Home is where your story makes sense

Hi there,

Finding out about your project made me very excited, because I found something that I truly believe it makes sense and it can help Bucharest. And this fits well to my …plans. You see, five months ago I came back (for good) to Bucharest after 7 years spent in Munich. 7 years of scientific endeavour (I did my PhD and worked there for a while), 7 years of socially trying to make sense, in the end 7 years of somewhat failed experiment. Why? Because in the end I figured, no matter how well I spoke the language, no matter how many friends I had, no matter how much beer I drank, I didn’t really belong there, that was not my home, those were not my people. These here are my people. Bucharest is my home.

Yes, Bucharest is loud, yes it is noisy and dusty and rude and maybe sometimes indifferent, but it’s marvellous in its spirit, it’s daunting in its colours and nurturing in its vibrance.

So I came back and I wish to help, do something and put this amazing city on the map so that others can appreciate it the way I do.

My experience in the area of “helping” is not very rich. I was an engineer and I know a lot about aerodynamics of SCRamjets and helicopters, but when it comes to connecting communities or people, I can just trace it back to some literary endeavours where I touched social topics specific to my home and my adoption countries. Since I opened this door, it has become clear to me the engineer clothes don’t really make me (they never did), so I have to walk through it and see what is out there.

Currently I have more personal projects I want to see through. First of all, I am involved in an educational project - I write articles on related educational topics on a blog. Second of all, after my entire experience as an emigrant (and given the high inclination of people my age to leave the country), I have decided to gather all my notes and publish them, online or on paper - I think that people constantly underestimate the changes required to built a decent life outside the country, thinking that satisfying the material needs is a guarantee for personal happiness and success. This subject is very vast and complex I am aiming of raising awareness on this topic, since it’s quite alarming how many people are leaving Romania.

The challenges in doing everything that I have in mind are mostly financial. It is quite hard make a living out of writing or raising awareness about this and that. To that I don’t have a sure plan yet. Another upsetting thing is the raised eyebrow that some people have when you express your enthusiasm about this country and its possibilities. Fortunately I have learned not to pay attention to them and mind my way.

And lastly, Spot the Future can help put us on the map. As I mentioned before, we have a great city, hell…a great country, it’s just that people lay in this pool of carelessness and laziness and they have been used to be given. Pointless to say who is guilty for this, the point is they need a push, a small impulse to get moving, to start actually contributing. And the energy is there, it just needs some channelling.

Ok, I wrote a lot, I get very passionate about these things. :slight_smile: I hope we can get to see us and talk about all of these…

Cheers,

Ida

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Welcome to Edgeryders Ida

I read your post and am really dying of curiosity. Largely because of @Noemis obsession with Romania for as long as I have known her and more recently because of all of these stories I keep hearing. So, when are you guys going to announce the first event? I just have to book a flight to come and hang out with everyone at this point :slight_smile:

:slight_smile:

You are most welcome here! I cannot wait to see in which direction things will move and what shape this project will take.

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The experience as an expat

Hy Ida,

this is Ruxandra, I have also been away from Romania for many years (almost 10 years), and came back to Bucharest 2 years ago. For me the story has been different, as I adapted very well in France, I enjoyed so much the environment there, I really felt appreciated by the people and it boosted me in many senses to further develop myself. When I came to Bucharest, initially, it was because I wanted to launch my startup, a project in the collaborative economy (you can read more about it here), and I could not afford to be an entrepreneur without pay in Paris. So I perceived my coming back initially as a sacrifice.

The situation has been really surprising, as I realized that Bucharest has changed so much, that it became a new Berlin, with so many alternative initiatives, hipster life and freedom. As you mention in your post, the city is noisy and dusty, but it has a marvellous spirit.

Tomorrow, we are meeting up with @Noemi and @Alex Stef for a diner at my place. It would be fantastic if you could join. Please contact me over mail ( ruxandra.creosteanu [at] gmail.com) to send you the address.

Looking forward to meet you,

Ruxandra

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