Sat, Nov 21 2009
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AFTER having written more than 20 Family Matters columns, my time in this paper has come to an end. I started off with many good intentions and possibilities last September and have written about everything from pets and birthday parties, to the joys of renewing my lichna karta, but now, a-year-and-a-half later, I realise I only covered a fraction of all my ideas!
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ANTIQUING in Bulgaria is not for the faint of heart. You have to be prepared for all variations of commerce from refined galleries to musty dusty storage rooms. At this time of year, the high-end galleries are anxious for business, but don't expect that enthusiasm to translate into haggling or dealing. Many of those proprietors take items on consignment and firmly stand by their high prices.
I WRITE a lot about transitions in this column and now it's time to implement a few changes of my own. This is my last column for The Sofia Echo and I want to thank all of you that made this past year so successful.
I ALWAYS say it's difficult to explain overseas life to those who haven't tried it. The uninitiated seem to have a romanticised vision of our lives. The truth is; we pack up our belongings along with our emotional baggage. Sometimes that means further complications to an existing situation and sometimes that means a chance at a fresh start altogether.
DURING my short time in Sofia, I have seen three expatriate marriages dissolve. It happens more frequently than you might think and the problem spans cultural boundaries too. The couples I observed were British, American and Belgian.
I AM reading an interesting new book called "Moveable Marriages: Relocate Your Relationship without Breaking It" by Robin Pascoe. She is a Canadian author who followed her husband "across continents, time zones and cultures" for more than 20 years.
BULGARIA has not been open to foreigners very long. That's one of the main reasons expat goods and services are still a growth market here. With EU accession around the corner, entrepreneurs should be thinking about the future. The number of expats is only going to increase and business visionaries worth their salt should be thinking about long-term sustainable ideas to tap this developing market.
Religion is a very private matter yet the practice of it usually takes a public form. Whether you need to find a synagogue, a church or a temple, expats must overcome unusual obstacles to attend services or practice their religion. Language, local laws and availability are just a few of the barriers we face as we adjust our own traditions to new cultures.
Will it be the 40-year-old mother of two or the 50year-old childless lady? Or will it be the lovely grandmother chatting with her husband? According to Dr. Sue McGladdery of the American Clinic in Hungary, all of those friends are at risk.
Jeffrey Hawthorne has two loves: teaching and golf. His first love brought him to Montana, a remote town in northern Bulgaria where he works as a high school English teacher for the US Peace Corps. His second love has brought him great satisfaction and frustration, insight and confusion and sometimes just plain fun. And it was a combination of the two that inspired his students to trust their teacher, stretch their imagination and share his passion along the way. KATE GOGGIN reports.
LILIAN Todorov is living every man's fantasy: He has a putting green at his office. You can do that when you are the owner and President of Air Sofia, an air freight company, and also President of Golf Club Air Sofia. "I started playing when I was 56. Golf is a sport that helps to release pressure but also it's a good way to change the way people communicate." Those are added assets for his colleagues in the office but anyone can learn to play the game at Golf Club Air Sofia.
THE golf industry is booming in Bulgaria with recent construction of a driving range at the Sofia Sport Academy, as well as a multi-million dollar project underway near the Black Sea resort town of Pomorie.
It's hard to believe two years have passed since September 11, 2001. Expats from around the world remember where they were when they heard the news and they share their thoughts about how it will shape our future.
WALKING the halls of school for the first time can be quite a shock for the new kid on the block. Just ask Annie Mendes a student at the Anglo-American School (AAS) in Sofia.
WHAT was it like to move a teenager? "It was hell," said Mary Cain. That sentiment echoes throughout the expat community as families describe the real difficulties associated with a teenage move.
TALK to any mother of an adolescent about to relocate and wait for the moaning. The mum moans because she dreads plucking the kid out of an established school and social network. The kid moans because his whole identity as class clown, star athlete or emerging hunk is now in jeopardy.
THERE is a common expat expression, "Bloom where you are planted." It encourages us to quickly adjust to new surroundings, dig roots and thrive. But what about our children? Moving is a decidedly adult function and sometimes kids get lost in the transplantation process.
THE summer sun is quickly fading and it is a time of transition. New expats are arriving in Sofia while old-timers are leaving. Whether you are coming or going, you want to be prepared.
Are you newly arrived in Sofia? Feeling a little displaced maybe? Don't worry, we have all been there and you might be surprised to learn some rather famous people have struggled to adjust to new cultures too.
I was in Atlanta, Georgia, recently when I heard a recent story about two spoiled Bulgarian children. They gained notoriety in the local press because they squandered their family's fortune living the high life in Atlanta instead of paying for tuition at a prestigious art school as intended.
AREN'T all mothers working mothers? That's what I'm hearing. Whether they choose to stay at home and raise the children or to work outside the home, all mothers work. As I have said in earlier articles in this series, the key to happiness is all in the choosing.
I AM told a raging war between mothers exists: those that choose to stay home with their children and those that choose to work and have their children cared for by others daily.
IT is summer in Sofia and temperatures will top 30 degrees C this week. Everyone is scurrying for shade and some respite from the sun.
Do you like to barbeque? Did you teach your daughter to drive or teach your son to kick a football? If you answered yes to any of the above, you fulfill the standard requisite of "Dad" behavior. Everyone recognises Dad behavior and quickly adds their own version - "my Dad was practically married to his car, caring for it into old age until it collapsed on the road" or "my Dad ruled the house with a television remote control in one hand and a rolled up newspaper in the other. One misstep and we'd get a swat
WE have talked about the topic of moving in this column, but we've never delved into the details of the actual event. Experienced expats know that moving internationally can take anything from one month to one year of preparation. Language training, vaccinations, visa requirements and delivery of personal possessions all take time. The amount of time allotted of course depends on your sponsoring employer and the work requirements.
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