Enlighten me by One Foundation for Culture and Arts

Enlighten люe Three Intreviews in Plovdiv, Bulgaria June 2014

Божана Апостолова / Bojana Apostolova

B: The author that impresses me a lot is Milen Ruskov. Nobody ever wrote a novel that good – Rise.

K: What was your occupation during the socialism? B: I was a director of the House of Culture. Before that I was an assistant director (below the director) in an industrial factory.

K: Are you born in Russia, or you were born in Bulgaria?

K: That is why they tell me you are very very powerful.

B: I am a Bulgarian. I am just making a joke of that the generation of socialism as me myself was irradiated from Russia. And in schools the language that we learn was mainly Russian. When I was fifty years old and the democracy came, I had to start my business. Then I didn’t have the time to learn English. My granddaughter is now five years old and she speaks English, and she teaches me English. “Grand Ma repeat after me: A, B, C.” Different generation, when she uses the computer she knows what to doit’s really easy to handle it. How it is possible? As if they were born in a computer. I wrote for her a series of books called “Little Bojana”.

B: Yes, I am. Here! (Now we are looking at the books that her assistant has brought) K: And you have written it? B: Yes! And until the end of the month we are publishing the first interactive books on the Internet with all thirty-three pages “Little Bojana in the underwater world”. This is the first interactive product, you have too but there are just excerpts. And we are publishing the whole book – thirty-three pages.

K: You had the business during the socialism too?

K: What is it about?

B: (kak be momiche) The socialism occupies you and you had to scream “da jive partiqta”. How were you supposed to have one, nobody did. K: So you have had this company since the 90th?

B: Different experiences and adventures with little Bojana. For example, she loves to play as a seller, all the children that are her age love that game. She puts magnetic cards on the fridge – café, croissant, milk, and ice cream. And says to me “Grandma buy yourself something.” As she doesn’t know what money is, I grab several things and ask, “How much do they cost?” She answers “Twenty.” And I reply “What twenty?” “Twenty!” One day I say, “Now I am going to be the seller and you are the customer.” She questions, “How’s that.” “ We will change roles, now you buy.” And ask her “ Do you want to buy these two bottles” and point at the magnetic card. She says “What does they contain?” And I answer her “ I am selling laughter!” “I have never heard of that, somebody to sell laughter.” And I immediately explain to her that when the family is happy and they laugh a lot at dinner, I put two empty bottle under the table so the can be full of laughter. And when a person is sad I offer him a bottle of laughter. Because life is too short and people have to be happy. And now she offers bottles of laughter very often. One day when we were together I told her that we should write a poem about these bottles full with laughter.

B: Yes, since then. I started as an intermediary. I went to Bursa, Turkey and there I saw a white factory that was so nice. And then I turned to east, I made the sign of the cross and prayed “Please God, I want to have a factory nice just that one.” And six years later I had a factory. K: Do you write yourself, how come your interest in publishing? Have you been working with that before? B: During the socialism I published two poetry books. And now, for twenty years from then I have written seven more with poetry, three novels and seven books for children. Last year, for example, I got all three national prices for the best writer of children books. And that is because I am in love with my granddaughter and she inspires her. The love give birth to good literature. Now she is asking her assistant for some “Little Bojana” to see. My granddaughter says that I am embarrassing myself by saying “Of course!”

She pours herself laughter in a plate And eats it with pleasure Tweets like a bird Then start to giggle 4

Her mother and her father wonder What had happened to you child? This is a secret of Bojana And I get on with my grandma To buy ourselves more laughter Laughter in bottles and jars Everything must be fun

Which is a real disaster. K: When I have been doing some question before I get here, several told me that people in Bulgaria are sad. B: That is why I have written that book. Because what I see when watching films that my granddaughter is watching – violence and a bad role models. For me it is horrible example to go to a cinema and eat popcorn. When I was writing these books for me was important to be interesting to children. I am meeting a lot of my granddaughter’s friend and they inspire me. And this new time, what does it bring to them? There are not societies like society of writer, painters, etc. And now everybody stays at home, at the computer, watching television. What a f*cking boring life. Is that what you calle life?

B: There is a website where children vote on their favourite book. And all little fingers press “Little Bojana”. I get a reward from the children who had read “Little Bojana”. K: Is that the best reward? B: Yes, it is the most precious that I have received. I have received a lot of prices for best writer and best writer for children but this is the best. In addition to that I have received one hundred and fifty stories and poem written by children together with their drawings about. And I have published children’s book “ Children continued Little Bojana”. Because the light that you are searching for is already in the eyes of these children who have written that book.

