We've all read about how happy some people are and how others are not so happy so what I want to know is why are you so happy in Bulgaria or why you're not? and better still lets hear what you would like to change if you could but only things that are possible so nothing to extreme and looking back how would you have done things would you have made any changes to your choice of village/town? or the type of property you bought? or the time you spent looking for it?

What a good topic I'm happy in Bulgaria I own 3 houses although the one I live in is rented I bought the houses with the intention of them being an investment to top up my pension but its not happening yet one of the houses I shall get to live in at some point but I did bit off a bit much when I took it on but thats another story. What would I have done differently ? well I think I would have spent more time looking around Bulgaria rather than listening to the information I got from some of the members on another forum which was helpful but I think it was too much for me to take in and everyone saying you should come and live in our village its the best one in Bulgaria etc but I can't blame anyone for that it was my decision, All the houses I bought are in a village location but if I did it again I would buy at least 1 in a small town and only because as I get older its going to become more difficult for me to get around. What would I change ? this is difficult because I came here because of the life style that Bulgaria offers so as far as the life style is concerned nothing I do find the bureaucracy a pain in the backside the simplest of things can take all day so yes I would change and simplify that, I am happy here and thats how I see it being for me for the duration I don't plan to change any parts of my life as it is now but who knows what fate will deal???

Brian1 wrote:

I do find the bureaucracy a pain in the backside the simplest of things can take all day

Spot on Brian, the bureaucracy is a real pain and would be top of my list of things to change (though I doubt it ever will in my lifetime!).

Corruption would be second.

Making people 'really' learn how to drive and not endanger everybody else on the road would probably be third (but then looking to point 1 above, there's no wonder people 'buy' a driving licence via point 2 above!).

Well this is a good question. We should have rented somewhere and took more time finding a house but saying that if we had not bought the one we are in we would not have made our Bulgarian friends. It is because of these lovely people that we made the move permanent

I also should have gone to see the seller of another property that we were looking at after the agent said he wanted more money and the deal fell through. Even to this day I think someone might have been on the take. But heh ho I cannot prove anything so ::

I would love to change the drainage in our area being on a Cess Pit is not good, and mains drainage would be a god send. Its not until you realise what you had, how good it was when you had it. (That sounds Greek)

Like Brian we are happy here and have no plans to go back to multi racial UK. At least here we know that we are the foreigners and that there is little chance of someone trying to blow us up

What a good topic,living here is real nice,and i wouldn't want it to change,i just wish i had learned the language a little before we came,we learn a little off our friends but its slow going,regards to where we chose to live spot on village,so many of the villages in Bulgaria are dying,as the young leave for the city,and they leave the old ones,we are very lucky in our village we have a large school,nice bar disco,dentist,bakery,post office,and lots of young people summer and winter,we have gypsies in our village,but most work for a living so are never a problem,we also have one of the largest boxing clubs in Bulgaria,at Xmas the mayor of Sofia came to make the presentations,quite a big event,forgot to mention also have a large theater,so i suppose the only regret not learning the language,good topic well done



Mike

Chris wrote:

Brian1 wrote:

I do find the bureaucracy a pain in the backside the simplest of things can take all day

Spot on Brian, the bureaucracy is a real pain and would be top of my list of things to change (though I doubt it ever will in my lifetime!).

Corruption would be second.

Making people 'really' learn how to drive and not endanger everybody else on the road would probably be third (but then looking to point 1 above, there's no wonder people 'buy' a driving licence via point 2 above!).

I don't always agree with all that is written, but I must admit on this ocassion I totally agree with this post. On a personal note though I would probably favour number two (Corruption) as my main change if that were at all possible, but being realistic I think there is a long road ahead (and possibly a few potholes on the way, I meant loopholes)

Hi Tony
At least here we know that we are the foreigners and that there is little chance of someone trying to blow us up

That is a very BOLD statement to make, but I hope you are right

I suppose in my case it would be more a case of what would need to change to make me want to come and live in Bulgaria. It is a beautiful country but I find it depressing looking at all the derelict houses and factories. It would be good if the worst ones could be demolished and the sites left to go back to nature. Even the occupied houses often look so badly constructed that the sort of gales we get here in Scotland would wreck them. The big blokes in leather overcoats, dark glasses and black Mercedes could also go into Room 101. I would certainly scrap this law preventing other EU citizens from buying property in their own name. Tighter regulation of taxi firms would be useful. It would be nice if there were shuttle buses from Sofia airport to Sofia.

This is going great thank you all for your responses so far here's looking forward to more, I would like to here more from those who have only read about Bulgaria but have never lived here

I would change to potholes for roads and then I would change the Bulgarian diy law system for something we can all relate to no matter which part of Bulgaria we live in? I would also change the way anyone seems to be able to become a real estate agent no matter what their background? I would also introduce hot food in restaurants and while I'm at it teach them to serve all on 1 table at the same time. If I was to go on you would say "
well why are you living in Bulgaria"
and my answer would be because I love the people and I love the freedom and nature of the place.

after 3 and a half years, i thought i had adapted to the bulgarian way of life, the dust, the mud, growing your fruit and veg, the paper chasing you have to endure while enjoying the peaceful way of life in a country that has so much beautiful countryside, what more could one ask for. but my one gripe is the tiled floors, the amount of maintenance and cleaning has drove me mad, every day the dust,the mud, dog hairs is high maintenance. then came the carpet shops, and i thought i miss carpets, so this week i had fitted a carpet, well it is luxury, the room is warmer, the feel is so nice underfoot, i now realise that there are things that i have not had for a long time but have missed and carpets is one of them. sorry to say but that is what i would change, the ways of many bulgarians is to be admired but the truth is it is 50 years behind western ways and the way of life is hard, some luxuries are hard to let go of.

I can relate to what it is your saying starlite I lived in the med for a short time and over there its all tiled floors which is very hard to keep clean no matter what the weather is like so I did the same as you I had carpets fitted and yes it felt lovely and on the surface it did seem that it was easier to keep clean but what I couldn't see was that the carpet was just hiding the dust in the pile. I don't think there is a win situation with flooring no matter what you fit or don't fit? maybe the answer is to live in a barn [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

sarah

i'm happy because i've found my future and a place of pure beauty in which to belong in :Hearts:obicham bulgariaaaaaa

I wouldn't change anything. If I ever feel I need to then that's the time to rethink living in Bulgaria. I am happy here in my little village but that doesn't mean life is perfect. Bureaucracy is only difficult because its in a different language. I think there is less than in Britain but maybe I live a simpler life being retired. Wherever I have been, either in town or village, I have had nothing but respect and politeness. I often see more people I know (Bulgarians) on my occasional visits to town than I did when I briefly considered returning to Britain. After 7 years in March I have no regrets about life here.
Having said all that, I lived in Greece (as some of you will know) for years before I came to Bulgaria and had a business there (lots of Bureaucracy!) and didn't have to make such a huge decision to leave Britain for good. Circumstances dictated that I had to make the best of it and I did.
As for worrying about dust and other little inconveniences of household chores - all I can say is, if that's all you have to complain about you are very lucky.
Dilatidated buildings and long forgotten and neglected businesses? - read up on Bulgarian history. Remember this is a poor country and that's the reason you can buy a cheap house!
Lastly, I wouldn't call somewhere with restaurants, disco etc a village!!!!! Mine is very small with only 300 inhabitants which is not unusual and has a post office and a couple of small shops/bars, a church and Community Hall and that's it. but its definitely not dying and its a great community. How many villages in Britain can say that?
Nice post Mechta.

beureucracy...deffinetly