Bulgaria: Where No Means Yes Dear International Living Reader, Strategically located between Europe and Asia, Bulgaria mixes influences from Russian, Greek, Armenian, Roman, and Turkish cultures into a distinctive new form. Some customs here seem deceptively familiar--as I discovered when I ordered lunch with no trouble but then had the waitress tell me "no" when I wanted to leave afterwards. The first time this happened, my reaction was to keep repeating myself in English: "Please, can I have the check…please?" I even broke into my rusty Russian skills, but still, she just shook her head. During my first visit to Bulgaria, I was unaware that shaking your head left-to-right means "yes," while nodding your head up-and-down means "no." I've made a few other small gaffes here. Once my Bulgarian friends poured me a welcoming shot of rakyia, their traditional drink. After living for a time in Ukraine I thought I knew what to do with it, and following the toast of "na zdravy" (to your health), I downed the drink in one gulp. That was cultural mistake number two! Rakyia is a type of brandy that should be sipped slowly and politely. It really burns as it slides down your throat. My friends watched with stunned looks as I paid dearly for my cultural ignorance. I was first attracted to living in Bulgaria by the cheap real estate--you can buy a Black Sea villa for about the same price as a flat on the outskirts of London--but I've stayed for the warm hospitality of the people. These minor misunderstandings are just part of settling into the life here…and I'm enjoying the learning curve. Kevin Spence
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