Back in Bulgaria

Bulgarian Turks Who Left in 1989

2009-09-23T19:45:00.004+02:00

I haven't posted in a long time. I moved back to the US to finish my master's and now I live in Arizona and work at Northern Arizona University.
I not doing anything that is connected to Bulgaria, but I figured if there are people out there who find this blog and want to learn more about Bulgaria, then I should update it. So anytime I find something interesting I will post it.

I came across this story yesterday from the BBC. It's about the exodus of 300,000 Bulgarian-Turks who left Bulgaria for Turkey in 1989. Throughout the 1980s, the Bulgarian government began strict laws enforcing the "Bulgarization" of Muslim-Turks. The government forced them to change their names to Slavic-sounding names as well as outlawed Turkish to be spoken in public. This was part of the "rebirthing" process in which the government would transition the Turkish population back into the Bulgarian nation. When the government was met with strong opposition, Bulgarian-Turks were allowed to emmigrate out of the country. This was in the summer of 1989. Later that year, the Berlin Wall came down and the communist regime in Bulgaria was overthrown. Many Turks returned to Bulgaria (since in many cases they were not welcomed by the population in Turkey) and began their lives again. Relations between Turks and Bulgarians is tenuous at times. There is a lot of history between these two groups of people. It seems to be getting better, but I know there is a lot of bad feelings between the two at times.
It's a unique and little-known moment of European history.

For more information on Bulgarian-Turks today in Bulgaria, check out this story about a girl who is blogging about her experiences northeast Bulgaria. This topic is of particular interest to me since I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in this region for two years. I made many friends with both Bulgarians and Turks.

Peace Corps Bulgaria First Email April 2004

2009-06-26T06:59:00.003+02:00

These are emails I wrote back in April 2004 when I first arrived in Bulgaria as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

DISCLAIMER: I realize that some of these observations are inaccurate. In some cases they are flat-out wrong and I cringed reading through them! But they are valuable because they reveal some of the biases and misunderstandings many Americans (like me) might have when trying to understand Bulgarians and their culture. I hope if any Bulgarians read this they will laugh at my initial perceptions rather than become angry. So, enjoy!

April 25, 2004
What it looks like: Surpringsly, it's similar to the Northwest. Lots of big valleys with mountains, however the mountains aren't quite as big as the Cascades or Rockies in Montana. More like the foothills in Walla Walla. Everything is green right now and my allergies are having a fit, but that's OK. The towns are old, run down, but kind of charming. Most houses are small and all of them have these red roofs. It isn't uncommon to see animals such as cows, sheep, goats or horses walking or eating right in the middle of town. Horse-drawn carts are common, but most people drive cars -- old, used cars. Motorcycles seem to be popular with the young guys.

Plovdiv -- Yesterday I went to Plovdiv with my host mother and her friend. Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria with about 800,000 people. Parts of it were nice, others were not. We went to a Pazaar or flea market type thing. It was interesting. Lots of stuff to buy that was cheap. My host mother bought me two shirts for a total of 13 leva. Not bad and one of them was really nice. I wore it last night to the local discoteka where we danced to Puffy Daddy (sorry, P-Diddy) and other Bulgarian dance favorites. Anyway, Plovdiv does have this one really nice part that looks like an old European city like in France. I even got pizza there. Not bad, really. The rest of the town has these big, old towers called Blocks. They are Soviet style -- ugly and plain.

The People -- Bulgarians seem to be pretty friendly for the most part. I don't get much notice most of the time, but when I open my mouth I do. My language is coming along, but it's limited. A couple days ago in Strelcha (where we had orientation) I went down to this bar with a bunch of volunteers. I ended up talking with this old former captain of the army. He didn't speak English, but we had a good talk. I tried his food and he shared a bunch of wine and rakiya with me. He told me I would get more girls drinking that stuff and drinking beer. That's still up for debate, though. My host family is very nice and feeds me a lot. I'm going to have to run twice a day now.

Food and drink -- The food is good, but some of it is heavy. We have shopska salad for lunch and dinner always. It's this really good salad with cucumbers and tomatoes with oil and feta cheese over it. Very good. After that they serve chicken and pork or stuffed peppers and pastry dishes. All of it is decent. Rakiya and juice is served with every dinner. No milk yet. For those of you who don't know what rakiya is, it's basically Bulgarian whiskey. There's a plant here in Parashtisa (Perushtitsa -- at the time I could barely say the name), where I'm living, but many make it themselves. It's a bit strong. It will not only put hair on your chest, but on your back and neck (Jeremy White, have you been sipping on this all your life?) I've noticed people kind of pick at their food and sip everything. There are tons of cafes in each town. If someone asks you to a cafe that means coffee or tea or wine or beer or rakiya. It's all served. I'm not sure the drinking age, but I think we met some 15-year-old's that were drinking beer with us last night. Not sure if that's legal or not. Drinks are pathetically cheap. One lev (50 cents in U.S.) for a beer. Two leva if you want imported Heineken. A bottle of wine is about 1.30 leva. A big jug costs 3 leva.

Other news: I will be living in this small town for the next three months. It's at the edge of the Rhodopi Mountains (look it up) in the Southern/Central part of the country. It's 23 kilometers south of Plovdiv. There are three other volunteers here in this town. All of them are girls. Every other week we'll meet up with the other 40 volunteers in Pazurdik (Pazardjik) for other training. I'll get at least four hours of language training each day. But for me, it's way more than that since my host family doesn't speak English. Let's just say I'm learning a lot. I've been watching a lot of Bulgarian music on television. Europe MTV is big. Yesterday alone I heard Britney Spear's "Toxic" seven times on the bus, in the discoteka and cafe. Not sure that's a good thing. Shania Twain is big and so is DMX and 50 Cent. If you have any specific questions, just write me and I'll be able to get back to in a day or two.

Old Peace Corps Bulgaria Memories

2009-06-26T06:23:00.005+02:00

It's been almost six years since I arrived in Bulgaria as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I was going through some old files and found old stories I posted on my now defunct website. It's interesting to look at how I saw Bulgaria back then. I thought posting them here on this blog might be interesting to future PCVs or those who are interested in Bulgaria. I realize that some of these observations are inaccurate. In some cases they are flat-out wrong and I cringed reading through them! But they are valuable because they reveal some of the biases and misunderstandings many Americans (like me) might have when trying to understand Bulgarians and their culture. I hope if any Bulgarians read this they will laugh at my initial perceptions rather than become angry. So, enjoy!

May 3, 2004 (I arrived in Bulgaria in the middle of April, 2004)

FOR THE TEACHERS
I have taught two micro-sessions. I call them micro because the teachers only let us teach for about 10-15 minutes. They are very controlling. I should take that back. One is great, but you have to do everything by the book. Nothing is done outside of it. Very old style. If I were a kid, I would be bored to tears. The other teacher we are working with is difficult to deal with. I tried to meet with her before class to get some sort of idea of the lesson plan. She said, "Don't worry." So we go to the classroom and she decides to start class 10 minutes early. I guess that was my time. She hands me a book and says to have the class read outloud and maybe ask them about some of the vocab. That's it. Nothing else. These are third graders, so I try to act out some of the stuff and make them laugh, but they are shy. She tells them (in broken English) to "be courageous" and "act natural". It was weird. She was very controlling. Also, the teacher sat at the desk and never moved around. She hardly even looked up. Today, this girl was in the back of the class and had no book. She also had a vision problem, yet she was all by herself and the teacher didn't do anything. So, we got her a book. It's just weird. This is one of the many obstacles we'll be facing the next two years. Oh, and never, ever complain about supplies and facilities. They are awful and in some cases, nonexistent. And this town isn't really, really poor. It's like walking back to the 1950s when you go through the halls. The other day the classroom door wouldn't open because the siding had busted. I thought we were going to be trapped.

ROMA SITUATION
One thing you notice here is the division between the Bulgarians and the Roma, or gypsies. They used to be in separate schools and the kids don't interact all that much. On many occasions Bulgarians have told me, "I'm not racist, but the gypsies are no good. They steal and are lazy." This has come from city and village people. Peroushtitsa didn't used to have a gypsy population, but now it's pretty big. They all live on one side of town. Things aren't violent. I would liken it more to the American South during the 1950s between whites and blacks. The Bulgarians also don't care much for Turks either. Especially here. In 1876, Bulgaria was still under Turkish rule. A lot of local rebels began fighting for independence. The Turks killed about 200 men, women and children in this church in town. It's a very famous event here. This guy, Kosho, is seen as the town martyr. He killed his children, wife and himself right before the Turks burned the town. What a hero?? Anyway, there's some Bulgarians that still remember that and don't care for Turks. There aren't any Turks here, but there is a Turkish village about 2 kilometers down the road.

YES AND NO
I really didn't believe it until I saw it, but Bulgarians shake their head for yes and nod their head for no. It can be confusing when learning the language. If you're trying to explain something and they agree, they'll shake their head (like no in 99 percent of the world). They'll shake their head and go "Da, da, da, da, da". I've gotten used to it, but some times I'm caught off guard.
Also, people walk very slow here. And you can't talk and walk at the same time. If you say something, you must stop, look at each other and then continue. It takes forever to get places some times.

WINE
Sorry to make Bulgaria seem like a big drinking fest, but it seems like the thing to do. There are vineyards everywhere here. Lots of people make their own wine and rakiya (plum brandy that is very strong). The wine industry used to be bigger, but is hurting -- just like all the agriculture here in Bulgaria. My neighbor, Vlad (yes, that's his name and he looks like a Vlad with his big barrel chest, huge Russian mustache and thick accent), he used to be head operator at the local winery. He got laid off seven years ago and has been unemployed since. Unemployment is a big problem. I think this town has about 38 percent unemployment. Lots of guys just sitting around in cafes sipping on beer or coffee. This town has a little more than 5,000 people, yet I know of at least eight cafes and 10 mini markets. That seems like a lot for a small town like this. I have no idea how they are stay in business. Anyway, for you wine lovers, the merlot and cab are very good.

OTHER STUFF
Every person who speaks a little English wants to talk with me. I tell them I need to learn Bulgarian, but they really don't care. Then they tell me how terrible it was under Communist rule. It was interesting at first, but now I know what to expect when they talk with me. Kind of irritating.

I've learned that you don't talk to Bulgarians you don't know. Even if you make eye contact with them on a the street, they don't say hi. And women, they don't even look at you. I'm not sure where are the girls are. Probably in Sofia and Plovdiv. I was told that bad girls go to cafes and hang out. That's probably why when I go to the cafe with my three female volunteers all the guys look at us weird. Seriously, the ratio will be 29 guys smoking, two Bulgarian girls and then us. Spooky.

Bulgarian food makes you fat. I was served pizza for breakfast and i get ice cream or some type of cake every day. I'm running each day as a result.

Fish net stalkings seem to be the rage for city girls here. Also, really tight pants and tacky, bright orange tops. I'd say about 60 percent of the women have their hair dyed that noticable reddish/purple color. That's young and old females. It's awful looking.

Also, I have become inspired to take care of my teeth. Dental care seems to be a real issue. I've never seen so many bad teeth. I don't know why this is, other than they don't brush their teeth.

What I do Here (Bulgarian Language and National Identity Issues)

2009-01-22T10:15:00.004+01:00

I just realized the other day that I have yet to explain exactly what I am doing here in Bulgaria. This became clear after talking with many friends (and even family) who were a bit confused about the substance of my fellowship and what type of research I've been doing. So, I might as well write about it here.

I'll admit that this stuff is much more exciting to me compared to the average person. But my topic has a direct and important link to the present-day situation of Bulgaria. So, I'll start from the beginning.

In May of last year I was awarded a Boren Fellowship. This grant is given to graduate students who want to study a less-commonly-taught language somewhere around the world. The fellowship is offered by the National Security Education Program (NSEP) in Washington, D.C. Its goal is to train as many graduate students as possible in languages, so that these students can then work for the federal government in some capacity of national security. I chose Bulgarian because I already have extensive experience with it and it was part of my graduate program at the University of Washington.

The agreement was to study Bulgarian four months in Sofia while exploring the role of history textbooks in national identity for my master's thesis. Mostly my research involved going to the library and finding contemporary textbooks as well as old textbooks. I interviewed a few professors about their opinions on certain events in Bulgarian history as well as how the whole textbook writing process works here. I interviewed a few teachers, some administrators, and other academics. I even talked to a few students.

Like many places in the world, history textbooks have been directly linked to the building of nation-states and national identity. National history is supposed to reflect the glory and accomplishments of the "nation". This breeds a sense of patriotism, collective pride, and general togetherness. These are not bad traits, in general. People can accomplish a lot when they come together. However, the problem with many Balkan countries (and even the good old USA) is that history textbooks often tell only one side of the "facts". There have been many conflicts in the Balkans, and each nation-state has a different perspective on certain events (ie. wars, battles, etc.). The result is that "victors" get turned into "aggressors", "liberators" turn into "traitors", and "heroes" turn into "rebels".

It's been proven that history education can have a dramatic effect on the identity of us and how we see the world. When you learn over and over that the Turks were treacherous people or the Greeks did this and that in a war against "your people" then it's very difficult to shake off that perspective when you come into contact with them on a personal level. You carry with you many biases and stereotypes. This prevents mutual understanding and peace.

Because history was linked so closely to nationalism and (in the case of Communist Bulgaria) ideology, many people have only heard one version of their history, which may or may not be entirely accurate. In textbooks during Communism, history was often exaggerated or certain information was omitted. Here in Bulgaria, the injustices of losing territory in the Balkan Wars and World War I and II is painfully stressed and explained. Massacres suffered under the Turks are also told in great detail. However, Bulgarian students are also taught about the glory of Bulgarian kings from the 8th century. There is little reflection on how history can help today. In many ways it's like a big, long advertisement showcasing the greatness of one's nation. And more importantly (and tragically), one's nation is not based on current citizenship, but on ethnicity and religion.

This problem of history teaching was/is instrumental in the former Yugoslavia. Under Tito (Communist ruler during the 50s, 60s, and 70s) each separate republic was allowed to learn history according to their own historians. These academics didn't work together and were extremely biased. (Think of analysts on Fox News, but 10 times more obtuse.) In Serbia, historians exaggerated the death toll and the reasons for those who died at the hands of Croats in WW II. In Croatia, historians did the same thing, except exaggerated that they were the victims. Over a few generations of stories from families and history textbooks which told them over and over and over that this is what the "other" has done to them, the two sides fought a nasty war throughout the 1990s. Now, there were many other factors involved in those wars, but when outsiders ask how some people can be filled with so much hate and fear of their neighbor, one can look to how they learned history in school.

