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#9 Rila Renaissance Centre / AAS Leadership / Alumni updates: Nona & Rachel / Teacher in the Spotlight: Kalina Belivanova / Alumni updates: Maggie Z h e lya z kova , I va n D i m i t r ov / Pa r e n t i n t h e s p o t l i g h t: K r a s t i n a A r a n i ta s i , Stanimira Georgieva / Graduation 2019 / Giving back to AAS / London reunion â€˜Save the dateâ€™

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NEW DLC HAS CO-AUTHORED A BOOK

ALUMNI UPDATES: NONA & RACHEL

MAGGIE ZHELYAZKOVA

TEACHER IN THE SPOTLIGHT: KALINA BELIVANOVA

CONTENTS 03

ALUMNI UPDATES: IVAN DIMITROV

PARENT IN THE SPOTLIGHT: KRASTINA ARANITASI

PARENT IN THE SPOTLIGHT: STANIMIRA GEORGIEVA

GIVING BACK

LONDON REUNION

GRADUATION 2019

04 AAS NEWS

RILA RENAISSANCE CENTRE Five years after its initial conception, The Rila Renaissance Centre was finally declared officially open with a Grand Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Wednesday 5th June with ambassadors, dignitaries, guests, students, and television cameras in attendance. Initial plans for the building were halted and reworked when the unexpected opportunity arose to purchase an extra piece of land, which meant the architects literally going back to the drawing board! The original vision of the building was expanded to include: a 344 seat theatre, music, choir, and band rooms, classrooms for fine art, design and technology, and graphic design, and a visitor centre.

The Ambassadors of Great Britain and the USA joined with other guests to further cement the bond between the Anglo, American and Sofia elements of the school, to give their congratulations and to cut the ribbon alongside the Chair of the School Board (Justin Friedman), the outgoing School Director (Jim Urquhart), the Business Manager (Marchella Ignatova) and the Arts Co-ordinator (Michael Merrick).

After the formalities of the opening, the audience were entertained by a selection of the school’s performers. Hip Hop dancing from the elementary students, a violin and piano duet from two high school boys, The High School Choir singing from the film The Greatest Showman, and The Bombie Samba performed by the cast of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Already, the RRC is a hive of daily activity, with Secondary School music, visual and digital arts, theatre and performance skills

AAS NEWS 05 and maker space classes taking place in the building. And these days, assemblies and larger group activities such as parentteacher conferences and university and careers fairs all happen in the Rila Renaissance Theatre. In addition, AAS now has the facilities to host conferences and workshops both in the theatre and in the large conference rooms on the first floor. Since the beginning of the school year, four such events have been held, with all the delegates raving about the fantastic space – and of course, our amazing campus, which looks even more beautiful now it has been re-landscaped and the grounds re-purposed. If you haven’t been back for a while, give us a call and come and see us; we’d love to give you a tour!

06 AAS LEADERSHIP

NEW AAS DLC HAS CO-AUTHORED THE BOOK

“Stretch Yourself” Fanny Passeport is the new Director of Learning and Curriculum at AAS. She spent the last eight years in India working in international schools as a French Foreign Language Teacher and Digital Literacy Coach. While leading the digital learning at Mercedes-Benz International School in Pune (India), she received the Emerging Leader and the Young Outstanding Educator Awards from the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE). After this experience, she was encouraged to write a book and decided to take on the task with Caitlin McLemore, from the USA. Both award-winners educators from opposite sides of the globe wanted to share their insights to guide teachers,

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE BOOK, YOU CAN FIND IT ON: WWW.AMAZON.COM OR WWW.BARNESANDNOBLE.COM

especially those new to the profession, on how to dare to take risks and innovate in their daily teaching practice. Using the metaphor of yoga–with its focus on process and practice–the authors take teachers on a journey of self-reflection and assessment, leading them through three stages: Breathe, Stretch and Meditate. The book covers such topics as developing a sense of self-awareness to achieve excellence and the importance of maintaining balance and persevering in your practice.

