"Before taking a course at
Mastylo School I had studied Bulgarian over a long
period of time but had a very patchy knowledge of
this incredibly tricky language and was lacking
practical experience in using it. Luckily enough
in July 2019 I got the chance to take a two-week
language course in Bulgaria and chose Mastylo
School because some of my colleagues recommended
it and also because I wanted to explore Plovdiv, a
beautiful, ancient city. And I must say I wasn’t
disappointed! Boris turned out to be a competent
teacher who is very thorough and pays a lot of
attention to details. On the other hand he is very
kind and patient and he’s got a great sense of
humour!! I learned a lot about Bulgarian culture
and mentality from him. I also appreciated his
flexibility when it comes to practical
arrangements and scheduling the classes. Overall I
was extremely happy with my two-week course as my
Bulgarian improved significantly and I got a
valuable insight into the country. I would highly
recommend Mastylo School and Boris to anyone
who wants to learn Bulgarian."
Marika Lairolahti, translator at the European
Parliament
* * *
"I am a Spanish 27-year-old
engineer who moved to Plovdiv due to a
professional opportunity. My previous knowledge of
Bulgarian was absolutely 0. I had been recommended
Boris by a fellow Spaniard who had already studied
with him and his reviews were very positive, so I
decided to give it a try. After 9 months I can say
that it has totally exceeded my expectations. I
have never had so much fun in a language class.
Boris is very methodic when it comes to the
grammar, and he is focused on making you learn the
“proper” Bulgarian. And he does it with an
incredibly practical approach, in which he will
not give you the answer but will make you think
until you find out. Boris is totally versatile in
terms of adapting his classes to the student’s
pace. This is what makes his classes so dynamic.
In my case, once my grammar bases were solid
enough, he decided it was time to increase my
vocabulary, so we started mainly speaking lessons
in which we got to discuss thousands of different
topics. Boris’s classes are the perfect
combination between a highly didactive experience
and a tone of fun and laughter. The result: after
6-7 months I was already using Bulgarian even at
work with my Bulgarian colleagues.
Honestly, Boris is a safe value! If you are
interested in boosting your Bulgarian... no doubt
he must be your choice."
Joan Roig, Famatel Bulgaria
***
"If you want to learn 'just a few
hundred words' in Bulgarian, if you're after a
crib sheet of phrases to 'see you through', if
you'd like to 'get by' in the village... don't
bother getting in touch with Mastylo School. Go
and find a cheap online course, memorise lists of
words, practise phrases and sob yourself to sleep
in confusion as to why you don't seem to be making
any real progress.
Because to learn Bulgarian with Boris is akin to
being invited to a banquet after scrabbling around
under the table on your knees for crumbs. It's a
feast! But you need to be committed. You need an
appetite for learning.
While my children can pick up Bulgarian like
natives—as easily as they breathe and walk—for me,
as an adult learner, I need hooks. I need to
understand the language from the inside out. Its
quirks, its history, its grammar, its etymology,
its hilarious bits and its provocations and
marvels.
I have honestly never had the pleasure of working
with someone who can so fluently flit between the
roles of teacher, saint, pedant, philosopher,
comic, critic and friend.
I now have the confidence to write and speak
Bulgarian knowing that I'm unlikely to make dire
errors; to talk freely with teachers, bureaucrats
and friends; to decipher my girls' homework and to
know whether my village neighbours are speaking
dialect to me or not (and not to panic at those
times!)
I love this language all the more for having the
rare privilege of an insight into its inner
workings, and I can't recommend lessons with Boris
and Mastylo School enough."
Joanna Bradshaw, Despark Bulgaria
***
"I decided to start
studying Bulgarian to make a quality jump on my
professional career. All my Bulgarian friends
advised me about the herculean effort of learning
Bulgarian, due to its complex grammar, and totally
different structures. That effort is always going
to exist, but you can, I guarantee you, minimize
that effort by deciding to study Bulgarian in the
hands of the professionals of Mastylo. Boris is a
professional of the teaching that explains
Bulgarian language with the accuracy of an
academic, but at the same time, with the
easy-going atmosphere of a friends´ meeting. Now,
after less than 8 months of studying Bulgarian
with Boris, I can perfectly write an e-mail in
Bulgarian to my accountants, make a hotel
reservation, or have entire dinners with Bulgarian
friends speaking exclusively Bulgarian. If you are
going to something like Bulgarian, don´t play with
rookies that will lose your time and money, go for
experience professionals like the ones of
Mastylo."
Carlos Salafranca,
Consubulgaria Ltd
***
"Last year (2010) I spent three
weeks learning Bulgarian with Erna, after having
passed 8 levels of Bulgarian here in Luxembourg.
My passive knowledge was not so bad thanks to the
fact that I am a Slav (Czech) and I also
understand other Slavonic languages. But my spoken
Bulgarian was quite bad and it was very
embarrassing for me to use it. After the course
with Erna I became much more confident, my active
vocabulary expanded significantly. Erna is a very
patient and dedicated teacher and adapted the
course to my needs. I spent a very nice time with
her and it was really fun for me “to go to
school“, although the course was very intensive (5
hours a day) and especially at the beginning quite
tiring. I would love to come back to Plovdiv some
time - either as a student or as a tourist."
“I spent two very full and
enjoyable weeks at Mastylo in September 2009,
filling in the gaps accumulated in my Bulgarian
language skills. Erna proved to be an excellent
and very patient teacher, targeting the weakest
points in my knowledge and resolving them. I felt
that I made significant progress during the course
and plan to return to Plovdiv for more of the same
- preferably once again during the Bulgarian
Theatre Festival, which provided a wonderful
backdrop to learning the language. Despite the
extensive ground covered during the course, the
overall atmosphere was calm and relaxed, thanks to
the careful organisation and attention provided by
the school.”
William Stock, translator at the European Parliament
* * *
"My partner and I spent six
months learning Bulgarian with Boris and Erna, and
I can honestly say that it was some of the best
language tuition we have ever had – and as
language students, we have spent an awful lot of
time in classes!! What’s more, it was great fun. I
am usually quite suspicious about anything
advertised online, but after contacting Boris, I
felt totally at ease with the idea of travelling
to Plovdiv – initially our plan was to remain in
Sofia. I am SO happy we made the move! Boris and
Erna are excellent teachers, with the patience of
saints (a must when you’re trawling through the
finer points of Bulgarian grammar!). We came to
Bulgaria to learn Bulgarian from scratch, having a
background in Russian. Despite their superb
command of English and Russian, Boris and Erna
never allowed us to get lazy – after the initial
lessons, EVERYTHING was explained through
Bulgarian, which for us was the best way to learn
the language- total immersion! As we progressed,
our classes focused more on conversation and
debate, which personally I have always found the
most difficult aspect of language learning – due
to my fear of sounding like an idiot I suppose! I
needn’t have worried – we always had so much fun
during class! Grammar exercises aside, going to
class was like meeting a friend for a good auld
chat. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed or learned
so much in class. If you want to learn Bulgarian,
there is no question: Mastylo is your best bet."
