I haven't been on the forum much lately so I was expecting a lot of catching up to do. Well, nothing much seems to be happening and I was just wondering how forums have changed. Years ago when forums were new and many of us were happy to be starting our new lives in Bulgaria there was so much to chat about from congratulations to information to discussion about all sorts of topics. Does anyone agree with me or is it just I am getting older and too used to my Bulgarian life and nowadays most Brits aren't really interested in things Bulgarian and prefer to just chat at carboots and other expat gatherings? Or maybe they are a bit too worried about their feelings being hurt or aren't bothered in anything much as in the old days?

oldun wrote:

I haven't been on the forum much lately so I was expecting a lot of catching up to do. Well, nothing much seems to be happening and I was just wondering how forums have changed. Years ago when forums were new and many of us were happy to be starting our new lives in Bulgaria there was so much to chat about from congratulations to information to discussion about all sorts of topics. Does anyone agree with me or is it just I am getting older and too used to my Bulgarian life and nowadays most Brits aren't really interested in things Bulgarian and prefer to just chat at carboots and other expat gatherings? Or maybe they are a bit too worried about their feelings being hurt or aren't bothered in anything much as in the old days?

No oldun, it is not just you, but let's face it , there is only so much you can talk about without repeating one's self and I would suggest that when the forum's started there were X number of expat's and now there are Y number. Many have gone back to grass roots totally disillusioned, and to be perfectly honest I struggle sometimes to want to stay there after all the problems I have had, the latest is that the water board are suing me for water consumed in 2008 and 2009. That is the period that our villa was illegally sold and occupied by the perpetrators
My family and I love the villa, the village, the people and all the places where we eat and are known and accepted, we get warm welcomes and we meet up with some special friends, mostly Bulgarian's I might add, but one day I will wake up and say enough is enough and that will stop me looking for over priced Wizzair flights ::

I don't believe it is just you oldun - everything takes precedent and the forum is something we participate in when we get some time. We have endured the Winter and spent most of our time getting wood into the house and looking at things we wanted to do around the house but couldn't and also work we would liked to have done in the garden, but it was too cold to attempt them.

The weather is now perfect for doing everything and DIY is in full speed speed and the garden likewise. With the daylight continuing until after 8 o'clock and then the business of cooking and eating and relaxing with aches and pains from the days toil, all I want to do is relax in a comfortable chair. I am sure most of our members are doing the same thing, until the heat is too much around midday and then into the house, a cool drink in hand and onto the Forum.

Itchy..lots of catching up to be done. I lost nearly four months of what would have been 'maintenance time' prior to Xmas due to my wifes nasty accident, so now working hammer and tong in an effort to get caught up. I still have my farm to run, although my workers are pretty much on top of things..most days! Even a simple task like booking the aircraft for crop dusting can take three or four hours out of my day because the company will only deal with me..despite having given authority to my farm manager!

Totally ashamed to admit that I even missed the birthday of my 'kindred spirit' because I was too busy...inexcusable!!!

Wish I had time to avoid the hotter part of the day...got the sunburn to prove it!!

Don't be sad Oldun..most of us are still here.

Its always quiet at this time of year. everyone is busy doing maintenance and getting the gardens ready, best part of the year.

itchyfeet wrote:

I don't believe it is just you oldun - everything takes precedent and the forum is something we participate in when we get some time. We have endured the Winter and spent most of our time getting wood into the house and looking at things we wanted to do around the house but couldn't and also work we would liked to have done in the garden, but it was too cold to attempt them.

The weather is now perfect for doing everything and DIY is in full speed speed and the garden likewise. With the daylight continuing until after 8 o'clock and then the business of cooking and eating and relaxing with aches and pains from the days toil, all I want to do is relax in a comfortable chair. I am sure most of our members are doing the same thing, until the heat is too much around midday and then into the house, a cool drink in hand and onto the Forum.

I have to agree most of us seem to hide away in the winter and even struggle to get any kind of internet during the winter and as soon as the sun starts to show its face there is so much to do in getting everything ready for the lovely time we all look forward to in the great summers we have here so its not just you we just have things to do at certain times but I'm sure people will be back as soon as time allows

bgbazz wrote:

Itchy..lots of catching up to be done. I lost nearly four months of what would have been 'maintenance time' prior to Xmas due to my wifes nasty accident, so now working hammer and tong in an effort to get caught up. I still have my farm to run, although my workers are pretty much on top of things..most days! Even a simple task like booking the aircraft for crop dusting can take three or four hours out of my day because the company will only deal with me..despite having given authority to my farm manager!

Totally ashamed to admit that I even missed the birthday of my 'kindred spirit' because I was too busy...inexcusable!!!

Wish I had time to avoid the hotter part of the day...got the sunburn to prove it!!

Don't be sad Oldun..most of us are still here.

:Good post:bgbazz - in your way you are like the rest of us. I am busy painting things I had no time to do last year and Annette is bringing the garden come field up to the mark. As time marches on there is building work to do and the veg garden needs pieces of wood for the beans to be put in the ground and the tommies have to go in next from the cold frame, so no time for anything except popping on here when we get a few minutes to spare. It's a quarter past eight and I have just finished for the day and Annette is cooking dinner. I will award myself a "
gong"
later!!!

No its not just you oldun all the other forums are quiest to and as willow says there is only so much we can all talk about, its not like the old days when there were people moving over all the time and needing information or advice, I'm afraid Bg has missed its boat and the movers from the uk are slowing down very fast regardless to what you may or may not read but that's life .