K: They have told me that you have done this by working, to achieve this you have been working really hard. B: Yes, that is true. That has affected my nervous system, I have become impatient, and it is hard for me to speak with people.

K: But I have heard that the education has a lower quallity than before. Like few years ago the children were very well educated. Is there any difference?

K: I believe that we are born with different destinies. When I meet you I get the feeling that you where born with power.. Where do you come from? What is your background?

B: Yes. There is being an experiment in the education and there are for example eight teaching books for literature for the first grade. And this is very funny because first it confuses the children, then this is conductive for corruption. Teachers get money for to use certain book. And that affects children. It may happen that different classes in a same school learn by several different books. There is not available the necessary atmosphere. According to me this kind of education with so many textbooks for only one subject should be after seventh grade. So that a child could be aware, to gain solid knowledge for grammar, spelling. Besides that the teacher have really lower salaries. And now there are rich parents that send their child with bodyguards to school.

B: My father was without legs. My mother became widow at the age of 27 and I grow up on the street playing football, fighting with boys. There were times when I was so hungry because we did not have anything to eat that I sat on the ground trying not to pass out. But children love me a lot. The surrounded me and wanted to continue playing. At that time all I could think of is how to get food. That is how I invented the game with restaurant, in which I was the cooker. The rich children were sitting at the restaurant, and the children like me served them. And added “ But to be more real this restaurant everyone should bring anything that they have in their fridge.” I was standing behind several branches and if some kid had brought bread with butter, another jam, I get a small glass and made bites. The ends of the bread, that were left I ate secretly. I was seven years old when I started playing restaurant and have figured out how to get feed. The children that grow on a street are very proud. I managed to stay fed as

K: Why? B: Because the stupidness of people is a very great thing. He had no money, have stolen them during the socialism and he pretends to be a boss. These are material people who think that the money is the most important argument to be alive and famous. 6

well my proud was untouched. After getting fed I immediately led them to play football. The other thing that the street taught me was to look at people’s eye and tell them what I think, all the truth. When I have to comfort them I embrace them, and when I have to I punch them. That is how I form my character. And the character is destiny. It is very important what character you have got.

In which there are personal stories about my life written in an artistic way. I combine the experience that I have in life with a master writing full of irony regarding to myself. And that is how I get closer to people both children and their parents. My novel Daily Bible not only has received all the prices but it has been on a market for twelve years now. So I manage somehow to dance several dances on different levels.

K: Is it obligated to go to school? B: Yes, it is. When I graduated from school I wanted to study medicine. My mother didn’t have money to support my education. There was a law during the socialism that you had to study what you were working. For example if you work on a machine you have to study for an engineer, if you work in a newspaper you have to study journalism. After graduating from school that is specialized in mechanics I started work with metals in a mechanical factory and I had to study for an engineer. After that I was working in a lab, and had an education in chemistry. I was a long distance education. No lectures or tutoring. I had to pass the exams without presence at the lectures. And after that I studied Bulgarian philology with a second specialty history. I have three educations. During that time I was raising my child while studying for exams.

K: Do you still play football? B: Yes, I can. I can also fight; I have a really nice left hit. I have a story that I didn’t tell about in my novels but now I associate it with the left hit. There was a guy that was a bootlicker and I hate people like him. When I saw him passing through our street I threw stones at him. And if I was closer I hit him. He was a good writer from a little child. But he lived like plant in a pot. A life distant to others. For example he writes about how nice the grass is and lays his coat on that beautiful grass to make love to his girl. Left-hander! Instead of wasting time and go straight to the point. And I have been telling him that he is never going to be a poet because he is a fake guy. And not long ago this same guy wanted me to publish his a poetry book. His poetry was different after my fight and I published his book. Then he wrote on facebook “Bojana the girl that throws stones at me, the one that has teased me every time she saw me, makes me cry doing the best favour in my life. She publishes my favourite poetry. “ For example I make two festivals here in Plovdiv – Young Plovdiv reads and Plovdiv reads. There are coming about ten thousands guest from Bulgaria and seventy writer. There is a program and everyone that is holding it chooses where to go and what to see.

