February 2015

February 2015

Newsletter

of the International Women’s Club in Sofia

A time to indulge and beat the winter blues

Celebrate Mardi Gras

Happy Chinese New Year!

Next Monthly Coffee Morning: 10th March at Matti-d 1

17, Patriarh Evtimiy blvd., Sofia 1142 +359 2 819 20 20; +359 882 600 600 www.UES.bg

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Letter from the President

Hello!

It’s hard to believe that we are on the ‘home stretch’ of the life of this board and we are beginning the process of electing a new one. The first stage of the procedure is to elect a nomination committee which will seek out suitable candidates from our membership and encourage them to stand for the elections for the executive board which will happen at our AGM during the April Coffee morning. However, don’t wait to be approached; if you think that you could serve on the governing body of the IWC then please do put your name forward. There are 5 positions to be filled, details of which you will find later in this edition of the newsletter. If you want to make a difference to the club and have ideas on how to do that then this is your opportunity to have those ideas heard and acted upon. n the meantime we have some activities for you to enjoy in the grey days of February – let us hope that it is in fact bright sunshine over snow-capped mountains! The Sense hotel is offering an exclusive day in their spa for the IWC on 9th February. This is strictly by RSVP invitation only so you do have to sign up for the event but you can enjoy a day by the pool, or in the sauna and Turkish bath relaxation area free of charge and, if you wish to further indulge yourself, you can book a treatment such as a massage or facial for while you’re there. The cost of these treatments are payable by each client.

Later in the month there is a visit to the newly refurbished Sofia baths, courtesy of one of our members, Lyuba. She will enthusiastically tell you all about the history of the place, the area surrounding it and the plans the city council have for its future.

Finally, keep the date of March 12th free as we are planning a lunch in an exclusive restaurant for the IWC to celebrate International Women’s day. The cost will be 20 leva per member to include wine and the club will subsidise the balance. This should be a lovely occasion so please be ready to sign up when the full details come out.

Stay warm and safe,

Lynne

President Lynne Godding 0879 119 152/ 0887641295 president@iwc-sofia.org lynnegodding@gmail.com Vice-President Maria Naslednikova 0879 119 150 firstvp@iwc-sofia.org

Our Board Treasurer Sibeal Reynolds 0879 506 800/ 0878 741 888 treasurer@iwc-sofia.org Charity Chairperson Maria Ilieva 0878 300 561/ 0879 119 154 charity@iwc-sofia.org Bazaar Coordinator Angela Bird 0879 506 799 iwcbazaar@yahoo.co.uk

International Women’s Club Business Park Sofia, Building 11A, 3rd floor Elitsa Lingorski, Office Manager/ Newsletter Editor: office@iwc-sofia.org Zdravka Tsvetanova, Office Assistant admin@iwc-sofia.org tel.: 02 951 6117 “Like” IWC on Facebook and check our website www.iwc-sofia.org

Cover photo: Sense Hotel Spa

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We appreciate your support We thank the Best Western Expo Hotel for kindly hosting the Bazaar Thank you cocktail

Thank you Wonder Group for looking regularly after our children during coffee mornings!

Permanent and Waterproof PRINT on LIVE ROSES

Club policy Smoking Please note that all IWC Coffee Mornings are non-smoking.

Bulgarian Applicants Unfortunately, due to a lack of available spaces, new Bulgarian applicants will be added to the waiting list, until further notice Language Don’t let a lack of fluency in English keep you from attending the monthly coffee mornings and other club activities. Many of our members speak other languages. Remember, we are an international club, and we are here to support you. You’re welcome at any time.

Suggestion Box The suggestion box is always available at the members’ sign-in table. Feel free to write your ideas, concerns, complaints, and suggestions to the IWC Board and drop them in the box.

Because you’re important to us, we want to hear from you.

IWC Visitors Policy The IWC doors are open to visitors throughout the year. Visitors are welcome to attend up to

two coffee mornings and two activities prior to applying for membership. A 15 BGN fee is payable upon registration at the sign-in table during the coffee morning. For more information, please contact the Member-ship Coordinator at office@iwc-sofia.org.

Use of IWC Logo The Board has established the following policy for the use of the IWC logo and brand name. In order to prevent any misuse.

1.Written Permission must be requested from the Board a minimum of 2 weeks prior to event; 2. The partnering organization/company should be in good standing in the community; 3. The event should seek to pursue the goals of the IWC; 4. No third-party usage will be permitted. An agreement will be signed between IWC and partner organization; 5. The Logo may be used only for the agreed event and for specified time period.

