Alumni Magazine #7

AAS APPOINTS A NEW SCHOOL DIRECTOR / RUNNING TOP TIER TUESDAY / CHRIS SWANN / “The Eyes on A A S / J I M & LY N A N D E R S O N / A A S N E W B U I L D I N G / DAVE & RENE FOSSUM /clASS OF 2018 GRADUATION

FOR LIFE / Chaz’s FUN FRIDAY & four paws” foundation visit to AAS TALENTS: KALINA BATKOVA / / AND MORE...

AAS

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MAGAZINE

AAS APPOINTS A NEW SCHOOL DIRECTOR

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ALUMNI

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CONTENTS

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INTERVIEW: JIM & LYN ANDERSON AAS NEW BUILDING

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ALUMNI UPDATE: CHRIS SWANN

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INTERVIEW: DAVE & RENE FOSSUM

RUNNING FOR LIFE

CHAZ’S FUN FRIDAY & TOP TIER TUESDAY

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AAS TALENTS: KALINA BATKOVA

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CONTENTS

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“EYES ON FOUR PAWS” FOUNDATION VISIT TO AAS

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GRADUATION

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TRIBUTE TO FEDI BASHUR

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THEATRE PHOTOGALERY

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LONDON REUNION #4

04 AAS LEADERSHIP

AAS APPOINTS A NEW SCHOOL DIRECTOR Dr. Tim Fries (pronounced Freeze) has been appointed by the school board as the new AAS School Director starting in July 2019, succeeding Jim Urquhart.

Tim is currently the Elementary School Principal at AAS, arriving in Sofia in August 2014.

Prior to joining AAS, Tim gained experience in many different roles in education, including: school principal, classroom teacher, teacher’s assistant, teacher of English as an additional language, and environmental educator.

Tim earned his Master’s degree in teaching and his Doctorate in education policy at the University of Washington (UW), Seattle.

He earned his Principal’s Certificate and his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Western Washington University.

Tim spent most of his childhood in Seattle, USA. As an adult he has worked with students in the United States, Slovakia, and Germany.

He is married to Tricia who teaches in the high school. They have three children, a high schooler, middle schooler and one in elementary.

They have a two dogs, Rosa and Raven.

Tim cherishes family time and together they enjoy being outdoors, reading and playing all manner of games. Tim also enjoys writing, cooking, and photography.

AAS LEADERSHIP 05

06 RUNNING FOR LIFE

RUNNING FOR LIFE Angelia Foundation is a non-profit organization which was created in order to help children battling cancer. It was started by Lia’s parents, after their daughter, who was a student at AAS, lost her life due to leukemia. Her parents reconstructed the wing in Isul hospital which treats children with cancer and established the Angelia Foundation in order to help increase the children’s chance of survival.

The AAS Angelia Club was started as a Fun Friday Activity to give AAS students a chance to work with a charity by organizing events and collecting donations. As we are a very fortunate community we focus our effort on raising funds for the hospital through bake sales and other school based events. All our proceeds go toward satisfying the hospital department’s needs. It is important to us as an organization to never provide the hospital with direct finances instead we purchase necessary equipment. We communicate with the hospital’s director and psychologist in order to have a holistic view of which improvement will benefit every child in the department.

RUNNING FOR LIFE

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RUNNING FOR LIFE

RUNNING FOR LIFE

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a huge event and it was definitely a challenge.

I hope that next year it will be easier for them to plan it as unfortunately, I will not be there to shoulder the majority of the work. The most rewarding thing about doing work like this is seeing the lasting impact on our community and in the improvement at the hospital. As I was walking with one of the elementary students they told me about a member of their family that unfortunately passed away because they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get the treatment necessary on time. Our club focuses on improving the lives of the children battling cancer and it is vital for our community to understand the significance of our goals.

INTERVIEW WITH NICOLE ILIEVA, ORGANIZER OF THE ANGELIA WHOLE SCHOOL RUN.

group has been quite small so it was always a challenge to plan large events but I hope that after this run we will be able to continue this event to raise awareness for this important cause.

How did you decide to get involved with the Angelia project?

