European Dignities - Winter 2014

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BEST LINES / LYRICS ON MY WAY TO ITHACA DIGNITY, SWORD OR SHIELD ANOTHER FISH IN THE SEA, ANOTHER WISH IN THE WELL

“ISSUE 4 - YEAR 0NE WINTER 2014”


Editoria

“Truths of the lyrics” WRITTEN BY: DRAGOȘ ANDREI PREUTESCU - EUROPEAN DIGNITIES JOURNAL’S DIRECTOR - (IAȘI, ROMANIA)

“And I know that the hand of God is the promise of my own, And I know that the spirit of God is the brother of my own…” (Walt Whitman, Song of Myself)

When we thought to have a special issue of European Dignities Journal, we thought at the very special truths that lyrics could be in front of us, presenting the short realities from times to times, the historical facts, the unusual philosophy that few of us know, and most important the real aspects of emotions that people are able to develop and transmit. So, we decide to call it Best lines (lyrics). And the reason is that today we can find beautiful lines/ lyrics in songs, movies and of course, from the beginning of times, poems. We have to admit that poems were the first inside in the unusual philosophy as I like to call it, in the world of lyrics or simply lines. Today, poems represent the art of those who realize that life is a consequence of emotions and realities, it is a way to transmit all this and in the same time it is another way for the others who read them. The connection between the poet and the reader, the director and the spectator, the composer and the singer via listener made lyrics/ lines an outcome of what surrounds us. Is like one of the Romanian poets, Marin Sorescu, pronounce – “I saw the light on earth”. I met with lyrics in different situations. For example, in Ljubljana a lady with an energetic face caught my attention. She was selling small piece of papers specially arranged with poems from different Slovenian poets or others. I just picked one, for no reason and I bought it. It was the same light like in Marin Sorescu’s lyric but in a different place: “Gazing where the light resides Although not coming from the sky”, (Maja R. Nosan, Light). Then you can meet lyrics in different languages, because you know how is saying: “You live so many lives concerning how many languages do you know”. And it is true. You can experience poems and not only in French, Spanish, Greek, Latin:

“Ignorant le passé Conjunguant au future Je precedais de moi Tout conversation Et donnais mon avis Que je voulais le bon Pour critique le monde Avec desinvolture”, (Charles Aznavour, Hier Encore). “Muere lentamente quien no viaja, quien no lee, quien no oye musica, quien no encuentra gracia en si mismo”, (Martha Madeiros, Muera lentamente). And I met with lyrics in movies and music: “If dreams were thunder Lightining was desire This old houseit would’ve burned down A long time ago”, (Bonnie Raitt, Angel from Montgomery) With lyrics/ lines you can experiment feelings, hopes, dreams, realities and human creativity at his high level. You can experiment revolution, madness, history in facts. As I said another time a poem is a kind of desert; a cake. Often it’s filled with some liquor, sometimes too sweet, sometimes a little bittersweet; as a coffee sometime? With lyrics or lines you can really see and idea. I think that one best way for people to live is to start and finish each year with some special dedication of lyrics. The same way we want to do it with this issue, at the end of 2014 and at the beginning of 2015. Because we can honest ask to ourselves, what lyrics can offer us? Maybe you can find a reason or an answer reading this issue of European Dignities Journal. At the end I will give you a vision of a wellknow writer:

“So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.” (Shakespeare, Sonnet 18) PHOTOGRAPHY BY: DAN ALEXANDRU MANDACHI, IAȘI - ROMANIA “ROMANIAN PORTRET”.


• European Dignities Journal • • Editorial BOARD •

• European Dignities Journal • • Index •

Director - Dragoș-Andrei Preutescu (Iasi, Romania)

• High Education •

Editor-in-chief - Mihaela Diana Podariu (Targu-Frumos, Romania) Creative director - Chevuk Kelevra (Mexico)

“Learning is a Treasure That Will Follow its Owner Everyehre” P. 04 “Dignity, Sword or Shield?” P. 05 • In Community • “Song Slowly Discovered in Mărăcineni, Buzău” P. 8

Secretariat - Bianca Aelenei (Pascani, Romania)

“Traditional Wedding in Talpa, Romania” P. 14

Translation - Anamaria Avădanei (Romania, Campulung Moldovenesc)

