A M E R I C A N
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
S C H O O L
O F
B U C H A R E S T
WINTER EDITION 2020
PAGE 12
SPOTLIGHT: AVISHAY GORDON
Class of 2009: Avishay Gordon, 28, is a long-time musician who first picked up a guitar at the age of 6, and composed his first melody at the age of 14.
PAGE 24
SPOTLIGHT: IOANA CIOCAN
The story of a woman who traveled back to where she came from, where she wasn’t sure she wanted to be, just to join the AISB community and how it changed her life.
Cristina Sucu has built a life of success, creativity and fun along with her husband, and business partner, Vlad. Read on to hear how this alumna is living her passion.
PAGE 30
AISB NEWS
PAGE 17
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST
1
Romanian Feature 2
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Sucevita Monastery: The Masterpiece of Painted Churches Few religious monuments are as inspirational and mesmerizing as Sucevita Monastery, one of the eight painted churches from Bucovina included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. A masterpiece and ‘a testament of Moldavian art’, Sucevita Monastery marks the end of an era, a time in which medieval religious art reached new levels of innovation and creativity in this part of Romania. https://www.uncover-romania.com/attractions/unesco-heritage-romania/sucevita-monastery/
Kirsten Pontius / Editor
What it takes to Nearly 20 years ago I accepted a dodgy job with a cutthroat company, in order to travel overseas. Right out of University with nothing in my pocket but a work contract in Japanese, I got onto an airplane, trusted someone would greet me on the other side, and started my career as a college graduate in the field of English Language teaching. I didn’t like it. Every minute of that job was a struggle. I didn’t know how to answer questions about English grammar, I just wanted to say, “because it sounds better that way”. I didn’t like sitting in a tiny cubicle, with a cheesy workbook, coaching kids and adults to talk about unnatural scenarios, and rating them based on their abilities to have artificial conversations. I didn’t like the unethical company I worked for, the terrible hours, and the low pay. However, it was one of the best things that I ever did. It shaped my appreciation for exploration, it’s when my obsession with travel was born, it gave me the confidence to survive on my own. From this experience, I created a path towards, and love of, the expat life. Creating something new, whether it’s a mindset, skill or design, takes strength, perseverance, and most importantly,
CREATE support. Each time we move to a new country to create a home, try out a different job, make memories in a foreign place, it is scary but worth it. Each time we take on a project, work on reaching a goal, attempt something brand new, it is unsettling, there are doubts, but whether we succeed or not, we learn. From these experiences something significant is created. Without full intention, or much direction, this issue of WM attracted alumni who have all created something special. We share with you stories of those that have found success and who have contributed something unique and original to their life, to the world. Something that simply didn’t exist before they took the leap. From businesses, to music, from art, to books, the following stories are about building a significant experience, or skills, and creating a life to be proud of. And while it’s shiny and fantastic on this side of the success they’ve had, these stories don’t necessarily show us the full picture. It’s fun and exciting to celebrate their accomplishments, but there are two ingredients that are essential in making it to the outcomes that you read about on the pages of this glossy publication. Risk. Each of these stories involves bravery, and taking chances. To get on the plane, to start the business, to write the first line of a song. You are not only reading about success in creating something, but you are reading about
spirited individuals who put themselves out there. Support. It takes an incredible amount of support to make something new. The help, love, encouragement of another, or others, is incredibly important. You will find that these stories all reference the support of AISB. Whether a small ingredient, or a monumental one, AISB plays a role in making sure our students, parents, staff, teachers, alumni have a safe place, and a cheerleader on their journey. So, while you read about the amazing creativity of a joyful life, of a project, or a business, remember the journey that came before. The journey of risk and the moment in time when AISB first offered support. Without those elements, this publication would look very different. So when you’re ready to take your next leap, to create something that scares you, remember we are here, experienced in supporting your ambitions and adventures. We always will be.
