What will you do today?

Today in the poetry meeting we had to write a letter/poem/tale/story to ourselves at 16-17 years old. So I had to write to the adolescent Anca. I couldn’t even remember what was on my had back then, was so long ago… But I ended up writing the poem (or whatever it is) below and I looove it! I want to print it and frame it for my room. I believed that Anca from the future was just talking to myself tonight.

For Spanish scroll down.

What will you do today?

If I would tell you that in the future I will write about you, what will you do today?
If I would tell you that in 15 years I’ll be in a cafe in Lima thinking about you, what will you do today?
If I would tell you the math did not help me in anything, what will you do today?
If I would tell you that today I speak 5 languages when you barely speak one, what will you do today?
If I would tell you that I’m in love with the history you so much hate, what will you do today?
If I would tell you that your city has never been my city, your room has never been my room, your things have never been my things, what will you do today?
If I would tell you I don’t even remember which was your greatest dream, what will you do today?
If I would tell you that your friends are my best friends, what will you do today?
If I would tell you that I only remember your strength and determination to achieve your goals, what will you do today?
If I would tell you thank you for fighting for what you want, what will you do today?

Que harias hoy?

Si te diria que en el futuro escribiria sobre ti, que harias hoy?
Si te diria que dentro de 15 anos estare en un cafe en Lima pensadote, que harias hoy?
Si te diria que la matematica no me sirvio de nada, que harias hoy?
Si te diria que hoy hablo 5 idiomas cuanto tu apenas hablas uno, que harias hoy?
Si te diria que me fascina la historia la que tanto odias, que harias hoy?
Si te diria que tu ciudad nunca fue mi ciudad, tu cuarto nunca fue mi cuarto, tus cosas nunca fueron mis cosas, que harias hoy?
Si te diria que nisiquiera recuerdo cual es tu mayor sueno, que harias hoy?
Si te diria que tus amigos son mis mejores amigos, que harias hoy?
Si te diria que solamente recuerdo tu fuerza y determinacion de alcanzar las metas, que harias hoy?
Si te diria gracias por luchar por lo que quieres, que harias hoy?

What would you do today if yourself from 15 years from now will tell you all that today?

Dear Santa, all I want for this December is…

• Breakfast with the giant Pandas from Chengdu
• See the Pink Dolphins from Hong Kong
• Get Chinese cooking classes
• Escape to Shangri La, so please make sure you clear the road of snow before I go
• Trek on Great Wall
• Sand boarding in the Black and white desert
• Concur the Pyramids
• Eat loooots of Chinese food
• Get lost in the rice terraces
• Win at the casino in Macau
• Clear my eyes with the gorgeousness of Li River
• Catch all my flights
• Stay in a local’s place in China

Don’t bother in checking it, I was a very good girl this year. I even didn’t travel that much.

Only Ukraine, but that was an AIESEC conference, it doesn’t count. England was just a short 4-5 days trip on Easter and was overcrowded because of the royal wedding, I should claim some compensation.

Italy, you know you need a life to enjoy the Italian guys. Then Russia, com’on that was rather friends gathering than a trip. Warsaw and Sofia, you can’t even say I was there, were too short those trips.

Since it has been pending for longer than a year, Madrid is out of the business.

You see, I really deserve a couple of great trips for this December!

Your biggest fan and the most conscious traveler of Romania and the world,

Sincerely, I cross my heart and hope to die,

With love,

Anca

Life is short. Travel Often!

I found this on internet and I want to share it.

For all those who wonder how come I travel so much, for those who complain every day about their job, and the ones who never had the courage to grab their backpack and leave somewhere in the world, for those around me and the love ones:

I believe I can fly

Reach…

Why Romanians complain so much?

Why Romanians complain so much?

Something happen in the last 2 years of my life and I refuse to be the same I was, I refuse to grow up my children with the mentality I had some years ago.

I’m looking around me and I can’t understand the world I live in. I can’t understand my country, my people, even if I’m one of them. Dunno if I always been like this, or India really changed me that much, but I feel there is always a reason to lift the head and go on, to smile and enjoy everything good you have around you.

