Какво прави един МЛАД АМЕРИКАНЕЦ във ВИДИН? | Ронан Макдонъл

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:00]a year ago. Didn't know where Bulgaria was on a map. Spoke zero Bulgarian.

[00:00:04]Didn't know any Bulgarians. And then here I am in a Penela like a year later.

[00:00:24]And you can choose 150 different countries, but I chose Bulgaria specifically. And when I tell everyone that, they're like, "Why would you choose Bulgaria? That's such like a niche country compared to like maybe Spain or Germany or the more popular Fulbright programs. But for the most part, Bulgaria is the only country in the world [music] that has anything like he takes his left arm, slams it on the wheel, cranks his head back, looks me dead the eyes at a red light. He goes, "Ronin, why the hell would you ever go there?"

[00:00:58]Like, I got my school schedule the day that I was teaching. I didn't know what classes or what times I was teaching. I just showed up.

[00:01:13]breakfast.

[00:01:14]>> These are things that happen in Bulgarian schools that would genuinely throw an American into a coma.

[00:01:21]And I said, I love teaching you guys.

[00:01:23]They go, "Really? No teacher ever says that about us." And I was like almost like tearing up. I was like, "Why have you guys not heard that before?"

[00:01:31]>> Seeing the Bulgarian education system >> Mhm. and the American one as well.

[00:01:35]>> Mhm.

[00:01:36]>> What do you think you would improve if you had the absolute power to do so?

[00:01:40]>> That's an obvious thing, but it's an easy fix. Like if you're a politician or a future politician listening to this, easily the best place ever.

[00:01:57]Teaching is a everlasting push and pull, a yin and yang between guidance and freedom. A lot of people when I talk to them, they go, "Ronin, how do you have such a close connection with your students?" And they'll instantly go to the content and the age. But in my humble opinion, that's not the reason why I'm so I I have such a close connection with my students and my family. There were times when I was lost. There were times where I felt unheard, where I didn't know where I was going in life, when I was crying in my room.

[00:02:42]Wow, you're coming with the most amazing questions today, Max. Honestly, for Bulgaria. How are you? How are you?

[00:03:24]>> I'm good, man. I'm uh I can't complain.

[00:03:27]Yeah, life is good.

[00:03:28]>> Life is good. I see you have an apartment in Viden right now.

[00:03:31]>> I do. Yes.

[00:03:32]>> I can see by [laughter] Is it yours?

[00:03:35]>> Um so it's >> Or do you share it with somebody?

[00:03:38]>> Yeah. So it's it's my own. I have the Penela all to myself. Um, but it's owned by Yeah. or it's rented out by my school.

[00:03:49]So, my school provides the housing for me and then the way my program works, >> uh, you know, I don't have to pay rent or anything. I just have to pay utilities.

[00:03:58]>> Yeah.

[00:03:58]>> Well, maybe we should we should say how I know you because they actually know you through Toshkco because he also went to Tain.

[00:04:09]>> Yes. And I now know that he graduated to Lane last year. Crazy part of school.

[00:04:15]>> Yeah.

[00:04:16]>> Right.

[00:04:17]>> Well, he graduated to Lane.

[00:04:18]>> He didn't graduate, but he's still he's still >> No, no, you graduated.

[00:04:22]>> I graduated.

[00:04:23]>> He's a Yeah, >> he's a sophomore, I think.

[00:04:26]>> Yeah.

[00:04:27]>> Yeah.

[00:04:27]>> Yeah. He's a sophomore.

[00:04:28]>> Yeah. So, >> so he actually told me that there's this American, sorry for interrupting, American who's coming to Bulgaria and he's going to be in Vidden. And that's how I first heard about you. And then you popped out on my feet one day and I was like, "Oh my gosh, it's the same guy that Toshko was telling me about and now he's going to be famous on Bulgarian social media." I knew the first time you posted that you were going to be famous.

[00:04:52]>> Oh, thanks, man. [laughter] >> Can you tell me more about your journey?

[00:04:58]How did you come to Bulgaria? Why did you come to Bulgaria?

[00:05:01]>> And then we'll talk more about why I transition to social media.

[00:05:05]>> Yeah, absolutely. So, um, and first off, thank you again for having me, Max. I mean, it's such a honor and a pleasure to be like I I love talking about my story. I love talking about Viden in general because I I love it here. Um, but it wasn't, you know, it's it's been an adjustment since being here because a year ago, didn't know what Bul where Bulgaria was on a map, spoke zero Bulgarian, didn't know any Bulgarians, and then here I am in a penela like a year later. So, the story goes about a year ago, a year and a half ago, we had an info session at my university, Tulain, and they mentioned this program called Fulbright, where after you graduate, you [clears throat] can go and be a teacher, do research, or um get like a master's degree. And so, I I thought that was really interesting. And I I didn't get to study abroad because I worked for my basketball team um being a student manager. So, I couldn't go abroad. I was there all four years which was an amazing experience but I wanted to you know get some international experience see what the world had to offer. So I applied to this program and you can choose 150 different countries but I chose Bulgaria specifically because um and when I tell everyone that they're like why why would you choose Bulgaria? That's such like a niche country compared to like maybe Spain or Germany or the more popular Fulbright programs. And the reason why I chose Bulgaria was because of this amazing program called Best Bulgaria English Speech Tournament. So, um it's it's this program that was started by Americans about maybe 13 to 15 years ago and it's a nationwide speech and debate tournament in English and they have um a west division and east division. And so as a part of being an English teacher, which is what I am now, um you also get to become a debate coach, which um to me, I had done debate in high school, in university at Tulain. And I was like, wo, I can be a debate coach again and also teach English and also live abroad and also this program has a lot of prestige in America. I was like, sign me up. I'll apply. And I was blessed enough to receive the scholarship. Um, you know, April of 2025 is when I got the call. I was actually on my way to probably work a finance job in New York, which was really interesting. And then funny how life works out and it it takes a turn. Um, and here I am, you know, 7 months later from April. Um, and I absolutely love it here.

[00:07:30]>> That's insane. The whole the whole story. And so the other countries didn't have this best program. It was only in Bulgaria. There was one that was in maybe Taiwan. They they had some sort of debate association, but for the most part, Bulgaria is the only country in the world that has anything like best.

[00:07:48]And there is no program like best. Like I did speech and made in America. It's nothing like best at all. It's it's completely different.

[00:07:58]>> So how is it different? Can you tell me a little bit about it? more creative freedom, more swearing, more rated hard topics, more um you know, yeah, I think the politically correct ways to say more polit more polit uh rhetoric and freedom. Um and also there's just a community max. So everyone knows each other. All the judges that judge the tournaments, their former besties is what we call them. So everyone is kind of like I feel like I have like a network of a community all the way from Ven to Door to Kili to Houston to Sophia to Plavde like we're all over Bulgaria. So I feel like I run into someone who's connected with this organization in some sort of way. Before we go into more of the your impressions of Bulgaria, would you say that debating in in such a style where you're not scared to be politically incorrect and you can say whatever you you can say is actually better or worse.

[00:09:02]>> Just I'm very interested. I'm very What do you think? Yeah. So, so let me clarify. In America, despite, you know, what people might say abroad, as an American perspective, especially in speech and debate, you have complete and utter uh rhetorical freedom. So, you can speak on whatever you want. It's more the speech category where you can't swear or talk about sex or talk about drugs or whatever it is. Um, so that's what's different with best. It's more the speech category. Um, but yeah, I I'm I'm a firm believer in raw no filter debate because I think in our society, especially today in an age of everyone's kind of too afraid to say what they actually think.

