By R.J. (10th Grade)

Depending on which people you ask, many people can tell you that Bulgaria, like much of the Balkans, became communist during the mid-1940s and was heavily under the influence of the U.S.S.R. for the greater part of the century. However, lesser known is that not so far in the past, the Bulgarians were under the rule of the since-gone Ottoman Empire for 500 years, during which they were at times cruelly mistreated and massacred. Public opinion of the reigns of both Turks and communists has since changed a lot, but both still left their marks. For instance, due to communist purges and the associated suspicion, Bulgarians often seem unfriendly to anyone that they don’t know, which can be disconcerting to Americans used to everyone greeting random strangers they meet out and about. Since the Ottoman rule happened longer ago, its effects are less obvious, but they did leave their mark, such as many old Bulgarian words that come from Turkish and other remnants of Ottoman culture. Of course, all countries have been greatly affected by their history and the countries around them; however, in these cases Bulgaria has been affected much more lastingly, which is important for foreigners to realize.