I decided to join the Angelia Club 4 years ago because it was a cause that enabled me to better childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives. During the first hospital visit that we went to, I got to play with the young children who had so much light in their eyes and all they wanted was to be healthy. I felt like it was our duty, especially since we are very fortunate, to help those in need. Throughout the years our

What was the hardest thing to do while organizing? And the most rewarding?

The hardest thing to do was to ensure that everyone had the same information and was confident with what was going to happen. As it was a school-wide event it was quite difficult to manage and organize because each level of the school has different schedules. I am very grateful to everyone who helped because this is the first time that we have ever planned such

How much money did you collect (if you know) and what do you plan to use it for?

Last year we were able to collect over 10,000 leva with the help of the PTO who donated a generous amount of money from the Spring Fair proceeds.

With that money we were able to provide the wing responsible for treating the children in Isul Hospital with a valuable medical refrigerator. This piece of equipment is used to store organs for transplantation, vaccines and other crucial medications for the children.

With this event we have managed to get funds from donations, as well as our T-shirts and hat sales. We plan to use the funds raised this year to improve the state of the small house within the hospital grounds where the parents of the children who live outside of Sofia can stay. Many families come from all over the country in order to get treatment for their child, however, many of them can not afford to pay for a hotel. Unfortunately, many of the families are unable to stay with their children as there is limited space in the rooms so they have the option to pay BGN10 and stay in the house. Often there is little to no space as there are a lot of families. Our goal is to remodel and hopefully expand that accomodation space.

This is important as there have been numerous psychological studies that indicate that when the children are in a supportive environment surrounded by loved ones they have a better chance of battling the illness.

Do you plan any other initiatives to support Angelia in the near future?

We will be having the Angelia Month in January where we will have several events to raise funds and awareness for our cause. We will be selling T-shirts and hats throughout the month and we will have our annual talent show.

I am very passionate about this cause; thank you for the opportunity to share this information.

10 AAS COMMUNITY

I T ’S T O P T I ER

CH AZ !

AAS COMMUNITY

Chaz is a high school maths teacher at AAS and here he explains how he came to be Top Tier!

Charles “Chaz” Phillips

Top Tier Tuesday came about while

I was living in Kuwait. The way the weekdays are set up there, Sunday is the first weekday and Thursday is the last weekday. This makes Tuesday the middle day, or hump day. A friend and I decided, since we were required to wear ties to work, to wear bow ties in the middle of the week. It was fun and gave us something to look forward to. This same friend and I worked in Saudi Arabia as well. That’s where we learned that we both love bow ties. I also use this day to remind myself and others to be the best version of yourself that you can be. Be Top Tier.

Fun T-shirt Friday started when I moved to Bulgaria in the summer of 2015. I love

wearing t-shirts. I wear them instead of having tattoos. There are so many funny jokes, comic book characters, bands, organizations, and causes that are important to me. This weekly event gives me the opportunity to express a part of me: goofy and/or serious sides.

Humans are complex and are able to feel multiple conflicting feelings simultaneously.

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A L U M N I U P D AT E S : C H R I S S W A N N

A L U M N I U P D AT E S : C H R I S S W A N N

Now It’s All History!

Chris Swann is a former student at AAS. He writes to tell us what he’s been upto since graduating high school and leaving Bulgaria.

After graduating from AAS in May of 2013, I returned to Mississippi to attend The University of Southern Mississippi and pursue a Sports Coaching Education degree but switched to Social Studies Licensure in my second semester. I initially attended Southern Miss with the intent of becoming a Division I head basketball coach and found a job working with the women’s basketball program at Southern Miss to further that goal; however, due to my experiences with the women’s basketball team and an excellent US history course with one Dr. Susannah Ural, I found that I was far more interested in teaching history and coaching middle or high school students.

That decision to switch my major to Social Studies Licensure was the second-best decision I made during my time as an undergrad. Though Southern Miss is only a medium sized school, it offers a very wide variety of history courses, and in those courses the professors often went out of their way to provide additional experiences that allow you to interact with people who lived through some of the time periods we were discussing. Just in my third year alone I met an underground activist from Cuba, 13 members of a WW2 Army Engineer Company and a Holocaust survivor. I also had a semester course on the Vietnam War taught by Dr. Andrew Wiest (a specialist on the Vietnam War) and John Young, a veteran of the war, who provided a firsthand account of battles and other important events.

