THE AMERICAN COLLEGE IN SOFIA

THE AMERICAN COLLEGE IN SOFIA

Dr. Ksenia Kisselincheva

Rising like a phoenix from the ashes, after fifty years of oblivion, the College came back to life in the spring of 1991, by conducting an American - style standardized exam and selecting its first batch of students in the post-communist era. In the last seven years, it has reaffirmed its reputation as one of the country’s leading educational institutions, renowned way back from the 30’s to the present, for its commitment to high standards of academic excellence and personal integrity. But let’s step back in time and find out how it all began ...

We can trace back its origins to the schools, founded in the 1860’s by American missionaries - a boys’ school in Plovdiv and a girls’ school in Stara Zagora. In 1871, the two schools were merged and moved to Samokov, the seat of the American council on the Balkans. A large number of the graduates had a sense of mission and dedicated themselves to priesthood, teaching and social work. In 1926, once again, the College was moved this time to Simeonovo, just outside the capital city. It was reestablished on a 100-acre campus at the foothills of the Vitosha Mountain. During the next decade, 19 buildings were built, providing classroom space and housing for most students and faculty members. The College and its new president, Dr. Floyd H. Black, were warmly received by the Bulgarians. The Parliament gave the new school as a grant-in-aid a tract of timber that yielded about 50,000 USD.

Up to the eve of the World War II, a whole network of American schools has been set up across the country, embracing all stages of education from kindergarten to secondary school level. But the American College in Sofia was definitely the jewel in the crown. When World War II broke out, many of its graduates were occupying leadership positions in Bulgarian education, government and the professions.  But, the main driving force behind the flourishing of the college during the years from 1926 to 1942 was its director, Dr. F. H. Black. Untiringly, he attended to everything and everyone - the real estate, the curriculum, the teaching staff and administration. He would listen carefully to anyone, irrespective of his position in the hierarchy and he would act as troubleshooter to any problem or crisis, having arisen.

But the fate of the college was inevitably to be molded and twisted by sweeping historical forces. After Bulgaria, under Nazi insistent urge, declared war on the United States in 1941, the American faculty members were advised by the Bulgarian government to continue with their activities. Nevertheless,  in spite of the heroic efforts on the part of Dr. F. H. Black, the staff and the students to keep the college going during those turbulent years, an order of the Ministry of Education, issued in  August 1942 delivered the final blow to it all. The Nazi commander-in-chief in Sofia imperatively demanded from the Bulgarian government to close the college down.

The final farewell scene took place at a suburban railway station in September 1942. I was told this moving story by a witness, an ex-university teacher of mine, who rushed to the station together with other college alumni to bid farewell to their beloved American teachers, woefully forced out of the country. After an avalanche of interrupted confessions, sticky handshakes and bouquets of flowers, the train started pulling out of the station on its way to Istanbul and then suddenly ... all the students, huddled on the platform started singing the College hymn and then took up other songs.  Their voices grew stronger as the train was receding out of sight; they were fighting their tears back and kept on singing well after the train was no longer seen.

The indomitable spirit, instilled in their young hearts helped them to endure during the post-war years, when the Communist government seized the assets of the American College and subjected its associates to systematic persecution. Some of them were sentenced to death, others were sent to labor concentration camps and most of them were persistently denied jobs and opportunities. But they did not give up and not only endured but prevailed. The memory of the College could not be obliterated; it kept on shining through in various ways. The ex-college graduates were indispensable when it came to compiling dictionaries, translation of classic and modern books, translation, editing and broadcasting at BTA, Radio Sofia and Sofia Press Agency. Their language skills and overall competence were much in demand at the National Bank and foreign trade organizations. I, myself, have been fortunate to have ex-college alumni as teachers at school and university, to whom I owe so much ...

Rising like phoenix from the ashes, as the College majestically stands on its newly reclaimed grounds, it is aspiring to recapture the best from its past and to face up to the impending challenges of today. When I met Mr. Lou Perske, the present director of the College, its recent history unraveled before my eyes. The ferocious and laborious battle with government institutions to restitute the unlawfully impounded property had to be waged by the first director, Dr. Roger Whitaker, sent to rebuild the College, to make it rise from the rubble and devastation. Most of the buildings, though structurally sound, were gone to rack and ruin, the library had almost been destroyed, the beautiful park had turned to an overgrown jungle. As Lou Perske admits, Dr. R. Whitaker’s task was very demanding and it was sheer miracle for the short span of two years that his mission had been successfully completed. When Dr. A. Charles took over in 1994 he had to grapple with some serious financial problems and to struggle to keep the college going. Also, his job was to see to the growth of the College to a five year program. He saw to the regular enrollment of a 100 students for the next three years, a process brought to a climax in the first graduation ceremony in 1997.

What were the sticky points when Mr. Lou Perske took over in 1997?

“We are taking the best of the brightest students on a scholarship basis. My mission was therefore to make the College financially stable and to further solidify the operations. Also, we expect all our students to go on to university and we give them some assistance with that ...”

