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Bulgarian expat feels at home
By Wing Tan |
June 9, 2012, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
BULGARIAN Stan Alexandrov has found his niche in Shanghai, managing a high-end expatriate villa compound in Jinqiao area of the Pudong New Area. But that doesn't mean he's in an expat bubble: He's fluent in Mandarin, reads about Chinese philosophy, hangs out with Chinese friends.
"I don't think I'm half-Chinese, as some of my friends say, but I do feel at home in Shanghai," he says.
His China story began in 2000 when winning a nationwide competition and was chosen by the Bulgarian government as an exchange student to China. He first studied Chinese for a year and then majored for four years in international economics and trade at Renmin University of China in Beijing.
When he first arrived in Beijing, the native of Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, was stunned. "It was completely different from my country," he says. "Shocks were everywhere."
The weather in early September was hot and humid like a tropical country, very unlike Eastern Europe. His dorm was old and shabby, windows couldn't be closed, there was no mattress and the chairs were rickety.
"There were good shocks when I went to Chang'an Avenue (in Beijing). That was the first time I saw those big and grand palaces. You know, Europe is not big and the buildings are always very low," Alexandrov says. He liked the crowds and even the noise. "If you drive a car in my country for an hour, you would see no one, but here in China there are people and fun everywhere," he says.
The first year was a nightmare for the Chinese-language beginner. "The educational system was quite different. You just sat in the classroom and listened to the teacher," he says.
Worse, teachers from around the country spoke different dialects and had different accents. "I had to figure out what they were talking about, which turned out to be an excellent exercise." In his second year at university, he could understand almost everything.
The plan was for him to return to Bulgaria after completing study in China. "But I liked it here, so I stayed," he says.
He got a junior position in a real estate company, working on a project involving residential, retail and office space. "I was lucky and I've always been lucky in China. I had just graduated and I got a job in a large compound in charge of daily management issues," he says.
Alexandrov has both foreign and local friends. "I'm trying to have a balance," he says. "If you only stay around foreigners, that would be a total waste because you've spent so many years in a foreign country without knowing its culture or language," he says. "But if you have only Chinese friends, you can kind of lose your roots."
In 2001 he visited Shanghai and fell in love with the city. "The weather was better and Shanghai is very European, which made me feel at home," he says.
In 2006, just two years after graduation, Alexandrov moved to Shanghai and got a position in Pudong to manage Willowbrook expatriate villa compound. He was one of the founders of the project, working with Community Center Shanghai to develop the compound so that expats would have pastimes and interesting classes. At the time, the compound was empty; now it's bustling with activities.
He still misses Bulgarian food and used to have a problem with Chinese chicken's feet and other "weird" snacks, but now it's okay. He still doesn't care for very spicy food.
"That's the culture and that's how people are brought up. I've accepted it all and I'm happier now," he says.
The greatest value in being an expat who assimilates is learning to appreciate another way of life and becoming wiser and more open-minded, Alexandrov says.
When he's not working, Alexandrov listens to music and travels. He has visited most major cities in China.
"I really feel attached to this country," he says. "Living in China is self-enriching. If people can get involved in local life, learn Chinese, learn about culture and travel, they will find the experience is definitely worth it. It's not easy but it's worth doing."
"I don't think I'm half-Chinese, as some of my friends say, but I do feel at home in Shanghai," he says.
His China story began in 2000 when winning a nationwide competition and was chosen by the Bulgarian government as an exchange student to China. He first studied Chinese for a year and then majored for four years in international economics and trade at Renmin University of China in Beijing.
When he first arrived in Beijing, the native of Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, was stunned. "It was completely different from my country," he says. "Shocks were everywhere."
The weather in early September was hot and humid like a tropical country, very unlike Eastern Europe. His dorm was old and shabby, windows couldn't be closed, there was no mattress and the chairs were rickety.
"There were good shocks when I went to Chang'an Avenue (in Beijing). That was the first time I saw those big and grand palaces. You know, Europe is not big and the buildings are always very low," Alexandrov says. He liked the crowds and even the noise. "If you drive a car in my country for an hour, you would see no one, but here in China there are people and fun everywhere," he says.
The first year was a nightmare for the Chinese-language beginner. "The educational system was quite different. You just sat in the classroom and listened to the teacher," he says.
Worse, teachers from around the country spoke different dialects and had different accents. "I had to figure out what they were talking about, which turned out to be an excellent exercise." In his second year at university, he could understand almost everything.
The plan was for him to return to Bulgaria after completing study in China. "But I liked it here, so I stayed," he says.
He got a junior position in a real estate company, working on a project involving residential, retail and office space. "I was lucky and I've always been lucky in China. I had just graduated and I got a job in a large compound in charge of daily management issues," he says.
Alexandrov has both foreign and local friends. "I'm trying to have a balance," he says. "If you only stay around foreigners, that would be a total waste because you've spent so many years in a foreign country without knowing its culture or language," he says. "But if you have only Chinese friends, you can kind of lose your roots."
In 2001 he visited Shanghai and fell in love with the city. "The weather was better and Shanghai is very European, which made me feel at home," he says.
In 2006, just two years after graduation, Alexandrov moved to Shanghai and got a position in Pudong to manage Willowbrook expatriate villa compound. He was one of the founders of the project, working with Community Center Shanghai to develop the compound so that expats would have pastimes and interesting classes. At the time, the compound was empty; now it's bustling with activities.
He still misses Bulgarian food and used to have a problem with Chinese chicken's feet and other "weird" snacks, but now it's okay. He still doesn't care for very spicy food.
"That's the culture and that's how people are brought up. I've accepted it all and I'm happier now," he says.
The greatest value in being an expat who assimilates is learning to appreciate another way of life and becoming wiser and more open-minded, Alexandrov says.
When he's not working, Alexandrov listens to music and travels. He has visited most major cities in China.
"I really feel attached to this country," he says. "Living in China is self-enriching. If people can get involved in local life, learn Chinese, learn about culture and travel, they will find the experience is definitely worth it. It's not easy but it's worth doing."
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