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My co-host this episode is Nia Pushkarova from Sofia, Bulgaria.  Nia and I met at the same artist initiatives meeting in Istanbul, Turkey where I met my husband.   Mine and Nia's friendship is no less enduring.  In fact, since 2015 the three of us have been trying to link together the cities of Pernik, Bulgaria and Charles Town, West Virginia through the bonds of art and culture, as well as potato chips!

Nia initiated and is responsible for the Water Tower Art Fest--first a festival, then an artist-in-residency program, always a socially engaged project.    In 2015 WTAF took place in Pernik, BG.    I had spent a great deal of time in Bulgaria prior to meeting Nia and participating in several WTAF projects, but this time was special, as you will learn during the episode.  Our project was/is called "Pernik, USA"

Chips Bags:

Chipi "Beer-drinking chips"
Chipsoni "Sour Cream and Onion"
Smak "Smoked Ham"

One of my favorite Bulgarian folk songs (even if the lyrics are a little church-y and nationalistic  for my tastes) starts out this episode:  "Malka Moma" sung by Neli Andreeva (from the band, Kitka)

We dance out of the conversation with Riko Band and DJ Krisi playiing something called "Pernik Kyuchek" .   Stay subscribed for future episodes when we go into why some Bulgarians may have a problem with this juxtaposition of traditional folk music with Roma dance music.

Infographic by Julie Upmeyer

If you really want to start a fight about what is and is not "Bulgarian", or to rile up West Virginians about our local opioid epidemic, watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juuz3tM7Iuw

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