Sleepless in Sofia

For some reason I can’t sleep. I decide to open the window and look outside. I have always liked Sofia (or any other city, for that matter) better at night. The world is silent, except for the occasional engine of a passing car or a dog bark. The air seems cleaner (of course, this is just my mind playing tricks on me, but nevertheless), as does the surrounding area. You don’t notice the dust, mud, and litter strewn around. I peer out ahead of me. I see a few lights flickering in neighboring buildings’ windows. Night owls just like me, I guess. Then something strikes me in the distance – for a split second I am confused. Wait, are those the contours of the Eiffel Tower? Red lights illuminate a silhouette that looks almost exactly like the Eiffel Tower. I realize it is the top part of Sofia’s TV tower. I smile to myself. Sometimes, one can see all sorts of wonders at night.

Don't Disturb the Driver

I was back in a marshrutka today. And I was most amused by the signs posted inside:
Моля не говорете по телефона, пречите на водача. (Translation: Please don't talk on the phone; you're disturbing the driver.) In the meantime, the driver would proceed to talk on his phone all he wants.
How about "The driver's constant complaining on the phone to his colleagues about traffic jams (not to mention his smoking) disturbs the passengers"? I'd like to see that sign posted somewhere.

If You Want to Feel Young...

... visit Bulgaria.
I've written about this before but tonight I got yet another kick out of the age misinterpretation. I got carded. What this means in Bulgarian terms is that the guy thought I was under 18 - wow. I guess I should take it as a compliment though.

Sofia in the Winter Time

Sofia can be pretty depressing during winter. I have always wondered why it appears more depressing to me than other cities. After all, many cities are gray, rainy/snowy, and dark during winter. Perhaps it's because it's "my city" (the one in which I was born) or perhaps it is because I know it much better than other cities and am able to make comparisons to what it looks and feels like during other times of the year. Although these things seem somewhat superficial to an extent. As I thought about this today, I realized that perhaps I feel this way because of something (or things) entirely different. To an extent, I always find Sofia a little bit depressing because I feel like a guest here (which, technically, I am). Although I have lived outside of Sofia for ten years now, this feeling still throws me off every time I come back. Similarly, it feels awkward to meet up with good friends just once or twice while I am here, for lack of time on both sides. It almost feels like I am just checking them off of some to-do list and moving on to the next item. It sucks! But this year I also noticed something else...the fact that nothing seems to change here. And I am not talking about new buildings, bars and restaurants cropping up, but rather about the way of life. A significant number of the people who hung out at bars, cafes and nightclubs ten years ago, still hang out at bars, cafes and nightclubs now. There is nothing wrong with that per se. I like it that people are social and like to go out, but sometimes I wonder if they actually want to get something more out of life, outside of the drinking and partying. Yes, maybe this makes me sound like a prune... or old or something, but I feel like people should be moving from one stage of their lives to the next, not be stuck in their teenage years forever. I realize that people are bound by certain constraints, which are greater for some than for others, but still ... I find the whole "standstill" quite depressing. It makes me wonder though why I didn't notice it while I was living here in 2006-07. I guess once you "go native", you lose the ability to view things more objectively. Or perhaps I have also changed since then.

While I've Been Living Under a Rock...

.... the first Starbucks opened up in Bulgaria (last month). I just noticed it today: Sofia, the corner of Gurko and Vassil Levski, where the Pizza Hut used to be. Somehow it seems almost symbolic that one American chain should make way for another. Also, does having our very own Starbucks mean we have passed some higher bar of development?

The Farce Factor

Don't you feel that these days farce and ridicule is a proxy for quality of entertainment? I do. We are bombarded on a daily basis by reality shows that bet on controversy, drama between participants, participants' lack of intelligence, and other things that I don't find synonymous with quality, for their success. At best, it is funny. At worst, it is insulting. Granted, I don't have to watch these shows and I don't, but I am still appalled by what this "quality of entertainment" suggests of people (i.e., consumers of TV programs) as a whole. It seems to suggest that most of us find joy in others' misery, embarrassment, lower intelligence, and social faux pas.

