In general, how do Bulgarians feel about foreigners living and working in Bulgaria?
On the whole they have a very positive attitude towards foreigners; Bulgarians appreciate the fact that foreign nationals invest a lot of money in the country and realise the positive effects this has. They also accept foreigners well as business partners, considering them to be much more experienced and trustworthy than Bulgarian Businessmen are.
Is English widely spoken?
The English language is spoken mainly by young Bulgarians, whilst people in their 40s or 50s will probably understand what you are saying but be unable to reply (if you need to ask directions in the street you’d do better to ask a teenager then an old lady). Shop assistants in seaside resorts generally speak good English as it is an essential requirement for this kind of work; however, spoken English is not at all common amongst bureaucracy staff, train or bus cashiers and policemen.
Is the Bulgarian language difficult to learn?
Foreigners usually find both written and spoken Bulgarian very difficult to learn. The alphabet is usually very difficult to remember as some letters do not have a corresponding or even close sign in the English alphabet. The grammar is quite complicated as there are declensions and combinations of consonants which are not easy to understand or pronounce.
What is the best way to become part of the community in the Bulgarian village where we live (or are about to live)?
Give your neighbour a job! For example, you need someone to take care of your garden, keep an eye on the house while you are away, supply you with fresh eggs and home grown vegetables or chop you some wood. A helpful neighbour will definitely do all of this, and much more, for a small sum of money (5 to 10 Lev’s / ˆ2 to ˆ5) and she/he will look after your property as if it were their own. Word will soon spread, and before you know it you will be well accepted by the whole village.
Should I take a gift when invited into a Bulgarian home?
Bulgarians are famous for their hospitality and frequently enjoy having guests round, often for no particular reason. If you are invited to a Bulgarian home and you are sure that it is just for a meal, not a special holiday or celebration, you do not have to bring a gift. However, if you would like to be polite, some flowers for the hostess a bottle of wine for the Host and sweets for the children would be quite acceptable. Is the tap water safe to drink?
It is not considered unsafe to drink water from the tap - you will probably find it tastes a bit weird but that does not mean it will cause you any harm. If you have medical problems, however, or at least whilst you are getting used to the taste of it, it may be better to drink mineral water instead, as it costs very little 1.50 Lev can buy a 10ltr bottle.
Water along the Black Sea coast is really soft and not particularly good at rinsing out soap.
My partner already has a job, how easy will it be for me to find work?
Finding work without being able to speak the language is always a bit difficult. But one should not forget that at present there are lots of English owned and run companies in Bulgaria. Most of them are working in the field of Real Estate or Consultancy business but they surely need help from a native person as English people feel more secure in the company of other foreign nationals.
What do I do if I, or a member of my family, fall ill? Can I buy medicines from a pharmacy?
If it is an emergency, you should call an ambulance on 150 (it is like 999/911 but only for ambulances). State clearly your exact address but do not expect them to speak fluent English or give you any directions. It is very common for Bulgarian doctors to speak or at least understand English but it would better to have a neighbor or a Bulgarian acquaintance to help you out as the process is a bit complicated.
The most common medicines can be brought from the nearest pharmacy, if the pill is highly addictive or strong, you might need a prescription for it, and this would need to be issued by a Bulgarian doctor.
What is the minimum age for children to begin school? Are there nurseries for younger children?
In Bulgaria, children begin school at the age of 6 or 7years and can go to the nursery from 1 year old, as long as they can walk properly and eat common food. Nurseries and kinder gardens have a monthly fee, but state schools are free of charge. Parents have to sign their children up for nursery, kinder garden or school a year or so in advance and to be prepared to pay for all the necessary notebooks, textbooks and other related materials.
Will I be able to get UK TV channels in Bulgaria?
There are three different ways of getting UK TV channels in Bulgaria. You can have Cable TV, which gives you a small choice of about 5 to 10 English channels, depending on the provider. Alternatively, you can have Digital Satellite Television with over 350 TV channels, about 20 to 30 of which are English channels. The best way, is to buy a receiver and a card for the Sky package from the UK. You can then have it installed when you come to Bulgaria, you will then be able to watch all the UK TV channels you are used to, except BBC 1 and BBC 2 (you will have to pay the bill for this via the UK).
Shop opening hours/days of the week
Most food and clothing shops in Bulgaria are open from 09.00 a.m. to 18.00 or 19.00 p.m. Some larger hypermarkets may be opened till 22.00 p.m. but not later. Shops in big cities are usually opened during the whole week but it is very common for shops in small villages to have Sunday as a day off. The same applies when it comes to working on national holidays, shops in small villages normally do not work while the ones in the cities do.
Do the police carry guns?
Yes, policemen in Bulgaria generally do carry guns. It is very common to see street patrols, guards on important government buildings and traffic police carrying guns in fact this is not something that local people find strange, on the contrary, it is the accepted norm.
What is the food like?
There is nothing peculiar about Bulgarian food. It is usually neither, spicy or hot, and is generally of high standard as it is made of fresh and locally grown and reared, organic products. Foreign nationals usually enjoy the quality of the presentation and the good taste of Bulgarian food. Some of the traditional meals may sound like a strange mix of different products but it always tastes great. You just have to be aware that a lot of cheese and yellow cheese is used in most of the dishes.
Is there any basic etiquette (business/social) I would find useful to know?
In Bulgaria there is not any particular business or social etiquette different from the worldwide accepted ones. There are only some peculiarities in the everyday communication such as that it is accepted impolite to turn your back to the other people when you are sitting on the same table having a meal or talking. It is also nice to shake people’s hands firmly and look them in the eyes when greeting or toasting.
What the legal age is for: Drinking, Gambling, Smoking, And Driving?
In Bulgaria teenagers become adults at the age of 18. That is the legal age for drinking, gambling and driving. Young people receive their passports at the age of 16 but still are not considered of full legal age before they become 18. At the same age, driver’s licenses are issued, and it becomes legal for young people to go to the disco and have alcohol or gamble. According to Bulgarian law, there is no regulation concerning legal age for smoking but again the age of 18 is accepted as appropriate.