Kirsten Pontius Editor
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST
3
VOLUME 8 / ISSUE 1 WINTER 2020
EDITORIAL TEAM LEAD EDITOR: Kirsten Pontius EDITORIAL TEAM: Dorothea Achim, Alex Cristescu, Michelle Ciubuc, George Mucibabici, Ana Teodorescu, Pia Stanca CONTRIBUTORS Fabiana Papastefani-Pezzoni, Catalina Gardescu, George Mucibabici, Alex Cristescu, Avishay Gordon, Ioana Ciocan, Peter Welch, Cristina Sucu AISB Student Contributors: Ioana P, Evelina K, Ericka L. PHOTOGRAPHY AISB Archives, Bogdan Greavu DESIGN AND TYPOGRAPHY Mario Zamfir, Aliant Brands Ltd. ONLINE EDITION Aliant Brands WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE Blvd. Pipera Tunari 196 Com. Voluntari Jud. Ilfov Romania 077190 Tel.: 021 204-4300 Fax: 021 204-4384 Email: alumni@goaisb.ro www.aisb.ro Published by Aliant Brands Ltd. Print Circulation: 2000 copies Electronic Circulation: 10,000 views Cover Design: Mario Zamfir ISSN 2537-3978 ISSN 2537-3986 ISSN-L 2537-3978
About AISB
AISB was founded in 1962 and is currently Bucharest's largest international school. The language of instruction is English and teaching is based upon an American style curriculum. The school offers the prestigious International Baccalaureate Program from Early Childhood through 12th grade. AISB is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the Council of International Schools, and the International Baccalaureate Organization and is recognized by the Ministry of Education in Romania.
Copyright © 2020 AISB ALUMNI. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Trademarks: WORLDTM Alumni Magazine, AISB Alumni Association and their associated logos are trademarks of the American International School of Bucharest. All other names, logos, and trademarks of other companies shown in this publication are the property of their respective owners.
4
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
12 Spotlight: Avishay Gordon
22 AISB's Little Writers
CONTENTS 06 09 10 12 17 19 20 22 24 26 30
24 Spotlight: Ioana Ciocan
DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE
ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE WEAVING OUR STORY SPOTLIGHT: AVISHAY GORDON FEATURE: DARE TO CREATE SPOTLIGHT: GEORGE MUCIBABICI ALUMNI NEWS AISB'S LITTLE WRITERS SPOTLIGHT: IOANA CIOCAN GALLERY AISB NEWS
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST
5
Director's Message
Peter Welch / AISB Director
Your cloud of thoughts gathering over this question will be shaped by your origins, your personality and life experiences. From Armenians to Bhutanese, and Canadians to Zulus, the interplay of these influences may be very different. Here are ten possible answers that you might hear given in different parts of the world:
I want to earn money, respect and status.
6
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
My purpose is to faithfully serve my god or gods to the best of my ability.
All I have to do is to survive and pass on my genes. Job done. Pass the test tube, please.
I want to love deeply, travel widely, jump off cliffs into the sea, eat everything and cram in as many exciting experiences into my short time on earth as possible.
I want to seek to understand myself and other people and find out what life is all about.
It is my duty to support and honour my family and my community and serve the next generation.
I have no purpose. Nor do you. Life is meaningless. We’re drifting alone in a godless universe, etc.
At AISB, in the first half of this year, I have been engaging all parts of our community in a conversation about the future of our school. It has been fascinating to listen to the multiple perspectives that co-exist in our diverse school. If we think of schools as places that prepare us for living, then our idea of the perfect school arises from what we think a successful life is.
cultural currents successfully. Many parents were united in believing that success in life must be measured by self-worth not just net-worth.
A common thread through all these community conversations has been that in a fast-changing world, schools need to be places that actively teach personal values and ethics. We must create time and opportunities for our students to reflect on their own value systems and intentionally nurture young people that can navigate cross-
In our Alumni Association breakfast event, our former students offered many interesting insights into how an AISB education had equipped them to be successful. There was a consensus that the rigours and experience of the IB diploma had given them study skills and independence of mind to thrive at university. They had a sense of being further on than their peers in the first year of university. Even so, they were keen to point out that the world of work is increasingly competitive and demanding. AISB should be teaching our students
I want to create beautiful or significant art, music or writing, which can affect others. You’re blocking my light, by the way.
It is enough to leave the world a better place than when I found it.
