Bad Pronunciation Sounds Like Singing Out of Tune
If you want to sound like someone from an English speaking country, you have to work on your pronunciation skills all the time. Pronunciation is often seen by many students as something they don’t have to get right but nothing could be further from the truth. Read More…
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Problems in sequencing tenses usually occur with the perfect tenses, all of which are formed by adding an auxiliary or auxiliaries to the past participle, the third principal part.
ring, rang, rung
walk, walked, walked
The most common auxiliaries are forms of “be,” “can,” “do,” “may,” “must,” “ought,” “shall,” “will,” “has,” “have,” “had,” are the forms we shall use in this most basic discussion.
The present perfect consists of a past participle (the third principal part) with “has” or “have.” It designates action which began in the past but which continues into the present or the effect of which still continues.
1. Betty taught for ten years. (simple past)
2. Betty has taught for ten years. (present perfect)
The implication in (1) is that Betty has retired; in (2), that she is still teaching.
1. John did his homework. He can go to the movies.
2. If John has done his homework, he can go to the movies.
Infinitives, too, have perfect tense forms when combined with “have,” and sometimes problems arise when infinitives are used with verbs such as “hope,” “plan,” “expect,” and “intend,” all of which usually point to the future (I wanted to go to the movie. Janet meant to see the doctor.) The perfect tense sets up a sequence by marking the action which began and usually was completed before the action in the main verb.
1. I am happy to have participated in this campaign!
2. John had hoped to have won the trophy.
Thus the action of the main verb points back in time; the action of the perfect infinitive has been completed. (Notice present, present perfect sequence in the comment.)
The past perfect tense designates action in the past just as simple past does, but the action of the past perfect is action completed in the past before another action.
1. John raised vegetables and later sold them. (past)
2. John sold vegetables that he had raised. (past perfect)
The vegetables were raised before they were sold.
1. Renee washed the car when George arrived (simple past)
2. Renee had washed the car when George arrived. (past perfect)
In (1), she waited until George arrived and then washed the car. In (2), she had already finished washing the car by the time he arrived.
In sentences expressing condition and result, the past perfect tense is used in the part that states the condition.
1. If I had done my exercises, I would have passed the test.
2. I think George would have been elected if he hadn’t sounded so pompous.
Notice: There can be only one “would have” action group in a sentence.
The future perfect tense designates action that will have been completed at a specified time in the future.
1. Saturday I will finish my housework. (simple future)
2. By Saturday noon, I will have finished my housework. (future perfect)
1. Judy saved thirty dollars. (past)
2. Judy will save thirty dollars. (future)
3. Judy has saved thirty dollars. (present perfect)
4. Judy had saved thirty dollars by the end of last month. (past perfect)
5. Judy will have saved thirty dollars by the end of this month. (future perfect)
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June-July, August-September 2007 Editions, Gus Worth, Editor-in-Chief:
Russ, you have come to Bulgaria via a circuitous route: first some years in Amsterdam , then more years in Russia and now here. It is a long way from Texas in every way, is it?
Texas is a long way from Bulgaria but I don’t think much about things back there because my life and home are here in Bulgaria . I first came to Europe via Amsterdam in 1974 and realized in a matter of days that Europe was where I wanted to be for the rest of my life. There was an atmosphere and excitement in Europe and a place for me that I had never found in my own country. At first Europe was just a fascination, some place different than Texas where I grew up but then it became my passion. In 1992, while still living in Texas, I had the privilege of visiting Russia and it was on this trip that my mind became firmly set on living outside the USA permanently. In 1993, I moved to St. Petersburg and spent six of the most wonderful years of my life teaching and caring for the Russian people. I returned to Texas to live at the end of 1999 but I no longer felt connected to life there. In 2001, I met my wife to be for the first time here in Sofia and we were married the next year. For the past two years, we’ve called Sofia home and are enjoying beautiful Bulgaria one day at a time.
You spent many years working in radio, was that a good way of honing your communication skills?
Believe it or not, it takes a lot of talent to do a daily radio show and attract listeners to just your voice and the music you play. There’s a lot of competition and people have always had many choices when it comes to radio stations in the USA . Radio was a wonderful training ground for me because I was able to develop my communication skills both on the air and off. Of course, in the USA in the radio business you have to speak and write very good English or you don’t last very long. My communication skills which were honed in the radio industry have allowed me to speak to a broad range of people across all spectrums of life in many different places. Studies show that successful people everywhere are the ones who can communicate the best. I believe this is absolutely true for everyone.