The facts speak for themselves. Sixty-seven out of hundred graduates took the SAT exam last autumn. Their average score was higher than that of last year’s freshman class at Columbia or Johns Hopkins University. Many of them had been admitted to 55 leading American universities, among them Cal Tech and Princeton. Of the others, most were accepted at the American University at Blagoevgrad and Sofia University.

In the spirit of the traditional values of the College, Mr. Lou Perske put a special emphasis on their ambition to stick to high standard of academic excellence and personal integrity - fully aware “they were educating the future leaders of the country”. And he added that according to the best of American educational concepts, extra-curricula club activities contributed substantially “to developing all-rounded personalities”.

But I could learn more about the activity of over than 50 clubs from Mr. Bill Fisher, Dean of Students at the College:

“The club activities are voluminous and range from competitive to non-competitive ones, from swimming and fishing to basketball and volleyball. Culture is one thing a number of students are interested in. The Criss-cross club informs the students about cultural events in Sofia, while the Culture club enlightens their classmates on a variety of American and Bulgarian customs and holidays. There is also “the Weak Care Club” which is involved in charity. They sell baked cookies and other goods to the parents to raise money for the orphanage. Each club has its presiding officer who keeps me informed about what has been planned and what is going on. The art clubs are quite active, the drama club, standing among them. They’d had put up a few productions which were a huge success, like “Alice in Wonderland” and “Hair”. Now they are rehearsing “Dracula”, which is to be shown shortly. Some of the students think their extra-curricula activities are adding on to their assets as prospective university applicants”.

Mr. Bill Fisher was honest enough to discuss openly with me some of the problems he confronted as a Dean of Students. One of them was irregular attendance. Part of the problem was the increasingly demanding requirements of the College. In the prep, attendance was not a problem, but it turned into a problem with more mature students, who were moreover encouraged to skip classes by their friends from other schools, where truancy is a mass practice. Drug abuse is another serious issue which had to be seen within the context of drug abuse which is a true epidemic at many secondary schools in Sofia.

What is the College’s strategy in this respect? One thing is educating the youngsters about the hazards to their health, health classes which were incorporated in their biology or sports classes. Another thing was discussing the issue informally with them, or showing them documentary films about the devastating effect of drug abuse on young lives. Another problem, yet to be tackled, is the reintegration of younger and older students with each other. Naturally, it has to be done with the assistance of student government and by organizing more study trips and excursions.

Another more serious challenge is cultivating in the pupils a tolerant unprejudiced attitude to cultural diversity. They discuss different aspects of it in the English classes, they learn about long suffering minorities like gypsies and Jews. Moreover, the undergraduates are exposed to teachers  of different nationality and culture - American, British, Canadian, Russian, Georgian, which inevitably broadens their horizon.

Also, there is a code of honor, deeply embedded in the school’s tradition, which implies certain strict rules of behavior, like honesty, discipline, a sense of responsibility. I discussed this issue with Mr. Tim Smith, the College councilor, who  works hard at improving the students’ chances in applying at universities. He explained that, as far as the code of honor goes, they gave pupils a second chance, so offences done in the 8-th grade were not kept on record. But when the offences showed a recurrent pattern, strict sanctions were applied and the offences were put down on their record. Later, this information is passed on to prospective educational institutions in the US. The students are fully aware of this requirement in tune with the College’s mission to cultivate an acute sense of social responsibility.

 I also met Jill Newton, a biology teacher, who, unlike Bill Fisher and Tim Smith, was a newcomer to the college. She thought the kids were bright and eager to learn. But, in her opinion, they were a bit inhibited in expressing their point of view, compared to American kids who have no fear of doing it.

While walking around from one office to the next, from the library to the multimedia lab, from the biology to the chemistry lab, I could get the feel of the place where the youths seemed to be comfortable and at ease, always laughing and cheering. I watched them play basketball, strictly censuring each other, then other pupils, playing table tennis with “a coach” who supervised the fairness of the game, and some more inquisitive minds poring over books in the library, probably preparing their weekly essay.

While going around the college buildings, I had casual chats with students of a different age. What was common in their response was their sense of pride of belonging to such a reputable institution. They were strongly aware of the rare chance of being admitted on the basis of their wits and not on economic grounds. They all liked the liberal atmosphere where you could freely express your views and suit your various interests in the clubs. They appreciated they were looked after by their teachers as far as their plans of further education go. And most of all, for the excellent education that would give them better chances in the future. They all liked the intercultural atmosphere at the College, they thought it broadened their horizon and made life more exciting. Hopefully, on hindsight, they might think of the college years as the best time of their life.

On leaving the college, I contemplated the dignified outlines of the four buildings that have been beautifully restored and the spacious campus grounds that had turned into a jungle has regained much of their previous well‑groomed look. While enjoying the greenery around me I remembered a curious detail from the College’s history. When it moved to its present site, there was a rule - whenever a pupil did something wrong, he had to atone for his “sin” by planting a tree on the campus grounds. The “sin” had long been forgotten but the trees are still around, witnessing another “golden age” in the dramatic history of the American College in Sofia ...         