Although the situation in Bulgaria is much calmer than Yugoslavia, there are still some major problems with Bulgarian history in schools. It still has a nationalistic overtone. While it's not overt, how it's presented and what topics are chosen for discussion, leads students to learn in a nationalistic way. This has a tremendous effect on how Bulgarians interact with neighboring countries, but more importantly, how ethnic Bulgarians interact with other minorities within their borders -- for example, Turks. A researcher told me the other day that when she was in Turkey interviewing Bulgarian-Turks who fled Bulgaria in the 1980s they told her, "We were never that offended by Bulgarians in our towns and when traveling from village to village. The time we most felt like outsiders and were offended was with teachers and how they taught the history."

This nationalistic trend is fading away a bit. However, Bulgarian education is failing in another big way -- explaining Communism. Today's generation knows almost nothing. Many teachers prefer to skip or glaze over the information. Many young Bulgarians I have talked to say they studied up until the WW I or WW II. Absolutely nothing after that. To enter the history program at Sofia University, there is a test you must take. Students study for months to be able to qualify and get a spot. According to professors at Sofia, there are NO questions on the exam covering history after 1944, which is when the Communist Party essentially took over.

So these are the issues and themes I study here. To some it's boring. To others it's a chance to see how we formulate our identities and how we see the world. For me, the more I learn about this in another part of the world, the more I can critique my own American outlook on life. In my opinion, this is the most valuable lesson one can learn from traveling. When you step into another world and sincerely try to learn its traits, characteristics, and points of view, all of a sudden you understand your own world better. I don't think everyone has to agree all the time, but everyone benefits when they at least understand another perspective or point of view.

I think this is the first step in trying to build a more peaceful world.

The Toilet of Europe

2009-01-21T09:12:00.005+01:00

Bulgaria is the toilet of Europe.

At least that's how many Bulgarians are interpreting a Czech artist's newest creation that is displayed in the European Council building in Brussels, commemorating the Czech Republic's new six-month presidency of the EU. The art piece depicts all of the EU countries in an satiric way -- poking fun at each nation's prejudices and/or stereotypes. For example, The Netherlands showcases minarets in water, France has a "strike" tag on it, and Germany has an autobahn in the shape of a swastika. Britain wasn't even included in the piece -- maybe a symbol of the UK's "euro-skepticism" and detachment from Europe?

As for Bulgaria, the shape of the country is made up entirely of small squat toilets, or better known as Turkish toilets. If you've never had the privilege of using one of these, it's quite an experience. You better have some strong quads. One can interpret this in many ways. Whether it references Bulgaria's 500 years under Turkish influence or simply that Bulgaria has a lot of squat toilets even in public buildings today (my school had pit toilets), Bulgarians haven't liked it.

The art piece has triggered overwhelming criticism from the Bulgarian press. Bulgarian diplomats were also offended. Standart News, one of Sofia's major newspapers, was exceptionally critical, saying that the art piece offended "the national dignity of the Bulgarians." This prompted the Czech leadership to quickly apologize publicly and as recently as yesterday cover up the "Bulgaria" part of the structure. The Bulgarian government wants it removed completely and replaced with something else.

The controversial artist has come forward and apologized, although in some Bulgarian newspapers it said he hasn't. Evidently he proposed to commission artists from each of the 27 countries and collaborate. But because of time and money, he and some Czech colleagues just did it themselves. "We did not want them (the Czech authorities) to bear the responsibility for this politically incorrect satire. We knew the truth would come out. But before that we wanted to know if Europe is able to laugh at itself."

Not everyone is laughing. Yesterday a Bulgarian socialist youth organization sent the Czech ambassador to Bulgaria a toilet bowl. They requested that he send it on to the artist.

The twist of the story is this (other than that Bulgarians seem to be extremely sensitive to any outside criticism): While the rest of Brussels is basically yawning at Bulgaria's protest of the art, the new president of the EU, Czech leader Vaclav Klaus, is a well-known Euro skeptic. He has disagreed with Brussels on many issues in the past and refuses to even raise the EU flag at his castle in Prague. He has been overwhelmingly sorry for the actions of artist David Cerny, the man who created the art structure. His order to cover up the Turkish toilet depiction has been seen by the Bulgarian press as a sign of solidarity. However, his stance could be a calculated position to challenge the status-quo in Brussels. The Czech Republic and Poland have been a thorn in the side of the EU ever since they joined in 2004.

There also are several angles to look at this event. As one writer points out, Bulgarian officials still are very sensitive to anything that depicts the Bulgarian nation in a poor light. This was a trait from the Communist era, of course, but it still seems to prevail today. For example, Bulgaria is the only EU country to ban the BBC World Service on the radio. The official line is that the BBC is in violation of its license since it no longer broadcasts in Bulgarian, according to the Electronic Media Council. However, a more likely reason is that the BBC has been fairly critical in its coverage of the Bulgarian government recently. Investigative journalists have reported on corruption scandals and social injustices in the past few years.

Another controversial documentary, "Baklava", which shows the lives of some Bulgarian orphans in Burgas, was banned from theaters in Bulgaria. The local government has gone after the director on charges of child abuse and pornography. Instead of critically looking at the problems that the country is facing, politicians are looking for a scapegoat.

The whole "scandal" illustrates how Europe remains very separated. As much as the EU is pushing to create an all-encompassing "European citizen" the results remain uncertain. As the EU's grip tightens on more aspects of European society and Brussels becomes larger and more bureaucratic, the average European citizen is getting fed up with it. Europe still doesn't see itself as one.

The other thing this "toilet" story shows is that Bulgaria is in a very fragile state of national identity. After living here for awhile, studying issues involving national identity, and simply watching Bulgaria's reactions to critical or outside commentary via the media, it's clear that the "identity" of Bulgarians during this transition period is very much up in the air. There are several historical, economic, and cultural reasons for this. I spoke with a professor about this exact subject yesterday. She believes that Bulgarians are at a "critical point" in understanding who they are and where they come from. Because of the painful switch from the former repressive regime, which rapidly built a different type of society, to the present chaotic, capitalist society, many citizens are still searching and contemplating what they want their society to stand for.

Bulgaria is not the toilet of Europe. It is a great place to visit and I really like it here. But Bulgarians must realize that it still has a long way to go to erase those prejudices and prove to the rest of Europe that it has become a successful and reliable member of the European community. The fact that Bulgaria cannot poke fun at itself shows that this has yet to be realized.

Photo credit: Toilet-related-ailments.com (Yes, this site really exists!)

A Day in Bulgaria: An American Perspective

2009-01-18T18:19:00.005+01:00

The sun is peeking out from under the dark clouds and reflecting brilliant orange rays against the windows of the block apartment building. It's 7:31 a.m. on a Saturday in Sofia, Bulgaria. It's the middle of January. I zip up my jacket and head to the bus stop. I have a long day of ahead of me.

I step onto the No. 85 bus and proceed to the front to buy a ticket. Even though the sign says I can buy tickets from the driver when the bus is stopped, the driver indicates to me by nodding his head up and down (they show "yes" and "no" the opposite way in Bulgaria) that he's not selling them today. Fine, I'll ride for free.

The sky is clear and the Rila Mountains to the south rise above the hills in the early morning light as I head east toward Plovdiv. We fly by quiet villages tucked away in the distance. Small billows of smoke rise from the chimneys. A Bulgarian-dubbed version of "Beverly Hills Ninja" starring Chris Farley is showing on the bus's two TV monitors. One woman throws a coat over her head to block the morning rays. Or maybe she's trying to ignore the loud yelling from the film.

It's busy at the south bus station in Plovdiv. People sit in the outdoor cafe sipping strong coffee in small, plastic cups, while smoking cheap cigarettes. A gypsy woman holds her baby and talks to her other daughter. Old men in wool sweaters and English caps pass by. A woman with big hair, a tight blouse, and long black boots hurries by.

My bus doesn't show up. It doesn't run on Saturday, says the woman at the desk. There is no bus schedule on the wall or any information readily available for the average traveler. You just have to know. So I jump on a bus to Peshtera. The driver says my destination, Batak, is about 20 kilometers from there. The bus heads southwest toward the Rhodopi Mountains. We pass abandoned factories, shepherds, donkey carts, small churches. The road gets bumpier as we approach the mountains.

The Peshtera bus station is under construction. (But what isn't in Bulgaria?) The woman at the desk informs me that there isn't a bus to Batak until 2:30 p.m. I've got about three hours to kill. As I approach the main square in Peshtera I'm met with a distinct, pungent odor. It's worse the closer I get. I'm downwind from the famous rakiya and wine factory. Gallons of alcohol are within reach, but all I want to do right now is run away. The Saturday market is crowded. Children are running around while elderly couples cross the square and up through the meandering streets. I make my way through the labyrinth of cheap shoes, shirts, socks, underwear, batteries, knives, CDs, rugs, T-shirts, electronic toys, fresh vegetables, fruit, camouflage jackets, boots. A gypsy woman sells small bundles of kindling.

This looks like any normal weekend market in Bulgaria, but something is different. Everyone is speaking Turkish. Women cover their heads in multi-colored headscarves. Turkish music can be heard in the distance. After not hearing Turkish on a regular basis for awhile, the memories of my two years in northeast Bulgaria race back into my mind. This is Bulgaria, but definitely a different Bulgaria than Sofia.

I buy some popcorn. The cardboard cup has "popcorn" written in English and shows characters from Winnie the Pooh. Two older gentlemen discuss painting their cars and the difficulty of keeping their vehicles clean during the winter. Two very small gypsy boys watch the man making cotton candy. He tells to them to run along. They stare at him. One of the boys waits for a customer to come along. While the man spins the cotton candy for a girl, some of the candy floats into the sky. The little Roma boy snatches it, stuffs it in his mouth, and smiles. He approaches the candy man wanting more. He grumbles again and flicks a cigarette at him. The boy stamps it out and waits. Knowing he has a persistent adversary, the man gathers up some extra cotton candy and gives it to the boy.

Soon two Roma teens come sit near me. They are friendly and we chat a bit. "You're an American?" one of them asks in disbelief. The other one admits he's never seen or met an American in real life. "You speak perfect English? And you know Bulgarian? Do you know Spanish? I lived in Spain last summer. I worked in Madrid." Two more friends arrive. They are in 8th grade, except for one. He's 17 years old, but dropped out of a school a few years ago in order to work. All of them are extremely polite and friendly. I'm suspicious. I've heard too many stories that gypsies are involved in scams. I should be careful I keep telling myself.

They invite me for a coffee. They seem harmless, so we proceed to a cafe nearby in the center. I ask them questions about their family. Do they like sports? Do they have girlfriends? They all like Levski, the Sofia-based soccer team. They all have worked in another country -- Turkey, Serbia, Portugal, Spain -- at some point. They all speak Bulgarian, Turkish, and Roma language. On Saturdays they usually meet up in the center for coffee, eat a big lunch in the late afternoon, then head to the discoteka for girls and drinking at night. "It's a good life," one of them says.

Each of them shows me pictures of their girlfriends on their cell phones. The oldest one says he has a girlfriend, but she is pregnant. It's not clear whether she will abort the baby or if she already has. At any rate, she wants to get married. She's 17 as well. He wants to wait until he at least has a car and a driver's license.

The time goes fast and they escort me back to the bus station. One of them insists on giving me his headphones as a present. We exchange phone numbers and they tell me to call them if I have any problems getting back from Batak. You're welcome to stay with our family, one of them says.

The bus leaves on time and we climb up into the mountains through a narrow ravine. After a half hour we reach the mountain town of Batak, the site of Bulgaria's most famous massacre. In 1876, groups of Bulgarians led an armed revolt against the Ottomans. The officials in Istanbul learned about the revolt earlier and organized Bulgarian-Muslim irregular soldiers to suppress the rebellion. They crushed the Bulgarian rebels, executing large numbers of civilians. Batak suffered the worst. An estimated 5,000 people lost their lives.

I climb the white stairs that lead to three statues of the socialist-realism style. These were built in 1976 to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the April Uprising. On one stone, the father of Bulgarian Communism, Georgi Dimitrov, is quoted, "Batak is the fortress of Bulgarian patriotism."

Down below in the center is the museum. It's closed for remodeling. It's been closed for three months, but there are no signs up. A woman says that for two leva I can look inside the church where the massacre happened. The church is simple. Signs point out bullet holes in the wall. A copy of Andrew MacGahan's story is displayed in Bulgarian and English. MacGahan was an American journalist who let the world know what happened in Batak.

The sun is fading in the sky and it's quite cold, so I go into a cafe near the museum. It looks more like a dance club. Pictures of Finlandia Vodka and Jack Daniels Whiskey are all over the wall. The stereo is blaring the song, "We Are the World". A couple sits in the corner, but besides that it's just me. I order hot milk with cocoa.

There really isn't a bus station in Batak, only a place off the side of the main road that goes through town. Inside a window I see a timetable, but the times don't match up with what people told me earlier. There is a group of people inside. After about five minutes, I get up the courage to ask when the next bus is coming. "Tell me what's up, boy," the man asks. I need to get to Sofia. What is the best way? I ask. He explains in great detail where I need to go and when. He is very helpful and tells me to sit down.

The whole room seems amused by my presence. They smile as the one man asks me questions. "You're a true American? Your mom and dad are not from here?" he asks. "What are you doing in Batak?" I explain that I used to be a Peace Corps Volunteer, but now I'm a student in Sofia. I came to Batak to see the museum and the church. "Do you know what happened here?" he asks, but he doesn't wait for answer. He proceeds to give me a detailed account as though reading from a history book. I know all of this, but I let him tell me. Every once in awhile the grandmother, who is wearing a black sweater and headscarf, chimes in to add to the history lesson.

"After the Americans turned us down to come and help, the Russians volunteered to help fight the Turks," he continues, referring to the 1878 Russo-Turkish War. "We are Slavic brothers -- we have a connection. They came and fought the Turks and liberated us. America is a good, rich country, but what has it done for Bulgaria? We owe great appreciation to Russia." Trying to change the subject, I ask if any Turks lived in Batak today. None, he said. Just in the villages nearby. The Muslims are trying to take over the world, he says. "Who is that Turk in Sofia? What's his name?" the woman asks. "Dogan," the man answers. "He's nothing more than an agent of the Turkish government."

