:Welcome2:To the 2nd instalment, lets see if any of you can relate to this one.... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

We have all done this, so it will not come as a great surprise to most of you. You have just moved from wherever you came from, you meet a couple of Brits and you latch on to them because they have been here longer than you and you need to adjust to your new surroundings, at every opportunity you ask them about everything and anything...from shopping, to taxing your car, materials etc etc........Then someone else moves in from wherever and you are put on the back burner, they don't contact you at every opportunity, like they did before and when you do contact them, they are busy.....and this gets better......'we will always be there for you no matter what'.........heard that one before folks [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] they are doing the rounds to all the newcomers.....We call this 'Friend Hoppers', and no-matter what you do or say, you are surplus to requirements....they have new friends to impress upon. Aha, you may say....they always come back.....but only when they either want something, to gloat about something or to get some gossip.....Please tell me folks that I am not the only one who has come across this system of logic

Anyway, the real reason for the second instalment was the Bulgarian side of things and hopefully a more happier side to this wonderful country. First day here and they come out of the woodwork, they are everywhere and boy oh boy, don't you need them when the lorry arrives with all your stuff.....yes, I am talking about your neighbours, they can lift like no-one else you have met, even the women have lumberjack arms and they bring you so much food, that you wish you had a pig to feed it too (no, that's unfair....sorry folks, their food is lovely....it's just that there is so much ). Then, you need certain things, like eggs.....I actually squatted down, went cluck cluck and pointed to me backside and made a round shape to get some eggs, because I didn't know any Bulgarian :Very funny 2:Imagine my surprise when she laughed and shook her head from side to side......oh well, lets see if I can get some potatoes then.........(don't even go there folks, it was bad enough with the eggs [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] ) :Very funny 2:No-one told us that shaking their head from side to side means yes......2 months later we found out the hard way.

Then, come the invites.....we had a translator who we called upon to all of these functions......phew, that was a help.....but try and tell a Bulgarian that you don't drink alcohol, even the translator was gobsmacked and said..."
why not, are you crazy, everyone drinks in Bulgaria"
....so they ply you with Rakia.....I call this paint stripper [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] It is a rather unpleasent experience if you really don't like drinking........but because I am big, bald and I look like I can handle a few drinks....they ply you with more and tell you it cures everything......It does, it cured me never to drink the stuff again But apart from that, the food they put out for you is brilliant, never before have I tried so many dishes of pure wholesome food....they certainly know how to put on a spread....with BREAD .

Next come the Maestro's, or KIA's (Know It Alls), you are doing it wrong, let me show you, then they take over and then the whole family arrives, then the rest of the village......and they are all jabbering and what can only be described as arguing in loud voices, well shouting....and you think...OMG they are going to kill each other.......and to make matters worse.....there is one little old lady doing all the work, she only arrived 2 mins ago...... I sometimes get the feeling that they just want to have a shouting match....but at the end of it, you get nothing done yourself and what they have done, you have to do again..........WELCOME TO BULGARIA


Tune in again, because there is so much more to share!

I can relate to much of this and it always amazes me how it seems that they are shouting at each other and about to go to war but I remember once being somewhere and a good friend of mine who is Bulgarian was with me and we met this other lady a Bulgarian and they began chatting or should I say I seen it as an augment anyway a few mins later the other lady went on her way and I asked my friend why was you 2 arguing and she replied with "
we wasn't"
I then said well thats how it looked to me :shocked1:she went onto say that she had a very polite conversation with the lady in question who was an old school friend that she had known for years and the conversation was about an invite to a wedding. So there you go it just goes to show that sometimes all isn't what it seems, and as for the head shaking I too fell foul of that for quite some time I would be constantly asked something or offered something which I didn't want so when I nodded to say no they gave it me great second installment and I'm really enjoying your posts maybe we might also get a womans perspective on it too from the BOSS

what a good topic, and i can relate to most of what is being said. you learn by your experiences here, its the only way.

when we were house hunting, we stayed in varna. daily we went past techno polis and assumed it was a police academy we had a good laugh when we found out it was an electrical store.

Khal I assume most people will relate to much of your posting. Re: Bulgaria language I have always said it is a very aggressive sounding language and as you say 'they shout at each other' When we first met our neighbour who visits his land, thankfully not too often, he too was shouting we thought he was having a go at something we did wrong but realised after a while this is his normal pitch when speaking. They do get very excitable

Oddy

Yep been there seen it done it

But with our Bulgarian friends they have remained friends and are still friends. In fact they are the best friends we have ever had

Yes and we have had the Brit experience once bitten twice shy.

Just you don't love it here we do, UK yuk no thanks too crowded too busy. The one thing that does tend to annoy me is that the Bulgarian people will not queue and always want to be at the front, a bit like their driving I suppose. They don't like it if you tell them but they will then stand behind you though. They know what they are doing

Yep!,

We have had the friend hopper experience too.We were warned by others and it took 3 years to realize what was going on as we tend to see the good side of people.They tend to also pump you for information about yourselves/finances then go around gossiping your business to all and sundry.Ultimately they will take advantage especially when your apartment is empty and have access to keys or when they need something.I'm much wiser now though.

I'm also amazed with the amount of brits that pretend to want to buy something from you.They make an offer,it get's accepted then they disappear off the face of the planet never to be heard from again.What's wrong with people?

Yep you got it all right we have been there,the friendly brit (part of a click) big mistake but we saw through it let them dwell in their own company,dont get me wrong we have some nice english friends,but we decide who will be our friends,and belive me our best friends are our Bulgarian ones,but everyone who comes here will work that one out for themselves,it takes a little time,but us brits have lots of time.