Exciting News :)

I wanted to leave this post until the very end of the project. The reason is that it is something I have a personal interest in. Dance Crew. Being a part of this team I cannot be completely unbiased, but there is some news worth sharing. During this academic year the Crew has performed at different events, ranging from the SG parties to talent shows. There have also been two workshops organized in Fall'13 semester. In addition to these activities, the Dance Crew with the help of a talented JMC student Igo Myakotin shot a video for the song "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

Here is the AUBG Dance Crew video

And here is the original video

Now is the news! The Crew is working on yet another video. Igo Myakotin kindly agreed to help the Crew once again. The project does not have a promotional purpose. Rather is it a short entertaining video clip, full of dancing, bright emotions, tragedy and plot twists. The Crew and Igo spent two days shooting the video and are actively working on the final cut. Here are some pictures

 Photo by Igo Myakotin

 Photos by Daria Kuznetsova

Are you interested? Wait a little bit. The final version is coming soon. And trust me, it is worth waiting ;)

Have a great summer!

What I have learned

It is almost the end of the project, and high time to draw some conclusions. As you remember, the name of the blog is "Fascinating Around Us." Searching for new ideas to blog about weekly, I came to learn several useful life lessons. The ideas I am going to list can be applicable not only to a specific area of interest, but to the entire way of life.
Here are the things to keep in mind:
1. Be curious. Surprising events and news will not come knocking on your door and saying:"We are here." It is you, who is in charge of how rich and bright your life is. So, get off your chair, leave the laptop aside and go looking for interesting ideas.
2. Don't give up. When it seems that nothing works out and there is no point in trying, do not give in to this thought. Albert Einstein once said:" Since childhood we are taught that this and that is impossible. But there is always an ignorant person, who does not know it. He is the one who makes a breakthrough." If something does not go the way you thought it would, stay positive. You are moving towards your goal. Maybe, it is just the road along which you are walking towards the goal that is different.

http://www.21st-century-christianity.com/images/never-give-up-11-5.jpg

3. Don't take things for granted. Very often we do not appreciate what we have until we lose it. Do not wait for such moment. Value every second, every event in your life. If it is good, congratulations! You are a happy person. But if something bad happens, do not let it get you down. Treat this event as a valuable life experience.

http://i2.wp.com/www.bizpenguin.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/be-grateful.png?resize=850%2C370

4. Finally, following the main idea of the blog, look around. There are so many wonderful things close to us. They are everywhere, and all we need is just to pay more attention, to listen more carefully, or maybe, just to discover that there is something nearby.

http://karryon.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/albert-einstein.png

Look around, and what you find might strike you in the most remarkable way ;)

Update on Talent

Remember Liuba and her amazing drawings? If you liked that story, here is some interesting info for you ;) An update on her works. Despite a very tense period of the semester, creativity and art know no limits. What can be better than spending your free time doing the things that you like? Here are some of her latest works with descriptions.

Kit Harington. The main actor in the "Pompeii" movie and one of the main characters in the "Game of Thrones."

Emma Watson. Do I even need to introduce her? :)

The Illuminati sign. The eye in the triangle was a symbol of a secret Bavarian society, which opposed superstitions, prejudices, advocated gender equality and supported women's education.

Do I even need to introduce him? Part 2 :)

Finally, my personal favorite - Ted. Ted is both the name of the movie and the main character, a stuffed bear. The toy belongs to a boy, and on his birthday the kid makes a wish that his favorite buddy be able to talk. As it happens in movies, the bear does come alive. He is friendly and caring, and loves the boy endlessly, but he can be a real "bad boy." What I like about this picture is that it looks incredibly real, as if not even drawn on a piece of paper.

This is a short update just to keep you entertained during the busy end of the semester. And if you are looking for more art and inspiration, stay tuned :) 

Have a great day!

Looking for a Job?

