About the Book

CultureShock! Bulgaria is your companion to this beautiful land that was once part of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and which was under Soviet influence for close to 50 years. Discover how the people came to terms with the communist past and the changes that have taken place since they joined the European Union in 1997. Learn to read the Cyrillic alphabet as you make your way around the many imposing historic buildings and understand why members of the same family may have seemingly different surnames. Enjoy a selection of delicious dishes, best washed down by a glass or two of boza—a result of the country’s agrarian roots, its tradition of honey gathering and abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. Practical advice on finding a home, arranging for utilities and day-to-day living make CultureShock! Bulgaria your indispensable guide to settling in Bulgaria and enjoying its delights.

About the Series

The CultureShock! series is a dynamic and indispensable range of guides for those travellers who are looking to truly understand the countries they are visiting. Each title explains the customs, traditions, social and business etiquette in a lively and informative style.

CultureShock! authors, all of whom have experienced the joys and pitfalls of cultural adaptation, are ideally placed to provide warm and informative advice to those who seek to integrate seamlessly into diverse cultures. The books in this series have a friendly and honest writing style and are full of personal experiences, practical advice and useful information.

About the Author

Agnes Sachsenroeder first cut her teeth crossing cultures in Egypt in 1997. After more than a decade of being a desk-bound legal adviser, she morphed into a travelling, trailing spouse as her husband´s posting took them to Cairo that year. Wet behind the ears as a first time expatriate wife, she had to battle all the classic symptoms of culture shock, until she learned that her funny moods could be attributed to this disease which liked to attack expatriates. Once she found her expatriate bearings, Sachsenroeder joined a volunteer organisation in Cairo as coordinator of a newcomers´ orientation programme, which focused on helping newcomers adjust to a new environment.

After six years in Cairo, she was to cross cultures again when they moved to Berlin. Two years later, she trailed her husband to his next posting in Bucharest, Romania. Just when she thought she had started to settle in, someone decided that she should be exposed to yet another culture, and they moved to Sofia, Bulgaria. In Culture Shock! Bulgaria, Agnes shares here experience in settling in the lovely country.