[00:09:48]And this is not a problem with the Balkans, let me tell you. They'll tell you exactly what they think straight to your face. No remorse. Um, but like you know in the western world, you know, we're so afraid to perhaps say what we really think or or have a conversation and there's been so much extremism and not enough conversation between Republicans, Democrats, the left and the right. So, um, I'm a big fan of raw uncut conversation. Yeah.

[00:10:17]>> Yeah. I know that very well cuz I used to study in the States for two years before I moved to China.

[00:10:21]>> Where did you study?

[00:10:22]>> I was at a boarding school. I started at Lawrenville.

[00:10:25]>> Mhm.

[00:10:26]>> Right next to Princeton.

[00:10:27]>> Gotcha. Oh, Princeton. Um, >> that's a Princeton. Yeah.

[00:10:31]>> Yeah, that's New Jersey. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:10:33]Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Interesting.

[00:10:35]>> Yeah. I was there exactly during the Camela Trump elections. And one of my roommates, >> his great great great uncle used to be a president of the US.

[00:10:47]The other one, >> wow.

[00:10:49]>> His mom had to illegally cross the border from Mexico to the US so that he could be born in the US and have an American passport. So the conversations we would have at night and all the chaos, it was actually insane.

[00:11:01]>> Wow. That's in >> like two polar opposites, you know.

[00:11:04]>> Yeah. I mean, that's, you know, that right there is a perfect description of what America is like. It's it's just a complete melting pot of like people from different backgrounds.

[00:11:17]>> Exactly. Precisely. And it is good for the diversity, but sometimes it can be you you know the bad sides. You already know >> Yeah.

[00:11:27]>> Let's let's talk more about Bulgaria cuz also a lot of Americans are very they're nationalistic in this way where they they're they don't want to explore other cultures and other countries.

[00:11:38]>> Mhm. You have all of those people in from all over the world, but people are not open to traveling. And you said, "I want to visit and I want to have this international experience."

[00:11:47]>> Mhm.

[00:11:48]>> So, first of all, congratulations.

[00:11:51]You're like an outstanding American for having this [laughter] desire.

[00:11:55]>> Thank you.

[00:11:56]>> But what was your first impression of coming to Bulgaria? And what expectations did you have coming in?

[00:12:00]>> O, you want the the raw uncut expectations, Max?

[00:12:05]>> Yeah, of course. Of course. [laughter] Um, well, okay. So, I would consider myself simultaneously very open-minded and also like a like, you know, any 23-year-old, I also don't understand the world as much, so I can be close-minded as well. Um, so I didn't really understand too much about Eastern Europe. I mean, I applied to the Fulbright scholarship to Bulgaria literally not knowing what the capital of Bulgaria was. I remember looking online, searching, okay, I'm I'm gonna apply to Bulgaria. What does this look like? And I got images of Burggos, Varna, and then Cazople. And I was like, oh, this is where I'm going to be placed on the Black Sea.

[00:12:47]>> Oh, man. This is going to be a time.

[00:12:49]This is amazing. Um, so those were my expectations in terms of what Bulgaria looks like. But I I also knew that, you know, it also had a a socialism communist past, so I knew about the communist blocks and everything, but that's all I really knew. Um, and then when I when I first got to Bulgaria, oh my gosh, the the first >> Wait, wait. So, so what do you what do you think? Do you think you're going to have a good time? Do you think people were going to be more like socialist like >> like villainish, you know, with that accent in English?

[00:13:16]>> No. No. I mean, like I I I just all I knew was that Balkan people were very straightforward and very cut and dry and they say exactly what's on their mind. But, you know, I didn't really think anything of it. I think in order for me to have the experience that I've had, I just kind of had sort of a blank slate. I was more concerned about what my school was going to be like, how far it was from the airport in case I wanted to visit friends in Europe. um you know what's the language barrier going to be like? I wasn't really concerned about what the Bulgarian people were like.

[00:13:53]>> Yeah.

[00:13:53]>> And so when you came >> Yeah. When I came >> the first Bulgarian I ever met I I remember it clear as day. I was I was flying from London Heathrow to Sophia. I got off the plane. I've got three bags about as tall as I am. you know, my entire life's collection of clothes just rolling with me, you know, and the the embassy had told us, "Don't order a taxi um in person because they'll scam you."

[00:14:19]Which actually did happen to my friend Lucy. So, I I I ordered uh Yeah. Yeah.

[00:14:24]She got scammed her first taxi drive ever. She got charged like 50 >> Yeah. She got charged like €40 from the airport to the center of Sophia, which is crazy.

[00:14:35]>> To the center?

[00:14:36]>> Yeah.

[00:14:36]>> And you can take the metro. I know. We didn't know that though. Or no, no, we did, but like >> we're Americans. We like to taxi everywhere, >> you know. And then also, we had lots of luggage with us, so it's probably better to taxi.

[00:14:49]>> But um yeah, so I remember I ordered a taxi on, you know, one of the yellow apps. I got in the car and I'm just chatting with the the taxi driver as I normally do. And now I know all the memes about taxi drivers and how, you know, they're very bored [laughter] with their opinions and stuff. Um, and I have so many more taxi driver stories, but um, I remember sitting in the back of the car. He goes, "Where are you from?"

[00:15:14]I go, "California." He goes, "Oh, California. What are you doing here? You should go back to California. This He's like, "This place isn't as nice as California." I go, "No, I love it here.

[00:15:23]You know, I love Sophia." And he goes, "Okay, awesome. What are you doing here?" "Oh, I'm part of this program.

[00:15:27]I'm teaching English." He goes, "Oh, man. That's awesome. You're going to love Sophia. teaching English in Sophia is great. I go, "Actually, sir, I'm not teaching in Sophia." He goes, "Where are you teaching?" I go, "Viden."

[00:15:38]He takes his left arm, slams it on the wheel, cranks his head back, looks me dead in the eyes at a red light. He goes, "Ronin, why the hell would you ever go there?"

[00:15:50]And I'm like, "What?"

[00:15:52]And I'm like, "What did I just say? Is Is this place like the Goolog? Is this like what's going on here?" And so I was terrified after that, but I was like, you know what, maybe maybe he's just saying that because he had a bad experience in Viden. My first week in orientation, one week, my first week in Bulgaria, I had seven more people come up to me, the bar crawl lady, uh, American friends, Bulgarian friends, they go, "Why are you going to Ven? Why would they place you there? That place is horrible." And I was terrified. I was literally like I almost wanted to go home. Honestly, that's the raw honest truth. I called my parents. They said, >> "I don't know if I meant to be here.

[00:16:31]Maybe this is I'm religious." I was like, "Maybe this is a sign from God. I shouldn't be here. I'm terrified." And, you know, I'm glad I stuck it out cuz I wouldn't be here today. You know, terrified of going back to the States cuz I miss I'm going to miss Bulgaria so much. I wouldn't be here if I had listened to that fear. M >> and when you ca when you arrived in Vin how how was that?

[00:16:55]>> It was it wasn't that bad because you know I had a mentor teacher um >> you know from what they were telling me Vidden was like I was kind of like guys really this isn't that bad. I mean I walked on the waterfront I saw Baba Vita Castle. I had some of the students from the school show me around and I was just kind of like this looks like every small town in America. Like it's not it's not that much different. Like I'm sure you know maybe you did a road trip or two when you were at boarding school. And so you know there's towns in the middle of America that are not big cities that look exactly like a small town. Maybe not the old village style Bulgarian houses but like we have so many small towns in America. I mean there's 330 million people. So you know I uh I I was like guys this is not that bad. I was pleasantly surprised. Um, and then I saw my Penela for the first time and I was like, "Oh, okay. It looks like that on the outside." And then it's very cozy and warm and 70s vibe in the inside.

