Comments for Karolinka In & Around Bulgaria http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com A Year in the Life of an American Fulbrighter in Sofia Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:47:17 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Babysitting in Bulgaria by helen http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/babysitting-in-bulgaria/#comment-1513 helen Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:47:17 +0000 http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/?p=1478#comment-1513 Ohh, come on, teenagers in Bulgaria are still babies. They are used for their parents or grandparents to look after them. They don't know how to do simple things around the house. I was like that - I was very trustworthy and serious and turned my papers on time but precisely for that reason I would not take the responsibility for somebody else's baby - probably the most important thing in the life of any person. What if something bad happens and I don't react properly because I lack life experience? On the other hand, grandparents have life experience - they have raised children - bad things have happened and they have reacted... mostly properly we would assume... But, yeah, it's a cultural thing - if we put it in a rather simplistic way - the western world values the energy and the strength of the young people and the eastern (oriental) values the knowledge and wisdom of the old. Ohh, come on, teenagers in Bulgaria are still babies. They are used for their parents or grandparents to look after them. They don’t know how to do simple things around the house. I was like that – I was very trustworthy and serious and turned my papers on time but precisely for that reason I would not take the responsibility for somebody else’s baby – probably the most important thing in the life of any person. What if something bad happens and I don’t react properly because I lack life experience?
On the other hand, grandparents have life experience – they have raised children – bad things have happened and they have reacted… mostly properly we would assume…
But, yeah, it’s a cultural thing – if we put it in a rather simplistic way – the western world values the energy and the strength of the young people and the eastern (oriental) values the knowledge and wisdom of the old.

]]> Comment on Babysitting in Bulgaria by MoM http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/babysitting-in-bulgaria/#comment-1512 MoM Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:34:37 +0000 http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/?p=1478#comment-1512 But what if the grandparents live many hours drive away (6 - 10 hours depending on the g-parents!)???? Could your students understand that energetic, talented, trustworthy teenagers are a great choice if otherwise the parents do not get to go out at all? I never thought that babysitters were "raising" my kids. They were just making sure that everything was OK. I babysat when I was a teenager and I have to say I took it pretty seriously. It was good for me to get a sense of what it requires to be resposible for a kid. But what if the grandparents live many hours drive away (6 – 10 hours depending on the g-parents!)????
Could your students understand that energetic, talented, trustworthy teenagers are a great choice if otherwise the parents do not get to go out at all?

I never thought that babysitters were “raising” my kids. They were just making sure that everything was OK.

I babysat when I was a teenager and I have to say I took it pretty seriously. It was good for me to get a sense of what it requires to be resposible for a kid.

]]> Comment on Babysitting in Bulgaria by bendyourcircuit http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/babysitting-in-bulgaria/#comment-1511 bendyourcircuit Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:42:22 +0000 http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/?p=1478#comment-1511 Which makes hiring a teenage babysitter unreasonable for at least two reasons. First, you have to pay one to look after your child. Second, you trust your parents more than a teenager you may barely know, because you know them better. Besides, they're more experienced than a teen. Which makes hiring a teenage babysitter unreasonable for at least two reasons. First, you have to pay one to look after your child. Second, you trust your parents more than a teenager you may barely know, because you know them better. Besides, they’re more experienced than a teen.

]]> Comment on Babysitting in Bulgaria by bendyourcircuit http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/babysitting-in-bulgaria/#comment-1510 bendyourcircuit Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:34:48 +0000 http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/?p=1478#comment-1510 They won't accept the fact that teenagers are also capable of babysitting a child, because they haven't experienced anything different than grandmothers and, in rarest of cases -- grandfathers, taking care of their grandchildren. It's pretty much taken for granted. I guess it has something to do with social and family structure. It's not that common anymore for all family members to live and have a home together, but they still have more or less the same relationship to one another. So, most people think there's nothing wrong with leaving your child to your parents for a while, as if they lived with you in a room just across the hall, although they actually don't. They won’t accept the fact that teenagers are also capable of babysitting a child, because they haven’t experienced anything different than grandmothers and, in rarest of cases — grandfathers, taking care of their grandchildren. It’s pretty much taken for granted. I guess it has something to do with social and family structure. It’s not that common anymore for all family members to live and have a home together, but they still have more or less the same relationship to one another. So, most people think there’s nothing wrong with leaving your child to your parents for a while, as if they lived with you in a room just across the hall, although they actually don’t.