Sofia Western News Monthly, October 1998

USAGE OF THE ARTICLE IN ACADEMIC WRITING (Notes from a public lecture, delivered to PhD students on 12 November 2012 at The Institute of Mathematics and Informatics to the BAS)

USAGE OF THE ARTICLE IN ACADEMIC WRITING

Dr. Ksenia Kisselincheva

Notes from a public lecture, delivered to PhD students on 12 November 2012 at The Institute of Mathematics and Informatics to the Bulgarian Academy of Science

I would like to refresh your knowledge about the usage of the definite and indefinite article in English, by summarizing the main rules of correct use with suitable examples. At the same time, we’ll try to trace out a number of key differences in their use in the Bulgarian language. This should be done with a view of the confusion, caused by these differences since it accounts for the common mistakes, made by Bulgarian learners of the English language.

The differences between the two languages start from the very beginning:  a definite article can be used with countable nouns in English, while in the Bulgarian language, a definite article can be used with any noun, both countable and uncountable. Also, the definite article in English is always placed before the noun, while in Bulgarian, it is placed in post position to the noun, as an integral ending. In English we say:

e.g. the laptop, the mobile, the printer, while in Bulgarian, we say: лаптопът, мобилният, принтерът

But, unlike in Bulgarian, on the whole, we cannot use the definite article in English before uncountable nouns, except in specific cases. In contrast to that, in our native language, we can use the definite article with uncountable abstract nouns:

e.g. In English we say: knowledge, freedom, justice

       In Bulgarian we can say: знанието, свободата, справедливостта

The differences between both languages are even more striking, when the issue of the indefinite article is addressed. In Bulgarian, we don’t have to bother with thinking of the indefinite article, we may call it “a zero article” which applies to both countable and uncountable nouns:

e.g. книга, таван, цвете

Conversely, as we have remembered well, in English, we always use the indefinite article “a” or “an” with countable nouns in the singular. It originates from the cardinal numeral “one”: 

e.g. a house, a yard, an apple, an hour

There are specific cases where the indefinite article can be used with uncountable nouns, as the case is, when a particular representative of a category is mentioned:

e.g.  I know a Ghetti, he deserves well his family name.

I would like just to remind you about the flexibility of the English language - we can easily turn any uncountable nouns into countable ones by placing something like “a piece of” or “an item of”:

e.g. a piece of advice, an item of news, a slice of lemon, a loaf of bread etc.

Also, unlike the Bulgarian, we use the indefinite article with some cardinal numerals like:

e.g. a dozen, a hundred, a million

Apart from this, we are also on the alert not to omit the indefinite article in some set collocations:

e.g. have a good time, have a cold, be in a hurry, it is a shame etc.

Unfortunately, we have to memorize them, since such collocations are numerous and commonly used, but, it is in away a blessing in disguise since it is good exercise of our memory!

There are some other peculiar cases of employing the indefinite article with certain quantifiers, such as:

 a lot of, a great deal of, a few, or with adverbs of frequency, such as: once a week, twice a day, sixty miles an hour etc.

As it was already mentioned, abstract nouns in English do not take the indefinite article, except when the meaning is narrowed down and specified by a defining clause.

e.g. We loved with a love that was more than love

No indefinite article is generally placed in set expressions such as:

 e.g. have lunch, have breakfast, have supper, have dinner

 However, the indefinite article is always placed when the meaning is further specified in one way or another.

The definite article derives from “that”, a demonstrative pronoun for pointing at an object which is not within immediate reach. As far as the pronunciation is concerned, it is pronounced [thə] before words, beginning with a consonant or a semi-vowel and it is pronounced [thi:] before words, beginning with a vowel or a silent “h”:

e.g. a desk, a yard, a woman, an orange, an hour

Unlike the indefinite article, whose usage is more restricted, the definite article can be generally used with both countable and uncountable nouns:

e.g. the glass, the mobile, the luggage, the furniture

It is widely used with nouns, which are unique of their kind within the framework of our human perception, such as:

e.g. the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, the horizon etc.

The definite article is always employed with nouns, which have just been mentioned in the previous sentence, or a preceding clause of the same sentence:

e.g. There is a flower in the vase. The flower is crimson red. / I met a student of mine, I mean, the student who asks too many questions.

Also, the definite article is required, in case the noun is specified by an adjective, a phrase or a subordinate clause:

e.g. the man that I met; the young woman I told you about,  

Before nouns, denoting objects which are unique within a certain environment, the definite article is obligatory:

e.g. Open the door! (There is only one door to the room which is available.)

Making generalizations is a special case in point, as it has already been shown with the usage of the indefinite article. It is a major stumbling block for Bulgarian learners of English because in certain cases, the rule of generalizations in English differs significantly from the respective rules in the Bulgarian language. So, we omit the definite article in generalized statements when the countable noun is in the plural:

e.g. Horses are noble animals. / Babies cannot survive on their own. / Laws are made by people, so they cannot be perfect. Ban examples!