No idea, mate. Don’t ask.
resilience and grit balanced with optimism. We should challenge any culture of entitlement within our student body and not let the school be a privileged bubble. In the new year, we will consolidate all this future planning feedback and share a summary with our community. Then we craft the vision for the future of AISB, build our strategy to support this ambition and develop measures of success. We live in interesting times! Regards,
Peter Welch Director
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST
7
8
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Alexandru Cristescu / Association President
This past summer the AISB Alumni Association organised a 10th year reunion for the class of 2009, in conjunction with the all school reunion. It was wonderful to see many of my own classmates who traveled to Bucharest for this very special event. In the time we spent apart people evolved, they changed and improved themselves. What better way to show this than through our cover story with Cristina Sucu and her family - since graduating she is now
a mother, wife and has built up a family business. You can also read about Avishay Gordon who attended the reunion with his wife and daughter, and has just launched his solo musical career. There are many more examples of inspiring stories in my class as well as from others who have spent time in the AISB community as students, staff and parents. There is no one size fits all, but what is evident is that success comes from hard consistent work, passion and dedication which feeds a sense of fulfillment which in turn gives one the strength to achieve their goal.
Everyone finds meaning and contentment differently, which is really the axiom of freedom: confronting the abyss of the future and being responsible for your own course in life. The choices we make and the actions we consistently keep on doing ultimately define where we will end up. So the goals and means to achieve and succeed are different for everyone, however one thing is equal for all, that is time. This concept seems to resonate very much with AISB students and alumni. This only shows that our school and community believe in the individual and their power of being a lifelong learner who can adapt to the increasingly
frequent changes in the global society so as to lead a meaningful life. Now that a new decade has begun we wish all responsible global citizens to achieve their goals, find happiness in all they do, and keep true to their chosen course in life - or change it if they must - through engagement, inspiration, courage, critical thinking and a sense of community.
Alexandru Cristescu Association President
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST
9
Oh the Stories We Could
Catalina Gardescu, Admissions Manager
The Admissions Office of every school is the place of dreams. Parents and students come in here and talk about their dreams: the ones they’ve left behind, the ones they look towards. For the past 18 and a half years I have been privileged to be the one to hear
10
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
them talk about their dreams and witness the moment when their future is sketched, thought out, imagined and when decisions are made. It is a magic and a difficult moment. And more times than not I need all the help I can get. Over the years, my going through different jobs in the school, having been here for a long time, visiting other schools and interacting with other admissions officers, my own personal development (which I am not going to call aging) have all been very helpful.
By far though, my knowledge gained through knowing and interacting with our students, current and past, has been the most helpful. Without my constant interaction with the Alumni Association and the alumni community itself, I would not be fully prepared to represent the school in the best way possible. In four out of five meetings parents want to talk about our alumni. Do I have any stories, how did they fare out, what was life like for them when they left school? Has IB helped? Did they feel prepared?
The only publication we offer in the Admissions Office has been for a long time World Magazine. Its stories delight prospective parents as well as the ones who do not end up coming to AISB or to Romania. There is a power in stories that we can never deny, and the stories of our alumni help paint a picture of what could be for parents and students alike. Dear alumni, never underestimate the effect you still have on this place that was once and will always be, for a longer or a shorter time, your school in Bucharest, Romania. Keep feeding us
your stories for they show us how well we did prepare you, they help us support further dreams and build new ones. Share your stories with the World Magazine, nothing is too little or insignificant. Everything you share is a window into the life that can be for all the people who enter our school looking for their next puzzle piece. Catalina Gardescu, Admissions Manager Catalina Gardescu / Admissions Manager
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST 11
Avishay Gordon AISB Alumn, Class of 2009
BIOGRAPHY Gordon, 28, is a long-time musician. He first picked up a guitar at the age of 6, and composed his first melody at the age of 14. Gordon is a singer and songwriter based in Tel Aviv, Israel. He spent the majority of his life living in Warsaw, Brussels and Bucharest, and today he divides his stay between his hometown and Madrid – where his parents are currently living. After many years of making music and performing in various places locally and overseas with his former band White Shade, Gordon has decided to publish his music globally as a solo artist. Gordon's music has many influences, ranging from Morrissey, The Smiths, Editors, Fleet Foxes, Coldplay and Muse.