[00:17:57]Like the video that I'm recording in today literally looks like a library, you know?

[00:18:03]>> It's got like books everywhere.

[00:18:04]>> Uh, and what was your first day of school?

[00:18:09]>> [laughter] >> Well, I didn't know that in Bulgaria they throw a huge party and there's celebrations and dancing and uh my first day of school uh they told me let me backtrack here.

[00:18:25]Max, here's another culture shock as an American.

[00:18:29]There's so much like lastm minute decision-m that happens in Bulgaria because in Bulgaria it's a lot more like you you know it's a lot more like relaxed. Like I got my school schedule the day that I was teaching. I didn't know what classes or what times I was teaching. I just showed up. But the first day of school, you know, I'm uh they're doing like this ceremony.

[00:18:52]They're talking uh and all the students are staring at me like, "Oh, he's a new American. The American, the American."

[00:18:58]And I was like, you know, I was a little nervous, but I was like, "Oh, you know, whatever."

[00:19:01]>> Wait, you you weren't the only American.

[00:19:03]There were other Americans.

[00:19:04]>> No, no, no. Well, so as part of my program, like we rotate, so there's a new American every year.

[00:19:10]>> Yeah. So they were like, "Oh, who's this new guy in town? Who's this new guy in town? Who's going to be our teacher?"

[00:19:14]>> Um, and you know, I I was just like, "Okay, I'll stand here." And then they come up and they go, "Okay, Ron, you're going to you know, you're going to speak now." And I go, "What? What? I'm going to speak now. And then, yeah, yeah, you're going to say a few words.

[00:19:30]>> And I was like, oh, are you I was not expecting this. And then I don't understand any Bulgarian at this time, but I just hear Ronan McDonald. And then everyone starts clapping. I go, "Oh my god." All right.

[00:19:43]So, no prep, zero prep. I walk up there and I just have to freestyle [clears throat] about like, you know, my philosophy on education and my background. And we kind of we kind of laugh about it now, but uh they told me when they first heard my speech, they thought I was going to be a strict teacher who like had a stick up his ass >> because I was so like unprepared, you know? I was like, >> and then that's the complete opposite of my teaching style. I like to build relationships with my students and uh you know, I think that you can get a lot more done if your students trust you and they like you.

[00:20:21]>> I agree with you. Mhm.

[00:20:22]>> I think that one-on-one connections are so important.

[00:20:25]>> Agreed.

[00:20:25]>> I don't know. Do you use the desks? Do you use the desks or what is your teaching method?

[00:20:31]>> Desks in what way?

[00:20:33]>> Like, do you make students raise their hand to talk?

[00:20:36]>> Oh. Oh. Um, >> you just ask a question and >> I I cold call. Yeah. I keep them on their T. Oh, >> cold call.

[00:20:43]>> Yeah. I know I know all of their names.

[00:20:45]I know what sports they play. I know what activities they do outside of school. I use them in examples like I think that's so important to know their names and know who each person is.

[00:20:57]Um, and then we do this thing called a daily >> Which grade do you teach? Oh, my bad.

[00:21:01]>> No, no, >> sorry. Sorry. Go, go.

[00:21:02]>> Yeah. I mean, we do this thing called a daily journal where we'll spin a wheel and each student has like a number. So, you know, sometimes to randomize it, I'll just do, okay, number 12 is going to share what they wrote in their daily journal today. So, >> yeah.

[00:21:18]>> Okay. Which grades do you teach? 8ighth grade through 11th grade.

[00:21:24]>> Yeah. But you you teach 8th through 11, but which you teach all 8, 9, 10, 11?

[00:21:29]>> Yeah.

[00:21:31]>> Yeah.

[00:21:31]>> Oh, wow.

[00:21:31]>> I teach every all those grades. Yeah.

[00:21:34]>> I teach every class.

[00:21:37]>> How do you see how do you see the kids there? Especially in Viden because Viden is a small place. So people usually would consider that place not having enough resources to do well academically.

[00:21:50]as like in the capital for example.

[00:21:52]>> You know, it's such a shame because the the people who would think that would be absolutely 110% wrong. I have friends all across Bulgaria from all different types of schools, private schools, public schools, whatever it is, you know, uh I know all the different schools in Sophia and all the reputations and everything just being a teacher. And you know, my students are absolutely freaking geniuses. They're so smart. And it's such a shame because Vidden has this reputation of perhaps being underutilized when it comes to resources, but my students are some of the most hungry, professional, well-rounded students. I remember my first couple weeks teaching Max, I would dumb down the lessons because I was like, "Oh, I don't know if they can handle social or political issues or whatever it was." And then they came up to me after and they go, "Ron, like what do you think about like the uh recent election and what do you think about capitalism versus socialism and mixed market economies?" And I was just like, "Damn, like they they there's like a hunger for knowledge at my school, Gache, because it is in my opinion the most elite school in the region or one of the most elites, but that's just my personal opinion. I'm also biased.

[00:23:08]>> Um, >> what's the name?"

[00:23:09]>> Gache Angliska. It's the full name is um Yordan Radarichkov Foreign Language High School.

[00:23:16]>> Yeah.

[00:23:17]>> Okay. So, it's a public school, right?

[00:23:19]>> It's a public school. It's a very old school, too. Like this morning, I just had coffee with a teacher. Um very nice.

[00:23:26]Her name's Rod Slava. She went to GBA.

[00:23:30]Um so I I meet a lum from the school all the time. Like everyone is interconnected in some sort of way. I had a girl from Toronto reach out to me.

[00:23:40]She says, "Ronan, I watch all your Instagram videos. I love your content.

[00:23:44]My I showed your content to my mom and then I found out through your username that you're from Ven and my mom's from Viten. And my mom went to your high school." I go, "What are the chances that her mom who lives in Toronto was from Viden and went to my school?" I mean, it's just like a crazy network.

[00:24:04]It's insane when you say crazy network from Viden because again people would always consider you have to go to the more elite schools in Sophia or in Varna or in Pliff, right? And people wouldn't be so open to think that broadly as you.

[00:24:19]Yeah, I I I think um you know definitely there are advantages to going to like quote unquote more elite schools, but there's so many amazing resources that we have at the school and like for example, we just hosted or we we have a a conference here, European Youth Parliament. I'm a guest speaker today.

[00:24:37]I'm actually going after this to go speak at their conference. Um I we have like 20 of like our best students from the school participating in this and they're probably going to participate at the national conference as well.

[00:24:51]Was there any cultural shock with the students themselves? Maybe their behavior when I was in the American college of Sophia.

[00:24:59]>> Yeah.

[00:24:59]>> I had an American I had two I had a lot of American teachers, right?

[00:25:03]>> Yeah.

[00:25:03]>> But one of them she was very young and it was her first year as well and she was like shocked by the again straightforwardness of the questions we asked and of and how we express our opinion in general.

[00:25:15]>> Yeah. Yeah. Well, uh, what >> and sometimes what our opinion was.

[00:25:20]>> Yeah. You know, >> well, you the I might know them there.

