Bulgaria

Exploring Bulgarian Culture

Contemporary Bulgarian culture is a vibrant blend of millennium-old folk traditions and a more formal culture. Located on a major part of the Balkan peninsula, Bulgaria contains natural wonders like the Balkan Mountains and the Black Sea Coast, and hip, urban centers like Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital. History emanates from Bulgaria’s ancient ruins. The Romans built cities of breathtaking size: bathhouses, walls, and amphitheaters situated in the middle modern cities such as Varna and Plovdiv.

Host a Bulgarian student in the U.S.

Family Dynamic

Family composition in Bulgaria is varied but generally similar to families in U.S. Typically, only the parents and children live in the same household. In some cases, often in rural areas, grandparents are also part of the household. In Bulgaria, it is common for both parents to be professionals, and for both to be financially responsible for the family. Both parents expect to be viewed as equal authority figures in all household decisions.

Meals in Bulgaria may be eaten all together as a family, or separately depending on family members’ schedules. Among siblings, possessions of an individual child are treated as their own and are not understood to be the shared property of siblings. When siblings want to borrow something from each other, it is generally understood that they must ask first.

The types of chores given to high school-aged children in Bulgaria are different depending on each family. In general, there are no chores divided between genders. Teenagers are mostly responsible for taking care of their room. It would be very unusual to have a housekeeper in a Bulgarian home. Cooking responsibilities are not so much gender related as family specific. Cooking as a hobby is becoming trendy among young people in Bulgaria.

Having pets in Bulgaria is very similar to the U.S. Cats and dogs are most common, but people also keep fish, canary birds, small parrots, hamsters.

Teenage Life in Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, teenage dependence on parental advice is typically individual and family-specific. Some parents want to play bigger roles in the children’s’ lives, and while others may leave decisions up to their child, while still expressing their opinion. Teenagers in Bulgaria get allowances from their parents. There are not many options for part-time work for students, except for very rare summer jobs.

To monitor students’ academic behavior, schools organize parents meetings. Traditionally, Bulgarian parents are rarely involved in their student’s extra-curricular activities, but in the last few years, parents have been encouraged to be more involved, especially if it relates to the future career of their child.

It is very common that Bulgarian teenagers go out during the weekend until very late (2 AM). This is considered cultural tradition and for many parents it might be challenging to introduce a curfew.

Holidays

Official Language

Bulgarian is the official language of Bulgaria

Communication Styles

Bulgarians communicate directly. Most teenagers in Bulgaria feel comfortable communicating directly with their parents, and they typically will express emotions, even negative ones, quite freely among their peers and family.

Physical space when communicating with another person is not as obvious in Bulgaria as it is in the U.S. This can vary between individuals, depending on the teenager and their family. In general, physical space in Bulgaria is much closer than in the U.S. Bulgarians may be very tactile- hugging or kissing is a common way of greeting.

Eye contact is not as important in Bulgarian culture as in other countries. However, children are often told by parents or teachers “Look at me”, when being reprimanded or when discussing a serious issue. This is to show that a student is paying attention and is also because it’s considered harder to tell a lie when one is looking another straight in the eye.

Teenagers in Bulgaria show respect to people who they think deserve respect regardless their age. In general, interactions with elder family members and members of the community are much more informal, and adults are typically addressed by their first name.

In Bulgaria, punctuality is valued, but not as respected as it is in the U.S. Being late is not considered an issue and arriving up to 15 minutes late is excusable.

The Bulgarian Diet

n Bulgaria, breakfast is typically light, consisting of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or milk and a cheese-filled pastry or some other bread item like a sweet roll or toast. Boza (a malt-based drink) is a traditional breakfast beverage typically enjoyed by elderly people in rural areas.

Bulgarians eat pork, chicken, fish, or lamb with most dishes. Yogurt and cheese are also common ingredients. Popular main meals include moussaka (a casserole with pork or lamb, potatoes, tomatoes, and yogurt) and nadenitsa (stuffed pork sausage). Mehana, a traditional Bulgarian eating establishment, is popular throughout the country, and features traditional food, folk music, and dancing.

An enchanting mixture of history and nature