Mastylo Language School also assists in providing varied range of services for foreigners and expats, who are interested in buying a property, establishing a company or just willing to settle down in Bulgaria:

• Translation, interpretation and legalization
• Applying for BA, MA or PhD programs in the public universities
• Legal advice - from applying for visa\citizenship and buying a house or off plan to running an Ltd company
• Housing, accommodations
• Refurbishing
• Rent a car
• Transportation
• Accounting
• Jobs - offering or searching
• Advertising
• Dating
• Rural and cultural tourism
• Summer camps
• Childcare
• House cleaning

You can rely on us, if you have any problems or questions! We know it`s not easy to be an alien, especially in Bulgaria... [back]

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While we are preparing for publication all the testimonials, please take a look at these unanticipated comments - from the European Commission - Education and Culture Department, Nadia Damon (Vagabond magazine), Dr. Anya Lewin (Lecturer in Fine Art at the University of Plymouth), Charles Copeland, Amanda Lees, Bobby O`Driscoll, Martin de Schrijver, Susan Jensen, Ian Vizer, Natasha, Paul Beckett, Dieter, Нар, Nar, Wengo team, Keegan and an English language teacher from York, UK. [back]

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"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!" [back]

Amanda Lees

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"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." [back]

Raph Clerkin - Ellesmere Port, England.

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“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.” [back]
Dale Gerdemann

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"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!" [back]

Sara Alam, anthropologist, London, UK.

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“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!” [back]
Stephen Moran
Lawyer, Dublin & London

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“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!” [back]
Kenneth Kuehnle, USA

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"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!" [back]

Kathy Rankin Simpson, USA

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"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." [back]

David Simpson, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

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"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." [back]

Ann Morrison, Password Language Studio

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"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." [back]

Peter Blackstock, (Student of German and Russian at Oxford University)

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"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!" [back]

John Lindley, http://www.hiday.net - all about Bulgaria

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"Since we started a year ago, we have not only learned Bulgarian, we have also made some really good friends. 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!" [back]

Susan Jensen and Carsten Bjerre, Myzto Ltd.

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"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!" [back]

Simon Bajart, French student

"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!" [back]

Simon Bajart, étudiant français

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"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." [back]

Marc Geinoz, webdesigner

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"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." [back]

Steven Brown
Orange County, California

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"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." [back]

Martin de Schrijver, The Netherlands

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"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." [back]

Allison Jahn, Wisconsin USA

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"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." [back]

Aglae Simoes, French student

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"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." [back]

Bobby O'Driscoll. Limerick, Ireland.

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"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." [back]

Margaret Murray-Tait, N. Ireland

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“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.“ [back]

Peter Hansen, Melbourne, Australia.

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"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!!" [back]

Huang Pei Fang, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

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“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!!” [back]

Cheryl and Karl Bartlett, Manchester, England.

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"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!" [back]

Susan Wilkins. Norfolk, England.