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WE MISS THE THE INTIMACY OF

THE AAS COMMUNITY CLASS OF 2018 GRADUATES NONA DIMITROVA AND RACHEL CROFT SHARE EXPERIENCES OF THEIR FIRST YEAR AT UNIVERSITY Can you share where you both study? Were you in the same graduation year? Rachel: Yes, we were in the same year. We are both in England, I am at the University of Liverpool and my major is “Criminology with ties to forensic science”. Nona: I am doing “English Literature and language history” at UCL in London. Svetla: So, you must love to read if you are studying English? Nona: I like reading for fun but I think studying English kind of ruined that for

me. Something I think I didn’t realize is the difference between American literature and British English literature, like old English. At AAS we would read a lot of translated and American literature and I loved that and I had the impression university would be like that. But it’s more like Chaucer, not even Shakespeare…beyond Shakespeare. How did you choose your majors? Rachel: For me the choice has always been between criminology, sport or teaching. I chose my major as I knew the least about it and had never had an opportunity to study anything related to psychology or forensics. It is quite challenging. I do like it but it is not anything like I expected. I think I was very naïve and thought it would be like CSI crime scene. In fact criminology is a lot of history, politics and laws.

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and trying to have a social life. And having a social life is crucial as it makes being away from home bearable.

Nona: I loved writing and I knew that inevitably I would get to practice writing with an English major. I also like the foundation that it gives me, in that I can later go on to other courses, qualifications or masters. I can either do teaching or publishing and editing or even translation or journalism. So, what did you find hardest in life and at university? Rachel: Adulting! I did not realize how much my parents did for me and now I have to do myself. Another thing that stressed me a lot was time management – I would not have a routine because one week I could have five lectures and the next week I could have twenty. I found staying on top of that very difficult. I was very lucky with my flat mates because I got along very well with them and I think this makes for a great university experience. Nona: I had similar experiences, but also I had to learn my way around London. It is huge and you have to wrap your head around the fact that your lectures are in one place, team sports are at the other end of the city, if you are working that is a third spot, you live in a fourth place and work out in a fifth place. It was hard managing all that

What did you like most about University life? Rachel: I feel like I have learned a lot even though I really struggled with the adulting to begin with. I also think the friendships you have at university are so solid because you are with each other 24/7. When we have an issue, I now feel comfortable to go and tell my friends. Being thrown into a mix of people that you do not know and having to live with them – it is scary. It is what has happened but I feel like it has just worked out so well in that sense, that I am very lucky. Nona: For me, although it is quite scary, I do also like the level of independence. For most of the aspects of my first year, I was kind of self-funded. I know that I do not budget myself very well and I spend money on dumb things that I do not need. I felt comfortable knowing it was not my dad’s money. I like university also because you are meeting people at a different stage of their life, it is not people you have known for years and years. The way you interact with each other is so completely different to the interactions and relationships you have with people in high school which is very refreshing. But it is still good to have friendships that continue from high school Rachel: That is another thing. When I talk about… ‘Oh my gosh, I am going back to

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Bulgaria’, everyone is like ‘Oh, you are going back home, that is great.’ But everyone questions me ‘Why would you want to go back to school?’ I do not think people understand, the love that we have for AAS. It’s such a comfort to come back. Nona: Every time I have been in Bulgaria since I have graduated, I have come to the school, at least once. It is nice to meet new people but also, but apart from the people who have completely moved away, everyone who still comes back to Bulgaria… we still see each other every single time. Is there anything you miss from school? Both: OMG…we miss CEESA tournaments so much!! Rachel: And travelling…Do not get me wrong, I take volleyball at university and we travel every so often to compete, but it is so

different from CEESA. I miss being hosted. Nona: I miss having the opportunity to do so many activities. When I think back to when I was in high school, I did football, basketball, volleyball, speech & debate, choir, theatre, art, creative writing. If you try to do even half of those things in University, I think you would drown in your own tears. What I kind of miss from school too is people knowing you and actually caring about you. I do not think I can have the same connection with any of my University professors. Rachel: Yeah! You do not have the same relationship with the lecturer, as you have with the teacher. My lectures are like 300-400 people, he does not know any of our names and he does not care. Why would he care? I miss the small scale intimacy, whereas at University that is just blown out the window.