K: If you would pick a book or a poem that will be regarding, the best book to enlighten somebody. B: Mine? K: Any book. B: It depends on the age of the person sitting across me. For a child I will recommend to read first the world classics- Winnie the Pooh for example, after that to read some Bulgarian classicisms and then he/ she will have sense of literature and will start to pick himself books. And the way that I am helping people as a writer is with my two novels Daily Bible.

impressed. At that time in Bulgaria people only knew one painting of him – The dove. One day I was tired and go down to the ground floor where they sell cards, catalogues and books. At that ground floor I saw the lessons that I have learned from the street. I saw an icon, in Bulgaria during the socialism there were not any to sell freely. The icon was 16th century unknown author. Gorgeous! Warm colours, grabs your eyes immediately – the God Mother. And I suddenly decided to buy ten thousands of that icon. My husband was worried about the weight of the paper we were bringing home, but did not ask me what I am going to do with them. I bought ten thousand icons for two hundred leva. When I came back to Plovdiv I went to a wood fabric and tell them to make me ten thousand wooden backs from cuts of the wood. I grabbed two children from the street and asked them to glue the image to the backs. Then I painted the backs by myself so that to become brown and look like an old icon. At the pedestrian street in Plovdiv I sold them for two leva for an icon. They were like crazy. Have you ever seen people to buy this stuff that were forbidden during the socialism? My son still has it! And only for four days I sold out the icons, and already have twenty thousand leva in my pocket. For example an apartment those days costs ten thousand leva.

K: Do you ever sleep? B: Not much. At the evenings I have visions. I see so many things, things that are going to happen. I have this energy that I know what is going to happen to me. I sleep for about three hours. I am not complaining. When I started my business they offered me to become a major of the old Plovdiv. Then everyone shouted offensive things when the socialism was over “Red craps!” Nobody wanted to keep that system, we wanted democracy. The socialists became scared and started to look over if I was a member of the party. And I have never been one. I cannot stand someone trying to rule me and to say to me “We think instead of you”. And when they saw that I was not a member of the party they lied to me. Then the Union of the writers in which I was a member sent me to Leningrad into a House of writers for a month. There the Russian women started to chase me every day and read to me their ingenious poetry. To share it and the poetry was stupid, wasn’t good. I started going out early in the morning and travelled with the tram to the Hermitage Museum. All day long I was walking around one floor and exploring it. I was on the floor with paintings of Picasso and I was really

I am not an ordinary person. The day before yesterday I bought the land above my yard. I went to the municipality to change the purpose of the land because at that land it is supposed to be building a five story houses. I want to grow a forest. And the major said to me “But this is very expensive land and you want to grow trees? You can get at least two-three million leva, making a living structure and then sell the apartments.” And I answered, “Not everyone is as greedy as you. Plovdiv needs fresh air and this is forest. I don’t need money. I won’t be taking them with me in my grave.

B: The atmosphere as a whole. To feel the good spirit and vibe of the place. A Belgian has come to my home a world famous collector and said to me” Please Bojana, let me bring fifty millionaires here at your home for a dinner, or cocktail. I have never seen a house with so much soul. All of them have very big and rich houses; only the living room is five hundred square meters. And in your house there is that special vibe, the atmosphere. Let them learn.” I said to him that fifty are too many for me, but I would accept thirty of them. And they came and were very fascinated. Because the soul of the house is what makes sense, what impresses the most. The water mirror for example is a masterpiece, it is like a sculpture with black stones chopped like bread. And over these big beautiful stones the water runs. It is so nice, it is hard to describe it you must see it. Outside the house does not remain a rich house but inside is the treasure. I have two weaknesses. The first is to have a beautiful house with art in it. And the other is a complex of hunger from my childhood. I have four big fridges in my house and all of them are full of food. You open the door of the fridge and the food just fall over you. The scariest thing in life is the complex that you had from your childhood. You live with them your whole life and die with them.

K: Is the land big? B: Three hundred square meters. It is enough for me; actually the land is near to my yard. They were confused but after all give me the permission to grow a forest. If you come to my home you will see that for me it is very important to be cosy which I achieve with aesthetics and to be well designed. I went to Italy to buy myself a wall for dividing spaces with crystals that cost twenty thousand dollars. For a hanger with crystals I gave four thousand dollars away. K: What object means the most to you?

Bulgaria, or nobody!”

K: What is the best food?

At the same time I am not so polite to people. “Say what is going on because I am in a hurry” I have quite a strange life. But if I think of it I don’t think it is my not my deed. Most of my features and qualities’ come from the sky, from God. I have a fate a destiny of success .

