I'm moving to Sofia to work

Hi and welcome! 700 euros is more than many Bulgarians earn, so you should be fine

Hello everyone,

Welcome on board Pedro 

a new thread has been created from your post on the Sofia forum so that you better interact with members.

Best of luck
Bhavna

Hi Pedro,

Telus is growing fast in Bulgaria, you will meet people from 5-6 different countries there, so it is a good start.
The offices of the company are not exactly in the city center, actually it is located about 6-7 km. from the center.
Renting a flat depends on may parameters, but in general, you can rent a fully furnished studio for about 150-200 euros per month, depending on the region, quality of furniture, type of building etc. Prices vary quite alot.

700 euros are not so much, but definately enough to live in Bulgaria. I suppose this is starting salary and it will be increased after a couple of months work.

Cooking is not a problem ... especially when a girl helps you. )
Until then - fast food.

Good luck!

Thanks for everything, everyone

Boas Pedro!

Também me chamo Pedro e também vou trabalhar para Sófia em Janeiro!

Quando te mudas? Já arranjaste casa? Também estou a procura...

Abraço

PedroMarques wrote:

Boas Pedro!

Também me chamo Pedro e também vou trabalhar para Sófia em Janeiro!

Quando te mudas? Já arranjaste casa? Também estou a procura...

Abraço

You can find the Portuguese version of the forum here if you wish to use it on the forum.  Please review the forum code of conduct.

Kindly,
Romaniac
Expat.com Experts Team

Hi!
Ok I'm sorry I do not post anymore in portuguese.
Thanks

@kampeao Do not move to Bulgaria, they rip you off. I ve already 2000 EUR in debts because moving to Bulgaria. The Workplace is a nightmare and ****. It s a russian style Country and everywhere where you go only ruins and decay. Yjis country is full of Criminals and Gangsters and even the Company betrays you with the Salary, you cant trust anybody in Bulgaria. A nice old Granny recommended me as well to leave, because you cannot trust here anybody. It is a **** country compared to other EU Countries. DO NOT ENTER BULGARIA, YOU WILL REGRET IT

DO NOT ENTER BULGARIA, YOU WILL REGRET IT
-@brunosjob

You joined a Bulgaria forum just to rant in all-caps about the country?

Most of us here have survived time in Bulgaria. I would like to think the original poster did, too, as his post was made 8 years ago.

Maybe try to make your post more helpful to those considering Bulgaria by providing specific advice about what you could have done differently to avoid getting ripped off, what the warning signs were, etc? Every country has its hazards, and it's good to be aware of them. But a general "Don't go there" isn't helpful to anyone.

@janemulberry why I should lie, thats the truth about Bulgaria and I warn other not to enter this ***** country on my experience here

@brunosjob

Welcome to the expat.com forum! I'm sorry to hear that you've struggled here, and I hope things will improve for you very soon!

This thread is VERY old, so it's probably not a great discussion to jump in on. I recommend that you read some of the more recent topics and contribute there, or create a new topic of your own (e.g. "Why you shouldn't move to Bulgaria!" if this is something you feel very strongly about).

Your post is a little harshly expressed, I think. But, at the same time, I can see that there is definitely some truth in what you say.

Bulgaria is the poorest country in the EU so, of course, salaries are very low, and there is much lower investment in infrastructure (unless it's EU funding). As you come from Germany, one of the wealthiest EU countries, the contrast will appear rather dramatic. We sold our house in Germany just before moving here, so I've also experienced the move from a spotlessly maintained German town (and German roads) to a much more rustic Bulgaria. It's a bit of a culture shock. :-)

You're also correct that it's a Russian-style country in many ways. It was once a part of the Soviet Union, so you can't be surprised by this! And, to be fair, the Fall of Communism happened only 30 years ago, it's not so long to transform a country and society (and eradicate corruption). Germany itself struggled with the modernization and integration of East Germany, even with Germany's wealth. For poor countries like Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Albania it has been a huge struggle.

A particular aspect of these communist countries was the Soviet-era large-scale construction of prefab concrete or "panel" buildings. These are (mostly) safe and not falling down, but most would agree that they are pretty depressing to look at!

If you're young and working, then it's probably not a great option, as there are better salaries and a higher standard of living to be found elsewhere. If you don't need to work, or you can work remotely, then Bulgaria's low cost of living can be very attractive. If you're an outdoorsy kinda person, then you can perhaps appreciate the beauty of Bulgaria's countryside and National Parks spread across multiple mountain ranges. And with Bulgaria's small population, these are still wide-open spaces for you to enjoy.

In general terms, you're not the first expat to be horrified by their new country, in comparison to their own country. This happens a lot in fact, as most people are, to some degree, proud of where they come from, and very comfortable with how things are done there. And new things are inherently a bit of a shock. I'm a Brit, and the Brits were notorious for moving to Spain, and then complaining that it was terrible because it's too hot, and you can't get a decent cup of tea or a proper English Breakfast. :-) We have some friends here in Plovdiv, and they are just about to leave the country, and return home to Brazil. The husband had a good job and liked Plovdiv, and was happy to make adjustments. But his wife hated it from the first day, and never made any attempt to find the positives about life here. Relocating is very challenging anyway, but doubly so if you don't have a positive attitude and embrace your new country.

I spent years in Latin America (Panama, Argentina, Chile, Brazil) and I can assure that even the worst country in the EU is far safer and far less corrupt! Panama even has a phrase for cheating, the "juego vivo" or "game of life", so you kinda know this is not a culture that values honesty and integrity and plain-dealing. :-) I lost a ton of my money there before I realized that the rules of the game were completely different, and I had to adapt or die (or get the hell outta Dodge). But I can still appreciate many of the great things about these countries, even if I think doing business there is extremely challenging for foreigners. And I certainly wouldn't turn a particularly negative aspect of the country, into a general guidance to avoid the country completely.

@janemulberry why I should lie, thats the truth about Bulgaria and I warn other not to enter this shithole country on my experience here
-@brunosjob

I'm not asking you to lie at all. I am asking you to share more of your experience and what the specific issues were so others can avoid them. It's clear you had a very bad experience which is regrettable and painful. There are challenges and rip-offs and crooks in Bulgaria for sure, like every country. You could really help others who are already in Bulgaria or committed to moving to Bulgaria by sharing your knowledge of what to look out for.

@brunosjob Better share some details, otherwise there's no use of your post. Name the company, tell us exactly how did they put you into debt, how you selected the company, did you check it before coming here, is it a qualified or unqualified job, etc.

Though I understand your feelings, emotional outbursts show only one side of the picture and that is you.