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Did you learn anything at school that is helpful now? Rachel: Learning to manage my time helped me a lot. I think that the IB prepared me so well for university. All my friends at university are finding the course stressful but because I have done the IB, I feel pretty confident I can manage. Nona: It’s not only time management. My course is pretty monotonous, you read some books and every two weeks you submit an essay. Having had to submit so many different assignments during the IB, I didn’t find it that hard to constantly have to produce papers at university. What are your plans for the next few years/months? Nona: In the near future, something that I am quite excited about is that I am starting bartending at my university bar. It is really good pay and only students can go in there, so I will be meeting students all the time. But at the same time I am looking at potentially transferring because I am not 100% happy with my course and the city. So, I am working on transferring to a University in the US, but that is where the close community thing comes in as well – they want a recommendation from one of my professors, but I do not think any of my professors know who I am. I am also looking forward to hopefully coming back to AAS next summer to do the sports camp because that was so much fun. The best job that I have ever had, probably.

Rachel: I still do not really have an answer. I will definitely have to move house. How it works at my school is that second year students all live in a student village in houses with 5 or 6 other people. So I am really excited to do that and just see everyone and catch up. Anything else you would like to share? Nona: Oh, I was going to say I also design things for “Green Spirits” shop (an ethical apparel shop, started by AAS graduate Despina Katsirouba, see issue #8 of the magazine for details). Rachel: Me too! Nona: I kind of put photography to the side when I am in London but I want to get back into it. I have definitely been thinking about doing something that involves both photography, design and then also writing in some ways.

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“LIVE IN THE PRESENT, LET GO OF THE PAST AND BE OPTIMISTIC FOR THE FUTURE.” IB COORDINATOR MS. KALINA BELIVANOVA LOVES HER JOB AND IS ALWAYS UP FOR ADVENTURE.

How did you decide to become a teacher? This was not planned. My first passion was environmental protection and outdoor research. I graduated with a masters in engineering in Forestry and Ecology. I wanted to pursue doctorate research on wolves in Canada. While preparing for exams a friend (now a colleague as well) suggested to me to apply for an open position at AAS while waiting. Well, here I am, 19 years later with my second passion; teaching and learning.

Photo by Joris Berthelot on Unsplash

What did you want to become when you were a kid? I wanted to be a Paleontologist. It must have been around 1st grade when I came across a book on a paleontology team digging for dinosaurs in Madagascar. I was impressed and reread the book many times. I think this same book sparked my interest in travel and explorations off the beaten track as well as in nature and outdoors.

1 2 TEAC HER IN THE SPOTLIGHT: KA LINA BELIVA N OVA the necessary consequences when they make a poor choice. The school is very supportive in educating students on how to be principled, honest, and reflective and it takes seriously matters of academic dishonesty for example. These conversations are not fun and can lead to learning some hard lessons in life. And what is most rewarding? Celebrating students’ success after years of hard work, comforting them during hardships, seeing them grow and develop as global citizens who are ready to pursue their dreams. How has the school changed in the years you were here? When I started working in the Elementary School in 2001 as a Grade 3 teaching assistant, the school was based at the American College campus. The total number of students was around 60, class size was up to 10-12 students. I remember walking inside the building in home shoes. Everyone knew each other, a very homelike, cozy atmosphere. Science classes and recesses were held in the nearby forest and amongst meadows covered in dandelions. What is the hardest part of your job as an IB coordinator? Although I like working with young adults, Ifind it particularly difficult addressing

What do you think is the most important thing students need to learn at school? Critical thinking, how to be a good person, how to take care of oneself and others in a respectful and mindful way, develop grit, believe they can make a difference and they are valued for who they are. You are a math teacher. How did you become interested in math? Why do you think people don’t like math and can something be done about it? One of my high school teachers inspired me to persevere in math. It wasn’t love at first sight but then I got the sparkle and it has been with me since then. There is a belief that some people have a “math brain” and others don’t. I would like to cite a brilliant educator, Ms Jo Boaler, who is trying to change this mindset. She says: “Everyone has the potential to learn math to the highest levels. We can grow our math brain. Math is a subject of beautiful connections, not disconnected topics”. What advice would you give to students that are just graduating? Never stop dreaming, love life and enjoy every moment. You are never too old to start something new. What’s your favourite thing to do outside of work? I love adventures, planned and unplanned. Most often you can find me

