Juliana Tzvetkova - Bulgaria - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

Adapted from Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past.

ISBN 978 1 78702 327 7

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue entry for this book is available from the British Library

First published in Great Britain

by Kuperard, an imprint of Bravo Ltd

59 Hutton Grove, London N12 8DS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 8446 2440

www.culturesmart.co.uk

Inquiries:

Design Bobby Birchall

Printed in Turkey

The Culture Smart! series is continuing to expand.
All Culture Smart! guides are available as e-books, and many as audio books. For further information and latest titles visit

www.culturesmart.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JULIANA TZVETKOVA is an academic and intercultural intelligence trainer. Born and educated in Bulgaria, she has an M.A. from Sofia Universitys Faculty of Classic and Modern Philology. After graduation she did translating, interpreting, and research, and worked for Bulgarian National Television. In 1998 Juliana moved with her family to Canada where she joined the Communications Faculty of Centennial College. She worked for Centennial around the globe for more than twenty years, and began her intercultural training career in Dubai. Today she combines her intercultural and educational work with writing. She has contributed to encyclopedias and is an author of Pop Culture in Europe and Culture Smart! Canada.

One of the oldest countries in Europe, Bulgaria became the youngest member of the European Union on January 1, 2007. If there is a word that best describes the Bulgarians, it is proud. Founded in 681 CE , the country takes pride in being the oldest European nation-state never to have changed its name. It is also proud to have given the world the Cyrillic alphabet, the first electronic wristwatch, the electronic digital computer, and some of the twentieth-centurys greatest opera singers. Most of all, Bulgarians are proud of their long history and the natural beauty of their land: Bulgaria and paradise are often used in the same sentence.

Situated on the Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria was at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and a melting pot of ancient cultures. Today, four pan-European transportation corridors connect Western Europe to Eastern and Southeastern Europe and Asia across its territory. Invasions and waves of migration, starting from neolithic and classical times, have contributed to its unique cultural mosaic. The seventh-century Bulgarian empire dominated the Balkans and was a powerhouse of Slavonic culture. Later, Ottoman conquest and Soviet influence left their mark on the national psyche.

Bulgarias colorful traditions are rooted in an ancient pagan past and twelve centuries of Orthodox Christianity. The new year starts with the lucky backtapping surovakane rite. Bulgarians celebrate name days, such as the patron saint of winemaking, Trifon Zarezan; Baba Marta, marking the end of winter, when red and white yarn marteniza adornments are worn; the day of the Slavonic alphabet, of Bulgarian enlightenment and culture; and very many other holidays. To throw a great party one needs great company, and the Bulgarians are famous for their hospitality, warmth, well-stocked tables, and lively music. Easygoing, and with a great sense of humor, they enjoy making new friends and know how to cherish old ones.

Today, Bulgarias seaside and winter resorts attract many visitors, while its rapidly developing economy draws investors from around the world. This book is for vacationers, adventure seekers, businesspeople, and lovers of ancient culture and art. It will familiarize you with this small but beautiful land and its complex people. It describes the formative influences on Bulgarian society, and the way Bulgarian people interact with foreigners and each other. It offers important insights and practical advice that will smooth your path and deepen your experience in this intriguing country.

Dobre doshli v Bulgaria, skapi priateli!

Welcome to Bulgaria, dear friends!