Guidelines for Paid Advertisement 1. Priority for any vacant advertising spaces will be given first to IWC members, then to outside advertisers.

2. Advertisers are welcome to run or extend their advertisements for a period of six months. After that time, if there is a waiting list for advertisements of that size, the situation will be reviewed, and priority for available spaces will be given to (a) IWC members; (b) new advertisers; (c) existing advertisers. The same order of priority will apply to smaller ad space that may become available.

3. There is no waiting list for advertisements of a given size, the current advertiser may extend their advertisement for the contract period of their choice.

4. These guidelines may be revised at any time with the agreement of the IWC Board.

5. Paid advertisers are not endorsed by the IWC.

Rules For Announcements From Members 1. Advertisements will be run in two consecutive issues.

If the member sends a request to run the advertisement again, it will be extended for a further two issues. After that, the advertisement will be removed.

If the member still wishes to include the advertisement after that time, the request will be considered, but placement is not guaranteed.

2. Advertisements must be submitted by members. Members may not submit ads for non-members (e.g., for a friend who is selling a car, etc.).

3.Members may not submit

recommendations for businesses.

These recommendations may be submitted to the IWC Go To Guide.

Businesses are also welcome to purchase advertising in the newsletter.

4.Recommendations for individuals engaged in business (e.g., dentists, hairdressers, etc.) will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Board.

5. Final discretion as to whether to include an announcement rests with the Newsletter Editor.

We ask members to send all announcements for the newsletter via email. The size of ads should not exceed a single paragraph of five lines. The IWC board is not responsible for the accuracy of the information provided in these announcements.

Please send your contributions to office@iwc-sofia.org not later than

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Notable dates and religious festivals

17th February, Carnival/Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras Shrove Tuesday in Lithuania is a folk celebration to rejoice end of winter. During this celebration attention is concentrated on chasing away winter with all its “evils”. It is also observed in other European countries such as the Czech Republic, Shrovetide processions are still part of folklore celebrations. Children in countries such as Estonia and Finland enjoy the day outdoors on Shrove Tuesday, mainly engaging in activities such as sledding. A typical Finnish meal on this day may include pea soup and blini, or rich pancakes, served with caviar and Smetana, a kind of sour milk.

Shrove Tuesday is observed in many ways worldwide. It is known as Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, in countries such as France and the United States. No matter what its name is, the day before Ash Wednesday has long been a time for eating and merry making. The world's longest Carnival celebration is in Brazil but many regions have popular events on the day. The Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans is typical of the masquerades and dancing in the streets that take place in many countries on this day as people prepare for the long Lenten fast.

Mardi Gras festivities are particularly colorful in French cities such as Cannes, Grasse, and Nice.

Celebrations feature grand parades of flower covered floats with giant figures. People are dressed in costumes and confetti is thrown as an expression of merriment or joy. A grotesque effigy that represents evil is burned at the end of the day.

The name Shrove Tuesday is derived from the Christian custom of confessing sins and being absolved just before Lent. Shrove Tuesday was traditionally a time to use up all the milk, butter and eggs left in the kitchen. These ingredients were often used to make pancakes, which is why the English call it Pancake Day. In early England, people were supposed to go to their confessors the week prior to Lent and confess their sins. Carnival Tuesday’s origins may be traced back to a time when restrictions regarding food and entertainment were made during the 40 days of Lent, which commemorates the Passion of Jesus Christ. It was common for people to host large festivities as the last possible opportunity before fasting.

It is also traditional in many parts of France to eat a large meal that includes crepes or waffles. Some people in the United Kingdom celebrate the day, known as Pancake Day, with games and races that involve tossing pancakes in the air. People in some parts of northern Sweden eat a meat stew on Shrove Tuesday, while those in the south eat “Shrove Tuesday buns” called semlor, which are filled with almond paste and topped with whipped cream.

Carnival Tuesday is often characterized by masks, music and colorful floats on parade for various festivities organized for the day. Trinkets are popular in some parts of the world, while King Cakes symbolize the event in places such as New Orleans. Pancake Tuesday is symbolized by pancakes, which are made from ingredients traditionally restricted during Lent, such as eggs and milk.