While with a generalized statement, referring to a countable noun in the singular, the definite article is used both in English and Bulgarian:

e.g. The horse is a noble animal; The panda bear is a threatened species; The bike is an environmentally friendly vehicle.

However, the rule of generalized statements for uncountable nouns follows a different pattern in English and Bulgarian:

e.g. Butter is made from milk. - no article, while Masloto se pravi ot mliako. - a definite article. 

Another difference between the two languages which is misleading for Bulgarian speakers, and, which is often the source of silly mistakes, refers to the usage of the definite article before certain geographical names – like rivers, seas, oceans, straits, mountain chains, peninsulas, a group of islands, deserts, countries, regions:

e.g. the Nile, the Black sea, the Turkish Straits, the Alps, the Sahara desert, the Balkans, the USA, the Middle East,  the West Indies etc. 

Conversely, in Bulgarian, no article is placed before some geographical names, related to the geographical names of water resources:

 e.g. Nil, 4erno More, Sredizemno more, Dunav, Sena, Niagarski vodopad, the Persian Gulf etc.

No article is placed in Bulgarian before geographical names of peninsulas, groups of islands and deserts:

e.g. Sahara, Zapadni indis, Apeninski poluostrov,     

 Another tricky difference between the two languages which misleads foreign learners concerns surnames. In English we put the definite article before the surname when used in the plural, while in Bulgarian we don’t:

e.g. the Andersons, the Forsytes, the Kennedys, but Ivanovi, Petrovi, Dimitrovi etc.

We should always bear in mind that there are some exceptions with names of states when they contain the word republic, kingdom or states, whose name is in the plural:

e.g. the United Kingdom, the united States of America, the People’s Republic of China, the Netherlands, the Philipines etc.

Another difference in the usage of the definite article refers to names of newspapers, magazines, ships, museums, galleries, hotels, restaurants, theatres and cinemas:

e.g. The Times, the Economist, the Titanic, the British Museum, the Tate Gallery, the Sheraton Hotel, the Bombay Restaurant, the Lumiere Cinema etc.

There are other special case when we omit the definite article when we think of places or institutions as a place for carrying out a certain activity:

e.g. at school, in prison, at university, go home, go to bed to enter university etc.

I would like to turn your attention to a subtle difference in usage of the definite article. We say “the most charismatic” but when we employ “most” with the meaning of “pove4eto”, we omit the article in English.

Apart from this, it might be difficult for Bulgarians to remember such expressions as:

e.g. in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening

Or, also remember some special cases like:

Go to the cinema, go to the theater, listen to the radio, play the guitar, play the violin, go to the doctor, go to the dentist etc.

Basically, no definite article is placed before nouns, which have a generalized meaning, such as raw materials, metals, colors, academic subjects, sports games, certain activities:

e.g. iron, silver; writing, ironing; chemistry, biology; chess, squash, golf, cricket etc.

As we mentioned above, we don’t place the definite article before places where a specific activity is carried out, however, when there is a name, attached to it we omit the article:

e.g. Harvard University, Yale University, Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square etc.

We omit the article in certain expressions, such as:

e.g. at night, by day, by car, on foot, from top to bottom, arm in arm, day after day etc.

So, I have tried to summarize the specific difficulties in the usage of the article which Bulgarian learners of English face and I would recommend to you to do more drilling exercises in the Internet, in order to get over the misleading influence of your mother tongue.

I would like to finish my exposition with a generalization from the 90’s which might make you laugh: “Phd’s drive taxis”, so make sure that no such generalization is true for you, hopefully, when you receive this academic degree. You should be well motivated to do so, since scientists are privileged to explore uncharted territories of knowledge until their last breath, and while doing this “valuable service to humanity”, scholars are paid money to satisfy their insatiable curiosity.

     Thanks for attending the event and taking an active part in it! Good luck in all your creative endeavors!

ДА ПОДДЪРЖАМЕ ТОПЛИНАТА МЕЖДУ НАС И МЛАДИТЕ

ДА ПОДДЪРЖАМЕ ТОПЛИНАТА МЕЖДУ НАС И МЛАДИТЕ

Интервю с проф. Станислав Памукчиев

Проф. Станислав Памукчиев е завършил Националната художествена академия през 1979 година. Работи в областта на живописта, рисунката, обекта и инсталацията. Направил е над 30 самостоятелни изложби, както у нас, така и в редица европейски страни – Германия, Холандия, Австрия, Франция – и САЩ. Участник е и в редица колективни изложби и селекции на международни форуми от рода на Арт–Цюрих и Арт-феър в Стокхолм. Последната му изложба се състоя в галерия Академията през октомври-ноември 2013 година.

Как повлия на оформянето Ви като художник изборът на специалност „Стенопис”?