Are you a graduating senior and feel at a loss about what to do after? Or a cautious junior and starting to think about your future in advance? Or, maybe, you are a curious freshman\sophomore looking for communication and eager to touch on the real life professional world and talk to the field experts. In any case, the Job Fair could satisfy your needs. The annual event took place on 2 April in the ABF Sports Hall. The Fair started at 8 a.m. and attracted more employers than ever before. Among the participants were such well-known companies as Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Nestle, KPMG and many others.

Photo by American University in Bulgaria

The students could talk to the representatives, submit their resumes and apply for job interviews. At the end of the event the companies scheduled conversations with some candidates to check the students' suitability for the positions. For those not so interested in finding the job, the companies provided their promotional materials and samples of the products, such as chocolates, pens, notebooks and stickers.
The Fair ended at 5 p.m., but will take place again in the following academic year. In case you missed the opportunity this time, stay tuned and good luck next Spring.

More information about the event can be found here 

All Shook Up

AUBG community had a chance to enjoy yet another masterpiece of students' creativity and hard work. Musical "All Shook Up," selected by the student community at the beginning of the academic year, joined the list of AUBG productions along with the famous "Moulin Rouge" and "Memphis." 

The story tells about a young mechanic Natalie, who lives in a small town and dreams of a love of her life. The girl has the best friend Dennis, who is secretly in love with her, but is too shy to reveal his feelings. One day the town is shaken up by the visit of a handsome roustabout Chad, who immediately becomes the apple of Natalie's eye. The story is full of love triangles and funny actions of the desperate characters.

ABF theatre opened its doors for the premiere on 31 March and fascinated the audience with its decorations, music and talent of the participants. The main characters are played by Tsetsi Dimitrova, an AUBG freshman from Blagoevgrad, and an AUBG alumni Eftim Eftimov. The crew had one more alumni Georgi Jan Petrov, and the rest of the cast were regular full-time students. 

Photo by Darya Yanitskaya

The theatre held the performance for three more days: 1,2, and 3 April, after what the crew set off on a tour around Bulgaria. We wish them successful performances and a great time!

You can find additional information about this and other AUBG Musicals here

Celebration of Art

Are you tired of constant studying and preparing for midterms and projects? Do you feel overwhelmed by numbers, formulas, and equations? Or, maybe, your eyes are red from endless pages and tiny letters that you have to read in order to write a paper? It is high time you took a break and changed the activity, and the AUBG community is there to help you. Starting from 29 March, the University entered a Spring Artfest period, which will last for a month and will end on 29 April. Throughout the month the students will be able to celebrate art and creativity at multiple events held on campus and in the Main Building.

March 30 was the second day of this Spring Festival and offered students an opportunity to attend a music concert at the Main Building. Shetereva-Simeonova piano duo performed for an hour in front of the fascinated public. The duo played 21 pieces, each of which was characterized by exceptional level of complexity. In addition to their concert activity, Dessislava Shtereva and Evgeniya Simeonova also teach at the National Music Academy of Sofia.

 If you missed the concert of this virtuous duo, there is still an opportunity for you to enjoy an art event. The next crucial date to put on the schedule is 5 April, when the student swill be able to attend the AUBG Voice Recital.  

Help the World

If you have a desperate need to help make the world a better place, but do not know how to contribute, do not worry. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has already thought about it for you. The organization has introduced the so-called Earth Hour, a 60-minute long time period during which the world population has to turn off the lights in support of Mother Nature. The first Earth Hour was first implemented in 2007 in Sydney and lasted from 8:30 p.m. till 9:30 p.m. This time slot has become widely accepted, and today, nature-conscious people all over the world turn off the lights at this time on the last Saturday of March.
In its best traditions, AUBG followed the trend and took part in the worldwide movement. However, the University community did it their own way by holding an Earth Hour Concert. The concert is a closing event of the environmental week annually organized on campus. This year, the concert took place on 29 March and gathered students between the Balkanski Academic Center and the ABF. Before the beginning, the members of the audience received candles to light up when the Earth Hour started. The concert featured many AUBG students as well as people unrelated to the University. In particular, the kids from the local orphanage got a chance to perform on stage.

 The event was an inspiring ending of the Environmental week and however small, but a contribution to the movement for nature support.

