The small village of Cherni Osam is located at the foot of Ambaritsa Peak, part of the Central Balkan Range. The local school Vasil Levski has a 137-year long history. Since 2000, there has been a class that trains mountain guides. This occupation is in fact present on the register of professions in Bulgaria, a predominantly mountainous country. The credit for this class that is unique in Bulgaria, goes to the former principal Minko Zankovski, a famous mountain climber who has conquered a few summits exceeding 8000 meters. He has devoted his life to the school and the mountain. We learn more about the unique school from Rumiana Veleshka, the current principal.

„For more than 17 years we have been recruiting and training students for mountain guides. The demographic slump has affected the region but we still manage to attract students from across the country. This school is unique in Bulgaria by offering training for this job, and I must tell you that students who enroll to study with us have a special attitude to the mountain and to nature. We aim to make them responsible citizens and strong-willed individuals. They should be reliable and courageous so that they could successfully practice the highly responsible job of a mountain guide.”

Apart from the standard subjects, the curriculum of Vasil Levski School also provides training in skiing, alpine climbing, topography, orienteering and speleology. Most lessons are in the open – amid mountain nature. The school has a facility for training located below Botev Peak in the Balkan Range. This model of schooling makes a difference for students. Teachers are happy that some of their former students are back to work as their colleagues teaching specialized subjects. „We know our students very well and we share with them a lot. We try to show we have similar mindsets with them”, Rumiana Veleshka says.

Three years ago Ivan Geshkov from the village of Rupcha, in the region of Pleven, Central Bulgaria, heard about the school from a friend...

„I love nature so I decided to study at this school. We become more responsible here and also we are trained to be good team workers. I plan to finish a course for a ski instructor. I was happy we made a visit to France under the Erasmus Programme. We had climbing sessions there but we are still young for the high peaks”, the young man smiles.

Before devoting 17 years of his life to teaching Ivan Mutafov would divide his time between the mountain and the painting easel. He has joined dozens of national and international exhibitions with his paintings and icons. He has four times been to trekking in Nepal’s Himalayas. A great dream come true for him was his visit to the mystical kingdom of Mustang located at 3500 m above sea level in the northern part of Nepal. What does he teach the young people at the school in Cherni Osam?

„In the first place, I teach them about nature and also, patriotism. Our idea is to teach young generations how to communicate with nature. Industrialization, digitalization and staying fixed on a screen makes young people sick. Someone should from the very start show them how to feel nature, and this is the paramount goal of our school”, Ivan Mutafov says.

Tourism in its various aspects and formats has a future in Bulgaria and it is rewarding that there are young people who are properly trained to work as mountain guides.

English Daniela Konstantinova