FROM THE DESERT TO BLACK SEA - NEWEST MEMBER SEEKING ADVICE

Hi annanirvanna & welcome to Expat.com!

I hope that other members will soon share their experience with you.

Have you tried to browse though the different threads of the forum?

It may help.

Wish you well,
Harmonie.

Hi we have also jusr shifted from egypt here. Can contact me on anand61@hotmail.com for more details.

rgorman78 at gmail.co.uk

Im a builder/landscaper with a lot of experience in BG and i have friends who want to sell that i am trying to help.

Tried replying on your e-mail rgorman78@gmail.co.uk and again as you have written it above.  Both returned 'postmaster unable to deliver'.  So plan B, I copied & pasted my e-mail and have sent it to you as a reply via the forum.  Hope you get it - if not send me a message and confirm your e-mail again and I will send my reply again.  Thanks

I'm a local here and maybe i can help you?

Hi George - tHanks for your kind offer.  Hoping to pop over soon to recce trip to see first hand what BG is like.   Can you advise on the chances of my husband finding work in the diving industry.  Also any info on banks and good savings plans you know of.  That will do for now (ha ha) as I will probably have many more questions later on if your offer still stands & you don't get totally fed up with us

Cheers

Annie & Taz

Send me your skype or email address.

No Skype - if I send you my e-mail address via this post will everyone see it?.  Happy to give it to you but don't want to advertise it generally - already receive so many unrequested e-mails that I have to try and block & delete

Hi Annie and Taz,

I personally believe Varna is the best city in Bulgaria so you are on the right track checking out the coastal regions!

I am originally from South Africa.  Been living in Varna around 9 years.

Not sure about job opportunities for scuba instructors.  I would say that it is probably not as popular as Turkey and Greece.  Summer season with tourists would probably be the best bet.

Ask any other questions - will try to answer them.
Regards,
Luna

Well Lunastrahill
I think Varna may be the best Bulgarian coastal City to start a business because its a big City with the most people.
However i was miserable there i really do struggle to see why people like it.
I went to Burgas earlier in the year and i loved it no problems with people there at all. I know its quite small but its got some nightlife good restaurants bars just the right amount i think.
Also i never saw one prostitute in the City centre. I never saw any guys full of steroids in big black 4 wheel drives.
I did not feel i vibe that im not welcome from the local community.
Im not hear for a argument but please enlighten me what is positive about Varna

I agree the Burgas is a nice LITTLE city.  The mayor has definitely put the budget into upgrading the infrastructure.

I go there a couple of times a year for examining as I am a Cambridge Examiner.

I think Varna is more cosmopolitan.  We have ex-pat get-togethers often and generally it has more to offer than the sleepier city of Burgas.

I guess it really depends on your reasons for choosing one place over the other.  If your business depends on attracting tourists or quantity (bigger population) then I still believe Varna is a better bet than Burgas.

No argument - I love a good debate!

Thanks for the replies.  We are looking at the Yambol area which I believe is more south BG nearer to Burgas.  We have decided to start looking in this region of BG as it's near Black Sea but also not too far from Turkey & Greek borders.  That gives hubby the biggest options for scuba diving options in case he needs to commute for work.  I believe tourism is on the up & up in BG so that hopefully will mean a market for development of scuba diving for BG. 

For us as long as we kind find a nice property with the right price tag in a nice region (be it a village or town or village near to a town), close enough to get to all the main requirements such as medical facilities, banks, post offices, decent shops, supermarkets and maybe some R & R like restaurants, cinemas, social activities and in a area with low crime, nice locals and a sprinkling of ex-pats we will be happy happy;) happy!!!

Its different circumstances for different people. When i was there in Varna as a single man in my twenties it was a strange place.
The younger people had a obvious chip on their shoulder about the English. It had become fashionable to not like English people.
Ofcourse gypsys were and still are disliked more than English people.  I used to wonder what it would be like there if i was English and dark skinned.
Ofcourse Bulgaria can be like this everywhere but the attitude in Varna just seemed too much for me.
As for the police force in Varna i have never seen so much open corruption.
Though i do not have a problem with prostitution if its between consenting adults. The sick Varna culture is the exact opposite and the police are obviously on the pay off.
I hate these men i hate that they get away with it. Yes and i also have heavy resentment against the Varna people for not complaining about it all.
They do not complain about the bent police or the Mutra they seem to find them sexy.
All i hear is hatred of gypseys. I would say to them so if all the people with brown skin dissapear it will be like heaven here will it.

annanirvanna sorry for the late reply.you can send it as a private message.

I must agree with some of the people .I don't really like my own kind too but there are douchebags everywhere.What you gotta do is find the right people you want to keep a long term relationship.

Hi you guys.I'm trying to gather people who love football like me here in Varna and make a team maybe.Anyone is welcome no matter what your age or sport experience is.So I'll be waiting for you )

Hi I would like to know if you have moved to bulgraia and if so, how are you getting on, we are thinking of moving over, also lived in Egypt, lived around the world, we are in UAE  at the moment, if you are in Bulgaria please let us know your feeling on the people and country. Thank you debs

Hi I was wondering if you buy a house and you only come over once a year to oversee it, can you find someone to look over your house and land, as I don't want to get back and have no windows or doors left, can anyone give me any info on this matter

Hi Debs,  No we are still in Egypt (at the moment).  However as you may have seen on the news things are getting seriously nasty here.  Firstly 2nd anniversary of Uprising and now death sentences on the football hooligans are causing serious riots and deaths. The way things are declining I suspect we will be packing our bags soon and heading for the airport.  Definitely liked BG, and was pleasantly surprised at the shopping availability, social things to do and beauty of the country plus the friendliness of the BG people.  It's so cheap to buy a house and cost of living is good too.  So I have BG on the top of my list to head out too once we decide the 'sandpit' is too dangerous & unacceptable to us (which the way things are declining here won't be to long).  I wish you well and would strongly suggest a 'recce trip' as I did 2 months ago.  Once you see BG for yourself I am sure you will love it as I did

Thank you so much I've started looking at Hungary too, but we want the sea, I wish you all the best, keep us updated,  I saw on the news tonight, things aren't looking that good at all in Egypt, but I must say I love Egypt, as we have been 3years now in Abu Dhabi, and I would pack up now and go anywhere, just waiting for the kids to finish school, we are going to bulgraia in July for a month so we can have a good look around thanks again

To answer your question - it depends where you buy your house, whether you will find people to oversee / manage it.

I manage an apartment in Vinitza (rent it out on behalf of the owner) and luckily found a long term tenant for it.

Have had problems with hiring folk to oversee properties in villages.

Also I guess luck is involved.  If you find a reliable friendly neighbour and pay them a fee for doing so, hopefully all will be well.

Good luck and welcome to BG.  Have been here around 8 years now.

Luna

Hi have you moved yet, we just bought a property in shumen and going over in July, we are still in the UAE , how are things going with you and family

Is there any expats in shumen area, I would love to have a chat with you. Debs