“First of all, I'd like to greet
all those who have decided to embark on the
exciting activity to learn Bulgarian!
Congratulations on your courage and enthusiasm!
Bulgarian is my mother tongue and I have never
stopped using it actively even though I have been
living outside of the country for more than 15
years and notwithstanding the fact I use and speak
fluently other 4 languages. Moreover, I have
always spoken to my children in Bulgarian. Both of
them are bilingual (Italian is the language of
their father) and besides they study at an English
School. My older son, who is 8, expressed a clear
desire to learn how to read and write in the
Cyrillic alphabet. So the summer of 2010 I went
back to my native Plovdiv and I contacted Mastylo
School, about whom I had found excellent reviews
on the Internet. In the beginning I was quite
skeptical, since the boy had just learned how to
read and write in both Italian and English. I was
reluctant to expose him to another "spelling test
stress" during the summer holidays so I asked only
for an one-hour weekly lesson. A very charming
lady happened to be my son's teacher - Erna
Angelova. With a soothing voice she reassured me
that everything would be just fine and my son
would have read quite soon. To my dismay, only a
couple of weeks later, I caught my son writing in
cursive characters (believe me, the Bulgarian ones
are just a pain...). A month later my son was
reading in Bulgarian in a good speed. These days,
he sends regularly letters by snail mail to his
Bulgarian friends and of course, he can't wait to
see his Bulgarian teacher again! I strongly
recommend Mastylo school if you really want to
learn Bulgarian in a fast and pleasant way!"
Maya Dimova, Milan, Italy
* * *
"In February 2011 I needed to
find a way to brush up my Bulgarian significantly.
I needed to pass a difficult exam to get a license
as a Governmental Authorized Interpreter in
Norway. The license would give me right to
interpret inter alia in court, police and
hospitals. This exam is held in 2-3 languages each
year and just 10% pass. This year it was held for
Bulgarian-Norwegian interpreters for the first
time ever and there is no current plan for the
next one. There is no organized course prior to
the exam, so it is up to you how you will get to
the required level of knowledge. Luckily, I found
the web site of Mastylo School and contacted Boris
by Skype. After a chat with Boris and a free demo
lesson with Erna I was sure that this was what I
needed. I got a lot of material to study by
myself, had lessons with Erna on Skype when it
suited my tight schedule, sent her written
exercises and essays, and got them back with her
valuable corrections and comments. I needed to
concentrate on very specific topics, like
medicine, law, social welfare, education system,
and everyday life in Bulgaria. Erna could find
answers to any of my questions and we would
discuss these topics thoroughly during our
lessons. In August I came to Plovdiv for more
lessons and a tailor-made programme which included
a visit to the Court, the Social Welfare office, a
meeting with a professor of medicine, and a lot of
exercise in oral interpretation which I recorded
on video tapes and analyzed when I went back home.
Last week I took the exam and passed! This whole
period was not just hard work but also lots of
fun. Erna is exceptional when it comes to creating
a relaxed atmosphere both on Skype and in the
classroom and we laughed a lot! She is very
positive, encourages you to learn more and
expresses her trust in you in a very sincere way.
For me, this is what a good and experienced
teacher is all about.”
"Having studied with Boris for a
mere matter of weeks, I already feel that I have
made enormous progress. Although we conduct our
lessons via Skype, Boris’s enthusiasm and
encouragement are all too clearly transmitted and
form an invaluable part of the experience.
Erudite, witty and entertaining (in spite of the
apparently abysmal quality of the average
Bulgarian joke), Boris peppers his teaching with
cultural references and provides a fascinating
insight into the Balkan mentality. Best of all, he
makes me laugh! Plus he is giving up smoking –
quite a feat in a country where a cigarette
permanently clamped to a lip is practically a
fashion accessory. What can I say – Борис rocks!"
"I spent two weeks at the Mastylo
School and found it to be an extremely helpful and
enjoyable experience. I was able to tailor my own
class to meet my professional needs which focus on
conversational proficiency. Each day I advanced
significantly in my speaking abilities and was
able to take part in conversations and vocabulary
learning that fit my specific needs. The teachers
are very friendly and knowledgeable and having
long conversations with them was also always a
great pleasure because of their diverse interests,
humor, and patience. I would recommend these
courses to anyone who wishes to quickly learn or
improve their Bulgarian."
Max Holleran, PhD Candidate, New
York University, United States
"My wife Wendy & I bought a
holiday home in Bulgaria in 2005 and quickly
realised that although it was close to a ski
resort (with English spoken widely), the local
village folk spoke none whatsoever! I was
therefore faced with a choice: continue POINTING
& SHOUTING (in English, of course) in the time
honoured Western/British/ foreigner abroad
tradition - or try the lingo!!! I proceeded to buy
the usual book from Amazon which helped me to
begin the challenge of a foreign language - and an
alien alphabet. Needless to say, like thousands
before me I got totally bored and virtually gave
up. Then I discovered Mastylo School on a quiet
day at work. That was about 3 months ago and
already I'm beginning to feel like a scholar after
about 15 lessons only!! My tutor Boris, is very
keen to ensure that not only do I develop a sound
knowledge of the basics and grammatical structure
of the language, but he makes it fun as well.
Boris has a kindly and patient manner with a great
sense of homour which makes learning very easy and
enjoyable. I'm very confident of being fully
conversational after 12 months. I think that the
whole concept of learning a foreign language
on-line is utterly brilliant and Mastylo School
seem to have exploited it with aplomb. My
experience has been so good so far that I can't
imagine ever getting bored or giving up, as it
could in no way be described as a chore. You
arrange your sessions whenever suits - in my case
Boris has been totally flexible, which fits in
with my unpredictable working regime very well
indeed."
“I come from a language
background. I'm American and work as an
Akademischer Rat (like an assistant professor) at
a German University in the field of computational
linguistics. It happens that in our department we
have a lot of Bulgarian students. And it also
happens, by some twist of fate, that I have a
Bulgarian girl friend. So, I've interest in
learning Bulgarian for a number of years. In the
summer of 2008, I had a free couple of weeks, with
my kids and girl friend all being otherwise
occupied. So I searched the Internet for language
schools in Bulgaria, and landed on the Mastylo
school in Plovdiv. I wrote to Boris, and he wrote
back quite enthusiastically that the school could
provide me with lessons and even find me a very
economical and friendly place to stay. But the
best part was that Boris offered me a teacher,
Ivanka Petrova, who was a PhD candidate in
computational linguistics at the University of
Plovdiv. Ivanka turned out to be a real language
expert, with a great ability to inspire. So after
my trial lesson, I knew I would like it and I
signed up for the package of 50 lessons. I worked
hard during these lessons, and learned a lot
thanks to Ivanka. Just because I come from a
language background doesn't mean that I have a
magic ability to learn languages. I certainly got
befuddled as anyone else would. But Ivanka helped
me through, and made the lessons fun with her
creative teaching. I know a lot of people take
lessons with Mastylo over Skype, and I may try
this someday myself. But there is something to be
said for going there in person, meeting people and
trying to speak Bulgarian on a day-to-day basis.
