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After I graduated from high school, I wanted to study chemistry at university; this was already after 9th September 1944. It was very interesting to me, but unfortunately it happened so that in the same summer I had to study for the exam, I went on a brigade [14] and something bit me there. My leg was swelling up, I had a temperature and that fever lasted for days. Finally they opened my wound, as there weren't any antiseptic medicines at that time. Only when I became a student I used to go to the Jewish hospital and the doctors there used to put some kind of powder in my wound, in order to heal it. Thus my presentation at the exam failed and I got 3,50 [lower than a good mark]. And how much I cried then! I didn't want to become a teacher, but gradually I began to love my job.
When I was accepted to study Russian philology, I came to live in Sofia and found a lodging. My mother stayed in Sliven. She finished accountant courses and started working as an accountant. Later she worked as a chairwoman of a co-operative, which dealt with the collection of waste textiles from the plants and recycled them into children clothes, pyjamas and toys. Mostly Jews worked there. My mother often traveled on business trips around the factories in order to buy textiles almost dirt-cheap. The first children clothes of my older daughter were just like that. I lived in a lodging at a Jewish family's place in Sofia.
I had a very difficult studentship. I didn't receive a grant because my mother had a certain income, although low. Anyway, I didn't tell her that I had no money. My older maternal uncle, who went to Israel and left some money to me, provided the only income I had. I allocated it and when I included the rent as well, it turned out that what was left for my daily portion of food was just enough for soup. I didn't have enough money to eat in the university canteen. Every day I visited the 'Bunch' restaurant and ordered soup there; the bread was for free. The waiter always asked me if I would like anything else, but I always sent him away.
The second year was much better and I used to live in a different way because I was already given a grant from the university. I remember once I broke my glasses and I had to sell my coupons for the week in order to buy myself a new pair of glasses. No one of the present-day students could ever imagine what it was like back then. Anyway, I didn't felt unhappy or unsatisfied; on the contrary, I was cheerful. It wasn't pleasant that I was constantly hungry, but it wasn't that hard. Clothes, shoes - everything I used to wear - were altered into new ones.
I graduated from university in 1951. I was immediately offered an appointment in Sofia as a 'model teacher', but I didn't have enough confidence. I wanted to go to Sliven, but another girl was sent there. Then I was appointed a teacher in Bourgas, at the Teacher's University, where I had to instruct future teachers. It was a hard job to do! Some of my students were older than me; I was only 22, and I had students aged 28 and 30.
When I was accepted to study Russian philology, I came to live in Sofia and found a lodging. My mother stayed in Sliven. She finished accountant courses and started working as an accountant. Later she worked as a chairwoman of a co-operative, which dealt with the collection of waste textiles from the plants and recycled them into children clothes, pyjamas and toys. Mostly Jews worked there. My mother often traveled on business trips around the factories in order to buy textiles almost dirt-cheap. The first children clothes of my older daughter were just like that. I lived in a lodging at a Jewish family's place in Sofia.
I had a very difficult studentship. I didn't receive a grant because my mother had a certain income, although low. Anyway, I didn't tell her that I had no money. My older maternal uncle, who went to Israel and left some money to me, provided the only income I had. I allocated it and when I included the rent as well, it turned out that what was left for my daily portion of food was just enough for soup. I didn't have enough money to eat in the university canteen. Every day I visited the 'Bunch' restaurant and ordered soup there; the bread was for free. The waiter always asked me if I would like anything else, but I always sent him away.
The second year was much better and I used to live in a different way because I was already given a grant from the university. I remember once I broke my glasses and I had to sell my coupons for the week in order to buy myself a new pair of glasses. No one of the present-day students could ever imagine what it was like back then. Anyway, I didn't felt unhappy or unsatisfied; on the contrary, I was cheerful. It wasn't pleasant that I was constantly hungry, but it wasn't that hard. Clothes, shoes - everything I used to wear - were altered into new ones.
I graduated from university in 1951. I was immediately offered an appointment in Sofia as a 'model teacher', but I didn't have enough confidence. I wanted to go to Sliven, but another girl was sent there. Then I was appointed a teacher in Bourgas, at the Teacher's University, where I had to instruct future teachers. It was a hard job to do! Some of my students were older than me; I was only 22, and I had students aged 28 and 30.
Location
Bulgaria
Interview
Rosa Kolevska