THE UNBULGARIANS: MUSA NIASI, GAMBIA
Musa Niasi, 27, from Gambia, arrived in Bulgaria in 2013 after he was forced to flee his country because of his anti-government stance. He graduated in accountancy and has a knowledge of computer hardware.
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?
I wan't surprised by Bulgaria. I came because I was looking for a democratic, stable society. In the beginning, the conditions in the refugee camp were terrible, but at some point things started improving. In Bulgaria I saw snow for the first time in my life, but winter is not a problem for me, I like it. The food is nice, I am in love with tripe soup.
Do you have Bulgarian friends?
Yeah, almost all of my friends are Bulgarians.
Do you celebrate any Bulgarian holidays?
Not really, but last spring I wore the Martenitsa. Friends and colleagues give me a lot of these things.
Describe Bulgaria in three words.
I really like the nature, it's awesome. I've been to some mountains, like the Rila. The people are nice to me. And my colleagues, and my bosses – they are the best.
Do you plan to stay in Bulgaria?
Yes, I do. I like it, I feel okay here.
Is there a typical Bulgarian character trait?
I don't know. People are nice.
Do you feel a part of Bulgaria?
Yes, especially now that I have work and made some friends, I feel at home.
The UnBulgarians project is conducted by the Free Speech International Foundation and supported by the NGO Programme in Bulgaria under the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2009-2014
Commenting on www.vagabond.bg
Vagabond Media Ltd requires you to submit a valid email to comment on www.vagabond.bg to secure that you are not a bot or a spammer. Learn more on how the company manages your personal information on our Privacy Policy. By filling the comment form you declare that you will not use www.vagabond.bg for the purpose of violating the laws of the Republic of Bulgaria. When commenting on www.vagabond.bg please observe some simple rules. You must avoid sexually explicit language and racist, vulgar, religiously intolerant or obscene comments aiming to insult Vagabond Media Ltd, other companies, countries, nationalities, confessions or authors of postings and/or other comments. Do not post spam. Write in English. Unsolicited commercial messages, obscene postings and personal attacks will be removed without notice. The comments will be moderated and may take some time to appear on www.vagabond.bg.