Plovdiv, as any guidebook will tell you, is a very
interesting place to visit. But what I really
enjoyed was visiting the Rhodope mountains to the
South. There are beautiful unspoiled natural areas
such as the caves at Trigrad and Yagodina and the
wonderful bridges (Chudnite mostove). It's a
challenge to get around these areas, but the
people are extremely friendly, especially if you
can speak a some Bulgarian. I had the most fun at
a restaurant in Shiroka Laka, where I was invited
to a table with a couple of families with
grandparents and grandkids. My Bulgarian got a
real workout that day, and I got another workout
when I got back to my lessons, as Ivanka made me
tell all about my experiences in Bulgarian. So, I
can highly recommend language lessons at Mastylo,
and I hope I will make it back there myself
someday.” Dale
Gerdemann, University of Tübingen, Germany
* * *
"I've been studying Bulgarian
with Erna for more than a year, and can definitely
recommend her as an excellent teacher to anybody
who wants to learn this language. Both Erna and
Boris are true professionals who love their job
and do it with great passion. Besides that, they
are very flexible, open, and easy going people
which is very important for teachers. A good
teacher is your friend who can inspire, support,
and make you want to learn more. Erna is one of
such people. I'm happy that I met her and hope
that she enjoys teaching me, too :-)
P.S. Learning Bulgarian by Skype
is a great idea as it allows me to study with the
native Bulgarian teacher right from my home and
feel such as I am somewhere in Plovdiv :-)."
"My sister and I live in Bristol,
England, and have been enjoying Bulgarian lessons
with Boris for the last couple of years. Our
mother is from Bulgaria, but we grew up without
learning her native language (many regrets here!).
We've visited Bulgaria regularly all our lives and
dipped in and out of teach-yourself courses and
phrase books, as well as trying to learn from our
family, but we've never managed to retain much and
have always worried about being able to engage in
everyday conversations. So we eventually decided
that we needed a teacher to give us some
structured help and some homework! We found
Mastylo School online and received a friendly and
flexible email from Boris. After having a taster
lesson over Skype using samples of the course
book, my sister and I decided to buy a block of
ten lessons and have carried on, once a week,
since then. Boris is a great teacher, very
knowledgeable and with a sense of humour too. He
makes every lesson interesting and fun,
structuring them whilst also letting us set our
own overall pace. His explanations of Bulgarian
grammar, pronunciation and culture have been very
valuable and his encouragement continues to build
up our confidence to use the Bulgarian that we
have learnt. We would highly recommend Mastylo
School and Boris to anyone wanting to learn
Bulgarian."
"Bulgaria, for me, was a land of
the unknown. I was intrigued by the place, and I
intended to conduct an anthropological study on
Bulgarian Roma. When I found and contacted the
Mastylo school, Boris's responses were amazingly
prompt and friendly. Boris is an incredibly
engaging, supporting and hilarious teacher! The
lessons are so much fun; if all French teachers at
secondary schools taught like him, everyone in
England would be fluent in French! As well as
teaching me Bulgarian, he helped me find
accommodation and helped me find academic contacts
and research localities. Without Boris and the
Mastylo school, I would have been utterly lost.
Thank you!"
"I've tried to learn Bulgarian
through "How to" books and by listening to
recordings. This is not how to learn a foreign
language, let alone a complex language like
Bulgarian. I enrolled in Mastylo and Boris became
my teacher. I learned more in 2 lessons than I did
from hours of reading my old books. Furthermore, I
couldn't have asked for a better teacher. Boris is
knowledgeable, kind, patient, flexible, and most
importantly, he makes learning fun. Много е як!"
Kevin Johnson, Hampton Bays, New York
* * *
“I began language courses in
Sofia in August of last year. After I left
Bulgaria to return home I was determined to pursue
the language further. I investigated some local
options but found them either too expensive, too
basic or without the necessary flexibility that I
required due to my work. Luckily I discovered your
school's website. I was delighted to find that you
offered tailored courses that suited my level, my
schedule and my pocket. I managed to incorporate
intensive courses into an already hectic daily
routine and what's more I enjoyed every single
minute of it! Throughout my courses I was most
ably instructed by Vanya in both the language and
culture of your country. She deserves the very
highest of praise and I have every intention of
resuming classes with her. Your service is top
class and one that I would wholeheartedly
recommend. Keep up the good work!”
Stephen Moran
Lawyer, Dublin & London
"I have been studying Bulgarian
with Boris for approximately 18 months now. My
husband and I bought a house in a small village in
Bulgaria. I wanted to learn the language to be
able to communicate with the neighbours in the
village as they are mostly elderly people who do
not speak any English at all. I tried learning
with phrase books which are o.k. but I still
wasn't able to understand what people were saying
to me. Then I found Mastylo School on the internet
and decided to give it a try. It just works so
well, I can sit down at a time that suits me in
the comfort of my own home. I can have as many or
as few lessons as I want. Boris is an excellent
teacher. Not only does he teach the language but
he also teaches the Bulgarian traditions which are
very helpful to know (so I don't give anyone 12
red roses!!!). Bulgarian is a difficult language
to learn but Boris explains everything so well I
really feel that I'm learning so much. I can have
a conversation with my elderly neighbour in
Bulgaria now and thank her for all the lovely
fruit and vegetables she keeps giving to me and my
family. She is so generous and I feel it is polite
for me to be able to thank her in her own language
and make an effort to have a conversation with
her. I don't think I could possibly have learned
as much without a personal tutor and the course
that I am learning is covering every aspect of the
language."
Lorraine Naughton, Killorglin, Ireland.
* * *
"I strongly recommend Mastylo
Language School for all who want to learn
Bulgarian. After a six week intensive programme in
winter 2010, I have improved my command of the
Bulgarian language significantly. My progression
in Bulgarian was much better at Mastylo than at a
summer school in Veliko Turnovo. The private
lessons enabled the teacher to adjust the training
to my level. The highly professional teachers
Boris and Erna are friendly and helpful. They will
assist in finding good and inexpensive
accommodation if you choose to stay in Plovdiv,
the most beautiful and historically most
interesting region in Bulgaria. In addition to the
language training at Mastylo, I learned a lot
about Bulgarian history, culture and literature. I
had a wonderful time during my language programme
in Plovdiv!"