In a day I hear most of the people have something to complain about: government, education, medical system, neighbors, friends, parents, everything. There are very few people in very few days when I feel they enjoy life. And this is not the worst thing, nor the fact that they keep gripping about the same every day. Don’t u get bored of hearing the same sad story every day? Don’t you get bored of hearing yourself complaining and pissed every day? There is a say which says if you do the same thing you will get the same result. Many people will say they can’t do anything about it, the government should do it, the university, the municipality… Let’s have a close look on it:

1. Street dogs: nobody likes when a foreigner complains about it, but when the municipality comes to pick them up people go on strikes or hide the dogs to don’t be caught, and they use to feed them because poor animals… and then… why the government doesn’t do anything about it? How’s fault on this? For sure the animals have a soul and they deserve a decent life, but that’s not on the streets, so do your best and collaborate with the authorities to resolve the problem.
2. Education system: this is my frustration too, and I have to admit I’m also complaining about it and I’m still struggling to figure out how to handle it, what’s the secret to get high marks and be a great student. Till now.. I’m just doing my best to meet my goal and using education system as a mean. On the other hand, is not that bad, for sure is not like Western Europe, but definitely is on the upper part comparing with the world.
3. Medical system: for all those who complain we have a horrible medical system I have only one question: Do you have any idea how much is a day in ICU? I doubt your parents could ever pay it. And now you can get private medical insurance as in other countries. Can you parents afford one equivalent as the one offered by the government?
4. Public transportation: I admit that in my city the transportation is quite bad and expensive, comparing to Bucharest, but let’s look at the Western Europe. Do you know how much is one way ticket in Stockholm? 4.5 Euros. (in Bucharest is 25 euro cents for metro and 35 for bus) What do you get extra? A table with the timing of the bus, which is on time.  In Paris it is 1.7 Euros. What do you get extra? I think more dirt and gypsies.
5. Too much tax: Let’s have a look on Western Europe. Do you know how much tax they pay in Belgium? Almost 50%. Sweden? More than 50%. Do you wanna make the deal?

And the list could go on and on and on. There will always be a something bad happening, or something to complain about it, but my question is: does it make you happy? Better? Gives you more money? Makes your life longer?

I always hear people saying in a bad context: “yeah, is Romania” or “yeah, they should be Romanians”.. And what are you? What I am? People believe is like a bad luck to be Romanian, is the country’s fault, that in the Western Europe these things don’t happen. I’m also Romanian and I live in this country and I don’t find myself part of this prejudice. I think is about people, that these things happen everywhere. And for those who don’t believe me, take your bag and go discover the world out there. Be aware: I said world, not Europe.

And for those who keep on laying themselves that nothing better changed in Romania for the last 20 years, here you can find out your thought are just the product of your mind and those around you:

http://www.zf.ro/opinii/confesiunile-unui-expat-imi-plac-romanii-care-stiu-sa-si-aprecieze-tara-7982271

When the best example I have about patriotism is India: a developing country, which great genius and pioneers, a place where the traditions and family values are alive, with people who always smile and are happy. This is how they see themselves and this is what makes them very proud to be Indians and this is how they make me feel too.

I’m not asking you to be proud of the country you live in, guess this is not gonna happen, but to enjoy what you have, to make your life better, to enjoy the sunny weather, a good meal, to stop complaining for a day, to stop stressing yourself daily for the same things which at the end of the day are useless. See the good things this country has to offer you. Read once again the article I posted and start showing to the others the beauty of your place.

Do we make the deal?

This year Easter is different! again…

I just notice that it’s been 3 years since I don’t spend my Easter at home and I will not do it soon. I should miss it or something, but, it seems that this holiday doesn’t mean that much for me. Or… who says Easter has to be at home eating painted eggs?

2 years ago I spent Easter in India. There wasn’t any Easter feeling. I even didn’t feel it happen, and I remember I was so sad because of it.

Last year on Eastern I was in India, but I made a Romanian dinner with everything! Painted eggs, cozonac, sarmale. Yamii!! Thank you mom for your parcel! It has been the most special Easter.