Моят избор определено повлия в посока на относителна свобода в школовката. За разлика от академичния импресионизъм в руски стил, който доминираше тогава, стенописта ме учеше на условност, деформация, стилизация. Малко по-късно българската живопис беше обновена и преобразена от големите – Никола Петков, Светлин Русев, Иван Кирков.

Вие чететe и осмисляте много автори, свързани с изкуството, религията и митологията. Какво Ви даде един Бердяев, който сте прочели от начало до край?

Много ми е дал. Теоретична плътност и патос в откриването на други пространства. Не по-малко е въздействал на светоотношението ми Мирча Илиаде. И задължително трябва да спомена Джоузеф Кембъл ‑ друга звезда на небосклона на сравнителната митология и културология.

Кои от поетите обичахте да четете на млади години?

От чуждите – Торо и Уитман. От българските – Дебелянов и символистите. Всички тези влияния затвърждават едно интуитивно докосване до скрития смисъл и едновременно то върви и през усилието в рисуването, през мъчителните търсения да намериш себе си.

И как стигнахте до предпочитанието на пепелта като материал и като техника?

Всичко е дадено предварително. После – само се осмисля. Неповторимото себеизразяване на художника става с непрекъснато опипване на територии. Търсейки материала, който да изрази моите интуиции и прозрения, стигнах до пепелта. Тя носи голяма смислова дълбочина с културната си символика свързана с огъня. Огънят е в основата на нашата цивилизация и е символ на пречистване, трансформация, медиатор между тук и отвъд, преход от материално в духовно. Пепелта е следата от грандиозен акт на трансформация. Човечеството само от 150 години е на електричество, в предишните етапи на съществуването му всичко се е въртяло около огъня.

Има ли други български художници, които работят с алтернативни материали като пепелта?

Да, има, но смятам, че не е така концептуално осмислено. В абстрактната живопис има автори, които работят с пръст, слама, пясък, графит и други. В началото на 90-те години имаше опит за разширяване границите на картината, от който съществена част беше промяната на материала и техниката. При мен, пепелта беше осмислена като смисъл и съдържание, а не само като промяна на материала и визията.

Какви са основните тематични внушения във Вашето творчество?

Метаморфозата в човешкия смисъл. Вечното движение на пътища и смисъл. Голямата метафора на живота и смъртта. Диренето на морални и ценностни мотиви. Картината като пространство, ограничена от рамката, ме заведе до пластичните триизмерни пространства. Моята предишна изложба на Шипка 6 през май 2013 година беше посветена на инсталационната техника, която закономерно ми наложи своята условност и абсолют. Но устойчиво се запази тенденцията на моето интуитивно усещане за трансцендентно-мистичното, както и за големите опозиции: тяло – дух, свещенно – профанно, светлина – мрак, осветената и сенчестата страна на човешката психика.

Какво мислите за комерсиалната визуална култура, която ни атакува навсякъде?

Не мога да скрия моята съпротива срещу днешната употреба на културата като забава. С други думи, развлечение след като сме били употребени физически, морално и интелектуално. Културата е възникнала преди всичко като коректив и като духовно изкачване, а не като забава. Аз се съпротивлявам срещу тази подмяна в предназначението на изкуството. Масовата култура подбужда глад за зрелища и сетивни удоволствия. Това е част от програмата за обезличаване на човешкото у човека, превръщането му в удобен материал за манипулиране.

Говорите ли на тази тема с Вашите студенти, интересно е какво мислят за масовата култура?

Разбира се, че да. Разговарям с тях във всички посоки. Обаче през тях минава и друга информация и те реагират по различен начин. Особено през последните няколко години, разликата във възрастта между нас става все по-осезаема. Опитвам се да поддържам топлината между нас като живеене и реакции. Благодарен съм на професията на преподавател, че не ме затваря в моя бульон, че потъвам и се разтварям в други енергии. Опитвам се да си поддържам будно любопитствата към съвременното изкуство, независимо от моята лична програма на художник.

Има ли тенденции в съвременното изкуство, които Ви допадат, и такива ‑ които ни Ви допадат?

Разбира се – да. Това, което става в западната култура има свои исторически цивилизационен ход. Ние се намираме комплексирано в периферията на този ход. Мисля, че в момента траекторията на западната цивилизация е низходяща по-скоро, отколкото възходяща. На нас, като хора в провинцията не и остава нищо друго освен да имаме своята позиция, своята отговорност и достойнство. Да изберем своята позиция, вярна с нашата национална традиция, а не сляпо да копираме. Може да черпим вдъхновение и пример от високите постижения на западното изкуство, но не да преписваме. Трудно е, но задължително да запазим своята самобитност, въпреки диктата на медиите и обществената конюнктура. Потопени в информационния океан младите лесно могат да се удавят и да не намерят своята неповторима идентичност.

Според Вас човечеството, ако стигне до краен предел, ще тръгне ли в друга посока?

