The Worms That Turned To Bulgaria

The Worms That Turned To BulgariaWhen I first decided to move to Bulgaria it was never my intention to just have a home there as a holiday home. What is the point of having a farmhouse with land for crops and animals just for a couple of weeks a year - Totally impractical, many others people do though and it has brought about major headaches and inherent problems which I plan to talk about in another post.

In my case all that knew me in the UK thought this was a crazy idea and that I should carry on teaching, then retire like any other normal person. The thought of delaying this for another ten years was not something I felt that I could have managed. I knew within myself that reaching pension age and remaining sane and in good health was bigger risk than taking my chances moving now.

With this view there was only one or two close friends who knew that knew I had to do this. Everyone else, including most of my family thought differently the my closest allies. The idea of buying a home in the Bulgarian countryside was mad, even a ridiculously low prices and to actually move the permanently was even crazier.

The decision was made and I was effectively 'blacklisted' and labelled a 'madman' by many. Funnily enough though, all the strongest critics where those who knew nothing about Bulgaria let alone have been there.

'What the hell are you going there for? What happens if you're ill? How will you survive without money? You can't speak Bulgarian! You're be back in a few months, wait and see! These were some of the comments made to me before I left. Yet one of my brothers is an expatriate in Cyprus and that was considered a wise move. It wasn't the fact that I was moving abroad that was wrong to many, but moving to Bulgaria was wrong and that was judged purely on ignorance!

The worms that turned is the only way I can described what happened once I was here. Most people who have had the courtesy to come to Bulgaria to see me have now seen what I saw and dreamed of. Some of my most fierce family critics have now bought homes here both in neighbouring villages and in my home village of Skalitsa. Two of my brothers have bought houses in the same street, one is now a direct neighbour of mine and they both want to live the home growing village life next to me.

It is so strange that now I have family from the UK that want to live right next to me, this is how much they were impressed with the lifestyle and the people here. They have also seen a changer in me, less stressed not only from a good woman by my side but the slower lifestyle. Before I moved to Bulgaria, some of my family were hardly on speaking terms with me, now we may be living as a bigger family unit here in the near future. How strange it has come to this and Galia is part of that reason.

Apart from some of my family who are so narrow minded that they think that unless you have money you are no good, they all love Galia to bits. They often tell me how lucky I am to have her and how unlucky I was with money oriented and material based women in the UK in the past. My previous partner I realise now, didn't really care for me, but just the money I earn to maintain an unsustainable flamboyant lifestyle.

Well the die is cast and my thoughts turn to whether I want my family living next to me here. I didn't leave the UK to get away from family that's for sure, so I'm quite at ease with that. It's not as if Galia and I are going to be living with them after all. We will just have to see how it goes.

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16 comments:

  1. Martin it sounds to me that you made all the right decisions.

    Fortunately my remaining family are
    supportive in most things I do (not sure about 2 divorces though).

    Personally, although we are a few thousand miles apart, our paths have taken similar turns and we have both adopted or been adopted in a foreign land.

    Many of my UK friends think I came to Thailand for one thing!

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  2. It would be rather disconcerting for me to have family as neighbors, but then, I have privacy issues and am not the same person in Malaysia as I am here in the US, and I prefer to keep these two perosnalities of mine separate! :D in your case, it certainly is a validation of your decision to take a leap of faith to Bulgaria. Yay! :)

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  3. Interesting developments Martin.
    When I moved to Turkey, people really were astonished, and even some stopped to contact me...
    I had a good life in Miami, but no challenges.
    My older sister will come over, this autumn, after 7 years being in Turkey...
    kindest
    hans

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  4. I guess you managed to change the stereotype that your friends and family have of Bulgaria.

    I for one, wouldn't want my family to live too near to me. XD

    There's a saying in Malay about living near to relatives (parents and in-laws in particular) which goes along the line of " You smell roses when you are far, but you'll smell the shit when you are too near!"

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  5. You made the major decision that you won't regret i guess... Glad to know you're happy with it..

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  6. Martin, what the heck , you did not run away from the UK you just went away and if they want to come along for the wonderful experenices and lifestyle that you and your Galia are now living , as we say in America MORE POWER TO THEM and I just hope they will be as happy and content as you seem to be. Just remember the one thing that makes you so happy is not just the farm and Bulgaria, but that wonderful lady that you are living with named GALIA Malcolm

    I just hope the farm life and Bulgaria is enough to make them happy.
    Even if they don't stay forever at least they can now say that Martin was not out of his mind to make the move , and that they are happy for you .

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  7. Um... Martin, I hope things turn out well for you with this new development.

    I'm sane all the way across the world from my family.

    My sanity would shift if they started appearing on my doorstep.

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  8. I don't know how it would be to have family nearby. As you weren't escaping from them in the first place, it should be all right, as long as they don't want to live in your pocket or expect you to be their translator/interpreter all the time. I don't have family anywhere around and I think I'd quite like it.

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  9. My family doesn't even visit, so guess I don't need to worry about them following me! Sounds like you're OK with it though, which is all to the good if they're coming!

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  10. Gosh, it's amazing just how much your family members' attitudes changed after they saw what a positive thing your move to Bulgaria had been!

    It just shows that you should follow your dreams and everything else will fall into place!

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  11. Thank you all for your views through your comments. Everyone has an individual view of having family following them abroad and some glad of the break, understandable. Things won't change much here when they 'home in'.
    I certainly can't blame them for seeing the grass is literally greener here, if I didn't get on with them I would of kept my mouth shut of course.

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  12. Personally I wouldn't want my family invading my own little space that I had found in life, but that's me. I would welcome the occasional visit but a complete invasion would probably go against the reasons I would have left the UK in the first place, a new start, a new you and a chance to stamp your own footprint on your new community. I hope you feel differently but if not then best of luck in acclimatising to a little bit of the UK landing on your doorstep. You can always beat it to the village.

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  13. Hi Martin,
    Isn't it funny how things change when they come to visit? That's really great you now have some family nearby!! I'm hoping something like this might happen with my family one of these days! :0)

    Getting real about Life is such a huge step and one that really helps maintain your sanity and your health! I'm very happy that you've been able to find such peace and contentment and happiness there and with Galia!!! You're living your dream...congrats!!!!! :0)

    Have a great day,
    Sher :0)

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  14. Martyn:
    I can see clearly you view on this family invasion, but such is our set up here that we wouldn't have much to do with them - Far too busy with my Bulgarian family and life!

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  15. People are very resistant to change and especially if it involves the unknown. Sometimes though it would be nice if the people that are supposed to be closest to us, family, would try to be supportive, even if they are afraid. I'm glad you didn't give in to pressure and have found a lifestyle that nurtures you.

    Bev

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  16. What a validation of your decision. Sounds like your old town in England is all moving across person by person.

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