Carl Henrik Gilbu Rekdal,
Student in Slavonic languages,
Oslo University, Norway
* * *
“Two years ago I decided that I
wanted to go to Bulgaria and study the Bulgarian
language and culture yet I had absolutely no idea
where to start my search and as always the case in
today's modern times the internet is usually the
best place to start. I typed “intensive Bulgarian
language courses in Bulgaria” using the Yahoo
search engine and among some of the results that I
received was the Mastylo School. I viewed the
institute's web site and must say that I was quite
impressed and I of course wanted to know more so I
decided to write an e-mail to the school. Promptly
within a short period of time the director of
Mastylo Boris Angelov answered my e-mail and I
must say that I was quite impressed with a quick
response. Boris came to meet me at the airport in
Sofia and took me to Plovdiv, he also helped me
find accommodation in Plovdiv as well, in other
words there wasn`t anything that I could have not
asked Boris in helping me to get to know Plovdiv
better and for that reason alone made me come back
to study for a second time at the Mastylo School.
I must also say something about my teacher Vanya
Petrova. She was wonderful! I learned so much from
her it was amazing and I would highly recommend
her to anyone because she has an incredible
dynamic fun method of teaching the Bulgarian
language and she will always be one of my favorite
teachers simply due to the fact that during both
my two visits to the institute in a period of one
year (each period lasting three months) I was so
impressed with her teaching style as well as how
Boris helped me with any dilemma/problem I had
while I was in Bulgaria. Now a final note to all
who are interested in coming to Plovdiv, Bulgaria,
and spending some time at the institute. Bulgaria
is truly one beautiful, lovely country. I've been
twice and I want to back again and again! It's
rich with traditions, history, monasteries,
mountains, Black sea and Plovdiv is without a
doubt the most interesting city in Bulgaria due to
it's ancientness (after all it's the oldest city
in Europe!) and the lovely hills that surround the
city. Plovdiv is a must see for anyone who is
visiting Bulgaria for the first time. To put
everything briefly into one short and simple
message - if you want to study the Bulgarian
language in Bulgaria then by all means chose
Mastylo and I guarantee you will not be
disappointed at all!”
Kenneth Kuehnle, USA
* * *
"Finding quality Bulgarian
instruction overseas is always a challenge, but
trying to fit evening or weekend language classes
into an already packed schedule can be an even
bigger one! That’s why I was really pleased to
discover Mastylo. Not only do I have a highly
qualified teacher suitable for my advanced level,
but the convenience factor is hard to beat: with
the time difference, I can do my lessons at home
in the morning before heading off to work. The
Skype method is great. The sound quality is
crystal clear and the chat feature allows the
instructor to type words or explanations directly
to your screen. My friendly teacher Erna speaks
very clearly, has a great sense of humour, and
takes a real immersion approach, avoiding the use
of English translations and forcing me to deduce
the meaning of Bulgarian words. Highly
recommended!"
Jonathan Kotcheff, Montreal, Canada
"I began studying the Bulgarian
language with Boris Angelov soon after arriving in
Plovdiv. I am extremely pleased with him and
the other instructors at Mastylo. Although we
are working through a curriculum, instruction has
been individualized to meet my specific
needs. After sixteen months, I can carry on
long conversations. With preparation and
notes, I am now able to teach Bible study lessons
without a translator. Bulgarian friends and
perfect strangers often comment about how well I
can speak Bulgarian after such a short time. I
highly recommend Boris and Mastylo. He is
both professional and personable. As a social
worker, I have especially appreciated his
willingness to speak about the culture, as well as
the language. He has been an invaluable
resource as I try to understand the societal norms
and learn to live here. And last, but not
least, he’s just plain fun. We have lots of
laughter along with the hard work!"
"My wife and I have studied at
Mastylo with Boris Angelov for 18 months. When we
arrived in Bulgaria we only were able to pronounce
the Cyrillic alphabet and say a few
words. Boris has been a great professor. We
are now able to carry on meaningful conversations
for several hours in Bulgarian. We also read and
write with both the upper case and the lower case
letters. Our continuing lessons help us
increase our vocabulary and improve our
grammar. Boris has a wonderful understanding
of English and American culture. This makes
it possible for him to help us understand the
nuances of Bulgarian that are not strictly
literal. The texts and resources he uses have
been appropriate to our needs and level of
language development. He is also kind,
patient and a wonderful person. I feel
blessed to be able to study with Boris at
Mastylo. I highly recommend Mastylo to anyone
who desires to learn Bulgarian with a personalized
approach."
"I have been a student of Mastylo School in
Plovdiv for 3 months and I am very happy with my
progress in learning Bulgarian. I live in the UK,
so I have my lessons via the internet and this
works very well for me. The lessons are always
interesting and the tutor is very patient. I feel
like I am in safe hands. I will definitely
continue with my Bulgarian lessons, and I hope to
attend the Mastylo School next summer for an
immersion course to further improve my Bulgarian."
"I studied with Vanya for 5 weeks
last Summer and enjoyed every moment! Not only
were the lessons fun, they were extremely
well-focussed and Vanya was always flexible. I had
learnt a little Bulgarian before, but Vanya
quickly cemented my basic grammar and without
going too fast, we got through all of the elements
of Bulgarian grammar, as well as looking at
literature in the original language, linguistic
texts and older forms of the language. Vanya is an
excellent teacher both for advanced students and
for beginners – she is friendly and extremely
well-qualified. I can honestly say, in 4 years of
language tuition at Oxford University, that I have
never had a better language teacher."
Peter Blackstock, (Student
of German and Russian at Oxford University)
* * *
"I would
recommend Boris to anyone considering learning the
Bulgarian language. He is patient,
speaks excellent English and knows how to put his
lessons across in an informative and interesting
way. He also has a good sense of humour and is
very approachable; not only that but his fees are
very reasonably priced too. If you
embark on a course of study with Boris you will
also have the added benefit of gaining an insight
in to Bulgarian culture. He is also a Liverpool
supporter - well nobody is perfect!"
"I have been
studying Bulgarian at Mastylo school for several
months. Truly the language is difficult for me,
but I am learning and improving my Bulgarian
language skills as I work with Boris. Boris is a
good instructor for me. Although he makes me work
very hard, he encourages me and spurs me on. I
really do enjoy my language lessons!"
Boris and Erna are very good and professional
teachers, and they really understand how to
motivate their students, and they teach with humor
so that the more complicated Bulgarian grammar
becomes a piece of cake! We highly recommend the
Mastylo language school!"
"I lived about four months in
Bulgaria and the lessons in Mastylo school are one
of my best recollection... In Mastylo, you can
learn both Bulgarian language and Bulgarian
culture and Petya always has the answers to your
questions... The lessons are never stressful and
you learn a lot so that's a real pleasure!"
"J'ai vécu environ quatre mois en
Bulgarie et les cours à l'école Mastylo font
partie de mes meilleurs souvenirs... A Mastylo,
vous apprenez à la fois la langue et la culture
bulgare et Petya a toujours les réponses à vos
questions... Les cours ne sont jamais stressants
et vous apprenez beaucoup: c'est donc un vrai
plaisir!"