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with family and friends climbing rocks, exploring the winter mountains on skis, trail running and not least, visiting new lands far and close. I have a rule to visit at least one new place every year. During the week I usually run after my son in the nearby parks or climb at the gym. When the days are longer I love to take short hikes at Vitosha to admire the sunset, smell the flowers and simply connect with nature.

kidâ€™s laughter, a sunset, the adrenaline rush after clipping in the quickdraw*, and a reminder to live in the present, let go of the past and be optimistic for the future. I like to remind myself that everything is about perspective. I choose to be happy.

You travel a lot? What is your favorite place that you have visited and why? It is difficult to choose only one place. I love going back to the Dolomites in the summer and winter but I also fell in love with the virgin island of Kalymnos in the Aegean. Both places are spectacular gems for sports and scenery. What do you always have in your travel bag? A small charm from a last adventure: the last one was a tiny rock from a hidden beach at Kalymnos. This habit of keeping a small item helps me to focus on the really important things which usually are the little things in life: a smile, the sea breeze, the feeling of being scared,

*A quickdraw (also known as an extender) is a piece of climbing equipment used by rock and ice climbers to allow the climbing rope to run freely through bolt anchors or other protection while leading.

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MAGGIE ZHELYAZKOVA CLASS OF 2012

“I WISH I KNEW THAT THE ONLY EXPECTATIONS ONE NEEDS TO LIVE UP TO ARE HER OWN.”

When did you graduate from AAS and how many years did you spend at the school? I graduated from AAS in 2012 after spending four years at the school. How did the AAS scholarship program influence your life? At the time when I was applying to university in the UK, it was very difficult to apply to some schools with a Bulgarian

high school diploma. Applying with an IB diploma was very straightforward and I could focus on studying and writing application essays. The scholarship program also changed my life by exposing me to a new way of learning. The IB has fewer subjects that are taught more in depth that provide a very solid foundation. The biggest difference for me from AAS, however, were the people

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at the school. Having classmates from all over the world and from so many different backgrounds meant that over time as we became friends, I took a piece of their culture and their world and that became part of me. What is your fondest memory from school? My fondest memory was the graduation ceremony where my classmates and I celebrated together the end of a stage in our lives. The ceremony made each of us feel appreciated and in turn we appreciated how much the people around us had done for us – our families who supported us and our teachers who had taught us so much and cared for us. I remember walking down the graduation isle and at the end of it was my whole family waiting for me. What do you miss about your school days? I miss being intellectually challenged in various areas – history, math, philosophy etc. I miss learning about various subjects and challenging my brain in different ways. I miss the in depth and passionate discussions I had with my classmates.

What did you study at University? How did you choose that field of study? Initially I wanted to study civil engineering because I liked the idea of creating tangible structures that make a difference on a large scale. However, in the UK, one could only apply to a course that you already studied in high school and I didn’t have physics as one of my IB subjects. The closest thing was math and I knew that with such a degree there was a broad range of career paths to follow afterwards and I also enjoyed it, so that is how I found myself studying mathematics. What was the most exciting and challenging part of life at university? University experience is very different depending on what system the university is part of. I went to university in the UK where all final exams from both semesters were at the end of the year and accounted for almost the entirety of the grade for that year. So it was very challenging to have the self-discipline to study throughout the year, which I didn’t always do. Looking back I wish I had done more of that not because it’s impossible to pass the final exams by

1 6 A L U M N I U P D AT E S : M A G G I E Z H E LY A Z K O V A books, but from the people around us. His words made me wary and nervous and I hated hearing them, but over time I realized that they are one of the truest things I know. Is there something that you wish you had learned before leaving school? I wish I knew that the only expectations one needs to live up to are your own.