I try to change the subject again. So what do most people do for work here? There isn't any work here, he says. "I'm not a Communist, but things were better during Communism. There was work. There were factories. People lived well. Now Democracy has taken away everything." I agree with him that the economy has turned bad. "We had a thousand sheep in this town," says. "Do you know what sheep are?" I tell him I do and that my parents used to raise sheep. "Bah, no one in America has seen sheep. Not like here."

Two buses arrive and the people tell me which one to take. They wish me the best and to say hi to America. They smile warmly and I step out into the cold air. The minibus rumbles down the hill toward Pazardjik. Forty five minutes later, I wake up cold and hungry when we arrive at the train station. I wait at the kiosk for a woman to come to the window so I can buy a ticket. The women are chatting away but no one comes to help. A young guy in his 20s with Chinese characters tattooed on the side of his neck rolls his eyes, showing me that he's just as frustrated as I am. The woman finally comes and sells me a ticket for Sofia.

Only a handful of people wait on the platform as the last rays of light fade behind the hills. The stars are bright. It's gorgeous right now, but I'm so cold my teeth are chattering. The train comes right on time -- 6:04 p.m. I'm relieved to find that the train is brand new. I huddle up against the heaters on the floor as we make our way through 20 villages and small towns. Septemvri, Belovo, Kostenets. We keep stopping, but hardly anyone gets on. I suddenly feel far away from everyone and everything. A near-empty train slowly chugging through village after village on a Saturday night in southeast Europe.

I arrive in Sofia. Ice is everywhere. I wait for the No. 7 tram to take me to Vitosha Blvd. near where my friend lives. We enjoy a nice dinner of standard Bulgarian food -- fried potatoes and some fried chicken bites. I call for a taxi. I wait for an hour and finally one arrives. The driver doesn't seem thrilled to be driving me to such a close location (about 2 miles). He drops me off in Hadji Dimitar, the place where I started my day.

Before entering the gate, I look up at the sky. I can see the stars in between the bare branches of the trees and the block apartment buildings. This urban neighborhood seems a world away from Batak. And I experienced both today.

There still is so much to see in Bulgaria, I think.

So much to see.

So much.

Peaceful Protest in Sofia, Bulgaria

2009-01-15T22:10:00.008+01:00

Just as I finished writing such a Debbie Downer entry earlier today the skies brightened, the snow began to melt, and I witnessed a peaceful, positive public event near the center of Sofia.

Another protest was planned today. However, student leaders brokered a deal with the police to make sure the event didn't get out of hand like yesterday's chaotic disaster. The police coordinated a perimeter around the block and frisked people as they made their way to the protest. Strangely, they didn't check me even though I had a full backpack. (Do I really look that harmless? I knew I shouldn't have shaved.)

Anyway, there were a few hundred people chanting, blowing on whistles, and basically just hanging out. While there was a positive feel to the event -- people were holding hands and chanting -- it seemed as though the protest had lost some steam by the time I got there around 1 p.m. I shot some video and this is about as wild as it got.

I feel I should give a clearer picture of what has happened this week. Some distinguished Bulgarian friends gave me some constructive criticism by pointing out that I had cast Bulgaria in a fairly low light previously. While I contend that everything I wrote was honest and objective, I should add some more to why people are protesting and what happened yesterday.

Led by a group of students dedicated to pressuring the government to make some serious changes in the country, several different groups from all over Bulgaria were invited to join in a protest yesterday. The students spread the word mostly through the internet. They had previously protested in December to show their dissatisfaction with the government's inability to enforce the rule of law. A few months ago, a student accidentally got involved in a scuffle with some drunk guys in Studenski Grad (Student City). He was killed in the brawl. Many students have called for increased police presence in the area that houses most of Sofia's university students, as well as an array of nightclubs and restaurants.

As word spread about the upcoming protest, many worried that the football hooligans would show up to have some fun. According to newspaper reports, many people arrived with metal and wooden sticks. People started throwing snowballs and other objects at the police and it wasn't long until fights broke out. Many people became frightened and left as others continued to fight with police. It was a mess and destroyed the whole point of the protest. See here a graphic, up-close look at what happened. Here's a well-edited video at the protest.

However, the protests (which may continue tomorrow) seem to lack a certain sense of passion. It's true that Bulgarians are tired and dissatisfied with how their government has run things since 1989. But it doesn't seem as though there is a clear objective of how to change all the problems here. I don't have any answers either other than it will take some strong leadership from the younger generation to end the corruption that continues to plague the current administration and society, in general.

Who is Driving the Train??

2009-01-15T11:16:00.003+01:00

This hilarious advertises the 47th congress of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) which took place a few months ago. Somehow I missed it, but found it the other day. The ad is supposed to conjure up old, nostalgic feelings from communism when the BSP (formerly known as BKP... the Bulgarian Communist Party) was strong and was leading Bulgaria to a brighter future.

Sergei Stanishev, the guy with the short haircut, is the Prime Minister of Bulgaria. He is driving an old-style tram in Sofia. The Minister of Culture, formerly a famous actor, runs and jumps onto the tram. Stanishev say something to the effect of, "It's not like it used to be, huh." The other replies, "You're right, it's not. But our dreams and ideas remain." Then an old man from the back yells, "Hey, Sergei, our dreams and ideas are here" as he points to his heart.

Apparently, this ad is supposed to show that BSP still holds dear the socialist ideas from the past. However, as one would notice, no one else is on the tram. It's empty -- which is quiet symbolic of how out of touch the current government is. The music comes from a famous film series that aired during the 1960s in Bulgaria. The current Minister of Culture was the main actor of the series. The series was about detectives uncovering the work of foreigners, capitalists, and in general, traitors to the regime. According to my friend, it was quiet popular. Everyone today recognizes this music.

As a way of poking fun at the prime minister, Boyko Borisov (Sofia's mayor and main politcal advesary) pointed out in the press that all tram drivers must be qualified (unlike the Prime Minister) and be licensed. He also said people should not jump onto trams like the Minister did and "that ideological views cannot serve as tickets for transportation."

Bada-bing!

No Gas, Ice, and Protests

2009-01-15T09:28:00.005+01:00

No natural gas for heating. Dangerous icy streets. Violent protests against a corrupt government.

Welcome to Bulgaria in the middle of winter.

I hate to cast a poor light on this country, but the past few weeks have not been pleasant for most Bulgarians. Sofia has been gripped in an energy crisis for about two weeks due to Russia and Ukraine's squabble. Low temperatures coupled with ice and snow have made the capital difficult to navigate. And as if that wasn't enough, yesterday about 1,500 protesters, who would like to see the socialist government step down from power immediately, ended up starting a riot-like situation in front of the Parliament building in downtown Sofia. More than 150 people were arrested and 21 people were taken to the hospital.

So is this really a normal week for Bulgarians? Well, yes and no.

The gas issue is serious the longer it drags on. For many in Sofia, the central heating systems have been converted to run on oil. But others have been left without central heating for almost two weeks now. Having lived without such heat for two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I can attest that it's possible to figure out ways to stay warm despite such inconveniences. But this isn't a comfortable situation for the elderly or those with young babies.

Bulgaria has been left out in the cold the past two years because of gas disputes, but never for this long. Public sentiment, at least in the Bulgarian newspapers, seems to be indifferent. There is some anger directed at the government, but really, what can it do? Prime Minister was in Moscow earlier this week to meet with Vladimir Putin. Oil has been shipped into some major cities to help curb the crisis. The reality is that Bulgaria is a small country with no fuel resources. Russian gas is the cheapest on the market and conveniently close. Add in the historical connections between Russians and Bulgarians and it's no surprise that Bulgaria receives 96 percent of it's gas from Russia. There has been serious talk this week in Parliament to activate the two nuclear reactors that were recently closed because they did not meet EU safety regulations. This is something to worry about.

This gas crisis is out of the ordinary because of its length and the recent weather. Sofia is known for having cold, foggy winters and this year is no exception. Last week the temperatures dipped into the teens when people didn't have heat. At the beginning of the month Sofia received a significant amount of snowfall, which always makes it difficult for people to get around since the roads are so bad. According to local newspapers, snowplows were slow to respond, making it impossible to travel in the city. I believe this as it took me more than an hour to travel four miles on a city trolley bus one afternoon last week.

Yesterday temperatures warmed a bit, enough for it to rain during the evening. Then the temperature dropped again making it extremely icy everywhere. Despite the bad weather, somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 protesters (one group claims there were 10,000 and another says 500, so who really knows?) showed up at the Parliament yesterday. Protesters from all walks of life -- retired people, farmers, students, feminists -- were invited to participate in a general protest against the government. They had no specific complaints. They just are not happy with the government. Not the most effective way to communicate, but at least they were doing something. Students had been planning this for awhile via the internet. Some of it stems from the death of a student months ago. He was killed in a fight by a gang of drunken men. Students are calling for more police presence in Studenski Grad (where many students live in apartments) and for the prosecution of those responsible.

This is just one example of how the current youth of Bulgaria is slowly becoming more disinterested and jaded toward the process of democracy. While no one is advocating a radical communist movement, a recent study showed that nearly 40 percent of Bulgaria's youth supported a return to socialism. Life has not improved drastically for most young Bulgarians since the transition in 1989. In many ways it's become worse. Young Bulgarians have more connection to the West, but they don't see themselves as being in "Europe" yet. A recent story ran in a local paper about how only one in every five Bulgarians feels "European". I posed this question to a few Bulgarians I know. They said they feel "European" in some sense, but in many ways not. Their definition of "European" was living in a country with a higher standard of living, without corruption, and a strong government. In many ways, Bulgaria is the exact opposite of that.

There are many stories recently comparing Bulgaria and Romania -- the two newest members of the EU. While Bulgaria at the beginning seemed to be more stable (at least economically), Romania has surged ahead. It has tackled corruption better. The average salary is almost twice that of Bulgarians. A recent corruption survey revealed that Bulgaria was the most corrupt country in the EU. It even scored lower than some non-member nations such as Croatia and Turkey. Constant reminders that Bulgarians are in last place continue to do damage to the Bulgarian collective psyche. I used to not believe in that stuff, but I do think it is relevant here.

I read a recent story in Vagabond magazine that articulated why Bulgaria can't rid its self of corruption. Its root is one of two things (or maybe both): Stupidity or a lack of will. Most in Brussels have pointed out Bulgaria's extremely weak and inefficient judicial system as the reason organized crime and corruption thrives here. According to a World Bank report, Bulgaria is now spending 0.26 of its GDP on its judicial system -- more than Switzerland or the UK. They added 513 new prosecutor positions and increased the number of judges by 15 percent over the past seven years. That seems to be a serious increase. However, a study done by the Centre for the Study of Democracy reported that Bulgaria lost 1.6 billion leva in awarding public procurement orders in 2007 because of corruption.

The problem doesn't seem to be the judicial system. Under Bulgarian law, it is extremely difficult to convict someone (or multiple people) of participating in organized crime. The definition is very imprecise and vague. The problem seems to be the government's lack of will to help give administrative support and the lack of oversight in regulations in LEGAL business transactions.

For example, construction has become an extremely lucrative business here since Bulgaria is in need of new infrastructure, buildings, houses, etc. The government gives out contracts to local contractors. Often, these contractors are involved in organized crime. By lining the pockets of politicians, these contractors win the bids. Later, they renegotiate the contract and the funds are increased (without public scrutiny). Then the project is done for cheap (often poorly) and the contractor pockets the rest of the cash. Unlike the US, the Bulgarian government doesn't go after contractors who don't honor their contracts -- or at least it does not include language in contracts that holds contractors responsible for misappropriation of funds. In America the government implements regulations that makes contractors pay back $2 or $3 for every dollar spent illegally. These contracts are rarely released to the public, so no one really knows what the language is. Also, if the government is screwed over by a contractor, the only response is to take them to court. Proving criminal fraud in this instance is almost impossible.

The Bulgarian government's refusal to even produce a "blacklist" of contractors who have violated contracts is a strong indicator that some people at the top don't want everyone to know everything. For a long time the Bulgarian government said it could not release names of these companies unless they had been convicted in court. Well, no one has been convicted. The EU strongly persuaded Bulgaria to produce a list. It finally did this year -- a list of 50 minor companies suspected of abuses.

Taking all of this into account, I appreciate the way things work in the US. While America is not a perfect place, one can see that other parts of the world are filled with complicated problems that seriously disrupt the quality of life of an individual. From a Bulgarian's perspective, I can see how all these problems could seem distant and out of reach. Better to just try and get by and do what's best for yourself. I see that attitude in many people here today. I completely understand it. However, I hope that someone someday will have the strength to convince other Bulgarians that it doesn't have to be this way, that they do have control. I hope I see that day soon.

Hot Bulgarian Pop Singer

2009-01-08T23:26:00.003+01:00

I read today that Bulgarian pop singer, Krista, reached second place on MTV's World Chart this week with her song "Tova, Koeto Iskash". The loose translation is "That Thing That You Want". So, I looked it up on Youtube and it's not that bad of a song. Kind of catchy.

Sorry I don't have any translation of the text. I could do it now, but I'm tired. So I'll wait until tomorrow. Until then, here is the video.

A time when I wish I could say I have gas

2009-01-07T21:08:00.004+01:00

Rarely does Bulgaria make international headlines not involving corruption or organized crime, but it did so today.

Like other East European countries, Bulgaria's entire gas supply was shut off early this morning due to Russia and Ukraine's bickering over gas payments. Read here for more details.

While the two former Soviet comrades duke it out, the rest of Europe is going cold. Tonight it's a balmy 16 degrees Fahrenheit with still lots of snow on the ground. Many people went out and bought electric radiators since most block apartment buildings are hooked up to central heating which runs on gas. Our particular building has central heating. It is connected by pipes to a central heat pump (which runs on gas) which in turn heats the pipes with hot water and then heats the building. It's an antiquated system, but it seems to work. The only problem is that it requires gas.

The newspapers announced today that buses, which run on natural gas, would still be running since they can be converted to diesel. But many taxi drivers in the area have their cars rigged to run on natural gas. Obviously, people are storing up as much as they can right now.

