For 13 years now, the Bulgarian Deyana Mincheva Viktorsson has been presenting the traditions, customs, culture, history and cuisine of Bulgaria to the people of Phuket Island in Thailand. On Phuket Deyana is known not only among the Bulgarians, but also as a member of the International Women's Club. Every year on Nationalities Day, held at the British International School in Phuket in June, Deyana dons a Kyustendil costume. 

For the festive charity bazaars, where people of different nationalities gather on the island of Phuket, Deyana prepares traditional Bulgarian banitsa (layers of very thin dough, sprinkled with eggs, cheese and sometimes yoghurt, are baked in an oven - ed.) and yoghurt, as well as sarma (stuffed vine leaves). "The banitsa is an absolute hit among Phuket residents, and foreigners on the island have told me that they have never had yoghurt tastier than Bulgarian yoghurt," she says.

Deyana was born in Sofia and graduated from the Art Academy, majoring in Textiles. She worked in the crypt of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, where she learned the techniques of Orthodox icon painting. Deyana's husband is Swedish and her family lives mostly outside Bulgaria, but she has taught their son Victor Bulgarian customs such as Easter egg dyeing, martenitsa, New Year's Eve hanging, etc. For the Day of the National Awakeners, the boy also dresses up in Bulgarian folk costume and always carries the Bulgarian flag together with Dejana on the holiday. They also play a recording of the Bulgarian anthem.