NationStates Jolt Archive

It was 6am in Bucharest, Romania. Tim Berns was extremely cold as it was winter. His flight had just arrived from Auckland, New Zealand. His destination was the small surviving communist nation of Bulgislavia wedged between Bulgia, Bulgaria and Romania.

However airtravel was rare into Bulgislavia infact the only international flights in and out of Bulgislavia only went to Beijing. anybody wanting to travel anyother way into the isolationist state had to do so by taking train or highway.

Tim's train was set to depart from Bucharest at 11am to the Romania-Bulgislavia boarder. He was extremely excited.

Tim had a fascination with the Iron Curtain, Cold War, Orwellian and Stalinist nations. He saved hard to travel to Bulgislavia and when he applied to travel Bulgislavia waited 6 months before allowing him permition to enter.

He knew of a section of Bucharest where many Bulgislavian's that had fled had made a life for themselves.
(Bulgislavia's boarders are completely sealed, no one it permitted to leave)

At this time of the mourning he knew of a Bulgislavian owned restraunt
where he could possible chat to them and get an idea of what he was about to step into.

Day 1 6:12pm
Taking an old bus around the dark, cold streets of Bucharest he arrives in a part of the town that is a little more vibrant, Bulgislavian flags flew proudly from the apartments, A large painted sign said on the street corner
"You are now entering Little Bulgislavia"

Tim stepped off the bus and stepping into a steamy restraunt.
A young woman with long flowing black hair tied behind her back walked up to Tim and spoke in Bulgislavian
Tim knew only a small amount of words he only managed to pick up
"Welcome...want...food?" or something along those lines

Tim replied in his rough Bulgislavian
"ah...do you speak little english?"

The woman gave a smile and shook Tim's hand
"ah yes I know english...do you know Bulgislavian, would you like me to take me to a seat and give you a menu?"

"Um i only know a small amount of Bulgislavian, But i was wondering if you could tell me a bit about you home contry....I'm heading there today"

"oh....Well i'm working now but I can show you to a regular customer who can tell you all about our country" said the lady

She led Tim towards a round table where a large manw as sitting. he had a thick black moustache and slicked back hair and a torn business suit.

The woman spoke to the Man
"Iani this man would like to know about Bulgislavia, care to tell him about it?"

"Ofcourse take a seat, whats your name, I'm Iani" said Iani welcoming

"Thanks..I'm Tim i'm from New Zealand and i'm travelling to Bulgislavia today, I was wondering what you can tell me about it?"

"Well Tim I fled Bulgislavia in 1998 I cant imagine much has changed in 10 years except the Famine is over and Provoçe's a lot older, What would you like to know first?"

Tim didnt have to hesitate "Why did you leave Bulgislavia, What was it like? Can you tell me what life was like? What about the Cigouriva?" Tim had a heap of questions to ask and he wanted to ask them all at once

"Woah i didnt expect a foriegner to know so much about my country, Well i'll start from the start. I was born in Terevesti the Capital in 1960. my childhood was nothing special, I was a member of the young pioneers, you know the children with the red scarfs, well anyway basically for my whole education from 1965 to 1978 it was basically brainwashing crap, party propaganda bla bla bla. The only exciting thing that happened in that time was the Terevesti Earthquake in the 70's. Our house was destroyed but we got a new one in 1978....Anyway the 80's was probably the worst time of my life. The state was everywhere....I blame Provoçe's state visit's to the hardcore communist states. he was inspired by descipline in the people of Romania, Albania and east asian countries and he wanted that same sort of order and discipline here. Rules were there harshest" Iani paused and thought for a second

"I dont know if we were the worst but we were certainly one of the toughest communist systems in Europe.....damn it was a tough system... Anyway in 1989 all those revolutions happened and Provoçe lost one of his friends Ceausescu here in Romania. we didnt hear much on the news of these countries...possesion of foriegn materials was banned so we were kept isolated. in 1990 we felt severe hardships we had lost most of our donors and food rationing was tightened then the biggest blow to us came in January 1992 a month after the USSR dissolved, soviet aide stopped and the Famine began. I lost my Brother in 1994 and i have no idea how i survived. I applied to move to Timescu which is closer to the Bulgarian boarder.....
I had heard stories that people have fled to Bulgaria and Romania i just didnt know how. In 1996 i decided i wanted to flee to Bulgaria and over the Bulgislavian mountains. i though climbing mountains to Bulgaria would be easier then swimming across the Danube to Romania"

"Finally in 1997 i was granted a home in Timescu. I was hungry all the time, a group of us planned to flee together over the mountains we had to be careful becuase Cigouriva agents were everywhere. in mid 1998 I descoved one of my neighbors had starved to death and then i decided to leave immediatly. the group of us left at midnight in a beaten down van and then ditched the van at the base of mountains. We fled over the mountains where boarder guards shot at us but we managed to survive"

Iani gathered himself and took a big breath "I was not free, I went straight to Romania and found this community. I am just sad that i had to leave my family behind and I havnt seen them in 10 years, and thats my story"

Tim was still in awe that he was talking to a real Bulgislavian
"Thats a sad story" said Tim

"Well anyway where abouts are to planning on travelling?"