You have a passion for teaching English and you believe the teaching of it should be innovative, and utilize the creativity of both teacher and student?
My wife and I are both English teachers here in Sofia . We want people to live the English language and our passion for it constantly pushes us to share what we know with others. I believe that creativity should be encouraged and taught on the same level of importance as reading and writing because without creativity people never realize their full potential. In my language classes, I use everything at my disposal to make the English language appealing and attractive to those who are learning it as a second language. The students need to be encouraged to find every way possible to learn the language and make it a part of their life. The Internet provides me with a wealth of information and videos that keep the classes I teach interesting and informative. Also I am thrilled to have Business Spotlight to use along with all the other innovative things available today. Your magazine has a real finger to the pulse of the English speaking world. I find it very helpful with business students, as well as any others that need good materials to help them learn.
Do you feel that real life scenario based lessons are often the most useful way for students to get the best from their language training?
Yes, I feel that lessons using examples of real life scenarios are the most useful ways of getting students to open up and join the conversation. After all, the goal of every language teacher is to get the students to speak in the language they are learning. If we use subjects or situations that students are not familiar with, they tend to say very little when in class. It’s too much to ask of people who still have inhibitions speaking the language, especially when in the presence of a native teacher. When I open up the discussion in class using real life scenarios that I’ve developed from here in Bulgaria , there is an immediate openness and response.
Is it a problem here that many people get to a certain level with English and no longer feel they need to work at it?
I don’t think it is so much an issue of students getting to a certain level and then deciding they don’t need to work at it anymore. Most realize that they need a lot of work and practice to ever achieve real success with the language. The problem here in Bulgaria seems to be one of language learning burnout. Many language students get to a certain place in their studies when they realize that they are at just about the same level in speaking as they were when they started. This is very discouraging and causes many to stop studying. Perhaps they were never really taught how to actually acquire the language and develop their language skills. It’s important to teach the students how to immerse themselves in the language and use every tool available to improve their skills. Otherwise they never understand what it takes to improve their performance in the language and they often stop working at it. I try to correct this by telling the students that they must do a great deal of self study outside the classroom to be successful. This includes reading books and repetitive listening, both of which are fundamental to learning any language.
Is there much difference, culturally, between Russia and Russia?
There is definitely a difference between the Russian and Bulgarian cultures. Of course, the language, the religion, the bureaucracy and the buildings are similar but the people are very different. I have found the Bulgarians to be a warm and kind people; not given to some of the excesses that you sometimes find in the lives of many Russians. There seems to be a greater connection to family and friends here than in Russia. Individualism is a big thing in both countries and the concept of being part of a team is just about as foreign to the average person here as it is in Russia. There is still a big emphasis on self rather than community in both countries. Perhaps it’s the Slavic personality that makes people in both places the way they are. One thing for sure the Bulgarian culture is a very distinct one and very separate from that of the Russians or even most other Balkan countries.
What frustrates you most about Bulgaria?
The things that frustrate me the most about Bulgaria are the things that frustrate everyone who lives in this country. There is too much traffic and the drivers seem to have little respect for the pedestrians. There are too many holes in the roads and of course, not enough laws being enforced to make the country always an appealing and pleasant place to live. These are things that we all like to complain about and complaining seems to be a cultural thing among the Bulgarians. It’s probably just their way of venting about problems they can do nothing about. I would say that we all are very blessed to be living here and enjoying the many benefits and beauty of this country. I often point out these things to my students because I don’t want the young people here to leave their own country for greener pastures without considering the advantages of life here in Bulgaria. It’s true we have some frustrations to deal with here but this is life everywhere. At least here people are among friends and family and there’s a support network that most would find hard to duplicate anywhere else in the world.
Do you feel you could settle back in America ?
The word settle is an interesting word because that’s what you have to do if you are going to live in a country. Personally, I don’t think I could ever be comfortable back in America because I am accustom to a different life and system now. I have been away from the USA about ten years now counting my years in Russia and that’s a long time. Something happens when you don’t live in a place everyday. You don’t have a sense of connection anymore. When I am in the States my thoughts are always on returning here and continuing my life in my adopted country, Bulgaria . Going to the USA occasionally for the sake of seeing my family is always nice but not for the purpose of settling there again.
Have you made Bulgaria your home?