There were also many opportunities to get involved in and around campus. I both participated in and officiated in various sports, later becoming a supervisor which allowed me to take part in several competitions as an official. I also attended Baptist Student Union services and became a member of the local chapter of the History Honor Society, Phi Alpha Theta.

throughout the country, or if I had been dead set on coaching first and teaching second, the women’s basketball coach would have gladly found me a job. Learning to willingly try new experiences is the reason I consider my college career to have been successful. Receiving my degree was great, but the real value was in all of the people I got to meet along the way.

Speaking of people I met along the way, by far the best decision I made at Southern Miss was to ask my now wife Brooke to marry me. We met, ironically enough, in my Vietnam War class and like to say that at least someone found happiness from that war. After about a year of dating, we got married a couple months after graduating in a beautiful ceremony near the beach in Gulfport, Mississippi. After our wedding we moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where Brooke is earning a law degree from the University of Virginia.

Our plan is to change the world through law and education, although I have failed in trying to convince her that the best way to do that is as a personal injury lawyer!

I have missed living in Bulgaria, particularly the food and the low cost of living. I have also missed spirited conversations in Mr. Pindur’s class on how Hitler should have gone about his Russian campaign, despite now knowing that it would have taken an act of God for Germany to conquer Russia. Brooke and I plan on visiting one day, but until then I will focus on my continued efforts in convincing her that being a sleazy rich lawyer making money from others pain is far better than serving the community and making a difference!

Regardless of where someone might attend University in the United States, there will always be plenty of these kinds of opportunities, and this is usually the best way to build a network and find jobs. Had I chosen to not focus on my teaching degree I could have easily found a job working with recreational sports programs Chris with Holocaust Survivor Leslie Schwartz

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14 SCHOOL EVENTS

â&#x20AC;&#x153;THE E YE S ON F OUR PAW S â&#x20AC;? F OUNDATI ON V I S I T T O AAS

Understanding the needs and capabilities of blind people and other individuals with disabilities is an important component of any curriculum, lesson, unit, or education. According to the Foundation Eyes on Four

Paws, there are 16,000 blind citizens in Bulgaria and over 200,000 in the Balkans. How many students at AAS have seen a blind person walking down the street with a cane or a dog?

How many students have a family member or friend who is blind? How many students have never met a blind person? How many students have no understanding of the challenges the blind may face, the ways they have adapted to live in a world built for those with vision, or even how similar their lives often are to ours?

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16 SCHOOL EVENTS The two week visit by Eyes on Four Paws Foundation helped educate students on better understanding the needs and capabilities of blind people.

For those who may be unfamiliar with the organization, Eyes on Four Paws Foundation is “a full member of the European Guide Dog Federation and the International Federation of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Membership in these 2 prestigious organizations is a guarantee of the quality of their trained service dogs. The team of the foundation consists of 4 instructors, 4 seers, a host and a secretary.

Currently, the foundation has trained and handed over 56 dogs.”

For the first week of the visit one of the Foundation’s volunteers, Tedy Choukchoukov, generously went above and beyond by visiting each library class with her retired guide dog Egida. In each class she explained the exams guide dogs must pass and answered student questions. She taught students how to safely approach a new dog before petting it.

After the week of visits by the kind and generous Tedy, Kalina, a blind student, and her dog Karma came to campus to demonstrate how they work as a

SCHOOL EVENTS team to navigate the city. An obstacle course was set up on the field and students participated in a variety of activities that demonstrated to them how difficult being blind can be and how useful a guide dog is when trying to navigate down the street, in a building, or while using the public transit system.

The visits were instrumental in educating students on the many ways they can support

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the blind and their guide dogs when they see them out in the city. The visits also gave students great respect for the amazing work that guide dogs accomplish every day and all the ways that blind people are helped by their dogs.

Next year we hope to continue our work with the Eyes on Four Paws Foundation to increase student understanding of those with disabilities and how we can help them.

