has also opened my eyes to new perspectives and new ways of thinking. When I am asked what has been the best part of the summer and what has been the hardest part of the summer, I have one answer to both questions: people. Living life in community is dependent on close relationships, and loving people is based on covenant relationships. Relationships are hard. However I cherish the relationships of this summer because they have continually reminded me about the love of Christ. One bad conversation does not determine a relationship nor does one misunderstanding (they could) but there is a deep richness in moving past and building upon rough moments. There is a solidifying effect when you stay with a friend and build a bond that proves you aren't going to leave them stranded just because it's hard. It has been fun to watch friendships grow and trust deepen when friends understand you truly care. Now the hard part is that I have family in the States and family in Bulgaria.