B: Lately I eat only fruits and vegetables. I don’t stand that much meat, salami, but I have them in my home. I love cheese a lot – Brie and Camembert. If a guest come I must have some to serve, so I don’t have to make bites with a glass. Now it is not easy for me too. I receive about one hundred manuscripts per month. On Sunday people are coming from Moscow here in my factory in Plovdiv and they want me to publish a young writer. When the called me I was surprised how do they know me in Moscow. The manuscript turns out to be an extraordinary one and by two week it will be on bookstores. But the writer said “Either Jana in

K: Is that’s why your got your name – a gift of God? B: Bojana Georgieva (Saint Georgi) Apostolova (the twelve apostles) – I hold the sky in my hands. So I have a lot of visions. Lately I have been wondering what is more – my character or the visions.

and that is what I spend money on.

K: I am so happy that I got to meet you!

Often I am kidding with my employees, I have one hundred and fifty, when I die they should pass round the factory and to watch my hand. If I point with the middle finger it means that I am still alive. They have to watch out. Everyone is scared of me, the government, ministers so on, because they don’t know what I am about to say. That is why they are so scared. I was invited to a television show together with Nelly Terzieva on which I say things to people without any doubts “He is a liar! He steals! He is a jerk.”

B: And I will be happy if my money does not go to the garbage. I love art very much, I can have five or six hotel but I only got this factory. If I have helped some people to become clever, spiritual and able to handle a life with difficulties. That is how I raise my son – English kindergarten, English school, and American university with two doctor degrees. Bojana, my granddaughter is studying at Montessori and by the age of eight she will know at least one foreign language perfect. These are my ambitions 15

the machine’s price. And it is hard to understand as

K: Can you read people when you meet them?

nobody tells you. I appeal to the lessons that I have learned on the street. And said, “ Downstairs there is an empty office, an air-conditioner is working. Go downstairs and make the price three hundred thousand leva less. If you are not able to cut it off don’t even say goodbye just go. And if you agree with my proposal come to my office to sign the contracts.” They make the price less. You tell me how they lied to me if they could cut the price at once. The first offer was with all the extras for the machine, but the cut them off together with the price without telling me. I asked them if the extras are included. They looked at each other understanding that I was not kidding at all and added the extras to the new-formed price. When I went to Dusseldorf to see the machine and all the extras included. I bought it. That is why everyone is scared of my. Life is not about bringing whiskey and kissing hand, it is about being correct, clear, and accurate. That is the way to do business.

B: Yes, I can. I can immediately tell about you. As well as them. You have one fault; you are too much abstemious, very shy. When a person doesn’t show a character and a will while talking he unifies to the mass. You are beautiful and you have to learn how to use the thing that God has given to you, your beautiful smile. There were Germans that came in the factory and they offer me to buy machines for the factory. One of the machines costs two millions, seventeen meters long. And when we were in Switzerland to buy a machine that costs only one million at the top of the factory they have raised the Bulgarian flag. And I was joking with them “How did you find out what the Bulgarian flag is like?” “We have been searching in a catalogue.” And the German guys that came here to offer me machines were bringing whiskey, kissing hand and showed me offers. At that time there was not a computer and you are not aware of 18

Nadejda Kostova-Kaludova and Dimitar Kaludov

K: The strongest experience that you have of light. It could be something connected with childhood or something that you like darkness or light.

K: Is it ok when you are outside? Is it better to be outside? N: Yes.

M: I remember last summer we were in a cave called The Eyes of God in Lukovit. It is like an open-air cave with two holes on the top. And when you stay under these two holes, you see the light go through them and the feel you get is very impressive. The idea is that you are very near to God. It’s a nice experience.

K: And in your home what is your favourite light source? M: It is the natural light. К: The window?

K: What is the best thing with darkness?

M: Yes, its better to be outside.

N: I don’t like the darkness.

K: And how long is the sun up? Is it different during winter and during summer?

K: Why?

N: At the bedroom it is like shining after four to seven, and before that there is a shadow. And in the living room the sun is more shining in the morning and at the afternoon is not. In Bulgaria in the summer the sun is shining until seven, and in winter it sets at five-six.

N: I am afraid. K: In what way, that you don’t see what is there? N: Because I don’t see anything and don’t know what will happen, don’t know what to expect. Except when I am under the sky full of stars lightning.

K: What item do you love the most in your house?

N: And the laptop.

N: The aquarium.

M: We don’t watch so much television

M: The beer maybe. (Laughing)

K: Is there something else that is not technology that you use a lot?

N: All the magnets on the fridge are my favourite. They remind us of so many places that we have been to.

M: The bed. We are just sleeping nothing else.