1 8 I N T E R V I E W : J I M & LY N A N D E R S O N

I N T E R V I E W : J I M & LY N A N D E R S O N 1 9

Gday, Mate!

Old Friends from ‘Down Under’ revisit AAS An interview with Jim and Lyn Anderson, former Elementary teacher & principal at AAS by Estelle Koehler EK: When did you work here at AAS? Lyn: 2002-2012, that’s 10 years.

We started off in the old campus.

EK: Where was the old campus located?

Lyn: At the American College of Sofia. We were there for 5 years with Erik Larsson (Director) Then it must have been 2007 when we moved to this campus.

EK: What’s the difference between that campus and this one?

Lyn: Well, the old campus was huge because we shared it with the American College Jim: We also shared it with the headquarters of the National Police which owned the whole site and which had a large part of it. Our school was in one of the houses.

EK: Did you share buildings with ACS such as the cafeteria or the gym?

Lyn: No, we had our own. We could use a lot of the grounds.

They had beautiful chestnut trees.

EK: How did you not mix up the kids?

Jim: The students from each school were physically separated. We had our own playgrounds and facilities.

Lyn: It was a beautiful school and beautiful grounds. The kids really loved it there. At that time AAS was about 120 children.

EK: What were your positions?

Jim: I was a Grade 3 teacher at the old campus. When we came over here, I think I was teaching grades 3,4 & 5 - it’s hard to remember! And then

I become the Principal for the Elementary school.

Lyn: I started off in Preschool, then I moved to Kindergarten and when this campus opened I was the Grade 1 & 2 teacher.

I finished up as a Grade 2 teacher, so the children I taught in Preschool and I went up together! It was really lovely.

EK: What are the biggest changes you’ve seen now you’ve come back to visit?

Lyn: The finish of the middle and high school construction.

We weren’t here for the opening but we watched it being built. We could see the construction which was pretty special because we were on the second floor. Also the growth of the plants; many of the trees we planted with the kids. We designed the

playground with the children, so it’s really lovely to see that all their ideas have been incorporated.

Jim: One of the things I love to see is the fact that there are some big chestnut trees growing by the Preschool because that was a marvelous feature of the old campus, the huge chestnuts. Every autumn the kids used to gather them into big piles like squirrels and then there would be these, sort of, competitions to see who could get the biggest pile of chestnuts. Maybe in 10 years or so, that’s what will be happening here again.

EK: Did you get a chance to see the chickens, the pond and the garden?

Jim: Yes and I think that’s a really important part of the

school because many kids these days grow up not connected to nature in anyway. I think schools have a really important role in allowing that to happen. I see you have ducks too. It has become like a little eco-system at AAS. EK: The school has also grown in size. It’s around 550 students now.

Jim: I think it was around 370 students when left.

EK: It has changed a lot as well in regards to activities available and sports since I graduated in 2013.

Jim: So you were still here in this old building?

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I N T E R V I E W : J I M & LY N A N D E R S O N Lyn: I have lots of great memories living here.

EK: Now it has become a lot more urbanized. Тhere are 9 humongous malls.

Lyn: Just as we left there were several malls being built.

EK: Do you miss any Bulgarian food?

Lyn: Oh, we love Bulgarian food!

Shopska salad...

Jim: Peasant salad, kebapche...

Lyn: The cheeses…There is a lot of choice.

Jim: Yes and there seems to be even more now!

Lots of buffalo cheese and goats cheese.

Lyn: The fruits and vegetables, the seasonal ones are very special.

EK: They are still very good, although in more recent years it is getting harder to find good fruit and you have to go locally into a village to find it.

Jim: That’s a shame because we used to shop at Mladost market.

EK: I graduated in the new building. My last year was in the new building, but, yes I started in the old section and then the new, which is nice.

EK: What are you up to now?

Working, relaxing...?

Jim & Lyn: (laughing) Both!

Lyn: We have been back in Tasmania for two years now, which is where we are originally from. We were away for 23 years, so we decided to return there and relocate. We have some land there and we do a little bit of farming and gardening. We had ducks and hopefully we’re going to have chickens. Now I am doing some consulting work, working with teachers and schools.