“Poems” P. 18

Photography - Alexandra Muscalu Team Coordinator - (Pașcani, Romania) - Eduard-Florentin Cantoriu (Iași, Romania) - Adrian Nica (Piatra-Neamț, Romania) - Mădălina Găceanu (Hunedoara, Romania) - Vitalie Trocin (Republica Moldova) - Dan Alexandra Mandachi (Iași, Romania) - Bogdan Fuior (Pașcani, Romania) - Bianca Aelenei (Pașcani, Romania) - TimeShooters (Greece) - Sebastian Gabor (Pașcani, Romania) - Ștefan Apostol (Iași, Romania) - Chevuk Kelevra (Mexico) Contributors - Alexandra-Cosmina Comaniciu - Romania (Târgu Frumos) - Cristian Boldor – Romania (Cluj-Napoca) - Ionita Andreea Ruxandra (Romania) - Stoica Laura Andreea – Romania (Târgovişte) - Stefan Apostol - (Romania, Iasi) - Ionut Alexandru Banu – Romania (Iași) - Alexandru Marius Buhuș - Romania (Iași) - Nona Agape, teacher coordinator - Romania (Iași) - María Consuelo López Vicente – SPAIN - Paula Horell – UK (London) - Stătescu Sabrina – Romania (Moreni) - Lițoiu Madalin Ionut – Romania (Talpa) - Lara Kim Leitner- Leipzig, Germany - Ştefania Argeanu – Romania (Iași)

• Liberal Arts •

“Pick Me, Choose Me, Love Me” P. 19 “Personal Development Rap” P. 20 “Draw Your Lyrics” P. 22 “On My Way To Ithaca” P. 24 “Another fish in the Sea, Another Wish in the Well” P. 26 “Songs for Myself” P. 28 • Profile Hunters • “When Passion Meets Work” “To See A World”

• What’s in the next issues... • Spring 2015 - 6 Years of “Super Youth” P. 43

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY:

“chevuk kelevra”

P. 35

“To Exist, In Their Souls, Out of Time, For a Season...” P. 38

“ASIRYS STOCK photographs”

NEXT ISSUE COVER BY:

P. 32

“This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein”.


High Education Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere WRITTEN BY: IONITA ANDREEA RUXANDRA

High Education

Learning is the most precious treasure you can ever have. It is not worthy having a lot of material things, because the treasure lies in your mind , where once you have received it, no one can ever take it away from you. You can make yourself beautiful only by showing the others your behavior, your way of thinking, the way you speak, you act in society. We live in a life full of problems, restless, and all because we forget what is the most important thing: “the soul’s well being”. Life is about learning and learning and as we grow up, we accumulate not only maths, physics, French, Latin or that kind of things, but also lessons of life! Even if you are young, it doesn’t mean you know nothing, whereas, even if you are old, it doesn’t mean you know everything. You keep learning. You learn that, things don’t always turn out the way you planned or the way you think they should. You learn that there are things that go wrong and you don’t always get them fixed or put back together the way they were before. You learn that some broken things stay broken and you learn that you can get through hard times and keep looking for better ones only if you have people

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who unconditionally love you. You learn that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life”. You learn that life, sometimes, gives you a second chance. You learn that, whenever you decide something with an open heart, you usually make the right decision. You learn that you still have a lot to learn! Past can hurt, but you can either run from it, or learn from it. Most of us will choose the first one because it is much easier to just close your eyes and pretend that it has never happened, trying to convince yourself that it will disappear in time. But the wise ones will follow the second one, because they know that the same bad thing won’t happen again if you learn from your mistakes. If you keep going backwards with the same people that God has intentionally removed from your life, you will continue to stay stuck. There is no joy in being confused and unhappy. Get rid of old bad habits and leave them where they belong. What is meant for you will be yours, learn to let it go! If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. But if you are determined to learn, no one can stop you!

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: DAN ALEXANDRU MANDACHI, IAȘI - ROMANIA “GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE”


Dignity, sword or shield? WRITTEN BY: STĂTESCU SABRINA – ROMANIA (MORENI)

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: EDUARD CANTORIU, IAȘI - ROMANIA. “PURE HAPPINESS”

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Dignity shows value, honesty, moral merits, the degree of appreciation as rank achieved by a person in society. Dignity is like a shield. You’re not born with dignity, you need time to acquire this. If your goodness comes from your heart, one day it will return to you. Sometimes, for our dignity, we forget the goodness. A dignified man is a man who doesn’t leave defeated.