studying immediately prior, but because some of the subjects were actually interesting as I discovered, but didn’t have the time to explore them. Studying at university was very different from high school – a lot of the work was independent and required teaching myself the material and figuring things out. That was very tough at first, but the mental exercise of deducing rather than taking in, is one of the most valuable skills I took from university. A substantial part of any job is doing things that require getting done, which does not exercise the brain the same way that studying does, so after graduating from university I appreciated what luxury it was to have only one task – to become smarter and more knowledgeable. The best part of university were the people I met. Throughout the years I met people that somehow became my friends, hopefully for life. University life is fun, but life after university is exciting. There is the freedom now to choose what I do and where I live. I know better what I enjoy and what I want to spend my time on, and going after the things I want is what I find exciting. How is your learning at AAS helping you in “grown up” life? A former principal at AAS once told us that the most we will ever learn is not from

You are already working – tell us more about your job? I work in an investment bank; I sit on the emerging markets credit trading desk and my job is to facilitate client flow in the most efficient way for the bank. The role requires keeping up to speed with any headlines and making quick logical decisions based on the new information that presents itself; it also requires having a decent understanding of economics and building a view on what the future developments could be, based on what is known currently. I enjoy my job because it bestows responsibility and ownership. You have lived in London and now moved to New York. Which city do you like more and why? Both cities are great in terms of the career opportunities they offer and the fact that there is always something to do. New York is an amazing city, it’s authentic, it’s friendly and it has a lot of sunshine. What do you like doing in your free time? I go out with friends, go to the gym (occasionally) and sometimes paint. I took the latter as a hobby because I feel that it is very hard to switch off my brain and make it focus on one thing at a time, so doing something creative is my way of disconnecting and recharging. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? I would love to try other areas of finance like being a money manager or an active investor, but I am not set on making changes to my schedule; I believe in making the most of what I have in the moment.

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“You don’t need to go into the world having everything figured out as life always has your back”

CLASS OF 2014 GRADUATE IVAN DIMITROV CAME BACK TO BULGARIA TO CREATE HIS OWN VIDEO PRODUCTION COMPANY AND HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES GROW. When were you at AAS? I attended AAS from 1st to 12th grade, between the years of 2002 and 2014. Do you remember your first day at school? I do! At the time, AAS still shared facilities with ACS (the American College of Sofia). I cried a lot on my first day of school, and I have vague memories of being comforted by my fellow first graders and other members of the AAS faculty.

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What is your fondest memory from school? Sports played a huge part in my life while I was at AAS – my fondest memories are of time spent on the basketball court with my teammates, building skills, travelling for tournaments, and distracting ourselves from self-imposed adolescent pressures. How did you choose what to study at university? My choice was influenced by my high school geography teacher, Thomas Pindur, who did an awesome job of creating an engaging and exciting learning environment for our HL Geography class; this made me think I might like to pursue a career in the field. While I did take a year of general courses at my university before declaring my major, most of the available first year classes took place in an auditorium with 100-200 people, I had no contact with my professors. While some people may respond well to lecture-style learning, I felt a lack of momentum, drive, and energy throughout the first few years of my traditional university education. What was the most exciting and the most challenging part of life at university? While I’m not extremely pleased with the academic part of my education, I definitely attribute a lot of excitement to opportunities provided by my university outside of the classroom. A year into my time on the island (I studied at the University of Victoria, which is located on Vancouver Island in Canada) I got a job selling memberships

at the university’s brand new athletics facility. I met all of my best friends there and built a massive network of fun loving, like-minded people – not to mention the fact that I was able to earn money, giving me financial independence. I was also extremely lucky to go on a 3 month foreign language exchange in Spain, and travel across Western Europe for a month on an urban planning and sustainability field school. The most challenging part of life at university was living 10,000 kilometers away from my parents and extended family for long periods of time. I needed to go that far away to learn some life lessons, but it was not always easy to exist away from a support network that I was previously used to and dependent upon. How is your learning at AAS helping you in “grown up” life? My education at AAS gave me some absolutely phenomenal skills. I am extremely grateful for my strong grasp of the English language, my soft skills (interacting and communicating harmoniously with people), and my ability to think deeply and analytically. Students at AAS get a chance to be mentored and draw from the knowledge of skilled educators one on one, a privilege that is not afforded by students attending most public schools. Is there something that you wish you had learned before leaving school? Yes! To chill out. I wish someone had drilled it into my head that everything was going

