OPPORTUNITY FUNDS-BULGARIA 

For High School Juniors and Seniors

   Snezhina Kancheva

Senior, Prof. Dr. Assen Zlatarov Foreign Language High School, Veliko Turnovo

1.             Why did you apply for an EducationUSA Opportunity Funds-Bulgaria grant? (Do you value the opportunity to learn about American education, culture and society as part of the program?)

Before I stumbled on the advertisement of the OF grant, I was unsure where to continue my education. I had never considered the USA as an opportunity. Thanks to the scholarship I discovered that it is worth studying farther than Europe as the US universities are like a bee hive – gathering talented youngsters from all over the world.

2.             What are your primary objectives in studying in the United States?

In university I would like to study biochemistry and physics. I am aiming at a PhD in the former. I hope to receive a first-class education and lab training, as well as to develop myself as a better team worker.

3.         Why do you prefer the United States over other countries as a place of study?

The main benefit of the American education is that university/college employees, in fact, do their best to assure students their development and progress. Nowhere else will one be accepted based on an essay and personal characteristics in addition to the academic profile.

4.         What are your expectations of the US and university life?

In the US I expect to accomplish everything I haven’t been able to do here such as learning a few more languages, working in a lab and meeting people. I am also looking forward to the available summer internship opportunities and working as a health worker in Asia or Africa.

5.         Have you researched US institutions to determine an appropriate placement? If so, what universities do you find most appropriate and why?

In the US there are so many universities that even if one is seeking full financial aid, there is still a chance to get accepted at an amazing institution. The choice of a university, though, should be made based on personal criteria. For example, I, as an active volunteer, looked for institutions with a lot of volunteer opportunities both inside and outside the country.

6.         How will the Opportunity experience (acquisition of new skills and knowledge) assist you in achieving your academic goals?

Through the three preparatory modules funded by the scholarship I received the best possible training for the SAT, TOEFEL and the college application process. It is hard to find such competent lectors in every city, but Opportunity Funds brought us together and gave us equal chance of success.

7.         What advice would you give to future candidates applying for the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds grants?

My biggest advice is, most of all, to enjoy applying in the US. This is a very time-consuming process during which they will reveal a lot about themselves and will re-discover long-forgotten talents. However, this is an exciting journey everyone will enjoy undertaking.

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The text is published in its original and unedited version.

OPPORTUNITY FUNDS-BULGARIA 

For High School Juniors and Seniors

Teodora Lazarova

Senior, St. Paisii Hilendarski High School, Zlatitsa

1.      Why did you apply for an EducationUSA Opportunity Funds-Bulgaria grant? (Do you value                       
the opportunity to learn about American education, culture and society as part of the program?)

Why I applied? Well I am from a small town called Zlatitsa and my family doesn’t have the opportunity to support me financially. But this was my dream and still is, to study in the United States, so when I found out about the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds-Bulgaria grant I decided to apply. I did not want to be a burden for my family and the program was my only chance. I value every piece of knowledge I have gained from the program, about the American education, culture and society. Because of everything I have learned as part of the program, now I feel more ready than ever to walk the final steps to fulfilling my dream of studying in the United States.

2.     What are your primary objectives in studying in the United States?

I have always had that perfect picture of the life in the United States and you might say it is naïve, and you might be right. But I think that it is the perfect place for me. I see a place full of opportunities waiting for me and the universities there have my major, which Bulgarian universities do not. Apart from that the universities in the U.S. do not focus only on your academic education and achievements, but also on the extracurricular activities which form you as a person and through them you what makes you unique. Because they encourage their students to develop their other interests apart from their major, increased my interest and made me want to study in the United States. Another objective that played a huge role in my decision was that you can experience all kinds of different cultures apart from the American.

3.     Why do you prefer the United States over other countries as a place of study?

 As I said in the previous question, the educational system in the U.S.  is what made choose the United States over the other countries. Their liberal arts system really helps students experiment with their majors and expand their different interests. And they do not focus only on the academic part but also encourage students to be active outside the classroom.

