Sofia - Post Report Question and Answers
Is it easy to make friends with locals here? Are there any prejudices or any ethnic groups who might feel uncomfortable here?
No. I've found through my experience living in former Communist countries in the region it is challenging. Locals are friendly however, it is clear that you are not friends but acquaintances. Their definition and needs out of a friend are much different than American standards is what I've noticed and respect. People of Color: specifically Black Americans may have a difficult time. I haven't heard of any direct racism from my colleagues but Bulgaria is a very homogeneous culture and racism is a global issue. In addition, Bulgarians might mistake Latinos and Middle Eastern people for Romani. In my experience, Romani are often not treated well, discriminated against and experience racism locally. - Jun 2023
Like everywhere around the world ignorance can be common and dangerous. It is easy to make friends with locals as long as you can speak the language. The biggest prejudice is toward the Roma population. It is widely believed that they are sub-human and have magical abilities that are used purely the harm others. This prejudice is so extreme that other races (South American, Middle Eastern, African) can be confused for Roma and receive the same treatment regardless of identification documents. - Mar 2019
