sekretariat@cpg-gilching.de 
In February, we had the opportunity to visit various schools in the Bulgarian capital and gain exciting insights into the local education system.
Immediately after arriving, we travelled directly from the airport to the city centre. Surrounded by ancient ruins, Orthodox churches and imposing buildings, it quickly became clear how much history shapes the cityscape of Sofia – much to the delight of anyone interested in history. But of course, we weren’t just here for sightseeing; our main purpose was to gain some insights into the Bulgarian school system.
One of our school visits took us to the 35th school in Sofia. Here, up to 20 hours of language lessons in German or French take place each week – an impressive number! Due to a lack of space, lessons are held in shifts: half of the pupils start their school day at 7.30 a.m. and finish at 1.15 p.m., while the other half start at 1.30 p.m. Their school day can last until 7.15 p.m.
The exchange with the pupils was particularly exciting. In our discussion about the German and Bulgarian school systems, we were amazed to learn that young people here can flexibly request 15 days of holiday per school year. They have really earned it, because the workload in Bulgaria is quite high. We are taking home innovative learning environments, such as beanbags instead of traditional desks, as inspiration for classroom design.
Our four-day programme concluded with a discussion at the German Embassy with the cultural and press attaché.
The trip to Sofia was characterised by great warmth, openness and hospitality. We returned to CPG with many new impressions – enriched by exciting insights into a committed and lively school culture.
Sophia Dietrich, Sabrina Graf, Katja Hamm, Christine Mätz, Karen Schneider
