Back to main index

Back to Stephanie's main page

June 25, 2007

For the first time, I landed in continental Europe as something other than a tourist. The first few days in Bulgaria's capital have been somewhat overwhelming as I try to settle into a new life. There is a different rhythm to things here, one particularly influenced by the recent heat wave that has sent temperatures past 110 degrees. Work begins at 10 or 11 in the morning, and restaurants don't even open until 7:30 or 8 at night. It has been a bit difficult to slow down after another year in Cambridge. My first meetings here have sometimes been days later than originally planned, and are disrupted by trips for espresso and cigarettes. Even people on the streets move at a slower pace.

My apartment in Sofia has floor-to-ceiling windows in every room, and this unusual set up reminds me of the transitions I have been trying to make here. For one, my privacy is based on hearsay. I'm alarmingly incompetent at some of life's simpler tasks; as much as I try to blend in, I still feel like a walking poster for North America every time a shopper in the grocery store leans over and makes the correct change for me. Bartering for fresh produce is an exercise in humility. It is impossible for me to order a meal, take a taxi, or use an ATM like a local. Even gestures are new to me - Bulgarians nod to say "no" and shake their heads to say "yes."

The nice thing is that these windows work both ways. Despite the fact that I am something of a beacon of oafishness, I've been introduced to new people, new attitudes, new lifestyles, and a new landscape. Old women sell sunflower seeds in the park and offer produce from their own gardens. On the same block, you can find parking lots filled with Porsches and crumbling Soviet-era apartment buildings. Communism has left a wake of pro-worker monuments and wide boulevards that persist even as Sofia modernizes.

History in general preoccupies many of the locals I know, even those not involved with the museum system. A famous 1014 CE battle with Greece (or rather, Byzantium) is discussed over dinner - and it's even offensive to order a Greek salad! Having only been here for two weeks, I've already heard the story several times: following a major military victory, the Byzantines blinded the Bulgarian soldiers, leaving one soldier with one eye for every 99 blinded in order to lead the others home. It is said that Tsar Samil died of a heart attack when he saw this cruelty. Even the younger generation recalls a vision of Southeastern Europe that predates the 14th century when talk of neighboring countries arises. When I think of something old in America, I think of the earliest British settlements. Here, I saw a tree that dates back 1,400 years, and it's only flora!

In the coming days I leave Sofia for the archeological dig in Razlog, a bit behind schedule. I'm quite excited to see how the Bulgarian sense of history is physically unearthed and preserved.

Next entry >