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I visit the 'Health' club at the Jewish community center, as well as the 'Ladino' club and the 'Golden Age' club. Last year I went to the 'Health' club as well, but I couldn't visit it on a regular basis as my granddaughter often fell sick and I was looking after her. I don't go for lunch to the Jewish community center like many of the elderly people do, as I pick up Stefan from school. All in all, I have both obligations and amusements.
During the summer I hesitated a lot whether to go on an excursion to Bankya [a resort near Sofia], which was organized for us, but I finally decided against it. I'm an elderly person, I have certain habits, and I would be disturbed if they were to be broken. I know it would have been nice, but that was my decision. I cannot say that I have many friends in the Jewish community center -I rather have acquaintances, a cousin and a colleague, Reni Lidji, but they have been there for a very long time already, and it feels like there is a certain distance. But perhaps I'm only imaging this. Nevertheless, I like going there. I like traveling abroad also, and especially so to Israel. I have a cousin in Spain and I visited him there. It was wonderful! Before we got divorced my husband and I traveled to France, and after that I went there by myself.
Currently my sister lives in Israel, in Tel Aviv. After my mother's death Anri left for Israel and remained there. It seemed as though his decision to settle there was spontaneous and yet I think that he had made that decision before he left. Later my sister and her husband, who passed away shortly after as a result of a heart attack, also left. My sister didn't live very well in the beginning because she cherished the illusion that the state would take care of all her necessities, while in reality the social support she got was rather insufficient. Currently both she and my nephew are quite well off. He lives in Ramat Aviv and his mother is looking after his children.
During the summer I hesitated a lot whether to go on an excursion to Bankya [a resort near Sofia], which was organized for us, but I finally decided against it. I'm an elderly person, I have certain habits, and I would be disturbed if they were to be broken. I know it would have been nice, but that was my decision. I cannot say that I have many friends in the Jewish community center -I rather have acquaintances, a cousin and a colleague, Reni Lidji, but they have been there for a very long time already, and it feels like there is a certain distance. But perhaps I'm only imaging this. Nevertheless, I like going there. I like traveling abroad also, and especially so to Israel. I have a cousin in Spain and I visited him there. It was wonderful! Before we got divorced my husband and I traveled to France, and after that I went there by myself.
Currently my sister lives in Israel, in Tel Aviv. After my mother's death Anri left for Israel and remained there. It seemed as though his decision to settle there was spontaneous and yet I think that he had made that decision before he left. Later my sister and her husband, who passed away shortly after as a result of a heart attack, also left. My sister didn't live very well in the beginning because she cherished the illusion that the state would take care of all her necessities, while in reality the social support she got was rather insufficient. Currently both she and my nephew are quite well off. He lives in Ramat Aviv and his mother is looking after his children.
Location
Bulgaria
Interview
Rosa Kolevska