"I am a Swiss guy from Geneva, my
native language is French and I am currently
living in Bulgaria. I want to learn Bulgarian
language in order to be able to communicate with
the people here. First I was a bit pessimistic
about online lessons, because I have never tried
such a method of learning. I decided to give it
try, I live 10 minutes away from Mastylo School so
it was up to me to decide if I will go to the
classroom or stay at home. I found that the
lessons online are the better option. There is
really no difference from normal lessons, I even
find it more comfortable for me because it saves
me some time to prepare myself and go to the
school even if its not so far away. My teacher
Boris is a very positive person which helps me a
lot in this hard task. He is very experienced in
teaching Bulgarian, has a lot of patience and
humor and each lesson is a pleasure for me."
"I highly recommend the Mastylo
School and Professor Boris Angelov for those
seeking to learn the Bulgarian language. The
teaching methods and Boris's teaching style,
supportive and friendly manner make learning
Bulgarian fun and accessible. The in person
instruction in Plovdiv is excellent. But for those
learners outside of Plovdiv, outside Bulgaria,
face to face language instruction via Yahoo
Messenger. The fees are reasonable for the high
quality of instruction. In two months I have made
great progress in learning Bulgarian."
"I have searched some places on
internet and in my hometown in Holland and this is
the perfect solution for me. The flexibility is
very high so you can schedule the times with Boris
when you want your lessons. The book used by Boris
is by far the best one I know (and I have seen
some). And, also very important, Boris is a very
pleasant person to work with. His open mind and
his feeling for humour makes it a pleasure to work
with him. And, the level of the lessons are very
good. Don’t think its only making jokes with
Boris. He knows to give you homework very well. He
keeps you busy in this way. So, all together a
school I can recommend to everybody who wants to
learn Bulgarian in a professional and personal
environment."
"Tutoring through Mastylo School has been so
easy! I had trouble finding a tutor in the US for
Bulgarian. Thankfully Boris was quick to respond
to my initial email. His flexibility allows me to
fit tutoring into my busy schedule. We have had
productive lessons over the Internet, and usually
too much fun:) I am glad that I found Mastylo
School and would recommend this tutoring service
to anyone who wants to learn Bulgarian."
"I am studying Ethnology in
Bulgaria for 10 months, and so I am learning
Bulgarian. Classes with Boris are very nice
because it's more than learning one language, it
is also understanding Bulgarian people,
understanding history of Bulgaria, expressions
etc. Inside language, we can understand people.
Before living here, I didn't know Bulgarian, only
some words. I progress with my courses, with my
Bulgarian meetings. I don't speak very well
Bulgarian but I am living here without problem for
the daily. Going to these courses is always a
pleasure for me: working in the good atmosphere.
In the beginning, I thought that it will be
difficult to learn Bulgarian via English (I am
French and my English isn't so good), but Boris
finds always solution for that I understand."
"I decided to learn Bulgarian
last January. I bought a very good study book and
proceeded to teach myself each night. Into chapter
two, and I was finding it very difficult, as I had
many questions and no one to answer them. Then,
while surfing the net and on a site called My
Bulgaria I came across a reference to Mastylo
School to learn Bulgarian "one to one". I
contacted Boris and my lessons began via Skype. I
have to say that I have learned so much in the
last two months with Boris that I am even starting
to feel confident. Now to make it even better, I
have just returned from a holiday in Sunny Beach
Bulgaria and I have been told (by a Bulgarian)
that my pronounciations are very accurate, which I
credit to Boris and his attention to detail. His
lessons are very thorough but are carried out in a
relaxed and humourous way. The lessons are very
flexible and Boris will do his best to fit the
lessons around your schedule. If you take up
lessons with Mastylo School, not alone will you
not regret it, but you will enjoy it, and you can
rejoice in the fact that you are learning from a
native Bulgarian, and a gentleman. Who could ask
for more. Борис, благодаря."
"Six months ago after spending 3
holidays in Bulgaria and finding myself fascinated
with the country, I decided I would like to learn
the language. I found the Mastylo School through
Google search and was impressed by the
testimonials on their website. The process of
enrolling for lessons was extremely simple and
within a short time I was meeting up with Boris
for early morning coffee on a weekly basis (via
Google Talk.) The language was somewhat daunting
at first but Boris with his friendly yet
professional manner has succeeded in making the
lessons fun and they are definitely never boring.
His command of the English language both spoken
and grammatical is excellent. I have to add that
Boris possesses a virtue so seldom found in men -
unlimited patience! I am happy to recommend Boris
and the Mastylo School to anyone interested in
learning Bulgarian."
"While we bought a house in
Bulgaria and discovered that in most cases people
could not understand any language but Bulgarian, I
started to learn the Bulgarian language. First I
began with books like ”Bulgarian for foreigners”
and the necessary CD’s for pronunciation, but soon
this was not enough. I needed somebody to
communicate with and to explain the grammatical
part, while this is hard to learn only with a
book. While I was surfing on the internet I found
the Mastylo School in Plovdiv. Immediately I made
an appointment for a trial lesson. It was fun and
soon I became a regular student of Boris. Every
Friday we’ve met on Skype and talked about all
kind of things and also about the difference
between Belgium and Bulgaria. Boris can bring his
lessons with a lot of humour and I always enjoyed
it a lot. Because I only had time for 1 lesson a
week, he asked me to prepare a conversation for
the next week (even it was a short one) which was
also very instructive. He also gave me a lot of
homework to practise the grammar. Now I’m working
in Bulgaria and my colleagues told me that I speak
Bulgarian pretty well. Anyway I miss my lessons
with Boris and as soon as I’ve a little more time,
I will restart to complete the Bulgarian
language."
“There was a time when you learnt
a language from your parents, from books, tapes or
a local teacher. These days you can learn from a
local in the country of the language you wish to
learn. From my home, twice a week I log onto Skype
for Boris to teach me Bulgarian from Plovdiv in
Bulgaria. How good is that? Apart from learning
the grammar, verbs and vocabulary the sessions
exercise my brain. The exercise works like
physical exercise, other parts of my life and
thinking are improved. As I struggle with these
unfamiliar things Boris patiently applies various
respectful approaches until I get it, which I must
admit would be a test for any teacher. The
sessions are enjoyable with all the information
supplied by the school.“
"We found out about Mastylo on
the internet while we were still in Australia, and
started lessons soon after arriving in Plovdiv. As
we were complete beginners, it was helpful for us
to have a teacher who used English as a base, and
then gradually increased the amount of Bulgarian
in the lessons as we improved. We found it useful
to have a textbook to work through and the topics
were very relevant. Boris always added helpful and
interesting cultural tips to the lessons and the
lessons were always relaxed and friendly.
Bulgarian is a difficult language to learn, and it
would be confusing to learn without the aid of a
good teacher and a structured program."