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to be alright. That life always has your back, and that you don’t need to go into the world having everything figured out. We are all just at different levels of figuring it out for the rest of our lives. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life when I graduated from AAS, and following what was fun and what I was passionate about is what led me to where I am today. Why did you decide to come back to Bulgaria? I graduated from university in April of 2019, and I figured that if I didn’t move back to Bulgaria now, I might never move back. Things were going well for me in Canada, but I trusted my intuition which told me that it was time to move back. Did you experience cultural shock when you went to study and then when you returned to Bulgaria? I did, and I definitely felt it more coming back to Bulgaria as a somewhat permanent resident rather than as a tourist. The biggest thing that I came up against was the negative outlook that so many Bulgarians seem to share with regards to many things. I don’t want to generalize, but I feel things here are often shrouded with a lot of judgement and cynicism. Coming from North America, where most people believe that you can achieve whatever you set your mind to, I definitely had to develop a thicker skin to combat the negative energy. I use it to fuel my desire to really achieve what I am here to achieve!

You have started your own business. Tell us more about it. I developed quite a powerful interest and passion for video editing and production about a year ago, and have been working on making a living from it ever since. I believe very strongly in the power of video as a problem solving tool for businesses (i.e lack of time, lack of money), and video-related businesses are trending at the moment. Look no further than your smartphone to see evidence of the biggest information platforms transforming to accommodate more video and less text. I know that video is going to be my main avenue for serving others and creating some pretty incredible things (two of my main goals in life.). The biggest challenge so far has been doing the inner work required to make me believe that I am worthy of success, and doing the tasks required to make my goal a reality (meeting with business owners, selling my service, etc). What are your plans for the near future? I am on my way to building a reputable business that delivers results and allows me a lifetime of freedom and highly enjoyable “work”. I plan to use my service as a means to travel and work internationally, with Sofia as my home base!

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KRASTINA ARANITASI “THE PARENT’S PRESENCE AT THE SCHOOL SHOWS THAT YOU BELIEVE IN THE INSTITUTION AND SUPPORT YOUR CHILDREN”. Krastina Aranitasi is Bulgarian, but she had hardly lived in Bulgaria before coming here with her family in January 2017. The campus was the first thing that impressed Krastina when she first came to AAS. “There was a very strong sense of community as well”, she shares. The Aranitasis are a truly international family – they have lived in London, Istanbul and Cuba and are soon moving to Skopje, Macedonia.

Moving every 3-5 years to another place is hard, but the family already have quite a lot of experience, having changed 5-6 countries and several international schools. Despite that, “The first few months are always difficult. You have left something that you are used to, you need to get used to the new environment, make friends, set up a house.” However, their family has found a way to make these hard times easier: communication. “We teach our daughters to speak up when they are sad, speak up when they are happy. To not bottle up their emotions, as we all go through these ups and downs and we need to share it with somebody.” says Krastina. Her philosophy on raising happy kids is quite simple: be as involved in their lives as possible. “The most important thing is to be there whenever you can – whether it’s for an event, homework, an essay, or a university application. As long as they know they can rely on you – everything else comes along with that.” Krastina says that she also encourages her girls to read a lot, as this helps in discovering new worlds.

PA RE NT IN THE SPOTLIGHT: KRASTINA A RA NI TASI 21 Krastina has always been involved in Parent Teacher Organizations in the schools her girls have attended. She firmly believes that children do enjoy seeing their parents around school. “Your presence in the school shows that you believe in the institution and support your children.” she says. In her opinion, a good school should teach its students to give 110% in everything they do. “I have changed professions four times in my life, but no matter what you do, I think you should invest yourself fully – your devotion and desire to contribute is what should lead you. Teachers and parents should lead by example, of course and we share the responsibility for the future of these children.” she says. Krastina says that the AAS experience has been a positive one for the Aranitasi family and they would gladly come back to visit. The AAS community is also very lucky to have them, as they have always been very supportive of all school initiatives. We sincerely hope that our school will remain “a home away from home” for the Aranitasis.