[00:25:24]Well, I know a I know Fulbright sends faculty to ACS, which is actually pretty interesting. Like, one of my my teacher mentors was the old eighth grade Dina ACS. [laughter] [gasps] I mean, to be honest, Max, I get a culture shock like every day, but um [laughter] like literally just a new story. Um, oh my gosh. I mean, the first week that I was teaching, not even just the students, the teachers, like they're like, "Oh, why do you look like a 10th grader?" Like, they say that to my face. They're like, "You're so young." And I go, "Yeah, I'm 23, but you know, Asian don't raise. My mom's Asian, so we don't we don't age fast."

[00:26:09]>> Oh, really?

[00:26:10]>> Yeah. Yeah. or like um guest.

[00:26:13]>> Yeah, [laughter] >> shout out my mama. But um you know uh what else? They're just they'll they'll swear like they'll they'll talk about like their weekend and talk about like what they did and you know if they drank alcohol or you know they also are so open about like smoking cigarettes and you know they're I'm like you're in 8th grade and you're chain smoking outside the school at 9:00 in the morning. like they're like it's just like so different. So that was a culture shock.

[00:26:43]I would say also um Bulgarians in my experience are very comfortable with talking over one another or raising their voice to talk over another person.

[00:26:55]>> Um and in American schools it's like a cardinal sin to talk while the teacher's talking cuz then you can't hear their directions. So that was a a culture shock as well. like when I would be talking, students would be so comfortable with talking to each other and that's just and I took that personally and then I realized, oh, it's just a cultural difference. So then I I sat down, I put my ego aside. I say, hey guys, like it's really difficult. Like I I want to teach you so much. I've got such a great lesson today.

[00:27:28]I'm just kind of hurt that you're talking while I'm talking. And all of them are like, "Oh my gosh, Ron, I'm so sorry. Like I didn't realize like we thought like we were paying attention we was just like we we were talking to each other as well. So it's just a cultural difference.

[00:27:43]>> Um >> well you say cultural difference I would say it's lack of respect for example.

[00:27:48]>> No I don't think so.

[00:27:49]>> A lot of why is that? I mean, because here's the thing. I think, you know, perhaps I have a different opinion than you, Max, but um I actually, contrary to popular belief, I love rowdy classrooms.

[00:28:05]I think that there's such a benefit in energy and I never want to take away that energy.

[00:28:14]>> But yeah, I mean, once I communicated that I didn't like that, they were like, "Oh, I'm so sorry. We didn't even realize it." And then it was it was golden from there.

[00:28:23]>> M okay. And how did you navigate the smoking and the alcohol? You know a lot of students drink with their teachers at 11 12th grade.

[00:28:32]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:28:32]>> But like and you're so young, right? You came from a party school. So I'm just very interested. [laughter] >> I mean to be honest, >> how do you deal with that?

[00:28:39]>> Like Yeah. I mean, you got to come in with an open mind. And so, you know, when I heard stories like that, obviously I was shocked, but then after a while, you're just kind of like, oh, that's just how it is in Bulgaria. And like, who am I to tell other people what their country should or should not be like? So, you know, I actually admire the bonds with students and teachers with smoking and drinking. If you know, students will like openly come up and talk about drinking or smoking to me, and I'll just kind of laugh it off and be like, "Oh my gosh, y'all are so crazy." and then switch the conversation. And it's not because like I don't want to allow them to open up about it. But it's because, you know, as a teacher, I don't want to be I don't want to be talking about, oh, I got this drunk last night and then they I got this drunk last night. And they love to talk about how much they drink. So yeah, I'd say I I switch.

[00:29:27]>> You tell them you think it's bad or you just switch the topic.

[00:29:30]>> Uh you give your opinion on that.

[00:29:32]>> Yeah. Well, just coming from America, we don't ever talk about sex, drugs, alcohol with our teachers. So, you know, I'd say I genuinely keep some sort of that standard when I come to Bulgaria.

[00:29:46]>> Okay, I see some distance.

[00:29:48]>> Yeah. But I think also cuz like alcohol is like so like it's like a it's like taboo in America versus here like you know there's not as much uh taboo.

[00:30:01]>> It's the opposite. If you don't drink, you're like the outsider.

[00:30:04]>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. And like I would I would argue that like, you know, Bulgarians understand how to handle alcohol at a younger age, you know, like you have kids in America who will be starved of not starved, it's not like you need it like it's a, you know, like a drug, but um they >> Yeah. Yeah. strict. And then they'll go to college and you know lots of people drink in university and then they'll like go in an ambulance or they'll black out or do this because you know they didn't understand that alcohol is a substance. Alcohol is a drug and if you overdo it and your body can't handle it, you can get yourself into trouble.

[00:30:52]>> So yeah.

[00:30:52]>> Oh yeah. Yeah. We we say that in the Balkans or in Bulgaria more specifically, you start drinking at 14 and by 18 you retire from drinking.

[00:31:02]>> Yes. Yes. I've heard >> in the other countries. Yeah.

[00:31:05]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:31:07]>> I I was wondering cuz I see it almost every day on your Instagram feed.

[00:31:12]>> Mhm.

[00:31:12]>> Who introduced you to kebaba?

[00:31:15]>> Ooh, my mentor teacher Kami.

[00:31:18]>> Did you find them yourself?

[00:31:19]>> No. No. No. So the first kebab I ever had was the Verata station kebab, which I'm a super fan of. If you watch my content, it's like an inside joke with like my community. Verata station kebab.

[00:31:34]Best kebaba to me in all of Bulgaria.

[00:31:38]And it was also the first one that I tried, Max. So when I went uh from Sophia to Viden for the first time after my orientation, it's like September, my mentor teacher, we stopped at the Verata station cuz you stopped there for like a 15-minute smoke break, which is also a cultural adjustment that there's smoke breaks for the buses. [laughter] Um we got out and I tried the kebab with Shadow Soul, fell in love. Every time I go back through there, I try it as well. And then the guy who makes it, we're good friends now. You know, every time he goes from like this tough, you know, grew up in socialism, no smile on his face guy, and then now when he sees me, he goes, "Ah, American, American." And like he's he's such a cool guy. I love him to death.

[00:32:32]He's awesome.

[00:32:35]You know, >> what do you think about the food in general?

[00:32:38]>> It's gas. It's fire. I love it. Like, it's u I love Man, I I think I gained 15 lbs in my first two months from eating fresh bread, lutinita, and sedan. Like, I got fat off of that, man. Maybe not 15, maybe 10 pounds, but still.

[00:32:53]>> Love that.

[00:32:54]>> Um absolutely adore tatur. I love um bananichki.

[00:33:01]Uh, Banishka, the best Banita place ever for anyone watching. And this is fact check verified by people who visited Vidden, who I took there, who are not even from Viden. The best Banishka is at this one shop. I think I posted a video on my Instagram, but it's near the bazaar. It's across from a zoo store.

[00:33:24]It's not on Google Maps. You can't you can't find it on Google Maps. It's this lady. She makes fresh banichka with this special Bulgarian oven that's like a hundred years old that you can't buy anymore.

[00:33:36]And she makes it fresh every morning.

[00:33:39]It's got the perfect amount of grease and crispiness.

[00:33:42]It's It's ridiculous. It's It's insane.

[00:33:45]Like that is my favorite food in Bulgaria probably. Um I love shon soul kebab.

[00:33:54]>> Sh.

[00:33:55]>> Yeah. I mean it's not Yeah. I mean is it a food? No. But yeah. Um >> do you do you eat in the celebrations like the uh for example for gerv then >> is that oh is that like St. George's day or >> yes St. George's day like different days you eat specific foods.

