{"id":2427,"date":"2013-09-03T07:17:13","date_gmt":"2013-09-03T07:17:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/?p=2427"},"modified":"2022-01-10T21:41:55","modified_gmt":"2022-01-10T21:41:55","slug":"september-2013-member-of-the-month-magdalena-marinova-ripni-kalinke-from-bulgaria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/september-2013-member-of-the-month-magdalena-marinova-ripni-kalinke-from-bulgaria\/","title":{"rendered":"<img src=\"\/images\/flags\/Bulgaria.gif\"> San Francisco &#8211; Magdalena Marinova &#038; Ripni Kalinke from Bulgaria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-3nvcnf-6c1eb260e6391c6c56d127bbfeb0039c\">\n#top .avia-gallery.av-3nvcnf-6c1eb260e6391c6c56d127bbfeb0039c .avia-gallery-thumb a{\nwidth:14.2857%;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-gallery av-3nvcnf-6c1eb260e6391c6c56d127bbfeb0039c avia_animate_when_visible  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_video  avia-builder-el-first  deactivate_avia_lazyload avia-gallery-animate avia-gallery-1'  itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class='avia-gallery-thumb'> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/member-of-the-month\/2013\/09\/Motm-Ripni-Kalinke.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/member-of-the-month\/2013\/09\/Motm-Ripni-Kalinke.jpg 690w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/member-of-the-month\/2013\/09\/Motm-Ripni-Kalinke-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/member-of-the-month\/2013\/09\/Motm-Ripni-Kalinke-450x298.jpg 450w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 690px) 100vw, 690px\" data-rel='gallery-1' data-prev-img='https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/member-of-the-month\/2013\/09\/Motm-Ripni-Kalinke-495x400.jpg' class='first_thumb lightbox ' data-onclick='1' title='Motm-Ripni-Kalinke'  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  ><img class=\"wp-image-2431 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-2431\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/member-of-the-month\/2013\/09\/Motm-Ripni-Kalinke-180x180.jpg\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\"  title='Motm-Ripni-Kalinke' alt='' srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/member-of-the-month\/2013\/09\/Motm-Ripni-Kalinke-180x180.jpg 180w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/member-of-the-month\/2013\/09\/Motm-Ripni-Kalinke-80x80.jpg 80w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/member-of-the-month\/2013\/09\/Motm-Ripni-Kalinke-36x36.jpg 36w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/member-of-the-month\/2013\/09\/Motm-Ripni-Kalinke-120x120.jpg 120w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/member-of-the-month\/2013\/09\/Motm-Ripni-Kalinke-450x450.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 180px) 100vw, 180px\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<p><em>I wanted to interview Maggie (Magdalena) \u2013 we have not interviewed anyone in San Francisco \u2013 and from Bulgaria.<\/em><\/p>\n<h4>Who is Magdalena Marinova and what do you do ?<\/h4>\n<p>I was born in Bulgaria, married to a wonderful man \u2013 Damyan. We have a 2 year old son \u2013 Brady, who was born in Texas. My husband and me have been involved in Bulgarian folklore dancing for decades and have been promoting Bulgarian culture, music and arts in the States for the past 13 years.<\/p>\n<div  class='avia-video av-2v444r-796249f8097ff2451e0d3e543ddf183e avia-video-16-9 av-lazyload-immediate av-lazyload-video-embed'  itemprop=\"video\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/VideoObject\"  data-original_url='http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=eduJPYD7CCU'><script type='text\/html' class='av-video-tmpl'><div class='avia-iframe-wrap'><iframe width=\"1500\" height=\"844\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eduJPYD7CCU?feature=oembed&autoplay=0&loop=0&controls=1&mute=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><\/script><div class='av-click-to-play-overlay'><div class=\"avia_playpause_icon\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<h4>When did you come to the USA or have you always lived here \u2013 since I believe you speak both Bulgarian and Russian?<\/h4>\n<p>We moved to US in 2000 and since then we have lived in 5 different states \u2013 New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Texas and now in the Silicon Valley in California.<\/p>\n<h4>Tell us how you first got involved in with Bulgarian Cultural Center \u201cRipni Kalinke\u201d \u2013 what does it mean to you?<\/h4>\n<p>Shortly after we moved to California in 2012, we participated in a Folklore night where close friends of ours from New York City were performing. Among the audience there were members of then Bulgarian folk formation \u201cRipni Kalinke\u201d. Ripni Kalinke is a title of a very famous folklore song in Rodoppi Mointain, also my mom\u2019s name is Kalinka, which in Bulgarian means Lady Bug. These few coincidences let us choose become part of it.<\/p>\n<h4>What has surprised you most about working with Ripki Kalinke and what do you find most challenging about it? Why?