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British Ex-pats in Bulgaria: We Came Here "
Just To Live Our Dream"




The British press moans and groans about a vast influx of foreigners, including Bulgarians, while the steady stream of UK emigrants goes almost unnoticed.

Some 30 000 or more UK nationals leave the country permanently every year, according to official statistics. Where do they go?

One of the prime destinations is Bulgaria. The British Embassy in Sofia estimates there are at least 8 000 – 9 000 Brits currently living here, perhaps many more. Who are they? Why choose Bulgaria? What is life like in their adopted land?

Beyond the Clichés

The stereotyped “Brit ex pat” is old, retired, cannot speak Bulgarian, and doesn’t integrate well. Many ex pats spread right across Bulgaria would vehemently disagree. There seems to be no simple profile that adequately describes the variety of Britons who have made Bulgaria their home. There are, however, some definitive trends: British ex pats tend to be from UK inner-city areas, with the majority moving to areas in rural Bulgaria. A favoured region is that of Veliko Tarnovo, which has attracted some 3 000 immigrants in recent years.

On the negative side, many of these ex pats are unemployed and, since the onset of the financial crisis, are finding it difficult to live off their savings – for example, the value of a UK pension has dropped dramatically since the slide of the pound sterling, and interest rates on investments are at record lows – with an upsurge of Brits now forced to compete for work in an already difficult Bulgarian labour market.

One should draw a distinction between those who have bought property as an investment, those who own a holiday home and visit Bulgaria on a regular basis, and those who have settled permanently in Bulgaria.

Many short-term investors over the past few years who bought Bulgarian properties have been stung by a combination of the global financial crisis and the related local problems of economic slowdown and the “property bubble”.

Apartments on the Black Sea coast, and in, for example, the larger ski resorts of Bansko and Pamporovo, have not yielded the cash returns that were both promised and expected in the short term. Owners are now trapped in a dilemma: with little or no return on their investments and a collapse in market prices, they have a simple choice: lose money, or hope for better days, if they can afford to ride out the recession.

Regular holidaymakers are not so badly affected. The Brits continue to visit their Bulgarian second homes, mostly close to the Black Sea and some mountain resorts. The expansion of low-cost flights between the UK and Bulgaria supports this. It is true that the overall number of holiday visitors to Bulgaria is down this year, but those who can afford it continue to enjoy a regular vacation here.

However, it is one thing to invest in Bulgaria or to take vacations. It is an entirely different situation when it comes to making a permanent move, to find a new home for yourself and your family, to leave behind your homeland, to plunge into an unmapped future. So, what motivates so many Brits to commit themselves to a complete change of lifestyle?

Q: Where Do You Find a Brit Ex pat in Bulgaria? A: Everywhere You Look!

There may not be statistical evidence of exactly how many ex pats live in Bulgaria, nor where they live. But it seems one meets a Brit expat almost anywhere in the country.

As one would expect, there is a concentration of ex pats in the capital, Sofia, an international mix of about 5 000 top managers and executives, including the British contingent, and probably several thousand more professionals.

Indeed, there are some choice neighbourhoods where one cannot avoid them: according to a recent survey, Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd., Istok quarter, Sofia business park, Mladost 4 and Monastery Lawns quarter are typically occupied by businessmen, long-term consultants, diplomats and other professionals, of several nationalities. The trend here is that ex pats are based in Sofia for career reasons, staying here for a few years before moving on elsewhere, and living in rented accommodation.

But, look further afield, and you find that many Brit ex pats have settled permanently in other cities, in villages, and even in the most remote rural areas. They have established their homes for all sorts of different reasons, from the emotional (“I just fell in love with the place”) to the strategic (“a good centre for business opportunities”).

One can find small communities from Bankya to Veliko Tarnovo, from the banks of the Danube to Zlatograd. At last, we have discovered the hard core of British expatriates, those who have fully committed themselves to a life in Bulgaria – with all its ups and downs.



The Life and Times of the Committed Ex pat

It’s a sad fact that life is not a bed of roses, and this applies to the Brits living in Bulgaria. Dramatic news stories appear regularly in the national press of incidents involving corruption, intimidation, criminality, and even violent deaths among the ex pat community.

