Belasitsa

I spent this past weekend helping at a camp organized by PCVs from Bansko and Kolarova. The camp was at Hizha (hut) Belasitsa in the far southwest corner of Bulgaria—about 8 hours by bus from Chiprovtsi (if a direct one existed).

Learning about their national parks

There were about 40 kids, aged 8-12, at the camp, half from the ski-resort town of Bankso, the other half from a village near Petrich; plus, a group of 11th grade students from the Eko Club in Razlog, adults from Bansko, National Park Pirin, and Koloravo, and 6 PCVs. Everyone except for the PCVs slept in the “Hut.” We slept in tents a couple hundred yards away. Although much warmer than Chiprovtsi and comfortable during the day, it became very cold at night. I slept in all of the clothes I’d packed, plus two sleeping bags and a liner.

With some of the kids from the village near Petrich

Matt and Grant did a great job with the camp. We helped start things off the first day with an America parks and outdoor activity presentation. Each of the PCVs had prepared a few slides on a national park and an activity we enjoy to do outdoors: Atchafalaya Swamp, Appalachian Trail and Grand Canyon, ultimate Frisbee, rock climbing, and fishing.

Риболов was my unorganized outdoor activity

The first night was  “American night.” Held around a campfire near our tents, we made s’mores for all the kids and then made our best attempt at singing with Ben on the guitar. The next night was “Bulgarian night,” where the kids sang traditional songs—two even had costumes—followed by Horo dancing around the restaurant.