12
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
World Magazine asked Gordon to reflect back on his time at AISB: When I lived in Bucharest between 2003-2007 I studied at AISB – which was also the place that made me want to pursue a musical career. Until 9th grade, my main musical occupation was
playing the classical guitar, until “Five Finger Discount” (AISB’s flagship high school band at the time) was formed. When I noticed their song “Take me away from the dance floor” become extremely popular throughout all middle-high schoolers, I remember thinking – “I could make my own music as well.'' From that moment I began to explore my ability to compose and write my own music, to the point I realized that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. So I owe a lot to them and AISB for helping me realize my dream!
"Shine" is the first song to be published to the local and international media. The song was written while touring and recording in Mexico, about his wife (girlfriend at the time).
We were only able to overcome this thanks to the strength of our relationship, thus I wrote 'Let us Shine' – so we would always let that strength shine between us."
"It was quite difficult to speak to each other when your time zones are pretty much reversed. We could only speak to each other when it was night time in Israel and early morning in Mexico, and viceversa ('As the night time turns to dawn'). We had very short windows of opportunity to speak to one another, making it very tough to maintain this kind of long-distance relationship.
Gordon has performed this song to his wife at their wedding.
Click here to preview YouTube video Gordon - Shine (Official Audio)
Scan the code to preview YouTube video Gordon - Shine (Official Audio)
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST 13
INTERNSHIP
RAIFFEISEN WORLD Magazine caught up with Evelina K. (Grade 11) who participated in one of the newly implemented AISB Internship positions over the summer. We are so appreciative of Raiffeisen Bank for partnering with us to create such a valuable learning opportunity. If you or your business has an interest in supporting this important initiative, please contact catalina@goaisb.ro for more information.
14
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
This past summer I had the amazing opportunity to work in the human resources department at Raiffeisen Bank. During my internship I had the chance to take part in several interviews and observe how they are structured as well as see how the interviewer evaluated the candidate. By being involved in the interview process I was able to improve my analytical and communication skills. The team I worked with was very friendly and eager to teach me, making me feel like a true member of the team. In doing so I was able to get a real feel of the working
environment and the job. This was an invaluable experience as it helped me in my future decision of selecting a career path. I would strongly advise all students to do an internship over the summer as it allows you to broaden your interests, develop your technical skills outside the classroom and assist you in deciding what you would like to do in the near future. Finally, I would also like to thank both AISB and Raiffeisen Bank for giving me this amazing opportunity and practical experience.
In November 2019, the PTO welcomed the local AISB community to the grand opening of ‘Take a Book - Leave a Book’ a fully stocked free library for everyone from our youngest patrons with picture books, up through to our adult patrons with novels and non-fiction. You will find it under the silver tree by the PTO reading circle just waiting for you to come in and begin a new adventure! This project was made possible by the hard work, carpentry skills and donations from our parent community!
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST 15
16
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
TO CREATE
DREAMS THAT SHAPE SUCCESS Cristina Sucu, Class 2009, has built a life of success, creativity and fun along with her husband, and business partner, Vlad. A mother of two young girls, she spins her experience at AISB, her diverse education, and her love of play and children into a successful family business. Read on to hear how this alumna is living her passion. WM: Whether we are talking about your time at AISB with higher level math and economics, the many languages you studied or now your success as an adult, you have always had focus and excelled. What is your approach?
CS: I have always been goaloriented and worked hard in my high-school and university years. I remember having a friend in university who only got around to studying for her exams a few days in advance and almost always got higher grades than me even though I started stressing months in advance.
Although experience has taught me to better manage my stress and expectations, I am the same way now in both my business and my personal life as I strive to be better at what I do in every way I can and show my team members the importance of not settling for what is just good-enough even if it means having to work a little bit harder.
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST 17
WM: In what ways has your motivation been influenced by growing up in a family where both parents are entrepreneurs? CS: Greatly so. I truly believe that models are the most important factor in shaping an individual and having had mine in my mom and dad has helped me become less risk-averse, more determined and passionate about pursuing my goals. We grew up with our parents telling us stories about the difficult times before the 1989 revolution and starting their business. Seeing their passion which still burns to this day, has been a great motivation for us to follow in their footsteps. WM: Now that you and your husband are parents, how have things changed? CS: In many ways, but the most significant challenge that we have had to face is time management and finding the ideal balance between spending as much of it with our kids while still focusing on expanding our business and looking for new opportunities. WM: Tell us about one of your current goals, personally or professionally? CS: Personally, I want to be more time-efficient this year and squeeze in more physical activities for myself as it’s the part of me I always regretted sacrificing when I started the business and especially after having children. Professionally, we are looking at ways to expand the business in other cities in Romania. WM: In regards to happiness do you believe it just happens or does everyone have to work each day to reach it?