This year, Eastern will not be at home, and Easter will not be Easter again, but till I am with friends I don’t care.  This year, Jac So is coming to Europe!!! I’m so eager to travel with you again Jac so!!

The plan is ready, we are ready for the cheap flights hunting too! C u in London for Easter!!!

The gift of gifting

[This is another post from the category: I have to do it now, or I will never do it.]

If there is something I learnt in India is to share. To share the room, the bed, the plate, food, life, a small fridge with 5 people, the flat, the good and bad, my small 5Rps chocolate (ui! I miss that chocolate, 5 Indian rupees = 0.08 Euros = 0.36 Romanian lei), and the most important thing I learnt is that it takes nothing to help or to smile. I have to recognize still have to work on this area.

All this being said I want to tell you what happen to me in a morning in Bucharest. But first, let’s introduce a bit Bucharest and its people. Being a big city and the capital, it is different, people are more harsh, less open and helpful and very often rude. When I first came to Bucharest they told me I’m too naive for it. Well, this is a proof I’m not really dreaming.

One morning I was going to an interview and I needed a pencil and an eraser (I was living in a quite bad neighborhood at that time.)  and as I was waiting for the bus I’ve seen a store in the bus stop and I thought: let’s check it, maybe they have pencils, so I will not lose time in the metro station. I’m asking the lady if she has pencils and erasers and she tells me no. Can’t remember what was my face reaction, but the thing is she told me: I don’t have, but I can give you one of mine and she gave me her pencil! I wanted to pay it, but she didn’t accept it. I told her I will return it in the evening, but she said it’s fine, I can take it.

I couldn’t believe it! She never seen me. A pencil is not a valuable thing, but for sure people will not gift you  just like that. People from Bucharest, can you believe it?

On my way back home I stopped at the shop and I return the pencil to the lady. I’m sure she will do it again with the same smile on her face. So, it’s good to trust people, at least once in while.

When was the last time you gift something to a person you never seen before?

Baraka – a movie to be seen

I’ve been thinking in writing this post since the last month I think and now I remembered and I thought: I have to do it now, or I will not do it. Therefore here it comes.

Have you ever seen a movie without words? Can you imagine a good movie without ordinary famous actors, without makeup or an obvious story? A movie about life, love, dedication, difference, religion, humans, belief, world, you, me, and the list could go on… This is Baraka.

I recommend this movie to my friends who have been in India, those who have been traveling, my AIESEC friends, my friends and all those who enjoy reading my blog. The movie requires a bit more knowledge and understanding of world cultures, and it may bot be easy to understand.

Enjoy it!

La multi ani Romania! (Happy birthday Romania!)

I already have 2 months since I came back to my country and this time it is for good.
My friends will say: for how long? Com’on Anca… you will never settle down.

It may be true, it may be not, but one thing I know for sure: for me, it feels great to be Romanian in Romania!
I breathe and I love it! I love to walk on the streets in Romania and hear Romanian; I love to shop without anybody asking me: “madam! Madam! What are you looking for? What do you want? Do you want a perfume? Look! Try this! Buy this!”, I love Romanian told guys, nice dressed people and the perfume those around me were. I love Romanian supermarkets! They meet all my wishes: body care products for everything, deos, and detergents with a high variety of fragrances, cheese, and chocolate, wine, meat! After almost half a year today I’ve been to the mall and it felt great to be part of the crowd, to have things to do in the mall and enjoy my time in peace.

Some of you will say that the western world has all this and even more. It can be, but there are things which make me feel I belong to this country: simple things as the family spirit, the home-made jam or conserved vegetables for winter (pickles), the Romanian traditional dances or the family meetings on Christmas, or the simple gesture of bringing something when you go visiting somebody, or flowers for the lady of the house.

I love to see that life goes on even if it rains, it snows or it makes cold because there are solutions to the problems and if you stick on your plans you will meet your goal.

Is now when I realize how much Romanian I am, how it feels to belong to a place and how great is the feeling of being home!

I love you Romania! With good and bad, with the political mess and people who keep complaining and those who do wonderful things in this country, I love you all and I’m proud to be Romanian, in Romania!

Happy birthday Romania!