Although having spent almost a year and a half living in the country, Minna Tyrkkö has not limited her experiences to Bulgaria. She has visited 11 countries all together, lived in five Eastern European countries, and visited Bulgaria on many occasions. "Coming to Bulgaria seemed like a natural step to take," she said.



Having begun her career in Vienna, involved in industrial development with the UN, Tyrkkö then worked with the UNDP on the organisation of security co-operation across Europe. Following a spell in Kosovo, she arrived in Bulgaria to work as deputy resident representative of the UNDP.

Tyrkkö grew up in Finland and has Finnish nationality, although she left the country as an undergraduate student and completed her studies in Vienna. She remained in Austria to study Political Sciences and Eastern European Studies as a postgraduate and the country has remained her base for the past 15 years.

Working at the UNDP means negotiating with government and managing a large group of people. The work is aimed at helping with issues relating to poverty, employment generation and encouraging small enterprises to develop. There are also programmes focused on the environment and minority concerns, including the Roma. Prominent among these is the Beautiful Bulgaria Program, which builds on the capacities of existing small Bulgarian enterprises and is known as a successful generator of employment.

Devoted to her work, Tyrkkö says it is hard to find free time to enjoy what Bulgaria has to offer. Despite this, she enjoys dining out with friends in Sofia and is keen on the cultural events, such as operas, that the city provides. Like most foreigners, Tyrkkö enjoys Bulgaria's food and wine, particularly the red wines from Svishtov.

Living in Bulgaria has allowed Tyrkkö to get acquainted with the country and its people. Her experiences have taught her that most Bulgarian people seem introverted and reserved compared to those in other parts of the Balkans. As her work requires lots of traveling around the country to villages and small towns, she has also seen a lot of what makes the country distinct from others in the regions.

"After hearing what the people have to say and sharing your news on the world in return, the Bulgarian people seem to be interested in you, welcoming, and always very hospitable," she said.

Tyrkkö feels that Bulgaria has changed for the better even during her short time here. "Bulgaria's determination has led to its setting a date for EU accession in 2007. This shows that the country's goals are much clearer as to where it should be going." Neverthe-less, just as many international organisations have encouraged Bulgaria to move quickly in order to complete basic reforms needed for accession, Tyrkkö believes there is much the country could currently improve.

Many Bulgarians are fascinated by what an outsider thinks of their country. "One thing that I find quite significant about Bulgaria is that, since I have been spending a fair amount of time in the crises regions of the Balkans, I have seen what war can do to an individual and a society," said Tyrkkö. "So it's fantastic that Bulgaria has managed the transition after the economic crises in the 90s with such social stability and managed somehow to keep society going. I think that's great and shows something positive about the people."



If you are, or know, someone who would make an interesting expat of the week, please email their name(s) and

contact information

to vnacheva@sofiaecho.com.