M: The Sacco sac that Misho is sitting on. It is very comfortable. This is a present for my birthday from my wife and my friends that is why I like it. It is very personal and has a sentimental price, and is very nice to sit on.

K: Is there something in the home that you never use but you keep?

K: Is there an object that you have that you hate?

M: Books. I am kidding!

M: Yes, I do. All the glasses and plates that we have because there are too many of them. I want to throw them away. I want to have space.

N: And some clothes maybe. In my wardrobe there are clothes that I have never worn as every woman.

N: We have a lot of plates and we don’t use all of them.

K: Is there something that you have but change the function of it? (No answer) Maybe it is a hard question. Is there anything that is broken but you keep?

N: I don’t have any object that I don’t like. I love them all. K: But when you were small was there something that you hate, when you were a child?

N: No

N: The vacuum cleaner. I hate it. Actually I hate it now as well.

Kris: Here in Bulgaria it is called bad luck if you keep something that is broken. My mother is always telling me that even the edge of an object is broken I should definitely throw it away.

K: Do you have something that you made yourself? Or that you have modified?

M: I am very happy when I am throwing things away.

N: The stickers that are on the wall in the kitchen. I stick them there. And the other thing is the terrace is full of flowers

N: He really loves to throw things away. This releases him. M: The objects is too many, it becomes too much for me.

M: We can show it to you if you want. It is very colourful and beautiful. I grow them by myself and I enjoy it very much.

K: do you have to take loan for getting an apartment?

M: She likes colours.

M: here in Bulgaria we are owners of our houses and we have mortgages. If we want to buy an apartment the mortgage is for thirty years.

K: Is there something that you can eat too? N: No.

K: So you have bought this apartment?

K: What item do you use the most?

M: Yes, cash.

M: The toothbrush. 26

M: It is not that expensive. It costs six hundred Euros per square meters. For our salaries and standard is lot money.

N: I play a little piano. And I used to play a violin.

K: But what do you do for living?

N: No.

M: I am a salesman.

K: Do you have a violin?

N: I am organizer and coordinator of theatre plays.

N: No.

K: Both jobs must be really good.

M: We used to be singers. I was a member of a boy band and she was singing in a girl one.

K: And you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t anymore?

N: yes, they are interesting and entertaining.

K: But is that how you meet?

K: Are you born here?

N: No, we met in ICQ.

N: Yeah.

K: And you are married?

M: I am living here for thirty years now but I am from Asenovgrad. It is a city near Plovdiv, about fifteen kilometres away from here.

M: Yes, we have been married for five years. K: Was it a huge wedding?

K: Do you have a relation to this socialist time?

N: Yes, it was.

M: I was eight when the changes happened. It was euphoric. They told us that everything is going to be much better but it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.

K: And you are living here since then or have you moved in before?

K: What would the solution be to solve the problem? Like what was your solution?

N: Before the wedding we moved in, maybe one year before that. Since then I was living in Sofia and she was living here in Plovdiv.

M: We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have that much trouble but it was a big change for our parents and they had to adjust to the changing life.

K: Are you religious? N: Yes, we are.

K: But where they love now, do they have apartment during the socialism?

K: What religion?

M: Yes.

N: We are Christian.

K: What occupation does your parents have?

K: Because there are so many different religions here.

M: My parents are engineers and her parents are musicians.

M: Yes, that is right. There are Jews, Armenians, and Muslims.

K: What do they play?

K: Are there living people that have different religions in the neighbourhood.

N: My mother is a piano teacher and my father is a member of a band, he is playing a saxophone.

M: In the complex we have students living here. Some of them are from Greece and others from Turkey.

K: Do you play?

N: Shall we see the terrace with the flowers?

N: I go out to small bars not in discos.

K: Yes, I would love to see it. It’s fantastic!

K: In this neighbourhood?

N: We need a little more space because we are keen on playing cards and there isn’t enough room for four chairs.

N: Not in this neighbourhood. In the city centre. Places like The Spot in the winter, The Stables of The King at summer. The last one is a really great place. It is an open space bar located on two levels like terraces under linden trees. In the summer there are so much live concerts that take place in the evening.

K: How many hours do you work? N: I am working from home arranging everything for the plays at the theatre.

K: It has been a lot of troubles through the years but at the same time Bulgaria and Plovdiv feels like a meeting place like between different religions, different people.

K: But the terrace is really nice. Is there a terrace on the other side too? N: Yes, there is a longer one but it is not wide enough.

K: What education do you have? Did you go to a college?

K: Are you painting?