Много мислещи хора смятат, че това неизбежно ще стане. Аз се опитвам да върна човека към първичното усещане за мистичното. То се намира на границата на познаваемото, и пред бездната на неизвестното. Тогава се поражда търсенето на отговори, което е дало начало на всички религии. Ввъ ново време заменихме това чувство за мистичното с илюзията за икономическия и технологическия напредък и още повече с консуматорското задоволяване на желанията. Този постоянен стремеж у мен към трансцедентното е опит да спася нещо от себе си и да разговарям с другите за нещата от живота. В крайна сметка трябва да извличаме нещо стойностно и трайно.

Смятате ли, че въпреки изкушенията на новите технологии не трябва да се поддържат традиции в обучението на младите художници като изстраданато усилие да се научиш да рисуваш добре?

Лично аз мисля, че трябва да се мине през изстраданото усилие на научаването да рисуваш добре и аз застъпвам идеята за умерена, умна консервативност в Академията. На Запад беше загубена класическата традиция в обучението на младите, но сега отново се връщат към нея, към изискването да се изобразява и да се развива дарбата, заложена у родения художник. Само тогава той може да намери трайно своята неповторимо индивидуален почерк. 

Интервюто взе д-р Ксения Киселинчева
ноември 2013

THE PERSONAL TOUCH MAKES GUESTS FEEL AT HOME

THE PERSONAL TOUCH MAKES GUESTS FEEL 

AT HOME

Interviewed by Dr. Ksenia Kisselincheva

The General Manager of the Kempinsky hotel in Sofia has graduated from an elite hotel management school in Lausanne, he has had an impressive variety of experience in exclusive hotels the world over. The World Trade Center in Beijing, The Shangrila hotels in China and Malaysia are only a few of the highlights in his professional record. He has been all over European top-class hotels but he has a special preference for the Kempinsky brand in the hospitality business. He has great regard for venues which have a tradition and history behind them. The Kempinsky dates back to 1897 and has successfully combined the grand style of the past with the new image of an exclusive modern hotel with all the range of up-to-date services.

I’m really impressed with you high-profile professional experience in the hospitality business. Would you be kind to share some valuable instances from your practice?

What is most valuable for me, this my great love for the business. You won’t excel in anything unless you put your heart and soul into it. Another thing is to generate ideas, to be creative – that is to strive fervently to see things in a different way, from a different angle. But the most important instrument in the hospitality business are people. That’s why we are very particular about selecting and training our staff. We don’t work with machines which can be returned, repaired and sold again. We work with a special product which functions every second of the day-interaction of our staff with our guests.   And

thingswork smoothly, this is our moment of truth. We cannot recuperate any mstakes the way you can do in a factory.

What would advise managers of your rank?

I would stress the importance of selecting and training people.  The hiring procedures have to be very reliable and very accurate. But, for me, the most important criterion is the kind of attitude. The staff should be people with a positive attitude to life and people, they should show tact and patience and should be ready to solve any problems.

In what way hotels like Kempinsky distinguish themselves from other hotels of the same class?

First of all, Kempinsky is among the oldest hotels which are of world renown today. It was founded in 1897 and has maintained its high standard of service for over a century. What is distinctive about our strategy is that we try to adapt to local culture, the historical heritage and this gives an individualistic character to our hotels in different places the world over. Some places we have palaces or grand hotels, other places we have smaller hotels, depending on the specific local environment. Like in Fuerta Ventura, which is an expensive beach resort, we have a grand hotel which is done in classic style, we have emphasized the unique character of the place and we have made look special.

Do you think the idea people have of the modern type of hotel corresponds to the one you would like to promote?

 We have to listen to what people need and expect from us and at the same time we have to promote new ideas and try to persuade them that they contribute to their comfort and well-being while staying with us. For example, we organize national day celebrations where the respective national cuisine is served, combined with fashion shows and live music. We are also the venue for many important international and national events because we can offer all the high class standards, brilliant organization and all the facilities.

What is your strategy in attracting the audience of One World magazine, especially those who fly by business class of Lufthansa? As you know our magazine has been distributed to the respective airline for over a year?

Kempinsky is a German household name. We have a lot to offer in our hotel in Sofia. We have a multiple choice of restaurants, offering various national or international cuisine. The beautiful Japanese garden is a special asset of ours. You can sip your drink while enjoying the splendor of nature in the middle of a two million strong city. The recreation center offers all the range of services of a sporting center from fitness and bowling to swimming and massage. It is quite spacious and the ambience makes you feel relaxed and comfortable.

How do you envisage the hotel of the future?

Definitely, the hotel of the future is supposed to offer a greater number of services which will correspond to the changing needs and expectations f the customers. I think it will be a top priority to cater to the individual guest, to satisfy his specific requirements. I imagine there will be executive lounge clubs where guests can meet and even do business. This will be like your living room and private office away from home. There is nothing like meeting people directly, face to face. I don’t think video-conferencing and e-mails can substitute the live contact. And guests should feel the hotel like a second home where they are treated with a personal touch at every step.