This day is known as Carnival Tuesday in places such as Trinidad and Tobago where many people plan the event well ahead of time. Musical competitions, elaborate costumes and specific characters dedicated to Carnival are some of the major highlights of this annual event. Many people in Haiti see the day as the biggest celebration of the year. Music, food and cultural shows are all part of the day.

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19th February, Chinese New Year Chinese New Year is celebrated worldwide to mark the first day of the New Year in the Chinese calendar, which differs from the Gregorian calendar. It is also known as the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year and celebrations can last for about 15 days.

Chinese New Year is the most important and longest of all Chinese festivals, celebrated in Chinese communities worldwide.

Chinese New Year activities include: Making offerings to household deities, wearing new clothes, particularly in red, hosting a large banquet for family and friends, taking part in lion and dragon dances, as well as festive parades featuring acrobatic demonstrations, beating gongs, and clashing cymbals .

Many children receive “lucky money� in red envelopes and household doors are open to let good luck enter on Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year may also include a lantern festival, where people hang decorated lanterns in temples and carry lanterns to an evening parade.

Chinese New Year is a public holiday in China, which lasts for a few days. It is also a public holiday in countries such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, North Korea, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam.

The Chinese New Year festival is believed go as far back as prehistory. It marks the start of the new lunar cycle and is called the Spring Festival (in the northern hemisphere) as it falls between the December solstice and the March equinox. China follows the Gregorian calendar for daily business but the dates of the Chinese New Year and other important festivals are determined by the Chinese calendar.

The Chinese New Year, which is the first day of the first month, in the Chinese calendar is assigned to an animal. According to one belief, Buddha promised gifts to all animals that would pay him homage. Only 12 animals came to honor Buddha so, to favor these 12 animals, each one was given one of the 12 years of the Chinese zodiac. People born during one of the animal's years are said to inherit distinctive characteristics of that animal. The signs repeat every 12 years.

22nd February, Sirni Zagovezni Sirni Zagovezni, or Shrove Sunday, is one of the most loved holidays coming at the end of the winter in Bulgaria. It is always celebrated on Sunday seven weeks before Easter, marking the beginning of the Great Lent, the longest period of fasting throughout the year. In its way, the festival also serves to mark the beginning of spring.

In old days, one of the most typical features of Sirni Zagovezni was the building of large bonfires in the hills surrounding towns and villages; either one communal bonfire, or each of the individual ones for the different neighborhoods. The fires would be built in higher areas, for it was believed that no hailstorm would strike the places lit up by them.

Young and old would gather around the bonfire where they apologize to each other, forgive and forget the small wrongs and old quarrels in the name of friendliness and understanding. Usually the younger ask the older for forgiveness and are also asked to forgive on the part of their parents, relatives, friends or just the people they live or work with. The young men would jump over the fire "for health". It was believed that the one who jumped farthest would be the first to get married in the forthcoming autumn.

The Bulgarian villages have preserved the "Kukeri" ritual, in which the masked Kukeri dance in the last days of the winter, just before nature is reborn. The participants in this ritual are only men, dressed in sheepskin garments and wearing scary masks and chanove (copper bells) attached to their belts, dancing and singing songs, and chants, with the intention to scare away the evil spirits or ghosts which people believed came back to the living ones in winter. www.novinite.com, www.investbulgaria, Timeanddate.com

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Charity update Dear IWC members, I am glad to inform you that more than 20 Not-for-Profit organizations applied for IWC funding in 2015, including several new. The process went smooth on three phases: • • • • • • • •

Application period till January 9th, 2015 Charity Action Committee – January 22nd, 2015 IWC Board budget approval – end of January, 2015.

Coming up next: Charity Visit February 16th 2015

The projects had to meet the following criteria: Specific relevance to the mission and objectives of IWC-Sofia: Emergency Level Assistance; Support to Disabled People; Social Integration of orphan teenagers; Women’s Issues; Equal Access to Education and Educational & Training; Clear and compelling mission and objectives, a given real thought to program development and delivery, ways to measure success, and other key factors indicating potential for sustainability; Project must demonstrate a sustainable approach to addressing a social issue.

Project must have a not-for-profit purpose.

Project has clear potential for tangible impact to the beneficiary population.

Light for Life Foundation Mobile Service Visit – home visit with rehabilitation procedure of patients with low mobility.