[00:34:14]>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean I >> have you tried those?

[00:34:16]>> I I have not. No. Um but I think that's a good reminder. I should ask my students to invite me to a barbecue or something like that and cook for me. Um >> yeah, barbecue. So American. Yeah.

[00:34:30]>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. [laughter] I'm actually going to um a village nearby, Inovo. It's like a small village. I don't know how big it is, but um for a sort of barbecue or I don't know what to call it. My student's mother um invited me to come. So I'm going to go eat, drink, hang out with their family maybe next weekend. But yeah.

[00:34:54]>> Yeah. You seem to have a great connection with your students and their families as well.

[00:34:58]>> I'd like to think so.

[00:34:59]>> I think >> I think a lot of it has to do with um you being closer to our age >> and maybe you posting content because I see you very happy with your students in the content.

[00:35:12]>> How did you come up with that decision?

[00:35:13]>> Well, can I talk to you about the what can I talk about what made the connection with my students first and then maybe I'll tell you about the content?

[00:35:20]>> Yeah, of course. Of course. Take it the way you want. Yeah. So, a lot of people when I talk to them, they go, "Ron, how do you have such a close connection with your students?"

[00:35:30]And they'll instantly go to the content and the age, which is true. That definitely helps. But in my humble opinion, that's not the reason why I'm so I I have such a close connection with my students and my family. The reason why Fore school.

[00:36:20]Foreignector.

[00:36:48]The reason why I am so close with my students is because and this is what they told me.

[00:36:54]They told it straight to my face again bulk and directness.

[00:36:58]I treat them like I like I am at their level. So for example >> Yeah. Like I humanize >> you treat them like adults.

[00:37:09]>> Yeah. Exactly. Exactly.

[00:37:11]>> Like for example with phones it's such an issue in the classroom right with phones.

[00:37:16]I will go to them and I'll say eighth graders who like arguably should not be trusted with phones because they'll go under the desk. I I go, "Hey guys, hey guys, I I you guys are all adults. I trust you." Like I'm I I say, "I trust you with your phones. You're not going to take them out, right?" And then that switches a like a light bulb in their brain and they go, "Oh, he trusts us.

[00:37:43]Oh, I don't want to break Ronin's trust." Okay. And then if someone breaks that trust, I make a big deal about it because it is a big deal to me. And I go, I I feel like you broke my trust today, so and so. I trusted you to not take your phone out. And they know exactly what they did. So to me, I operate on a big trust system. And you know, >> besides that, I treat them like adults.

[00:38:07]You know, I let them have some sort of control in the classroom when it comes to the topics. You know, I think also listening is such a powerful skill. Like I love talking. I'm such like a I talk 247, man. I mean, I'm on a podcast and I love talking about myself. [laughter] >> I love >> You're a professional talker. Yeah, basically.

[00:38:29]>> Yeah.

[00:38:29]>> Debator, talker, teacher. Yeah.

[00:38:31]>> Yes. Exactly. Exactly. Um, so yeah, but you have one mouth and two ears. So I I try to listen just as much as I talk. And sometimes I'll read the room. That's what every great comedian does. Part of being a teacher is honestly you wear many different hats.

[00:38:51]Some days you're a comedian. You want to make them laugh. So I'll feel the room and it it some days it's like a bomb went off. Like they're all just in a horrible mood. Maybe cuz a teacher yelled at them, which maybe it was for the right reason, I don't know. Or maybe it was for the wrong reason. I don't know. Um it's like a bomb went off or like they just had three tests back to back. And so I think a great teacher a goes down to their students level, understands what they are, perhaps that's the age thing, and then b adjust the lesson to what your students want to learn, how they want to learn, and their emotion and their regulation for the day.

[00:39:35]>> Those are like the keys >> to like my success with my students. And then also one other thing that I like to talk about Max is that I'm a huge reader. I love listening to podcasts.

[00:39:46]Uh Walt Disney has this principle with his actors um in Disneyland. Have you heard about the the don't let go rule with Walt Disney?

[00:39:58]>> No. No.

[00:39:58]>> It's fantastic. I'll tell you.

[00:40:00]>> What is it?

[00:40:01]>> So the Walt Disney Company, they teach their actors at Disneyland.

[00:40:07]When a kid comes up to hug you or take a picture and they hug you, you as an actor, like you're dressed up as Goofy or Minnie Mouse, you're not allowed to let go until the kid lets go. Because if you let go before the kid lets go, then they might feel like perhaps abandoned. That's dramatic. But you don't let go until the kid lets go.

[00:40:30]>> Yeah. As a kid, it might be like as dramatic.

[00:40:33]>> Yeah. Exactly. Because these characters are their heroes. It's what they look up to. It's what they watch on Sunday mornings. So that's my philosophy with my students.

[00:40:44]If they mention something about a football match on the weekends, hey so and so, I'm there. Hey Ronin, um you know, I I I really work individually.

[00:40:55]Can you trust me to work individually today? Of course, I got you. I'll give you a separate task. Let's do that. Hey, Ronan. Um, I just went through a really bad breakup. Can I talk to you about it?

[00:41:05]Of course. I'd love to hear about it.

[00:41:07]Let me be a gentle ear to you. So, it's all about seeing those cues for connection from your students and opening the door as wide open as possible and saying, "Here, sit down on my metaphorical couch. I'm here to listen to you." And making that a safe space. And I do that over and over and over and over again, day in day and day out.

[00:41:31]and then eventually you win the trust of all your students.

[00:41:35]So that's that's how I built the relationship. And then to your other question, Max, you asked the social media thing. What got me into that?

[00:41:44]Similar to the previous conversation uh or the the the question, I want to build as big of a community as I can and as a strong of a community as I can. and I saw them.

[00:41:59][laughter] My kids would be like in the back if they're not engaged in the lesson.

[00:42:03]They're just on their phone typing away watching Instagram reels. I go, "Oh, really? Okay, you guys want to ignore me today? All right, let me make an Instagram real so you can't ignore my face. [laughter] [gasps] >> So, so how how did it change afterwards?

[00:42:18]Like after the after you blew up?"

[00:42:21]>> I mean, I'm God. I my cohort makes fun of me because they're like, "Ron, you have too big of an ego." Which is probably true. Um, but I'm famous in my town now. Like I I walk I walk the streets, I probably get stopped for a picture at least three to four times.

[00:42:39]Like >> or when I'm in Sophia, I get noticed at least once every time in Sophia.

[00:42:50]um you know, so there's definitely perks to that. Um but it's interesting my students, they treat me the exact same, which is really nice. They're like cuz the people in wherever Bulgaria or abroad who like know me and I guess are quote unquote fans of the the channel.

[00:43:09]To me, I'm like this mythical cre Oh my god, thank you so much for replying to my DM. Oh my god, it's so nice to meet you. Can I please take a picture? And then my students are like, "So Ronan, um, are we going to play games today or what's up?" Like, um, or like, "Ron, like, where were you? Like, why didn't you come to my football match?" Like, you know, they're It's so funny. It's I'm like a normal person to them, which is so refreshing. Um, cuz like they saw me.

[00:43:33]>> I think this is because Yeah. before.

[00:43:35]Yeah, >> they saw me before. They saw me before the fame to after the fame. And I say fame with like quotation marks like, you know, I'd say I'm a niche micro celebrity in Bulgaria. That's what I'll say. I And in the Bulgarians in Chicago, there's so many Bulgarians in Chicago who have reached out.

[00:43:52]>> I know. I I went to film a video there.

