As usual, it will be from my own perspective and full of dodgy facts, so if you really want to know the actual facts, move on. I have no intention of cross-referencing my material for accuracy. This is for me, not you, so it's my truth that matters.
Bulgaria is a country of around 8 million inhabitants, roughly the size of England. So an actual fact is, it has lots of space to play with. There has been a trend of outward migration since the fall of communism in late 1989 (I did look that up to be fair). This accelerated in the 1990's and hasn't really stopped - although I would contend that the much feared Bulgarian invasion of the UK has yet to materialise (they don't revere us that much). The population of Bulgaria is in general decline.
There has also been internal migration to urban centres over the period and what this has all led to is a desertion of many Bulgarian villages.
Schools, doctors surgeries, bus routes, local stores have all diminished or ceased to exist in several locations and loss of this critical infrastructure mass has provided the catalyst for the complete collapse of entire communities. This is not good for rural property prices but more importantly, the ability of the few remaining inhabitants to survive on any level above subsistence. In some cases, subsistence simply represents the status quo and they don't notice much practical difference. In others, no children, no healthcare and no transport equals a miserable deterioration for people used to a comfortable, if frugal, isolated bliss. Laissez faire has been a historical passion for agrarian Bulgarians for centuries. Wars, politics, consumerism, have all been studiously and consciously ignored by generations. Chickens, vegetables and hooch distillation takes primacy in the lives of many. This has all been placed in jeopardy as a result of entry into a democratic, mobile, European Unionised modern world. And you think we have social problems in the UK?? Try being a completely isolated pensioner living off fuck all in a Bulgarian village!
So how does all this affect the nature of an average village Bulgarian? Well at face value, you'd think quite a bit. At first glance, they can appear a bit surly. They appear to stare at you without greeting or smiles. It can in truth be intimidating. They are in fact, curious. Interested. They wonder a lot. Under a fairly thin veneer of apparent hostility, they are in fact very open to discussion (if one is capable in Bulgarian - they don't as a rule speak English in the sticks) and incredibly warm and hospitable. Gifts are commonplace, kisses are frequent and platonic, hooch is freely distributed and almost compulsory between the hours of 6am and 11pm. If you don't receive a parcel of eggs, honey, a random lunch, homemade wine, cherries, peaches, plums, cucumbers or walnuts, then you've pissed someone off pretty badly. I'm probably the worst person I know for mixing with my neighbours and I've had packages of all the above at some point or other. Whatever they've got, they'll share if you give a little. And I ought to give a little more if I'm being honest with myself. My only excuse is that I tend to go there to escape, not engage. It's very selfish of me, but the truth. What can I say?
I think I'll leave things there for now. I'll come back to the people of Bulgaria again but that gives you an idea.
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