National Folk Arts School, Kotel, Bulgaria

5-10.Dec.2005, Nedyalko: I have just returned from a short, but fruitful trip to Bulgaria. I spent most of my time at the National Folk Arts School in the town of Kotel. The wealth of folk music and dances this school has to offer is beyond words. The view out of my window; the smell of the air; the school buildings; the many friends I made there; the sights and sounds of young musicians playing their instruments, dancers practicing intricate steps, singers singing everywhere on campus... ah, it was divine! The very existence of this school makes me happy and proud to be Bulgarian! Many thanks to the school's staff and students for welcoming me into their wonderous world and making me feel at home there. I have come back to Toronto so incredibly enriched by this experience! I wish all the teachers and students every success in their chosen fields and look forward to my next visit with them.