4.     What are your expectations of the US and university life?

My expectations of the US and the university life? I don’t think it will be easyon the contrary, I think that it will be tough. But not because I will be alone in a new country, but because I won’t have enough time to explore everything I want to. I will be busy with studying and the extracurricular activities I intend on visiting. I expect the first year to be very intense, because I will want to explore as many things as possible and I expect it to be full of wonderful experiences. I expect to meet a lot of new and exciting people with which to exchange ideas and knowledge, and of course friendly professors which will always be there to answer my questions.

5.     Have you researched US institutions to determine an appropriate placement? If so, what universities do you find most appropriate and why?

Yes, I have researched US institutions to determine an appropriate placement. For me particularly was hard to find universities which offer my major and give 100% of financial aid. Apart from that for me was very important the university to have a diversified community, to encourage students to think out of the box and take every opportunity handed to them, and always working towards improvement.

 6.     How will the Opportunity experience (acquisition of new skills and knowledge) assist you in achieving your academic goals?

The opportunity experience helped me a lot during my preparation for applying to American university. During the three Modules I acquired a lot of new skills and knowledge like how to write a successful essay, what to include in my research for university, never to give up and to keep working harder toward my goal and a lot more. Thanks to the Opportunity experience I was able to meet and get to know people with similar interest, with which I was able to focus on learning and get the most out of the Opportunity experience. This was because we were there to do the same thing and we had the same goal, so we were all working really hard on reaching that goal. The new skills and knowledge I acquired will help me to keep my focus and get through the challenges I will face in the future, and always to work hard toward my goals. 

7.     What advice would you give to future candidates applying for the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds grants?

I would tell you never to give up, even when the road seems rough. The EducationUSA Opportunity Funds grants will be there for you during your journey to the university. So don’t be afraid of the challenges, if your dream is to study in the United States but cannot afford it and you need help in your preparation the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds grants is for you. As a student from a small town, where very few people think of studying abroad, who knew almost nothing about the long process of applying in US universities, the program was of great help. So if you hesitate to apply for the program because of reasons like mine, don’t. It is a great opportunity and you won’t be alone, there will always be someone to guide you and answer all of your questions.

Disclaimer

The text is published in its original and unedited version.

OPPORTUNITY FUNDS-BULGARIA 

For High School Juniors and Seniors

Vladimir Markov

Senior, Dimcho Debelyanov 134th High School, Sofia

1.     Why did you apply for an EducationUSA Opportunity Funds-Bulgaria grant? (Do you value the opportunity to learn about American education, culture and society as part of the program?)

 I applied for this program, because as it is named it’s an opportunity. I thought it would be great to have so detailed preparation and help. I value that I was able to be introduced to both American education and culture, through researching for universities, making presentations and meeting native speakers. I’m really glad that I did it, because I received help for my preparation for applying in high school colleges.

2.     What are your primary objectives in studying in the United States?

I want to complete my bachelors in Biology and conduct a research. After that I want to go to medical school and continue studying for becoming a doctor.

3.     Why do you prefer the United States over other countries as a place of study?

I believe the US offers a lot more opportunities compared to other countries. At first there is a wide range of different universities, which gives more and more chances. The American educational system allows the flexibility to choose my own interests before deciding to specialize. This feature of the educational system is something that many other countries do not offer. This flexibility of the system also allows me to create my own schedule, including various courses. The American education can provide a brilliant scope for research and working together with notable laureates. I also believe the multicultural atmosphere would be an enriching experience.

4.     What are your expectations of the US and university life?

I expect to tremendously improve myself as a person, because this university life will be an amazing cultural experience as I said. Moreover, I’m sure I’ll meet many new friends and notable people as well. In between my university studies I suppose I will learn more things about American and world culture.

5.     Have you researched US institutions to determine an appropriate placement? If so, what universities do you find most appropriate and why?

The things I'm looking for in a university are connected with the subject I want to study- Biology. I look for the facility to have good labs, pre-medical courses, because I want to become a doctor. Moreover, I also consider the location and campus of a university. That's why one of my top choices is Johns Hopkins University, because it combines all of the things I look for.

6.     How will the Opportunity experience (acquisition of new skills and knowledge) assist you in achieving your academic goals?

Mostly it will and it already did in my testing, essay writing, application submission but I think it helped me develop as a person as well. I was in an atmosphere with students with the same goals as mine, and teachers, who taught me many new things.

7.     What advice would you give to future candidates applying for the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds grants?

