Шамарка (n.) // Bulg. [colloq.] Definition: Affectionate form of (literal translation) the one who always gets slapped in the face.

Shamarka has always been me, from my early months when reality kept slapping my parents and me during the years of crisis of a post communistic Eastern country and later on, while growing up in an environment of constant criticism, conservativism and struggle for perfection.

I believe in change. Or, to be more accurate: I believe in the ability of a person to adapt to and immensely grow in every environment of his or her choice. I believe in people’s goodness and in simply ignoring bad sides/habits in order to let every human being shine and be a unique individual. Same goes for things and places – I keep working on my goal to fall in love with single details of everything I see, hear or get to know. In this way, I create my own little Empire, an Empire of Lights which I naturally love to share with everybody.

Of course, by ignoring negativism, I often get a smacked by reality – some times less hard than others. Most of all during the time I had to grow up with conservative parents and tried to not turn into their ideal of a perfect daughter, still caught up in ancient times and views. I guess my growing up is still in progress and will always be – but for now, I can say the following:

I believe that the best way of growing is travelling. Not only to distant countries and unknown cities but also the simple places, like the idyllic lake nearby or perhaps a nightclub which turns out to be my own personal hell. In all these different places, I explore my environment and decide if I should adapt and grow or take up a completely different direction.

So let me lead you through my journeys of change, let me show you the milestones of my Empire of Lights.