Jim: My job, I guess, is part-time farmer.

Also, a part-time tour guide at a historical site near by us. I saw an advertisement in the paper one day ‘Do you like telling stories? Join us!’ Part of my job is telling ghost stories at night time at this old historical site, which I really like and during the daytime I look after these historical buildings and welcome people/tourists who come to see it from all over the world.

EK: So you just changed from teaching kids to grown ups?!

Jim: Exactly! Educating them about the history of that little spot. A world heritage site in Tasmania.

Lyn: Sometimes, there’s groups of students that come through.

Jim: A few months ago we had a big group of Bulgarians come through. So I said Добро утро! Как сте?

Lyn: They were very shocked you could speak a bit of Bulgarian, weren’t they!

EK: And your own kids?

Lyn: They went up to 8th grade here at AAS and then the American College of Sofia.

Our daughter then went on to study environmental science and she is an ecologist. She works with Australian native animals with a conservation organisation in Western Australia.

Our son is a white water rafting guide. He basically travels the world, from places as diverse as Northern Australia to Uganda, Morocco, Canada and Alaska, following the rafting season. In the summer he comes back to Tasmania so we get to see him.

Jim: It’s a fascinating job!

EK: It’s good for our future graduates and alumni to know, what kind of jobs there are out there so thank you for sharing that.

Lyn: They just really loved living here in Bulgaria, as teenagers. Bulgaria was just starting to integrate into the EU, but they liked the nature. We all loved being outdoors.

Jim: They had quite a lot of freedom too. We always felt Sofia was a very safe place for young children and so they were able to travel on the buses, catch the trains and do all those sorts of things. They had quite a few Bulgarian friends and our son played a bit of rugby here with a local team.

Lyn: We did a lot of mountain biking and as a family we loved skiing and snowboarding EK: Yes, that’s the benefit of having a mountain close by.

Jim: Absolutely. Go out, catch the gondola and in 20 minutes you were on top of the mountain and snowboarding all the way down to our front gate!

EK: What are your fondest memories of AAS? Something that you miss sometimes?

Lyn: Well, I think about all the nationalities. There were just so many. And what I think is really special is with that diversity you have the opportunity to learn and understand about so many different cultures. Also, how the children embraced everybody as new students that arrived at the school.

Jim: For me, one of the things I miss is going on field trips - even with the elementary classes - an overnight field trip of one or two nights. We got to see so many interesting places. The

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children got to experience rural Bulgaria, as well as some historical monuments. And simple things like a BBQ and having some kebapche over the coals. Just wonderful experiences that the kids I think remembered. I also miss the school as it was a small school about that time, to the point that you could know everybody and that was really something very special. I think it’s great when a school can be like that where everyone is supporting each other.

EK: It is true. It is harder to keep that closeness the bigger it gets.

Jim: At the same time you need a bigger school to provide all the programs.

Lyn: I just loved this outdoor environment for teaching. There was so much that you could do within this environment in terms of the teaching and learning.

Jim: When we came here, that was one of the things that really attracted us to Bulgaria because they had this amazing outdoor and activity program. Kids could go bike riding, or just on walks or gardening or do sport.

Lyn: I still remember ski week: where we all got to go up the mountain. I mean that had its own issues but it was just amazing.

Jim: Yes, but I guess that had to change as the school got bigger.

EK: Thank you both for taking the time to talk to me.

Jim: Thank you, it has been fascinating to come back here and meet all our old friends.

Lyn: It feels very familiar being here and it has been lovely to see everyone.

J i m ’s t r a c t o r l i c e n c e p l a t e r e m i n d s h i m o f t h e g o o d o l d t i m es s pe n t in So f ia

22 AAS NEW BUILDING

AAS NEW BUILDING

3D Visualization

These are some 3D drawings, showing how our new Art Centre will look. The weather has been quite favorable, so construction is continuing on schedule.

Block D Construction

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2 4 A A S T A L E N T S : K A L I N A B AT K O V A

From

Sofia to Surrey

An interview with budding musician and recent AAS graduate,

Kalina Batkova

Tell us more about yourself: how long did you attend AAS, when did you graduate?

