Dear Helen,
I am studying "Mechatronics" which is a popular word in the past years. It combines mechanics with electronics. After all, I will become a machine engineer having skills in electronics as well. The picture below explains it in details:
I am first year, 2nd semester. We have just completed our exames (maths I, physics I, materials knowledge I, Chemistry and Informatics). Hopefully, I passed them all.
You will ask what is the relation to computer programming. I have been programming programmable logic controllers(PLCs) for 3 years now. My father is a mechanical engineer and he makes the design and constructions of the machines while I am doing the electrical part and the programming. I was 16 when I started doing it. Everything started when a third-party company failed to finish their job and it was someone that had to rescue the situation. For that moment on, I haven't allowed anybody to program instead of me. Of course PLCs are programmed in a very different way called LADDER programming. It is a defacto standard for PLC programming and is very similar to electrical circuit diagrams.
Before entering into our business, I had no interest in it and had decided to become a computer programmer. But PLC programming is more interesting to me as you see how something moves(sensors motors, other actuations, etc...) while in computer programming your are only limited to seeing something at the monitor. As I said, I was going to study "computer programming" as I was inspired by my uncle who has been a geek for all my conscious life. I have good knowledge of PHP as well as JavaScript. As for desktop programming, I am very familiar with VB.NET(VB6 before it). C/C++ at school...
Programming for mobile devices is a hobby to me although it can turn into good source for additional funds if you have the right idea. I am not a big fan of Apple as they restrict me to use their OS to program for iOS. A year ago I bought a HTC Desire and decided that Android is the OS for me. Unfortunately, Java + Eclipse requires good knowledge of both the language and the IDE. I don't like the syntax and the code looks scrambled to me. I postponed the learning of Java(learning is not the best word, probably "to get use to it" is better). A month ago I reconsidered the idea again and soon after that I found "Basic4Android". I said about my love to Visual Basic and that's why I started reading all the available information about it. At the very beginning, I thought there would be some limitation and it is impossible to be identical in functionality to the "native" way in Java but soon after that my opinion turned into 180 degrees...
I can assure you that my country is very interesting to visit. We have wonderful mountain views as well as a seaside. As for seasides, I also like Greece(my grand-grand-grand father is from Belomorian Trakia). This area currently belongs to Greece but until Balkan Wars, it has been ours.
Check out this map to see what Bulgaria has been meant to be:
And this was immediately after we have been set free from Turkey(the Ottoman Empire at that time) by Russians:
If you are further interested in the maps, check the actual link out:
h***ttp://www.zum.de/whkmla/histatlas/balkans/haxbulgaria.html
I hope there are no Greek and Macedonian people who will get annoyed on what I am speaking. This is history, reality is different
And Helen, various birds can be seen in Bulgaria. If you need further translation from Bulgarian, I will be glad to help.