[00:43:54]Exactly. The Bulgarian community.

[00:43:55]>> There you go. Yeah.

[00:43:56]>> I think you your channel still has a lot of potential to have an actual impact, not just for this community, but maybe to build something or to change to have this mindset shift >> perhaps. I mean, you know, I'm heading back to the US in three, four months here, Max. What do you think as a content creator yourself? What do you think? What type of impact do you think I could create going back to America knowing the experience and having the community that I have here?

[00:44:29]For me as a content creator, I've always knew that no matter how many followers I have and how many people like me, I can I can change some people's minds. But at the end of the day, those are just videos. They do not exist in the real world. You can't touch or change or feel anything. No laws have have been done.

[00:44:49]Like I'm right now here in Shanghai and I'm like, I think I have an impact.

[00:44:53]But those guys are building building after building after building right you can physically see >> how it has changed.

[00:45:00]>> Mhm.

[00:45:00]>> So I think you might be an influencer have have a million followers that's great until you make like an actual impact.

[00:45:09]>> It doesn't really matter.

[00:45:10]>> By actual impact you mean like something you can physically touch or see or like a company. Is that what you're talking about?

[00:45:17]>> Or behavior-wise. Yeah. M >> as long as it it moves out from this cloud space or this virtual space into the real world.

[00:45:24]>> Mhm. Mhm.

[00:45:25]>> You know, so like um you know Lefki, right?

[00:45:29]>> Yeah.

[00:45:30]>> Imagine if he had social media but it was like kind of or like a private channel in Telegram so that the Ottomans couldn't catch him, right?

[00:45:38]>> Yeah.

[00:45:38]>> Imagine what impact he would have.

[00:45:40]>> Yeah.

[00:45:41]>> And I I want to have that drive to make change through my content. I think that's like a really powerful move.

[00:45:49]>> I mean, I think you're already making that right now. I mean, I've I mentioned to my students and a few of my Bulgarian friends that I was going on your podcast and then I showed them the channel and they're go, "Ah, I've seen that guy before. That's so cool. He's Oh my gosh, I've watched his videos." So, you're already making an impact. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:46:07]>> Yeah.

[00:46:07]>> Yeah. It's It's crazy when young people watch me cuz my statistics are always with older people and I'm really happy when kids watch me. Well, perhaps my younger 12year-old to 25year-old audience would be good to check out your YouTube channel. [laughter] >> I actually, this was one of my questions and I actually wanted to go in this direction.

[00:46:28]Seeing the Bulgarian education system.

[00:46:30]>> Mhm.

[00:46:30]>> And the American one as well.

[00:46:32]>> Mhm.

[00:46:33]>> What would you think No, what do you think you you would improve if you had the absolute power to do so? Before you answer that question, I'm I'm thinking as of my extensive travels, I've always been in periods. So, in the beginning, I kind of uncomfortable. I don't want to be here. Then you start to explore it, to approach it with curiosity, to really like it. And then at one point, you know enough and you're like, okay, that's not working. We can change it. I think that you're just at that period where you're like you've explored enough and you see some stuff is good, others is bad and maybe I shouldn't just accept it because it's a different culture.

[00:47:16]>> I'm kind of in shock right now cuz that's such a perfect way to put it, Max. I mean, I haven't thought about that that way, but that's 110% true.

[00:47:25]>> I'm I'm just processing that cuz Yeah. I mean, all of my experiences, I go in uncomfortable. There's the adjustment period, then there's a open-mindedness, you know, the the flow state or whatever it is, like you're not thinking, you're just enjoying, >> and then you've been there long enough and you go, "Okay, maybe >> I you develop opinions about a place because you feel like you've >> Exactly."

[00:47:47]>> You know, so yeah. Um, well, in true Bulgarian nature, I definitely have opinions that I'd love to share. Um, so you know, and I mean that in the most loving way, Bulgarians, but um [laughter] um so you know, uh the Bulgarian education system. Well, I actually talked about this in my interview with um Benet and then my um they did like a a 60-minute style documentary. Um and my students talked about this as well. Um, not every school's like this, but certain schools in Bulgaria, there's kind of a do as I say, like just a I'm gonna give you this, you must do this, this is the only way, this is how it's supposed to be.

[00:48:30]>> And in I found there's a lot there's a big benefit in like it's not just like, okay, I am the superior. You will do exactly as I'm told. I think that certain students need that, but there's many different types of learning styles.

[00:48:47]um which I think is a benefit to my class because it's a contrast to my other teachers which they do their job in educating in history and the maths and the sciences and then mine is kind of like the fun group work learn about American culture type of class. So I'd say I'd say perhaps maybe an added mindset of you know there is not just one way to teach. It's not I am the superior like bring yourself down to their level cuz that will allow students to feel heard. I think a second thing that I would add is listen. As I said, you have one mouth, two ears. If you truly listen to a class, they will tell you exactly how they learn and how to be successful with them. I'll give you an example. One of my good friends, uh, Vasilena, she teaches at my school. There was this one class, and if 10A is listening, 10A, I love you to death. I love you to death. And I'll never say anything bad about them, but you know, they get told sometimes that they are a difficult class, that they are hard to teach, that it is difficult for them to grasp.

[00:49:56]>> And I'll be honest, they gave me a really hard time in the first month. I mean, I like threatened to drop their class. I was like, "Guys, like, you're not listening to me." You know, they they just did not respect me at all. The first month I went to I didn't have any other problems with any other classes but their class was difficult. Then I went to Vasilena who was their English teacher.

[00:50:22]I said, "Hey Vasi, I'm really struggling. I want to break through these kids, but they're just not listening to me." She goes, "Ron, well, how are you teaching them?" Well, I go I give them these uh these games and these projects and I try to get them up in the front of the class speaking and I uh you know, I try to be more strict with them because they're out of line. And she she she cuts me off. She's so sweet. She goes, "Ron, you got to look at it from a different angle." She goes, "Number one, the secret to unlocking 10A is that you need to show them love because they are such an emotionally intelligent class and they don't feel your love right now.

[00:51:01]and if you show them love, they will trust you.

[00:51:05]And I said, "Okay, okay." So I I flipped my mindset. The next week, I come in and I brought them chocolates.

[00:51:12]And they said, "Ron, why why did you give us chocolates?" And I said, "Do I have to have a reason to give you chocolates? It happy Wednesday."

[00:51:24]And I said, "I missed you guys over winter break. I missed you." And they say, "Really? No teacher ever misses us." And I go, "Yeah, I missed you guys." Cuz I genuinely did. I miss some of the a lot of the students there are bright minds.

[00:51:38]And then and then I go, "I love teaching your guys' class." Which was 95% true.

[00:51:44]There's that 5% that drives me crazy, but 95% true. [laughter] >> You know, and I said, "I I love teaching you guys." They go, "Really? No teacher ever says that about us." And I was like almost like tearing up. I was like, "Why have you guys not heard that before?" I'm like tearing up thinking about it right now.

[00:52:04]And ever since then, I've they're honestly one of my favorite classes to teach because they they provide so much love to me.

[00:52:12]And all I had to do was just put my ego aside, put my fear aside, and say, "Here, I'm going to love your class today."

[00:52:22]and then it's been different ever since.

[00:52:26]So you you just like I think that's another thing that the Bulgarian education could use is some students man they're so stressed these students they they they I think sometimes we as teachers I understand it cuz I was just a student in university like 8 months ago but we as teachers we forget how hard it is to be a student sometimes to balance seven different classes and a schedule and a >> 17 Yeah.

