DOZEN BULGARIAN VISITORS ON 21-DAY TREK THROUGH AREA

Twelve visitors to Cape Girardeau, who arrived Friday, are not the stereotypical tourists with cameras around the neck, wearing baggy Bermuda shorts and gaudy Hawaiian shirts.

The dozen are visiting from Bulgaria for a 21-day trek through the area to learn about small business development and operations.

What most Americans don't think twice about - the ability to initiate and run a small business of their own - was inconceivable in Bulgaria until two years ago with the fall of communism in Eastern Europe.

Since then, Bulgarians have taken advantage of their new-found freedoms and delved into the world of capitalism. But they have no prior experience with capitalism.

"Basically, they are here to discover what's possible for their own business development," said Marvin Swanson, head of Southeast Missouri State University's Center for International Studies. The center is sponsoring the three-week seminar in cooperation with the Independent Cultural Institute of Sofia, Bulgaria.

Ironically, the Bulgarian's first taste of American business was losing connections with a Chicago-to-St. Louis flight late Thursday night. As a result, they had to take a later flight, and did not get settled into quarters in Cape Girardeau until about 3 a.m. Friday.

Swanson said the trip is designed to provide the group with practical knowledge of the nuts and bolts of small business enterprise. "I think more can be learned from putting people in contact with others in the same profession," he said. "Small business owners can learn from one another, learning a lot more than just theoretical knowledge." He said a fringe benefit for them will be learning about American political, social, economic and educational environments.

One of the visitors, who is starting a computer store, is visiting similar stores locally and the university's computer science department. Two, who have started restaurants, are taking in local eateries. Others are involved in small metal products, tourism, auto repair, import/export trading, and glass container packaging.

John Blue of Cape Girardeau, former editor of the Southeast Missourian, is coordinating the schedule of events and visits for the group.

The itinerary is not limited to business tours. When Swanson met with the 12 last month in Bulgaria, he found they wanted to experience as much American culture and heritage as possible.

Today, the group will visit Trail of Tears State Park and the historic community of Ste. Genevieve.

Other planned activities include a Fourth of July holiday with a neighborhood picnic and cookout, where they will sample American barbecue and beer. They will also visit St. Louis attractions, including a Cardinals-Cubs game, and attend the upcoming pops concert in Cape Girardeau.

In a reciprocal venture, eight Southeast Missouri State faculty members and two members' wives are flying to Bulgaria July 11, accompanying the 12 Bulgarians on their return flight home.

Viewing it as a form of American glasnost, Swanson said the two-way venture is an example of international cooperation.

The inception of this international exchange came through a form of kismet. Swanson came in contact with the director of the Independent Cultural Institute of Sofia, Victor Kanchev, through Clifford Russell, a faculty member in the College of Education. Russell's wife, Vonya, is a native of Bulgaria, and the couple has visited relatives in that Eastern European nation.

Kanchev started the institute after the fall of the Communist government two years ago in order to promote international understanding and contact for Bulgarians. Kanchev flew to Cape Girardeau last year to lay the groundwork for the visits and Swanson went to Bulgaria in December and in May to finalize the plans and meet the participants.

Kanchev and his wife, Daniel, are serving as translators, along with another member of the group, Vessela Georgieva, who is fluent in English.