I would encourage them to never give up on their dreams and whenever something feels hard: just embrace it and solve it.

Disclaimer

The text is published in its original and unedited version.

SUCCESS STORY

Yana Voynova
Benjamin Franklin Summer Institute 2016

Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Summer Institute for Youth (или BFTF накратко) е уникална обменна програма на Държавния департамент на САЩ, която събира ученици от Европа и Америка на едно място, за да се запознаят с американската култура и политика и да научат за многообразието от възможности и предизвикателства в социалните общности. Учениците получават ценни знания в сферата на социалното предприемачество, лидерството и изготвянето на проекти, както и много практичести умения за реализирането на проектите и заемането на лидерски позиции в бъдеще. 

Екипната работа в програмата дава възможност на участниците да опознаят различни култури, разбирания и ценности; да работят заедно в решаването на важни проблеми; да научат повече за свободата на словото и силата на изразяването, за ролята на медиите и за въздействието на всяко едно действие върху общността. Развиват се умения за говорене, презентиране, дeбатиране, водене на преговори и критическо мислене и се създават безценни контакти, партньорства и приятелства за цял живот. 

Application essay

There is a story in my family folklore. I must have been four or five, when someone asked me what I want to be one day, and my answer was, “I want to be a fairy with a magic wand and wings, only I don’t know when the fairy elections will be.” This is also the earliest example I can think of illustrating my belief and interest in governance and democratic processes.

In my early teen years, I became aware of the two pillars of my personal ethics and aspirations: study hard to fulfill my potential and discover the joys of academic work, and commit to development and community work. I have already achieved some academic accomplishments at a national level. I have been awarded twice one of the 1000 national high school scholarships awarded annually in Bulgaria based on merit, I have received honors at several competitions in physics, history and Italian and English languages. I feel prepared academically for success in postsecondary education.

I have also discovered my heart lies in human interactions and active citizenship. I started volunteering first in my church, then in the Interact club at my school, then with different NGO initiatives. In 2014 I was selected as a volunteer to be part of the team presenting Sofia’s candidacy for European Capital of Culture 2019 before the international jury. I also initiated and organized several projects, among which “Kids Helping Kids” to assist children with disabilities and a citywide high school campaign “Combat Human Trafficking”. Since 2015 I run digital literacy courses for senior citizens as a volunteer. These are rewarding opportunities to give back to the community and to explore the great impact it can make when individuals work together to solve problems.

I plan to pursue an education and career pathway in an area I find personal meaning and relevance in. It could be international development, public affairs, or European studies. These are different career destinations but they have a lot in common: good governance bringing tangible improvements in people’s lives. Another common feature is that – unlike law or architecture - there is no set route to career success. I appreciate that because it offers me an opportunity to be more flexible, to try fieldwork, voluntary and short-term assignments.

I’d love to design a career in the European institutions, international organizations or a think-tank, researching procedures to coordinate policies, managing relations with non-member states, researching or drafting policy proposals, negotiating with internal and external stakeholders. I am drawn to such organizations by their public purposes, the multicultural teams, the encouraged mobility between different jobs, the flexible working conditions. 

Participation in the summer exchange program would be a marvelous opportunity to gain knowledge and practice what I have learned in an international setting, adopting a global perspective, with like-minded peers. I believe the program will help me get a more detailed view of the path I want to follow afterwards and join an international youth community to last well beyond the summer.

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The text is published in its original and unedited version.

SUCCESS STORIES

Bulgarian Fulbright Visiting Researcher Katherina Kokinova shares her experience of studying comparative literature at New York Public Library and University of California - Berkeley. She has an encouraging message for future applicants, as well.

        

         

       





                        Fulbright Metafiction

        
         You may ask what metafiction is. Well, just follow me in my story to find out…

It all started in June 2014. It actually started more than a year before that but to make a long story short, there were a lot of difficulties, changes, hard decisions to be made, all resulting in my miraculous turning into a Fulbrighter.

One bright morning in June 2014 I took a plane to New York City. Arriving there, as expected I found a whole new world, which still made me feel like Alice in wonderland. I stayed at the New York Public Library and its Berg Collection, researching the Vladimir Nabokov archive for 2 months. It was hard work in freezing conditions; a struggle with manuscripts and with Nabokov’s handwriting but also an opportunity to find more evidence for my thesis, to revise it and to meet other interesting researchers, working at different study rooms and archives of the library.

