Passion for Creativity | Vassiliy Kharlamov
A talented musician, literature appreciator and Bulgarian pop folk music hater, the 23-year-old Vassiliy Kharlamov is a senior at AUBG, graduating with a degree in Business Administration and Political Science. Sitting comfortably in the university’s bands room, surrounded by musical instruments, the senior says with a small smile: “Business is for the bills; Politics is for the soul.”
As part of AUBG, Vassiliy has spent the last five years in Bulgaria. He enjoys learning about foreign cultures and languages, immersing himself in the process. For that reason, he is confident that he has learned a lot: “I can say that I have grasped a big chunk of the Bulgarian culture.”
For Vassiliy, AUBG is a bubble for students who can enjoy any activity and study. He believes in the importance of student clubs and that nobody should miss out on the opportunity of joining. Even as a graduating senior, Vassiliy takes part in the music, as well as the entertainment club on campus: Rock Jamming Club and More Honors. He says, “I’m getting super tired, and I’m exhausted but I love it. It keeps me busy and I really enjoy it.”
Concerning his future, Vassiliy is not completely sure what he wants to pursue. As a Kazakhstani, he has obstacles of becoming a full-fledged European citizen. With irony in his voice, he explains, “European policies are very strict and most of the non-EU citizens are considered non-people, it’s very hard to obtain a permission to stay here legally.”
Despite his troubles, Vassiliy is not planning on leaving Europe. He says, “I think I lived enough in Bulgaria and I would like to try something else. But I would like to stay in Europe.” For him, an ideal destination is Central Europe: “Considering everything, I would stick to my choice of Prague in Czech Republic. Other options I looked up are Germany and maybe Hungary. I do not want to move too much West. I want to gradually explore it.”
No matter the country he ends up going to, finding a creative job is important to Vassiliy. He has been working as an ad creator for the past two years, making the creative decisions. He says he likes his current job but is unsure if he will pursue it as a life-long career. He is fascinated by all the possibilities ahead. With excitement in his voice, Vassiliy says, “There’s so much to do and there are so many cool things that a person can do. One thing I know is that I want to do something creative.”
Before becoming a working student, Vassiliy says that he was completely different: “Sometimes I look back at the photos I took, or stuff I posted on social media and it’s not even embarrassing, it’s just so different.” According to him, he has become not only more open-minded but also a fighter for gender equality and “equality of people as a whole”. Vassiliy has reevaluated his perceptions of nationality, race etc. He admits, “I got rid of the national stigmas and I just started treating people as people.”
Vassiliy’s advice for his freshman self reflect the changes he has gone through during the following years. With a nostalgic smile, he advises his younger self, “Don’t waste time. Just do something. It’s really not worth it to stay in your room and not do anything, and just devote your university experience to drinking. If you want to do something, do not think, just apply for the club, get with people, go get drunk. Whatever. Just try to exercise every opportunity.”
When it comes to his future self, Vassiliy also has goals that he wants to achieve. Despite not having a clear idea of what direction he wants to go, he knows who he wants to be. Looking away, he says to himself, “Don’t become boring. Don’t get stuck in the working life. Remain a decent human being. That’s what I would say. Don’t try to reach only materialistic things, as cliché as it sounds.”
Vassiliy’s roommate, Rashid, confirms the struggles and ambitions of his friend and adds that there is more to Vassiliy than what most people see. With a smile, Rashid says, “He’s also very kind, although he doesn’t seem so. For the people close to him, he is extremely kind. He wants the best for them.”
###
Radina Veleva studies Journalism and Mass Communication, and Psychology in AUBG. She is passionate about personal growth and goal setting.