More information on Earth Hour can be found here

A Student and a Parent? Possible ;)

What is it like to be a mom and dad? And what is it like to be a student? Both questions might be a real challenge, but let's make it even more complicated. What is it like to be a student and a parent at the same time? That sounds like a very serious challenge. Balancing the necessity to attend classes and meetings, do assignments, and write papers with the necessity to feed, walk, play and take a very good care of your kid 24/7 might be next to impossible. 

But it is not, if you live on campus surrounded by multitude of caring friends eager to help you out with the baby. Tiko and Tazo, a married couple of students, know this better than anyone else. Because their little daughter Nita is the beloved kid on campus. Every day you can see the girl surrounded by smiling faces and fascinated young people. While her parents are away, Nita is taken care of by the united Georgian community. The loving "nannies" take the girl for a walk, play with her and make sure the baby is safe and sound. 

Loving Mom and Dad.

Pictures form the couple's personal archive

 The big Georgian family.

Picture from personal archive

However, Nita's magic knows no nations, and AUBG students from different countries stay no less fascinated by the girl than the students from Georgia. As the baby's mother Tiko admits it is not always easy to take care of the kid, while you are still a student. But living on campus is makes it much more feasible, because there are always dear friends ready to help out.

The Source of Inspiration

If you feel down and frustrated, and suddenly found yourself in a desperate need for motivation and inspiration, you are not alone. Many people throughout the world get snowed under the workload or daily problems and become discouraged. Or maybe, just on the contrary, you feel a sudden rise of energy and inspiration, but do not know what to do with this magical source of a good mood. What to do when one feels like swimming across the Atlantic and back?

Whichever situation you are in, someone long ago found himself in a similar condition and came up with a smart idea to deal with it - Ted Conference. Founded in 1984, the Conference gathered sharp minds full of bright ideas to share those thoughts with others. The talks became extremely popular and gained worldwide recognition.

And the AUBG decided not to leg behind. Three years ago, a group of enthusiastic students organized the first Ted^XAUBG event. The speakers at that time comprised mostly AUBG professors willing to share their life experiences and advises. However, Ted^XAUBG caught on, and on 22 March, 2014 the team organized it is third event, held in the ABF Theatre Hall. The Conference featured nine speakers and lasted for five and a half hours. Each three talks were interrupted by a 30-minute break, during which the students could get some refreshments and socialize with their friends and the speakers.

The second break of the event had a surprise for the audience - a huge cake with the words Ted^XAUBG on it. The students and the participants eagerly took a piece and continued communicating. The conference ended at 6:30 with a long round of applause and and inspired "bravo!"
If you missed this year's opportunity, do not get discouraged. The event takes place every spring, and all students are welcome to apply.

Below are the links to the official Ted and Ted^XAUBG pages.

Ted

TEDxAUBG

There is no bad weather... Really?

"There is no bad weather, there are bad clothes." That is a famous saying, which has long ago become widely known and accepted. However, for those living in Blagoevgrad, this might no longer be the case. Not that the weather is bad, but what if you cannot define it?

About two weeks ago, AUBG campus was as usual full of caring mothers and energetic kids. The dogs, which are already referred to by the students as "our AUBG dogs," lied in the sun, enjoying the warmth and presence of each other. And students could finally take off their coats and change into T-shirts, shorts, dresses and skirts. The Spring was coming, and everyone got ready for a stable sunny weather and rising temperature.

Apparently, Blagoevgrad weather had different plans and decided to literally cool down the excited population with 0° Celsius and wet snow on 11 March. Congratulations! Have you already taken away your warm shoes and clothes? Now is the right time to get them back. Frustrated and confused students were forced to agree and trade shorts and dresses for pants and sweaters.

