Have you experienced special treatment because you are a foreigner?
People tend to smile more when you are a foreigner who tries to speak Bulgarian. They would go the extra mile to help you, because you were really trying a little.
What about sexism?
Bulgarian men, like the Serbian men, tend to be kind of Balkan macho. But I can't say that I've been discriminated against.
Is there a typical Bulgarian character trait?
They arrived in Bulgaria with their two daughters Khadije, 16, and Narges, 15, in 2012, forced by the unstable situation in their home country. They have applied for refugee status, and have been living in the State Agency for Refugees camp In Ovcha Kupel, Sofia, and the girls go to school. They say that the national costumes in their area of Afghanistan are similar to the ones we photograph them wearing.
In Bulgaria, he is having an internship in front-end web development with the Magic Solutions company. He is applying for asylum.
Have you experienced special treatment in Bulgaria because you are a foreigner?
Actually, no. I have heard of people having trouble, but I always meet nice people and have never experienced negative thoughts or attitude towards me.
Has Bulgaria surprised you?
Have you experienced special treatment because you are foreigners?
Nicholas: When we first came here everybody was warm and welcoming, and a lot of the people in the village were very curious what we were constructing. They used to bring us fresh fruit and vegetables, just to try. The difficulty is the language.
Nicola: Sometimes, when we have builders and construction companies, I think they prefer to talk about the technical stuff with Nick.
Is there anything typically Bulgarian?
After several months working in a call centre, Kone Yaku is now a model at the National Academy of Arts.
Why did you chose Bulgaria of all places?
I chose it because it looked as if it can be the solution to the problems I had in my country. My all hopes are in Bulgaria now. I trust that the things will turn out in the best possible way, I believe in my bonne chance here. I won two cases in court, so...
Have you experienced special treatment in Bulgaria because you are a foreigner?
When did you come to Bulgaria and why?
It was 15 years ago. My mother encouraged me to study puppet and stage design at the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia. I arrived and stayed as there was a strong connection between Japan and Bulgarian in this field. Now I do a lot more than puppet and stage design.
Did Bulgaria surprise you and how?
She is 30 years old, has a degree in philosophy and theology, and worked for eight years in green energy before moving to Sofia.
When did you arrive in Bulgaria and why?
I arrived in June last year, specifically for my deployment at the European Voluntary Service. I work three days a week as a coordinator of a refugee project and another two days a week in a foundation for single mothers.
How did you like Bulgaria in the first place?
The 50-year old is now the owner, manager and the sole chef of a small Italian bistro, Pesto, in the Central Sofia.
Why did you move to Bulgaria?
I came, because my son lives here. He is also two-and-a-half years old. If I go back to Italy, I will become a Skype father and I don't like it.
Is there something you consider typical Bulgarian?
She volunteered in the Bulgarian Red Cross Refugee-Migrants Service, and now works for the Council for Women Refugees in Bulgaria. There, she helps migrants to integrate, adapt and deal with the Bulgarian administration. She is fluent in Albanian, Turkish, Bulgarian, and also speaks Arabic and English.
How did you arrive in Bulgaria?
We left Albania in 1998 and initially went to Turkey. Then my father came to Bulgaria and was granted refugee status. We came here through the procedure for family reunion, in 2004. I was 14.
When did you come to Bulgaria and why?
What does it mean to be Bulgarian? And what does it take not to qualify as one?
Here are some of the commonplaces spread by the mainstream media. Foreigners are rich, highly marriageable material. Or they are funny people who buy decaying rural houses and settle there, happy to grow tomatoes. They are poor migrants who want to sponge on Bulgaria's social security system. Or they are nice fellows who get drunk on a tiny glass of rakiya. Then there are the terrorists...