"Boris is a very crazy person.
But the more you know him, the more you will like
him. I was a crazy Bulgarian fan, I still am. So
everything that involves into Bulgaria attracts me
a lot. That is also the reason why I learn
Bulgarian. There're many Bulgarian learning sites.
No doubt everyone cares about the fees. I visited
some of them, but Boris was the only one I wrote
to. No doubt, what I concerned the first was the
affordable fees. The first free demo class with
Boris, I knew he is a reliable person then we
started our lessons. During class, I can say Boris
is a very patient one and his English ability and
abundant knowledge help me not just learn the
Bulgarian but also understand more about the
culture too. I have to say I really love to have
class with him, even he always push me to
translate from Bulgarian to English. Right now,
Boris is trying to quit smoking. So I will watch
you!!"
“We have been learning Bulgarian
for almost a year now and we couldn't have asked
for a better teacher than Boris. We look forward
to our weekly lessons with him because he makes
them fun and interesting and is extremely patient
with us when we can't remember what we learnt the
previous week. He also has a wicked sense of
humour. Boris rocks!!”
"After studying Bulgarian
language with cd's, books etc., for 3 years I felt
I had reached as far as I could on my own. I
enrolled with the Mastylo School for 10 lessons to
see if this was a way forward. My teacher is
Ivanka, I find her extremely helpful, encouraging
and her techniques for explaining the grammer to
get it into the old grey matter is great (it
actually works). My lessons are through Skype
which I was apprehensive about at first, but
Ivanka soon made me feel comfortable. I soon
realised that you cannot learn a language from
books etc alone. Ivanka has explained grammer
terms in ways that books cannot. I have had 20
lessons to date and will be booking more as soon
as I can arrange them. I am missing our lessons
which are fun, especially when my spoken Bulgarian
word is foreign to Ivanka. Also the homework, I
cannot get enough of this. I not only have a tutor
but gained a friend also. I can highly recommend
the Mastylo School with distant learning through
Skype. I have progressed so much that I impress
Bulgarian friends when I visit Bulgaria with my
knowledge. Even sending emails in Bulgarian, some
of which were word perfect. I have Ivanka to thank
for giving me this confidence. Thank you Ivanka
very much. Also thank you Boris for the Mastylo
School. Keep up the good work!"
Susan Wilkins. Norfolk, England.
* * *
"Erna is an excellent teacher,
very knowledgeable about Bulgarian language,
culture and history. She is patient and relaxed, a
pleasure to study with."
A very short personal introduction (name,
gender, age, location, citizenship...).
My name is Carol Haigh and I am 62 years old
living in England.
Do you have a previous linguistic
background/experience (including learning
another foreign language)? What?
In the past I have taken short courses in French
and Spanish before going on holiday to these
countries. Before going to Greece for the
first time I learned the alphabet and a few
phrases regarding food and drink.
Why did you want to learn Bulgarian? What
was/is your motivation?
My husband and I have bought a house in the
Rhodope mountains and visit 5 or 6 times each
year. Although we have Bulgarian friends who
speak English it would be nice to be able to speak
to them in their native tongue without having to
play a game of charades. Also none of the
people in the village speak English and it would
be good to be able to communicate with them.
One day soon we are hoping to retire to Bulgaria
and it will be essential that we can at least
understand the basics of the language.
Did you have a previous experience about
learning Bulgarian? Please describe (teacher,
books, web sites, other materials).
I tried to learn from textbooks, I have about 4
different ones but couldn’t get myself motivated
to sit down and learn regularly. I also
tried interactive CD’s but I only learned words
and no grammar.
How did you find about this course?
I looked on the internet for Bulgarian courses in
the Smolyan region and when I found Mastylo School
it sounded very professional so I decided to give
it a go.
What were your first impressions?
I was surprised that learning via Skype
worked so well and it’s so convenient because the
times are flexible.
Has the course been of a satisfactory quality
so far?
Yes
Has the offered textbook been of a
satisfactory quality?
Yes, although I think it might have been easier
for me if there were more English explanations in
it but I do realize that it has been written for
all foreigners not just English.
Has the course been clear? Logically
structured?
I think the course is good because it leads you
through the grammar and gender and gradually
builds up, giving practice on previous sections to
reinforce the learning.
Is a scientific (structured) approach
more efficient in learning/teaching a language?
Would this method be the right one, as opposed
to other "modern" "fast-food" methods?
This approach is better for me because I like
rules to work to and refer back to. My
memory isn’t what it used to be so a “fast-food”
method would not suit me.
Is an online course working?
It works for me because I don’t have to go out on
a cold dark night yet I can have regular lessons
and I know that if I have a problem when doing
homework or just trying to study on my own, Boris
is only an e-mail away, and only too happy to
help.
Must the teacher have
superior organizing and technical
abilities?
As I’m learning from a book I think the teacher is
there mainly as a guide and to keep the motivation
going but he does need to be able to track the
learning and know exactly at what stage everyone
is at so does need to be well organized.
Is the audio contact satisfactory?
Yes, we have good audio contact.
How would you compare this course with your
possible previous experiences? (mainly if you
tried to study Bulgarian before)
It’s much better than trying to learn on your own
with a book as I soon became bored with that and
there’s no one to ask if you don’t understand a
particular part. Also with a book, even if
you have an audio CD with it, you can’t be sure
you understand where the stress should be on the
words. Learning online is enjoyable because you
have someone to interact with and it’s better than
being in a class because you’re getting individual
attention.
How complex do you perceive the Bulgarian
language is?
I don’t think it’s any more complex than any other
foreign language once you learn the different
alphabet, it’s the gender that I find most
difficult as we don’t have this in the English
language.
Is this course guiding you satisfactorily
through the Bulgarian linguistic jungle?
Yes, I think it’s a well structured course.
Could it be learned "without a (competent)
teacher"? Or without good-quality materials?
(aiming for the medium level)
I couldn’t learn it without a teacher or good
quality materials.
Is grammar necessary to learn? Is it too
much? Too little?
I think grammar is important, especially if you
want to communicate clearly with Bulgarian
speakers. My ambition is not to speak
“pigeon Bulgarian”, but this might be just a
dream.
What aspects of the Bulgarian language, as
studied so far, have you found to be the most
difficult/tricky/unusual/weird?
The gender is the most difficult for me as it’s
not just the subject that has a gender but almost
everything that describes it as well.
Other personal
comments/thoughts/considerations.
When I first contacted Mastylo School to arrange
Bulgarian lessons I prayed that I would have a
woman teacher as I find some male teachers pompous
and intimidating. Imagine my dismay when I
received an e-mail telling me my tutor was called
Boris! Well, I needn’t have worried, Boris
is so down to earth and funny, it’s a pleasure
being taught by him. He never makes you feel
stupid however many questions you ask, even if you
ask the same questions over and over, he has the
patience of a saint. Occasionally, when I
have found the homework difficult, I dread the
lesson because I’m sure I’ve done it all wrong but
within a couple of minutes of the lesson starting
Boris has me feeling much better and I finish the
lesson feeling much more confident. Thank you
Boris.