By now, I am sure most of you have heard of the Ken Lee phenomenon. A participant in the Bulgarian version of American Idol sang Mariah Carey's "Without You" for the audition, or rather - attempted to emulate the sounds of that song, all along thinking that the song was called "Ken Lee". If you have not yet been witness to this, check here. Well, only a few weeks later, she is the most famous participant in Music Idol to date and people across the globe have heard of her performance. She has been called on for multiple appearances both in Music Idol and other TV shows. Bulgarian news also reported that the head of EMI contacted the head of Universal for Bulgaria because he was really interested in her performance. You only need to search for "Ken Lee" on youtube and you will be presented with multiple instances of her appearances to date.

So, sadly, this is just another instance of what it seems to take to become popular. It has less to do with your qualities as a performer or ability to sing and more to do with the element of farce that you bring to your performance. But I guess that is nothing new. Singing puppets often dominate the music charts in Europe. Boy and girl bands assembled per recipe elicit strong fan followings. What I find interesting though is that the spread of technology (cable TV, internet, etc.) seems to have facilitated the distribution (and often encouraged the copying) of ridiculous and garbage performances. But perhaps that is a topic for another day :)

The Humor Is in the Sign

Here are examples of a few signs and notices that made me laugh lately. Apologies to the non-Bulgarian speakers for most of what is written on them is in Bulgarian and wouldn't be nearly as funny if I tried to translate it. Click on the image to view an enlarged version.

#1: The promised copy of the Bansko ski lift card. Pay close attention to the English translation. If you'd never heard of "fall out electricity" and "put aside arrangement", well, now you have:


#2: A note from a "friendly" neighbor left one day on a friend's door. He wasn't even home that day or night:


#3: Sign in an elevator. I really hope I never get stuck in this particular one and get to experience the service of вадене на хора:

Bulgaria: Mini-Evaluation Four Months On

My stay in Bulgaria this time around felt incredibly short. Granted, it was only 10 days, but it felt much much shorter. Perhaps, as someone close to me surmised, it is because I spent 11 months there not too long ago. Could be. During these 10 days, I managed to finally experience the “new” Bansko (currently, the biggest ski resort in Bulgaria located in the Pirin mountains in the south) – where I spent two days skiing – catch up with quite a few friends (but saw some of them only once, unfortunately), brave the Sofia streets (and sidewalks) with heaps of snow, sleet and some ice, and be lucky enough to both land and take off from Sofia airport with only small delays, missing the worst of the foggy and snowy days but still having to almost elbow my way through the crowds in the departure hall. I guess some things never change. No matter how fancy and modern-looking the airport is, there are still some things that catch the personnel there by surprise (and they shouldn’t given that they happen each and every year). With many flights delayed or cancelled (due to poor weather conditions or few confirmed passengers) around the holidays, the airport is probably twice if not three times as crowded as I have ever seen it. And everything takes a while. From check-in, to being let through to queue up in the security line, through to the security check itself. Patience is definitely a virtue in Sofia these days (as I already mentioned in my last post) and something that most Bulgarians seem to lack, almost by birth it would seem.

But let me not focus on the negatives, for there were quite a few positives to my stay as well. I was pleasantly surprised by the skiing conditions in Bansko. Of course, there is still room for improvement, especially as far as the translations of signs and notices is concerned (more on that in a future post, in which I also plan to include a scanned copy of the ski lift card, with a truly priceless English translation), but on the whole it is a pleasant and respectable ski resort. I had heard many horror stories about how over-developed it had become and was somewhat dreading seeing this “horrible mess”. Yes, it is much more developed; it is by no stretch of the imagination the peaceful village it once was. But it is also not that horrible either. Most of the hotels and condo buildings are built in an architectural style that resembles the traditional architecture in Bansko and thankfully do not stick out like sore thumbs (as do most hotels and other constructions on the Black Sea coast). My only complaint would be that the current and even new infrastructure (including the gondola up to the slopes) has not really been built to fit the extended capacity of all these hotels and condos. If they were all filled, I am not sure exactly what would happen.