18
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
CS: Probably some of both because you need a little bit of luck but also to nurture it once you achieve it. Also, I think we need to see happiness in every little thing we do, if we’re talking about closing a good business deal as well as your kid’s new drawing skills or achievements. My experience has taught me not to take happiness for granted and try to make the most of the present moment.
adapted it to what we considered most appropriate for our market.
WM: You got married at 21 right after university, to your husband, Vlad. Alma was born in 2015 and Aria in 2017, what advice do you have for young parents? CS: Whatever the sacrifices, it is worth it, so try to be there for one another. Sometimes we can get caught up in the difficulties we face in trying to accommodate the needs of the family and especially when children arrive, but we tried to share the burdens as much as we share the good moments.
WM: What has it been like working with your spouse to start a business?
WM: Why choose AISB for your children? CS: Having had the chance to see for ourselves the differences between the teaching system and methods at AISB, we both want our children to grow up to be open-minded, balanced and independent young people and we feel AISB provides the best opportunity for cultivating this in our children. WM: Where did you get the idea of starting a business based on play? CS: Both Vlad and I have travelled a lot in the years leading up to our start-up business and although we did not have kids at the time, this concept of edutainement (educational entertainment) we saw in places such as Dubai or Singapore really appealed to us and we
Playing is the only effective means through which small children can learn and I think it is very important for them to have such facilities in order to discover their personalities, develop certain skills and building social connections to others.
CS: I think it is very rewarding to share achievements as well as the workload with your life partner. Although I can see how working with your spouse can be a challenge, in our case it has been a good experience as we are not conflictual people and always look at the bigger picture when we disagree. In any partnership it is also important in my opinion to outline from the beginning each other’s strong suits as well as responsibilities. WM: As a female entrepreneur, what is your biggest challenge? CS: I will admit that I have been, for the most part sheltered from the difficulties I am sure many women face in business having been born into a respected family name. However, although there are evident and significant changes in gender inequality issues everywhere, it is still a male dominated environment and there will always be in my opinion, preconceptions about the role of women in society, to some extent. To me, this is all the more reason I want to be a model for my daughters as my mother has been to me.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
GEORGE MUCIBABICI JR.
World Magazine likes to ask our Alumni Association members to share memories from time to time. Our current, Vice President, George Mucibabici has created a very successful life, both personally and professionally. He not only serves on the AISB Alumni Association, he has been involved in the Movember foundation supporting men’s health research and initiatives for the past 10 years. Locally, he spends time volunteering for Fundatia Inocenti, accompanying AISB kids on their weekly service learning trips to the children's hospital and helping the foundation raise money for supplies. Mucibabici is the Head of Investment Banking Department at Raiffeisen Bank Romania. His work revolves around providing high-quality advice and professional services to clients as well as custom solutions that fit their particular needs. He enjoys the challenge and dynamic nature of his work, and was kind enough to reflect on his memories of making connections at AISB.
WM: Tell us a memory you have from AISB when you felt particularly connected to the community. AISB has, and probably always will be, a great environment to learn and to grow up in. The diversity and quality of its student body and teaching staff is quite unbeatable. I believe that the high level of involvement of current or former students, parents, and teachers is evidence of this. Also, it is on this solid foundation that the AISB community is built and continues to function. Personally, I felt the most connected to and supported by this wonderful
community during the intense play rehearsals for HS theater. These would regularly take up a lot of my free time after school as well as some weekends, and it was during these intense periods that I saw many parents come to check in on us and make sure we were all doing ok.
development; what it means to feel supported, to feel that what we were doing, mattered and was relatively important. I think the subconscious effects of these parents' actions helped all of us navigate many rough personal and professional waters later in life.
