Social Life in Bulgaria

Language

If you really want to dive into the social life in Bulgaria you would do well to familiarise yourself with the national language, which is Bulgarian. They use the Cyrillic alphabet (practically the same as in Russia or Macedonia). Although English and French are widely spoken in towns and tourist areas, this may not be the case in country districts. The great thing is that the children seem able to absorb languages easily, and unless your Bulgarian is very good they will soon be translating for you.

Social Life in Bulgaria

Bulgaria is a poor country, and the people have to spend long hours working and caring for family members. Quite often several generations live in one home. Almost 90% of the population own their own home, usually without a mortgage. So time for leisure and hobbies is restricted. Many people supplement their incomes by growing their own food, so their cuisine is seasonal, the ingredients usually fresh, but the variety in rural areas is restricted. However, Bulgarians are generous and visitors are well looked after.

Weather-wise, Bulgaria is mostly sunny, and great for outdoor activities. Even when the winter snows come it can be pleasant outside. Bulgaria has one of the richest folk heritages in the world. The oldest worked gold in the world, dating back to the 5th millennium BC, was found at Varna. The unique sound of the folk music is partly because of the asymmetric rhythms and strange, complex harmonies. You will find numerous icons and frescoes in the monasteries scattered around.

The mountains are steep and dramatic, forested and wild. They have developed skiing areas, but the building process has slowed with the economy, and many hotels are unfinished. As for the night life in the capital, it is thriving and you can get a good picture of what is on offer at Sofia Guide. There are also plenty of dating sites – but be cautious as you could be seen as rich, and they may not be, so put safety checks in place. Bulgaria has so much to offer – wonderful, diverse countryside and a huge cultural heritage, but it is also emerging from a communist regime, and in some ways has not really grasped the capitalist way of value for money, although the people are friendly and very generous.