Let's Get the Fuck Out: Bulgaria

There's only one word to describe Bulgaria: cheap. But would we want to live there?

It is, after all, the archetypal former Soviet nation-state: provincial, antiquated, and polluted. Bulgarians nod their heads to signify "yes," and wag them when they mean "no," sort of like Vermont.

Pros:

1. Bulgarians celebrate Cyrillic Alphabet Day, and have two Christmas Days. Apparently, December 26 was originally a secular holiday created confound the Soviet ban on religious observance. Cheeky!

2. Cheap, cheap, cheap! The Bulgarian lev is worth about 60 cents, and an expensive meal in Sofia costs about 20-25 lev.

3. The European Commission now considers Bulgaria "a functioning market economy," and is considering considering it for EU membership.

Cons:

1. Bulgaria is building a nuclear power plant. With Russian-made reactors.

2. Oops, looks like they forgot to purge their Soviet-era military leaders!

3. The European Commission: "Trafficking in human beings is a serious problem and needs to be addressed."

Assessment:

Sounds like Detroit, minus the turkey wings. Pass.



Next week: Japan

Let's Get the Fuck Out: Bulgaria

There's only one word to describe Bulgaria: cheap. But would we want to live there?

It is, after all, the archetypal former Soviet nation-state: provincial, antiquated, and polluted. Bulgarians nod their heads to signify "yes," and wag them when they mean "no," sort of like Vermont.

Pros:

1. Bulgarians celebrate Cyrillic Alphabet Day, and have two Christmas Days. Apparently, December 26 was originally a secular holiday created confound the Soviet ban on religious observance. Cheeky!

2. Cheap, cheap, cheap! The Bulgarian lev is worth about 60 cents, and an expensive meal in Sofia costs about 20-25 lev.

3. The European Commission now considers Bulgaria "a functioning market economy," and is considering considering it for EU membership.

Cons:

1. Bulgaria is building a nuclear power plant. With Russian-made reactors.

2. Oops, looks like they forgot to purge their Soviet-era military leaders!

3. The European Commission: "Trafficking in human beings is a serious problem and needs to be addressed."

Assessment:

Sounds like Detroit, minus the turkey wings. Pass.



Next week: Japan