High Education

He knows that we are all equal and struggling to not destroy this. A man is like a book, don’t judge by its cover. You should enter into the world of human feelings and you’ll find more than you imagined. Maybe you will find a heart which is broken in a thousand pieces, maybe an empty soul looking for relieving or a person who has pride of iron. Go deeper and you’ll be surprised by what will come out. A dignified man is a man who keeps his head up, no matter how defeated and humiliated he is. If you don’t make mistakes, you can’t learn. Everyone makes mistakes. It’s a human thing that has drastic consequences, sometimes. It’s normal to love the gain, but you should also learn to lose. No matter how much you will run, it always comes a day when you lose something or somebody, so be prepared for that! There are a few people who succeed going ahead above the ruins of defeat. When you lose, your sour is lost in a desert of pain. Our problemes make us feel like wrecks, lifeless and forgotten by time. Every day you lose a little part of your dignity. The door is closed

for you, when you want to ask for work. A person with limited financial possibilities can’t help his child to go to school. We are wrongly accused and pay high prices saying the truth. That’s our world. Human dignity is a gift from heaven. It should be protected and valued as a jewel. It is a mystical power that comes from inside and protect that priceless values. A child without bodily beauty is mocked, a stranger who has different traditions is not taken seriously and a black man is discriminated everywhere? Where is the dignity of these people? Big eyes, gentle, with eyelashes long. These are the eyes of a deer that looked terrified at a ferocious tiger that suddenly comes out of the the bushes and prepares to attack. In a moment of despair, the deer runs, feeling the death in her back. She feels some strong teeth, leaving an overwhelming pain. Her legs falls, she is crumbling slowly on the girded ground. The last tears of helplessness and humiliation before this gentle creature to be torn apart. With the end of his life, it’s also the end of her dignity. “All human beings are born free, equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience, must act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. “Quote from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Dignity comes from its own nature, rises with us and fall with us. Dignity comes from human and is reflected in human. It is one of the most important

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: MĂDĂLINA GĂCEANU, ROMANIA “PAINT AND DREAM IN COLORS”.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ADRIAN NICA - L`ETAJE PUB, BRAȘOV ROMANIA. “LITERATURE IN EVERY PLACE”

qualities. There are many ways to show dignity. When someone wants to impose your own will, and you don’t accept,you give proof of dignity. When you take a wrong decision, and when you realize is too late and still go through respecting your word, you give proof of dignity. In our pursuit of success, perfection and harmony, we tramples on those who stand in our way. How many people have lost their honor for you? How many people you hurt? How many people feel insignificant now because of us? Competition makes us destroy each other. A man who knows he has dignity, is also knowing how much pain he suffered for it. Each tear flowed on the cheek was a drop of sorrow. You are not dignified if you have more than ten people togheter, you are dignified if you know that all you have is what you deserve.

One day, he needed some help for redecorating his room. He asked at school some childrens and they said to him:”You should put on your wall one piece of black material for each person who feel bad because of you.”. The boy realized that he made a mistake. From dignified attitude, we can pass fast to „without any dignity”. Many people are dignified because their ambition is like an arrow that pierces everything. Many people are noble and worthy because their blood is pure. A few people are dignified because they worked for gain, helped when someone is in trouble and they stand by themselves.

There must be a limit in everything because too much it’s hurting. I heard a story about a boy who had a character so powerful. He doesn’t listen to others, such as stubborn he was. The worst thing was the way of interacting with people. He make the childrens around him feel uncomfortable and inferiors. He wasn’t vain or something else, it was all about that way of being.

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In Community Song slowly discovered in Mărăcineni, Buzău WRITTEN BY: ŞTEFANIA ARGEANU (AUTHOR OF LITERARY REPORTAGE) STUDENT OF THE FACULTY OF PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION SCIENCES, PSYCHOLOGY SPECIALIZATION,

In Community

“ALEXANDRU IOAN CUZA UNIVERSITY OF IASI”, ROMANIA

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Listening to her voice, find a clean, clear in her royal blue... Looking at her, I feel like dresses letters began writing blue stories, in glow color of the memories... An incomparable pair of eyes. Two blue eyes, whose core would say it’s sapphire, start talking to me.From the photos stored in the old black and white album. Expressive images, with life, which not need a color intervention.