M: I have got a master degree on economics in Sofia.

N: No. But I have a painting of me from my cousin. It is made of textile. My cousin is a painter and a designer.

N: I have been studying here in Plovdiv and have bachelor degree on Ecology. I have studied everything related to nature – landmarks, types of plants, animals, and insects. But I have newer worked with in that profession.

K: (looking photos on the wall in the corridor) Where is this? N: These are photos that I have taken while we were travelling. I love taking photos it is like my hobby. They are all from Bulgaria. This one is in Orehovo village; it is eighty kilometres from here and is located in the mountain. The next one is at Krushuna waterfall. Then we have this photo of the seven lakes in Rila Mountain. There is an area up in Rila Mountain with seven lakes located at different heights. You can get there by walking or taking a lift and you can walk by all seventh for a day, maybe it takes five or six hours walking.

K: Do you have snow here? Do you ski? Do you have ski resorts? M: Yes it is snowing but not that much recently. We have some ski resorts like Bansko, Borovetc, Pamporovo; you can also go skiing in Vitosha Mountain that is located very close to Sofia city. K: Is it possible for everyone to study at the college? N: Yes, it is. When you pay for it.

K: Do you have something that is a present from your parents?

K: So you have to pay?

N: My parents give us this icon for your wedding and his parents these two paintings on the wall. There isn’t enough space for many paintings and frames to put hanging from the wall. I would love to the whole the wall covered with photos.

N: If you want to be well educated you have to have ambitions and go to a private university. K: I have heard that there are rich people and many poor as well but there are not much in between. Is that true?

K: What do you do when you are not working? Is there some special bar?

N: yes, it is true. Unfortunately it is. 32

K: Was it ok to go to church during the socialism?

M: It is like that everywhere. Maybe in Scandinavians not that much, but in United States.

N: No. When my parents got married they do that in the municipality only, not in a church like me and my husband did.

Kristina: In Bulgaria most of the people don’t work at weekends and this is the chance for them to travel. When the Friday comes after work they are travelling outside the city especially in summer. In Bulgaria we have amazing nature and many landscapes. We actually have this list of one hundred touristic landscapes and you can get a stamp from each at a booklet. Besides these one hundred there are a lot more places to leisure, walk, picnic with some barbeque.

K: But are they religious? N: Yes, they are. K: So, religion was totally banned? Kristina: It wasn’t forbidden but it was no good for you if someone sees you going to church. Especially when you are a member of the party. You should obey the party not God and the party is above all. Another think about churches during the socialism is that the squares around them were demolished. And it was like demonstrating the meaningless of the church. My grandmother for example had this little temple is her house and takes time to be alone there praying. It was like in a corner of a room. (While we were talking, they on the other hand stated a conversation about Rahat hill)

K: But do you go to the church in Sunday? N: Not every Sunday. Maybe one day per month and on holidays like Christmas, Easter. K: Do you go to the same church always or different? N: No, to different ones. Kristina: Most of Bulgarians believe in God, they have icons in their houses, go to monasteries when they travel in the mountains because over there they are some remaining old times. The biggest one is in Rila – Rila monastery. But they don’t go like every Sunday to church.

N: Have you been on Rahat hill? There is a gathering place for gulls. When they are flying the light enlighten them in a way that you see them coloured.

N: There are many people that don’t go to church but they believe in God. They are saying that God is in their hearts and don’t have to go to church.

Georgi Georgiev / Георги Георгиев

K: Do you like some Bulgarian animation movies?

tains every year (1998-2002) people from every foreign country used to come, as you can start from: Germany, England, Korea, Japan, and they came at the boarding school to help, for the whole summer, so I’ve learned amongst them.

G: – No, no, our guys cannot produce good ones. High quality animations – no they cannot do that. K: Do you draw yourself?

K: You are so smart.

G: No, no I’m like a cripple concerning that.

G: Yes, it’s what everybody used to tell me, you should continue your education.

K: So, I want to explain to you why am I here: I’m from Sweden and I work as a designer, but I also work as a teacher at a college, and I want to see how is the environment here, and I try to do that everywhere I go, and I’m so happy, that you agreed to this interviw. So I’m going to ask you a little bit about your apartment and a little bit about you, if it’s ok?

K: Yes, what do you want to study, if you would study? G: No, I don’t want to study anymore. Thirteen grade, it’s enough for me. High school with a special discipline: “Upholstery in furniture production”. But I also studied for a master builder – for to work as such abroad.

