01/10/02
When Bogdan Tiganov’s parents left Romania and took their son to settle in Britain in 1990, their only thought was for his safety. They little imagined the experience of life as a refugee would steer the nine year old towards a career in writing. Just two years later, the determined youngster had mastered English, inspired by watching children’s television, and started writing novels and poetry.
A decade later, Bogdan’s portfolio includes several collections of verse, two fantasy novels and several short stories – all published online. These days, Bogdan, who lives in Twickenham, is in the second year of English literature studies at Kingston University. “The Kingston degree really appealed to me because of the variety of literature it covers,†the 21 year old said.
Not surprisingly, he intends to take creative writing as an option in his final year when he hopes to produce work that will change the way society views refugees. “Unless people have experience of living or working with refugees they can only get their opinions from what they pick up from the media which often portrays refugees as troublemakers or terrorists,†he said. “I believe people need to be more aware of what refugees contribute to the British economy despite the obstacles they face.â€
Bogdan is working on a new poetry collection and the final book in a fantasy trilogy. He is also squeezing in time between his studies to begin a new novel. It is set in London in a fictional era in which everyone has a job – a concept that has particular significance for the young author whose highly-qualified parents struggled to find work when they arrived in the United Kingdom.