We know a thing by its opposite. Hot Means Nothing without cold, and since im traveling the world to explore the nature of happiness and my own struggles to find it, i decide to visit an unhappy place. And if im going to do unhappy, i want somewhere that does it with panache and takes pride in its wallowing, somewhere full of beautiful expressions like, i dont want to feel good. I just want my neighbor to feel bad. [upbeat acoustic music] welcome to bulgaria. [nicky blitz blast off] getting too close, better pull on back what if i travel the world, exploring what makes some places happier than others . Need a onetwo. Im looking at the ways that where we are. Yeah, im acomin, im acomin affect who we are. Whoo, im acomin im acomin, yeah. Its been said that the search for happiness is the chief source of unhappiness. Im acomin, im acomin. Well, thats okay. Im already unhappy, so ive got nothing to lose. Lets go lets all blast off [projector humming] [upbeat music] where are we . Somewhere
[soft dramatic music] do you have any cinnamon raisin? it seems like bread day is the most exciting day of the week. - [chuckles] you can stay here, drink a beer, and talk with everybody. - yes. hi, buddy! hi, sweetie. hey. precious. so i ve never seen an elderflower before. is this them right here? - this is the white thing. - ok. right about now, as ejo and i forage for spring water and elderflower in the bulgarian countryside, you may be wondering, why exactly did everyone leave a place that looks so beautiful? - that is a gorgeous view. look at that. these hills are just. - yeah. - completely uninhabited. well, when communism collapsed in eastern europe in 1989, rural factories closed, and all of the collective farms were broken up, leaving no way for people to make a living in the country,
but i ve been told someone lives here who is going against the grain. she s a former city dweller who moved to the countryside. uh, hello? and i want to know why. - rainn? - oh, hello. - [speaking bulgarian] - this is ejo kirilova. she lives with her two dogs here in her hometown of grozdyovsti where travelers stay with her in exchange for helping with renovation projects. grozdyovsti used to be a bustling town filled with residents going about their lives in the idyllic bulgarian countryside. lately, though, things have gone downhill. - how many people live here? - today, three people and a half one. - the half a person is not wasn t sawed in half. - she s a whole person, but she lives here only - half time. - half the time. - how many when you were a little girl and your mom was a little girl, how many people lived out here? - i don t know.