                                                                                                     

One World Magazine, 2007

WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER

Prof. S. Jacobson is a graduate from the University of Oregon and is presently teaching law at Willamette College, the first university founded in the West. Her controversial book “Democracy Against Corruption” came out recently in over 2000 copies in the first round. It is a unique edition in itself, including both an English and a Bulgarian version and is published by the Council of Ministers. She was interviewed on the occasion by Dr. Ksenia Kisselincheva

 

The promotion of your book seems to be highly relevant to our country’s massive effort to deal with corruption in the final pre-accession months. Could you tell us what its particular objective is?

This book is trying to force an important change in the functioning of public administration. In the seven years after 1989 there wasn’t really a change in the way it worked. Now there are some positive things happening in this direction. That’s why we thought it would be helpful for everyone in government to have a template of what their goals really are. To look at it more globally there are all kinds of changes that are needed, so we have to look at the policies behind what we are trying to accomplish.

What is the idea of corruption that you put forward in your book?

The first portion of the book puts forward a definition of corruption. Corruption is broadly defined to include what most people consider to be corrupt, i.e. not only breaking thr law, but breaking ethical and moral norms. When you breach these norms for personal gain, we have a problem with corruption. The perception of corruption is very high in Bulgaria and for that reason the government can define it only in terms of an illegal act, while the public is defining it much more broadly.

What are the instruments of democracy in tackling corruption?

The second chapter of the book is discussing the democratic principles that are important in administering a government. There is a basic difference between the way an authoritarian and a democratic bureaucracy function. Unfortunately, most of the current bureaucracy in this country really falls under authoritarian. While a democratic bureaucracy offers multiple opportunities for public involvement and participation. The public acts as the most powerful check against abuses of power.

How do you see the complex relationship in a democratic society between government and those governed?

The government only exists in a democracy to serve the people. The      constitution expressly says the power is with the people. Since ther were no dramatic changes in the bureacracy here, it continued to function as before, that is in the authoritarian state. So, this is a point to fix in a democratic administration. There are a number of important mechanisms that should be in place. The most important mechanism is already in place, that is, the right to request government information, information which is not classified, is provided to the public. The access to information program, headed by Guergana Juleva does a wonderful job and shows how well the law is implemented. The compliance rate is greater than ever before. Most people don’t know how to use their rights, they are still afraid to complain or to stick out. As you know, in the past, to be noticed was the worst thing that could happen. So, there is still a lingering sense of being intimidated by the representatives of the authorities.

Are there any other procedures to be incorporated in the law?

Definitely, for example another important procedure that does not yet exist is public input in the development of laws. Laws, as they are passed by Parliament, are necessarily written generally. How they are implemented is all determined by one of the Ministry’s Resorts Departments. So, public input is really important there. Right now it is a closed circle situation. There is no public input that you find. There are aspects to problems the vested interests will not let you know about. You need information in order to have wise decision making. The effect on the public of this decision making is extremely important. So far the surveys indicate the public does not trust and does not have much faith in the government.

How could the public’s awareness of their rights to participate be raised?

By learning to speak out, by being aware that their voice is to be heard and taken into account. And the government has a responsibility to listen to that voice. Because the government is there just to represent the people and to work for the public good. The professionals have to prioritize and look at the long-term future on the basis of different points of view. There are two primary ways the people need to be involved. The public can control those in government by insisting the code of ethics be applied to everyone. Right now we have a law that applies to the lower level employees in government. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. It looks horrible the ministers cannot agree on an ethics plan for themselves! A conscious effort is needed to create a culture of integrity to avoid conflict of interest. Secrecy begets corruption, so there should be access to information for things like property ownership of high government officials, the way political parties are funded, transparency concerning funding of election campaigns etc. So, only in this way you can build a democratic society where the interests of the public come first and foremost and it is involved in the day-to-day functioning of the democratic principles.

Sofia Echo weekly, 2006

NOT ONLY BIRDS BUT HUMANS CAN ALSO FLY

Not only birds but humans can also fly

Dr. Ksenia Kisselincheva

Lachezar Boyadjiev is a Bulgarian sculptor who lives in the San Fransisco Bay area.  One of his works, called “Angels” has been appreciated by Hillary Clinton and has been installed in the White House. He has studied glass sculpture under the renowned Czech professor Stanislav Libensky, so he fell in love with glass as the only material to work with once for all. He defected to the US in 1986 and has since made San Francisco his home. It’s difficult to enumerate all the high awards he received, among them the Award of Excellence of the Habitat Galleries in Michigan. It is even more difficult to count his solo exhibitions - they range from Cleveland, Ohio to Toronto in Canada, from Hamburg in Germany to Amsterdam in Holland.

His works have traveled across the world in selected group exhibitions covering from much of Europe to China and Japan. Many of his works make part of permanent collections in reputable museums across the US and Canada, across Europe, South America, Asia and Australia.

We are sitting on a bench outside the Fine Arts Academy in the prime of spring with all the havoc of the heavy traffic which effectively muffled the twittering birds. Lachezar is a very spontaneous guy who does not put on airs and is very down-to-earth. I’m testing the ground cautiously, trying not to be too provocative or too indiscreet.