I am also not a fan of the all-inclusive spa hotel-resorts, but some people definitely seem to be. As a matter of fact, I overheard the following conversation between a mother and her teenage daughter while on one of the ski lifts (not replicated/translated exactly but close enough):

Mother: “Will you be going clubbing again tonight?”
Daughter: “I don’t know. I don’t really feel like it but I am sure [mentions friend’s name] will want to and will drag us all along with her. I don’t understand what the big deal is about going out when you have everything in the hotel – bar, restaurant, club, sauna…It’s ridiculous. Last night, we spent 2 hours walking around trying to find a place. I mean, there I was, just out of the spa, my face pores open and everything, and I am walking around in the freezing cold. I really don’t understand her [referring to the same friend who constantly wants to go clubbing outside of the hotel].”

I had to laugh under my breath. If teenagers don’t want to go out to clubs, I really don’t know what this world has come to :) Yes, let’s all just spend our time in the hotel. In fact, why don’t we make the suggestion that they build indoor ski runs as well…that way, we wouldn’t need to leave the hotel even to go skiing.

Otherwise, Sofia is the same as I remember it from the summer…except slightly more depressing due to the gray and often foggy winter weather. The malls are still the highlight, with people doing almost everything “at the mall”—from clothes and grocery shopping, to going to movies, to banking, bowling, and even eating out. Someone told me that another 16 malls will be constructed in and around Sofia. I find that very hard to believe, but even the thought of 5 more malls horrifies me. I didn’t really visit any new nightlife spots, but the nightlife is as lively as ever with bars, restaurants, and clubs filled at most hours of day and night. The sponsored Christmas decorations from last year are still around, including the Husqvarna Christmas tree next to the Bulgarian National Bank, and have even increased in number. (For those who might not be in the know, Husqvarna makes tree-cutting machinery, so it is quite ironic that they sponsor an uncut Christmas tree in Sofia.) Taxi fares have also increased; the night rate now runs 60 to 70 stotinki per km, and the scam taxi companies that charge double or triple the fare and disguise themselves as the regulars are also still around. So, pay close attention if hailing a cab in Sofia, especially in bad weather when cabs are scarcer.

And remember, patience is a virtue :)

Sofia Street Survival

Before hitting the Sofia streets these days make sure you pack your watertight boots and a big dose of patience. I was really excited to see so much snow, especially after last year’s snowless winter. I still am, but there is no doubt that the snow makes getting around Sofia (whether by car or on foot) all that more difficult. Given that I walk almost everywhere in the city center these days, I will speak from the pedestrian’s perspective.

Sidewalks are hardly ever cleared (as most Bulgarians already know) so you have to constantly watch your step. You also have to watch out for the occasional slippery surface that catches you off-guard—жълтите павета (the yellow pavement in parts of the city center), fancy marble tiles in front of fancy locales that are as smooth as ice and just as slippery, pothole-“traps” disguised in snow that your feet sink into, and so forth. Add to that the mush you have to trod through or watch out not to get thrown on you from passing cars and you get the picture. Luckily I am not in a hurry these days, so I make small steps, waddling slowly all bundled up (and feeling like a giant snowman in the process), and take everything from the humorous angle. But if I had to go through this all winter, it probably wouldn’t be quite so amusing.

We came to the conclusion with friends today that the only sidewalk that is constantly and meticulously cleared is the one in front of the U.S. Embassy…no big surprise. I think I am also beginning to appreciate the Wellingtons I made fun of a while back. They would be perfect for the current sidewalk conditions.

Heartwarming Scenes from Bulgaria

1. My grandfather taking his medicine with a sip of wine (behind my grandmother’s back, of course).

2. The snow-covered trees in Борисовата Градина (one of Sofia’s biggest parks).

3. Reminiscing with one of my best friends that if it had not been for a certain Orbital concert we may never have met.

4. Finally having parts of my U.S. and BG worlds intersect (i.e., Bulgarian friends from the U.S. meeting some of my high-school friends).

5. The sound of the national anthem and dancing дунавско хоро after the countdown to midnight on New Year’s Eve (however corny it may sound).

Fashion Gaps?

