Five students from the Omnia Woodworking department and I had the unique opportunity to go on a two-week study trip to Bulgaria.

The MOSAIC project is currently in the mobility and pilot phase. This means that students, teachers, and experts are sent to partner countries to try out and experience study content and techniques in their own field.

The first week was spent at St. Luka Art and Design School. The school is a combination of an Art-focused secondary school and a vocational school, offering a wide range of different Arts and Craft studies. Students can choose from traditional art painting, ceramics, glass, graphic design, set design, or, in our case, decorative carving, which we have become familiar with.

Bulgaria has really deep roots in decorative carving, which can be seen in churches and other public buildings. Decorative carving is a very small part of Omnia’s carpentry studies. For this reason, it was inspiring to see how important this skill is, as it is a so-called disappearing tradition for us, for which there is no market.

In the decorative carving department, our students got to know the local students and their enthusiastic teacher, Diana. The students were divided into five groups, with one Finnish and one Bulgarian student in each group. The task for the week was to make a small object from a limited number of pieces of wood that would reflect the students’ shared interests. Chisels and their versatility played a key role during the week. Lime wood was the most commonly used type of wood due to its composition, as it is best suited for decorative carving. After a little searching and some communication problems, the students found common ground and the end results were great. On the last day, the groups presented their products and talked about the manufacturing process.

Before the week was over, we also got to explore Sofia’s history, the old town, the National Museum, the university, a woodworking company called Valiyan, a private decorative woodcarver’s workshop, and even visited the nearby Cherni Vrah mountain at the weekend. Bulgaria’s nature and mountains are well worth seeing!

The following week, we took the train to the historic city of Plovdiv. After an exciting train journey, we immediately noticed that the city was very different from Sofia. The surroundings exuded history and a certain “village atmosphere.”

The week began at the Hristo Botev Professional High School of Architecture and Woodworking. The school was a very traditional Bulgarian school, where political history and traditions were very much present. The school had a strong tradition of woodworking, and the workshop had a wide range of woodworking machines. The workshop also had a CNC machine and a laser cutter. Teaching was mainly based on customer projects, with the teacher playing the leading role and the students participating in the work process. As in the previous week, we formed five groups of two students, with one of our students paired with one local student.

During the week, the groups made recycled rocking chairs in different colors and a children’s desk milled with a CNC machine. The daily rhythm at the school was good, and the days went by quickly. We started work in the morning, took a break to play volleyball and ping pong in the courtyard, and painted in the afternoon sunshine. I especially liked that the local students were having fun in the courtyard during their physical education classes. Of course, we also got to join in these games, which were full of genuine youthfulness and fun.

Plovdiv is a beautiful old city with a Roman amphitheatre, mosaic floors in old churches, and ancient Roman pillars. There is also a beautiful park and mosque in the city centre. The different religions and vast history are evident, and the locals are naturally proud of it.

As a teacher, the trip to Bulgaria was very rewarding. The students were very open-minded and unprejudiced. They seized the opportunity to see and experience the local culture and working methods. We had a very successful experience together.

Bulgaria has a lot to offer!

Thank you,
Irina, Donna, Adel, Aaron, Ville, and Juhani-Ope