I studied in AAS for five years and graduated in 2017.

What is your fondest memory from your time at school?

It is so difficult to choose as AAS brought me so many precious friendships and memories. I was so fortunate to grow up amongst inspiring teachers and talented classmates, creating memories I will never forget. I always look back at all the class trips, school performances and lunch breaks with a big smile on my face.

Where are you now?

What do you study/do?

I am a university student and an aspiring musician. I study Marketing at the University of Surrey, in Guildford, UK and also attend the Academy of Contemporary Music with a specialisation in songwriting.

How does â&#x20AC;&#x153;life after school feelâ&#x20AC;? - what do you like most and what is the biggest challenge?

Life after school is definitely very independent. I like the freedom of it and looking after myself. Sometimes I feel lazy about cooking for myself though, haha!

The biggest challenge for me is thinking about the uncertainty of the future. Where would life take me after I graduate university and will I be happy?

There is definitely a certain amount of pressure I put on myself when it comes to achieving my goals and sometimes you just have to let go and not overthink everything.

A A S T A L E N T S : K A L I N A B AT K O V A

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A A S T A L E N T S : K A L I N A B AT K O V A

How did studying at AAS help you in the life at University?

Growing up in an international community, I was able to build awareness of different cultures and feel comfortable to express my opinions. Furthermore, the number of guest speakers and class discussions has helped me recognise and develop my moral compass and values. And let’s not forget about the IB - it really taught me the needed skill set to be confident and prepared for university.

Do you have a favorite musician/singer that inspires your work?

I feel like that’s a question that musicians really struggle with because we have to take inspiration from all genres. I am a big fan of classic rock and alternative pop, and you can hear that in my music. I also admire artists such as Queen and Lady Gaga - absolute masters at performance that are able to intertwine so many genres and create true art.

You are a musician/songwriter. When did What are you currently working on? you first discover your passion for music? Are you planning on releasing a single/ Ever since I can remember I have loved album? Where can we find out more singing and have viewed music as more than about your work? a soundtrack to my life. I would sing along to my favorite songs and really connect with the music, but a part of me thought it was just a thing all kids do. Then as a teenager I started learning the piano and the guitar. Shortly after starting to play the guitar, I began to write music which led me to think that I have something to say and I’d do my best to make people hear it.

Yes! I am releasing my first single and EP (short album) next year. They will be available on all major streaming platforms. I’m working really hard on it, not only musically but also visually, so I think that people would really be able to identify with it. To get more details and updates about it you can follow me on Instagram at @k.linaofficial. I’m super excited to share it with everyone!

A A S T A L E N T S : K A L I N A B AT K O V A

What do you think a young musician needs to succeed in their career?

Firstly, you need to really believe in your music and not just follow the trend, because trends change and the audience would be able to tell if you’re not being authentic. I think authenticity is definitely key. Also, you should do the maximum you can on your own. What I mean is self-release. Just find people around you to collaborate with and be as creative as you can. Don’t just wait around or reach out to publishers and labels. You should have done things yourself first and built a portfolio and following. Even if only ten people listen to your music, so what?

If you’re good at what you do, the only way is up.

What are your plans for the near future?

Well, the goals are to finish university and release more songs. Just be as creative as

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possible and work with lots of like-minded people. I think that surrounding yourself with passionate and determined people is key, so I’m excited for future collaborations. In the short-term I’ll be trying to get as many gigs as possible, with maybe some in Sofia too.

Anything else you want to share with your fellow AAS Alumni?

The main thing I want to say is

don’t compare yourself to others

because this never leads to success, it only leads to negativity and life is too short for that. Instead simply take inspiration from others. I think the key to being successful and most importantly being happy is self-love.

It sounds very simple but one would be surprised how overly self-critical people could be, including myself. Just love yourself because at the end of the day, the person you wake up with every morning is you.

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I N T E R V I E W : D AV E & R E N E F O S S U M

We left Sofia with a ton of memories David and Rene’ Fossum were teachers at AAS from 2007 to 2011.