Protagonists eyes of images come to you, and you, the viewer, a clear message is for you: learn to keep the treasures of the soul with a smile, try it as an exercise, and if necessary drop situation will be matching balanced with portions of kindness, lively shaved, faith and courage, when ease and clarity with which the story of blue eyes is told will become from habitusually, from custom-tradition of good-mood. The story of dirge tradition in Maracineni (Buzau) has a single color and dual memory: is a story of blue eyes that talks to you unless your dodge eye and and not cover your ears.Because the eyes of sapphires your ear singing the tradition.I listened for the first time, a number of years ago (more details about the number of years that passed I will not reveal, because it resonate with the idea according to which: mystery is interesting as long as it remains mystery). Then I contacted Mr. Dr. N. in order to achieve of a journal article.Later, he gave me a recording of his father’s funeral, records that contained the intact sound of dirge, sound surprised by chance.The gentleman told me that he had no intention to activate, in the time of suffering, the recorder. to register the dirge uttered by his mother, Mrs. Bita. Actually, it was not a premeditated act.Basically, “occurred accidentally”.

in Maracineni (Buzau), Mr. Doctor filed a substantial effort emotionally, namely to relive the moments of suffering in the loss of his father.In fact, he shared with me a authentic family story, he was able to decipher the images that context memory restore, sound intensity and their crystallization, with the passage of time.While we spoke with Mr. Dr., I had the feeling that I have in my face the writer Ion Creanga. Like humulestean author, Mr. Dr. is a full of grace storyteller whose words not only calm the foreheads, but also the hearts and that, due to loyal similarity with the mother of Mr.N. and also because the professional formation --- a medical exquisite career, whereby is an angelic mediator in front of human imperfection. Refreshing his memories, had the power to summarize the essential elements, but the meaning of some terms that are (re) found in the text of wailing, mentioning that: “During the vigil, people present were grieved. My mother has interpreted the dirge, she is known in the village due to the beautiful voice... Mother sensitises, the whay in which utters dirge, every soul, any human, so she transmits emotion, intensity of feeling pain.”

A healing sensation, always doubled this sincerely smile, serene --- smile without a trace of doubt of this mother... Listening to myself this dirge, I felt a thrill. His message arrived to me... The effect was, at the same time, the same as the other people who have listened to and yet different, perhaps in light of the fact that, from here, was to relate a story of life. He was sent to me inner feelings of “singer”, her spiritual anguish, pain and suffering, but also longing, love that were described key events of family life in a short time, nine minutes, as long as dirge lasts.

Mother is known in the village thanks to beautiful voice... Mother sensitises, the whay in which utters The techniques of image processing, less advanced, of dirge, every soul... old times, retro atmosphere managed to translate the Searching the archive computer this wail and listening to him, eventually, to send me information about customs and traditions committed to his parents’home

inner world: first the self, in order to convey the vision of the other, next to you, next to had confessed to sky and the sunrise each new awakening, each morning

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new calling. When the wind blew, the sun alternate their presence to the one moon.When sunset was racing early morning, appear the fresh smell, an abundance, of flowers, the twigs of trees, the grass ...And, no doubt, the color of this perfume that village we borrow each spring, was an uplifting green. I started, So, I started the trip and I chose as visually path : rich garden trees, vines, flowers, fruits, rhythmic song of memories ...I continued walking the melancholy streets from Buzau--- the true resorts of clarification and peace.