These were people going out of their way and taking time out of their own schedules to drop by the school and bring us food, snacks, water, drinks, etc. and even maybe stay for part of the rehearsals to provide us with a friendly audience. It was at that point that I realized just how lucky we were to be part of this community. It was much later that I realized the impact this must have had on our personal
In closing, having personally been a part of both public and private educational systems, I can confidently say that one of the leading benefits of our school, besides its rigorous curricula, is the AISB community and the strong bond formed amongst all its current and past members.
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST 19
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION:
CONNECTIONS, NETWORKING, FRIEND-RAISING! Fabiana Papastefani, AISB Alumni Coordinator
Our Association is relatively young, but we are beginning to change that and grow fast. We kicked off the new academic year with a very high energy event – our Annual Alumni Reunion, that happened in Bucharest, on August 31st, 2019. We welcomed alumni from USA, Israel, UK, Germany and various cities of Romania.
20
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Some brought their families and children with them, met with new and old friends, with their teachers, connected and enjoyed the day in a very special atmosphere.
community of students as well as tweak the existing ones, aiming to address the quests, needs and support tools of a continuously changing student audience, in a continuously changing world.
hiring tricks and tips. The feedback about this event was very positive and we are already thinking of new opportunities, with higher variety of businesses and profiles.
We keep getting inspired by our mission in all our focus groups, activities and events:
Networking ideas and needs, new opportunities for connections, learning dynamics and more support motivated us to create a new event for the AISB juniors and seniors: CEO Club International – Bucharest meeting.
We are walking new paths, involving more people, supporting in new levels and offering new forms of networking through our recurrent events, and we will able to share with you in the near future new information and ideas. Stay connected, stay tuned!
“The AISB Alumni Association aims to engage our worldwide alumni, to promote international education and foster opportunities, we inspire global citizens to make a positive impact by adding value to their communities” While we have kept the same main event structure of the Association inside the AISB structure, with University Application Process, Career Speed Networking, Letting Go, and Senior’s Brunch, we strived to add more services to the
A team of four very different CEO’s of four different leading businesses in Romania came to talk to our students about some inside aspects of the world of work and business: the why’s and how’s of various trends and strategies recruiting and employment, especially of junior or entry level experts. These conversations were such eye opener talks for our students, who at the moment can only view their career and their immediate future from the university application and course selection point of view. Our CEO guests shared “secrets” of personal life and education journeys, as well as recruiting and
Fabiana Papastefani AISB Alumni Coordinator
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST 21
CELEBRATING
AISB’S LITTLE WRITERS
AN INTERVIEW WITH ERIKA, AUTHOR OF “THE DAISY WITHOUT A PETAL”
Student writer: IOANA D. At just six years old, Erika, an enthusiastic reader from AISB’s Early Learning Center, chose to beautifully blend her passion for books, abstract ideas, creativity, and her love for the surrounding nature and animals in the form of a book. The Bite [student newspaper] wanted to celebrate the little writers with big ideas in our community, and Erika is the perfect example of how a sensible and creative heart can inspire others through her ideas and kind acts.
YOU CAN READ ERIKA'S BOOK YOURSELF, IT'S AVAILABLE AT THE AISB LIBRARY!
22
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Erika’s book, entitled The Daisy without a Petal, follows the main character, a flower, throughout its journey in the magical world of flowers and elves. The story depicts the daisy and its adventure with the help of seven-year-old Anastasia’s lively illustrations, which readers are encouraged to color. With the money she raises from book sales, Erika wants to “help homeless cats find a home,” as well as inspire young learners, just like her. We spent an hour together, talking about her book and enjoying the fountain and exotic plants in the ELC and I was continually impressed and delighted by the sincerity, openness, and originality of her answers.
TB: Erika, could you please tell us something about yourself? What do you love most? E: I paint, and I love, love, love very much to play with my cat, which is sooo big, gigantic! I have two cats, and one of them is big and she had the kitten. But what I really, really like to do is paint. TB: And what do you like to paint? E: Well, houses and several other things. (Do you see how cold the water in the fountain is? It is cooolddd! It is even colder than my bottle!) TB: What is the book about? E: A daisy who grew at a farmhouse, but the farmer picked it up and a petal fell. It became “the daisy without a petal.”
