What we have to learn?

I’m a dreamer…I have big dreams and I fight for making them true

I believe that this world can be changed...is just up to us

I believe that every person action can be understood…

I believe that if you put yourself in other person skin you can understand why is thinking and acting in a certain way

I believe that everything is happening with reason

I believe that each person has a message for somebody

I don’t believe in coincidence and hazard

And I’m not the only one in this world that thinks like that!

Giuseppina Pasqualino di Marineo (known as Pippa Bacca) (December 9 1974 — March 31, 2008) was an Italian artist who, together with a fellow artist, was hitch-hiking from Milan to the Middle-East to promote world peace and trust in other people, symbolically wearing a wedding dress during her trek. Arriving in Gebze on March 31, 2008, she went missing, and her sister flew to Turkey to locate her. Her body was discovered in the same city, a tourist's attraction due to the presence of the possible gravesite of Hannibal. On April 11, 2008, and she was formally identified by her sibling, and taken to Istanbul for an autopsy. The police were led to the body by means of a man, who had placed his SIM card into Bacca's mobile phone. The man was arrested soon afterwards.

Bacca was part of a world peace effort known as "Brides on Tour" that departed from Milan on March 8, 2008. The artists, wearing white wedding dresses, then travelled through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Bulgaria, and arrived in Turkey on March 20, 2008. They had planned to hitch-hike to Syria and then Lebanon by March 31, arriving in Israel and Palestine by mid-April, their final destination being Jerusalem. Concerning their attire, they reported on their website that "That's the only dress we'll carry along - with all stains accumulated during the journey."

Bacca and her companion split up just prior to arriving in Istanbul, planning to meet up again in Beirut. However, Bacca disappeared after March 31. Her credit card was reportedly used at midday on the day she was found dead. Her body, described as "naked and decomposing" by All Headline News, was found in bushes in the city of Gebze. A man who led the police to her body, identified as Murat Karataş by AHN, was detained, was, according to some sources, later arrested after reportedly confessing to raping and killing Bacca. Karataş, whose initials matched what was indicated when Bacca's mobile phone was used, had reportedly inserted his own SIM card. He also had previous convictions of theft.

Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported local news agency Doğan stating that Bacca's autopsy confirmed that she was rapped and killed on March 31, and that Karataş was arrested on April 11 for the murder, after picking her up from a gas station. Hurriyet printed an article on the murder entitled "We are ashamed". When questioned on events, Bacca's sister stated "They ask me why my sister was hitchhiking. What can I say? She was just trying to prove that people are reliable."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pippa_Bacca

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.

What give me Moldova?

Moldova give me a great time

- because of the people I meet there, the all group of participants from Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Denmark, Moldova, and that I’m very happy that I meet them

- because of the interesting and smart discussion on thousands of topics that I had with the those great people

- because was a pleasure to be their trainer, to work with them and to challenge them with my activities.

- Because give me time to think about me

Moldova give me a hard time

- because I hade to work with people that have complete different values then I have

- because I didn’t have a bigger decision power on what happened with the group

- because I was misunderstood way before some persons even got in contact with me first time!

Moldova - Republic Moldova

over there is Transnistria (on the other side of the river)

Republic Moldova….for those who don’t know, was part of Romania for many years until Russia decided that she want this part of the world for her…(after the second world war)…yeah, who ware we to fight against this decision?

After Soviet Union broke up ware many rumors that we going back together as old time because we are brothers and we always be!!!

Well, this didn’t happened, and the “rumors” ware more in their part then in ours. Because of this “rumors” the self created region (inside Moldova) was birth : Transnistria …..because they didn’t want to be back again with Romania, basically because they are more Russian then Romanians (inside of them- metaphorically speaking).

After more then 15 years, this re-union didn't happened and is probably no chance to happen, so the fear of those who created that region didn’t came true BUT they still exist , even if they are supported just by Russia. Strange isn’t ? the reason you do something doesn’t exist and you are still doing it??? (similar with some manipulation process I might say).

I never was in Moldova until 2 weeks ago…the impression I grow up with was that this brother love is more from there to us, then from us to them; we often made teasing jokes about them and not being so empathetically with their situation and looking back at them as being with several steps behind. This is the image is created by the environment we grow up.

I was curios to see what I discover there…

I didn’t have to many expectations but still I was surprised. I didn’t felt at all like in brother country, or between people that are the same like Romanians…because they are not – being 50 years in URSS made the difference. I hear more Russian then Romanian on the street, I talk with the people on the street and they answer in Russian, everywhere (shops, bars, products) you can see written in Romanian and Russian and sometimes just Russian (not just Romanian).

Russian language is not an official language.

Russian minority is not more 10% (but to this we add the Ukrainians and other minorities from former URSS)…..they have problems with learning Romanian,

many of them don’t even speak Romanian.

All the Romanian speakers speak fluently Russian. They call this, that they are smarter and they are able to learn and speak 2 languages ….but I’m not sure you can simplify like that.

Young people seem that express themselfs better in Russian than Romanian.