Exactly right Itchy..things to do, places to go and people to speak with. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I have to agree with all comments made back to the op, its just a case of time and being motivated in my case.

It's not just you, I think the same, but i have to agree with every one when we first came we were all new and had to learn fast.
The forums have helped us all in the past and now the living is the result and proof of all that learning and sharing.
New people are few now and so questions and answers to share are few. That's why it is important for us old ones to welcome the new ones and give all the advise we can to them as resourses for them are not as fruitful as they were for all of us when their were so many of us chatting.
lets face it we talked about any thing and every thing in the old days and now it's just the every day renewed rules or the day to day life and happy birthdays that keep us all going.
Life in Bulgaria has changed too. There was a time when finding some thing took time and now every thing is available. Postage from company's in other countries is better and cheaper our confidance has grown with the more we do the more we can do. All those hurdles we have all jumped and landed on our feet is the result of the learning we all had from each other on forums.
If i can help any new person or family moving to Bulgaria now it takes priority
time for all us olduns to pay back and find time to read and write on the forums for each other and the newbies :Thank you:for the reminder time for us all to have a wake up call
chrissy

You do get flurries of new members joining, and that is when you get three pages of people welcoming them to the forum. But most are never heard of again, which is a shame.

I have to admit I get a bit frustrated when there are very few posts in a week, sometimes none at all for a couple of days. We have not taken up residence yet so are not in a good position to help others with info about our experiences. I have found blogs, of which there are a good few, are a good source of information about the sort of lifestyle we are aiming for, but they rarely cover the nitty gritty of the more mundane details such as taxes and the like. Because of this we are intending to do a blog ourselves. Of course, you do not get to know the people who write them either, and they tend to end suddenly just as they get to a really interesting bit!

I browse other forums too, and they are, if anything, even quieter, and not very friendly, so have no inclination to join. (I'm sure a few on here know what I mean)

I am happy to be on here even if it can be frustrating.

Mrs Eq

Forums can be very frustrating at times..most people mean well and would like to think they have contributed in a helpful, friendly way, but the constraints of time, internet access and personal lifestyle will often mean you won't get the response you want as quickly as you may want it.
Questions about taxation, bank interest on investments or associated fees are deeply personal and have no place on a public forum..I, for one, will never share that with anyone.

Apart from all of the above, I will help in any way I can .

Sorry Bazz, I mean things like municipality tax and the like, not personal stuff. Unfortunately each area seems to have different ways of doing things, and the closer we get to moving out, the more anxious I get that we might not be able to find out what needs paying when and where, and how we find these places. The down side to not buying in a popular ex-pat area I suppose, no-one to ask. Because of the way things are done differently everywhere, such as post for example, asking on the forum just confuses things more. It is sometimes better not to ask, ignorance is sometimes bliss.

I'm sure most go through the same anxieties, and being the type to want to pay bills as soon as they arrive and before(!) if possible and stay well within the law.....I like to know what's what!

I'm sure we'll be fine. I'm just a worrier.

Mrs Eq

Well I think you have all missed my point. I was talking about content when people do post. Also, don't you think that me and my Hero have lots to do? I don't spend all day on the internet but enjoy a bit of a chat because we don't have a car and I don't do any expat things. I have done and still do as much as I can (which gets less daily due to aches and pains!) so please don't go back to the same old excuses that trot out every time anything to do with posting on the forum comes up.

I was scrolling through the members list and was absolutely amazed at the number of people who are now registered many who have never made a post of any kind. So why do they bother to join? I agree with Willowsend that some subjects become repetitive ( I didn't mean this topic to be one of them), but surely some of our new members have something new to write about?

Oh well, never mind off you all go to do your 24/7 work in the house or garden. I shall continue to take my rest reading my book in my beautiful garden and not bother with forums since no-one else seems bothered anyway. Have to mention that all you busy people did come online to reply to my post so you do log in busy or not.... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I'm looking forward to my new life back in Blighty and you can bet I will be busy there but might still find a moment or two to write about how we are getting on. Had quite a few viewings lately so hopefully will get an offer soon although it will be sad to leave.

A couple more posts I see as I have been writing this. I, too, am not sure that forums are always helpful. People have different ways of dealing with things, some are overly helpful and get confusing with too much info and some just don't know what they are talking about or live in an area where things are done differently either bureaucratically or by local people. When we arrived there were no expats to help even if we had wanted to ask and we certainly had no language but we managed. We didn't have internet and used a cafe in town and only an old fashioned telephone landline. Talk about a steep learning curve. We used to go to the local shop or bar. Villagers were always helpful with a mixture of sign language or just repeating until we got the gist of what they were saying. First things I learnt was the name of all the products I bought in the shop followed by the usual greetings and how to buy a beer. We never used a translator after the bureaucracy was completed and anyway she went off to marry and start a family. Knowing the village bus timetable took a while and the first time I took a taxi home in the dark I couldn't direct him to our house and drove around the village twice! So to anyone just arriving in Bulgaria I would suggest you will get integrated into Bulgarian ways far quicker by being a bit independent and going it alone. It can be fun and will be much appreciated. Your tales will also be interesting to post on the forum for us all to read. Everyone has a story to tell which will be different to anyone elses. Forums shouldn't just be used to ask for information or sell something. Make it an interesting read.