“What urged you to go back to the start of your creative journey, having in mind all your commissions in the US?”

“I did it for sentimental reasons, mainly because I started from here as a student in the Academy of Fine Arts. My father was a photographer and he was at the centre of the art scene of the time. So, I grew up in that atmosphere, which had a tremendous impact on my development as a would-be artist. When I returned here after I graduated in Prague in 1986, I realized there was no freedom of expression whatsoever. So, a Chech friend and colleague wrote to me “Why don’t you come to San Francisco?” And off I went with two suitcases and a bundle of dreams.”

“Was it much harder to assert yourself as an artist there just because you were a foreigner?”

“On the whole, Americans are very open. So, if you are persistent in pursuing your goals, you can make it. At first, I worked for three years at a studio just with my hands - cutting, grinding, polishing glass for art objects. But, after work, I could use the studio to do my own work.”

“Which are the best moments you experienced on coming back?”

“Oh, definitely meeting the people I haven’t seen for a long time. Svetlin Roussev, my teacher from the Academy, opened the exhibition and said some very insightful words about my work. My deep motivation in doing this exhibition in Sofia was to pay a tribute to my father, who helped me discover the artist within myself”.

“Are you planning to exhibit somewhere else round the world?”

“Yes, in China, during the Olympic year. I want to return to the Asian markets. I have already been in Japan twice.”

“It’s a challenge to face up to a completely different artistic sensibility and tradition. I think there is something very exquisite and spiritual about your work which will probably appeal to Asian cultures.”

“I can’t wait to go there. It’s an adventure I’m looking forward to.”

“There is a distinctive feature, uniting all your work - a dynamic energetic quality of spiraling upwards, as if striving to reach the skies. It provokes a peculiar sense of spiritual urge within the viewer, for an instant his soul seems to take to an exhilarating flight.”

“It’s God’s gift to be a kind of a mediator between earthly things and the parallel spiritual worlds, all around us. If I manage to make people feel a spiritual dimension to their existence, I have fulfilled my mission.”

“There is a luminosity, radiating from your sculptures. Does it have anything to do with your personal religious experience?

“It all comes from God and it takes root in my imagination. All my work is a celebration of God and the mystery of Creation. Sculpture is like music in space and for me the best expression of my voice is the combination of monochromatic color with shapes, molded in glass.”

“Lately you have been returning here more often. Every summer you and your family return to your cottage in Balchik on the Black sea. What drives you back to your native land?”

“With advancing age, this sense of belonging grows stronger and stronger. Bulgaria has changed a lot, in some respects for the better. You can express yourself freely, without being punished for it. It is much more part of the global cultural village.”

“Are you planning a show somewhere else in Europe?”

“Probably in Amsterdam again by the end of the year - I love it there because it is definitely one of the artistic capitals of Europe. But, actually I want to expand to more countries - like China, Indonesia, South Korea etc. I’m lucky to feel a citizen of the world.”

“Do you listen to music while you do your drawings in pencil and charcoal?”

“I listen to music all the time, from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep. Especially while I’m at work. I listen mostly to classical music, but at times to jazz or Latino-it depends on what music agrees with my specific vision and mood.”

“How much do you devote to your family – you are a proud father of three boys and a girl.”

“I spend a substantial part of my time with my family. I try to pass on to my children the values I have grown up with. The values that come from my parents, especially my father. I try to teach them to work hard, to be honest and truthful. To do everything to the best of their abilities. And, not necessarily, to expect an immediate return. I’m telling them, “sooner or later, it will come back to you.” I think my personal example matters a lot. So, to be a parent involves a huge responsibility.”

“Are you optimistic about the future of mankind, minding the pile of global problems on the threshold of the 21^st century?”

“Yes, I’m fairly optimistic. There are no problems, only solutions. Solutions to be found with the help of science and technology. Mankind is to be around for much longer.”

Ending my working day on a bright note, I plunged into the traffic nightmare and headed home. All the time I had the feeling I was hovering above the fumes and horns, probably because I have been in touch with a truly creative spirit. A person who is genuine and level-headed and has none of the affectations of a particular breed of artists who seem to always pose for posterity.

Sofia Echo Weekly, 2010

ON PARTING

ON PARTING
Ksenia Kisselincheva

I close the door behind you

And my soul closes too.

Like petals of a water lily

Close  sadly

While the sun vanishes,

A ball of fire

In the coolness of the pond.

The petals of my soul shiver

With the lingering nostalgia

Of every instant shared with you.

I gently squeeze the sap of each sensation 

Like the sap of a birch.

Feelings come and go between the two of us

- sea waves breaking on the shore.

I long to bring you back,

- I scoop my fingers in a hollow,

As if I rescue a birdie, fallen from the tree.

Hellas, the touch of tenderness vanishes.

So, I rush out to my leafy hut,

To get the fire burning,

Roasting on the shreds of my loneliness.