My wife says I am Bulgarianized. I think that means I have become more Bulgarian than American and I am sure that is true. A person’s motherland is not necessarily the place they call home. Home is where the heart is and even if you attempt to leave your home; your heart will never go with you. It will always say to you, “Go if you must, but I’ll be here waiting for you when you get back.” I have found that to be very true here in Bulgaria . Anytime I am out of the country even for a few days, I cannot wait to board the plane or the bus or whatever and head back to Bulgaria. My life is here and I have found a home here in Bulgaria amongst the Bulgarian people.
Business Spotlight magazine is one of the best ways to learn English for Bulgarians. It is published every other month and will greatly advance the readers knowledge of the language and the world of business. It’s a great investment in your future.
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In Bulgaria, there are 249 towns and cities and 5,081 villages. Most people in this country have a village connection either because they were born in a village or their grandparents still live there. Bulgaria is still a rural nation in many ways. Hundreds of thousands of people have moved to the cities for work but they return the villages as often as possible. It is there that they can reconnect to their Bulgarian soul.
Many would tell you that life today in Bulgaria takes a village to survive. If there were no villages, life for many would be much harder. This is perhaps more true for the older generation than the younger one. However, in time the younger generation will become the older generation and they too will feel the way their parents do today.
During the last 15 years, life in Bulgaria has become somewhat more difficult for most people. Before this, people had time to relax with friends and to enjoy the beautiful nature of the country. This is not the case in Bulgaria today for many people who are working harder and longer with less time for relaxing. It is increasingly more difficult to stay connected to people. Most of the money earned on the job has to be spent on food and other things other than having a good time with friends and family.
This is where village life differs totally from city life. It is cheaper to live in the village. Friends are always there working in the yard or garden. In the village, people grow almost everything they eat. Bread, sugar and a few other things are bought at the store but most things are homemade. Rakia, the national drink, is made from the grapes or other fruits grown in the gardens in the villages. It’s not uncommon for a village family to make 100 liters of rakia for their own use. They wouldn’t think of buying this in a store or offering anything but the home made stuff to visitors.
Time in the village is as important to people as it is in the cities but in a different way. City people work eight hours a hour and then they go home or go out. Village people work from sunup to sundown and they never go anywhere. At the end of the day, when all the work has been done, you will see people sitting on the street in front of their houses or in the yard around a table. City people often have time to waste but this is never the case in the village. There is always something to do. They must always remind themselves that winter is coming and they must be prepared.
To many Bulgarians, the village is not an appealing life style on a permanent basis. It offers very few of the nice things that have come to enjoy. However, it does offer something different for a few days. A break from the hectic pace of the city and their stressful jobs. It is there that they reconnect to the real Bulgaria. It is there they find what they cannot find anywhere else. Traditional things, while not as popular or important as they once were in the past, can still be found. In the village, grandparents and friends still embrace the old ways of doing things and life is good. It’s a place to offer a “наздраве,” over a glass of rakia and a shopska salad. A moment in time to forget the stressful life that awaits them back in modern Bulgaria.
USA education level required to read this post: 6th grade
Questions for Group and Pair Discussion
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In Bulgaria today, health care is often seen as less than perfect by many and below the standards of other European and Western countries. When it comes to individuals using the health system in Bulgaria, at least one out of ten people are said to have no idea how the National Health Insurance Fund operates. Many of the young people simply avoid the issue altogether believing that the health care system is simply for the aged and sick who need it and not for them. They refuse to pay into the system or participate in it.
The situation is made worse because doctors are paid very little in Bulgaria and depend on the patients to give them money or what some call bribes for their services. Many Bulgarians see this as a corrupt system that often demands payment for routine services when they are suppose to be free. They think the present system is crime at the highest level and avoid the health care system whenever possible.
Bulgarian National Radio reports that a recent survey regarding health care found that a person’s ” health status was not part of the Bulgarian model of happiness.” They went on to say, “Our fellow citizens feel inclined to associate happiness with material gain, wealth and fame, but not with health. There are many who underestimate the significance of regular check-ups, which are mandatory and paid for by the National Health Insurance Fund. The fact that less than 60% of the insured have been through their annual visit to the doctor could be explained also with the quality of the service provided by the GPs. Hence one can assume that the Bulgarians have a very unhealthy lifestyle. Bulgaria has a very big number of people with overweight (nearly 30%) and obesity (12%). The incidence of strokes, heart attacks and cardiac disease is also considerable. Many of the malignant tumors are diagnosed only at advanced stage because of the lack of quality screening and prevention.”
Many people in Bulgaria rarely ever see a doctor and believe that when they do they will be given prescriptions for drugs that they do not have the money to buy. This type of thinking along with high rates of smoking and other unhealthy life style practices spells trouble for many in Bulgaria as they age. Previous generations were very concerned about their health and used the health care system extensively but this is not the trend today.
The question is: how will this attitude toward health care affect future generations in Bulgaria? Only time will tell but at the moment it seems that many Bulgarians pay little attention to health care believing that they are better off staying away from a system they neither trust or respect.
USA education level required to read this post: 10th grade
Questions for group and pair discussion
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At a time when language skills are needed for success in life, Bulgarian young people seem to have missed the point that reading books is a large part of the learning process. They prefer to speak on cell phones and play computer games; anything but read a book. While 85 percent of today’s youth in this country own a cell phone and 40 percent have a computer at home, few of them read anything in their own language much less something in another language. The Sofia News Agency reports that 40 percent of the young people in Bulgaria today say that reading a book is a meaningless waste of time.This same issue seems to be affecting the youth of the world and a video in the USA to encourage young black men and women to read a book has drawn strong criticism because of the curse words and racial comment. The Read a Book video is done in a hip-hop style and tells young people to read a book, buy some land, drink water, raise their kids and to use deodorant. And while you would think everyone does these things, perhaps they don’t and a video like this is needed to wake people up.
The man behind the video is a young black man who calls himself, D’mite. He says, “I’m not a rapper, I’m a poet with a hip-hop style.” Whatever the case, he has found a way to reach the kids with a very serious message in a style they can understand. He uses hip-hop music to get to the kids that don’t read or consider the normal things of life such as being a good parent or owning some land somewhere as something important.
The video was first seen on the Black Entertainment Network in the USA, which defends the bad words in the video as an attempt to reach America’s youth with a message that they can understand. Many people reject it completely as a means of getting young black men and women to read.
Bomani “D’mite” Armah, the creator of the Read a Book video, says he has received Emails from many young people praising his video for pointing out that reading is the smart thing to do. Perhaps we need something here in Bulgaria that does the same thing because the present generation of kids seem to be more in love with computer games than books. In Bulgaria, the education system needs to get kids to talking and thinking about what it means to grow up without the knowledge that books contain. The past generations here in this country were great readers but today’s young person, even the most educated, do not read books as they should. This is a serious problem for the future of the country.
If people studying a foreign language do not read books in the language they are trying to learn, they will find learning much more difficult. Native speakers learn grammar and vocabulary from the books they read. It’s a simple matter of going to the right place if someone wants to learn something new. If you want to learn how to make a hamburger, you should go to McDonalds. If you want to learn to repair an automobile, you should go to an auto repair shop. If you want to learn grammar and add thousands of words and phrases to your vocabulary, you should READ A BOOK.
USA education level required to read this post: 10th grade
Warning: This video uses profanity and extreme graphics
Who needs to read when you have cellphones?
Questions for Group and Pair Discussion
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Many countries around the world are attempting to embrace the politically correct concept of multiculturalism which advocates a cultural and linguistic surrender. Nothing should be more offensive or repugnant to the people who are natives of a country than this concept. Language, culture and history are the very essence of who a people are as a nation. The three elements of nationhood are the following: land, government and a people who share a common culture and language. Without these three things, you do not have a country. Land and government alone do not a country make. It takes people committed to the same goals with the same vision, and language to build a country and a nation, secure within its own borders.
All over the world, in country after country, there must be a national effort on the part of the people of each nation to preserve their culture and language at all cost. To surrender to globalisation and allow the native culture and language to be viewed on an equal level with someone else’s culture and language is national suicide for any country. There is room in every land for only one flag, one culture and one language. Nothing should ever be introduced that jeopardizes this in any way, no matter how many cultures and languages co-exist in the same country.
Multiculturalism is the scourge of the earth at the moment. The world trembles daily because of ethic and cultural unrest and much of it is due to societies trying to balance the opposing cultures and languages that have arisen inside their own borders. Bi-lingual and bi-cultural nations cannot exist in reality and any effort to have many languages and cultures in a country always spells waste and trouble. Every country must put its native language at the top of the learning curve for everyone, native born or immigrant. To seek to embrace multiculturalism in order to make it easy for those who refuse to assimilate or learn the language, spells disaster for the host country.
Where there is a national policy of embracing multiculturalism there must be a bi-lingual educational system in order to accommodate it. Bi-lingual education is wasteful for the government and the education system. It is linguistic bondage for most of the children from these families because it keeps them locked in the world of their immigrant parents who for one reason or another will not learn the language and embrace the culture. Bi-lingual education says to those coming to live in a country, “It’s alright if you aren’t interested in learning our language, we understand that you are here just for what we have to offer you.”
In Bulgaria, it is essential that the language, history and culture of this nation be fully embraced by everyone. At the same time, Bulgarians should be encouraged at the highest levels of government leadership to learn other languages and study other cultures. This as a means of acquiring communication skills and not as a substitute for their own language and culture. School children in Bulgaria should be proficient in their own language and history before they are given the opportunity to study other languages at the State’s expense. Only those who receive good marks should be afforded the opportunity to study a foreign language at a public school. Studying a foreign language in a Bulgarian school should be a serious affair and offered to those who are willing to make the effort to learn. To attempt to teach children foreign languages who do not perform well in their own language and other school subjects is unreasonable and a waste of State funds. If a child cares little for the language and history of his own country and descendants, those who have worked and endured hardships to give him opportunities, then he will care little for a foreign language.
Hopefully in Bulgaria in the future there will be no government sanctioned policy of multiculturalism. It is imperative that everyone, native and immigrant, embrace the Bulgarian language and culture as much as it is in their capacity to do so. Instead of multiculturalism, Bulgaria needs cross-culturalism which is a different concept all together. Cross-culturalism allows those immigrating here to add their unique experiences and expertise to the culture that is already in place. Like a bee that visits a beautiful garden, immigrants coming to Bulgaria need to come with the intention of cross pollinating the flowers already growing in this garden. The bee doesn’t come to take over the garden or insist that the flowers speak to him in his language or embrace his culture as an equal to their own. The bee simply shares what he has gathered throughout his life’s journey with each and every flower that he encounters. In this way, the bee serves the flowers and makes it possible for the flowers to flourish. This approach, rather than multiculturalism, should be the means of achieving harmony and peace among people everywhere.
It’s essential for people that immigrate to another land to cherish their own language and history that they left behind in their motherland. However, when a person leaves the motherland their new home should be a new start for them in every way. This means embracing the language and the culture of the people that they are among and putting their own aside to a certain degree. To insure that all see the necessity of this, every government should adopt their own language as the official language of the nation. This will send a message to people coming from other places that they need to learn the language and culture. There can only be one language, one flag and one culture if a nation and a people are to survive.
USA education level required to read this post: 11th grade
Questions for Group and Pair Discussion
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Bulgaria Ranks 5th at Eurovision, Serbia Wins
Sofia News Agency, May 12, 2007
Bulgaria’s song Water grabbed the fifth spot at Eurovision final in Helsinki, while another Balkan country – Serbia came in first. The drumming duo Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov proved the most successful of Bulgaria’s three Eurovision bids so far, as it is the only one to reach the finals. Combining a modern drumming beat, a traditional Bulgarian folk song and impressive performance, Water has won wide support in Europe. Bulgarians were awarded the maximum 12 points from neighbouring Greece, while Cyprus and Spain placed us second with 10 points from each country. Macedonia placed Water 3rd, with 8 points. Serbia’s Marija Serifovic and her song Molitva (Prayer) was ranked first with 268 points, 111 points more than Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov’s Water. Ukraine came in second with 235 Points followed by Russia with 207. Turkey, Belarus, Greece, Armenia, Hungary and Moldova completed the top 10. Surprisingly none of the big European countries came in the top ten, although some bookmakers had predicted that Germany may win. In fact, the Germans got the 19th place. Bulgaria’s current ranking assures it a trip straight to next year’s final together with the other 9 in the top ten and the so called Big Four – Germany, France, Spain and the UK.
Bulgaria’s Eurovision Entry 2007 WATER
Serbia’s Eurovision Entry 2007 PRAYER
“Prayer” English Lyrics
I’m wide awake
An empty bed drives my dreams away
Life melts like ice
Disappears in the twinkling of an eye
I’m losing my mind,
Pushing reality out of sight
Our lips are touching softly
You’re the one I believe blindly
I walk around like crazy
Falling in love frightens me
Days are like wounds
Countless and hard to get through
Prayer…
It burns my sore lips like a fire
Prayer…
Thy name is something I admire
Heaven knows just as well as I do
So many times I have cried over you
Heaven knows just as well as I do
I pray and live only for you
I can’t lie to God
as I kneel down and pray
You’re the love of my life
That’s the only thing I can say.
“Water” English Lyrics
See this young lass there – eeeeee!
See this young lass sing, eee!
See young Mitra singing by the river, Mitra-lassiee, Mitra-lass,
See young Mitra there, yond’ the forest, Mitra-lassiee, Mitra-lass,
There’s a young lad coming from the village, Mitra-lassiee, Mitra-lass,
Walking by his side’s a wild young pony, Mitra-lassiee, Mitra-lass,
See him walking there, hear him singing, eeee! Eno hooooooo-а-ah а-а-а-а-аh
See the young lad riding his wild pony,
Mitra-lassiee, Mitra-lass
See him riding, holding tight his lassie,
Mitra-lassiee, Mitra-lassTarra doo dae doo darra darra doo da! Tarra doo dae doo darra darra doo da! Hey, hey!Tarra doo dae doo darra darra doo da! Tarra doo dae doo darra darra doo da! Hey!Tarra doo dae doo darra darra doo da! Hey, hey!Tarra doo dae doo darra darra doo da! Hey!Tarra doo dae doo darra darra doo da!
Questions for Group and Pair Discussion
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Vocabulary Words to Learn
If we could shrink the earth’s population to village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratio remaining the same, it would look something like the following:
There would be:
When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent.
The following is also something to ponder…
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness…you are more blessed than many others. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation…you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death…you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep…you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace … you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
If your parents are still alive and still married … you are very rare, even in the United States and Canada.
If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
USA education level required to read this post: 9th grade
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Vocabulary Words to Learn
enterprising (en-ter-pris-ing) adjective “bold, energetic, and full of “a can do” belief
average (av-er-age) noun “that which is not extreme or extraordinary”
switch (switch) noun “a shift; change”
pursuit (pur-suit) noun “an effort to gain something”
constantly (con-stant-ly) noun “something that does not vary or change”
compared (com-par-ed) verb “to be considered the same as something else”
blaming (bla-ming) verb “to place responsibility on for a mistake or fault”
independent (in-de-pend-ent) adjective “not ruled by another; self-governing”
confident (con-fi-dent) adjective “secure in one’s own abilities; self-assured”
In just over a decade and a half, Bulgaria has gone from communism to EU member. The changes didn’t happen soon enough for many and too soon for others. In 2007, Bulgaria seems to be on the path to becoming a normal country. The journey has not been an easy one. The nation has had to overcome 500 years of foreign rule, many wars and communism to get to this point in history. Life in Bulgaria has never been an easy thing or something for the faint of heart even in the best of times. Since the fall of communism, the average person here has had to struggle with low wages, high prices and bad governments.
Many older Bulgarians continue to ask the question, “Why do we need this democracy?” After all, there was a time here when even poor people had a little money in their pockets even if there wasn’t anything in the stores to buy. For most pensioners, the switch to a market economy is a disaster. Their low pensions cannot even cover the basic things they need for survival. However, most Bulgarians have survived the worst days of the past 15 years and believe that the worst is over. Still even among the younger generation there are some who are not so sure that the worst is over.
Perhaps like people in the West, people here are often discouraged in their pursuit of progress by the news media. Bulgarians are told constantly that they are not doing as well as they think they are doing. A recent report says that Bulgarian kids are now the fattest in the world, right up there with the Americans. Another report says the Bulgarians are the unhappiest people in all of Europe. However, when you look around, you don’t see a lot of fat, unhappy people here. Bulgarians, when compared to many in America or even Western Europe, are not very overweight or unhappy. Bulgarians for the most part love their country and are happy to be here.
MENSA International, the largest and best known high I-Q service, says that Bulgarians are the second highest in the world when it comes to intelligence. So perhaps that’s why so many people in Bulgaria say they are unhappy. Bulgarians are a smart people and they know things could be a whole lot better in Bulgaria than they are. Highly intelligent people being paid the lowest salaries in Europe might well say they are unhappy when they really aren’t. Bulgarians, like most people, like to complain but this doesn’t mean they are unhappy with everything around them.
Bulgarians are new to a system that says their own efforts will make the biggest difference in the quality of their lives. Years of blaming the system has delayed progress in many people’s lives. It’s not easy to change from a society that once let the government make most of the decisions for them to people who are responsible for their own choices.
However, this all being said, most people in Bulgaria have survived the changes and there is a new generation of young people that welcomes and embraces change. Unlike the older people, for whom the changes came to late, young people are excited about the future. They are enterprising, very independent and confident that change is good and worth the pain it brings.
USA education level required to read this post: 8th grade
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