Punctuality

In the United States, if you are not on time for class, the professor might lower your grade but he/she will never forbid you to enter the classroom. You just go in as inconspicuously as possible and find yourself a seat somewhere at the back. In Bulgaria, however, you’d better be punctual. If you happen to be late, you have to politely ask the professor for permission to stay. He/she might welcome you to the classroom, tell you to leave or require you to stand throughout the lecture. Some professors even lock the door after the start of the class.

Squash

During summer times, juicy squash discs abundantly covered in vinegar, parsley and garlic would cuddle next to pork or potatoes on my plate. There was something in this squash-garlic yummy combination that really sharpened my appetite, making me eat more bread, more of the main course, more of everything. Back then, I never minded the extra food that went down my esophagus but as puberty hit me, I drastically reduced my squash salad intake. Having turned into an extremely self-conscious person, I was worried that the excess fat and pungent breath that came with the salad would thwart me socially.