scot47

Seems to me that there are some gaps here on "British Expats". Does no one go to these countries ? Does no one live and work there ? I visited Poland many times in the 1960s. I lived and worked in Bulgaria for a long period.

BritInParis

They’ll be some retirees in Greece but the British expat population in Poland and Bulgaria is extremely low in comparison to the big EU hitters like France and Spain.

AleksVirgo

Poland isn't the top destination for Brit expats, still, there are some, but the number is pretty low. The same is for Bulgaria. While Greece should have much more compared to Poland and Bulgaria, I would even say combined.

Jake.White

Agreed. Lots of gaps which would considerably enrich the site if they could be filled. My personal gripe is the missing Austria forum but Greece would be a good one too...

christmasoompa

A lot of sub-forums have been got rid of when they've had no traffic at all. It's no good for anybody if there hasn't been a single post in a sub-forum for a year!

scot47

USP of Bulgaria in recent years has been the low price of village properties. That has attracted quite a number of "White Settlers". Some have adapted to life in The Balkans. Some, totally unsuited to life away from Coronation Street have not thrived.

I went to work in Bulgaria with The British Council in 1991. I stayed for 17 years with occasional breaks in Saudi to top up my bank account. I became a Bulgarophile and Turcophobe. I have Bulgarian children and grandchildren.

Thairetired2016

I would never want to live/spend a holiday in Bulgaria ever.
Perhaps Austria and Bulgaria are too close and we get to see too many of the undesireable ones who litter our cities as members of the beggar mafia. Apart from Slovenia I don't care for the Balkans.

scot47

Thairetired
Open your eyes. Bulgaria is not just about Gypsy beggars. As Austria is not about the usual stereotypes held about it.

Free yourself from your sterotypes and prejudices. They hold you prisoner.

I am reminded of one of many statements made by Bismarck - The Balkans begin in Vienna"

Thairetired2016

[QUOTE=scot47;12781825]Thairetired
Open your eyes. Bulgaria is not just about Gypsy beggars. As Austria is not about the usual stereotypes held about it.

Free yourself from your sterotypes and prejudices. They hold you prisoner.

I am reminded of one of many statements made by Bismarck - The Balkans begin in Vienna"[/QUOTE]

Why do you think Germans are so immensely popular with Austrians?
What would old Bismarck say about present Germany?
I prefer Vienna to present day Berlin.

scot47

Polish proverb - "Some like strong cheese and some like smelly feet" Give me Berlin any day !

Incidentally in Poland I prefer the ex-Prussian areas to the ex-Austrian ! Give me Gdansk rather than Krakow !

Thairetired2016

All depends what kind of environment a person prefers: safe for Vienna or lawless what Berlin stands for at present.

Thairetired2016

There are about 10.000 Brits in Austria.
So I learnt at a recent Brexit event in Salzburg. Most are working or married to Austrians. Very few are retirees.

philat98

Malta has less than 5000 Brits and they get a forum. Very few threads however. Probably it is only retirees who bother with these expat fora.
Switzerland has no forum but there are more Brits in Switzerland than Italy.

rabble_rouser

I'm curious about the Balkans. From what I've seen its the most unspoilt beautiful part of europe. I have spent some time time in eastern europe living and working so I understand there are challenges. I even speak a little Russian. I plan to holiday there in a year or two. Romanua, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, never seen such rustic beauty elsewhere.

fidobsa

Perhaps we could have an Eastern Europe forum that covered Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia etc? I notice the Hungary forum is less active than when I joined a few years ago. I suppose people are using Facebook groups instead.