TB: Why a daisy? How did the idea come to you? E: Well, all books have stories. And all stories have a character. I wanted to have a flower character. TB: Are there any more characters in the book? E: An elf, a farmer, a flower, 17 other flowers and even a vase.
TB: Of course! E: I was coming back home from school and I kept on hearing “MEOW, MEOW.” I tried EVERYTHING for my cat. Her favorite food, her favorite bed, I even put her in my clothes drawer, where she loves most to stay. And then she had kittens! Three! Eja, Albita and Grey. Puf was the Mom.
TB: If the cat was inspired from your real cats, how did the elf come to your mind? E: It couldn’t be a troll; and if it was a plant, it would have been boring. That’s how I thought of an elf. Do you want me to show you around? TB: Did the daisy have any friends?
E: The other flowers, the sunflower, lavender, forgetme-not flowers. She became friends with the elf. TB: Why did you think of a coloring book? E: It is a coloring book because I wanted everyone to make it their own.
TB: And we understand, you would like to help cats, is that right? E: Yes! With the money I get from the book, I am going to help kittens find a home. For two cats! Do you want me to tell you the story of how my cat had kittens?
Photography: IOANA D.
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST 23
PREPARING
GLOBAL CITIZENS FOR THE WORLD OF THE FUTURE Written by: Ioana Ciocan, AISB Alumna / Teacher (2006-2012)
I will always remember the wonderful sunny day when I had my job interview with Ms.
24
Tammi Shreve, the ES AISB Principal. As an MA student in London I applied
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
online for the Art Elementary Teacher position in my home country of Romania. My parents wanted me back after studying abroad in Copenhagen and London. I was not convinced I wanted to go back home to Romania but AISB’s reputation convinced me to apply for the position. Why not! I figured that if I got the job, I would stay for a year or two in Romania and then leave again for Europe. Plus, driving from my home in downtown Bucharest all the way to
Pipera, was quite an adventure back then, so I couldn’t picture myself doing that for longer than that. I always preferred the bikes of Copenhagen! But that day definitely changed my life. The ground floor of Elementary School of AISB was full of wonderful artwork, warm coloured landscapes and imaginative selfportraits. I was surprised by the variety of art techniques used and the smart use of
lines, crosshatches, tints and shades. The student exploration of different subjects was alive through art. The artwork was full of creativity and was carefully framed and displayed. Everywhere I looked parents and teachers were smiling and the kids with their Vampire jackets looked wonderfully happy and full of energy. After my interview - for the ES Art Teacher – I knew that AISB was the place to be! I had forgotten
I can say with an open heart that being the entrepreneur that I am today was shaped by my years at the AISB campus and the international community that is the school’s soul.
all about the traffic! It was the same day when I met the one and only ES Art Teacher Angela Achim, visited the classrooms and compound and I realized that this is how every school should be everywhere in the world! The educational process was focused on each child’s unique personality and learning style as well as cultural background. My fellow colleagues’ passion for contemporary
education was contagious and they were always available to provide extra help for a young teacher like me. Every week we had long and meaningful personal development meetings where we worked in teams to develop and constantly improve education for our students and cultivate a crosscultural approach to learning. We bore a great responsibility: preparing global citizens for the world of the future. The AISB educational
programs had to reach beyond the classroom, beyond the world today and apply in the greater context of a future world. The world where our students will live long after graduating. We were preparing them for the future. I spent six years teaching art at AISB and enjoyed every single one of them. Leaving my wonderful job as an art teacher was a hard decision. I had to do that to fully dedicate my time to Art Safari.
Now, Art Safari Bucharest is the largest art event in Romania, with more than 163,000 visitors to it’s exhibitions. Designed as a temporary museum, Art Safari takes place annually, bringing together heritage and contemporary art. For the 2019 edition 2,500 children visited Art Safari, among them many wonderful AISB students.
that being the entrepreneur that I am today was shaped by my years at the AISB campus and the international community that is the school’s soul. I have learned so much from AISB, the PYP program, and wonderful colleagues but mostly from the kids and I will always be grateful for that! Ioana Ciocan General Manager of Art Safari Bucharest www.artsafari.ro
I can say with an open heart
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST 25
proud past.
dynamic future. AISB spans over half a century of exceptional learning, beautiful memories, wonderful community events, inspiring teachers, academic excellence, cultural diversity, and so much more. Our faculty, staff, students, and parents keep the past alive while creating new stories to share with our AISB family every day.
