All figured out

I was counting up all the time that I've spent in Bulgaria, to include all the time that I will be spending here this month. By my count, I've been here 13 days already and I'll be here for 38 days once I leave on 30 September. That's not exactly the summer holiday that I was hoping to take this year, but I'm going to try to make the most of it.

So I've noticed a lot of similarities between the Bulgarians and a certain fictional alien race. I hate to make a Star Trek reference here, but unfortunately the analogy does fit. I'm talking about Klingons. Just take a look at this picture and decide for yourself:



Hmmm, separated at birth? But there's more! I've been hearing a lot of spoken Bulgarian lately and I can't help thinking that it bears more than a passing resemblance to the fictional language of the Klingons. Compare these two songs:

Klingon Song

Bulgarian Song (press the green button on the linked page)

Alright, now that's not just a passing coincidence. By the way, the Bulgarian song is actually being sung by the woman on the right in the picture above. No not that one. No, the one on the right. No, the woman. Ugh, just forget it.

Here's another thing about the Bulgarians that may or may not be like the Klingons, but certainly seems alien: they transpose the meanings of their headnods. That is to say, they nod their head side-to-side when they mean "yes" and up-and-down when they mean "no". It confuses the crap out of me. I've been here for a couple of weeks by now, and I still can't seem to remember this small but vital difference. All the time, I find myself talking to a Bulgarian, discussing some business, and thinking, "Why is this guy disagreeing with me? I thought we were on the same page with this?" Then I realize that he's shaking his head "no", but means "yes". Fricking confusing.

Also, I've been on pretty good terms with all the Bulgarians that I've met. But you couldn't tell by the way that they talk to me. There's something in their national character to talk loudly and agitated at you, even when you're talking about something pleasant. For example, I was at the cell phone store getting a Bulgarian number for my phone. I was already in the store, I had decided to buy this store's chip, I was going to put additional credit on the card. I was a slam dunk customer for these guys. But they were talking at a volume that was just below yelling and almost rushing me through the process, even though I was the only guy in the store for nearly 20 minutes. Where's the fire, fellas? I know there's a line of customers piling up behind me eager to drop some money on your... Oh wait, no there's not. It's just me. Go figure.

Anyway, it's a strange place filled with strange people. A little like Klingons, but not with the ridged foreheads and leather outfits. Well, maybe some leather outfits.

Later.