Recently, there was the case of the couple in the village of Elhovo, who were besieged by their neighbour's vicious bees. As well as suffering constant attacks by these insects, they cannot even consider moving house to avoid the problem, as no-one would want to buy under these circumstances.

Then, the case of Klimentovo, a village near Albena, where a small group of ex pats have suffered a spate of break-ins and thefts, and none of the perpetrators have been caught. In their frustration at the alleged lack of official action, they ended up in a brawl with the local police.

Two years ago, an elderly woman living in Nedyalsko (Yambol district), having been attacked on six previous occasions, was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs.

This week, shockingly, there is the tragic report of the suicide of a 52-year old ex pat in the village of Saraya, near Pazardzhik.

Sad and tragic as these cases may be, one should keep a proper perspective on these events. Look at crime and suicide figures in Britain, or any other country, for that matter. One significant factor in the first three Bulgarian incidents cited, though, is a reported lack of action and initiative on the part of the authorities – more on this common allegation later.


The International Professional

Bankya is a spa city of about 30 000 inhabitants, on the western outskirts of Sofia. An estimate of house sales over the past year indicates that up to 20% of clients are non-Bulgarians. Most of these are Greek or Italian, but there is a minority of Britons.

John Brewer, now in his 50s, moved here from London and married a Bulgarian lady some years ago. He has lived in Bankya for about four years, although he travels professionally throughout Eastern Europe.

His overall assessment of life as an ex pat is positive, but he also has some criticisms. Being married to a Bulgarian, he has of course learned the language to an advanced level. He had to deal with the familiar problems in purchasing and setting up his new house – the bureaucracy, the need to constantly supervise builders and decorators, connecting to energy services. Having overcome those common hurdles, he says he has no other major problems.

As for integration into the local community – he admits this is rather difficult, as he travels extensively, sometimes for long periods;
but when at home in Bankya, he has a circle of friends, Bulgarian and international, with whom he enjoys a good and varied social life.



The Young Retired Family Man

A family man (who does not wish to be identified), retired from the UK in his mid-40s, has settled in the town of Sevlievo. He is frank about his reasons for moving to Bulgaria – it is cheaper than Spain or France.

He chose Sevlievo for its geographic position in the Balkan Mountains, and for convenient access to Veliko Tarnovo and neighboring cities. According to him, there is a local community of about a dozen Brits, but he prefers to mix with Bulgarians.

”Once you’ve mastered the language, it’s easy!” he replies, when asked about any problems he has encountered. Although he admits to being exposed to the financial crisis, it’s not a major problem. He is positive about his life here, and would not hesitate to recommend it to his friends. We have to wait for more details, including his name, as he is currently writing a book about his ex pat experiences!

The Young Professional Family

Veliko Tarnovo was the choice of the Patstone family. They arrived four years ago, and have two young sons, born in Bulgaria. They have opened a property management business, finding that Veliko Tarnovo is a good base for “growth in all areas”.

Because of their work, they are deeply immersed in the community, mixing with locals and with the 20 or so ex pats there. They find, as one would expect, that the more one speaks Bulgarian, the easier life becomes.

As client-oriented professionals, they have noticed a general lack of customer service, which they ascribe to a lack of job training, rather than deliberate obstruction or hostility. They add that they find that regulations and views can be “very old school, and it can be difficult to believe [Bulgaria] is in the EU”.



The Farming Pioneers

From the UK Midlands to the extreme end of Bulgaria – Paul and Carol retired to Kraishte, a ghost village with only a handful of residents, right on Bulgaria’s land border with Romania, in the General Toshevo Municipality.

They met each other eight years ago, and, last year, made this bold move. Their daughter, whose family is moving to Preselentsi, another village in the region, came across the property, and they bought it without even seeing it. Their reason for moving was, simply, that they were “fed up with England.

“Everything, government and that, they just want more from you”, says Paul. They run a small farm, and are busy renovating their property. They are on good terms with the few local inhabitants, and are particularly friendly with the mayor and her family.