Yeah , many aspects are still similar, but the general feeling and impression was that I’m not in that Moldova that was often presented around me, the same like Romania.

But, this brotherhood exist more from historical, nostalgically reasons BUT from my small experience I think is a low level and I didn’t felt it , and dint saw it in the people.

24= 3.02.2008

Yes is me, in both pictures :) celebrating many things (included my day :)

First time in Ptuj (Slovenia) and first time when my birthday was in other part of the world (maybe I will get used with it :)

What happened there? Well, some magic stuff :) …yes, some exciting and interesting things…related with the local tradition of that city.

More concretely Kurentovanje 2008 !

Why I went there? Because I have very close to my heart a person who is closely attach to this Carnival and to this tradition and attracted me in also :)

Was extremely interesting to be part of it…the people warring masks everyday, creating a magic atmosphere in all the city….in this way they can be crazier then they really are, they can release all the things that in they normal day will not do…and so on. This time of the year represents fun but also a way to “heal”, to balance emotions, anger and impulsions. Yeah is great to have something like this even if maybe not all of the people realize all the good effects on their on life :)

I was part of it and in a way also an observer ….and even if in this year was short and rush I still had the chance to experience it in a proper way and I’m very glad because of that.

As a surprise I was also part of the main parade as the picture shows, putting in practice my “basics” street animation skills in front of more 20.000 people. I might say a good exercise for what I plan to do in the future!

Thank you Anja again for offering this special time to me and my heart!

You don’t look Romanian!!!

"Where are you from? …… Really? “

I believe this is one of the most common things I hear when I'm traveling...and after so many comments regarding this issue is not surprising anymore :)

In fact what I still wonder is HOW a Romanian suppose to look and at this question I never received clear answers at all.

But in change seems that is obvious that I look as German, English, Hungarian, Russian, Nordic, Scandinavian, ...maybe unbelievable but I also look as a Turkish from the Black See Region so called LAZ ....and the list can continue….and not Romanian! (aaa and not to forget many of the people that says that they never ware in Romania)

Funnier then that is that inside my own country I’m tacked as from any other country except Romania! I mean come on: to hear people wondering around me from what country I will be, to be asked if I speak English (yes I do but we can try in Romanian also :) , or if I want to buy something the sale person starts with Hello…so nice of them!

Ok…the color of skin, my hair stile, my eyes ….BUT still is just because of that?

Lets put it like that: is more a matter of how do I look or of my attitude?

(my own answer I hope is obvious :)

Ode to Tartu

The last new city I was in, was Tartu from Estonia in January.

After you travel for a while you become pickier in what matters appreciating special and beautiful towns (at least me I know that without realizing I raised the level of this kind of evaluation and a new city to impress me had to “work” hard :)

Well knowing how picky I’m, I went in Tartu open as always but without expecting something special and I was so surprised!

This post is for this little town that impressed me as no other place did before! The wooden town was magical, I feel that I walk on the streets of 18^th century; the autumn atmosphere and some fog really put me on that time, I was like in a black and white movie and the few people that ware on the streets fit perfectly (they lack just the proper clothes).

I walked hours in that wooden town,(I also lived in one of this houses) and I just can’t had enough, I think I waited to see how the movie will go :) feeling that I was the main character… one that is walking to put the thoughts in a order and to heal the agitated heart, to put some peace in the soul and to feel good about what will happened next, not pain, not guilty …just peace that is this the direction she has to follow.

Thank you Tartu for being the right “stage” for that character, thank you Nele for being one of the people that give me the support I need it.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”(H. Thurman)

I have 24 years and I decided to go by my own in the world…to travel around this globe, slowly, step by step giving me time to explore, to know people, to been in different situations, to test my limits, to do stuff and work what I cannot do here, to go inside of me as otherwise I will not do it, to feel what I’m not able now feel, to search and to find, to ask and to answer …to be on total disposal of LIFE with everything she will give me because i decided to TRUST Life.

I had to leave everything behind, my friends, my family, my work…my perspectives and opportunities here in Romania; being surrounded by people that in fact want more to keep me here then to realise this dream was harder then expected. Basically I took part to my own “funereal” here and only when I will be on the road I will be released :)

Today I will start…..

Still I have a strange sensation …is weird and indefinable what I feel and experience this days. I’m changing my life and the main thing is that I can’t even anticipate what is going to happen with me…..and this of course is making me feel fear, spicy, agitation….challenged.

This dream is in ME from a long long time, the thirst for this big and huge world is so strong and combined with my already big passion for human been “forced” me to do that. Romania wasn’t not enough anymore….to feel that I live in a spot make me realise that is just a spot what I can experience and also what I can do- is so much there that is calling me and I go for it.

I love the people that are around me, I love A.R.T. Fusion and what we build there, I love my cats ….I love my life in the way I create it…BUT the thirst and the calling are so strong and loud that made me “die” slowly …so I choose ME and leave!

I don’t know how I will change; I don’t know how YOU will change, and how these changes will affect our relation …..we have to see it and be ready to be surprised.