[00:52:53]>> Yeah. or you know your your football matches after school or you know you just got your heart broken because you just got dumped by your girlfriend or like you know just high school is such a transformative time sometimes we forget that and you know pe students are people too >> you seem you seem like a really passionate and dedicated teacher and I love that I never asked you in the first place what gave you at Spark.

[00:53:25]>> Ooh, what a fantastic.

[00:53:26]>> Why do you like teaching? Yeah, >> my father. My father. Sorry, God, you're getting me emotional on him. [laughter] Sunday afternoon. My My father uh is my greatest teacher. Um he taught me everything that I know. Um he's my greatest wisest teacher. And there were times when I was lost. There were times where I felt unheard. Where I didn't know where I was going in life. When I was crying in my room.

[00:54:04]And he seemed to always have the answers. He seemed to always open up a door, put a metaphorical couch down and say, you know, I'm here to listen to you.

[00:54:24]And everyone has a life purpose. I mean, beyond my strong faith and my my uh belief in God and and and and that aspect of my life, um one of my biggest goals in life is to be a father.

[00:54:39]just like my dad.

[00:54:41]>> If I can be half the man that he is, I'll have succeeded in life >> and he does real estate so I look up to him in every way and that's why I chose my career path and he is a great teacher in itself. So I just want to be like my dad and so I think growing up I had this like bone in my body where I would replicate the things that he would do. And my friend group likes to say I'm like a 40-year-old dad and a 23-year-old body.

[00:55:08]Um, like I have an old soul and like I'll I'll be like a almost like a teacher to like my younger brother. You know, I'm the oldest sibling. So, I'm a teacher and a role model for my sister and my brother. Um, I've always been a leader in every club and organization and nonprofit that I've started. So, I love I love giving back. I I'm serviceoriented and then I'm motivated by the lessons that my dad taught me from a young age.

[00:55:37]>> You know, I've always thought that learn um not learning, teaching is about helping somebody activate their full potential.

[00:55:47]>> Yeah.

[00:55:47]>> Now you're making me think that it's not just that. It's maybe like seeing just things from another perspective.

[00:55:53]>> I mean, yeah. Yeah.

[00:55:55]>> You didn't say that. You didn't say that your dad pushed you.

[00:55:58]in any direction. He just opened those doors for you.

[00:56:01]>> Yeah.

[00:56:01]>> It was you who went through them, right?

[00:56:03]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:56:04]>> So, so what does teaching for you consist of?

[00:56:10]>> Teaching is a everlasting push and pull, a yin and yang between guidance and freedom. [clears throat] So, you want to guide someone to where you think would be a beneficial place for them while also giving them the freedom to choose their own path.

[00:56:27]>> [snorts] >> Um, so I think as a teacher I'm constantly walking that line between, hey, you should check this out, but if they don't like it, then okay, awesome.

[00:56:35]I I'm listening to you. You seem more of an artsy person. Okay, I've heard about this arts club. Why don't we check that out? Channel your arts, you know, this push and pull. And then I think also part of being a teacher, the biggest thing to me and the reason why I've been so in my opinion successful with teaching, people do not remember what you said to them. They don't remember a fact they told them. They don't remember what they learned at 9:00 in the morning on a Wednesday on a cold Balkan winter morning. They don't remember that. But what they do remember is how you made them feel.

[00:57:16]Did they feel valued? Did they feel supported? Did you show up?

[00:57:22]Did you show up for them when they needed you? Did you breathe life into their dreams?

[00:57:28]Did you did you make them feel proud of their culture?

[00:57:37]Did they feel loved?

[00:57:40]So they don't remember the facts, but they remember the feelings. And that's what I try to optimize for is to foster a culture and environment where they feel heard and valued and seen.

[00:57:56]>> I feel like students look up, not just look up, they anticipate your classes.

[00:58:02]>> Have they ever told you that?

[00:58:03][gasps and laughter] >> I think they No, I know they do. I know they do. Um, I like to think my classes are pretty damn fun. Yeah, I think >> it sounds like they are. Yeah, >> maybe. I don't know if like if they're even fun, but they are >> you're you you just get attached to the teacher the same way you get attached to the students and you just want to spend time more with this person and listen to them.

[00:58:28]>> Yeah.

[00:58:29]>> I wonder most teacher most teachers aren't like you in Bulgaria. Most of them are a little bit too old and close-minded to even process the ideas you're talking about right now. They haven't seen it in in action to believe that it is possible.

[00:58:44]>> Mhm.

[00:58:44]>> So, I was wondering on a systemic level, what do you think can change so that you can activate the teachers better to activate the students?

[00:58:58]>> Wow, you're coming with the most amazing questions today, Max. Honestly, I mean, you're great at your great at your job, man. I got to tell you that.

[00:59:05]>> Um, oh god, what a fantastic question.

[00:59:08]Yeah.

[00:59:09]>> Um, by the way, this channel right here is is is going nuclear. I wouldn't be surprised if you're at 200,000 subscribers in a year, honestly. I mean, >> thank you so much.

[00:59:18]>> Yeah.

[00:59:19]>> Um, >> Bulgarian market is small, but I try my best. [gasps] >> But the community is strong, you know.

[00:59:25]I'm sure if you sold your your own brand of Shauna Soul, you'd be just okay.

[00:59:29]>> So, or whatever it is. comments are crazy when I make it in Bulgarian compared to English.

[00:59:33]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:59:34]>> It's just it's a different feeling, you know.

[00:59:36]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:59:38]Um, so [snorts] a systemic level, I mean, teachers don't get paid enough. I mean, the salaries that they get paid to educate our future youth is just ridiculous. Um, and this is coming from someone who studied and went to university to do real estate development, to build multif family units, to develop and to revitalize communities, but also there's a profit motive to that. Like you in real estate, it's all about internal rate of return, cap rate, whatever it is. And so, you're optimizing for how much money you can make. So I feel like as a society systemically we put such a premium on what is the value that you bring economically when in reality as a teacher I use my brain three times as much both intelligent like both intellectually and emotionally I use my brain three times as much being a teacher than I do studying real estate and finance. So I think that systemically teachers need to get paid more. I think that's an obvious thing but it's an easy fix. Like if you're a politician or a future politician listening to this, easily overnight, you can improve your country by just making teacher pay 20% more, 30% more. I'm sure there's a budget for it. They're not getting paid enough. I think also from what I've seen, you know, my my school is very supportive of me, but if I had an unlimited budget from the government, I would increase the access to technology. Like 75% of the time the TV works in my school, but 25% of the time it doesn't. So my lessons that I'm able to do is limited. And that's just because like I have a MacBook and the way that it connects to the HDMI cord is like different and just the software updates, it might overload the computer or whatever it is. So um you know, I'd say just an access to like smart technology and grants and EU funding is is is huge. Um, and then I think lastly, um, perhaps more discussion and conversation around diversity of perspectives and thoughts and education when it comes to like how you teach because and I am in a cohort of some of the most brilliant minds that I've ever talked to. I mean, I'm thinking to like my friends like, you know, Lucy Koulse, Sam Hoff, um, Noah Lurbach, um, you know, they have either English backgrounds or teaching backgrounds and like they've taught me so much about what a good teacher is in terms of like the different methods in teaching and I think that could be taught to teachers as well.

[01:02:15]There are different types of learning styles and there are different emot like there are different ways that you connect with the student and there are different ways that you can teach a lesson and there's just it's like a science. It's a formula and I think just educating teachers on that could be a huge benefit.

