I will be honest: my call with Dimitar was scheduled for 9 in the morning, and I did not have enough sleep. I had woken up less than 3 minutes before the call and it took me a while to get into the rhythm of writing these profiles. But that was not an obstacle for a conversation with Dimitar. At times, when I tiredly tried to articulate what I wanted to ask him, he was quick to fill in the blanks and add his creative input to the conversation.

Dimitar is introspective. Whenever I asked him a question, in the selection process and during our last chat, he paused carefully for a few moments before answering. His answers are always thoughtful and reflect his calm thought process. In one of his interviews, he commented on the selection process and what it meant to him. During the selection process, he began to think about his habits compared to the values ​​of the UWC movement and how to better adapt them – regardless of whether he receives an offer for one of them. He used this example to tell us about the changes he has started to make and how he wants to continue improving – he has started reading more, something that has been his goal for a long time, and he wants to continue improving in the field of mathematics. In addition, this year he tried to learn how to waltz, so in that spirit he will continue to try new things at UWC Thailand.

Dimitar enjoys traveling, and sharing and learning about cultures – he loves visiting new countries and learning about the communities and environments he enters. He believes that he learns best about new cultures when he is directly exposed to them – through interactions with locals, those who travel with him and by trying the local cuisine. These experiences have helped him to be open to faster adaptation throughout different conditions and challenges.

He does not like being passive – Dimitar is continuously active through sports and mental gymnastics. Usually when we think of sports, we think of physical fitness and activity. What Dimitar constantly emphasizes is that sport has not only helped him develop his competitiveness, but also serves him as a mental rest. Something that has marked his intersection of academic and personal interests is mathematics. Participation in competitions and Olympiads characterizes his competitiveness, parallel to his desire for continuous activity and improvement. As the cherry on top, when he was young he gave up piano lessons because he didn't like it, but his desire to learn never faded. Dimitar renewed his love for music as a self-taught piano student.

Each part of his interests and characteristics skillfully complements and overlaps into a completely balanced personality – tirelessly active, constant brain tickling, and overall personal and social development. The three parts of UWC Thailand’s motto are reflected in Dimitar's everyday life – Good Heart, Balanced Mind, Healthy Body.

Jana Kraleva,
August 2024