As for mixing with ex pats, they admit to meeting a few, but are so isolated, this does not happen often, nor do they care. They say they love the countryside, and above all the solitude. Having sold up in England, they have their clear long-term plan. “We are not here to do nothing. We are here to live a self-sufficient lifestyle.” They have no desire to return to England;
in fact they don’t even like leaving the village!



These accounts are not, of course, a scientific survey of ex pats, nor should one draw too many conclusions from them. However, they serve to illustrate the variety of people clustered under the umbrella of “Brit ex pats in Bulgaria”.

Each one of the people interviewed was making a success of their time in Bulgaria, whatever their chosen circumstances. While well aware of daily frustrations and difficulties, they cope in their own ways, and seem positively motivated in their lives, and by the lifestyle they have chosen.

The Wider Perspective

The phenomenon of the British ex pat in Bulgaria, widely circulated by the press and informal anecdote, has not yet been thoroughly investigated in a more methodical manner.

However, "
Replacing GB with BG"
, a report published by ABC Scholars, an organization supported by the British Embassy, that provides a general survey of attitudes of both the ex pats and of Bulgarian citizens. It also highlights the common problems ex pats encounter, some of which are being addressed by the authorities, others not so. Published two years ago, it remains highly relevant in its presentation of first-hand evidence.

Moving beyond the universal condemnation of the state of the roads and the ‘bent’ traffic cop late at night, the mad drivers, corruption at all levels, the Mafia, trash, animal welfare and the rude shop assistant (though these are all issues that need to be addressed), and instead review some that directly affect ex pats in particular as they settle in their adopted homeland.

One of the biggest gripes by ex pats is the slow and cumbrous nature of official bureaucracy initially encountered in Bulgaria. Everyone has a horror story about the business of applying for residency, a situation now exacerbated by the information (not) included on the identity card.

For example, one of our readers recently wanted a bank loan: although he was financially sound, he was initially refused, purely because the only recognized ID he could present was his lichna carta, with its insufficient information.

Another current topic is that of obtaining a Bulgarian driving license – does one really have to submit to a mandatory and expensive course of driving lessons, and sit a theory test, when one has a clean driving record elsewhere for more than 20 years? True, one can now find a driving school in Sofia with English-language tuition, and sit the test in English, but the entire procedure is still confused. And what if you live in Kraishte?

For those ex pats with children, the education system proves problematic, again for official reasons. One dilemma for parents is whether to enrol their children at the local school, or in a private international institution (if one exists in their area and is affordable).

To cite a recent example: the 13-year old daughter of an ex pat (she, by law, must attend school in Bulgaria) is being refused entry because she cannot provide paperwork to show that she has (until now) attended state school in the UK, where, of course, education is equally compulsory. Such formal paperwork does not exist. This particular family situation remains unresolved.

Then – here we go! – the pitfalls of buying property. All too many Brits (and other foreigners, of course) have fallen foul of Bulgarian laws and regulations. Even with a trusted local agency service, the procedure can be drawn out (the same is true in UK, too). Those who have ignored advice, gone it alone, or been simply careless, can find themselves in big trouble (not to mention being considerably out of pocket).

If you want to live in Bankya, for example, you need to know that certain areas are prone to land subsidence before you build your dream house. Planning permission regulations are being increasingly enforced by municipal authorities, a positive move that until recently was conspicuous by its absence;
but the dramatic measures sometimes taken if one has flouted these regulations may lead to the sudden arrival of a bulldozer.

The medical quality of healthcare in Bulgaria is, rightly, to be praised. But deficiencies and corruption remain. National shortages of blood for transfusion, doctors demanding payment before treating patients – these are critical problems for ex pats and Bulgarians, alike.

Readers have mentioned the two-tier payment system, applied to all manner of services: from an Internet subscription to the cost of a hotel room. Recently adopted laws make this discrimination an offence in certain sectors – but it still happens, even though at a diminished level. And, all too often, don’t expect an official receipt for services rendered!