But the fight was not over. The weather decided to introduce yet another twist and just four days later it is 20° Celsius outside. And according to the forecast, the temperature is going to rise. Oh well, we might be into another round of "cold surprises." Or are we settled now?

http://weather.digsys.bg/graph/zones.pl?reg_id=15&lang=_eng

In any case, enjoy the sun and stay positive :)

A paradise nearby

Do you dream about Maldivas? Bahamas? Or maybe, about any island remotely located in the sky-blue waters of an ocean and densely covered with untouched greenery. Sounds fantastic, doesn't it?
However, if you live in or are visiting Bulgaria, this dream is much closer than you can imagine. Check out the pictures below.

http://d1vmp8zzttzftq.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/old-nessebar-city-bulgaria-aerial-view-from-helicopter-1600x1066.jpg 

http://www.ancient-nessebar.com/html/img/full/panoramna.jpg

http://d1vmp8zzttzftq.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/view-of-city-old-nessebar-and-sea-bulgaria-1600x1048.jpg

What you see is not a distant paradise place, but Nessebar, a small town in Burgas province. Nessebar is a unique place, because it combines several outstanding features a keen visitor may be looking for. First of all, the town has very rich historical heritage. Many peoples left their archeological and cultural traces, such as buildings, sculptures, decorations and many others.

Second, Nessebar is an outstanding example of architectural masterpieces. Not only is it related to the history of the buildings, but also to their proportions and look, in general. The town has been widely acknowledged as a place with outstanding architecture, and has even been added to the list of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1983.

Finally, the beauty of the surrounding sea and the scenery of the place can leave anyone breathless. Thus, if you want to combine the fun of swimming and lying in the sun with the intellectual pleasure of visiting historical sites, there is no need to go to distant countries. Nessebar is the place!

It Is All about Attitude

When I think about the word "fascinating" the first thing that comes to my mind is something that is unusual and off the beaten track. But is it really what the idea of fascinating is about?
They say:"Many men, many minds." What it means is that we all hold different perceptions of the same things. What is a common event for one, might be the greatest miracle for someone else. What is considered dull by a teenager, might fascinate an older person. Turns out, "fascinating" is not about what, rather is it about how.
All this came to my mind as I thought about the spring break. Unlike many other students, I am staying on campus for the last vacation at AUBG. "Boring", you might say. "Amazing", I would reply to you. True, at the end of the break I will not upload any pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty, I will not post a status:"A trip to Brussels" or "A week in Berlin." But it does not mean that I will not be able to say:"The best week of my life." After all, sky is the limit, and those staying on campus can use the precious class-free days to do the crazy things they did not have time for. Go to movies at 1 a.m., go carting, play paint-ball, rope-jump or simply spend 24/7 with your dear people. Yes, you will still be in Blago, and not in Madrid, but does it really matter?

Just go for it and enjoy your time to the utmost. 

P.S. Talking about a week in Berlin... Who cares that it was five years ago! ;)

Enjoy your break :)

Go fit. Go Insane

Lean body? Flat stomach? Perfect summer shape?

Time to start getting ready for the tank-top and shorts season and say bye to the nasty extra kilos. And AUBG knows how to help you.

But you better brace yourself...

These are not the exact words that were used by the organizers of the Insanity Workout in AUBG, but they well convey the main idea of the session. Originally, the program was developed by Shaun T., an American fitness trainer and choreographer. He believed that that sequence of physical exercises was the most efficient for loosing body fat. The idea is to workout extremely hard for several minutes, then cool down for about 30 seconds and get into another round exercises. Such alternation quickly increases the heart rate and burns calories. The results are astonishing: one can lose up to 40 kilos in 60 days.

The Insanity Workout Video

This is what the AUBG Olympics decided to go for and organized a local Insanity Workout on 26 February in the ABF Sports Hall. Despite its complexity, the event attracted many students eager to get in shape. Mariya Popova and Panayot Apostolov, 2 members of the AUBG Olympics crew, supervised the workout and encouraged the students to do their best. After about an hour of exhausting exercises, the participants were rewarded with chocolate candies.