Detailed information about the fund distribution will be published on the IWC web site or on hard copy in March edition of the Newsletter

Maria Ilieva

Charity to the Soup Kitchen in Mladost area in Sofia The Soup Kitchen project has been a part of the IWC Charity Portfolio since around decade. The project is being fulfilled in partnership with the Bulgarian branch of BNP Paribas and Sofia Municipality. The main focus of the project is to feed over 1700 people from different age groups on extremely low income soup during the cold months from December until end of March every year. A supervision visit was organized by the Charity team to one of its locations based in Mladost. The Soup kitchen in Mladost feeds on a daily bases more than a hundred people – most of them being elderly, single mothers and unemployed, all of them residents of Mladost area. The Charity team was impressed by the outstanding organization of the process and the high level of cleanliness in the kitchen, equipped with new appliances.

IWC Yearly Charity Committee On 22 January eight members of the IWC gathered to discuss the new charity project proposals for 2015. Charity chairperson Maria Ilieva presented 24 projects out of which five were from new applicants. Two of the received applications were not eligible, the remaining were either a full or close match to the criteria set previously by the IWC. The IWC Executive board would like to thank everyone who took on the responsibility and spared their own time to partake in this lengthy discussion that took more than three hours, A full report on the 2015 charity budget will be published in March edition of the newsletter.

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IWC members wanted to serve on the Executive Board Article 12. Executive Board e (amended through a resolution of the General assembly from 13.04.2010) The Bazaar Coordinator coordinates the planning, setting up and running of Charity Bazaar. She takes active part together with the other Board Members in setting up the Bazaar Team and liaises with President, First Vice President and Charity Chairperson for all matters concerning the Bazaar. She presides at Bazaar Board meetings and gives regular updates about the Bazaar to the IWC Board and IWC Members. She keeps the Board Members informed through the year about ongoing activities concerning the Bazaar.

(1) The Executive Board shall be chosen at the annual general meeting of the Club or at a special general meeting of the Club, called for this purpose.

(2) The executive Board shall be chosen with the simple majority of the members of the Club that are present on the correspondent meeting.

(3) (amended through a resolution of the General assembly from 01.04.2014) The Executive Board shall consist of five members, namely: a. The President shall preside at all meetings and set the agenda of all Board Meetings. She may appoint Special Committees with the Executive Board’s approval. She is the official representative and ex officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee. She shall be appointed as President of the Charity Foundation of the International Women’s Club, Sofia. b. The Vice President shall assist the President in her duties by accepting specific tasks delegated to her by the President. She shall in particular assist the President in representational duties.

She shall perform the duties of the President in the latter’s absence and shall be responsible for and participate actively in monthly activities and events, including the monthly meetings, and will maintain communication with activity leaders/

Article 13. Elections and Terms of Office a. The term of office shall begin on 1 May of the year of election. b. (amended through a resolution of the General assembly from 10.01.2012) Not later than at the February General Meeting, a Nominating Committee of five members shall be formed, one member to be appointed by the Executive Board and four members to be elected by the membership. The President shall appoint one of these five members to chair the Nominating Committee.

The Nominating Committee’s purpose is to recruit members to apply for candidacy of board positions and check applications for eligibility; the committee shall NOT discourage members from applying to certain board positions in order to avoid elections, thereby choosing the board instead of allowing members at large to elect the board. The requirements for the Nominating Committee are as follows:

c. (amended through a resolution of the General assembly from 10.01.2012) The Treasurer shall keep the financial records and accounts, pay approved accounts of expenditure, and reimburse members for approved expenses incurred on behalf of IWC. In addition to the duties in Article 10, the Treasurer shall inform the Membership Coordinator of membership renewal, and the Treasurer shall be responsible for transferring a) all charitable donations and b) any excess funds beyond operating costs to the Charity Foundation of the International Women’s Club, Sofia. The Treasurer will also be responsible for presenting biannual financial reports (one at mid- term following the bazaar and one at the end of the IWC’s fiscal year) to the members by email and newsletter, with both reports including details on where funds came from and where they were disbursed.