In September they returned to the school to visit old friends and see what had changed. We were able to catch up with them and help them reminisce about happy times and get their take on the changes they saw.

How did you come to AAS in the first place?

Rene: We retired in 2007 from the public school system in the USA after teaching for 34 years and decided that it was the opportune time to fulfill a dream we’d had since college, to teach overseas in the international school system. Through some luck and good fortune we ended up in Sofia and worked there from 2007 to 2011.

We can’t imagine that we would have had a better experience anywhere else.

What did you teach while you were here?

David: While at AAS, Rene’ taught 3rd and 4th grade and I was the K-12 Resource teacher. Rene’ also helped lead the HOSIC (Hands On Student Involvement Conference) program for high school students and I helped coach the high school boys and girls football and basketball teams. When we started in 2007 we only had freshman (grade 9) and sophomores (grade 10) so we sometimes had to borrow students, not necessarily athletes, from the host schools in order to have enough bodies to field a team!

Regardless, we were almost always competitive. Coaching sports and groups, such as HOSIC, allowed us to get to know students we would otherwise not have the occasion with which to spend significant time. These types of experiences made for unforgettable, lifelong memories What is your favourite memory from your time in Sofia?

Rene: There are so many experiences from our time in Sofia that make us smile that it’s hard to choose just one or two. Our shared favorites have to be the amazing sight seeing trips of Bulgaria, organized by Elena, Elka, and Krassi.

I N T E R V I E W : D AV E & R E N E F O S S U M

We truly feel that AAS must be one of the nicest and most beautiful schools in the entire world.

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One unforgettable memory was watching students from three or four nationalities walking along with arms over each other’s shoulders talking and laughing, obviously best friends. They would often get together as families and share their cultures. Isn’t this what it’s all about?

Kalina Belivanova is the current IB coordinator but in 2007 was David’s aide. David told us he is very proud that he was able to support her in getting her teaching degree and feels he learned more from her than she did from him!

David: One of my favorite memories is when several of us went on a hike led by Kalina. If you know her well, you know how much she loves the outdoors and is constantly hiking, rock climbing and mountain climbing. She took us to a popular destination called Seven Lakes.

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I N T E R V I E W : D AV E & R E N E F O S S U M

G R A D U AT I O N

When we got there, the line to ride the chair lift to the top to begin our hike was very long and Kalina was too impatient to wait. She decided to lead us up a switchback goat path that was almost straight up. By the time we reached the top everyone but Kalina was completely spent and we hadn’t even begun the hike we came for! It turned out to be a gorgeous hike but also an unforgettable experience. We all had a good laugh when we got back!

Our biggest class so far (32 students) graduated in June 2018.

Here are some precious memories from the ceremony

What was different about coming back to AAS now?

Rene: When we visited the school in September we were amazed to see the changes in the facility and surprised by how big the school has become.

What a magnificent situation the students are in, to receive a first rate education at AAS. Did you keep any things from your time in Bulgaria?

Rene: The main things we took with us when we left Sofia were a ton of great memories. But we did manage to take a few souvenirs with us as well.

We collected some traditional Bulgarian pottery from Sofia and Veliko Turnovo. We also found two beautiful paintings of Bulgarian villages that hang proudly in our house. Another treasured souvenir is a roof tile painting from Elena Deneva (Elementary ELL teacher) that she gave us before we left.

What does life look like for you now?

David: When we left AAS in 2011 we decided to retire for good after teaching for 38 years. We currently live in Washington State, a half hour ferry ride from Seattle, on the west side of Puget Sound and moved recently to a small town 10 minutes west of Bainbridge called Poulsbo, a Norwegian themed town of about 10,000 people.

Rene: We have been busy living the dream and it often seems like we’re never home. We have been fortunate to do a lot of traveling with close friends, Gary and Nan Whittaker, whom we met at AAS. And, we have been on a photo safari to Tanzania and Zanzibar, and China and Peru to visit and travel with Kathy Caldwell and Diane Holloway, who were teachers we became friends with at AAS. We raised two daughters, who are now married and we are proud grandparents of 2 granddaughters with 2 more babies expected in the spring. This is keeping us busy, as you might imagine.

