Body Language
When Bulgarians nod their heads up and down, they mean NO. When they move their heads from side to side, they mean YES.
Wedding bands on worn on the right hand, not the left as in the West.
Celebrations
Name Days are celebrated in addition to birthdays. A Name Day is celebrated by people whose name is derived from that of a Saint’s Day being celebrated. The person having a Name Day usually brings chocolates to the office for colleagues to share. Bulgarian tradition is that one may call uninvited on a person celebrating a Name Day, to wish them well.
Central Heating
The temperature in buildings is controlled centrally by the city. They decide when to turn it on, usually around November, and switch it off, usually around March.
Corruption
This continues to be a problem, so beware, even of the police. Always carry the number of your embassy/consulate and lawyer, just in case.
Money
The Bulgarian currency is the lev (plural leva) and is divided into 100 stotinki. Banknotes are in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 leva notes as well as coins of 1 lev (it is soon expected to completely obliterate the paper 1 lev) and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 stotinki.
The lev has been fairly stable for the past six years.
Money Exchange
People still get ripped off at Bureaux de Change despite all the regulations that are in place. As they are not allowed to charge a commission they often use an unfavourable rate. Our advice is to change your money at a bank, where rates are quite favourable and commissions are not charged.
Movies
Most large cinemas show films with their original soundtracks and subtitle them. The same applies to rented videocassettes. However, films for children are usually dubbed. Check The Sofia Echo for weekly cinema listings.
Police Registration
Make sure that you obey the law regarding the registration of foreigners, because it is being applied with increasing eagerness. Failing to register within 48 hours of arrival can mean heavy fines and other hassles. EU citizens are no longer obliged to register in police offices.
Shopping
Large supermarkets such as Billa, Metro and Hit offer a wide range of local and imported products. In smaller shops, the standard and friendliness of service tends to vary. Customer service is a concept with which shop assistants are still getting acquainted, with varying degrees of success.
When paying for something in a restaurant or shop, do not expect to always get the correct change. It is common practice to “round up” the sum, and not in your benefit.
Credit cards are used more and more frequently in the higher end shops but you may still be surprised by the need for cash. You can withdraw cash using local or international credit and debit cards from the many ATMs around town.
Smoking
Bulgaria has one of the highest smoking levels in Europe and until the beginning of 2005 there was no legal protection for non-smokers. Now new regulations for smoking in public and in offices have been introduced and you should now find all restaurants, bars and cafes have a properly ventilated No Smoking section with at least 40% of the seats. It may take some time before everyone begins to observe this though.
Taxis
There are so many taxis around waiting to rip off unsuspecting foreigners and of course they tend to lie in wait at the airport, train station and in front of hotels, to get you before you have a chance to work out what the going rate is. In fact currently in Sofia most taxis charge 0.39 BGN (39 stotinki) for daytime and 0.45 BGN (45 stotinki) for nighttime per kilometer. The rates have to be clearly displayed in the front window or on the dashboard as well as in the rear windows. Some taxis play the trick of moving the decimal point so you think it says 0.45 but in fact it says 04.50, or whatever. If you don’t notice this it’s your fault and the law is not on your side. If you can, call a reputable company like OK Supertrans (tel: 9732121), with new cars and fixed rates. Taxis can be taken from a taxi rank, though often they may refuse to take you if they don’t feel like going in that direction or the journey is short! The other option is to stop one in motion. Ensure the driver turns on the meter at the start of the journey, and keep a careful eye out about whether it seems to be running unusually fast. You should ask for a receipt and if you have any complaints write down the driver’s details from the obligatory pass with their name and number and report to the company later, rather than tackling them directly as this could be dangerous.
Tipping
It is of course optional but generally standard practice in restaurants, cafes, bars, hairdressers, even taxis. About 10 per cent to 15 per cent is customary.
Making a toast when drinking liquor is de rigeur. When toasting, raise your glass and lightly clink it with all the others present, while looking the people with you in the eye (to not look them in the eye is rude) and saying, “Na zdrave” (good health to you). If there are 10 people at the table, you do this with all 10.
Toilets
Toilet facilities are much improved compared to 10 years ago, but can be off-putting, particularly in older establishments and outside the larger cities. Most modern fuel stations, restaurants, hotels and bars have facilities of an acceptable standard. But elsewhere you may be confronted by nothing more than a hole in the floor, and no toilet paper. Always carry Kleenex with you. Places often charge for the use of toilet facilities, currently usually in the 20 to 50 stotinki range.
