Thank-you for all of the birthday greetings, messages and well wishes yesterday!!

What a great way to start of the first day of my thirties.

I really couldn't have nicer friends, colleagues, students and loyal blog readers. I was overwhelmed by the number of facebook messages, phone calls, emails and messages I got. Thank-you so very much.

[caption id="attachment_4966" align="alignleft" width="630" caption="Merci Chocolate"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4966" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4966"><img class="size-large wp-image-4966   " title="Merci Chocolate" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/DSC02529-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="630" height="473" /></a>[/caption]

If you'd bumped into me yesterday, I'd have given you a chocolate to celebrate my birthday. One of these Merci chocolates actually. They are delicious. My favorite is chocolate marzipan--that's the one I always look for when students offer me chocolates for their birthdays or name days.

It's a tradition in Bulgaria to give chocolates to your friends on your birthday. Then the receiver of the chocolate wishes you happiness, health, love and money. And if you're a middle-aged woman wishing me a happy birthday you may also a boyfriend to the list and pinch my cheeks.

The thing is you have to buy a lot of chocolate when you teach more than 50 students in one day and you have just as many colleagues and friends at school as I do.

[caption id="attachment_4971" align="alignleft" width="614" caption="Row after row of chocolate"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4971" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4971"><img class="size-large wp-image-4971 " title="Row after row of chocolate" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/DSC02530-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="461" /></a>[/caption]

I love the tradition of giving away chocolates on your birthday. It's just so nice. I think it's because everyone loves chocolate and birthdays. I will definitely be continuing this in the future no matter where I live.

The only thing is in English it doesn't sounds as nice when offering another a chocolate to say "here's a chocolate" or "have a chocolate" or "you're welcome to a chocolate." It sounds a lot nicer in Bulgarian: заповядйте.