Students in dormitories in Student City, a neighborhood in Sofia, are without heat. Students bought electric radiators only to discover that the electric sockets are far too old and are shorting out. Many schools have canceled or shortened classes because of the cold. The American College, the most prestigious prep school here, told me today that there will be no English classes on Saturday due to no heating in the building.

Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev commented on CNN today that Bulgaria has about a "few weeks" of gas left if people economize their consumption. He urged the EU to step in and do more. See the clip here (BTW this is the first time I've ever heard the Russian-educated Stanishev speak English... and I have to say he speaks quite well.)

There is a crisis on hand, but no one here seems too panicked. Anton, the man who oversees the office here, remembers when electricity was cut off every two hours for an hour in 1997. People will figure out ways to stay warm. However, babies and elderly people might be vulnerable if the temperatures remain low and a resolution isn't found.

As for me, I have warm clothes, some blankets and an electric space heater. And I'm only here for a few more weeks. So, I'm not that worried. I just hope the weather doesn't get too cold for everyone.

Photo credit: Chicago Tribune

Hiding Them Away

2009-01-06T10:16:00.004+01:00

The New York Times ran a sad story yesterday about the mental health care system in former Communist countries. The story showcased schizophrenic brothers, now in their 40s, who were shipped off to a mental health facility in northeastern Bulgaria in 2000. They are under the legal guardianship of their brother, who has yet to visit them in nine years or even contact them. Under the law, the brothers are not allowed to leave and have no legal recourse to gain any independence.

Read more here.

I have heard of this mental health home once or twice. It's actually not far from where I lived during Peace Corps. The quality of homes like this are filthy and terrible. Orphanages, group homes, and other state-run social facilities in Bulgaria are some of the saddest places you will ever visit. It's difficult to comprehend how it's become so bad.

A now famous documentary, "Bulgaria's Abandoned Children" by the BBC last year described the situation of a social care home for disabled children in Mogilino, a small village in northeastern Bulgaria. According to the story, Bulgaria has the highest number of physically and mentally disabled children growing up in state institutes. This is a powerful, but sad documentary. Watch here.

I've meant to bring up this topic on this blog, but it's not pleasant to discuss. One thing you might notice if you come to Bulgaria is that you won't see any handicapped people. This isn't really an accident. During Communism, physically and mentally handicapped people were put into institutions since they couldn't be considered real workers. The government saw them as a distraction.

Handicapped children do no study in the same schools as other children. From time to time I saw a mentally handicapped girl walking with her mom in Zavet. People I was with often labeled her as being "sick". One Bulgarian friend here in Sofia noted that handicapped people traditionally have been taken care of by close family members. They were kept in homes close to those who could care for them. According to her, to see someone who is handicapped out in public alone was a shock. "What are they doing? Who is taking care of them?" she told me.

Since families were working during Communism, most handicapped people were shipped off to these "institutes" to be taken care of. It's not an accident that many of these places are in far off villages away from the rest of the world.

But the situation seems to be getting slowly better. Because of EU regulations, public buildings are now installing electronic wheelchair lifts. Three different times this fall I watched with amusement as groups of men tried to figure out how to install these things at museums and government buildings. I've seen a few elderly people getting pushed around in wheelchairs, but the roads and sidewalks are so poorly made in so many areas of the city, I really don't know how they do it. None of the buses, trams, or trolleys have handicap access as well.

My friend Carolyn, who works at the First English School here in Sofia, had a blind student in one of her classes. She had a special laptop and listened to the English books on CD or tape. This was the first I had ever heard of a student with any disability being allowed to study at a regular school. So obviously there is some awareness and improvements being made.

I'm not a huge fan of the European Union, but it might have a strong influence on changes to improve the conditions of those with handicaps. Raising awareness that people are people and they deserve the same opportunities and rights as everyone else is something that needs to be done here.

Perfect Attendence Award... Almost for Ahmed Dogan

2009-01-05T21:22:00.004+01:00

I realize almost none of you know who Ahmed Dogan is, but this story is rather amusing.

Story is here (but in Bulgarian)

The always reliable "Trud" (meaning "Labor) Bulgarian newspaper reported today that Dogan, the undisputed leader of the Turkish party and widely considered the third most powerful man in Bulgaria, was absent for 121 or 123 Parliament sessions in 2008. Now I know many US Senators miss sessions and are on the road doing a lot of good and important things, but Dogan's attendance record seems a little excessive.

It would be interesting to know exactly what this "servant of the people" is doing if not even participating in the actual process. Of course, this story will raise few eyebrows here in Bulgaria. It's not as though Dogan is alone. Communist, eh, I mean Bulgarian Socialist Party member Silvia Stoicheva was absent 67 times while a few other notable "representatives" tallied 50 or more absences.

I wonder if an automatic one-hour detention after school for each unexcused absence would work?

Весели празници! (Happy Holidays!)

2009-01-04T18:27:00.009+01:00

The holidays have past and now everyone is back to work. (Including me... sort of) This was the third time I've been in Bulgaria around the holidays, but this year was a little different. I'm always surprised by what I continue to learn about Bulgarians and their culture. You would think since I lived here for more than two years, have read volumes on Bulgaria, and know the language quite well that I would have a solid understanding of what goes on during Christmas.

You would be wrong. At least before this year.

When I was a Peace Corps Volunteer teaching in Zavet I was ready to escape Bulgaria by December. The combination of cold weather, the same food, and the stressful work at the school didn't make staying in Bulgaria all that appealing. The first year I went to Greece and the second I went to Hungary and Croatia. I really enjoyed those vacations and I saw a lot of great places. But this fall I suddenly felt a little sad about missing out on the holidays here. I realized that Bulgarian Christmas traditions were pretty much a mystery to me. So I did my best to learn. And even though I didn't stay for Christmas this year (By Decemeber I was again tired of Bulgaria and my girlfriend came and wanted to see some other places in Europe too) I can give you the highlights about what goes on here for the holidays. It's rather interesting.

1) Christmas is family time -- One of the reasons I might not have felt like staying in the Bulg for Christmas was that Christmas is strictly a family holiday. It's not quite like the US where friends or neighbors are sometimes invited. Bulgarians gather with their immediate family only. On Christmas day they may or may not meet up with cousins or grandparents, but Christmas Eve it is only for immediate family. I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, but one Bulgarian, who had lived in the US, mentioned to me that it seemed weird to her that neighbors had been a part of Christmas when she was living with her host family in America.

2) Christmas Eve -- Bulgaria follows the same Christmas calendar as Catholics and Prostestants (unlike the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches which don't celebrate Christmas unlike Three Kings Day on Jan. 6). But the Orthodox Church does have some different traditions. For example, Christmas Eve (better known as Budni Vecher) is the last night of a 40-day fast that starts back in November. Bulgarians serve odd number of dishes that are vegan. They eat dried druit, beans, bread, and dried nuts. Not all Bulgarians follow this, of course, but many still do. Some eat on the floor and use dried grass to symbolize the hay in the stable where Jesus was born. A large roll is served with little pieces of paper that are baked inside. Each one has a fortune on it. The father, or eldest man, takes the bread, spins it a few times, then breaks off a piece for everyone. He usually breaks off a piece for the house too. Everyone opens theirs to see what their fortune will be for the year. Another custom is to pour a glass of wine at the table for Jesus. The table must not be cleared all night. Again, I asked people about this and some are strict about it and others are more practicle and can't afford that many plates. The family usually stays up until midnight and opens presents. Some families then serve meat after midnight. Bulgarians always light a special Christmas incense candle and it burns throughout the night.

3) Christmas Day -- Bulgarians do the whole Santa Claus thing, but this is fairly new. I talked to my students about this and most (even the young ones) don't really believe in Santa Claus. Families gather on Christmas Day to eat in the afternoon. They almost always have pork of some kind. In villages they often slaughter a pig that day. A tradition in some regions is to serve kapama, a tasty dish of pickled cabbage, pork, chicken, sausage, beef, and spices. It's cooked in a large ceramic pot for about six hours and then everyones feasts from it. I've had it and it's very good... if you like meat.

4) No Christmas Songs -- I remember trying to teach my students in Zavet a song other than Jingle Bells. I was running out of songs to sing, so I asked the students to teach me a Christmas song in Bulgarian. I was met with blank faces. I asked, "How about Silent Night? I know there is a version in Bulgarian." None of the kids knew it. Now, I should qualify this by telling you that more than half the class was Muslim, but even the Christian Bulgarian kids had no idea. I inquired about this with my language instructors. They didn't know any either. That's because almost none exist. The Orthodox Church doesn't have a strong tradition of singing... at least in a language that is understood by the majority of Bulgarians. All songs are sung in Old Church Slavonic and almost no one takes the time to learn these songs anymore. Only the choirs sing at church. And at any rate, no one really attends church anymore except old grandmothers. Western Christmas songs were forbidden during Communism, so "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" was never introduced let alone translated. I did find some Christmas tunes that were copied from Russia. They are kids songs. Most of the texts deal with the holidays, winter, and Grandfather Frost -- the Communist version of Santa Claus who comes at New Year's to give gifts to the good girls and boys. Today it's quite common to hear Christmas songs playing everywhere in Sofia. They're all in English and all from the US.

5) No work -- Everything is shut down during the holidays. There are banquets and parties before Christmas, but no one works on Christmas Eve. And almost everyone is off until after the new year. I guess this is about the same as the US, but I know that many Americans this year worked on the 24th and on the 26th. I don't think that happened here at all.

6) New Year's Eve -- Because of traditions from socialism, this is a big holiday. Many families get out of town and go somewhere. It was rumored that around 70,000 tourists were in Bansko (a town of 5,000 usually) for the New Year's holiday. There are packages for hotels, special dinners, and concerts. There are skiing packages. There are student packages for the Black Sea. Keep in mind the students just had their annual "Student's Holiday" at the beginning of December when they got a day off. Most go to a resort to drink until they can't drink anymore. Fireworks and firecrackers are extremely popular and cheap here. My previous video should suffice to show how even a small mountain town looks when the clock strikes midnight.

7) New Year's Day -- I experienced an entirely different holiday from previous years. I attended the annual parade in Razlog. This crazy event seemed similar to a winter version of Mardi Gras with people dressing up as bears and monster creatures. After staying up until 3 a.m. drinking and listening to fireworks and M80s explode I awoke to people banging on drums and yelling at 6:30 a.m. New Year's Day. I looked outside and people were drinking hot rakiya (brandy) and marching down the street. Some people were dressed up in traditional costumes while others were dressed in what looked like Ewok outfits. Kids, women, and men all were marching around that morning. The parade started at 11 a.m. Basically, it is a parade in which all neighborhoods in the town of 7,000 participate. Each neighborhood has a sign and it's name and most of the people dance, sing, beat on drums, and play instruments that sound like high-pitched clarinets. Everyone was drinking and hugging people. The serpentine wound its way to the center square where a jury decided who was the most festive. The grand prize was a banquet for the winning neighborhood. The most unique aspect is the kukeri. These are people who dress up in furry costumes that are supposed to scare away the evil spirits. This is an ancient tradition and there are a few kukeri festivals in the western part of Bulgaria. Razlog will have an official kukeri event on Jan. 17.

So, yet again, I wasn't actually in Bulgaria for Christmas, but I think I understand what goes on a little more. I can check off another piece of the Bulgarian cultural puzzle. Unfortunately, even with three years living here under my belt, I know I still have a long way to go until I can fully and truly understand everything about Bulgarians. But as they say here, "Спокойно, малко по малко... ." (Relax, little by little...)

Real Pirates on the Danube River

2009-01-04T18:24:00.001+01:00

OK, I meant to post this before I left on Christmas vacation, but since most people probably haven't read about it, I will relay it to you now.

It seems as though piracy on the high seas is once again fashionable among criminals. Pirates took hostages off the coast of Somalia two months ago. Now officials are complaining that pirates are attacking ships on the Danube, Europe's longest and largest river. The particular part of the Danube that seems to be having trouble runs between Romania and Bulgaria.

In early December, a Bulgarian official who directs a shipping company reported that around 40 Bulgarian ships have been attacked by robbers in the past two years. Allegedly these bandits run small boats up alongside the ships in the middle of the night, jump on board and steal whatever they can. No one has been killed, but a Bulgarian sailor tried to resist them and was thrown overboard recently.

The Bulgarian director pointed toward Serbia as harboring the criminals. The Serbs took issue with the accusation and now have reported that they too are victims of piracy. One Serbian newspaper wrote that the shipping companies are actually in collaboration with the pirates in order to collect insurance money.

I've seen the Danube and it looks similar to the Mississippi. I can how on dark nights out in the middle of nowhere it would be very easy to attack these slow boats. So much the EU's impenetrable walls of defense against crime.

Istanbul Videos

2009-01-04T12:19:00.003+01:00

I visited Turkey after Christmas and although it was cold and wet Istanbul is still a wonderful place to visit. For an American, the history of the city is amazing. Also, in contrast to Bulgaria and the rest of the Balkans, Turkey's style of hospitality is a warm welcome, though a bit overwhelming at times.

Call to Prayer

Turkish Tea and Music

Hagia Sofia

A New Year's Celebration or a War Zone?

2009-01-04T09:01:00.002+01:00

I spent the New Year's holiday with close Bulgarian friends in the mountain town of Razlog. It's located in the middle of three mountain ranges in the southwest corner of Bulgaria -- just five kilometers from the famous ski resort, Bansko.

I took this video at midnight, Jan. 1, 2009. Make sure and watch the ENTIRE video! Note: There are very few or no laws in Bulgaria concerning the lighting of fireworks or firecrackers.

A Good Shop Closing

2008-12-15T11:48:00.006+01:00

I'm not really a shopper. No, to be honest, I dread shopping. But this fall I found an interesting little store on my way to my language lessons. It's one of the perks of walking most of the day -- you find interesting places.

This tiny shop called Traditzia has arts and crafts, small gifts, etc. that I had never seen in Bulgaria. The shop works with young artists, the elderly in small villages, and other artisans who can't find a way to sell their work. There are handmade scarves, dolls, traditional rugs, jewelry, books and CDs about Bulgaria, and handmade cards.

Again, I'm not really into this stuff, but I was amazed by the quality and uniqueness of the items available. One small frustration is that Bulgaria is a wonderfully unique country, but there is little to purchase that adequately shows its uniqueness. Most of the trinkets and "cultural" items one can find are mass-produced and extremely flimsy and cheap. Only in little out-of-the-way spots in smaller towns can you find something special.