Some time last week I was trying out earrings at a jewelery store when the saleswoman pointed to a pair she thought I might be interested in. I told her that I didn't like the fact they weren't entirely silver and had a yellow tint to them. She in turn assured me that cleaning them would get rid of the yellow and offered to do it right then and there. There was still something I didn't like about the earrings but somehow I felt obliged to see how they looked after she so adamantly kept recommending them. Even before putting them on I knew I wouldn't buy them. But I put them on anyway and, no surprise, I didn't like how they looked. In addition to the yellowish tint, there were some weird symbols on them that looked to me like numbers and I couldn't imagine why someone would design such earrings. I turned to the saleswoman after she asked me what I thought of them and said, "I don't really like these numbers on the earrings." She looked at me completely appalled and replied, "Those aren't numbers! That's the symbol of Versace." At which I could only muster a surprised "Oooooh!"

Shows how much I know about labels. But Versace or no Versace, those earrings still looked like crap.

Cultural Exchange

I had the opportunity to spend 5 days in Dryanovo (a town in what I define as central Bulgaria). Highlights of the trip include revisiting places of interest such as Dryanovo Monastery, the fortress Tsarevets in Veliko Tarnovo, and architectural landmark villages such as Bozhentsi and Etara. I also visited the cave Bacho Kiro for the first time. I loved seeing each and every one of these places. But the one thing that left the biggest impression on me from those 5 days was a certain cultural event -- an International Multicultural Performance Festival, which was taking place in Veliko Tarnovo but for some reason one of the nights was hosted in Dryanovo. The performance involved dance troops from South Africa, Mauritius, and Italy. So here we are in a pretty small town in the middle of Bulgaria, not one known for its cultural riches, and we are watching African dances! I found that kind of amazing. I am sure most of the people from the town had never seen Africans in person, let alone a live cultural performance such as this one. It seemed like most of the audience was really enjoying itself. As the dances came to an end and the dancers filed off the stage one by one, a lot of them were greeted by high-fives from the Bulgarian side :) I guess some "language" is universal.

Drivers' Etiquette 101

I just got back from a week of travel outside Sofia (about which I will write more in one of the next posts). Apologies for the delayed response to your comments to the last post.

One thing I notice every time I get on the road in Bulgaria, and a phenomenon that still has not died out (luckily!), is drivers' signaling to each other when there are cops "in wait" on the side of the road. If you are approaching a speed trap, the drivers from the opposite lane(s) flash their headlights a few times to signal for you to slow down. Almost every car that approaches from the opposite side of the road does this. I guess these are the remnants of drivers' etiquette in Bulgaria (because in every other respect most people here drive like maniacs, with no respect whatsoever for other drivers). But I find this little courtesy great! And as you pass the cops on the side of the road... for a second you almost want to feel sorry for them. That they will be waiting there in vain, outplayed at their own game. But then the comical image usually cracks me up :). I wish we had more "quirks" of this sort. If you can think of others, please let me know!

Dynamic Developments

So, I was gone only a few weeks and still some things have changed in Sofia. It almost amazes me. I went to see my grandmother yesterday (she lives in the city center) and part of the park next to her building (already quite small) is now a construction site. (There was not a single sign of this before I left.) Apparently, they are building an underground garage, day bar and night club (I am quoting the posting I saw at the construction site)...as if that street wasn't crowded enough already. I just don't understand why they have to get rid of every piece of greenery and all the children's playgrounds in order to build more buildings... In my eyes, this is a negative development.

But there was also a positive one I noticed. I went to pick up my renewed driver's license and where 4 weeks ago there were huge crowds and disorderly lines, now chairs lined the space inside. Everyone had to pick up a numbered ticket upon entering, then sit down and wait their turn. (As is the case in the central post office and some DSK Bank branches, probably among other places.) We are now doing things the civilized way, so it's impossible for people to skip the line, and no-one gets upset. Only this morning some people were ready to attack me at the municipality when they thought I was trying to squeeze past them and go in first. Numbers take care of this problem... to some degree. Because the chaos that ensues when the machine that prints the numbers runs out of paper, and before it is replenished, is of significant proportions, as I witnessed once. Regardless, we are moving in the right direction, and that is commendable, really.

