Thursday, July 14, 2022

Smiling

I’ve been told that under Communism, if you smiled too much it was assumed that you were either stupid or hiding something. This still applies - the default expression for Bulgarians is neutral, some would say stern. If you watch any kind of talent show, for example, it’s impossible to tell what the judges think of the acts. Official bureaucrats, administrators and anyone in authority tend to go one stage further: they start off with a defensive and confrontational attitude, as if you’ve insulted them or called them useless before you even speak. This, I suppose, at least saves time.

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