Guus Bosman

Thursday was March 3rd, Bulgaria's National Day. On that day in 1878 the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire became official by the signing of the Peace Treaty of San Stefano between Russia and the Ottoman Empire.

To celebrate, we went out with Ramiro, Bella, Elena and Antonia on Thursday night. I left work a bit earlier and we went to Levante's, an eastern Mediterranean restaurant downtown D.C.

So, we were four Bulgarians and two semi-outsiders, and most of us were wearing a martenitsa: the token that is sent to friends on March 1st, and is a sign of the coming spring. Of course, a lot of the conversation was about Bulgaria and it was a very enjoyable evening.