EXPAT OF THE WEEK: Offering a helping hand

Henk Overbeek, from: The Netherlands

HENK Overbeek came from the Netherlands to Bulgaria for the first time four years ago. His father had been a long-time businessman in Bulgaria, which, according to Henk, was the impetus behind his own Bulgarian adventure. Henk first came to Bulgaria at the encouragement of his father. His father became interested in the transition of Eastern European economies and began giving lectures about Western

A look at the time of Advent

ACCORDING to the Orthodox Christian Church calendar, we are in the midst of the Nativity season. Nativity, also known as Advent or Winter Lent, signifies a period of fasting for many Orthodox Christians around the world, including Bulgarian Orthodox Christians. The Orthodox Church has the most extensive fasting calendar of any religious group. If fasting principles are strictly followed, an Orthodox Christian spends half of his or her year fasting on some level.

READING ROOM: Recycling in Sofia

AN obvious and important aspect of ecotourism is the preservation of the environment and natural resources. Bulgaria's emerging ecotourism industry therefore needs to be coupled with increasing environmental preservation efforts. Bulgaria, and Sofia in particular, is not known for its efficient waste management. Recent fighting over the location of a new waste treatment centre has left Sofia without effective means of dealing with its waste.

EXPAT OF THE WEEK: Discovering a hidden gem

Christopher Ignaciuk, from: New York

WHEN Christopher Ignaciuk enrolled in a class about the Balkans to fulfill his Cultural Diversity requirement at Boston College, he never imagined that five years later he would be living in Sofia, Bulgaria. Ignaciuk, a New York City native, had previously travelled to Greece, but hadn't anticipated becoming a Balkan resident. Ignaciuk's Balkan Studies professor was Bulgarian and offered one of the few Bulgarian language classes available at an American university.

NOTES FROM HISTORY: The woman behind NDK

THE National Palace of Culture is one of Sofia's most easily recognisable landmarks. Comprised of a seemingly infinite number of halls, cinemas, and conference rooms, many of the city's activities revolve around the Palace of Culture (NDK). NDK recently received the 2005 AIPC Apex Award for World's Best Congress Centre. NDK is just one example of the legacy left by Lyudmila Zhivkova.

EXPAT OF THE WEEK: A league of his own

Angus Lang, from: Toronto, Canada

ANGUS Lang came to Sofia from Toronto in the summer of 2003 for a short business trip. He has been here ever since. Lang originally came to Bulgaria with fellow Canadian Kevin Gaston to work with Gaston's textile business. Although Gaston left Sofia in the autumn of 2003 to pursue a career in commercial real estate back in Canada, Lang remained in Sofia. Lang began playing hockey at the age of five, and he has brought his passion for the game to Bulgaria.