                            

During my stay in NYC I saw the fireworks for July 4^th and visited the lovely Columbia University and the Chehov Publishing House archive there. I even managed to briefly go to the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale to research the Witold Gombrowicz archive and to meet a couple of Nabokovians. New Haven looked magical to me. Thanks to the kind permission of the Fulbright Commission and to an accepted application, I had the chance to fly over to Buenos Aires for the First World Gombrowicz Congress in August. There I had the marvelous chance to meet many Gombrowiczians from all over the world and to discuss my project with them.

It all seemed great thus far and only later would I have realized that it had only been the beginning of a metafictional adventure. After my return to NYC, I flew to the West coast for the most incredible fall semester at University of California, Berkeley. There, at the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, I was supervised by an incredibly responsive and inspiring Nabokovian: Eric Naiman, who also generously invited me to take part in his classes on “Lolita” and with whom I had extremely fruitful discussions on my dissertation project. I had the wonderful chance to audit a course on the novel in theory and to discuss novel reader’s studies and other theory issues with Dorothy Hale. I had also very stimulating meetings with Irina Paperno, who advised me on methodology and guided me in academic life at Berkeley. Thanks to the Slavic kruzhok of graduate students I could get some feedback on my work in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. In addition, I had my first university teaching experience when one of the graduate students invited me to teach “The Vane Sisters” by Vladimir Nabokov in her class. This experience, apart from being very helpful in many respects, further advanced my research and conclusions on the reader response to this short story.

I am that kind of person that primarily works rather than goes sightseeing. You may call it a demerit but I had only four months at Berkeley and had to make my choices. However, I did manage to go to an amazing Sunday afternoon string quartet concert on campus for a study break. I was also really enchanted by Berkeley’s nature. All those beautiful flowers, bushes and trees, wonderful sunsets, view to San Francisco and the bridges, all fluffy squirrels that were too cute, too fat, and too Pninian and unfortunately loved only by non-locals.

 

My first flabbergasting meeting with hummingbirds also took place there. 

I also went to my first authentic Halloween party and signed my first rental agreement and my first payment check there. One sunny day (not that there are many non-sunny days there!) we went to Stanford for a conference on the form in the novel, organized by graduate students from both universities. It was a very nice informal academic event and a great chance to meet more PhD students at different stages of their studies but all interested in researching the novel. I could also take a brief walk on campus and to see the famous Rodin sculptures all over the place.

Probably one of the most stimulating things that happened to me at Berkeley was my communication with other PhD students at the Slavic library and the way that I was instantly integrated in the department life. There was a weekly Slavic colloquium with intriguing guest lecturers and all kinds of other seminars organized by and aimed for graduate students. Unbelievable as it may seem, the doctoral students at Slavic manage to balance hard work and joyful gatherings and moreover, they are extremely self-conscious. That is probably why I saw the department as metafiction: fiction (i.e. something unreal, miraculous), which is reflecting constantly on itself, providing self-commentary and reflecting on itself. By no chance UCB’s motto is “Let there be light” for Light is there, tons of it, literally and spiritually.

                           

I think I found my peers in there so I’m working on getting them someday to visit Sofia…

There were many interesting meetings with other Fulbrighters from all over the world. During my brief stay in the Bay area we got to know some interesting Mexican traditions, to see the San Francisco murals and to visit Mission Dolores. I appeared to have much more in common with these visiting researchers than expected. We had a nice welcome breakfast meeting and a walk, as well as another dinner event.  

                        

I even got the chance to participate in a bachelorette party of a charming Fulbright student from Peru. Most Fulbrighters in the Bay area still go to sports events or opera together, but the connection stays even after all are back home. 


Eventually, when you consider everything over, there comes time to rethink the overall experience once more. And indeed, after some hardship, along with hopes and dreams that have come true, you know that you will be a Fulbrighter forever because giving means receiving. Fulbright is all about people and knowledge beyond boundaries. This experience can be compared with fiction, but actually it’s more than that: it is self-conscious and inspiring; it is metafiction… Be sure that Magic exists and everything is achievable – it’s only up to you!