Turkish experience
Bulgaria is a country that hosted the oldest civilizations in Europe. It is developed in the field of agriculture and mining. After the collapse of the socialist system, the economy showed a great constriction. However, the economy has been gradually improving for the last 25 years with the influence of the EU membership process. Despite this situation, its population is decreasing. Since dozens of tribes have lived in this region, it has a great treasure in the field of culture and art. Bulgarians firmly protect this treasure. For the same reason, Bulgarian cuisine, especially its salads, is amazing.
Blagoevgrad is a city of approximately 200,000 inhabitants. It remained under Ottoman rule for approximately 600 years. It is known as Yukarı Cuma (Upper Friday) in Türkiye. It is a developing city surrounded by magnificent natural beauties.
They welcomed us in the city square with folk dances and music. Hundreds of people, children and elderly people were dancing. Joking! The city organized a charity organization for the benefit of the poor. What a kindness!
Blagoevgrad is a city of approximately 200,000 inhabitants. It remained under Ottoman rule for approximately 600 years. It is known as Yukarı Cuma (Upper Friday) in Türkiye. It is a developing city surrounded by magnificent natural beauties.
They welcomed us in the city square with folk dances and music. Hundreds of people, children and elderly people were dancing. Joking! The city organized a charity organization for the benefit of the poor. What a kindness!
But they really welcomed us at school with folk dances and music. And of course, they said "welcome" with bread specific to the Balkans. After a short break, we visited the sensory garden built within the scope of the project. Each class planted plants in the vegetable beds. However, we could not see the open classroom that needed to be built within the scope of the project.
Then we started attending classes. Most of them were special education classes. One floor of the school is reserved for special education only. There are classes where the ABA approach is applied. The total number of special education students is 19. Most of these students attend the same class with their peers. They work with special education teachers 2-8 hours a week, depending on their needs. We noticed that even these children successfully solved math problems that were above our, Türkiye’s curriculum level.
Lessons are taught with different activities all the time. In this way the children do not get bored. In special education classes, children pick the activities they will do from their own lockers. When the activities are finished, the kids replace them by themselves. They communicate with their teachers with talking buttons. We decided to use this application in our own school. Lessons continue without any chaos.
Mental arithmetic studies are also common in school. They work with special talented students. They work with abacuses, Rubik's cubes and other different magic cubes. We also tried but failed!
They give weight to children learning by doing and experiencing. Maps, models, digital applications and smart boards are frequently used. Having class sizes between 15 and 20 kids reduces noise and chaos in classes. Children's attention is not lost. The school has facilities such as a library, gym, kitchen classroom, theater hall, a big cafeteria and first aid room. This allows lessons to be taught in different venues. Children are not bored in lessons.
Mental arithmetic studies are also common in school. They work with special talented students. They work with abacuses, Rubik's cubes and other different magic cubes. We also tried but failed!
They give weight to children learning by doing and experiencing. Maps, models, digital applications and smart boards are frequently used. Having class sizes between 15 and 20 kids reduces noise and chaos in classes. Children's attention is not lost. The school has facilities such as a library, gym, kitchen classroom, theater hall, a big cafeteria and first aid room. This allows lessons to be taught in different venues. Children are not bored in lessons.
Corridors are full of flowers, and they are healthy!
There is also a speech therapist at the school. One of the children we observed was in second grade. When he came to school he couldn't speak. The progress he made through therapy was incredible. We think that there should be a speech therapist in every school.
There is also a speech therapist at the school. One of the children we observed was in second grade. When he came to school he couldn't speak. The progress he made through therapy was incredible. We think that there should be a speech therapist in every school.
We ate lunch in the school cafeteria. We had the opportunity to taste delicious Bulgarian delicacies.
After the job shadowing, we did not forget to see the beauties around Blagoevgrad.
Bansko is one of the most important ski resorts in Europe. Houses resembling old Turkish houses have been restored and are used for different purposes. Since we were approaching the end of the winter season, the town was quite quiet.
After the job shadowing, we did not forget to see the beauties around Blagoevgrad.
Bansko is one of the most important ski resorts in Europe. Houses resembling old Turkish houses have been restored and are used for different purposes. Since we were approaching the end of the winter season, the town was quite quiet.
We visited the house of the famous Bulgarian seer Baba Vanga in the Ripute region. The house is surrounded by thermal waters because this is a volcano crater. People can benefit from these hot springs free of charge. The house where Baba Vanga lived is now located in a large complex. There is a church, a museum, the house where he lived and other outbuildings in a very large garden. This place is completely covered with plane trees. Turtles live in a pond filled with hot spring water. They are so accustomed to humans that they can eat out of hand. The number of visitors is very high. How could it not? Every year, we read in the newspapers about which of Baba Vanga's prophecies for that year came true.
Ah! Beautiful Melnik. This is the smallest town in Bulgaria and perhaps the Balkans. Approximately 200 people live there. Since it is a touristic place, it is more crowded in summer. Old houses built around a stream have been restored. They are used as restaurants and cafes now. This place is famous for its vineyards and wines. The house belonging to the Kordonpulov family, who developed grape cultivation here, is the largest original Bulgarian house in Bulgaria. The sundial on the roof of the house, the living room with decorated ceilings and with 12 windows, the wine cellar underneath and the corridors carved into the rocks used to store wine are very interesting. It is also possible to see fairy chimneys forming in the mountains.
After these cultural tours, we held a meeting to plan our closing event in Ljubljana in June 2024. We decided to hold zoom meetings to develop the emerging ideas.
Our activity ended with a farewell dinner on the last day.
We returned home sadly, leaving beautiful people and places behind.
Our activity ended with a farewell dinner on the last day.
We returned home sadly, leaving beautiful people and places behind.