One could continue in this vein. But it is only fair to point out that many of these kinds of procedures that the ex pat encounters are endured by native Bulgarians, too. One needs to remember, when faced with some nonsensical demand, that the system here is slowly changing, adapting to international standards – and again without forgetting the huge burden of bureaucracy and inefficiency one still experiences in the UK.

The Bulgarian View of The Ex pat

So far, the focus has been on the ex pat perspective of Bulgaria and its people. But there are always at least two sides to any story. The “Brits abroad” have a poor reputation worldwide – deservedly, in too many cases. Think of the invasion of the Costa Brava in Spain, the Ibiza “lager louts”, the exclusive groups in the south of France who form a tight clique, never integrating with the local population.

In Bulgaria, however, it seems to be different. Many make positive efforts to integrate, through learning the language (of course), making friends with their neighbours, contributing to the community (the man who formed a kids’ football team and went to the municipality to help provide a soccer pitch;
the expats who work for local or international charities, or even form their own), and in learning all aspects of the local traditions and customs, from folk dancing to pickling vegetables.

It seems – quite objectively, and from many sources, including personal experience – that most Bulgarians show a welcoming, positive attitude towards those Brit ex pats they encounter. They could have several reasons for giving the cold-shoulder: foreigners taking over our property, flashing their wealth, not speaking Bulgarian, and so on.

But, in general, from the sources cited here, that is not a typical attitude. Further, almost all our contributors praised their local neighbours and friends for being positive and helpful. There seems to be, in most cases, a genuine reciprocal friendship and respect. As already cited, some of the ex pats said they prefer the company of locals to that of their fellow-nationals.

There is a general two-tier Bulgarian attitude towards the “new neighbours”. Local officials (see the cited report) may be critical of the ex pats, for a variety of reasons.

A mayor in the district of Yambol regarded the class of local immigrants as “scum, rubbish – the decent ones are not coming here [to Bulgaria]”. Some local officials resent the laid-back attitude of the Brits they have encountered, while they do all the work. Others are puzzled by the fact that Brits even want to come to Bulgaria, when they are desperate to “go west”. Others query what the ex pat contribution to the local economy may be.

Once one comes to the level of personal interaction between Brit and Bulgarian, attitudes frequently soften and become more positive. It seems there’s an admiration for ex pats’ correct business ethics and conduct, for hard work and persistence, for the fact that the Brit will “muck in” with work to be done;
and, most important, there is a widespread appreciation of the humanity of ex pats – not so much for caring for the plight of stray cats – but for considerate, warm-hearted human interaction. Several Bulgarians mentioned that their new neighbours were intensely interested in local crafts, music and other traditions.

There is one cultural warning, though. All the good work of communication, cooperation and friendship can be undone by one simple thing – drink! Alcohol consumption in Bulgaria is, statistically and consistently, on the higher levels, internationally. Many ex pats remark that they don’t drink local rakia, as it is too strong.

That misses the Bulgarian point: they may drink, but not to get drunk for its own sake – they always accompany drinks with some food, even just salads and simple appetizers. This is not a personal crusade;
excessive drinking by ex pats is included in official reports as a critical problem in the Veliko Tarnovo region – and, one suspects, elsewhere.

The Road Ahead

Bulgaria continues to attract the Brit ex pat, even in these difficult financial times. The person who arrives here needs, above all, to be patient yet tenacious, to be self-motivated, and to be prepared to make significant efforts to integrate into the community. There are, happily, many examples of this, all around the territory of Bulgaria.

It is undeniable that there might also be the “trailer trash” (in the words of some of the ex pats themselves) seeking to escape an unsatisfactory life in the UK, only to replace it with the same over here, failing, or not even trying, to make a positive life for themselves and for their local neighbours. Let’s hope they are a minority.

The Bulgarian authorities above all have a crucial role to play in these matters. There’s an urgent need to extend availability of official information in English – purely as an international language. The introduction of on-line commercial services (paying bills, accessing personal bank details) has been made, but the entire country is not yet well served in terms of broadband access. It’s a long time to wait until 2013!

At the inter-personal level, a culture of customer orientation is all too often lacking in Bulgaria (as already noted). This can quickly be remedied by a realization of the importance of basic training and staff development.