G: Well, I live quite simply, please explain to her that I’ve been a complete orphan, through all of my life, without mother and father, I take care of myself – by myself, I live in this apartment, each moth I pay a rent.

K: So, when I was invited in Bulgaria, the workshop is about light, and I want to ask you about what’s the most, strongest experience with light?

K: Ahaa, but someone should have had helped you, when you were little? Like somebody should have helped him while he was a child?

G: What do you mean saying “light”? In which aspect?

G: But yes, of course, I lived in a boarding school for orphans till a got graduated. It was 12 years ago, till I was 18 years old. Here I got a secondary school degree, and so.. Kris: + they may live in the boarding school till they get 12 grade, and then they (the orphans) must leave.

Kris: Light, meaning, dark, bright etc, day light.. Dimitar: The brightest experience, when you hear “light” what are your associations?

K: What happened to his parents, can I ask that?

G: I’m not a man of the night, so for sure I love light. What am I to say to you.. For sure I don’t sleep during the evening/night. Light, light, well a good thing is the light.

Kris: It’s inappropriate.

K: You don’t like darkness?

K: Ok. And then you said that you lived in the mountains?

G: No, I don’t. K: How long do you sleep? Every night?

G: Yes, that’s correct, I grew up in the mountains, the Balkan, in the Rodopi Mountains, till 8th grade (until 14 years old) and then I moved here to finish the high school and then I stayed here, almost 12 years now and I look for myself by my own.

G: How long do I sleep? Not more than 3 hours. I go to sleep at 24:00, I get up at 3:00 and this is it. K: And what do you do then?

K: Ok, so did you have English at school or did you learn that afterwards?

G: Here, outside, where the taxi car stopped, there is a coffee vending machine, so I go down, take a coffee, I sit at the benches, I’m doing myself mokhabet (Turkish word, meaning nice informal chat, often over a coffee). There are people, they get up early

G: No, actually I didn’t learned it at school I’ve learned it here, amongst people. In Rodopi moun39

as well, and so.. There are three or four of us that get up so early, at one and the same time. Without a reason, we just get up and..

years ago, before installing the new furniture (I had another furniture before that) - the first thing was to readjust the electricity and to set up the cable TV. That was the first thing that I did.

K: But aren’t you tired?

K: Is it hard to get an apartment like this?

G: No, my organism is used to that kind of stuff, already. I’m like this for 14 years.

G: No, so during all of my life I’ve struggled to have an apartment like this. So before two years, before I got it, I wandered around between lodgings, bullshits, back and forth, you never know who will come, will they sell it, and you stay on the street. The only thing that I wanted was to get it, to have it.

K: Do you know why? G: No, I don’t know. They said it was connected with the nerves. I’m not a nervous guy, I’m so calm. K: What’s the best thing about darkness if you would choose something? If there would be something good?

K: So he bought it? G: No, it’s not personally mine, it belongs to the Municipality, and they allow me to buy it. So that’s why I’m leaving next month. Dimitur: Each rent that he pays is like a fee that is part of the apartment cost. It’s a socially oriented practice / policy.

G: No, I don’t like, almost nothing in darkness. It’s no good. Light is light, when it’s light, you can’t, electricity –electricity, I don’t know, if there’s no light, it’s like we’re heading nowhere, like we’re going back to the Stone Age. I’m not afraid, it’s just feel discomfort, I’m not used to go to disco clubs, pubs and others, so that I wait to gets dark, so I can go somewhere. I’m like hell of a home dude, from home to work from work – back at home, and that’s it.

G: So, it was estimated the sum of 7000 BGN. And they say – if you decide to buy it, next year, you can buy it. So I told them let me go to work, to earn some money, I may even buy it this year. So that I will know that it is mine.

K: How long does it take? Do you take the bus to your work?

G: The rent is fixed K: Can I ask how much?

G: With the bus.

G: Not so much, only 30 BGN. And you have to announce that you want to buy it, to apply for it and to pay for it at the same moment. And it becomes yours. Otherwise it’s for rent. Dimitur: The money that you give, are they something like a deposit.

K: And how long does it takes? G: It depends, 10-15 minutes, not more. When the traffic lights catch you. K: If you choose a light, like a light source, what that would be – like the best one?

G: Yes, but only if you claim that you are going to buy it. If I don’t decide to buy it Ill pay the rent all my life. So my neighbours are like this, 45 years they live in their apartment, I say – why didn’t you buy it till now – well, they say, for what – well, I say for all those years that you gave away so much money, you could have bought it. And it’s bigger, I say, for mine they ask for 7, for yours they’ll ask for 15. Because it’s 4 rooms, the side ones are bigger.