]]> Comment on Babysitting in Bulgaria by sts http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/babysitting-in-bulgaria/#comment-1509 sts Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:48:57 +0000 http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/?p=1478#comment-1509 haha, these kids are right. how often is babysitting used as an excuse to have a date without adults around :) and i think you can learn alot from john carpenter's film "halloween" :0 haha, these kids are right. how often is babysitting used as an excuse to have a date without adults around :)

and i think you can learn alot from john carpenter’s film “halloween” :0

]]> Comment on Babysitting in Bulgaria by Dimitar http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/babysitting-in-bulgaria/#comment-1508 Dimitar Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:49:59 +0000 http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/?p=1478#comment-1508 Yeah, Andreytcho is right! And the whole Teenagers-who-babysit thing isn't good for me too. I mean- I'm 15 years old now, and my classmates aren't very reliable. 15-16-17 old bulgarian girls to look after my child?- No way. Yeah, Andreytcho is right! And the whole Teenagers-who-babysit thing isn’t good for me too. I mean- I’m 15 years old now, and my classmates aren’t very reliable. 15-16-17 old bulgarian girls to look after my child?- No way.

]]> Comment on Babysitting in Bulgaria by Andreytcho http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/babysitting-in-bulgaria/#comment-1507 Andreytcho Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:52:59 +0000 http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/?p=1478#comment-1507 You don't have to pay the grandmother to look after your kids :) Simple economics! No other rational explanation can be found. You don’t have to pay the grandmother to look after your kids :) Simple economics! No other rational explanation can be found.

]]> Comment on Babysitting in Bulgaria by Andrey http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/babysitting-in-bulgaria/#comment-1506 Andrey Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:24:32 +0000 http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/?p=1478#comment-1506 I think that some of your students were raised by their grandparents, and that's the reason why they don't accept teens to babysit. And I don't get it too. I was a teenager, i know teenagers, i know how the think and what is on their mind. And to led them babysit my baby? That's 100% a no-no. I think that some of your students were raised by their grandparents, and that’s the reason why they don’t accept teens to babysit. And I don’t get it too. I was a teenager, i know teenagers, i know how the think and what is on their mind. And to led them babysit my baby? That’s 100% a no-no.

]]> Comment on Babysitting in Bulgaria by hubenov. http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/babysitting-in-bulgaria/#comment-1504 hubenov. Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:40:45 +0000 http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/?p=1478#comment-1504 Hey Carolyn, really sorry for the offtopic, but since I couldn't find any contacts on the site, that's the only way to write you. I work for a magazine, and this month we're doing an article about foreigners in Bulgaria, and their experience here. I've been reading your blog for a while now, and instantly thought of you. Please contact me if you're interested! Thanks:) Hey Carolyn, really sorry for the offtopic, but since I couldn’t find any contacts on the site, that’s the only way to write you.
I work for a magazine, and this month we’re doing an article about foreigners in Bulgaria, and their experience here. I’ve been reading your blog for a while now, and instantly thought of you. Please contact me if you’re interested!
Thanks:)

]]> Comment on Sofi: French Bakery by Amy http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/sofi-french-bakery/#comment-1503 Amy Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:43:40 +0000 http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/?p=1471#comment-1503 funny point, true, and the pastry looks delicious.. I'll recommend it to my friend who is returning home to Sofia, after visiting me in the states for a few months. Happy Turkey Day. funny point, true, and the pastry looks delicious.. I’ll recommend it to my friend who is returning home to Sofia, after visiting me in the states for a few months. Happy Turkey Day.

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