This shop is an exception to that rule. The staff was very friendly and helpful. One woman explained that the store opened about six years ago with the help of the wife of the former British ambassador. But because of financial reasons, the store will probably close at the end of this year. She was very sad about this.

The shop gives a generous portion of its profits to the individual artists. As you can read on their website, they help orphans, people with special needs, and minorities throughout Bulgaria. This is a radical concept here in Bulgaria.

I hope Traditzia can find another place and remain in business because it's something that is both unique and gives back to society. Unfortunately, I don't see this all that much here. The idea of giving back to the community for the greater good is scarce in Bulgaria. Hopefully that will change in the near future.

For more information about Traditzia go here.

Sofia at Sunset

2008-12-15T11:44:00.003+01:00

This a simple view of Sofia. The large building in the center is the National Cathedral of Culture (NDK). In background you can see Mt. Vitosha. The ugly, dilapidated monument is the 1,300 Anniversary Statue built in the early 1980s.

This video was taken on Dec. 8, 2008.

No Christmas Pig This Year?

2008-12-12T00:06:00.003+01:00

This week the Bulgarian government discovered that 60 tons of Irish pork had been contaminated by something known as dioxin. You can read more about the story here, but pork is a central part of Bulgarian's Christmas Day feast. Almost every ethnic Bulgarian eats pork in some form or another for the big holiday. In villages, the men in the families get together and butcher a pig. I've seen the pictures. It's not pretty.

Unwelcome Tourist -- Bulgaria is a relatively safe country (I use the word "relatively" loosely) but a Kurdish terrorist was picked up at the Bulgarian border. My guess is that he wasn't coming here for the yogurt. Or the pork for that matter.

But if they protest, who will they scream and throw rocks at? -- The Bulgarian police union is considering going on strike to fight for better wages and benefits. Only one problem -- it's technically illegal. This story in the Sofia Echo explains in greater detail why the police are so fed up. According to the story, officers' daily food per diem is less than the police dogs'. Now I know why a lot of policemen just stand around and smoke. Also, because of the financial crisis, all Christmas bonuses for all administrative workers have been suspended. Happy Holidays!

Just Another Corruption Case -- A politician from Razgrad, a town in the area I used to live as a PCV, is in trouble for fraud. He is charged with collecting payments from municipalities within the county.

Bulgaria to get something other than just Chinese food from China -- The Great Wall car company plans to invest 80 million euros in a factory in Lovech. I hope they build the cars better than they serve sweet and sour chicken here. (Actually, it's not all the that bad.)

Rich Food -- According to a report in Standart News, Bulgaria and Serbia have had the highest hike in food prices recently. Bulgaria topped all European countries with a 18.8 percent surge last year. Meanwhile, its neighbor to the south, Greece, had the lowest increase at 3.7 percent. Strange.

Jerry Springer Show... Roma version

2008-12-11T09:45:00.007+01:00

Part of my job here in Bulgaria is to speak and read Bulgarian better. So often I read the newspaper and translate stories for a morning exercise. Here is an amusing story that looked perfect for the Jerry Springer Show. If it was still on the air, of course.

17-Year-Old Gypsy Lover Steals His Aunt with Rifle
from www.19min.bg
Gypsy Romeo and his father took Ilka's small daughter too.

A mother and her baby were threatened with a rifle and after that were kidnapped by two men in the Montana village Kiselevo, reported county representatives of the police in the city. A 17-year-old kid, Itso, had wanted the 18-year-old Ilka, who is his aunt, for a long time. She also liked him, but was married to 24-year-old Luchi, who is the brother of Isto's mother -- Boriska. She and Luchi have 20 brothers and sisters between them.

Isto made his father, whom he is named after, to help him kidnap his beloved. He took a hunting rifle and went in the house of Ilka and Luchi. Itso Jr. (the 17-year-old) invited her to take her 3-year-old daughter Ivana and leave with him. Luchi, who was also at home, started to plead with them to not do this. Then the father and son aimed the rifle, stuffed the mother and daughter into a car waiting outside and left in an unknown direction on the road, zig-zagging between a wide and thick forest in the Kiselevo region. According to their parents, they went where their desire leads them, somewhere toward a village near Vidin.

Read here for original story
Translation by Matt Thompson

Just a little background information: Montana is a city in northwest Bulgaria. It used to be called Mikaelovgrad during the socialist period, but changed back to its original name after 1989. Vidin is another city in the furthest corner in northwest Bulgaria. It sits along the Danube River.

When I asked my language instructor whether the police would chase after this guy, she just laughed and gave me that "You silly boy" look. She explained that this type of behavior is common for Gypsies. They have large, complicated families and they don't play by the rules of European society. If you don't know anything about the Roma (gypsies), I suggest you do some reading. Relations with the Roma are a major problem in the Balkans and throughout Europe. Discrimination by Europeans is flagrant. But one can also see, the Roma live a very different lifestyle in many ways. I will write more about this topic in the near future as most people in the US don't seem to know anything about this group of people.

Photo credit: www.stormfront.org

The Pirates of Bulgaria

2008-12-10T23:18:00.006+01:00

Last Saturday I struck up a conversation with a student of mine at the bus stop.

I asked him what he was going to do the rest of the day. Like most teenagers, he said he was going to play computer games. In an attempt to engage him, I said that I played sometimes, but my younger brother plays a lot more than me. He asked me what games my brother likes.

"Well, he usually buys or rents basketball or football games or maybe Halo sometimes," I said.

The boy's eyes bulged.

"What? He buys the games? But why? He can just get them for free on the internet!" he said.

This is the general attitude of most Bulgarians toward copying or downloading illegal software, films, or music. This doesn't make them any different than much of the population around the world, but Bulgaria has been known throughout the past 18 years as a notorious hub for pirating illegal media. According to this story, in the early 1990s, Bulgaria was the second largest exporter of pirated movies, music, and software -- second only to China, which has a population 160 times larger.

By the mid-1990s, Bulgaria was cited as the No. 1 producer of illegal CD copies. It's believed that more than 70 million illegal CD copies were made and distributed at its height. After being threatened with trade sanctions by the US, the Bulgarian government cracked down and nearly eliminated most of the illegal businesses. Bulgaria is no longer on the US-led International Intellectual Property Alliance Special 301 Priority Country Watch List, but it did receive a stern warning from the organization's report this year, saying there are still "concerns regarding high levels of piracy, lack of leadership and coordination by certain Bulgarian government officials, and the need to improve enforcement of existing laws."

According to the latest Business Software Alliance and IDC report this year, 68 percent of the software used in Bulgaria has been pirated. That's the highest percentage in Europe. If you go to any outdoor market or visit a street vendor you can buy almost any new movie you want. Illegal copies of Windows Vista are available too. A few years ago my laptop got a virus that shutdown my computer. I went to the local internet provider (my neighbor) and asked for advice. I showed him my reboot disks for Windows XP.

"I've never seen those before," he said. "We'll fix it my way."

Afterward he offered me a free copy of PhotoShop.

The general attitude about getting free software or pirated movies is that it's not stealing. As a Bulgarian colleague explained, there is still the mentality that everyone in society has a right to all literature, films, or music for free. The thought that the author, musician, or director has the right to those profits is unthinkable to many.

Besides this mentality, which developed under socialism, Bulgarian society is the perfect storm for producing an environment for pirating. As pointed out by writer Svetlozar Aleksiev, Bulgaria has a inefficient, corrupt legal system, a rapidly increasing rate of internet and computer users in businesses and homes, and a population that has a very low income. The average Bulgarian makes around $3,000 per year. The country is an EU member and thus now an official member of "Europe". Bulgarians can see how Western Europeans live, but they still can't afford it.

Computers, music, and films are what connect many young people around the globe. So it's not surprising that Bulgarians are finding ways to obtain access to these media without coughing up the money. Bulgaria is known as a country that produces brilliant computer programers. Just recently a Bulgarian math team placed first at an international contest in India. Heck, even the inventor of the modern computer, John Atanasov, is of Bulgarian descent.

When I was a Peace Corps Volunteer I always had access to any new movie I wanted to watch. The week Spiderman 2 came out in 2004, a local man in my tiny town had several copies for rent for one lev. A friend of my colleague's invited us to his place to watch a movie on his home theater. Of course, he never goes to the cinema or rents films.

"I download them for free all the time," he said.

Everybody seems to be involved. Municipalities here often offer films to download off their city site and they never have any copyrights. Popular sites such as Arena.bg, a Texas-based Bulgarian Bit Torrent tracker (Torrent is a type of file sharing), is extremely popular, but has been down recently because of its current court situation. Very few of these types of sites are prosecuted. And if they are, they manifest somewhere else under a different name.

I know what most people are thinking -- this isn't really that big of a deal. Warner Bros. makes billions of dollars. What can it hurt that some Bulgarian teenagers steal this stuff? The problem is that organized crime is now involved in the distribution of many pirated materials. With improved technology, they can get anything to anyone. The presence of organized crime diminishes the efficiency of the government and encourages inequality in the community.

On the other hand, as our societies intermesh and become closer culturally, is it fair that those who have money only have access to the latest literature, film, and music? As my colleague described to me, in many ways Bulgarians feel like they are on the outside looking in. It's no big deal for most in the West to be able to afford to rent a film, download a movie online, or even purchase a book. But for most Bulgarians, this is a luxury they can't afford. Because of this, the cultural gap widens and there are more chances of misunderstanding and alienation.

Do large movie studios, which now market their films worldwide, have a responsibility to give consumers in poorer countries an opportunity to access their products at a reduced cost? Or should Bulgarians be expected to pay higher prices and learn to live by the rules of civil society? I'm not sure I have an answer, but this situation has made me realize how different societies can create their own sort of moral and ethical standards based on several factors.

Last week a local paper's lead story read, "Bill Gates takes 191 leva from Pazardjik man". The story, written in this strange sardonic tone, was about how a local Bulgarian had not renewed his Windows license and Microsoft had taken him to court to collect the money he owed them. In the end they got around $140 out of this man who had owned a small internet club. The paper was snickering that Bill Gates, a billionaire, would have the gall to go after this guy.

Despite the fact the Bill Gates has probably never heard of the town Pazardjik, I was amused that this "big news story" was begging for public outcry.

The One and Only Shopska Salad

2008-12-04T20:32:00.005+01:00

I feel I've been a little negative lately in my posts, so I'd like to change the mood. After all, it's Christmas time.

If there is one thing that Bulgarians can boast about, it is the Shopksa Salad. It is the "national dish" of Bulgaria and tourists, capitalists, and socialists can all agree that it makes a wonderful meal. Before arriving in Bulgaria in 2004, I never ate tomatoes. Or cucumbers. I hated them. But my host mother insisted on serving them almost every day. Out of politeness I ate them, but soon I began to appreciate this salad.

Shopska Salad is quite simple, really. It's made up of tomatoes, cucumbers, diced onions, roasted green or red peppers, and a mound of cirene (cheese that's similar to feta). There is no dressing, just add as much salt, vinegar and oil as you wish. It's served in almost every restaurant in Bulgaria and costs between 3 and 6 leva ($2.50 - $4.00).

I've made Shopska in the US, but somehow it's not the same. For some reason, the tomatoes are sweeter here. The cucumbers are crunchier. The peppers are more abundant. And the cheese, well, it's fabulous. Cirene is a crumbly, white cheese that is like feta, but it seems to be a little creamier. Most Westerners I know actually perfer it over Greek feta. It comes from cow's milk, but also can come from sheep's too. It has a fat content of about 45 percent and comes in big blocks.

Shopska is served before the meal and it's usually accompanied with rakiya (strong plum brandy). Bulgarians eat their salads slowly while talking, drinking, smoking, talking some more, then sometimes yelling too. It's all part of the lifestyle here. Enjoy life and damn the consequences! (Like work tomorrow)

The name "Shopska" comes from the Shopi people, who live just to the west of Sofia toward Serbia. As one website noted, Shopska Salad is like the Shopi people -- "pleasant and pungent". I don't know any Shopi, but they are famous for their dialect and not so clever ways of dealing with people.

If you ask most Bulgarians, shopska salad is an ancient tradition that has been a part of Bulgarian cuisine forever. While it is the tradition of all Bulgarians today, it wasn't always that way. According to an academic paper by Stefan Dechev called "Dress, Food, Boundries - Politics and Identity (1830s - 1912)" Bulgarians didn't use red tomatoes until World War I. He writes that the present-day Shopska Salad didn't appear until around the 1950s and "did not have its present form and shape until mid 1960s."

Yum... cirene.

Other sources suggest that the Communist Party packaged the Shopska Salad as part of its unique and European-style "Bulgarian cuisine" during the 1970s in order to impress Russian and East European tourists who came to vacation at the Black Sea.

No matter its origin, Bulgarians have done it right when it comes to this salad. If you visit Bulgaria, you must try it. I'll admit that if you have it every day it can get old. But a quality shopska salad on a warm summer evening is close to heaven.

For those of you who want to try this salad, it's very easy to make. The key is to get good cheese. In Seattle you can find cirene at a few stores. Here's one link that could help you. Here is a basic recipe is you want to try:

Ingredients

4 medium tomatoes, washed,peeled and diced
4 cucumbers, washed,peeled and diced
1 green bell pepper, washed,peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper
1 bunch spring onion, chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup feta cheese or bulgarian white cheese, crumbled
5-10 black olives, to garnish

Directions

Roast the red bell pepper directly on the gas flame, wrap it in foil or plastic wrap for a few minutes, peel and allow to cool.
Put the tomatoes, cucumber and green bell pepper in a salad bowl.
Dice the red bell pepper and add it to the tomato mixture.
Add the spring onions and parsley.
Season with a pinch of salt.
Be careful when seasoning with salt because the cheese is already salty, so don't add too much salt.
Sprinkle the olive oil over it.
Mix carefully.
Add the crumbled cheese.
Garnish with black olives and parsley.
Serve.

Cutest street performers ever

2008-12-03T21:44:00.003+01:00

I encountered this father/daughter musical duo on my way home today. The statue in the background is a gigantic Soviet Army monument that is in Boristova Park. I was unusually warm, but wet. The little girl really seemed to be enjoying herself and her dad played the clarinet quite well.

