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MU
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Channing Johnson
MU in Blagoevgrad at the American University in Bulgaria, Fall Semester 2002
"I didn't know where Bulgaria was when the idea of studying there first appealed to me. When I looked at a map and realized it had mountains and was near Greece, I knew I wanted to go. Bulgaria is a poor, ex-communist country struggling to discover its identity after more than 600 years of outside influences, first from the Ottomans and then from Russia's communism, which crumbled in 1989. Upon arrival in Bulgaria, my initial culture shock was greater than I imagined. I soon learned that there is a big difference between geographical and political Europe. Bulgaria and its Balkan neighbors have a long way to go before they are strong enough to join the European Union.
"The cities in Bulgaria aren't physically beautiful, but they have a great sense of community and culture that is prevalent on the streets. In Blagoevgrad, where the American University is, the city center is crowded with dozens of cafes where friends spend hours over single cups of coffee. During the Christmas season, people set up seasonal cafes under tents and grill meats and sell glasses of wine straight from the barrel for 25 cents. The Pirin Mountain range surrounds Blagoevgrad, and by October you can see the snow covering the peaks in the distance. Bulgaria has a beautiful landscape with impressive mountains in the West and a beautiful Black Sea coastline in the east. Istanbul, Turkey is a day's drive away; Thessaloniki, Greece is 5 hours by bus; and Skopje, Macedonia is only 3 hours away.
"The most valuable part of any study abroad program is the people, and AUBG has a very diverse student body. Although the school is geared towards students from the Balkans, students come from Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, as well as Romania, Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo. Full-time students from these countries make up 30% of the student body. Before going to Europe I didn't know where Kosovo or Serbia was, but I learned about these countries and others by talking to Kosovars and Serbians with whom I made friends. I learned about the conflicts between these countries through their stories, and it became real after putting faces to a much larger issue. I could appreciate the controversy of a Serbian student and Kosovar student dating. I felt guilty that I didn't pay attention to the news when America bombed Serbia in 1999, and I vowed never again to learn about current events as a history lesson.
"My awareness of world issues in general grew exponentially. Before I left the States, I was a journalism major who never read the paper. From my first week in Bulgaria on, I was always reading newspapers and looking at maps trying to learn about the countries of people I had just met. In addition to all you learn both in and out of the classroom at the American University, it's just fun. There's a dance club called Underground with a nice, private party atmosphere. There are other clubs and lots of cafes and restaurants. Your money in Bulgaria will go about 3 times as far as it will in America. You can get a beer or glass of wine for 50 cents, and a good, solid meal can cost as little as $3.00 (drink and dessert included). Movies are $1, and there are great pastries and other food. There are only 700 students at the school, and they all live in two buildings adjacent to each other, so there is always something going on and always someone to do something with. In addition, people are impressed when Americans show interest in Bulgaria and the region and will often invite you to their hometowns for breaks and weekends. Go to Bulgaria!! It's important. I'm trying to get back there myself. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me." Email: chjf84@mizzou.edu.
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