David: We enjoy hiking and backpacking in the great northwest and spend time golfing, gardening, and visiting with family and friends. We volunteer weekly at a local food bank for those less fortunate. We also did some international aid work as volunteers providing sustainable resources to orphanages and women’s shelters. We like to say that we are so busy we’re going to need to hire someone to help us be retired!

What would your advice to the alumni of AAS be?

David: To the alumni, I would say, you were well prepared during your time at AAS. You will have plenty of time to make your mark on the world. You should work hard, follow your dreams, but most important, realize how fortunate you are and take time to give back a little. I’m not talking just about giving money to worthy causes. Roll up your sleeves and give some of your time to a cause you find dear. It could be tutoring a needy student, mentoring a fatherless or motherless child, or volunteering your time at a children’s hospital. You decide. It just may be something that changes your life as well as offering tremendous value to another human being. Know that everyone at AAS who helped you along the way are very proud of you and look forward to hearing about your successes in the future. Best of luck to all of you in your endeavors to make the world a better place!

Interviewed by Svetla Stoyanova

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G R A D U AT I O N

G R A D U AT I O N

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PROM 2018

This was the first AAS Prom held at Vitosha gym.

PROM 2018

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TRIBUTE TO FEDI BASHUR

Fedi Bashur 1999-2018

Tribute

This year we tragically lost a very dear friend and alumnus, Fedi Bashur, Class of 2017.

Although Fedi is no longer with us, the impact that he made on on our school community and many of us personally, will live on forever. Fedi exemplified what it means to be a well-rounded student. He not only epitomized our AAS core values of commitment, respect and excellence, he was always kind, humble, and willing to share his time whether you were a peer, younger student, coach, or teacher. He was interested in the people around him and extended constant friendship.

Additionally, Fedi was known for his accomplishments and excellence in sport, particularly football, basketball and volleyball; he was awarded AAS’ Male Athlete of the Year in 2015. He was also fully committed as a thespian by enthusiastically performing on the stage, taking the lead in the school’s productions of Aladdin, Faulty Towers, Hairspray and The Comedy of Errors.

Always ready to give a helping hand, Fedi was selected to go on the Tanzania trip as a student mentor. He touched the lives of the children he met at the local orphanage in Africa, as well being a wonderful role model to our younger student travelers. Fedi came back from that experience and, in typical Fedi fashion, shared a humility and understanding beyond his years.

He was also one of the founding members of the Student Activity Leadership Team (S.A.L.T), which is a student leadership group that continues to thrive.

Fedi was a popular, respected, admired, and well liked character around the school. The entire community at AAS, staff and students alike, feel his loss keenly.

Celebration of Life Ceremony

Led by a group of Fedi’s classmates and fellow alumni, the school held a celebration of life ceremony. This was an opportunity for the school community to come together to grieve our loss. Students, teachers, coaches, community members and parents lit a candle and spoke about the legacy that Fedi has left here at AAS. The privilege of knowing Fedi and having him as part of our school was a gift that we will all treasure forever.

TRIBUTE TO FEDI BASHUR

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RETIRING

JERSEY #24

During his high school career, Fedi was a 12 time all-star team nominee in the Central and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA) for basketball, volleyball and Football. The head of the National Amateur Basketball League (NALB), Marin Mehandjiev, presented the school with a trophy in Fedi’s name, and said “Fedi was an exceptional athlete and a true sportsman, off and on the court” “He will be missed by all of the players, referees and coaches in our league”.

Although, it would have been an honour for any student-athlete to wear Fedi’s jersey, the Athletic Department, along with the entire school community felt it was only appropriate to retire Fedi’s number. His jersey is now hanging proudly outside the Wolf Den, where Fedi and his teammates spent countless hours not only training hard but also building lasting friendships.

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T H E AT R E P H O T O G A L L E R Y

NO 4th WALL THEATRE

LONDON REUNION #4

16. 02. 2019 Hotel: The Lensbury with an unusual dinner location

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

JOIN THE FB GROUP “AAS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION” https://www.facebook.com/groups/194415734253545/