Time stopped

Turkey captured me

Sun is taking care of me and I feel like is summer and peace all over

Turkey is so beautiful, is green and full of flowers

The sun is taking care of me everyday;

The time stopped …..I don’t know how much time passed – what happened meanwhile!

I’m dreaming on my future …on my life…

I’m a cat and I love it!

I changed my life for ever.

All the time I hear this

Life is a moment in space
When the dream is gone
It's a lonelier place
I kiss the morning goodbye
Down inside, you know we never know why
The road is narrow and long
When eyes meet eyes
And the feeling is strong
I turn away from the wall
I stumble and fall
But I give you it all

I am a woman in love
And I'd do anything
To get you into my world
And hold you within
It's a right I defend
Over and over again
What do I do

With you eternally mine
In love there is no measure of time
We planned it all at the start
You and I live in each other's heart
We may be oceans away
You'll feel my love
I hear what you say
No truth is ever a lie
I stumble and fall
But I give you it all

I am a woman in love
And I'd do anything
To get you into my world
And hold you within
It's a right I defend
Over and over again
What do I do

I am a woman in love
And I'm talking to you
You know
I know how you feel
What a woman can do
It's a right I defend
Over and over again

I am a woman in love
And I'd do anything
To get you into my world
And hold you within
It's a right I defend
Over and over again

Introduction to Turkey

My friends and most of the people that meet me know something about me related to my travels!!! I love Turkey!
Turkey is like my second home country! Is the only country where I came back 5 times and now is my 6th time and every time Turkey give me something that I need it!

I used to say before I started this travel that I will loose my self in Turkey this time- will be like a break out !SO…yes I’m in Turkey- this time is for a long time – at least one month with possible returns for arranging visa issues for future countries!

This post is just to introduce a bit Turkey from what already give me and for what I love or like it and to made know the base of this return!

Randomly from my mind cheek this out :)
- the people are friendly, curios, helpful and warm
- they are delighted to speak with new people (even if they don’t manage to understand your language:) –they will manage a way! – is impossible to feel uncomfortable because you don’t know what to speak about!
- I feel on the same level in what matters the interrelations skills : we connect immediately on the way of laughing or joking, how we approach life – we are like brothers! Some of my closest friends are from Turkey!
- They speak a lot and loud – exactly like me!
- We have many common words in Romanian and Turkish – is a joy to discover them!
- they have the cult of the guest – they want to make sure that the new person that is their house-car-shop is not feeling thirst or hungry !
- I interact mostly with men! Women are more shy and threatened by me being so European and confident– maybe!
- I grow up in a country where I had to learn to be independent and to manage by myself in any kind of situation – and not to expect others people protection- well Turkey is the only country where I feel protected! I had no idea how is this feeling BUT here I felt it! Is not about needed it is about the fact that is there somewhere- I feel this protection around me!
- they like to drink black tea all the time in little glass cups that looks like a women body! And of course they will offer you every time!
- the streets are challenging your senses trough thousand of ways : the food, the smells, the clothes, the colors, the restaurants, the shops, the people …..
- sometimes you feel that they don’t behave so hospitable because they really feel that BUT because they HAVE to bee like that! I like to observe this.
- Is a huge country, complex and divers, with a huge history inside – BUT you feel the Turkish way all over!
- I love the mosques for the fact that you have to walk on carpets – without shoos and having all the intimacy that you want with your thoughts
- They are cats everywhere!!! I love cats!
- They have a huge honor! You immediately feel it when you speak with them –when you ask them about something related with Turkey- Turkish – they cheers when they drink for it- SEREFE – means FOR HONOUR !
- when you smoke Nargile in places where are pillows and carpets – gives you the sensation that you are in 1001 nights stories!

- "you smoke like a turk" is a very true sentence:)

- turkish cofee is really great BUT only if they make it in the real way-and thats by chance:)! (and I dont drink cofee normaly)
- Efes is great – as beer and historical place!
- You never feel alone – in no place!

- I folled in love here!

Curios enough?

And I’m sure I didn’t mention everything is in my mind and heart about this charming country and culture!

Coming soon!

10 days in Bulgaria ...

a long post - with different aspects aproached - your head in danger:)

Bulgaria is neighbour of Romania and after I travelled in almost all the Europe I decided t give it a chance :). Sounds hush but still yeap...this is the true! And in a way I was kind of forced to do it because I couldn’t jump over it.
Yes, these ware the reasons that put me in Bulgaria and NO, I don’t regret it at all.