AUBG Insanity

Photos by Igo Myakotin

AUBG Olympics are planning on organizing the workouts on a regular basis. So if you missed the first one, you still have a chance ;)

Give it a try. Literally

Would you like to try ukrainian borscht, georgian khinkali or kazakh manty? Or do you have some other type of food that you have heard of, but never got a chance to try? There is no need to travel abroad to enjoy diverse foods. AUBG has an easy solution - International Taste Fest. The Fest is the closing event of the International week and is a celebration of the diversity related to dishes and meals.
This year the event attracted 19 participating countries and hundreds of curious and hungry students. The participants were the following: Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Netherlands, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Moldova, Belarus, USA, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan.

 

The format of the event followed its best traditions. One by one the countries gave a short description of the prepared dishes and invited the audience to their tables. After the happy students with full plates took their seats, the representatives of each of the participating countries performed a short national dance. However, this year's event had a twist - the presence of a chef-cook from Sofia. The cook took a look at the dishes prior to the beginning of the Fest and nominated the tables for certain categories, ranging from "desserts" to "decoration."

The event ended with dancing, singing and international conversations :)

The link to the event on Facebook

What Is Your Talent?

What can be more fascinating than discovering that your friends have a talent you had no idea about?

That is what happened at the Talent Show, held as a part of the International Week on 20 February. The event took place in the ABF Theatre and gathered the full hall of students and professors. Melody Gilbert and Mark Wollemann, two members of the AUBG faculty were the hosts of the two-hour show.

The event featured 18 individual and group performances. Students demonstrated all kinds of talents, from singing to cards magic. Some of the participants went further than just showing their skills and abilities and promoted their country in front of the fascinated audience. For example, the student from Azerbaijan Shamil Mustafayev sang a national song and danced a traditional dance. The participant was accompanied by his fellow student Tamerlan Hajizada, who carried the Azerbaijan flag onto the stage and waved it during the performance.

 

Photos by Ann Snesareva

In addition to the undiscovered talents, the show featured some prominent performers, such as the AUBG Dance Crew and the beat boxing team of Sergey Zhelezko and Nepes Nepesov. At the end of the show, every participant got a certificate and a round of applause.

The Talent Show is always an entertaining part of the International Week, and we are looking forward to the rest of the events!

The link to the event on Facebook

She Said:"Yes"

And so did he. 

Miracles do happen in everyday life, and college friends can discover they are the other halves of each other. That is what happened to Taisiya Merkulova and Yan Hristov, a couple from AUBG, who made an important step in their lives. On 14 February, 2014 the merry holiday of St. Valentine Taisiya (Tess) and Yan officially united their lives. The ceremony took place in Mladezhki Dom, where around 40 closest friends were present.

The just married have know each other for a long time, but realized they were more than just friends and started dating in November 2011. What led the two together was the participation in the musical "Grease," where Tess and Yan were dancers. As Tess recalled, their relationship developed at a fast pace. Only after two weeks the couple started living together and eventually rented an apartment. Mutual ideas and projects followed soon after. The couple started traveling together, got pets, became the administrators of the Musical. The decision to get married came naturally, because the couple had been living together for quite a long time. However, no matter how logical this step might seem, the phrase "Will you marry me?" can never be said or heard in a calm and relaxed way.

"It was all very natural. It doesn't mean I wasn't surprised when he asked me though. I don't feel different because we both decided that we always want to be together way way before", Tess says about her new status of a wife.

The two are happy together and are ready for new adventures and stages of their life. Both Tess and Yan are graduating this May and already have a plan on what to do after.

And we wish them endless love and luck in their future life. We do.

Photos by Oleh Stolyar

The Prophecy You Can Explore

     Whether you believe in supernatural powers or not, there is a number of people, who have been widely acknowledged and admired for their non-standard abilities. The so-called extra-sensual individuals or people with supernatural abilities have become an inseparable part of our lives, be those predictions from the deceased or modern TV shows. One of such people is Baba Vanga, the woman known for her prophesies and healing abilities.

http://tn.clashot.com/thumbs/1708476/44479671/thumb_200.jpg

     Born in 1911, Vanga was an ordinary child, who liked playing doctor with her friends, by examining them and prescribing herbs that would heal the imaginary illnesses. However, the miracle happened, when the girl got lifted up by a tornado and was thrown in the field. After long and careful search, the girl was finally found. However, her eyes were severely damaged by the dust and sand and could no longer see clearly. It was after the accident that the woman acquired her extraordinary abilities. She said she was helped by invisible creatures, the origin of which she, however, could not explain.