(1) Membership in IWC for a minimum of one year; (2) A wish not to stand as a candidate for office; c. (amended through a resolution of the General assembly from 01.04.2014) Between the date of appointment of the Nominating Committee and 20 March, written applications of members will be accepted by the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee’s first order of business is to send an open call for candidates to all members, by email, newsletter and on the website, listing all board positions, a detailed list of duties for each and instructions on how to submit an application. In their application letter, applicants should introduce themselves briefly and state the specific office of candidacy they are interested in running for. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a list of qualified candidates for each office, to be presented for Membership at the April General Meeting. Qualified candidates are those members who have paid their membership fees and have been a member of the club for no less than one year. No additional nominations can be made after 20 March. If no qualified candidates have presented themselves as of 20 March, the Nominating Committee may include incumbent board members who have served for longer than the allowed tenure as described in Article 13, section d, as long as the incumbent board member has the ability and willingness to continue in said capacity on the Executive Board.

d. (amended through a resolution of the General assembly from 10.01.2012) The Charity Chairperson shall preside over the Charity Committee, together they shall identify charity projects.

The Charity Chairperson shall ensure that for each charity project there is one project head responsible for the smooth running of that project and who shall report back to the Charity Committee.

She shall participate in the charity visits and their organisation.

The Charity Chairperson shall be appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Charity Foundation of the International Women’s Club, Sofia. On behalf of said Charity Foundation she shall distribute donations and maintain the funds.

The Charity Chairperson is required to present an annual report that details what charities are receiving funding and how much funding they receive on an annual basis. This report will be presented to the members in a general assembly meeting, as well as in the newsletter and by email. She is accountable to the Executive Board of the IWC.

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December coee morning honoring Bazaar Stallholders

The December monthly coffee morning which was dedicated to the 20th Charity Bazaar, according to my experience, was one of the fullest ever with over a hundred people attending, drawing the wider international community together.

Everyone was running on high emotions and was eager to find out the outcome of the bazaar, especially the top achieving stalls which are traditionally engaged in a friendly contest for the best results. It was great to see so many familiar faces.

As a stall holder for the IWC clothes stall this year I was very pleased with our contribution and I would like to thank all who worked alongside with me to sort-out and clear the storage space as well as to arrange the items in a presentable manner. As you know, the work of the charity team never seizes, we are planning new activities and get-togethers and are hoping to engage more of you in the future.

Asya Alexandrova.

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Membership news

Welcome to our new members

Birthdays

Ekaterina Vatashki, Russian Albena Jones, British Tatiana Niedielchieva, Ukrainian Massiel Madriz, Venezuelan/British

Theodora Houry, 21st February

Stela Hyde-Pironkova, 17th February Rositsa Ivanova, 14th February Elina Kirova, 26th February

Massiel Madriz, 13th February

We say good bye

Dominique Marie, 24th February Juliet Sexton, 20th February

We bid farewell to Liz and Jonathan Allen, who are going back to the UK. We would like to thank both of them wholeheartedly for having been extremely generous hosts on a number of occasions and for continuously supporting the IWC, especially the yearly Charity Bazaar. We will surely miss them!

Ongoing activities Dragolevski/Simeonovo/Boyana coffee group, please contact Sandra Guilder at sandrasbulgaria@aol.com. Anyone interested in starting/joining other local groups, please contact Maria Naslednikova at maria_nas@abv.bg.

Charity Action Group The group meets once a quarter to discuss new charity projects, the progress of ongoing projects, and the finances of the Charity Foundation. Part of the follow-up is frequent visits to these projects. If you want to make a difference and contribute something please join us! The date and place of the next meeting is published in the monthly newsletter & on the website. Contact Maria Ilieva on 0878 300 561 or at charity@iwc-sofia.org.

Book Club Members read one book a month, and then get together to discuss the book (discussions are in English and are usually very fun and lively). We read a variety of fiction and nonfiction books from writers of all nationalities (voted on by the members) and usually meet on the last Thursday of the month at 10:30am. For more information contact: Dorothy Tomalin on her email: dorothy.tomalin@gmail.com.

Newcomers’ Coffee Morning Newcomers get togethers are usually organised once a month or as required. They are smaller gatherings, often in members homes, where it is easier to talk to others and to find out what the club is all about and what it can offer you. The date of the next such meeting is in the calendar at the back of this newsletter. For more information, contact the Vice President Maria Naslednikova at maria_nas@abv.bg or call her on 0879 119 150.

Architecture/Archaeology/History Club Calling all history buffs, and anyone else who is interested in exploring the rich culture and architecture of modern and ancient Bulgaria! The group meets once a month for walks around town or to visit museums, attend lectures, go on trips outside Sofia, etc. The cost of the trips will be divided amongst the members. The time and day of the week will be determined depending on all the group members’ convenience. Sign up at the Monthly Coffee Morning. For information contact: Lyuba Boianin at lyuboslava@yahoo.com.

