Photo: Photo: Ralph at monastery
April 19, 1993 With Sasha and Albena go to Vitosha mountain and monastery. The monastery was for nuns. Vitosha overlooks Sofia.
Photo: Sasha & Albena at monastery
April 20-21, 1993 I see a professor at the National Institute of Statistics, but he was not much help in getting new mortality information. I worked with Krasi on reserve spreadsheet. The spreadsheet is in Microsoft Excel, a program he is comfortable with. Since most of my work had been in APL, I was not familiar with Excel. So I came all the way to Bulgaria to learn the spreadsheet program Excel. Although neither of us spoke the others language, we found we could communicate by writing formulas, etc on the spreadsheet.
With Monika and Krasi, we talk about how their policy had been copied policy from Austrian consortium, and that they did not include the non-guarantee of the bonus paid. Instead they guaranteed the bonus. At the time, they did not realize that there is little if any profit in the pricing. Though they may not agree, by this time I am convinced of the non-profitability of their product.
Photo: Milena & Krasi
April 22, 1993 Worked on other aspects of reserves. Had interview in bar with woman journalist from the daily STANDARD. There were several Bulgarian daily and weekly newspaper publications. The STANDARD seemed to be about the best.
Newspapers and magazines in English can occasionally be found on the street. The best selection is at the newsstand in the basement of the Sheraton Hotel, but you pay a premium price.
Photo: Article in Standard newspaper