If I will start to go deep in the stereotypes that make Romanians people in general to “stay” away from Bulgaria I will open a box of “notjustifiable” issues that I know them also only by chance. But also the last Romanians I meet on the way, just before entering Bulgaria said one thing: is nothing to see in Bulgaria, why you want to go there? (people that of course they never went there – because is not obvious – they thought that they didn’t have anything to see!).
Hehe...probable you imagine that I don’t have this impression at all, now after spending some time in Bulgaria! True!

What was on my way: Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, Burgas+ Nesebar, Plodviv.
What I miss and I wanted to see: Melnik and a bit more in the South

My top:

Nesebar



Veliko Tarnovo

Plodiviv

Burgas (no picture)

Sofia

Some general characteristics:
- the people are peaceful, friendly and helpful – don’t act-out that much but you feel that Slavic specific that still I don’t know how to describe it in words.
- the country is overall beautiful but I had the disadvantage to see it on February- march and look totally dry!!!
- when I travelled between the cities and in the cities (in the most tourist places) I found my self ALONE and I couldn’t stop the feeling that I’m in an abandoned country.
- more or less similarities are huge with Romanians (yeah guys, we are not that fare one from the other so yeap- we have many things in common)
- garbage on the roads and streets (and I come from Romania but still it attract my attention)

Interesting/funny aspects
- many LADA brands cars on the streets :)
- they celebrate and re-memorize their deeds all over the cities. (everybody has to know who died and when)
- I saw just 2% people that are blond or have blue eyes (attention is not a statistic – is just my impression)
- in the same unit for those who wants to know: most of the boys/men are quite nice and cute
- the Cyrillic’s are killing me
- they have Martenit – we have Martisor (for them- they offer for health and every person receive one, man and women , for us is a symbol of the spring and only the women receive )

Hitchhiking time - 85% silent based on music if it was – NO English available
- 3 Turkish drivers born in Bulgaria that made visible their different culture
- One Bulgarian speaking Greek
- One Bulgarian speaking Spanish (and I realised that I forgot some of the Spanish that I knew)
- One Bulgarian travelling to China
- 2 gypsy and they grandmother that offered me Manele Music (because I’m from Romania)
- On speedy Italian that drive a Romanian 4x4 car and being surrounded my Romanian business ladies that took the wrong way listening to his “very smart” GPS system.

My time

- I was missing me so much and now I had the chance to spend time with my self – this “abandoned” country offered me that chance. Reflect on me, on passed things, on present and future....or not to think at all; is great, we make connections, you remind things that ware hided, good moments or bad, just receiving every thought that came ... Yes...I was really missing me so much!
- I know that part of the reason I left is that my life was becoming a machine that was increasing the speed and you cant slow it down ....I just jump from it and left- now when I look back is more obvious that!
- many people appeared in my thoughts – I realised once again trough how many things I passed and how many people ware around me;
- I didn’t felt fare from house...well in fact, I was not far (in any moment if I will decide I can be at home in 5 hours max) so it give me a strange mood sometimes, wishing to leave more quickly from there.
- Bulgaria made me miss more Turkey and made more anxious to go there...exactly I don’t know why.
- I had a fear moment that was totally created by my mind making me realise in the end of it that we create our own monsters and is our job to take care of them!
- I don’t miss!

“Is more easy to disintegrate an atom then a prejudice” Einstein

I’m a traveller that wants to observe but also to contribute and maybe to interfere if I will consider.
My first step of the status “travelling volunteer” happened in Bulgaria, Sofia in the CVS Bulgaria (the branch of SCI- Service Civil International).

I had the honour to deliver a workshop on intercultural education topic to a group of 99% Bulgarians (mostly volunteers) ! Also another aspect was that the group was not that big.
In small groups the opinions are less probable to be different and this group didn’t make exception. I was challenged to challenge and to make the group to see other part that they didn’t consider up to that moment. I don’t know how much I succeed because I “had” them just 3 hours and for me and my plans was not enough.
Was hard for me to be objective in facilitating the discussion – yeah....the intercultural topics!
What means stereotype and prejudice and what is the difference from them was achieved.
What is the “monkey behaviour” and if is “good” to have it or to change it ...is still not clear!

Overall the first “visit” to an SCI office was a pleasure, they received me with openness and warm and I felt like is my home there! Is just put me in the SCI atmosphere that is so close to my heart and that gives me power and wishes for my travel.