22.07.2021
Fulbright Stories

Back to Where it all Began: A Bulgarian-American in Berlin

By Sophia Warner | Grantee Experience (English Teaching Assistant)

I am grateful to have been raised in a bilingual and multi-cultural home that emphasized the importance of celebrating, preserving, and sharing both American and Bulgarian traditions. A proud American-Bulgarian, I made it my duty at school to advocate for Bulgaria’s representation in class, especially when my peers were often unaware of the country’s existence. My yearning to explore Bulgaria’s connection with the western world led me to my middle school’s German language classroom and eventually culminated into an International Studies and German language degree from the University of Alabama. When I applied for an English Teaching Assistant position with Fulbright, choosing Berlin made sense. It was the perfect place to witness firsthand the unification and reconciliation of the forces that influence my identity and inspire my contributions to the academic and professional world.

My experiences in Berlin have exceeded all my expectations. I am thankful for our close-knit Fulbright community which has eased the transition of adjusting to a new city and helped share in some of my initial cultural shock. Throughout the year my Fulbright friends and I have regularly cooked together, celebrated together, and traveled together. We have worked together on overcoming challenges in our personal, social, and professional lives. Most importantly, we continue to encourage and support one another as we embark on exciting future endeavors. I am so grateful to have connected with such remarkable colleagues, and I am proud to call them my friends.