Local Coffee Groups Local coffee gatherings take place in different homes (on a rotating basis) for people who live in the same neighborhood.

These get-togethers, at which coffee and snacks are served, enable people to become better acquainted in an intimate atmosphere. The Lozenets Coffee Group is organized by Emilia Slavova (emilia@audioarte-bg.com). Please contact her for more information. For more information about the

Bridge Interested members are invited to play bridge. An intermediate/advanced group plays on Thursday mornings at

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10:30 am in the “King of Clubs” club, just behind Matti-d.

Fee is 5 BGN for the session. There is an English-speaking group and a French-speaking group. For more informa-tion, contact Diana Kolarova at dianakolarova@ yahoo.com or 0888 423 150. We also welcome visitors!

Toddler music group This takes place most Mondays at 10.30am., Please contact: Liz Allen at lizsleeman@btinternet.com.

Golf

Bulgarian Language Group Elina Kirova is a professional teacher and translator. The Bulgarian conversation or language group meets every Friday from 11:00 AM–12:30 PM at the IWC Office. For further details, please contact Elina Kirova at elinakirova@yahoo.com, or sign up at the monthly coffee morning.

French Conversation Group For more information, contact the Vice President Maria Naslednikova at maria_nas@abv.bg or call her on 0879 119 150.

We meet every Wednesday and tee off at 10 o'clock, any one interested in playing email Sandra Guilder on sandrasbulgaria@aol.com or call 0879866790.

Cricket Devam Women's Cricket Club meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:00 PM at the National Sports Academy in Student City. If you are interested, contact Mona Kaushik at devamibsac@gmail.com. Age is no barrier! No fee!!! Let’s play cricket!!!

Hiking Club

English Conversation Group We are five native English speakers who take it in turns to lead a weekly conversation group every Thursday from 10:30 AM–12:30 PM. Different venues and topics are chosen every week. All members and all levels are welcome.

If you would like to join the sessions, please e-mail Lynne at lynnegodding@gmail.com.

Spanish Conversation Group

The hiking group is an energetic group of dedicated hikers who head up to Vitosha and the surrounding mountains every Friday.

We usually meet at 9 am at Fantastico in Dragelevtsi. An email is sent to all hikers every Wednesday with more specific plans and this often includes different meeting points. A typical hike will bring us back to our meeting point at 2 or 3. For more information or to join the mailing list, please contact Diane Tromans-Berg dianetromansberg@yahoo.co.uk or 0885 721 841.

Everybody who wants to practice and improve her Spanish is welcome to or weekly meetings. Also, if you are already fluent in Spanish or if you are a native speaker and you would like to participate, please contact Toi Castelló on 0882 008 518 or write her an e-mail: iotcas@gmail.com.

Children’s Dance Classes We are now offering ballet and hip hop dance classes for the children of IWC members. The instructors for the hip hop class are an award-winning and popular team. Every Saturday from 11:00 AM–12:00 noon. And while your kids are enjoying themselves, you can join the Bulgarian folk dance classes! The venue is the Dance Studio, which is centrally located. The address is ul. Skobelev 58. The price is 120 BGN for 4 classes for a group of 4 (about 7.5 BGN per class). The price goes down to 7 BGN per class if we have more than 4 kids enrolled. The price includes a bottle of water (0.5 l). For further information, please contact Avantica Shinde Nielsen on her mobiles at 0889 490 646 or e-mail avanticashinde@hotmail.com.

Mum and baby play group

Zumba Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance fitness program created in Colombia during the 1990s. Get your body ready to Zumba!

The classes are taught by instructor Galya, who speaks excellent English, at Stadium Vasil Levski in the city center.

Each lesson costs 7 BGN per person. The classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 AM–12:00 PM. For more details, you can visit their website at http:// www.bodyartkally.com/index-en.php. Sign up at the coffee morning or contact Monika Slosarikova at 0877 997 075 or monika.slosarikova@gmail.com.

Henna Indian Body Art Avantica Shinde Nielsen would like to offer classes to our members to share this wonderful traditional Indian art style.

Each beginner’s course is 4 weeks, once per week. Day and timings will be decided according to the convenience of the group members. All materials will be provided. For more information and costs, please contact Avantica on her e-mail: avantica@gmail.com.

