Florida’s Eastern European Community

Despite Florida’s name, the “Sunshine State” has always drawn immigrants. In fact, it has the largest Eastern European population in the US. Approximately 2% of the state’s population is Eastern European. This includes people from Russia, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Georgia. The Russian community is growing rapidly, especially in the South Florida area.

According to the U.S. Census, more than 200,000 Floridians with Russian ancestry were counted in the 2000 Census. This is more than double the number of Russian immigrants who were counted in 1999. The number of Russian immigrants in Florida increased from around 350 in 1999 to almost 900 in 2000. It is unclear how many of these Russian immigrants have moved to Florida. Regardless, Florida is one of the fastest growing immigrant states.

Florida’s Eastern European population primarily consists of Russians, Ukrainians and Russian Jews. In the early 20th century, Russian Jewish immigrants migrated to Florida, eventually purchasing property on Marco Island. They had been fleeing discrimination in their home country. The island’s economy began to grow and a 1.5 mile strip of seaside motels was built in the 1950s and 1960s.

Florida’s Eastern European population is also expanding as Russian New Yorkers come to the area because the area is still relatively cheap. While the numbers of Russian immigrants in Florida have increased, the number of Russian Americans in Florida has remained relatively flat. There are estimated to be closer to 300,000 Russian-speaking residents in the South Florida area.

The city of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, is home to a large post-Soviet Union immigrant population. The city has been nicknamed “Little Moscow.” It is also home to a large number of Russian-speaking residents. The population is also bolstered by overseas buyers from Latin America. The city has become popular with both American tourists and Russians as a destination for vacationing.

Russians also have a significant presence in the North Port area. Located just south of Sarasota in Southwest Florida, this city has been a destination for Eastern Europeans for years. They are spread out throughout the city. Their accents are heard in restaurants, shops, and markets. The community also has four weekly Russian language magazines.

Another community with a large Russian population is Miami. The city is also home to a large Cuban population. There are also large Latin American and Asian communities in Miami. The city’s population has increased dramatically in the last 10 years. The Cuban radio station broadcasts Russian at 5 p.m. every day.

Miami’s Russian community is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. There is a Russian grocery store called Kalinka, which sells goods imported from the former Soviet Union. The store also looks like a grocery store in downtown Moscow.

The city of North Port, Florida has also become a destination for Eastern European immigrants. During the winter months, they often stay in the city and enjoy its Warm Mineral Springs. They spread the word about the area’s mineral springs. They also found employment in the real estate industry. In fact, it is estimated that the city has grown into the fourth most popular destination for newly arrived Russians.

Bulgarian Food

Whether you’re looking for a traditional Bulgarian meal or something more exotic, you’ll find a variety of recipes available. Traditional recipes utilize large amounts of vegetables, a variety of herbs, and a variety of spices. You’ll also find many soups, stews, and fresh salads in Bulgarian cuisine. The dishes share many similarities with Middle Eastern and Eastern European cuisine. The most common vegetables in Bulgaria are cucumbers, celery, cabbage, and green peppers. In addition to vegetables, Bulgarian cuisine also features a wide variety of cheeses.

Bulgarian Banistsa

One of the most traditional dishes in Bulgaria is banitsa. Banitsa is a kind of quiche that’s usually served for breakfast. Banitsa is made with feta or white cheese, yogurt, and peppers. You’ll also find versions made with veal and pork. This dish is often served as a hangover cure in Bulgaria.

Another traditional dish in Bulgaria is gyuvetch. Gyuvetch is made with red peppers and onions. You’ll also find a variation that’s made with aubergine. Other vegetables commonly used include cucumbers, zucchini, celery, and green peppers.

Other Bulgarian dishes include kozunak, a brioche-like bread. During the Easter holidays, Bulgarians eat kozunak for breakfast. Kozunak is traditionally made at the JoVan bakery in Sofia. There are also commercial versions available in Bulgaria.

Bulgarian yogurt is made from sheep or cow’s milk. The yogurt is traditionally sold in 500-milliliter containers. It’s said that the yogurt has excellent probiotic bacteria, making it extremely nutritious. It can be eaten plain or topped with fresh fruit.

Bulgarian food is mainly made of vegetables, but a few meats are also used. This includes beef, pork, lamb, and veal. You’ll find beef tripe soup and beef and sheep feta in Bulgarian cuisine. In addition, you’ll also find beef and pork kebapche. These dishes are great served on a bed of crunchy lettuce and lyutenitsa.