Seattle is the capital of Washington? According to Russians... Yes!

2008-12-02T10:27:00.009+01:00

Let me state this first: I have never been to Russia.

But I know many people how have. I'm in the Russian, East European, Central Asian program at the University of Washington, so I've read a lot of literature and discussed lots of issues about Russia with people who know a lot more about it than I do. Russia is a magnificent country and I want to visit it someday. However, some whom have studied or lived there have complained that many Russians still have this old, defensive, Cold War mentality. This is likely a result of a government that controls almost all media. I've always given Russia the benefit of the doubt, that my friends might have been exaggerating or couldn't see past their own biases. Now I'm not so sure.

This interview of a Russian political scientist exemplifies the propaganda that continues to pervade Russia. The article (and video if you want to watch) comes from Russia Today (RT), the Moscow-based news channel that was launched in 2005. It broadcasts in English and is intended to give a Russian point of view of the news to those English-speakers in Russia and abroad.

The story of this political scientist theorizes that a civil war will erupt in the US in the near future. The results will be a weaker America and that Russia is better off befriending China. I was ready to listen to this "scientist's" view until I reached this part why America's diversity will be its undoing:

"There are six parts altogether. The first one is the Pacific Ocean coast of the USA. I can give you an example: 53% of San Francisco’s population is Chinese. The Governor of Washington state was an ethnic Chinese; its capital, Seattle, is called the gate of the Chinese emigration to the USA. It is obvious that the Pacific Ocean coast has been gradually influenced by China. The second part in the south is definitely the Mexicans. In some areas, Spanish has become the official language already. Then comes Texas which has been openly fighting for independence. The Atlantic coast has a totally different ethnos and mentality. It could be split into two parts as well. And we are left with two central depressive areas. May I remind you that five central states where the Indians live had announced their independence. It was perceived as a joke or a kind of a political show. But the fact remains the same. Canada is making a strong influence in the North. By the way, Russia may require returning Alaska, as it had been rented out… "

The number of inaccuracies in that paragraph is staggering . The statement that San Fransisco is 53 percent Chinese (not true... not even close), that Washington's governor was Chinese (true, but he was born in Seattle and is third-generation Chinese), and that Seattle is the capital of the state (better double check that Wikipedia page) was worrisome. And this man is supposedly "Dean of the foreign affairs department at the Diplomacy Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry".

What does this have to do with Bulgaria? Russia is fighting for influence here. Gazprom, the Russian oil company, is building a huge pipeline through Bulgaria. Last week, the pricey gas pipeline, South Stream, that will go under the Black Sea and through Bulgaria and then onto Western Europe, was confirmed that it still will be finished in a few years despite the financial crisis. Bulgaria is having to play both sides right now -- please the EU and NATO while answering to Russia as well.

Nothing against Russians, but this story kind of scared me a bit. With President Medvedev rekindling relations in Cuba and threatening to put nuclear missiles in Kaliningrad as a response to the US missile defense system in Czech Republic and Poland, this all looks too familiar. The world doesn't need another cold war.

Scenes from Thanksgiving Day in Sofia 2008

2008-11-30T15:34:00.012+01:00

The sun was shining on Thanksgiving, but it was quite cold. This is the street I live on.

A man sells potatoes and cabbage out of his car near the neighborhood market.

We had a little Thanksgiving lesson at the language center where I study. These are students and instructors. The little girl next to me is a French student learning English.

A dog patiently waits at a crosswalk for the green light.

This canal runs through Sofia. It's often lined with garbage, but sometimes it looks quite pretty.

The outline of the Soviet Army statue still stands proudly as the sun sets behind Mtn. Vitosha.

We had a small international gathering for Thanksgiving dinner at Carolyn's. The meatballs made by a Dutchman were my favorite.

A nice picture of people who attended: (left to right) Carolyn (USA), Adriana (Bul), Emelio (Spain), Adela (Czech Republic), and Aneliya (Bul).

Dammit Jim, I'm a Bulgarian Politician, not a Doctor!

2008-11-27T12:14:00.007+01:00

Doh! Bulgaria just lost more European Union money because of "its persistent failure to tackle corruption and organised crime." This time it was 220 million euros which the country can never get back.

Read here from the Southeastern European Times.

Earlier in July, the European Commission froze almost 500 million euros of funding and took away accreditation of two government agencies that deal with PHARE funding (a pre-accession program that is intended to help developing states speed up to EU regulations). This was an unprecedented move in the EU's dealing with its member states. Never has it had to take away funds or displine in this fashion.

I listened to an EU delegate in one of my classes last spring at UW. He was surprisingly candide, saying that they only way to deal with the problem of government misappropriation of funds, fraud, and corruption in places like Bulgaria or Romania was to simply stop the flow of aid. According to him, that is the only way to get their attention.

The cynicism of the Bulgarian public is palpable. Nine people of out 10 would tell you that they think most Bulgarian politicians are corrupt and stealing. Whether this is true isn't the point. It's more important that people believe that they can't trust their own government.

The sad fact is that Bulgaria is in desperate need of infrastructure funding. They need new roads, government buildings, ports, etc. So the citizens of Bulgaria will suffer the consequences of their politicians. Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev, leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, was in Berlin and could only say that he was "disappointed" in the decision. Because the word "Неспоратливо"(unfair/unjust) was heard so much from defiant politicians last night on the news that I will never forget this word.

Another curious observation was that the president's office nor the Prime Minister's had any official press conference or statement about this fairly important event. Reporters read a comment from Stanishev that meant almost nothing and Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov was interviewed outside his office by reporters on the street. It seems (or at least looks) as though there is not much transparency when it comes to disseminating information or politicians having to answer tough questions.

Sofia Starbucks Video

2008-11-27T11:55:00.002+01:00

Starbucks Opens in Bulgaria

2008-11-27T10:56:00.009+01:00

I trudged through the slushy sidewalks of Sofia under a darkening sky that was trying to spit snow. A frigid wind whipped down Levski Boulevard as a packed trolley car raced by. It was the day before Thanksgiving and I was cold, tired, and a tad homesick. Then I saw something familiar.

A Starbucks sign.

This seems silly, especially since I don't even drink coffee, but my spirits lifted just a bit. Starbucks, the little coffee shop that has risen to global domination and has created a coffee culture all its own, has finally arrived in Bulgaria. The green and white insignia, which is ubiquitous among the Seattle landscape, gave me a feeling of home instantly, despite the dark, dreary November weather. I pass by this corner almost every day, but the cafe had been under construction for the past month or so.

I went inside and was greeted by (gasp!) smiling workers who offered me free sandwiches. The line was long, but an employee found me and took my order quickly. I ordered a hot chocolate (3.50 leva -- $2.30) and waited about three minutes before a man smiled and said, "Заповядайте, това е специален горещ шоколад от нас!" (Here you are, this is a special hot chocolate from us!)

A music trio played live music featuring Americans songs ("Get Your Kicks on Route 66") while people sat, drank, talked and pretty much did what people do in Starbucks around the world. I even saw a woman working on her laptop, which means the Wi-Fi must have been working.

Most of the people were Sofia's elite. Everyone was dressed nicely, and I have to admit, there wasn't an unattractive girl in the entire cafe. Some well-dressed businessmen, who spoke to each other in some other European language, took pictures and mingled with some of their Bulgarian guests.

I talked with two employees about how things were going. Today was the grand opening and they seemed excited about working there. I realize it was the first day, but the employees had a different feel about them compared to others in Sofia. Actually, they were not much different than those ultra-chipper baristas you see in Seattle. They seemed to have bought into the Starbucks mantra of friendly customer service -- a lesson that many service industries could use in Bulgaria.

I told them I was from Seattle, but living in Sofia as a student.

"Wow," one of the employees said. "You know, our first store is located in Seattle."

I laughed on the inside. "Yeah, I think I've heard of it," I replied.

This sign reads "Starbucks opens its doors for its clients, Thursday at 7 a.m. We are awaiting you!"

First Snow

2008-11-23T12:07:00.004+01:00

It's official, winter is here.

Yesterday it snowed for most of the day. The city was covered in a soft blanket of white that instantly made Sofia a little less dreary. The evening temperatures were quite cold as we walked to the center to meet a friend. We indulged in some American cinema and popcorn at one of the major theaters in town. We watched the new James Bond movie, "Quantum of Solace" (or in Bulgarian Спектър на Утехата"). It wasn't too bad.

The heavy, wet snow broke a lot of tree branches in the neighborhood, making it a bit difficult to navigate the sidewalks. But uneven, sometimes-blocked sidewalks are pretty much normal here.

No Smiles

2008-11-22T13:17:00.005+01:00

Before taking a picture, Bulgarians don't say "cheese" like Americans do. Instead, they say, "зеле" which means cabbage. I find this truly appropriate in many ways. Cheese is tasty and usually makes people happy. Cabbage, on the other hand, is bitter and plain. This could explain why many Bulgarians don't choose to smile in pictures -- or at all for that matter.

Normally, most people don't smile in pictures. These smiling Bulgarian-Turkish kids are exceptions to the rule.

In general, Bulgarians just don't smile as much as Americans do. I haven't taken any polls or done any studies, but it doesn't take long to notice that people are more solemn and serious than in America or even Western Europe. This is most noticable in the service industry where waiters, store clerks, or shop assistants rarely smile or make you feel welcome. Usually they make you feel the opposite.

My experience told me that poverty, the poor economy, and even history had something to with the general gloominess that pervades Bulgarian society. But after talking to some Eastern Europeans who have lived in the West, I think there is a little more to it than that.

The first reason, as explained to me by my Czech colleague who grew up during communism, is that smiling or laughing a lot is a sign of someone who isn't serious. If you are doing your job correctly, you won't be smiling. I've encountered this too many times in hotels, resturants, shops, or even asking for directions on the street. Showing that you are serious gives the other respect. My Czech friend also pointed out that someone who is laughing and smiling is either being insincere or is plain crazy. Life is not all fun and games and one shouldn't pretend that it is. Smiling and acting like you're interested in a complete stranger comes off as phony.

Milan Kundera, the famous Czech author, wrote about this in his book, Immortality. "Laughter is a convulsion of the face, and a convulsed person does not rule himself, he is ruled by something that is neither will nor reason. And that is why the classic sculptors did not express laughter. A human being who does not rule himself cannot be considered beautiful."

The second reason for all the sour faces is Bulgarians' unique approach to making someone else feel better. As explained in this blog entry, sometimes Eastern Europeans feel it necessary to complain and agonize over their own problems so that their acquaintance feels better about their own circumstances. This may seem a bit backward and strange, but it makes sense in so many ways here.

Another reason for the hostility -- and this mainly applies toward customer service -- is due to the transition between a planned economy and a capitalist economy. During socialism, services such as grocery stores or restaurants weren't necessarily competing against one another. Every shop pretty much had the same thing. There was little incentive to fight for customers. Plus, there was a shortage on goods much of the time. The experience of a Czech woman in this blog sums up my experience 75 percent of the time:

"I still often walk into shops where the personnel look as if I am there to spoil their day. They are not in any way planning to be friendly to their customers, because they still have this feeling that customers depend on shops to supply them with goods. To a certain extent, that is true. On the other hand however, shops now depend more on their customers than the other way around. Everybody is free to go to another shop where they get better service. Shopkeepers, especially older ones, don`t always realise that."

Clearly there are exceptions to this rule. I've visited several restaurants in Sofia that have excellent service. Everyone from the waitress to the hostess is friendly and works fast. But the overwhelming majority still go through the motions and make very little effort. This might be due to the low pay and bad hours, so I understand to a certain extent.

There are a lot of reasons why Bulgarians come off a little cold to visitors. But the last, and maybe most obvious, is that many just aren't very happy. They ARE grumpy. A Bulgarian friend recently visited London for the first time in his life. He said he couldn't believe how polite and friendly people were. "If you bump into someone on the train, they say, 'Oh, I'm sorry, please forgive me.' People never do that here," he said.

Eastern Europeans might have a different take on what smiling or laughing means, but I tend to enjoy it and I still think it's important. In Immortality, Kunder writes, "Laughter is of the most democratic of facial expressions: we differ from one another by our immovable features, but in a convulsion we are all the same."

Bulgaria vs. Europe (Western Europe)

2008-11-10T13:10:00.004+01:00

This funny cartoon is an exaggeration, but nonetheless illustrates some truth in comparing how society functions in Bulgaria compared to Western Europe (and the US). The parking bit is especially true.
It's pretty easy to understand even if you don't read Bulgarian, but here is some help:

В България = in Bulgaria
Транспорт = Transport
Паркиране = Parking
Парлимент = Parliament
Съседи = Neighbors
Чистота = Trash pickup
Работа = Work

Smoke It Up

2008-11-10T09:10:00.007+01:00

My eyes and throat burned a bit, but I kept smiling. I coughed a few times and turned my head, but the smoke seemed to be drawn to me. I've become tolerant of smoking -- you have to if you're going to live in this country -- but this was more than I could take.

I was sitting with a few ex-pats and one Bulgarian at the table last Tuesday night. We were packed closely together and I was sitting right next to the one smoker. No matter how much he tried to blow the smoke into the air away from me, it still found its way right into my face. I looked around to see if there was any place I could escape for a minute. No dice. The entire restaurant looked like a paper factory -- billows of smoke burning everywhere.

In the photo above this packet of cigarettes reads "Smoking seriously harms you and others around you." I'm not sure if the warnings are really deterring anyone.

Smoking is more than a habit in Bulgaria, it's a national pastime. According to a study released earlier this year, 52 percent of all men smoke at least one cigarette a day. Almost 40 percent of women smoke as well. Bulgaria ranked No. 9 in a 2006 study ranking the countries that smoke the most cigarettes per capita. Greece took the No. 1 spot, smoking more than 3,000 cigarettes a person per year. The only non-European country in the top 10 was Japan.

Smoking is still ingrained in European culture. The European Union does make all restaurants and bars have smoking and non-smoking sections, but sometimes this is a joke since most restaurants are tiny and two non-smoking tables surrounded by eight smoking tables doesn't make much difference in the air quality.

Bulgarians can still enjoy smoking because it's cheap. The average price for a pack of cigarettes (20 per pack) is around 2.70 leva ($1.80). Marlboros or other American brands go for a little more. One of my Bulgarian language instructors said he smokes 30 cigarettes a day, which costs him around 200 leva per month. Currently he is trying to quit but he's having a hard time.

