Driving Skills | Health | Education | English Language Skills | Child CareAu Pairs in General | Religion | Telephone | Diet | Miscellaneous

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The following information is generalized and compiled from questions posed to the agents and interviewers in Bulgaria. Although au pairs from Bulgaria may or may not have had these experiences/beliefs, Au Pair in America wishes to share this general information with our families.

Driving Skills

1. Cost and difficulty to obtain a driver's license
   The driving license costs approx. $100.
   


2. Obtaining a driver's license, e.g. driving lessons, practical and theoretical test?
   
To obtain a license, compulsory driving lessons are taken with a registered school. A theoretical and practical test managed by the police department is then taken. The whole procedure takes approx. 2 months.


3. Availability and cost of obtaining an International Driving License
   This is available in Bulgaria at a cost of about $3.00.
   
   
4. Obtaining a driving license
   More than 70% of young women possess a driving license. The minimum age is 18.
   
   
5. How common is it for 18-26 year olds to own their own car or use the family car
   They use the family car rather than own their own car.
   
   
6. Cars
   Manual
   

Health

1. Most common inoculations
   Chicken pox, TB.
   
   
2. Innoculation for TB (Tuberculosis)
   Yes, this is compulsory.
   
   
3. Free health service
   Partly–there is a mixture of a limited free state health service and health insurance.


4. Cost and regularity of visits to the dentist
   People attend quite regularly. It is quite expensive but not unaffordable.

Education

1. Percentage of young women that go on to university
   Approx. 60%
   
   
2. Alternatives chosen if not attending university
   Finding low-paid employment.
   
   
3. Importance of educational opportunities of the Au Pair in America program to the au pair
   Most applicants rank the educational opportunity as the 3rd or 4th most important feature. Exploring new cultures, improving their English skills and meeting new friends are the top three reasons for wanting to do the program. They understand the educational opportunities of the program can be limited and are not the essence of the program.
   
   
4. Start and finish of the academic year
   Starts beginning of October and ends mid-July.

English Language Skills

1. Is English a compulsory subject in the schools in your country?

Yes, English is compulsory in primary and high schools.


2. Description of the study of English in schools, e.g. from what age English is taught, how many years is English compulsory, courses focused on written or oral skills

Usually students start learning English at the age of 10 and continue for 6 or 7 years. The courses are mainly focused on written skills, but the standards are high.

Child Care

1. Common attitudes to and types of discipline for children

University courses in Pedagogy, Psychology, Medicine and Nursing are the most common courses for working with children. Many young women regard these courses as rewarding and interesting.


2. Physical discipline of children

No.


3. How child care is obtained if formal qualification not held

Most of our applicants have experience with taking care of children of friends, neighbors or families with two working parents. The scope of activities includes nannying, babysitting, and tutoring.


4. Sharing child care responsibilities by both parents

Parents share child care responsibilities.


5. Both working parents

Yes, in the city both parents seem to work.

1. The concept of being an 'au pair'
   This is still a new concept in Bulgaria; we are working to educate the people.
   
   
2. The motivation of young people to want to be an au pair
   To travel abroad and spend a year in a family environment in the U.S.A.
   
   
3. Improving job potential upon returning home after a year in the U.S.A.
   Yes, their experience and particularly their English skills will make them very attractive to prospective employers.
   

Religion

1. Most common religions
   Orthodox Christianity.
   
   
2. Practice of religion by young people
   More and more young people are returning to their religion, but that does not mean they practice it regularly.
   
   
3. Would a young person choose to practice a religion that is different than her family's religion
   Very rare.
   
   
4. Common religious practices e.g. special practices or dietary restrictions
   None.

Telephone

1. Telephones in the home
   Yes, most homes have telephones.



2. Would most parents/family speak English well enough to take a message from an American Host Family?
   
No.


3. Computer or e-mail access
   
About 50% of young people use and can find access to the Internet and have their own e-mail addresses.

Diet

1. Attitudes to eating meat
   Bulgarians eat meat.
   
   
2. Vegetarianism
   Very rare.



3. Other common dietary traditions
   None.

Miscellaneous

1. Freedom of their family to socialize and date
   Yes.



2. Curfews at home
   No.
   
   
3. Sharing household chores
   Almost all of our applicants and young women in general take an active role in helping in the home.
   
   
4. Diversity of population
   No.



5. Three main characteristics of the people
   Ambitious, skillful and disciplined.
   
   
6. Attitudes to nudity both in and out of the home, e.g. sunbathing in the nude?
   Sunbathing in the nude is not tolerated, and nudity in the home is not accepted.

Au Pair in America®, 2007