You Laugh a Little, You Cry a Little

Some of you already know this, but I have decided to share it here with everyone who reads this blog, given that all readers, especially the regulars, now share in my life somehow. My stay in Bulgaria will be coming to an end in 2 months' time...for now, at least. The reason I finally decided to share this here is that I feel torn. But let me back-track a little bit to tell you the full story.

I had applied to graduate schools (International Relations and Public Policy) and was supposed to start school in fall 2006. But I decided to defer for a year and return to Bulgaria instead, promising myself that I would indeed end up going to school the following year if I got accepted to my first-choice school and received enough financial aid to make the decision rational. In the meantime, I wanted to discover for myself what Bulgaria was like, what it is like to live here, and make my own conclusions as to whether I could and want to live here. After 9.5 months, the answer is a very definite YES. So definite, that now I feel somewhat sad that I have to leave for the States again. Don't get me wrong, I am very excited about graduate school, being a student again, and being surrounded by brilliant people, but I will miss Bulgaria, my life here, and everyone in it tremendously. But guess like that poem about the penguin states, I have come to the realization that no matter what, I will always miss something from the other side of the ocean. It is inevitable when I have spent so much time in both places.

What I feel happy about though is that I no longer feel scared of the prospect of ending up here...in fact, at this point in time, I would prefer it, but we'll see what the future has in store. And before bidding Bulgaria farewell for the next two years, I plan to take full advantage of the remaining time (and to document the interesting points here, of course). And no matter where I am, I will continue to write about the things, people, places and happenings that leave an impression. I do hope you will continue reading.

I will be back and forth in the coming weeks, so apologies in advance if I don't update this as often as I usually do.

Extra Costs to Car-Ownership in BG

The last few days I have been running around trying to take care of things I should have done a long time ago. But since they involve dealing with Bulgarian bureaucracy of various sorts, I have been putting them off for a while. One such chore--renewing my driver's licence. Turned out that it wasn't all that hard, but getting to the traffic police office was a pain (there is only one location where you can get this done in Sofia), especially in the heat we have been experiencing lately. I actually went twice. Once, to find out what documents I needed and the second time to hand my documents in. Not that bad, given that I was done in under 10 mins both times. However, both times that I went there was looooong line of cars waiting to be registered. The line actually continued for a kilometer or more. Turns out that people sometimes wait for 24 hours or longer to register their car. I have heard horror stories of drivers starting to line up in the middle of the night, often sleeping in their cars, in the hopes of being able to go through in one day. I can't imagine what that must be like. And I also can't believe that there is only one location in all of Sofia where you can register your car. Thankfully, I have not had to go through this myself... but it kind of makes me think twice about the prospect of getting a car. The only upside I can think of is that you bond with other drivers and get to meet new people by hanging out in the shade together. :)

The Invasion of the Metrosexuals

I paid my first visit to the long-renovated Yalta Club on Saturday. My boss (who, btw, is a huge fan of house music) had free passes from a friend, so a bunch of us from work went. This time around the DJ spinning was not a big name (as has become the norm at Yalta where during the span of 2-3 months the likes of Pete Tong, Steve Lawler, Hernan Cattaneo, etc. graced us with their presence every weekend). The music was OK... but what I couldn't help but notice was the crowd...and, more specifically, the guys.

I am sure you have all heard the term metrosexual, used basically to describe guys who are really into their looks and take the time and spend the money to look good. Well, Yalta was PACKED with them and I am not exaggerating at all. In fact, I don't think I saw one "regular-looking" guy, apart from the guys from work. It was pretty ridiculous. The clothes, the hair, the sunglasses... even the moves on the dance floor. It was a bit too much. Suffice it to say, that I am not really into guys who spend more time and money on their appearance than I do :) (And the funny thing was that the women weren't the dressy/preppy type at all.)

What I found amazing though in thinking about this is that this type of phenomenon did not exist a few years back. Bulgarian guys prided themselves on looking macho and being "manly" so to speak. In fact, they would have reacted with disgust to seeing such men amongst themselves. Times change I guess.