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STANIMIRA GEORGIEVA

“Chocolate can be used creatively to empower teams and promote social issues”

How does a Master of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science decide to pursue a career in fine chocolate-making? Is it possible to leave the prestigious position of Head of Human resources in a large international bank, to become a master chocolatier? Stanimira Georgieva, AAS parent and Board member, will tell you that’s exactly what she did and she feels happy with her choice. It all started when Stanimira received a birthday voucher from her husband – a chocolate tasting trip to Brussels. It turned out to be a professional chocolate course. She got inspired by the power of chocolate to express creativity, empower teams and promote social causes, and decided to become a social entrepreneur and master chocolatier by opening her own company in March 2015.

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Stanimira got certified in 2014 after an intensive professional course for chocolatiers with Ecole Chocolat Academy of Chocolate Arts in Vancouver, Canada and specialized as Master at the Culinary Academy of Callebaut in Belgium. In 2015 she graduated the Horeca Culinary School with intensive pastry practice in Radisson Blu in Bucharest, Romania. “This is a very sweet business for sure!” Stanimira shares. Not only “sweet” but gratifying as well as her social enterprise helps people at risk of social exclusion to develop their professional skills. “Stanimira Chocolate House” provides jobs, and continuous training in the production of luxury handmade chocolate products and organization of events with chocolate. As a social entrepreneur, Stanimira aims to discover and develop individual talents and transform their difficult realities into opportunities. “Our colleague Ralitsa, who is blind, has exquisite sense of food pairing and flavors. We work together in the production lab and create new flavors of our chocolate products. In March 2019 at the 8th International Forum of Social Entrepreneurship and Social Economy we received the prestigious Award for “Innovation in Social Economy” shares Stanimira proudly. To anyone who is interested to pursue a career as a Master Chocolatier, Stanimira points out that constantly improving by training, practicing and being mentored

by the best in the field is critical. Are there any bitter parts of this sweet profession? “Delivering orders to clients during summer, especially 3D chocolate figures and bonbons with very delicate shapes is the hardest part of our work”, says Stanimira with a smile. Her life is not only about chocolate though – together with her family she likes running marathons, mountain climbing and supporting various social causes. Naturally, we asked Stanimira what is the craziest chocolate flavour she has tasted and she replied: “42% dark and milk chocolate with baked onion” We are sure you would agree – this seems to be among the best jobs one could have!

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26 GIVING BAC K TO AAS

You give to us and weâ€™ll give to you! Have you considered that by giving something back to the school you could gain valuable experience and recommendations on your CV? While currently AAS does not offer formal internships (although watch this space), a number of alumni have returned in recent years and have done a range of activities in support of the school which they tell us have been valuable in their gaining the sometimes elusive experience needed to get further employment. Over the last few years our graduates have helped the school on a short-term basis with administration support and theatre performance

preparation, and have worked as elementary Teaching Assistants, sports coaches and organisers of sports and summer camps. Although ad hoc and not formal paid positions, alumni say that they have really enjoyed being back at the school and seeing life from the other side of the coin to the student perspective. And, as well as using their skills to assist the school, they are able to gain that much needed exposure to experiences and the references that they can show to prospective employers. Some of our most recent alumni helpers have included, Rachel Croft, Petya Yordzheva, Nona Dimitrova, Joyce White and Essa Godding. If you are going to be back in Sofia for a while and would like to help out at the school then get in touch with us.

Save the date GIVING BAC K TO AAS 27

FIFTH

March 7th 2020

The International Choice

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MORE DETAILS COMING SOON

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“SHOOT FOR THE MOON. EVEN IF YOU MISS IT YOU WILL LAND A M O N G T H E S TA R S . ” LES BROWN

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A PIECE OF NEWS, AN INTERESTING STORY OR SOME PICTURES CAPTURING A MOMENT FROM YOUR LIFE JOURNEY, alumni@aas-sofia.org

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