BULGARIA | Internship: At work | Dress code and manners
Dress codes are very relaxed in Bulgaria. Make sure your clothes are clean and neat.
Communicating with others
In the Bulgarian language there is a difference in the pronoun and verb form for second person singular (used when you address friends and in general people you are close to) and second person plural (used to officially address people you are not close to). The more official plural form is used in a formal environment such as the work place, preceded when addressing people by gospodin … (the Bulgarian word for Mr.) or gospozho … (the Bulgarian word for Mrs.), or the academic rank – professor, dotzent (assistant professor), doctor (a person holding a Ph.D. diploma) – in an academic environment. It is amazing, however, how quickly Bulgarians switch to using first names and the less official singular forms of the verbs and the pronouns in communication. It’s likely people would call a trainee by his or her first name. It’s a common practice to call younger colleagues by their first name, using also singular form of the verbs and pronouns. So don’t be offended! The way people address each other at the place where you are completing your internship will show you what form to use. If not sure – just ask the others or the boss how to address them.
The best way to succeed in the work place is to be diplomatic and flexible, not straightforward. A lot of people wouldn’t openly say what they think simply because they don’t care enough or they fear it would be bad for their position at work. At many places open expression of opinions and constructive criticism are not very highly valued – you might be considered heartless and lacking tolerance toward coworkers’ (or boss’s) mistakes.