Comparing the condition of Bulgaria 10 years ago with today, there has undoubtedly been some progress in these areas. But, with more and more Brits and other nationalities arriving in Bulgaria to settle permanently, a positive attitude on the part of all parties is vital.

The new government states it is intent on a root and branch overhauling of the entire political, administrative, legislative and social situation of Bulgaria. Somewhere in this bold ambition, it needs to encourage and realize a harmonious and committed approach to the integration of a significant and growing population of expatriates.

Then, and only then, can one speak of true European Union.

I found this information for anyone who's interested

The greenest city in Bulgaria - Kardzhali
Kardzhali is located in the low eastern part of Rhodope Mountains, on both banks of the Arda River between the Kardzhali Reservoir to the west and the Studen Kladenets Reservoir to the east.
History
The location of Kardzhali has been inhabited since the Neolithic. Plenty of artifacts have been found during the archaeological excavations comprising ceramics and primitive tools. Most of them are now exhibited in the local museum of history.
Later Thracian tribes settled in the area developing a highly advanced civilization. They built many sanctuaries dedicated to the gods of Sun and Earth. Near the village of Nenkovo (northwest of Kardzhali) an artificial cave was found in 2001. It has the form of a woman's womb. Exactly at noon, when the sun is highest on the sky, a ray of light comes in through a stone slit forming a falitic shade in the cave. According to the Thracian beliefs this is the conception of the new Sun god. This cave is considered a complex astronomic facility as the ray of light comes in the cave in a single day in the year. There are many stone castles and palaces the Thracians built in the region — Perperek, Ustra, Vishegrad. The most magnificent is Perperikon where a residence of a Thracian king was situated. The place is getting more popular as archaeological works are in progress and new artifacts are being discovered.
During the Byzantine period Kardzhali was the centre of a Christian eparchy — Achridos.[citation needed] The Monastery of John the Precursor was built in the 6th-8th century and is now a monument of medieval architecture.
The name Kardzhali is mentioned for the first time in Ottoman documents. It comes from the name of the Ottoman army leader Kardzha Ali (modern Turkish spelling: Kırca Ali), who conquered the region in the 14th century. Its old Bulgarian name, mentioned until the 17th century, was Žerkovo (Zherkovo).
The town developed because of its position on the trade roads during the Ottoman rule. However, it remained a small town with almost no industry. During the 18th century Turkish brigands used this remote town as a hide-away and supply point, and the town was named after their leader. The best known of these brigands was led by Pazvantoğlu Osman Pasha who ruled most of northeastern Bulgaria and the Danube estuary until 1807.
Kardzhali and its neighborhood became part of the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia under the stipulations of the Berlin Congress of 1878, but after the reunification of the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia in 1885, was ceded back to the Ottoman Empire as a township of Gümülcine sanjak in Edirne vilayet. Ottoman rule ended during the First Balkan War, with its liberation by the Bulgarian General Vasil Delov on 21 October 1912. The day has been celebrated yearly, since 1937, as a municipal holiday through concerts and commemorative events. Kardzhali was declared the center of Kardzhali Province in 1949.