[01:02:35]>> So most of it is like I'm I'm very surprised. I thought you were going to talk about like students should have less classes and maybe they should be split up in semesters, choose their own classes. You're talking about some very very basic stuff like just salary race and like techno like maybe it's because I've been like capsulated in private schools and haven't seen the reality.

[01:02:57]>> Yeah, I think you should. Yeah, it's probably that honestly. Not no shot against you, Max. Like those schools are not well funded outside of Sophia.

[01:03:05]>> I mean they need to be better funded and these students is such a shame cuz they're so unbelievably talented. I also like to say life is life is simple. Life is not life life is simple. Life is hard. Success >> in whatever realm it is. It's not that complicated. Life is not that complicated. It's just hard. Like you're building a YouTube channel right now.

[01:03:31]The formula is literally right in front of us.

[01:03:36]>> Pushing out content.

[01:03:37]>> Just post.

[01:03:37]>> Post.

[01:03:38]>> Put yourself out there. high quality content optimized for what works. What got the most amount of views? Does that align with your vision? Okay, double down on that, triple down on that, pump that out. Clip short form content have different avenues that bring viewers, you know, whatever it is. Like the the formula is there. It's simple.

[01:03:58]The formula is not changing, but it's not easy. It's not easy to, you know, record this session and then edit it and then clip it and then the audio check and the, you know, it's not easy. What you do is not easy, but it's simple. So, I think I like to optimize for the >> 100%.

[01:04:20]>> Yeah. I like to optimize for the simpler things.

[01:04:23]>> No, it's true.

[01:04:24]>> Yeah.

[01:04:25]>> Every the more complicated you you make it, that means the more unclear you are about how it actually works. You know, I've noticed and a lot of Bulgarians as well, they are like Bulgarian kids are very smart. I think it's because of the environment. They have to grow up faster. They're also exposed to many different opinions.

[01:04:47]>> Yeah.

[01:04:48]>> As you said, we do not restrict or censor ourself. Uh and you get also exposed to many different life experiences from an early age. Yeah.

[01:04:56]>> Such as drinking and all that other stuff.

[01:04:59]>> Yeah. But then there is a big brain dump when it comes to going to colleges.

[01:05:05]Do you think that's true in Viden? Like how do you see Viden's future in particular?

[01:05:10]>> Uh brain dump in what way? Like brain drain to universities in Sophia?

[01:05:14]>> Yeah, brain drain.

[01:05:15]>> Yeah.

[01:05:16]>> No, no, no. Not not just in Sophia, even internationally.

[01:05:18]>> Yeah.

[01:05:19]>> In the country.

[01:05:20]>> Yeah.

[01:05:20]>> Yeah. Brain drain was the word. Not dump.

[01:05:22]>> Yeah. I mean, first off, let me validate your thought 1,000% I agree with you. The conversations of emotional intelligence that I will have with 9th graders, 10th graders, 11th graders, I feel like I'm talking to someone my age. I mean, they they Bulgarians just grow up so much earlier. And I totally agree. Echo everything you said. It's probably because of they don't shy away from conversations at an early age. I think also naturally um Bulgarians they're much more like I mean there's also a lot of like political history with the Ottoman rule and and I think it's just more facilitated in schools perhaps the conversations politically. Um so I'd say that in terms of um like the brain drain I don't really have a problem with it. I mean, as long as they come back to Bulgaria. But the problem is sometimes they don't come back to Bulgaria. Like you have a lot of people they go to >> most of the time.

[01:06:25]>> Yeah. Yeah. They'll go to like Bonei and you know, Milan or they'll go to like, you know, the universities in the Netherlands or Einhovven or or they'll go to like Denhog or whatever it's called, you know. Um and then they won't come back. And I think I I don't I don't blame them because there's more opportunity abroad. So if I was like a politician or someone that had ability to make action, you know, make it so that there is an incentive for companies to create jobs right here in Bulgaria.

[01:07:01]Um, you know, I was actually just talking with and I mentioned her earlier, but her name's Radoslava. She is brilliant.

[01:07:09]She uh studied in Plovdiv and then she did like a master's in like Barcelona and then she went to um and then she went to like where did she go? She went to like Boston like she was doing like IVF research and like just brilliant and now she's uh she's a teacher teaching four subjects in Ven because she's from Ven and she has the educational background to basically teach wherever she was. She was in Netherlands previously but her and her husband and their young child they missed Ven and she wanted to make a difference because there was so much brain drain coming out of Eden that she wanted to breathe life back into the city. So I think more people like her um would also be a benefit but there also needs to be opportunity and jobs created you know.

[01:07:56]>> Oh I I completely agree. I was just curious what your opinion was on the question. Yeah.

[01:08:01]>> And I kind of know the answer from your social media. I don't know if you said it jokingly, but do you want to stay in Bulgaria?

[01:08:11]>> Yeah, I would love to. I mean, if there's any, you know, real estate people who are listening who want to hire a hardworking American who will continue to make funny, you know, America living in Bulgaria abroad videos. I would love to stay in Bulgaria because, you know, that's my that's my background. That's what I studied in university. Um, so if I could, I I would, but you know, my visa runs out, so you know, I have no choice but to leave the country, but if I could, I would. I love it here.

[01:08:44]>> Yeah. Okay. And I'm just going to say to everybody, Here's my camera. That's I'm looking that way. Everybody who watches this or listens to this, Ronin can provide a great new perspective to how you think about stuff. You you definitely breeded some not breathe it was the word. you definitely brought some new fresh air into not only the Bulgarian online space, but also to like at least for me, I I just graduated last year from high school. So like just listening to your clips, I just have so much nostalgia and I feel like most people watching do who are older.

[01:09:25]>> Mhm.

[01:09:26]>> And I think that's great. [snorts] I would, if you allow me to give you some feedback, I would definitely film some videos with the students.

[01:09:34]>> I just have like a >> Yeah. Yeah. I >> raw raw experiences. Yeah.

[01:09:39]>> Yeah. I want to be like I don't like to include them too much cuz I want to respect their privacy, but definitely when I get a chance to and they're willing to and their parents are, you know, um okay with it, then of course.

[01:09:53]And it's usually pretty chill, pretty great because the the the parents are fans of the content too. So [laughter] >> yeah, >> like I have the parents.

[01:10:02]>> I don't think the parents will be the problem. I think the main problem will be like all of them would want and you have to choose one or two or like >> Yeah.

[01:10:09]>> Yeah. So >> that would be hard. But you can make it an incentive. If you receive this great, you can appear in a video.

[01:10:15]>> You know what, Max? You're bringing up a great point.

[01:10:18]>> Yeah. All right, Ron.

[01:10:21]That was it. I I really enjoyed our conversation. You said you were Asian.

[01:10:26]Which part of Asia?

[01:10:28]>> Uh half Asian, half Irish. So I'm My mother's from the Philippines and then my father's from Ireland. So half and half. Yeah.

[01:10:36]>> Ireland.

[01:10:36]>> Ireland. Yeah. It's St. Patrick's Day yesterday. St. Patrick's Day. You know, it's a huge day for us.

[01:10:44]>> Uh well, if you're in the Philippines or if I come to the US or in Bulgaria, I would love to have a catch-up conversation. And maybe we can film it as well.

[01:10:52]>> You know what?

[01:10:53]>> Just meet in real life.

[01:10:54]>> I think that's a great uh I think that's a great Are you You're in Shanghai. Are you in university there?

[01:11:01]>> Yeah. So, I'm going to cut this as well, but I'm thinking of >> [music]