THEY came together, holding hands. Yan Shwetz and his Bulgarian wife Maria. He is a 25-year-old Slovak, born in a small town with a not so small name, about 120km east of the capital of Bratislava. “Where I grew up there are only about 10 000 inhabitants so I am practically just getting used to living in a big city”. He says he likes it here in Sofia, but though he has been here for two years already, Yan confesses that there is definitely something missing that could make him feel at home, “having a baby!”  he says and makes Maria burst into giggles.
They have travelled quite a lot around the country. “We have been to Vitosha two or three times, to the Rila mountain - the seven Rila lakes and the monastery. Veliko Turnovo, which is a beautiful city. The seaside is really nice too.” You could tell that he loves the mountains, but Yan Shwetz claims that his favourite place in Bulgaria is the balcony of their apartment in Sofia “because it has quite a nice view of Vitosha Mountain”. This makes Maria laugh again and she adds that there is another reason - he made small wooden chairs by himself and they like sitting on the balcony to eat something or have a drink. When Yan came here he didn’t like the way people used their balconies as a storage place, covering them, “They probably want to make it more practical but in my country it’s all open and clean and with flowers”. Another thing that Yan likes here is the food, “which is probably typical for every foreigner coming here”. His favourite dish is baked peppers with garlic and dill, especially when they are made by his mother- in- law.
My next question is about the people. “People are fine. They are quite friendly. Some I met were crazy, but you can find crazy people everywhere. I think Bulgarians are quite like Slovaks.” The main difference, he says, is that the natives are quite pessimistic and don’t believe that better, if not imminent, is forthcoming. Despite that, he claims that Bulgarians help him adjust to the atmosphere and are really kind. “They don’t make me feel like a foreigner”. But no matter the people, Yan says that getting a car is what will really make him feel like a native. What can I say, before all, he is a man!
I ask what he would like to change about Bulgaria and the immediate answer I get is “people’s minds! The way they think of life, there should be hope”. Then he adds, “and the roads!”. He finds these two things the most annoying about Bulgaria as well as the water(!). “In Slovakia, when I get water, I get it with gas! I miss the bubbles!”. And what else does he miss about his home country? “When I came to Bulgaria I couldn’t find a place to practice one of my favourite sports - ice hockey. But last winter we played some in the Winter Palace and I was really satisfied!”
Yan Shwetz likes to be active - during his free time he likes to go biking or jogging with his brother-in-law, “but it’s nothing serious, just for fun”. Then, after mentioning all these activities, he adds, “I’m quite lazy during my free time”. At this moment I picture myself lying on the couch on a Sunday afternoon, armed with candy, re-watching The O.C. reruns... lazy, you were saying?
And how about clubbing in Sofia? Yan replies that it’s the same in Slovakia. “You go to a bar, you order a drink, and after midnight you are drunk and singing on your way back home. It’s much the same here.”
I keep the best part of our conversation for ‘the finale’ - their story. Maria and Yan met in 2001, while they were both working in the United States. “Then we have been split for about two years, kind of seeing each other every three months.” Since October 2003, after the wedding, they are finally together. “And it seems quite perfect for now,” Yan says with a smile, looking at his wife. It really does seem perfect, During the interview they did not let go of each other’s hands or stop laughing. It lends an air of watching a romantic fairy-tale-like movie.
The answer to the usually boring question ‘why did you come to Bulgaria?’: Yan’s answer was far from boring, “Well, the reason is sitting next to me”. Simple. Sure. Love-ly!