     Why this topic is relevant to the blog is because the sacred place, where Baba Vanga lived is located much closer than I thought on my first visit to Bulgaria. As it turned out, Vanga's house is located in Petrich, a small town one hour away from Blagoevgrad. Visitors can not only come close to the house of the famous prophet, but even go inside, touch and explore the sacred place. The town even has Baba Vanga Museum, where tourists can get to know the life of the woman better, take a look at her belongings and dig deeper into the mysterious story.

http://www.inestravel.bg/resize_image_max/800/600/0BULGARIA/Rupite/petrich05.jpg

      And there is no need to have a car; a great number of busses can take you to the town seven days a week. So, if you are a curious visitor fond of mysterious legends and tales, take a backpack, buy a ticket and enjoy the ride on the way to the cradle of prophesies.

A Place to Go

"I am so bored! There is nothing to do in Blagoevrad!" The more time we spend in this little town, the more often we are likely to hear words like that. Same places, same people. Juliany, Underground, Piano Bar, some other clubs, cafes, bowling and a cinema. This might not be an exhaustive list, but it is relatively close to the full range of the free-time activities one can enjoy in Blagoevgrad. While it might be satisfactory for a first- or second-year student, it might get too "worn-out" for someone, who has been in the town for more years.

But there is always a way out! ;)

As has been mentioned in the introductory post, the main point of this blog is to counter the misconception that there are no fascinating things close to us. The same holds true for the entertainment. Here is the solution for those tired of the daily routine and same evening activities - Zayova Polyana, the highest point of Blagoevgrad. The place is known mostly for the giant cross symbolizing Christianity and erected to protect the citizens of the town. However, it is not only the cross itself that makes the place special. The meadow also gives an amazing overview of the entire town. Even though it is a long way on foot, a curious visitor can take a cab for a reasonable price and get to the cross within ten minutes. The best time to enjoy the view is the evening-night. Not only does Blagoevgrad shine with an array of colors and lights, but the cross gets lit up as well. Such a visit can become an unforgettable experience for a demanding visitor or simply someone tired of the daily hustle and bustle.

After all, it is the matter of time and desire to find an entertainment. Why not give a try to this idea, and who knows, maybe, it will become your daily time occupation?

BUS 449 Post 1

Does one need academic education to be able to create art masterpieces? The majority of our society would, probably, say yes. After all, like never before, has education come to play a vital role in our lives' success. Theoretical knowledge, practical assignments, lectures, seminars and all other educational tools aim at perfecting our creative, analytical, and reasoning skills. As a result, we cannot, but admit that our abilities are greatly dependent on excessive trainings and preparations.

However, every rule has its exceptions. Sometimes all it takes to create a piece of art is pure talent and a little bit of professional guidance. And one of such genuine "exceptions" studies at the AUBG. Welcome, Liuba Korotkova, a Computer Science and Informational Systems major, who is passionate about drawing. Liuba has never attended an art school, but her works could easily compete with those of the prominent acknowledged artists. As the girl remembers, she started drawing at the early age of three, and the passion quickly took over. Her room got filled with pencils, pens, paints and all other drawing attributes.

In the beginning, Liuba did not have a specific favorite topic. Her works ranged from scenery to still life. However, at the age of 18, the girl found her real passion - fan art. Liuba draws characters from all kinds of fantasy series. One of her recent works are the actors from the Harry Potter movies, namely the Malfoy family.

"Drawing is special for me. It is a way to escape from the daily routine and carry myself into a fantasy world. Just like some people find pleasure in reading or writing, so do I enjoy drawing."

The girl usually draws on paper, however, recently she expanded her drawing surfaces to t-shirts, shoes, cell phone cases and even garage metal gates. 

For more of Liuba's pictures, follow the links

Liuba's Deviant Art page

Liuba's Instagram page