Dober den!
The last few years have seen a tendency developing, a trend that can only spell trouble -be it in latin or in cyrillic- for the overall nation of Bulgaria... The weak salaries offered to professionals, weakness of the overall economy and weaker still composure -not to mention underlying corruption- of the government in place has encouraged many Bulgarians to seek the realization of their dreams... elsewhere.
Bulgaria has seen its best elements move out of the country - a brain drain or elite exodus of epic proportions that has left the country without its more productive sons and daughters; those who actually could work for the future of this nation.
With roughly 7 million denizens left, Bulgaria is in trouble. For, out of those seven million, at least two million are retirees. Then there are one million -close to two million too, in truth- who are gypsies that are simply unwilling to work or educate themselves. And then there are about a million of other types - arabs, turks, muslims who are multiplying but are not there to further the cause of the Bulgarian language or their culture one bit. That leaves about two million Bulgarians that do work, supply for the entire nation and keep it afloat - for now. Two million that are keeping the fragile and ever-fragilized system running, supporting the overall population with their taxes. Two million at the service of an inept governing body led by a Pumpkin (the affectionate way they refer to their equivalent of a president; one that puts even Dubya and Sarkozy to shame in the doofus department. Think of a mix with equal parts Clouseau, Mulroney and Chuck Norris!) But we are digressing from the core subject now...
Bulgaria is one of those countries that has such a rich history, such a rich heritage, that it cannot be allowed to simply vanish over time (that is if there is enough time left for the planet overall to witness this and many other similar tragedies). The situation is rather "stable" as it is now - but the drain is very real and those who remain are not going to be lasting forever either. Several more could depart; which has prompted the Pumpkinhead to promise that he would "bring back all of those who have left the country" - left in sheer frustration with him, his corrupt government, things never changing, etc... Such a boast is farcical at best and it does not impress all of those able and apt to depart as well. And if they do, the chasm will grow ever deeper for the old-timers that remain, as they will see themselves not only in the same financial situation as they are now, but surrounded by resources-sapping gypsies and others like them. Truth be told, every retiree does have a pension and is supported, to an extent, by the flawed government; they could not possibly escape that duty (although the Pumpkinhead invites all, workers, gypsies, assorted ones and retirees as well, to "grow their own potatoes" since few can afford to buy them anymore... But that is another story.) Now, please note that the social welfare programs aren't nearly as generous as the ones seen in North America or even in a few other spots across Europe - of course. Still, they can suffice and maintain the balance in Bulgaria - but not eternally - since the majority do not have one major monthly expense well-known to "eat with you at the table" as my great-grandmother used to say: rent. Most Bulgarians, indeed, own their homes as they have inherited them over the years; most have not been foolish enough to sell the property upon inheritance and move to the big city where they cannot afford, on meager wages, to invest in another property, and wind up renting therefore. Wages: that is another problem in Bulgaria, as we mentioned, remember...? Miraculously, such cases are the clear minority in Bulgaria: and so, even retirees with next-to-nothing coming in every month in terms of a "pension" still manage to get by - perhaps by growing their own potatoes as well, as the Pumpkinhead suggested, since most also own suitable land to grow things...
But all of those are economical concerns - facts of daily life on this flawed globe...
And the language, the culture, the Cyrillic alphabet in all this...?
They are all in danger.
In danger of extinction, nothing less.
Already, as a member of the European Union, Bulgaria stands isolated with its native tongue. The one country they have most in common with is Russia - not an endearing factor for the E.U. of course. Romania, Macedonia, Greece are all like distant, very distant cousins... The totally phonetic language conceived by two monks lo, long ago, has become a LUXURY that can still be afforded: and, sure, many are found to speak it and only it all across the villages surrounding Sofia, the capital, as well as in that capital city itself. However, English is a necessity for ALL members of the European Union - and the new generation gets initiated to it very fast. Most of them will be working in that language, also, and prefer it over their own for most all manners of entertainment. Like a Quebec caught up in between the constant influx of English Canada and USA input; or like an Israel surrounded by Muslim countries - Bulgaria is surrounded by countries that have already adopted English as its second language or language of business, all the while developing a very thorough tourist industry of their own. Meanwhile, Bulgaria timidly welcomes tourists and curious travellers on their way to Italy, Greece or some other destination...! Service in English is rare and it is almost imperative to secure your very own private interpreter...! While this may help in protecting their language and culture, in the short term, it impedes every other form of progress the country desperately needs. And, more and more, it all seems to be heading towards a cul-de-sac without any practical solution (and that is another problem right there: the over-abundance of French expressions that have become an intrinsic part of the Bulgarian language. French is not the language to absorb; English is!)
Bulgaria needs to address all these questions - and they need to do so fast.
There has to be a program to insure the protection of their language all the while creating an openness to the world - because ignoring the invasion of latin-based languages is clearly not the way to proceed. Developing a solid tourist industry is key: all the while nurturing the home language and culture, imposing that most of the scholarity has to be completed in that language and a foreign language course can only be chosen near the end of the basic schooling. It has worked elsewhere and, somehow, surrounded cultures have managed to survive and even multiply, if not entirely thrive... So it can be done here too, even with the added complication of imposing the learning and maintaining of two vastly different sets of alphabets for everyday usage by all. It is something easily implantable - as the younger generation is already eager to familiarize itself with not just the language but the culture behind it. There is the problematic aspect of organized crime's presence behind many if not all touristic ventures around Sofia; but that problem, as it reaches deep into the core infrastructure of the entire nation's governmental system. Seeing as this is a nefarious and oh-so regrettable side-effect of sorts of the old communist regime that stultified the entire country while slowing its progress, it is too vast a subject to be dealt with here and now. It will be the focus of a future essay - also in engliski! All to further pave the way for tourism in true form; one needs to practice the language used by a good 90% of the potential tourists (not to mention this blogger pundit as well!)
Bulgaria will join the European Union in full throttle soon - and shed its currency (cry, cry) for the common use of the mighty Euro. That is but step one of the restructuration and regeneration.
Bulgaria can regenerate itself - it only has to start doing so ASAP.
Dosvidanei!
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