Patchwork Group

It meets most Tuesdays at 10am and people take it in turns to host. Please, contact Amy Dincuff at adincuff22@ gmail.com.

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The group meets every Monday from 10:00 AM-–12:00 PM at Dusica Trkulja’s apartment. The address is Evlogy Georgiev 99, floor 6, apartment 27. Interested ladies are

Ongoing activities welcome to bring ideas, patterns, and materials. For more information, please contact Dusica Trkulja on her landline: 02 980 0948.

art work will be turned into terra cotta (raw or glazed). Costs are 10 Leva per hour, lessons take 3:00 hours with a group of 3 to 5 people. Monday to Friday 9.30 – 13:00 and 12.30 – 16:00 with a lunch brake. Contact Sory Almonacid de Jan on 0894 716 182 or via e-mail at jansory1@yahoo.fr.

Icon Painting Course

Choir

Bulgaria is famous for its beautiful and colorful Christian icons. Learn to draw and paint your own icons. The classes are taught in English by a professional artist in Boyana. The entire course costs 150 BGN per group of 5 people. The cost of materials will be approx. 30–40 BGN, which is a one-time cost. The time and day of the week will be determined depending on all the group members’ convenience. There is an option for either a morning group or an afternoon group, or both. Everyone is welcome! Contact Sory Almonacid de Jan at 0894 716 182/0894 716 182 or (preferably) via e-mail at jansory1@yahoo.fr, jansory35@gmail.com.

Sofia Ladies International Choir (SLIC) is a ladies four part harmony choir here in Sofia. We sing everything from ancient to modern, sacred to secular and songs from different cultures . Our rehearsals are conducted in English but we have sung in Latin, French, Spanish, Bulgarian and even Korean! Our practices take place in a music studio in Borovo district from 19.30 on a Wednesday evening. We are small but make a good sound and have already performed several short concerts at the Catholic Cathedral and the US Embassy. Our choir director is a Bulgarian/Canadian who is great fun. We are looking for some more good singers. The ability to read music would be an advantage but is not essential. For more info: Lynne Godding at lynnegodding@gmail.com or 0887 641 295 or Daniela Videv at danielavidev@hotmail.com.

Sculpture class From copying an antique torso to studying Aphrodite’s head, this course will make you to familiar with classical clay modeling. All tools are provided at the atelier. Your finished

February events Tuesday, February 3 10:30am: Monthly Coffee Morning The new IWC Nominating Committee will be elected.

Monday, February 9 All day: IWC Open Doors Day at Sense Hotel Spa Sense spa located in the Sense Hotel Sofia is kindly inviting you to IWC Sofia Open Doors Day any time between 9:00am and 6:00pm, entrance free of charge. Exclusively for IWC Sofia members, Sense Spa will offer an unforgettable spa experience to rejuvenate body and soul. You can just pop-in and have a look around or you can indulge yourself and spend some time to test the facilities. Strictly RSVP by 5th of February at spa@sensehotel.com or on 02 446 2510.

The address is: Sense Hotel Sofia, 16 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. www.sensehotel.com Please also let Maria Nas know if you are going: maria_nas@abv.bg.

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Tuesday, February 17 10:00am: Visit to the Central Mineral Baths and its treasures Built in the early 20th c. by the famous architects Grunanger and Momchilov, the building of the Central Mineral Baths combines the idea of the Art Nouveau and some Bulgarian, Neo-Byzantine and Orthodox elements, thus creating one of the finest examples of the Bulgarian National Romanticism style. The mineral baths functioned till the mid 1980s, and now they are home to thousands of historical artifacts, which will later become part of the Sofia Historical Museum. Now it is almost time for the museum to open. We will stroll in the corridors and the empty pools and see some unique artifacts such as The Clock of Queen Victoria, the Mercedes of Tsar Ferdinand, the Horse bridle of Louis Philippe and many more. Meeting point will be at the main entrance of the baths. The tour is free for members of IWC.

Tuesday, February 24 10:30am: Ethnographic collection viewing at Maria Naslednikova Maria Naslednikova will show her ethnographic collection and speak about the history of the Bulgarian costume. Contact person Maria Naslednikova, 0879 119 150 or 0878 968 010 and email maria_nas@abv.bg.

February calendar 10:30 Monthly Coffee Morning

9:00 - 6:00 Sense Hotel SPA day

10:00 Central Mineral Baths visit

10:30 Ethnographic collection viewing

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Announcements My Bulgarian Recipes by Sonja Kapsazov Available now in time for Christmas!