A very short personal introduction (name,
gender, age, location, citizenship...).
Struan Mackenzie, male, 32 years, born in
Edinburgh, living in London.
Do you have a previous linguistic
background/experience?
Very basic French from high school.
Why did you want to learn Bulgarian? What
was/is your motivation?
My wife Joanna is Bulgarian (though has lived in
Britain for almost 20 years) and though she speaks
almost exclusively English I wanted to be able to
speak to her family when visiting Bulgaria.
Did you have a previous experience about
learning Bulgarian? Please describe (teacher,
books, web sites, other materials).
None other than Joanna teaching me occasional
words.
How did you find about this course? Online Google search.
What were your first impressions?
Felt odd having one-on-one lesson via Skype at
first but Boris soon put me at ease and once the
books arrived it has been plain sailing ever
since.
Has the course been of a satisfactory quality
so far?
More than satisfactory, has been fantastic.
Has the offered textbook been of a
satisfactory quality?
Other than the odd confusing typo, the textbook
has been great.
Has the course been clear? Logically
structured?
Absolutely.
Is a scientific (structured) approach
more efficient in learning/teaching a language?
Would this method be the right one, as opposed
to other "modern" "fast-food" methods?
Nothing to compare the method against, I’m
afraid. I still don’t feel confident in
conversation but with only 1 hour a week of
lessons, that will come, I’m sure.
Is an online course working?
Yes, absolutely.
Must the teacher have
superior organizing and technical
abilities?
Don’t really understand the question! Better
than the teacher having inferior organizing and
technical abilities, I guess!
Is the audio contact satisfactory?
Yes, fine.
How would you compare this course with your
possible previous experiences? (mainly if you
tried to study Bulgarian before)
Again, nothing to compare with, sorry.
How complex do you perceive the Bulgarian
language is?
Very complex. Not having a linguistic
background, I have struggled with the complexities
of the grammar.
Is this course guiding you satisfactorily
through the Bulgarian linguistic jungle?
We’re getting there!
Could it be learned "without a (competent)
teacher"? Or without good-quality materials?
I sincerely doubt it!
Is grammar necessary to learn? Is it too
much? Too little?
It is necessary in the long term and I am enjoying
it now, although the course did seem a little too
rigid and structured in the early stages, which I
found frustrating because I wanted to learn basic
Bulgarian conversation ahead of my wedding and
only had a few months in which to learn. We
focussed a lot on grammar rather than conversation
in those early stages and I did not have the
conversational skills I was hoping for in time for
the wedding. Now I have decided to keep up
with the lessons after the wedding I am glad we
did do the grammar and it is absolutely necessary
for a proper grasp of the language, no matter how
much I might hate it!
What aspects of the Bulgarian language, as
studied so far, have you found to be the most
difficult/tricky/unusual/weird?
Imperatives, the apparently random nature of some
conjugations, past and future tense, most grammar
really.
Other
personal comments/thoughts/considerations. Boris is a fantastic teacher and brings
humour and patience to the one-on-one
lessons. If we are getting bogged down in
grammar he will skip ahead to a more enjoyable
section and come back to catch up on the grammar
later. More listening exercises might be
useful to get used to hearing spoken Bulgarian. I
would unhesitatingly recommend Mastylo School to
anyone outside of Bulgaria wishing to learn the
language via Skype. The one-on-one lessons are
focussed and fun and Boris is a patient teacher
with a great sense of humour. Textbooks and audio
CDs were sent to me soon after starting the
lessons and it has been easy to keep up and ask
about any uncertainties via Skype during my weekly
lessons. I started the lessons before getting
married to be able to speak to my wife's Bulgarian
family and have kept the lessons up since then
because learning a second language has been so
rewarding and enjoyable.
*
* *
Study
Bulgarian online
A very short personal introduction (name,
gender, age, location, citizenship...).
Stephen Shetler, male, 40, American from
Washington, DC
Do you have a previous linguistic
background/experience (including learning
another foreign language)? What?
I have studied Spanish and French in traditional
classroom settings. I can read both, but speak
neither.
Why did you want to learn Bulgarian? What
was/is your motivation?
I am studying Bulgarian because I am married to a
Bulgarian and will soon move to Bulgaria,
eventually to become a citizen.
Did you have a previous experience about
learning Bulgarian? Please describe (teacher,
books, web sites, other materials).
I have studied Bulgarian using CDROM software and
Teach Yourself books.
How did you find about this course?
Website
Has the course been of a satisfactory
quality so far?
Certainly
Has the offered textbook been of a
satisfactory quality?
I am a poor judge of relative quality as this is
only the 2nd Bulgarian textbook I have
experienced, but it seems fine.
Has the course been clear? Logically
structured?
Yes, each lesson builds on the previous.
Is a scientific (structured) approach
more efficient in learning/teaching a language?
Would this method be the right one, as opposed
to other "modern" "fast-food" methods?
(Pimsleur, Rosetta Stone,
Unforgettablelanguages, Languagesecrets,
language exchange, "survival", conversation
guide-book approach).
I know of someone who was able to learn Bulgarian
through a self-teaching method, but for a
non-linguist like me a knowledgeable instructor is
essential. As a lazy student, I also require
deadlines and homework due dates to motivate me.
Is an online course working?
Yes. Since it is impossible for me to attend
traditional classes in Bulgarian and I cannot
afford the personal lessons offered by in-person
schools, this is a very effective method that
allows me to fit the lessons into my time.
Must the teacher have
superior organizing and technical
abilities?
Of course.
Is the audio contact satisfactory? Fine.
How would you compare this course with your
possible previous experiences? (mainly if you
tried to study Bulgarian before)
I learned very little beyond some basic
vocabulary from the CDROM and the
self-teaching book. The book course may have been
fine, but the self-teaching method is not
effective for me, personally.
How complex do you perceive the Bulgarian
language is?
I found Spanish to be a fairly straightforward
language and French not terribly difficult at a
basic level. Bulgarian is a logically structured
language, but its significant differences from
English make the process of learning grammatical
details a little more difficult than learning the
Romance languages.
Is this course guiding you satisfactorily
through the Bulgarian linguistic jungle? Yes.
Could it be learned "without a (competent)
teacher"? Or without good-quality materials?
(aiming for the medium level)
As I wrote in the answers to previous questions, I
think it is possible for some people to learn
without a teacher, but I cannot. Additionally,
self-taught students are unable to ask questions
when a lesson is unclear.
Is grammar necessary to learn? Is it too
much? Too little?
