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| A man from Lebanon and a woman from Ukraine established their familial haven in Vetrintsi |
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A CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC FAIRY TALE PRESENTS THE LIFE OF RAWAD ABI KHALIL AND ANASTASIA ZAITSEVA.
He is 39 years old, from Lebanon, and she is 36 years old, from Ukraine. Òhe statement that love knows no boundaries and limitations is fully true for them. They intertwined their destinies 12 years ago, and today they enjoy an idyll in their home in the Veliko Tarnovo village of Vetrintsi, where they raise their children - a girl and a boy.
Ravad and Anastasia met on the Internet and continued to communicate on Skype for a whole year. He used to travel from his native Lebanon to Ukraine to see each other live. The fire between them ignited immediately. Thus began their relationship. Nastya's parents were skeptical, but did not object. The lovers settled in Lebanon, where their children were born - Anna, who is now 11, and Artur - 9 years old.
At some point, however, the family decided to change their place of residence.
Ravad was the first who came to Bulgaria. He told Nastya that the country is wonderful and she will like it very much. Subsequently, she came for "reconnaissance" and fell in love with Bulgaria at first sight.
"In Lebanon, I couldn't get used to the hot weather, lots of rain and spiders. The climate here is wonderful. I didn't want us to live by the sea, but in an area nestled in the foothills of a mountain. I turned to Century Homes real estate agency to help us find a suitable property. We were offered houses in Dryanovo, Polski Trumbesh and Novo Selo. Finally, they took us to the only vacant house for sale in Vetrintsi. When I saw it, there was no longer an option for another property to settle in," said Nastya.
The building is over 100 years old, and it took a long time to solidify. The family was very keen to have natural materials such as stone and wood predominate in their home.
Ravad and Nastya admit that it was difficult at first while adapting to the new environment.
Especially keeping in mind that they always lived in big cities and did not know rural life. The biggest problem was communicating in Bulgarian. However, the people in Vetrinci showed tolerance and hospitality and helped them a lot to adapt. Now, for nothing in the world, they would not replace the peace, quiet, coziness and charm of the village.
Ravad works as an IT specialist, and Nastya is a production manager. The children study at Vela Blagoeva Secondary School and travel to Veliko Tarnovo every day. The teachers and the other students welcomed them warmly and the children go to class with great desire.
The couple communicate with each other in English, Russian and Lebanese. They speak with the children in Bulgarian and English. However, the father is also fluent in Arabic, French and Italian. Recently, their kids started learning Chinese...
Nastya's great passion is animal husbandry. She started working on it during the pandemic.
"We were all locked up at home, there was nothing to do. Also, there were time limits to go to the store, and we thought it wouldn't hurt to produce our own groceries. We started with chickens - for eggs and meat, then we got goats for milk, and so little by little we now have 16 goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks and two donkeys," she shared.
The family also has several pets – two dogs and three cats.
Ravad's hobby is playing the piano. Along with it, children also learn the keys.
On weekends, husbands and children take walks and get to know Bulgaria. Last they went to the monument "Shipka" and to "Etara" in Gabrovo.
They like Bulgarian cuisine and are big fans of Shop salad. At home, Nastya loves cooking and even can cook moussaka, sarmi and a number of other national recipes.
The couple share that they have friends in the region who are also mixed-race families.
"When we go around the district and they see that we are foreigners, they ask where we are from, and we say: 'From Vetrinci.' For us, it doesn't matter what nationality you come from - the important thing is that you are a good person. You don't choose where to be born, but you are responsible for your behavior towards others and nature," adds Nastya. |
| Thursday, Feb 15, 2024 |
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| » RENTALS |
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| Commercial |
€ 1 700 |
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| Location: |
Veliko Tarnovo |
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