Hello,
My name is Noemi and I’m writing this to introduce myself to the wonderful people I have not met yet in Georgia, Armenia, Egypt, and in other corners of the world where being part of the Edgeryders community keeps leading us. Many of those here in the community I know, and have already had the pleasure to work with over the last years, but there is something intriguing about the ever new connections we’re making with one another.
Just 3 years ago I was graduating from university in my home town in Romania, stacked with diplomas and onboarding an unpaid traineeship, exploring everything and anywhere in the social science field – especially academic. I was lost, just as many young graduates are. No need to go there because it turns out whichever way you look at it: as a great student with great perspectives, a smashing volunteering record, supporting middle class family willing to go into debt just so you travel the world in search of opportunities, it’s still not clear what makes the difference and lands a young adult somewhere awesome. It’s all about the journey and trying your best… and that’s what most of us are doing, no?
Being part of this community of people from across the world, navigating life with responsibility and generosity, led to opportunities for me to discover work I didn’t know it existed. I’m doing community building: connecting people with one another on the Internet and making a strong point that collaboration with peers actually works and can get you to do what you want, live out of your passion no matter how much money you’ve got in your pocket. As long as you’re committed and can keep afloat until breakthough. Myself, I made a huge time investment in what is Edgeryders, both the community and the social enterprise. I am very hopeful when I see my friends making contributions in their environments in all parts of the globe and know that us talking to one another here and helping each other plays a part in it.
The best I’ve been wished so far from a friend at home is “Happy social hacking over the year!” This came on a half serious, half joking tone, as the friend in question is in the big business league (commercial) and as most of those surrounding me, gets and doesn’t really get what hacking the world is about. I myself am learning about it every day as we’re living the burden of world challenges on our own skin and trying to make a difference - whether it’s to buy healthy food straight from a farmer rather than the supermarket, to take a free online course instead of paying for education, or join your peers as they’re taking the streets for a cause, instead of saying that nobody listens and nothing will change anyway. With Edgeryders making a difference goes beyond being part of great initiatives or straying along, because together we’re actually creating and enabling these opportunities for many more around us! Come see it for yourself.
Greetings from Transylvania 