Smoking is allowed almost everywhere except buses, trams, and trains (although the drivers can smoke up front). Every day I walk through the city and I see hundreds of people puffing away at bus stops, in the doorway of shops, and in cars. It's even allowed inside the hallways at Sofia University (or at least I see people smoking in the hallways there). Taxi drivers seem oblivious to their clients. They often light up without asking and may or may not blow the smoke out the window.

At the school where I used to work as a Peace Corps Volunteer, smoking had been allowed in the teacher's room. The director used to come out of her office with a cigarette in her hand while talking to students and colleagues. In my second year, the EU laws went into effect and teachers were forced to smoke outside. During cold weather, some of them would sneak into the nurse's office and smoke in there.

A recent study done said that of those who smoke in Bulgaria today, almost 14 percent started between the ages of 10 and 15. This doesn't surprise me at all. I see plenty of kids who look about this age smoking in the vacant lot next to where I live. At my previous school it wasn't unusual to see teachers and students smoking together on the benches across the street.

I've learned to live with this and don't complain. I understand that it's a person's right to smoke. But it's undeniable that this is a serious health issue in Bulgaria. It's also a garbage issue as cigarette butts fill the streets. At the national soccer match last week smoking was allowed in the stadium and it was filthy.

The other night I became a bit nostalgic for American restaurants that are clean, smoke-free, and your clothes don't stink when you come home. Laws like this won't be written for a long time here. This is just one of the "cultural differences" one must accept while living in Bulgaria.

Obama in Bulgaria

2008-11-09T20:14:00.005+01:00

The world is still celebrating Barack Obama's victory. And in Bulgaria it's no different.

There were no large gatherings or rallies in Sofia, but news coverage of this year's American presidential election has been significant this week. On Tuesday night I attended a small election party at a French guy's house along with a few other Americans. A camera crew from one of the country's major networks was there to do a live interview with some of us at 1:15 a.m. local time. During the rest of the week there have been news specials with local commentators giving their opinions on the race. One local news channel did a 20-minute story on race relations in the US and what Obama's win means to this topic.

Every Bulgarian I know has said they are happy that Obama won. They think he represents a more open and less aggressive approach from the previous administration. Whether this is true remains to be seen. But for now, perceptions are everything. On Saturday afternoon there was a news show dedicated to analyzing what Obama's win means for the world and Bulgaria. A professor I know was on the show. Later that night I saw a comedy/variety show do most of its sketches on the US election. One sketch had a black dwarf (politically correct word?) playing Obama's father. He and another Bulgarian sang "The Banana Boat Song" (Daylight come and me want to go home!) but they inserted new words that went something like, "Obama wins! Obama wins! The Democrats win and the Republicans are out!" This song was followed by an "offcolor" joke about Obama. It definitely would not have been something appreciated or accepted in the US. While watching all this, it still amazed me that a tiny country seven time zones away from the US would show this must interest in American politics.

One thing I noticed from Europeans' comments about the election was their opinion that the US is still greatly infected with racism. Many made comments like, "I can't believe the Americans are actually going to have a black president" or "I'm so surprised Obama was elected because of all of America's problems with race." While I will freely admit that the US has problems with race relations, I wouldn't describe it as a place that is seething with racial tension like South Africa or even Brazil. Most Americans don't subscribe to this type of discrimination and the use of racial slurs and remarks in public are deemed inappropriate.

This is not the case in Bulgaria (or many other countries in Europe). The ironic thing in Europe is that most Europeans like to consider their countries as peaceful, open societies. They have learned from the lessons of two world wars that nationalism and bitter division among ethnic groups is counterproductive. But there seem to be exceptions to the rule. For example, discrimination toward Roma (gypsy) people is obvious and normal here as well as in many other European countries. People are not afraid to state their opinion that the Roma are a lost cause and belong at the bottom of their society. While I would never say that EVERY Bulgarian feels that way, the majority does.

In discussing the election with a Bulgarian girl, she mentioned that she was happy Obama had won because it was a big step for America. I asked how. "Well, you know, because of all the racism in the US," she said. I asked if Bulgaria had the same problems. She said no. "So when will there be a Roma prime minister in Bulgaria?" I asked. She gave a wide grin and mumbled something to the effect that it won't happen for a long time, maybe never. So if Bulgaria is such a bastion of understanding, why can't a gypsy get elected prime minister, let alone even significant representation in Parliament?

Roma make up between 5 and 10 percent of the population. Nobody knows for sure since they weren't documented well in the last census. Also, many Roma will fill out their documents as Bulgarians to avoid discrimination. In Bulgarians' defense, there are complex reasons why the Roma haven't integrated into society, and it's not all the fault of Bulgarians. But this division between Bulgarians and other minority groups does exist and not much is being done about it.

France has problems with Arabs. Germany has problem with Turks. Italy has problems with Romanians. It seems as though ethnic/race relations is a worldwide problem, not just an American problem, despite what Europeans may think.

At any rate, Obama's victory carries some weight in America's message to the world that anyone can make it. On the front page of one of Bulgaria's newspaper the headline read, "Obama's Win Shows that Anything is Possible in America". I'm proud as an American that my country is leading the way in giving some hope to others abroad, even if it isn't perfect all the time.

Your Picture of the Day

2008-10-30T10:24:00.002+01:00

I took this in the afternoon yesterday while walking to my Bulgarian lesson. In case it's not clear, there is a sign that says no dogs allowed and below are three dogs sleeping in the sun. To these dogs (like many Bulgarians), laws and rules are only relative to how one feels at any particular moment.

The American Dollar

2008-10-28T09:52:00.003+01:00

The Great American Dollar is felt all the way over here in Bulgaria.

It has risen to 1.56 to the Bulgarian lev, which is good news for me. However, I know that the economic problems in the U.S. are worsening. But for the next few months I am here, so a higher dollar increases my buying power. (Even though all I do is study Bulgarian and go to the library.)

Here is a better look at why the dollar is rising and what it means. (It actually means some very bad things in the longrun.)

But for now, as they say in Bulgarian, "Всяко зло -- за добро." (The equivalent is, "Every cloud has a silver lining.")

Bulgaria in the News

2008-10-28T07:39:00.005+01:00

I hate to keep harping on bad news here in Bulgaria because I'm actually really having a good time. However, there are still serious issues facing this country that people need to know about.

Bulgaria recently scored poorly on the World Economic Forum's recent report. In fact, Bulgaria finished last (27th) among European Union countries in making progress toward the EU's Lisbon Strategy's Economic and structural reform goals. It measured the competitive performance of both EU countries and potential members as well. Croatia, Turkey, and Montenegro -- whom are NOT EU members -- finished higher than Bulgaria.

In other news, the European Commission is here auditing the Bulgarian government. If the EC is not convinced that any changes have been made since July when the Commission froze $600 million in structural funds because of corruption and manipulation of funds, then Bulgaria will lose another $277 million in additional funds. This move by the Commission would be unprecedented in the EU's short history.

Bulgarian soccer giants Levski and CSKA will play this weekend. Read this if you want to know how heated the rivalry gets. I will not be attending.

Belarus is hoping to start up more trade with Bulgaria. Belarus is basically run by a dictator, still has close relations with Russia, and is Europe's last government that still has a planned economy.

Bulgarian-Turkish relations are the best they have been in years, however there still are tensions at times. Recently, a mosque in Plevin was vandalized with swastikas for the fourth time this year. The Turkish government has called for more security around Turkish institutions in preparation for Turkey's national celebration.

I recently visited Razlog, a small town in Southwestern Bulgaria. It sits in the middle of three mountain ranges and I can honestly say it's the prettiest place in Bulgaria. But the valley is being transformed into a recreation and ski resort area. This is great for the economy, but in my opinion, there are not doing a great job. While local municipalities like Razlog and Bansko are doing fantastic things to improve their communities, the investors and developers have been building condos at a rate I've never seen. Now the real estate bubble is bursting and many projects are coming to a halt. Literally, there are hundreds of empty apartments and condos. A new golf club has been built. It's beautiful and expensive, but I'm still wondering who is going to come all the way to Bulgaria and pay 100,000 euros for an apartment.

The New Yorks Times did a decent job last year of explaining both the joys and frustrations of holidays in Bulgaria.

Weird Signs

2008-10-23T22:46:00.007+02:00

Every country has its own peculiarities in advertising and translating public information into English. Here is a short collection of ones I've found in Sofia so far.

For your viewing pleasure...

This piano bar can be found at the classiest hotel in Sofia... the Sheraton. I might have a difficult time playing with her on the piano like that.

The Balkan-Pakistan Connection

2008-10-22T21:21:00.004+02:00

Here is an entertaining story about Macedonia's quest to legitimize itself as a "nation".

Macedonia Dispute has Asian Flavor

In case you're not familiar with the "Macedonian Question" here is the simple version: There is a region called Macedonia which covers land in Greece, Bulgaria, and the former Yugoslavia. However, after the breakup of Yugoslavia, the sovereign, independent state called the Republic of Macedonia was created. This angered Bulgarians because Macedonians share much of the same cultural and linguistic traits as them, and Bulgaria occupied Macedonia during WW II, but lost it. Today, Bulgarians consider Macedonians as citizens of a separate state, but members of the "Bulgarian nation". This angers Macedonians who consider themselves separate from Bulgarians and direct decedents of Alexander the Great. Greece doesn't recognize Macedonia because its very name is considered Greek. They think "Macedonia" is only in Greece. The Greeks placed an embargo on their land-locked neighbors in the early 1990s and there's been bad blood ever since. Recently, Greece blocked Macedonia's bid to join NATO.

All three countries have trouble getting along on this issue. When Macedonia has sent diplomats to Bulgaria for talks, they have brought translators. Bulgarians have refused to use them saying they can understand every word of "Macedonian" and that they should stop pretending it's a different language. They also bicker about historical heroes from the past. Academics get in heated debates and often have very different opinions about the same events and people.

It's all very interesting, but this story is especially funny. (No disrespect to any Macedonians out there!)

Stories from the Past

2008-10-21T20:39:00.008+02:00

Often people ask why I'm so interested in Bulgaria and other former communist countries in Eastern Europe. I've never had a very good answer other than simple curiosity. But today I discovered why I find this place so fascinating.

While shopping in a souvenir shop today, an older man tapped me on the shoulder and asked where I was from. I went through my routine of explaining that I'm a student here studying the language and doing research, and oh yes, I speak Bulgarian pretty well because I lived here for two years as an English teacher. The man, who was the owner the shop, said he was once a teacher who taught literature to international students.

"But that was a long time ago," he said.

Pictures from Sept. 9, 1944, marking the beginning of Communist rule in Bulgaria.

To be nice, I asked him a few questions. His name was Petar and he has lived in Sofia for the past 16 years, but is originally from Varna, a city on the Black Sea. He is 75 years old now and still works every day.

"My shop is never closed, not even on Sundays," he said proudly.

I explained that I was doing research on how Bulgarian history is being taught in schools today. His face darkened and he said, "Don't believe a word they tell you. All those historians lie. You have to talk to the ones who were around before the 9th of September (in 1944)."

To give you a little background, September 9, 1944 marks when the Fatherland Front -- a coalition of radicals and antifascists -- took over the Bulgarian government. This coalition was heavily controlled by the Communists. Bulgaria then turned against the losing Nazis, their previous ally, and sided with the Allies. The Red Army entered Bulgaria and helped the Communists take complete control of the country.

This led to the near extinction of all elites and intellectuals in Bulgaria. In an attempt to seek retribution and quash any future threat, the Communists set up "people's courts" which were intended to punish the political leaders who had supported Nazi Germany. According to records, more than 2,700 were executed, 1,300 were given life sentences, and more than 5,100 were given 20 or more years in prison. Unofficial counts have the number as high as 30,000 prosecuted.

In less than a year, the Communist Party had purged almost all of the elite and intelligentsia. Doctors, academics, and lawyers who opposed the Party disappeared. What followed was a brutal, Stalinist regime that controlled every aspect of the state for the next 50 years.

Petar said he had never been a Communist. As a Westerner, I could never understand what life was like here, he reminded me. And that's when history came alive. He started telling me the story of his education. He grew up in north central Bulgaria not far from the Danube River. His grandfather was killed in the Balkan Wars. His father was also killed World War II. His uncle was shot and lost his arm, but survived the war. Without any parents, his uncle adopted him. His uncle had owned a large piece of land and divided among his sons and him.

Upon graduating high school, Petar applied to study at the university. Like all students then he had to fill out a form that roughly translates into "Character Card". On this sheet you wrote you personal history and family tree. For each family member you had to state if they were Party members and their background as well.

A monument in Sofia celebrating the arrival of Soviet troops in 1944.

Petar's card was returned to him and it stated, "We are not in agreement that this student is fit to study at university." Despite having high grades, his uncle had been considered a bougiose land owner, and therefore Petar did not come from a family of "true workers". He was denied entrance at many universities.

But he was determined to get an education. He moved to a village in the northeast near Romania where his cousin lived. There they did not check information cards as much. Two years later he went through the process again without mentioning his uncle and was accepted by Sofia University.

I don't know why it hit me, but I suddenly realized how much this man had seen in his lifetime. He was living history. The brutality of the regime somehow rang louder and truer with his simple story.

I guess that's what I like most about here. It's like walking through an open museum all the time. The buildings, the roads, the monuments are all part of a society and -- dare I say -- civilization that ceases to exist now. The communist way of life is gone, but the remnants are still here for us to see. The people who lived through it are also here.

I don't enjoy witnessing a failed society, rather I hope to compare it to my own world and learn from it. Here I learn something new each day. Even during a simple trip to the souvenir shop.

Discovering Ancient Bulgaria

2008-10-20T16:41:00.003+02:00

I spent last week traveling throughout Bulgaria visiting some of its most interesting and famous ancient sites. When you think about Bulgaria, you don't really think ancient ruins like Greece or Italy. But Bulgaria has plenty of ruins, mosques, castles, and tombs to see. A few professors accompanied us as we traveled to Veliko Turnover, Pliska, Preslav, Kazanluk, Shipka, Madara, Plovdiv, and Hissarya.

We walked through ancient cities that were once thriving metropolises more than a thousand years ago. We saw tombs from the Thracian period, which reaches back as far as the fourth and third centuries B.C. We visited the ancient sites in Plovdiv, which once was a huge Greek city under the Roman Empire.