26
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST 27
28
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST 29
Service & Action
Stuff the Bus Last November, several HS students from the M.A.D. (Making a Difference ) service group traveled to the village of Berceni, in a large school bus stuffed to the ceiling with Mega Image bags of food. This yearly event encourages AISB students to serve others, and prompts discussions around poverty and privilege, while providing much needed food to others.
Building Self-Esteem & Confidence
in Adolescents In December, the Secondary Counselors hosted a presentation and discussion around Building Self-Esteem and Confidence in Adolescents. The counselors and parents discussed self esteem, how it develops, and what parents can do to build self esteem in their adolescent children. Two essential ‘ingredients’ for developing healthy self esteem are self-compassion and self-acceptance.
30
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Parents can play a vital role in modeling these to their children. An important takeaway from the session was that even when students are finding their independence from their parents, their parents are still the ones whose opinion they value most (more than their peers). Even when they seem to not listen to what their parents say, they do hear all of it!
Harvest festival 2019 This year’s Harvest Festival changed its regular routine and trialed a Saturday AISB family event, which was highly successful. It was a great community gathering with
kids, parents, grandparents, friends and family, about 500 people, enjoying delicious food at the Potluck Lunch. There was a great selection of products offered by 37
vendors at the Arts & Crafts Fair as well. About 40 tough Vampires fought for the first annual title of ‘Turkey Bowl Champ’ and the Turkey Trophy. You might be able to hear the faint sounds of guitar melodies and drum beats as the 23rd annual AISB Fundraising Gala is fast approaching. This year’s theme of Rock and Roll is sure to provide a good time!
Eco Committee
Sinterklaas
The Elementary Eco Committee has been working on multiple projects since our last WM issue. To help parents and teachers locate the rubbish bins easier, Grade 2 and 5 eco representatives decorated the garbage bins around the school with the designs from the last year design competition.
plants need to grow and why it is important to plant more plants and trees. All of the materials for this project came from community donations! It is great to feel the support from parents and teachers.
On Wednesday December 4th, the Dutch mother tongue students celebrated Sinterklaas. Every year on December 5th Sinterklaas (Sint Nicolaas) brings presents and special delicacies like pepernoten and chocolate letters to children in The Netherlands and Belgium. Also to those who live abroad!
Plants were delivered in beautifully hand-painted pots as gifts to various classrooms. Grade 3 and 4 eco committee students also ran an eco audit of the classrooms in the elementary school.
To celebrate this, all the students brought a present to the party. After the gift exchange, the student’s had a quiz with Sinterklaas fun facts and watched a feel good film featuring Sinterklaas in the thirties of the previous century drinking chocolate milk and eating as much pepernoten as possible.
At the same time, the students worked on planting flowers and various plants. They learned how to care about the seedlings, what
This important community event brings together parents, teachers and staff in their finest attire to dance the night away while raising money for scholarships and grants that support student learning across the school. Don’t miss the chance to participate as a sponsor, attendee, or both! More information here: https://gala.aisb.ro/
This news was extracted from the AISB Monthly Newsletter. Our Monthly Newsletter is a great way to keep up with the latest news, events and initiatives at AISB. You can find the Newsletter at www.aisb. ro/about-us/monthlynewsletter
AMERIC AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST 31
Do you have a story to tell?
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Have you landed your dream job? Are you traveling? Have you reached a personal goal? Are you making waves in improving the world around you? Where has life taken you since AISB? Please message us via Facebook, or send an e-mail to: alumni@aisb.ro, and let us know what's new! No matter the story, we want to know! (Remember, our alumni consist of former students, staff, faculty and parents.) We may even feature YOU in the widely read Alumni World Magazine.
GET IN TOUCH NOW! alumni@aisb.ro
196 Pipera Blvd. Voluntari, Ilfov County, 077190 Romania Tel: (40 21) 204-4300 www.aisb.ro
32
WORLD ALUMNI MAGAZINE