"By train i cross the Danube into Bulgislavia and straight to Timescu then travel to the country along the Dobrak River and to Plethece, then up to Creçea and by train to the capital, Terevesti where I go to Craasi and the Provoçe Beach Resort on the black sea" listed Tim

"Well Craasi is a nice city, one of the few cities left with its old architecture so go there quickly before Provoçe demolishes it"

9:28am.....................................................................................

Tim and Iani spoke longer until it started getting light. It was open 24 hours an all night restraunt/bar. Tim left and walked around the Bulgislavian neighborhood where he saw traditional trinkets set up on stands, Novelty flags

In a few hours Tim would set foot in Bulgislavia for his 2 week adventure

.................................................................................................... ........To be continued

Day 1: 19th February 2008 11:30 am

Tim was holding his big bag at the train station platform ready to depart for Bulgislavia.

He seemed to be the only person on thier way to Bulgislavia. It had taken 2 months for the Bulgislavian government to allow Tim permission to enter Bulgislavia as a tourist.

A law was in place that contact with foriegners was banned but he had heard that it was not tolerated, though still illegal it wasnt enforced.

He was the only man in the train. It was an extremely old train probably over 30 years old.

12:20pm

The train came to the boarder with Bulgislavia it had just gone over the Danube River on a bridge.

Boarder guards came it. they were regular soldiers armed with rifles
They didnt seem interested in seeing a passport instead they said the only english word they knew

"Cigarettes?" asked one of the boarder guards

It seemed to be some sort of black market currency in Bulgislavia it was a very backwards country.

Tim handed the man a packet which he had brought in Romania on the advice of Iani who he met back in Bucharest in Romania.

Then the soldiers left the train and the train began to rattle along again.

1:12 pm

The Train rolled into a tatty onld station in Timescu, a small industrial city. Tim had only seen this city once on an old postcard from 1967. the postcard wasnt flattering infact it was a picture of some newly created factory
(It seemed these socialist countries had a thing about putting pictures of industry and factories on thier postcards)
He had got the postcard off the net back in New Zealand

Tim wondered around the city. The streets seemed deserted. There were no cars. the only car he saw was a old wreck of a car over 30 years old with no wheels abandoned on the road side. the citizens he saw just walked. He even saw a horse and carriage.

Tim wanted to make sure he could be spotted out as a foriegner. He knew how isolated the people were. He wore a jumper with a map on New Zealand on it with the words KIWI on the back.

Immediatly he noticed many locals looking at him.

Tim sat at a bus stop and pulled out his map of the country when a man walked up to him.

"Hello... You are not Bulgislavian!" said a short round man. he had large curious eyes like he was a small child looking at some mysterious wonder

"I am from New Zealand" replied Tim slowly making sure the Bulgislavian man could understand him

"You have place to stay? Come with me. Stay at my family house" said the man

Tim was suprised at the local's trusting attitude
he followed the man

1:50pm

A large block state house identicale to the rest lining the street was where the Bulgislavian man lived
In thier conversations while walking here Tim learnt the mans name was Vasily and he had a wife and 4 Children, he was also 57 years old. His childrens were 25, 23, 18, 16. The two oldest lived in Plethece while the 18 yearold son lived in Craasi. He was a training olympic Gymnast. the youngest was still in school and lived with the parents.

The inside of the apartment was very cramped, squalid and rundown
As soon as Vasily walked into the flat he began ranting some Bulgislavian to his wife and his wife looked shocked and curious too constantly looking over to the "Olas" the only word Tim understood in Vasily's rant which meant "Foriegner".

2:00pm

Tim began speaking to Vasily.

"So I heard it was Illegal to have contact with foriegners, is this Illegal?"

"Well.. um If I had done this in the 80's I would have had a lot of pressure on me, you know arrest and fineing but now no one cares about that law. Maybe in Terevesti I would get in trouble but not in this town" said Vasily in his thick eastern european accent

"So what do you know about the outside world, do you know about New Zealand?"

"Hmm not so much. All I know is that the outside is Capitalism. Thats all I know. New Zealand is Capitalist?"

"Yes New Zealand is a capitalist country"

"So what is life like in your country? all the stores are full?"
the conversation soon changed from Tim questioning Vasily to Vasily questioning Tim.
He asked how credit cards worked, what supermarkets were like, how many TV channels it had in the country etc
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