Introduction to our venue and location
This year, we’ll be hosting the conference at the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) Blagoevgrad campus. Blagoevgrad, a 1.5 hour drive from Sofia, is a smaller town than our “typical” Global Conference location so we will be reimagining the conference experience by staying in multiple hotels throughout the area and keeping everyone connected to the venues and each other via a conference shuttle bus.
Travel Guidance
Before registering for the conference, you will need to book your travel to and from Blagoevgrad. It is your responsibility to book your flight or train to Sofia, and from there Teach For All will provide transportation to Blagoevgrad for those who need it.
The guidelines below indicate what day you should arrive in Bulgaria, and when you should depart based on the conference schedule. We have listed these dates according to the different attendee types. If you have any questions about which attendee category you fall into please contact us.
The conference officially begins the morning of Tuesday 25th October. Hotel accommodations will be available from the evening of Monday 24th October. If you are attending a school visit, we will provide accommodation from Sunday October 23rd. If you are opting into any other optional activities, you will be responsible for your accommodation on October 23rd. We will provide meals beginning on Tuesday morning.
Optional Activities
On Monday, we will offer a set of optional activities or you may choose to use the time to rest and adjust to the local time zone. These activities involve local tours of Blagoevgrad, a trip to the Rila Monastery (estimated cost is $10-20USD per person), and community visits to Teach For Bulgaria schools.
This year, we are taking a different approach to community engagement at the conference and will not be having the "traditional" school visits as part of the three days of programming. Instead, we are offering to arrange an additional hotel night for anyone who would like to arrive early on Sunday 23rd October and spend a full day in the community on Monday. This additional night will not be available for those not attending the school visits. Please indicate your commitment to attend in your registration form.
Arrival and Departure Guidelines
*As you evaluate flight options, please consider that travel time between Blagoevgrad and Sofia airport is about 1.5 hours. We will provide transportation for everyone who is arriving within the below date guidelines, including for late night arrivals.*
Attendee Type | Arrival Date | Departure Date |
---|---|---|
Board Members, Speakers, and Guests of the Network | Monday October 24th, 2016 The Global Conference will begin on the morning of Tuesday 25th October in Blagoevgrad. If possible, we recommend that you arrive in Sofia on Monday 24th October. If you plan to attend school visits please arrive Sunday 23rd October. |
Thursday October 27th, 2016 We invite you to stay with us through the closing of the conference on Thursday at 5:30 pm. We recommend you book flights departing no earlier than 9:30 pm. |
Partner CEOs | Friday October 21st, 2016 Please arrive in Sofia any time on Friday the 21st. The CEO Retreat will be held from the morning of Saturday 22nd October through mid-day Monday 24th October. The NAC meeting will take place on Monday afternoon. |
Friday October 28th, 2016 The Global Conference will end with a closing dinner on Thursday 27th October. Please plan to depart anytime on Friday 28th. |
Partner Staff, Teach For All Staff, and Alumni | Monday October 24th, 2016 The Global Conference will begin on the morning of Tuesday 25th October in Blagoevgrad. Please arrive in Sofia on Monday 24th October. If you plan to attend school visits please arrive Sunday 23rd October |
Friday October 28th, 2016 The Global Conference will end with a closing dinner on Thursday 27th October. Please plan to depart anytime on Friday 28th. |
Early Stage Entrepreneurs | Monday October 24th, 2016 Early Stage Entrepreneurs will have a meeting on Monday 24th October at 6pm. Please plan to arrive in Sofia by 3pm at the latest. If you plan to attend school visits please arrive Sunday 23rd October. |
Friday October 28th, 2016 The Global Conference will end with a closing dinner on Thursday 27th October. Please plan to depart anytime on Friday 28th. |
Teach For Bulgaria Guests and Community Partners | Wednesday October 26th, 2016 We invite you to join us for a day of sessions from 8 am to 5 pm on Wednesday 26th October in Blagoevgrad. More details will be sent via email. |
For your convenience, we have our travel agents at Key Travel available to help book your flights, which you will need to pay for via credit card payment. If you’d like to use this service please visit this page. To submit a quote request, select The 2016 Teach For All Global Conference from the drop down menu and an agent will be in touch with you.
Where applicable, Teach For All will be arranging transportation from Sofia Airport to our conference hotels.