Sofia, Bulgaria: A First Time Backpacker's Experience

Statue of Saint Sofia

    Bulgaria is not a typical destination for backpackers. I didn't know what to expect when I first landed in Sofia, Bulgaria from London. This was my first solo trip abroad and I was terrified, excited, exhilarated...a myriad of emotions overwhelmed me. I had no idea what I was doing. Would people speak English? Would I be a pariah because I couldn't speak Bulgarian? Would people turn their noses up at me? Would I find my way around? Could I navigate the city or would I end up hunkering down in my hostel for days on end out of fear of getting lost? I mean after all, countless people told me I would definitely be human trafficked and assaulted because I was going to travel alone. *big eye roll*

            It was night when I landed which added to the list of questions I had. Would the cab driver understand me? Should I get into this cab? I asked one of the airport attendees to translate my intended address. When I got in, I pulled up "MAPS" to follow along to ensure I was being taken at least in the general direction of my hostel. I recommend this to anyone anywhere you don't know the area. 

There were so many big f***ing question marks above my head. 

As the little white taxi made it's way toward my new temporary home, I took note of the graffiti, the buildings with walls and windows missing, and the foundations with cracks going up the length of the concrete from which they were built. At first, I thought maybe it was a "bad part" of town. But then I remembered that Bulgaria is part of the group of ex-communist countries. It was a country that had been ravaged and still trying to get back on it's feet after 45 years of the brutal and destructive communist regime. There was no one to maintain these structures for years, and no money going in to them. It wasn't a bad part of town, it was part of Bulgaria's hard won battle to move forward from a brutal past. 

    When I arrive at my new home, I'm greeted warmly by someone who surprisingly....does not have a Bulgarian accent. He's an American from Texas. He's a volunteer who's "working" in exchange for accommodation and food. *vigorously takes mental notes to be stored away for future reference*. He shows me to my room where I'm sharing with 2 German women. I immediately feel right at home. This is exactly what I've imagined. 

Me in front of the 5th and 6th century ruins of ancient Roman Civilizations that I found

Down in the lounge, there's about 10 other people from all over the world. Peru, Bulgaria, Germany, Indiana, England, Italy, Spain, and so many others. The sense of community I felt staying there was unparalleled. 

Over the next couple of days, I dared to venture further and further away from my hostel to get to know the city of Sofia. Once I made it into the city center, and got sight of Saint Sofia and the 5th and 6th century ruins of ancient Roman civilizations, I realized that for the first time in years, this is exactly where I'm suppose to be.

I fit right in with the locals and backpackers alike. I stopped to ask directions at one point and the shop owner was more than happy to help! With the language barrier, Bulgarian-English pronunciations can sound very sharp and pointed but it's not frustration or aggression. I was really nervous about asking for help or speaking to the locals because I wasn't sure about how they felt about English speakers. Turns out, most quite enjoy practicing their English skills. 

The best way to truly immerse yourself into the culture, get to know the locals, learn how to navigate the city, and find things to do and see on and off the beaten track is to get lost. Start walking, jump on a bus or tram and see where it takes you. Or, find a site you want to see outside the busy city and learn the transit system. Doing this, I found Vitosha Mountain and the chair lift to the top. 

Vitosha Mountain was an interesting and hilarious experience. It was a 13 degree day and so I dressed like I was going to the beach. I didn't even think about the 10 degree drop at the top of the mountain. I arrived at the base of the mountain and bought a lift ticket. What I didn't realize is that this is still skiing weather for the locals. I had white ripped jeans, sneakers, tank top, and a light chemise. I got to the top and got right back on the lift to go back down because it was so cold. I got a lot of folks staring and asking if I was cold. I told them I'm Canadian so this is like beach weather for me lolol. 

My very weather appropriate outfit for snowy mountains. (Note my sarcasm)

My ride up Vitosha Mountain

        On my way back down, a snowboarder named "Nikolai" got on and we started chatting. He told me a lot about the Bulgarian language, good sites to see in Plovdiv when I got there, the Slavic alphabet, and the differences between the Russian and Slavic alphabet. He's a tattoo artist that lives in Sofia. I learned quite a bit on the 30 minute ride back down. A day before this, I went and got a tattoo at a shop in Sofia. It's a really small world because it turns out, Nikolai use to be business partners with the people who did my tattoo. What a coincidence! All this from getting lost and not having a sweet clue what I was doing. 

As a solo traveler, this is also where your new found self reliance comes from. Trusting in your ability to find your way around, gaining confidence in your instincts and learning to trust yourself and others. Sofia taught me that my comfort zone is very temporary and can always be expanded. Most often, our lack of trust in others is a lack of trust in ourselves to enforce boundaries when we need to and do what's best for us. Most people are inherently good, and can be trusted. It's us that need to start validating our boundaries and emotions when something doesn't feel right. Trust that people will show you who they are with their actions instead of words and trust yourself to decide if they're a person you want to engage with. Solo travel is a great teacher for this. 

2 awesome folks I met at my hostel! So much fun this night!

Sofia, Bulgaria was a great teacher for what I needed to know about myself and helped me gain the confidence I needed to continue on to busier, bigger destinations. I left this city saying "HEY! I can do this!" But it also taught me to dig deeper beyond the frayed buildings and the graffiti. Thanks for the lessons Sofia! 'til next time!

xoxo

AnneMarie Vaughan

Banya Bashi Mosque in the city center