August 29, 2006

Bulgarian migration welcomed

The Independent ran an interesting story this weekend on Bulgaria and migration. But unlike the majority of the press coverage over the last three weeks, this article focuses on British migration to Bulgaria. (To read a summary of the story, click here.)

Brits are moving for a better financial standard of living. How different is this from the Bulgarians who may want to come over to the UK when Bulgaria, along with Romania, joins the EU? The reactions are telling. Despite buying up half the property in one town, Brits have been greeted with a friendly welcome by many Bulgarians and the language of 'hoardes of migrants' that is common in many of our redtops is largely absent from the Bulgarian media.

August 17, 2006

The reality of reality

An article in last Sunday's Observer on British emigration to France suggested that other people's disaster moves abroad shown on reality TV shows actually make us stay put. Others bemoan the same TV shows for painting far too rosy a picture of emigration in search of a better quality of life. Do these real-life programmes represent a real-life experience? Is it all sangria and sun-shine or is it baffling bureaucracy and a long hard slog? Or is it, as Louise France's case studies indicate a bit of both?