Common misconceptions and clichés about life in Bulgaria

Hi,,,Yes i did have a" biased view"before i moved here based on 6mths research (culture,history,better standard of living,climate)which i still love before i moved here,,but i am a bit wiser now having lived here for 18mths,,I have encounted a "few"people here with "Misconception" of me being Very Rich so ready for being Ripped Off by local & expat people,but gladly not all,i have met some wonderfull Bulgarian & expats,,another "Misconception" is thinking you can transfer your UK life to BG,you can,t,you have to adapt & change,,,,,,,,,,Happy Days Ahead,,be wise,,,,,,,,,,eddie

Hello!   I have been following Bulgarian sports - particularly wrestling and weightlifting since the 70s.  They probably have more Olympic medals per capita in those sports than any other country.  So my preconceived notions about Bulgarians were quite positive.  So far, no one has disappointed me but there will be winners and losers everywhere.   The trick is to avoid the losers!

Good topic,

I really like to see whe people form differetn countries come to Bulgaria and see with their eyes that alomost none of their previously constructed fears are true. Of coure this is neither the Hell nor the Paradise and everyone should use neither too thrusty nor too cautious.
And enjoy life in Bulgaria, that is the key to being happy in this country.

Will be nice to see different opinions and what was confirmed and what rejected from your expectations before/after coming to Bulgaria.

I visit Bulgaria a couple of times each year for the last 10 years. I fell in love with Nessebar and have wondered about moving to retire, not rich but comfortable but of course with UK leaving Europe things will change, do you think I have now left it too late?

I've found the Bulgarians to be very warm and welcoming - once they get to know you!  Our neighbour always keeps us in supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables every time we visit. We do get builders thinking we are millionaires though and trying it on.   It's hard to find a good, reputable builder, but hopefully after two years we've managed to find one!  A fantastic place to visit and hopefully retire in the next few years.

I heard that if you drive a moble home there it will get taken by Gypsies and they can keep it

Bulgaria has surpassed any kind of expectations I had, though I didn't know what to expect. I definitely wouldn't have the life I have now if I was still in the UK.
Holidaying here is nothing like living here.

People always blame gypsies but it's usually not the case, they are like any one else, but lots live in far worse conditions than anyone else. Don't let gypsies put you off, they're not all out to get you.

And Dezzaw - never too late, there's no guarantee yet that the UK will leave the EU and it's going to take a few years by the looks of things if and when it does happen.
Just make sure you have a back up plan, that goes for anyone thinking of living here.

Thanks for your reply, As you probably understand, I will be 65 when I relocate is it best to buy or rent. I have no relatives to leave it to.

Dezza

It depends on what you are looking for... you will rarely find houses to rent except in the largest cities. Apartments are easier to find to rent.

Agree that it does all depend on what you want, but you could try renting first and see how you feel, although houses for rent are probably not as easy to find as apartments, I know of some in villages in the South East of Bulgaria, which are for rent all year round, so it's not impossible.