Beautifully illustrated, strong new binding and other small revisions. Beautiful full colour illustrations, easy to follow recipes in Bulgarian and English.

New

ion!

Edit

Price 45 leva

Discounts and invoices available for bulk orders 10+ copies Please call Paromita on 0888 408647 to order your copies or for more information

Dear Ladies, Stela Hyde-Pironkova is a new member of the IWC who recently arrived from the States. She is a fullyqualified fitness and wellness instructor/consultant with more than ten years of teaching experience with Sport and Health Club fitness centers in Northern Virginia and other facilities in Europe. She holds professional certifications from the USA in Pilates, as well as in Yoga, Core Bare, Balleton and swim instruction, as a former professional swimmer. Stela is experienced in working with people in private and small group classes, targeting athletic conditions, extensive spine, lower back, neck and shoulders issues, posture correction, as well as prenatal and postnatal training.

She is currently forming groups at the Kempinski Hotel, but she can be flexible with the time schedule and type of classes. You can reach her on her email (stelapilates@gmail.com) or on her mobile (087-667-1778) to tell her what might suit you best.

I would like to recommend my cat sitters, Teddy and Peter, brothers who adore cats and will make sure the feline member of your family has its own holiday while you are away. They are totally committed to making your cats stay as comfortable as possible. Please contact them on pettedkittylovers98@gmail.com

New Butcher Shop in the town. Selling excellent calf, veal and lamb meat.

Awaiting your orders...

27 A General Iosif Gurko St. shop@butcher.bg, +359 2 954 54 57

www.butcher.bg

I would like to recommend our cleaner

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Vanya. She has been working days a week for us for the past couple of years. She is very reliable, trustworthy and a very thorough cleaner. She also loves children and doesn’t mind babysitting if required.

Penthouse to Let

She doesn’t speak much English but does

Unique penthouse with total area of 664 sq. m. located in the heart of Sofia, occupying the last two floors of new luxury building with video surveillance, 24-hour security and controlled access. The amazing panoramic view due to its beautifully landscaped terraces (197 sq. m.) and the unique luxurious furniture made by famous Italian designer make this property one of a kind. This fully equipped penthouse, combining modern and classic style will suit even the most refined customers’ taste.

speak Russian. Her daughter Nikoleta speaks English, so you can contact her for further information on

0889135214.

On the first level there are spacious living room, kitchen with dining area, two storage rooms, laundry room and a guest toilet. In addition there is a separate bedroom with en-suite bathroom, walked-in closet and cabinet which are connected to the main apartment and are ideally suitable for guest accommodation.

Diane Tromans-Berg

On the second level there are three bedrooms with bathrooms.

Central heating and air-conditioning, light and airy rooms with big windows, the fireplace are only some of the amenities which make the stay in this penthouse cozy and relaxing after the long working day.

For contacts Katayun Roien 00359 878740521

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What children have in common is that they are different.

We are too.

Highly trained educators. Fluently English speaking staff.

From day care to advanced learning programs. Children from 2–6 years old. 16 nationalities. Two different locations: 25 Knyaz Boris I Str., NDK and 27 Hr. Smirnenski Blvd., Lozenets.

For more information: Call +359 889 229 666 or visit www.abckinder.org

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A stunning four-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment with exceptional value on Moskovska St. Unique features of the property: •

Area - 250 m2 living area, the property is sold with two cellars, each 20 m2 and two attics each 16 m2 in excellent condition;

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Layout - The apartment has a spacious living room facing south, southwest with a spectacular view to the cathedral "St. Alexander Nevsky". From the living room you enter a cabinet. The kitchen is separate and next to the dining room with terrace overlooking the courtyard. The four bedrooms are separate from the daily area, have a large closet, which is an individual room, each bedroom has individual luxury bathroom with bath and shower, each room has a bay window. The bathrooms are equipped with high-end equipment "Devon & Devon" (www.devon-devon.com)l;

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The property provides an elegant interior, high-end finishing, spacious rooms, exceptional comfort, panoramic views.

Unique benefits of the property: •

Enviable location

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Property with outstanding value

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Presentable building

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Fascinating view of the "St. Alexander Nevsky" Cathedral and the ancient church "St. Sofia"

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Spacious rooms that provide comfort of life

Call +359 884 60 77 77 to reserve a viewing.

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