<\/h4>\n<p>\u201cRipni Kalinke\u201d has no formal members but it is rather a group of people, who love to get together to dance, sing, laugh and celebrate different occasions. The group is very passionate and has a lot of talented people who are sharing their talents with the rest. What I find challenging is that there are people who would like to lead the group, but in my opinion need some direction how to make decisions so the group will benefit from it.<\/p>\n<h4>What\u2019s the best\/worst thing to happen since you came to the USA and started working with Ripni Kalinke?<\/h4>\n<p>Ripni Kalinke is a pretty recent adventure we both \u2013 me and my husband joined and helped formalize it as a nonprofit organization. We have previously established another nonprofit cultural center in Texas, where we are still members of the board. Looking back, I do not recall anything negative in our experience in US. Damyan and I are very close and very well working team.<\/p>\n<h4>If you could change one thing about Ripni Kalinke what would it be?<\/h4>\n<p>I will put my best effort for them to trust my decisions being a President of the Bulgarian Cultural Center \u201cRipni Kalinke\u201d<\/p>\n<h4>What do you wish other people knew about Ripni Kalinke and Bulgaria?<\/h4>\n<p>We are promoting Bulgarian folklore, culture and arts among other Bulgarians and non-Bulgarians in the US. I wish more Bulgarians in Bulgaria start preserving and teaching their children our culture and beautiful folklore<\/p>\n<h4>Do you feel there are many or any misconceptions people have about Bulgaria and Bulgarians?<\/h4>\n<p>That is a very interesting question \u2013 the opinion about us as Nationality is something we as Bulgarians create. I would not use misconception as a term to explain what other people thing about us. We are the way we present ourselves. We may think we are smart, but if we behave inappropriate in a society that has different common rules, then that would not be perceived as being smart, but rather rude or moronic.<\/p>\n<h4>What would you tell someone who is thinking about (donating, volunteering, etc.)?<\/h4>\n<p>Your effort and sacrifice is honorable and I appreciate considering us<\/p>\n<h4>What do you do when you aren\u2019t (working, volunteering)?<\/h4>\n<p>I work for ERICSSON as a Project Coordinator and that helps me tremendously to have my personal and non-profit projects go extremely well organized. I love dancing and can dance most of the ballroom dances. I would love to learn Tango and Flamenco first hand in Argentina and Spain. I enjoy time playing with our little son Brady.<\/p>\n<h4>Who are the most famous Bulgarians in your opinion?<\/h4>\n<p>Well it depends, but these are the names that come first \u2013 Monarhs \u2013 Khan Asparuh, Tzar Boris I, Revolutionaries \u2013 Vasil Levski, Hristo Botev, Georgi Benkovski, First digital electronic machine inventor \u2013 John Atanassov, CNN reporter Ralitsa Vassileva, artists \u2013 Chris (Hristo)Yavashev, Zlatio Boyadzhiev, Vladimir DImitrov \u2013 Majstora, Philosopher \u2013 Petar Dunov, Athlets \u2013 Stefka Kostadinova, Hristo Stoichkov, Vesselin Topalov, Lubo Ganev, Neshka Robeva, composers and musicians \u2013 Theodosii Spassov, Milcho Leviev, authors \u2013 Aleko Konstantinov, Yordan Yovkov, Elin Pelin, Chudomir, Peyo Yavorov.<\/p>\n<h4>What is the worst about Bulgarian culture\/Bulgaria to you personally \u2013 and what is the best? Vice versa \u2013 what would you say about America\/Americans in the same sense?<\/h4>\n<p>Bulgarians: best \u2013 culture, traditions, nature, free spirit, food, warm welcome, hospitable, emotional.<\/p>\n<p>Americans: best \u2013 hard working, positive attitude, looking for solutions, collaborative, know their rights and require the best of service.<\/p>\n<p>(Kaisa\u2019s note: Magdalena preferred not say what is the worst)<\/p>\n<h4>Do you know how many Bulgarians live in the USA \u2013 how about the San Francisco Bay area? And what are the best websites for them and people wanting to connect with Bulgarians to find information about Bulgarians?<\/h4>\n<p>NO \u2013 I have no idea how many Bulgarians live in the USA.<br \/>\nI have heard some rumors about 10,000 plus living in San Francisco\/Bay area (no clue whether that is true)<br \/>\nBest places to connect with them \u2013 \u2013 it is yet to be discovered!<\/p>\n<p>Connect with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/pub\/magdalena-marinova\/b\/359\/111\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Magdalena Marinova<\/a> at Linkedin<\/p>\n<p>Connect with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/magdalena.marinova.376\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Magdalena (Maggie) Marinova<\/a> at Facebook<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I wanted to interview Maggie (Magdalena) \u2013 we have not interviewed anyone in San Francisco \u2013 and from Bulgaria. Who is Magdalena Marinova and what do you do ? I was born in Bulgaria, married to a wonderful man \u2013 Damyan. We have a 2 year old son \u2013 Brady, who was born in Texas. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2431,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2427"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2427"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2427\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29934,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2427\/revisions\/29934"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}