Danitza, Age 13

I was adopted from an orphanage, in Stara Zagora, when I was 5 years old. I never really knew what adoption was until I asked my (adoptive) parents. It has meant a lot to me ever since I heard that I was lucky to be one of the children that were picked to be adopted and that some children do not have anyone to adopt them. Ever since, my family and I have been praying that children from Bulgaria could be adopted.

To have adoptive parents felt like I was really wanted and loved. I felt like I had always known them. I felt right at home.

Most of the time I felt proud of my home country because Bulgaria was the place I was born. I love the mountains, the fields with wild flowers, the red roses with their sweet smell and most of all the food. One of my favorite foods is the Banitza, because that is my nickname.

I remember when my adoptive parents were visiting us in Bulgaria and taking us all over the town and riding in the car with the delicious white flour bread. I could not stop eating it. The times I was not so proud of my country were when I heard that children were not being adopted. So we started to pray.

My life in Bulgaria was a memorable one. Before my sister and I were adopted, we were put in an orphanage for two or three years because my birth mom could not take care of us and our birth father did not want us. A few years later, we were adopted!! If my birth parents had not put us in the orphanage, I would not have been adopted. God made it so that it turned out right!!

Thank you for asking about my adoption. Thank you for supporting Bulgaria.