Another traditional dish in Bulgaria is kiselo mlyako, a yogurt with two types of bacteria. Kiselo mlyako is sold in 500-milliliter containers and is usually served as a starter. You’ll also find kiselo mlyako yoghurt in a jar, which you can use as a salad topping. Among Bulgarian yoghurts, kiselo mlyako has the highest concentration of probiotic bacteria, making it a very nourishing beverage.

Bulgarian food also includes a variety of pastries. There’s a variety of Bulgarian cheeses to choose from, including kashkaval, which is a yellow cheese, and lutenica, which is a savoury, spicy relish. Other pastries include popara, which is similar to feta, and kebapche. Aside from cheese, Bulgarian food also includes olives. Olives are an important vegetable in Bulgaria and are often used in cosmetics and food. Olives are also considered to have health benefits, making them a popular choice among Bulgarians.

There are many other traditional Bulgarian foods, including chuska burek, which is made of red peppers stuffed with sheep’s-milk cheese. Other dishes include moussaka, which is an oven-baked casserole of minced meat and onions. There are also a variety of sweet desserts.

Bulgarians In Florida

Many Bulgarians Are Moving To Florida!

With the real estate market on fire in Florida, many people are selling their homes at a huge profit margin, making way for Bulgarians to move into the tropical isles.

Bulgarian immigration to the United States

Thousands of Bulgarians immigrated to the United States in the early twentieth century. These immigrants were mostly single men, unskilled workers and peasants. They largely settled in Slavic enclaves in the Midwest and Northeast. The bulk of immigrants came from the Vilayet of Macedonia.

These immigrants are primarily Orthodox Christians, but there are also Protestants and Catholics among the ethnic Bulgarian population. Religion is a central part of Bulgarian culture.

Bulgaria is a small country, located on the east coast of the Balkan Peninsula. It borders Turkey and Greece to the south, and Romania and the Danubian Plateau to the north. The Black Sea coast binds the country to the east. The Rhodope Mountains cover the southern part of the country.

Bulgarian American cultural center “RODINA”

Located in St. Petersburg, Florida, Bulgarian-American Cultural Center “RODINA” is an active participant in the St. Petersburg International Folk Fair. The organization offers a wide array of educational programs. The center also hosts a number of dazzling cultural events.

While the center may not be the most prestigious or the most well-funded, it is nonetheless a shining star in the community. The organization is comprised of a small but highly dedicated team of dedicated individuals. They are committed to promoting Bulgarian culture through educational, social and cultural activities. As a testament to their commitment, the organization has been invited to perform at the prestigious Saint Petersburg International Folk Fair, the world’s largest folk festival.

Peter Menikoff: The Story of a Bulgarian Boy in the Great American Melting Pot

During the 19th century, Peter Menikoff was born in Bulgaria and came to the United States to pursue a medical degree. He was married to a Bulgarian woman, Anna Mischoff, and they made home in Fort Smith, Arkansas in May of 1921.

When he was a boy, Peter Menikoff grew up in Bulgaria. His mother died without medical care, so he left Bulgaria for the United States. He studied medicine and then worked to raise his family. He went to the University of Washington in Seattle and graduated in 1919. He then joined the Presbyterian church.

In the early 20th century, Bulgarians- like Peter began to immigrate to the United States, and many settled in Slavic enclaves in the Northeast and Midwest. Some of them joined American Socialist and Communist parties. Others joined the industrial Workers of the World. They were interested in American politics and international relations.

Bulgarian Festivals You Have to Check Out

Mountains, fresh air, and a culture steeped in history. See if you can hang with Bulgarians and check out these up-and-coming festivals.

Meadows in the Mountains 2020.

June 4-7
Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria

If you’re looking to get away from the city and its overly-populated festivals, check out Meadows in the Mountains. It’ll be located in the beautiful Rhodope Mountains. A favorite for hiking, rock music, culture, and traditional festivals, the Rhodope Mountains is one of the most scenic and popular destinations for traveling Bulgarians. Meadows in the Mountains will have four different stages, and the festival will offer wellness classes, food, drinks, and yoga! So check out this beautiful forest sanctuary and make sure to visit the stunning traditional villages along the way.