I understand Bulgarian grammar better than my
native wife, but use it less accurately than my 3
year old daughter. Is grammar necessary? No,
neither my wife nor my daughter needed to learn
grammar to use it properly, but for a student
learning Bulgarian as a 2nd language I cannot
imagine how the lessons could be structured
without it. Personally, I must understand why a
thing is if I hope to remember it, as I am unable
to learn “by rote.”
Is this intensive course too fast?
Since it is a private lesson, the speed of
progress is set by me.
What aspects of the Bulgarian language, as
studied so far, have you found to be the most
difficult/tricky/unusual/weird?
Verb conjugations and pronouns.
Other personal
comments/thoughts/considerations.
Boris is both knowledgeable and personable, making
lesson time enjoyable rather than dull. That said,
to combat my deficiency in motivation it may be
better if he were more strict about homework
assignments. Also, I understand that testing is
not really necessary in a personal-enrichment
class, but I feel that tests give me goals to
attain and evidence of progress.
A very short personal introduction (name,
gender, age, location, citizenship...).
My name is Garth Greenwell, I'm 32 years old and
teach at the American College of Sofia. I'm from
the United States.
Do you have a previous linguistic
background/experience (including learning
another foreign language)? What?
I've studied lots of languages, including French,
Latin, Italian, German, and Spanish. Bulgarian is
the first Slavic language I've tried to learn.
Why did you want to learn Bulgarian? What
was/is your motivation?
I began learning Bulgarian when I accepted a job
at the American College. I study literature and
want to read Bulgarian fluently.
Did you have a previous experience about
learning Bulgarian? Please describe (teacher,
books, web sites, other materials).
I began trying to learn with the Teach Yourself
Bulgarian text.
How did you find about this course?
I had come across the Mastylo website online, and
then Boris was recommended by a colleague at the
College.
What were your first impressions?
I was immediately taken by Boris's friendliness
and enthusiasm. He made the lessons both useful
and fun.
Has the course been of a satisfactory quality
so far?
I was extremely satisfied with the quality of the
lessons I had with both Boris and Erna. They are
the best teachers of Bulgarian I've found.
Has the offered textbook been of a
satisfactory quality?
The textbook used by Mastylo is the best I've
found, but unfortunately I simply don't think
there is a good textbook available for learning
Bulgarian. Certainly when compared to materials
available to English-language learners of French,
Spanish, German, etc., the Bulgarian materials are
very poor. This is why Boris and Erna are so
necessary for supplementing the available
textbooks--and why they should write a textbook of
their own!
Has the course been clear? Logically
structured?
Yes!
Is a scientific (structured) approach more
efficient in learning/teaching a language? Would
this method be the right one, as opposed to
other "modern" "fast-food" methods? (Pimsleur,
Rosetta Stone, Unforgettablelanguages,
Languagesecrets, language exchange, "survival",
conversation guide-book approach).
I don't understand how one can hope to learn a
language without a clear, structured approach that
combines grammar with communication. None of the
other approaches has ever worked for me.
Is an online course working?
Yes. I've been amazed with how closely the
experience of online lessons mimics that of
face-to-face, in person lessons.
Must the teacher have superior organizing and
technical abilities?
Yes, of course!
Is the audio contact satisfactory?
For the most part, yes, though my own internet
connection in Sofia has been unfortunately rather
poor.
How would you compare this course with your
possible previous experiences? (mainly if you
tried to study Bulgarian before)
Far superior to any of the learn on your own
options.
How complex do you perceive the Bulgarian
language is?
Bulgarian is by far the hardest language I've
tried to learn. I would say it is very complex.
Is this course guiding you satisfactorily
through the Bulgarian linguistic jungle?
Yes.
Could it be learned "without a (competent)
teacher"? Or without good-quality materials?
No, I don't think so.
Is grammar necessary to learn? Is it too
much? Too little?
Yes. I would prefer even more grammar drills,
though I know I'm in the minority. I find that it
takes a great deal of mechanical practice for
grammatical structures to become intuitive for me.
Is this intensive course too fast?
It requires a real commitment from the student,
but given such commitment, no, I don't think it's
too fast.
What aspects of the Bulgarian language, as
studied so far, have you found to be the most
difficult/tricky/unusual/weird?
Oh, there are so many! But for an English language
speaker, I would say verb aspect and the use of
the definite article, which is quite different in
English.
Other personal
comments/thoughts/considerations.
I love working with Mastylo, and I'm sorry that my
schedule has made me have to suspend my lessons
for the time being. I'm looking forward to working
with you again!
* * *
A very short personal introduction (name,
gender, age, location, citizenship)
Julian Tirsu, Male, 26, United States, Romania
& United States
Do you have a previous linguistic
background/experience (including learning
another foreign language)? What?
I am Romanian and I can fluently read, write, and
speak in Romanian and English. I also know
conversational Spanish and can understand Italian.
Why did you want to learn Bulgarian? What
was/is your motivation?
My girlfriend is Bulgarian and I want to move to
Bulgaria in the future and do business.
Did you have a previous experience about
learning Bulgarian? Please describe (teacher,
books, web sites, other materials).
Yes, with books, websites, and audio CDs.
What were your first impressions?
I thought my instructor, Boris, was very
enthusiastic and very informative.
Has the course been of a satisfactory quality
so far?
Yes, I took the course for one month to strengthen
my grammar and vocabulary skills.
Has the offered textbook been of a
satisfactory quality?
Yes, I have used it as a reference material many
times.
Has the course been clear? Logically
structured?
Yes, the course followed a clear layout as per the
assigned book.
Is a scientific (structured) approach
more efficient in learning/teaching a language?
Would this method be the right one, as opposed
to other "modern" "fast-food" methods?
I liked the structured and conversational approach
to learning the Bulgarian language.
How would you compare this course with your
possible previous experiences? (mainly if you
tried to study Bulgarian before)
Highly recommended over books or audio CDs.
How complex do you perceive the Bulgarian
language is?
It is definitely more complex than Latin-based
languages since you must learn the Cyrillic
alphabet.
Is this course guiding you satisfactorily
through the Bulgarian linguistic jungle?
Yes.
Could it be learned "without a (competent)
teacher"? Or without good-quality materials?
A teacher or with native Bulgarian speakers are
usually the best ways to learn.
Is grammar necessary to learn? Is it too
much? Too little?
Yes it is extremely necessary.
Is this intensive course too fast?
For me, it was not.
What aspects of the Bulgarian language, as
studied so far, have you found to be the most
difficult/tricky/unusual/weird?
The grammar and the tenses.
Other personal
comments/thoughts/considerations.
Boris is a great teacher! You will not be
disappointed!
How to Enroll in a
Course for Bulgarian as a Foreign Language
If you wish to sign up for
an online course, please contact us on Skype
or send an e-mail containing your name, level and
the best time for the free online Bulgarian
lesson. Please feel free to choose one of our
tutors for the trial class. If you prefer
traditional tuition in a classroom, give us a call
to arrange an appointment in our office.
