Life is short, and the world is big

Introduce yourself in a few words..

Petar Punchev is a Bulgarian radio journalist, co-founder of the first private electronic media in Bulgaria - Radio FM+.

He studied at the French lycée in Damascus, at the French high school in Sofia, and graduated with honors in journalism from Moscow State University “Lomonosov".

A long-time radio host and reporter, co-founder of the Night Block of the “Horizont” Program of BNR.

In 2007, he accepted an offer from a large Irish media company to head its business in Ukraine. Two years later, he is managing director of Radio 3, Belgrade, Serbia. Co-founder and lifetime honorary member of the Serbian Radio Association - RAB Srbija.

Author of the books “The First Seven: Private Radio in Bulgaria” (1997) and "You Are Here" (2018).

Awarded by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria "For Contribution to Bulgarian Culture" (2013).

For you, traveling the world is?
Freedom and energy. In other words – the essence of life.

How many different countries have you seen so far?
88.

Tell us an interesting incident or highlights from your travels?
Even during my first major trip, there were unprecedented complications. The story is complicated to tell, usually takes half an hour, but briefly it goes like this. In 1969, my mother, sister, and I lived in Damascus, Syria. My father lived in Sofia and came by car to pick us up.
On the fateful June 13 – Friday 1969, we set off for Istanbul. We left Syria and entered the no man's 12-kilometer zone. In Turkey, they didn't let us in because it turned out that the ministry had not issued a second entry Turkish visa for my father. We had to return to Aleppo for a Turkish visa, but we couldn't get back in because my father's Syrian visa had expired. A closed loop.
By law, we were still supposed to be there, in no man's land. After a whole day of arguments, in 36-degree heat, in the semi-desert, the Syrian accepted a bribe and we returned for a visa in Aleppo. Then everything went smoothly.

Do you like to repeat destinations? Give examples and motivation “for” or “against”?
I often repeat destinations, looking for new reasons for joy, but I don't like to do it. Life is short, and the world is big.

What was your first trip that truly changed you as a professional and can be said to have changed your thinking?
That trip in June 1969. I learned lessons for a lifetime.
The most banal – I don't embark on an important and long journey on Friday, the 13th.

What do you learn about yourself and your professional skills when you are in a new cultural environment?
Every day something. Even from banal sources: a fleeting meeting, a new word or expression, a product, a billboard.

Have you met people or ideas during your travels that have influenced your career path?
I don't think so. I usually don't rely on chance for that... but on systematic and consistent activity.

Do you think your travels help you expand your professional network? How?
Definitely. I rarely refuse contact, or internal "journeys within the journey".

What skills do you develop the most when you travel, and how do they affect your work?
I absorb cultures and store them in my mind for future occasions.

Is there a city or country that has inspired you to start a new business or project?
No. I don't recall anything like that.

When you are in an unfamiliar country, do you feel more motivated or more distracted? Why?
I feel at home. Almost in every new place.

Are there destinations that act as a “restart” for your creativity and ambition?
Every destination can be an occasion or a reason.

How do you manage the balance between work and pleasure, when you travel?
Flawlessly.

How have travels changed the way you perceive the value of money?
They haven't. I learned this from my parents, without any direct connection to travels.

Do you travel to find new ways to earn money?
No. Only for pleasure and knowledge.

What lessons about financial independence have you learned from different economies and cultures?
I haven't.

Do you think it is better to spend on experiences, rather than on material possessions?
Without a doubt.

How do you see the future of digital nomadic life?
Are there specific countries that are more favorable for work and investments?
Countries at war. Ukraine, for example. I would invest there now if I had any intentions for future investments. But I don't have any.

If you could choose one place in the world to develop your next big idea, what would it be and why?
Bulgaria. My country.

What are the destinations you would definitely recommend to be visited and why?
Every possible destination. And never postpone “for later” Because that later most often never comes.

What is the career advice you would give based on what you have seen around the world?
Embrace every new destination and every new people for you, without reservations. With respect and an open heart. Learn 15 words in their language and use them aloud, clearly, and with a smile on your face. And you won't regret it. They will carry you on their hands.