Demographics

Memorial to the Jewish community of Kardzhali
According to the last census in 2001, Kardzhali municipality ( the city plus 118 villages) had a population of 69830, while the city itself had a population of 45729. More recent estimates give 119978 and 76232 respectively, but these estimates are considered doubtful due to their reliance on address registration, while the census is based on persons present. In 1989 the population was estimated at 59,000.
Almost the entire population of Kardzhali was made up of Turks until 1913.Later, Bulgarian refugees from Eastern and Western Thrace and Roma people settled in Kardzhali. Some Turks immediately moved to the Ottoman Empire in 1913 in response to the Bulgarian return in their lands. Further emigration to Turkey continued between 1913 and 1989, either voluntarily, forcefully or under treaties between Bulgaria and Turkey. Bulgarians came in the city from other parts of the country or as refugees from the parts of Thrace left outside Bulgaria. Turkish emigration from the city was particularly intense in 1989, during the state-sponsored Revival Process which saw the forced conversion of ethnic Turks.
After 1990 the deteriorating economic conditions in Bulgaria (and especially the region) during the post-communist transition led many Bulgarians families to leave the area and move to more prosperous parts of Bulgaria or abroad. The economic crisis also affected the remaining Turkish population in the city, resulting in another wave of migration to Turkey.
Kardzhali Region is currently (2006) the region of Bulgaria with the highest relative proportion of ethnic Turks. As of 2003, the population of Kardzhali municipality consisted of 53% Turks, 42% Bulgarians and 1% Roma, among others. The population structure of the city itself is undetermined, though as the rural areas of the municipality are overhelmingly Turkish, it is believed that Bulgarians predominate in the city. The regional government today is primarily in the hands of the Turkish-dominated Movement for Rights and Freedoms. The province is represented in the National Assembly of Bulgaria by five deputies.
In December 1989 and January 1990 there were a series of demonstrations in Kardzhali against the liberalization of anti-Turkish laws. A particular issue of contention was whether Turkish should be taught in state schools as an elective. In response Turkish students boycotted schools until the ban on using their mother tongue was discontinued.

Economy

The new openmaket
Formerly Kardzhali was a tobacco processing center, but for economic reasons some of the communist era industrial plants are no longer operative. The large deposits of lead and zinc ore in the area make the town an attractive location for the metallurgy and machine building industry.
Retail trade and services constitute the largest share of local production. The abundance of cultural and natural sights in the area also make it a promising area for tourism.

Culture and tourism
The Thracian town of Perperikon is located near the city on a rock high above the valley. It is interesting for the fact that it is cut in the rock.
The monastery of John the Precursor from 11th century is located in the Vesselchane Quarter of the town. It was renovated in 2000 and a new bell tower was built.
The town clock is unique in Bulgaria because it sounds Bulgarian revolutionary songs every hour.
The Kardzhali Museum of History has one of the most extensive exhibitions in Southern Bulgaria. This includes pre-historic tools and ceramics from the Thracian cities of Perperikon and Tatul, Christian icons and ethnographic exhibits. It is located in the old konak (the Turkish town-hall built around 1870) with its period exterior architecture.
There are many open-air restaurants, offering a variety of drinks and cocktails in summer time on the dam. It is a popular place among fans of water sports and fishing.
The town has two drama theaters — "
Dimitar Dimov"
and "
Kadrie Lyatifova"
, a puppet theater and a museum of history medrese, as well as an art gallery.
5 km (3 mi) from Kardzhali, near the village of Zimzelen, is a small badlands, where a series of white pillars have eroded out of the volcanic tuff which are referred to as the "
Kardzhali Pyramids"
. Ensembles have been given names based on resemblances. One is known as "
The Mushrooms"
and another as the "
Stone Wedding"
.

Dams
There are two large dams on the Arda River. Studen Kladenez Dam is on the east and Kurdzhali Dam is on the west. The city is sandwiched between the two dams. Upper part of Studen Kladenez Dam is now up to the old bridge inside the city. The concrete wall of the Kurdzhali Dam is only about two kilometers upstream from this bridge. The reservoir of the Kurdzhali Dam was recently seeded artificially with European perch. The fish were taken from the Ovčarica (Ovcharitsa) dam.
The first historical moment of the dam was in the 1970s, when it was artificially seeded with sheatfish. Nowadays there are 100 kg representatives. Later, 45,000 carp were introduced into the dam as well.

Thank you Ashley and Bigsavak this was truly an eye opener and well worth the long read of both posts its always good to see things from another perspective

Thanks Ashley and Bigsavak for all the information. There is a lot of truth in what has been written and in many ways some of the expats in Turkey can be described being similar to BG. Over here in Turkey expats can be separated in two main groups and that is the "
dooers"
and the "
non-dooers"
- the dooers are the positive ones who are attempting to make everything better and the non-dooers who constantly moan about others. This is probably true of expats throughout the world, age makes no difference it is mainly to do with whether you are a positive person or not. BG certainly has it's attractions and being a member of the European Community has made this even more so. This post has really been interesting and informative.