What types of schools are there in your country? What school do you study at? What do you like about your school most of all? What don't you like? What are your plans for the future? How does your school help you to prepare for the future?

In my country (Bulgaria) we’ve got a pretty wide mix of schools. There are public and private kindergartens and primary schools, then lower secondary (grades 5–7), and upper secondary (grades 8–12). At the upper level you can choose between general secondary schools, “gymnasiums” with a focus (languages, math, sciences, humanities), vocational high schools (IT, tourism, mechanics, healthcare, etc.), as well as arts and sports schools. There are a few international schools that offer IB/IGCSE, evening schools for working students, and specialized schools for students with additional educational needs.

I study at a foreign-language gymnasium in Sofia with an English–Spanish profile. Grade 8 was an intensive language year, and now we do the standard subjects plus “profiled” ones (extra English, Spanish, and IT). Most of us aim for C1/C2 in English by graduation and at least B2 in the second language.

What I like most is the atmosphere and the opportunities outside regular classes. We’ve got a debate/MUN club, a coding club that competes in hackathons, and a volunteer club that partners with local NGOs. We also do exchange weeks with a partner school in Spain, which really helps with speaking. Teachers are demanding but fair, and they run extra prep sessions before big exams. I also enjoy the project-based modules where we present research instead of just taking tests.

What I don’t like: the schedule starts painfully early and the workload can get overwhelming—language homework on top of regular subjects means late nights. Some classrooms are overcrowded, our chemistry lab equipment is a bit outdated, and the cafeteria could be better (especially if you’re vegetarian). There’s also a strong focus on exam results, so creative courses sometimes get squeezed.

My plans for the future are to take the state Matura exams (Bulgarian language and a second subject—most likely English), sit an international English exam, and apply for computer science with a side interest in computational linguistics. I’m considering universities here (Sofia University or AUBG) and a couple abroad in the Netherlands or Germany.

School helps a lot with that. We have university fairs, alumni talks, and a counselor who reviews CVs and personal statements. Teachers run dedicated Matura prep and mock exams, plus there are Olympiad teams for math and languages. Through partnerships with local companies we can do short internships or job-shadowing, and volunteer hours are recognized, which strengthens applications. All of that makes me feel more prepared for what’s next.