Though I would add the caveat that these guys are probably predominantly part of the house/clubbing scene; they haven't overrun Sofia quite yet :). Thankfully, I don't see many of them at the other places I like to hang out, like Toba&Co, Alcohol, Cabaret and Mojito.

Unexpected Encounter

I was sitting at a cafe with my dad when I heard someone say, "Excuse me." I turned and saw a young, somewhat disheveled man standing next to our table. He was looking at me. He then added, "Is your name Denitza?" It was hard to hide the look of surprise on my face. I had thought that he would ask for money, try to sell us something, or something of the sort. After confirming that my name is indeed Denitza, he waited for a few seconds. I guessed that he was waiting for me to recognize him, but I really had no recollection whatsoever. Instead I apologized that he did not look familiar. He said, "We sat at the same desk in 4th grade." I was embarrassed. Normally, I am really good with both faces and names... but I had no recollection that I had sat next to a boy in school, let alone what his name was. Turned out it was Anatol. I slowly started remembering things. But he looked so different to me. Plus, I had only been at that school a year and 1 month. That was my excuse to myself (a poor one, I agree). My dad invited him to sit with us for a bit, which he did. He proceeded to tell us how he had recognized me right away, at which I laughed. Guess I haven't changed at all since I was 10? It was strange to be on uneven ground though - here he was knowing full well who I was, whereas to me he was still a complete stranger.

How is it that some things we remember full well whereas others we seem to have erased completely from our memory?

Bush's Visit, Part Two

From the American flags adorning the road from/to the airport, one would almost think we were in the States. Well, I guess with one small difference - these flags are much smaller than any of their counterparts in the U.S. We are paying our tributes, but in small doses, I guess :). I wonder if it was this way when Clinton visited. (Fortunately or unfortunately, I wasn't here then.)

Bus lines were rerouted yesterday without any prior notice or an indication of the detours. I don't think anyone is really surprised. Oh, and supposedly in the area dubbed as Security Zone #1 (= most of the city center), all mobile communications will be cut off. I find that hard to believe. Seems like some crazy rumor, but have to wait for someone living in that area to confirm. In the meantime, I will just enjoy my day off work... although I won't venture into the city center.

Wishing you all a good work week!

Bush's Visit (or the Semi-Chaos Surrounding It)

George W. Bush arrives in Bulgaria sometime this weekend. His official visit is set for 10-11 June. This is not the first time that we have had high-profile visitors in Bulgaria (there were the visits by Clinton and the late Pope John Paul II), but it seems like the first time every time. There is a whole lot of confusion about which part of the city center will be blocked off, how traffic will be redirected, and what the hell that means for us ordinary citizens who need to get to work or home in a semi-normal fashion. This time is no exception. That is why our company has decided to take the day off and just avoid all the hassle altogether.

My apartment building is located right next to the boulevard that leads to the airport (aptly named Brussels Blvd); my apartment faces in the direction of the boulevard. Last week, when I came home one night, I found a few notices posted downstairs warning us that from 9-12 June, there should be no repairs done to the building's facade, all exits to the roof should be locked off, etc. Basically, taking security precautions because Bush is going to drive by. That's all good, but it's not like anyone is going to check what everyone who lives in the apartments facing the boulevard is up to during those days. So the signs, in and of themselves, seem a little pointless.

This morning on TV I tuned in to a discussion of how Bush would be protected during his visit. The discussion centered around whether or not Bush would try Bulgarian food and wine. The news anchor asked the very "intelligent" question of whether Bush will be trying out rakia while here. What does it matter? I can't believe people waste time discussing what he will or will not eat. The only thing I learned from this discussion was that supposedly Bush quite likes Bulgarian feta cheese and that all food/drink he will be consuming while here will first undergo some chemical analysis to ensure there are no poisonous substances in it. That must be quite a hassle to go through at every meal while abroad, but guess that's the price you have to pay for being President of the United States.

Bottom line is: people are mostly annoyed by the fact that Bush is visiting, myself included. And although we may not greet him with booing like the Czechs, we still would rather that he come and go as quickly as possible.