G: Light source? Electrical, no matter what, there’s nothing like electricity. However I like the sunrise. It’s massive, especially from here. K: What item, what object do you like most in your house? G: The TV set. It may rain, thunder, there should be a working TV. The cable TV, the digital TV – it is a must. Explain to her that before I entered the space 2

K: But how much do you earn, can I ask that? He doesn’t need to answer, if he doesn’t want to. 41

G: It depends. It depends on the work, on the employer, every day I do a different kind of work for a sum. So there was days, months that I’ve earned 300-350 levs per month, it happened to get 8001000 levs per week. But there were rare cases before 2 years from now. Now – 400-500 levs per month.

G: Coffee and cigarettes.

K: Is there something that you really hate? An object that you really hate?

K: Is there’s something from when he was small?

K: Is there something that you never use, but it’s in the house? G: No, there’s no such thing.

G: No, I moved a lot, during the years, so nothing.

G: I hated the broom, but I bought a vacuum cleaner.

K: So is there an object that you’ve changed its function?

K: So, is there something that you made yourself? Here? In this apartment?

G: No, no.

G: Well I used to have, but now there’s nothing. Tell her that I’m just starting with the house repair. I bought the other day a laminate for the floor, some paint, wallpapers for the walls.

K: What would you’ve missed the most if it would disappear, except the TV? G: The kitchen range. So without it I cannot be. Everything else might be gone, but without it..

K: What do you use most except the TV? G: Except the TV? The kitchen range. Now it’s a little bit chaotic, otherwise I would have show it to you, but I love to cook. I cook, knead, roll out pastry, after all I am a country boy.

K: Do you have to buy your own kitchen?

K: Do you cook every day?

K: So he didn’t have anything when he moved it? So it was from the scratch? That’s fantastic!

G: No, I bought everything by myself, heater – kitchen range, absolutely the whole equipment.

G: Yes?

G: Step by step, you cannot do everything at once.

K: What’s the favourite dish?

K: Do you hang out with friends in the apartment or do you hang out in the neighbourhood?

G: My favourite dish? Well all of them. I’ve been learned to eat everything and to like everything. There’s no pizza-mizza, I cook, I do everything, I don’t go at restaurants, there’s no need.

G: No, we meet at the neighbourhood, at the park, where the taxi car stopped, you saw it, right? So after work, 7-8 in the evening, we gather, and we stay there till the 12 o’clock in the night.

K: Fantastic, so you bring food to your job? G: No, no, I’ve been taught the bad way – I don’t eat while I’m at work. I don’t eat till noon. When I come home at the evening I cook and eat. I eat once per day, no more.

K: Is this specific for him or is this specific for the neighbourhood? G: So, I’ll invite you some other night to come here in the neighbourhood, at 2 o’clock in the morning, do you understand that these people – they do not sleep. So my neighbours, they stay outside, the whole apartment building, they stay till 2-3 o’clock in the morning. Every day. Here is civilized, we don’t have music, loud music. Like it’s over there. Mainly summer.

K: So many hours a day does he work? G: It depends, 7-8-10 hours per day I’ve even reached. And during that time – nothing. K: Breakfast?

K: Did you know the neighbourhood before getting the apartment?

G: Please, do not enter the bathroom. Everything else you are welcome to se. So this is the apartment, I sleep here, in the living room, here is the kitchen, I took out the kitchen range at the balcony. Misho: May I take a photo of you here?

G: Yes, although I lived somewhere else K: I there something broken that you keep?

G: Watch out, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so ugly, I can broke the camera.

G: No, the washing machine broke, so I threw it away. They wanted 80 levs to fix it, so I was like - I gave 200 levs for the whole washing machine, so..

K: No, you are beautiful! G: This is present for you, from Bulgaria, it is from my friend, he draws, I would like you to have something from our meeting.

K: Can I look in the apartment?

The intreviews were held between 12th and 17th of June in the town of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, as part of the Enlighten люe project / ONE DESIGN WEEK 2014 Concept: Katja Pettersson / Sweden Layout: Johan Olin / Finland Photographer: Mihail Novakov / Bulgaria Assistants: Boryana Zafirova, Kristina Dimitrova and Dimitar Baronov / Bulgaria Print: Intel Design Studio Special thanks to: Bojana Apostolova Nadejda Kostova-Kaludova and Dimitar Kaludov Georgi Georgiev And to all friends and colleagues that helped us throughout the project.