Bulgaria Rose Festival

June 5-8th 2020
Kazanluk, Bulgaria

Did you Bulgaria is responsible for up to 70% of the world’s rose production every year? The Festival of the Roses is one of the biggest traditional festivals held in Bulgaria every year. If you don’t think flowers are your thing, don’t worry, the Rose Festival showcases art, dance, theatre, poetry, and all types of knick-knacks and traditional foods.

The Rose Parade is the biggest parade in Bulgaria, with almost over 3,000 participants marching. You’ll see beautiful folk dancings and women as the Rose Queen coronation is what caps off the parade. Local high-schools select a senior to represent the school at the pageant. From there, the girls compete to become the Rose Queen. The Rose Festival is beautiful in that it shows a countries dedication and coming together in preserving a flower.

Kukeri Festival

Surva, Bulgaria

Rio, Brazil may have the biggest carnival according to the Guinness Book of World Records, but at EUScoop, we think the Kukeri Festival is the better festival if you’re interest lie in monsters and dancing.

Kukeri is an old Bulgarian tradition that is meant to chase away evil spirits. Traditionally men and boys would dress up in furs and animal skins and jump around with bells tied around their waist, but more and more women are joining in on the fun as well. The costumes are supposed to be so ugly that even a real monster would run away in fear. You’ll see beautiful masks made from wood, thread, animal fur, and teeth. If you look closely, you’ll notice that some people are dancing non-stop with heavy bells on, sometimes they can weigh up to 100 pounds! So get rid of the monsters in your life by checking out the Kukeri Festival in Surva.

Fire Dancing Festival, aka, Nestinarstvo.

June 3rd
Bulgari, Bulgaria

Fire dancing is one of Bulgaria’s oldest past-times. This was started by ancient Thracians to worship the Sun-god, and now there are very few communities that still practice this ritual. Fortunately for you around June 3rd every year, thousands of dare-devils will perform nestinari, the ritual of walking on fire. As Bulgaria has become more orthodox over time, the ceremony was done while holding icons of the saints Helen and Constantine. Many Bulgarians say performing the ritual brings them health, wealth, and fertility throughout the years.

International Folklore Festival Varna

July 2-7th
Varna, Bulgaria

If you’re tired of all the chalga music playing everywhere in Bulgaria and want to get a taste of real Bulgaria, check the International Folklore Festival in Varna this year. The festival isn’t just focused on Bulgarian culture, but in fact, also features folk music from around the world. Known as the Sea Capital of Bulgaria, Vargas is one of the most beautiful areas of Bulgaria, a hot-spot for trendy, young, jet setters. With it’s long tradition of folk music, you’ll won’t forget this one. Bulgarians love their traditional folk music and have even developed chalga music, a modern, dance-heavy, oriental belly-dancing influenced pop music. But this is far from that. You’ll see people in traditional wears, dancing to traditional music. Make sure you’re wearing your red and white to symbolize good luck and fortune.

What Is Chalga?

When you visit Bulgaria, you’ll notice a sound that seemingly comes out of nowhere, yet it is everywhere at the same time. It sounds like a mix of oriental and eastern European folk, set to a belly dancing rhythm. It can be heard in restaurants, town centers, and blasting out of passing cars. It’s called chalga.

The sound of chalga can vary from song to song because aside from the oriental and Bulgarian folk elements, there is also a modern component to it. Belly dancing is a must if you listen to chalga. Chalga song lyrics are filled with the typical sexual innuendos, falling in love, and heart break. Chalga seems to resonate with people of all ages because of it’s mix mas of both the new and old world.

Like many musical genres, listeners of chalga have created their own subculture of shiny clothes, lavish vacations, mini-skirts, high heels, and heavy makeup, much akin to the fist-pumping vibes of the Jersey Shore. A stereotype of chalga loving women are not that different from UK chavs, suntans, and breast implants. The men don the usual suspects that come with the GTL (gym, tan, laundry) lifestyle.

Chalga was born in 1989 after the fall of communism. When communism fell, so did the restrictions on broadcasting and pop music. A new, younger generation started performing more sexual-pop songs that would have never been allowed before, and it’s been a hit in Bulgaria ever since.

Chalga has taken over advertising, news, entertainment, schools, and even politics. The pop-folk seems to appeal to a nation of post-communist youth because of its glamorous lifestyle. So if you’re in Bulgaria, make sure you visit a chalga club and throw some napkins in the air, because you can’t avoid it!