Although my historical interests are more contemporary, it did provide me with a deeper knowledge of this region's history and place in the world. For more pictures, follow this link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=57476&id=635647446&saved=

Driving Through Rural Bulgaria

2008-10-20T15:44:00.003+02:00

This video was taken while driving near Shipka, a small town in central Bulgaria. It is on the edge of the Stara Planina (Old Mountains) near the Valley of Roses.

Another Insightful Story on Organized Crime in BG

2008-10-19T10:41:00.004+02:00

This story is from the Sofia Echo, the English newspaper here in Sofia. It gives a more comprehensive look at why organized crime continues to strangle this country.

Take a look: http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/insight-snapshot-corruption-in-bulgaria/id_32400/catid_5

Bulgaria also took some steps backward in fighting corruption this year, according to Transparency International's last Corruption Index Report. Bulgaria placed 72nd in the world and dead last among all EU countries. It tied China, Macedonia, Mexico, Peru, Suriname, Swaziland, and Trinidad & Tobago in terms of perceived levels of public-sector corruption. Somalia, Iraq, and Myanmar were last among the 180 countries surveyed.

Bonnie Tyler... Pop Queen of Bulgaria

2008-10-18T20:59:00.005+02:00

Have you ever found yourself in Macy's or a dentist's office and you hear the standard adult contemporary music from the 1970s, 80s, and 90s? It's light music and you know the melodies even though you might not know the lyrics or the title of the songs. For most offices in the US, it's ubiquitous.
It's the same story here in Bulgaria, but the selection is much, much smaller. As our group of scholars traveled across the country last week, I noticed that we couldn't escape the flinty, smoky voice of Bonnie Tyler. She was a pop icon in the 80s and her biggest hit probably is "Total Eclipse of the Heart". Every hotel lobby, restaurant, and souvenir shop we visited played at least one Bonnie Tyler song.

Seriously.

This phenomena provoked me to give you the short list of artists that get played in most public places. Of course, techno music is the most popular music for hip cafes and clubs and bus drivers prefer to play chalga (pop melodies fused with Oriental and traditional folk rhythms and instruments). But in any place wanting to appear more "Western" these are the top five musicians you will here while in Bulgaria:
1. Bonnie Tyler -- Already mentioned her, but somehow her songs are played everywhere. I heard her songs four different times in four different towns in one day last week.
2. Bryan Adams -- The Canadian singer who made it big in the early 90s is still a big hit here. Most notably, his song "To Really Love a Woman" is very popular.
3. Lionel Richie (and/or with the Commodores) -- "Easy" is played nonstop here. It reminds me of shopping in the store with my mom in 1986. I can still listen to it today while shopping at the grocery store here.
4. Sade -- Although she has a cool voice, I can only hear "Smooth Operator" and "The Sweetest Taboo" so many times.
5. George Michael (and/or Wham!) -- While George Michael is played a lot in the US, his early songs with Wham are so overplayed here. "Careless Whisper" is the all-time favorite, while "Father Figure" is a close second. When Christmas season comes, I guarantee "Last Christmas" (You know the lyrics... "Last Christmas I gave you my heart, but the very next day you gave it away...") will be played at least 50 times a day on various radio stations.

While all of these Western singers were popular, it's funny which ones somehow made it into the Bulgarian adult contemporary mix. Certain songs resonate with certain cultures. Often pop songs that are popular here have a lot of minor chords and have a sad sort of feel. One example is Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart". Many Bulgarians I've met know it well and can at least recite the chorus. Songs with this kind of chord structure seem to fit into the "Eastern" ear of many people here.

Crime in Bulgaria

2008-10-18T20:10:00.008+02:00

Bulgaria, for the most part, is a great place to visit. But to live here is a different story. As many people know, Bulgaria is part of the prestigious European Union, a bastion of European states that have come together to share common markets, a common currency, and common values in an attempt to serve all Europeans and pursue the greater good of everyone in the world. As this story in the New York Times shows, that plan has gone a bit awry here in Bulgaria.

If you're not a subscriber to the online New York Times you can also read the story here.

Entrance into the EU was supposed to curb corruption. Instead it has bolstered it. Some consider this just a stage in Bulgaria's young capitalist economy and that this turbulent period will pass. However, it's the common people in Bulgaria that are paying the price today.

A Night of Futbol

2008-10-14T00:12:00.005+02:00

The autumn air was cold and crisp as I walked toward Vasil Levski Stadium, the home of the Bulgarian national soccer team, early Saturday night. People were everywhere. Cars and buses clogged the streets. Sofia was alive tonight.
A Bulgarian friend invited me to go to the Bulgaria-Italy soccer match. I have never attended a major sporting event abroad and the chance to see a real European soccer match live was too much to pass up -- even though I am not a soccer fan. Going to a soccer match on a Saturday night in the fall seemed almost sac religious as college football holds a special place in my family. But I went anyway.
Outside the stadium fans were dressed in green, white, and red. Many wore flags around their necks or had painted faces. By the volume of noise and excitement coming from them, it looked as though people had already prepared for the cool evening with a heavy dose of beer or rakiya (brandy).
We proceeded to the gate where about eight policemen stood. They did a thorough search of me and then made me empty my pockets, revealing my contraband of peanuts and a Snickers bar. We went through another security barrier. This time the policeman gave me a rather thorough and, um, personal search. Not even American airport security search you this well!
After feeling a bit violated, we made our way to our seats. Since most people stand on the seats, we wiped off the dirt a bit and sat to wait for the beginning of the match. While waiting, we ate sunflower and pumpkin seeds and watched as hooligans across the way let off bombs which excited the crowd. Spontaneous singing happened from time to time and after an hour the stadium of 42,000 was packed.
The Italians came on and were immediately booed. The national anthems were played for each team. The Bulgarian crowd lifted their flags from around their necks toward the sky and everyone sang the anthem with gusto.
The match started. No one was sitting in their correct seats so piles of men filled the aisles everywhere. In between puffing on their cigarettes, the crowd often sang, "Nie peem samo za pobeda i pobeda i pak za pobeda!" (We are singing only for a win, and a win, and again for a win!) When the ref made a bad call (at least in the eyes of the crowd) they would sing a song that was quite dirty (email me if you want to know the words).
Chaos continued through the entire match. People watched, but others didn't. Huge fights broke out on the other side. A few sections to our right another huge brawl started. I saw people being thrown and punched. Everybody turned to look while others tried to ignore them and watch the match. Most of the people around me started chanted, "Celeni! Celeni!" (Rednecks! Rednecks!) It was kind of funny, but I was nervous if any fight broke out near us because there would be no room to escape it.
The match ended in a tie (of course!). No one scored, but the Bulgarians were pleased to tie the defending World Cup champs. Everyone tried to push their way out of the stadium, but the aisles and tunnels were so small that this took quite awhile. There were hundreds of police officers everywhere. Many were in riot gear -- helmets, shields, and batons. I'm not used to seeing this at sporting events, but they must've known more than me.
All in all it was a fun experience. The passion of sport and the pride of their nation was on full display. And while many sincerely love the sport and were there to watch the match, there were many there to cause problems, swear profusely, and basically release their anger at someone. I guess this isn't much different than a Giants game in New Jersey -- except the beers weren't $8.

Pictures from Around Sofia

2008-10-10T20:17:00.006+02:00

Bagpipes in the Park

2008-10-09T08:00:00.003+02:00

This man plays his gaida (a small Bulgarian version of the bagpipe) in this park just between the university and Nevski Cathedral.

Разходка в гората (A Walk in the Forest)

2008-10-05T19:19:00.008+02:00

The other students studying here at the American Research Center, along with another Bulgarian, accompanied me on a afternoon hike on the mountainside of Vitosha. In case you've never heard of Vitosha, it is a large mountain that overlooks Sofia, which sits in a high valley between Vitosha and the Stara Planina (Old Mountains). The area we went to is fast becoming the suburb of the new rich in Bulgaria. We traveled to a small village called Bistrista where we found a small square and simple houses mixed in with gigantic, over-the-top mansions -- each surrounded by extravagant walls like castles. The hike itself was easy as we started high and eventually wound down the mountainside back to another village. Afterward we went to another nearby village called Simeonovo and enjoyed some very sweet, but tasty (and cheap) desserts. I think my mousse-filled crepe cost less than $2. It had a spectacular view of Sofia.
Since I didn't live near mountains when I was a PCV, it is fun and interesting to take hikes like this on this side of the country. I'm seeing new things and meeting different people. While coming down we witnessed a huge deciduous tree. Sitting on a bench was a retired couple. I initiated conversation and we started talking. When he realized I wasn't Bulgarian he guessed that I was British and began speaking English. This is very rare for an 80-year-old Bulgarian to know English. He had been a scientist and had traveled all over Western Europe "at least 40 to 50 times" during the 1970s and 80s. He was very nice -- stately and classy -- as he explained that he knew a great deal about British and American history as it is a hobby of his. As we walked away our Bulgarian companion (a very educated, nice guy) guessed that this older gentleman had been a spy as almost one was allowed to do that much traveling unless they were highly connected in the Communist Party. I can't say one way or the other, but he is the type of person I never met while I served as a volunteer during my two years of service.

Concert Video

2008-10-04T08:56:00.004+02:00

Here is a short clip of traditional Bulgarian music being performed at NDK.

Forrest Gumping It

2008-10-03T10:32:00.005+02:00

This is a random post, but I went looking for a textbook fair at the National Cathedral of Culture (NDK) in the center of Sofia and I ended up going to a concert celebrating the retired people (pensioners) of Bulgaria. I was lead in the back next to the stage. I think I was the only person without a cane. Anyway, the singer turned out to be quite famous. I felt a little like Forrest Gump -- just some random guy who stumbles upon a big event not having any idea what's going on.

First Impressions

2008-10-03T09:19:00.004+02:00

One mistake I always see in travel blogs or stories from people who have traveled abroad is that they have a tendency to encapsulate an entire country by the small number of people they meet. Looking back at what I have written I 'm just as guilty. But having lived in Bulgaria for a number of years and experiencing many different people from many different walks of life, I'm getting a better feel of this culture and society.
For example, I recalled that many Bulgarians were initially cold to me when I came here in 2004. I thought they would be excited to meet an American. I was especially overtaken by the well-known fantasy that beautiful Eastern European women would come crawling, begging to meet a "real American man." Instead, many people simply dismissed me and were irritated with my limited language ability. Now that my language skills are much better, I expected a warmer welcome from the citizens in Sofia this week. But many have ignored me in many instances. I was prepared to write about how cold Sofia people are until last night.
I went to the supermarket around the corner to buy some dinner. The same woman who had served me the day before was waiting with a tired, put-off look on her face. The day before she had barely mumbled anything to me despite her knowing that I clearly was a non-Bulgarian speaking Bulgarian. Believe me, this is a rarity in this country. It's like an Asian walking into a Brazilian restaurant and ordering in perfect Portuguese. It just doesn't happen much.
I walked up and ordered some stuffed peppers with rice and she smiled, revealing a look of recognition and curiosity this time. Finally, she looked me in the eye and asked, "Китаец ли сте?" (Are you Chinese?) I laughed and said no, I'm American. She said she was tired and meant that she meant to say American. (Whether this is true I have no idea. Do I really look Asian?) She then asked what I was doing here, whether I liked Bulgarian food, and seemed rather intrigued why I was here. It reminded me that people -- and it seems more so in Bulgaria -- need a few times to warm up to a person. Because of its recent history, because of the economy, and because of the general distrust that exists in this society, sometimes people aren't as polite or courteous at the beginning. But that does not mean they are not generous, kind, or welcoming to others. In my short return to Bulgaria I've already encountered many nice people and a few jerks. It's about the same percentage as my experience living in Seattle.
I've come to realize that this is true perhaps all around the world. Unfortunately, people who travel the globe and spend one day or even a week in a one spot before moving on can all-to-easily label a country and its people because of one negative (or positive) experience. I'm not discounting stereotypes, because in essence, stereotypes exist because there often is truth in them. But usually that stereotype is just one part of a complex picture that makes up and group or society of people.
This might sound a bit preachy, but the next time you travel try to mix with as many different people as possible. Get outside the capital cities. Go to the less-attractive, hidden restaurant. They people may not be nicer and the food might be worse, but you might just find something better and more authentic. And as result, you might just get a clearer, richer view of that place and its people.

Church Bells Ringing

2008-09-30T23:02:00.000+02:00

Here is just a nice, relaxing afternoon at an outside cafe in Sofia.

Return to Bulgaria

2008-09-30T22:13:00.001+02:00

Nothing is ever easy in Bulgaria.
I take that back. Cheap beer and good banitsa are a sure bet anywhere you go, but other simple tasks simply take more time and energy than in the U.S. Case in point, today I was supposed to register with the police as it is a rule for all foreigners to do this within three days of arriving. A man from the research center helped me prepare my documents and drove me to the police station. When we arrived they told us to go down the road to another office. The registration office told us that my address was not registered as a dormitory, so therefore I couldn't be registered there. After some arguing we returned to the office to change the documents and returned with another guy from the office who had checked in a previous student. The registers again said this was impossible and they must've made a mistake before. The only way to rectify the situation was to go to the municipality, but to change the address in the registry it will take about a month. So, finally we went to another police station near where one of the office employees lives and I registered as a guest at his address. What a waste of four hours.
After more than 24 hours back in Bulgaria, I've realized not much has changed since my stint as a Peace Corps Volunteer ('04-'06). So, to the pleasure (or displeasure) of former PCVs in the Bulg, here are some of the things that remain the same here today:
1. There are still lots of old men sitting around at 10:30 in the morning yelling at one another while smoking cigarettes and sipping warm beers.
2. You can still order shkembe chorba in restaurants.
3. Man capris are still hanging around.
4. The tomatoes are still 10 times sweeter and better here than in America.
5. Roma families still ride their donkey carts through the middle of traffic in Sofia.

There does seem to be more construction going on in Sofia, but from the initial look of things, nothing has changed. Prices are about the same, the looks on people's faces are about the same, and the crumbling infrastructure is about the same. Despite that, it's a much different and more pleasant experience returning here. Unlike before when we didn't know a word of Bulgarian or even understand the culture, it has been fairly easy to jump back in. I'm looking forward to this fall. Here are a few pictures: