"I do not miss anything here": a German talks about his life in Sofia
Thousands of Bulgarians leave the country annually in search of a better life abroad. But Bulgaria is not just a country of departing people - many foreigners come to live in it too. TV ZDF meets us with such a German immigrant.
We find Niko at the Women's Market in Sofia where he buys "5 pieces of tomatoes" as he says. The German admits that the Bulgarian language is not easy. But there is another thing he had to learn - the language of gestures and mimics. "The Bulgarians nod their heads to the left and to the right when they agree, and with upward and downward movements when they want to express disagreement," he says.
The German has lived in Sofia for 13 years. In 2005 he accepted an attractive job as a Marketing Specialist. "At that time the city reminded me of Berlin shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall: chaotic, unfinished, restless. But it was exciting," said Niko in front of the television camera.
Today Sofia is different
Since then, Sofia has changed a lot. In recent years, the Bulgarian economy has significant growth, which has a direct impact on the capital. "The quality of restaurants and bars is higher. New concepts are developed. It is interesting to observe all of these, "says the German.
Currently Niko Yan is working in an international PR agency. His team consists mostly of young Bulgarians. "Many young people go abroad. But lately the opposite is observed - many people are coming back after studying and gaining experience," Niko said. Overall, Bulgaria attracts more and more foreign firms and investors, which also affects the unemployment positively- it has fallen to 6.3 percent.
The German television meets us with Niko's fiance - Albena Mircheva who is a Sofia citizen. Her opinion of the EU coincides with that of most young Bulgarians: "It is good that we are a member country. We want to study and work in good conditions and live in a pleasant atmosphere. Sofia is getting closer to that, "she says.
But Bulgaria is not yet part of Schengen - because of the high levels of corruption. "It is in our daily life - for example, when a policeman stops you." says Niko.
Property prices are rising
He and his wife Albena own an apartment in a modern building in southern Sofia. About 80 percent of Bulgarians live in their own homes. According to the German television, this is due to the real estate prices, which are still significantly lower than "in some other EU countries". "When we bought our home, the price per square meter in the preferred neighborhoods of Sofia was about 800 euros. Now it has jumped to 1000-1200 euros per square meters." By comparison: in the large German cities the living area is up to five times more expensive.
Niko and Albena have a six-year-old daughter - Sofia, and they are trying to present the best of both cultures to her. That is why the girl is attending a German school where, besides German, she studies Bulgarian and English languages. "My favorite language is Bulgarian," says Sofia.
Niko and his family often visit relatives and friends in Berlin, and do not exclude the option to move to live in the German capital one day. But it will not be soon, because, as Niko admits, "I do not miss anything here".
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