In Community

I have in my heart every time I try to evoke, keeping hand a letter, a word of this family story, conceived in a lavish rural setting, a healing state doubled this smile always honest, clear, without a trace of doubt of this mother. Once you know the story, you can say that the entire universe smile is transmitted by word of mouth, through the language of the soul in this house, from mother to son, from the grandmotherthe granddaughter.It is kept with joy in the heart and listened to others, family, friends, kith- the same fascination as the beginning, as it would be a song. Itself says a habit. Story has started for a long time. Behold, how it continues!... The city has two qualities: the noise and the light. What is different about the village is the silence and the darkness.This complete silence, day the same as night, as morning and evening and that comes from the mountains and forests, comes in all valleys, flowing all the way... But few know that the face of silence, sadness monologue given by the loss of a loved one, becomes a dialogue of to soothe.Silence is a ritual of time interpretation, is the form of passage which it it becomes sound. Silence is able to be sound only if rises of suffering worn with dignity, and the suffering purify.

The singer is the only creature that cries through words... This female voice browse through intonation, key moments in the life of the deceased, which are communicated to those who attend the wake.The depth of remembering is doubled always, the streams of tears, because one disappears.And is tripled, mostly due to special connection that exists between the interpret of this dirge and a person deceased, connection which express sorrow and solace of the soul, emotional content that was headed both the family and community, because Mrs. Bita crying ritualistic husband’s death, she’s children’s father. Contrasting with the general mood of the moment, the singer is the only creature that cries through words... She follow the steps of the ritual, she pronounces

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words, it gives voice to diverse lines, once spoken of deceased relatives.She play with authenticity the role of the interpreter with artistry and sensitivity equal to the appearance of an artist on a stage, in front of a large audience.Just here are missing the applause, and the tears do not cease to stop their crystalline journey on people’s faces present.And so, the feeling is transmitted through induced the moods, by a rain of tears.It goes on row of the role of wife to the daughter, then to the son. Thus, in one voice, modulated in different emotional colors, fit expressions, various sayings, family memories. About the significance of the dirge, in the context of the funeral, the interpret’s son brings a personal addition: “For me, the dirge is a song, a ritual that included with a lullaby, a song from the wedding. Both in childhood, and later I found it to be a song that fascinated me.In the Buzau, the dirge is spoken aloud (with a special voice modulation), which is associated with crying, screaming and induce streams of tears. The one who utters “song” invoking numerous words of mourning, requires assistance a collective cry, a collective sadness. Dirge can be perceived as a dramatic song, that is a way to communicate to intimates people, those present, certain events in the life of the deceased, that the world around, listening the dirge, no where to know.In most cases, the interpret of the dirge relates some events in the life of the deceased, the important events of the intrafamilial life, such as: time when they known, how they built a family. I attended to some dirges,thereupon the interpret said the unfortunate events in the life of the deceased”. When you remember these good-hearted people, you feel motivated to participate and you, in turn, to meeting constantly with traditions. Feel like you found a magic key that can keep forever your precious images of memories.For just as the souls collected in hearts with steadfastness gives us balance, stability tranquility conducive own discoveries and acquiring necessary to meet the threshold of understanding others. Repeated meeting with the imagine of habits transmitted as spiritual inheritance by our grand-grandparents, grandparents make from dark memories, in forgotten drawers of the memory, a lively celebration.Thus, we have access to simplicity, depth, joy in a pure space, where the itself labyrinth is lost, leaving room for certainty, appreciation of life. What could be more uplifting than to discover a look clean and clear in her royal blue,what could be more human than a “Thank you!” sincerely turned to the man in front of you, what could be more satisfying is to the soul than the reality of knowing the realm of safety? Eventually, all by assimilating traditions, we learn that we have and that there is not any reason to hide in the heart of meaningful words, peaceful memories, beloved places, people with grace and love of life.


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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: EDUARD CANTORIU, IAȘI - ROMANIA. “THE MOST LOYAL FRIEND OF MAN”


PHOTOGRAPHY BY: EDUARD CANTORIU, IAȘI - ROMANIA, “TIME PASSES QUICKLY LIKE ANIMALS ON THE ROAD” BIBANA, JUDEȚUL


Traditional wedding in Talpa, Romania WRITTEN & PHOTOGRAPHS BY: MĂDĂLIN IONUȚ LIȚOIU – ROMANIA (TALPA)

In Community

TRANSLATION BY: ANAMARIA AVADANEI

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I will tell you about the happiest event of human life, the wedding, in my village called Talpa, where the traditions are very well kept till recent times. I know many things about this village and I will share all of its secrets. But first, I will tell you more about the wedding. In Talpa Village, wedding is celebrated by all people for three days, from Saturday morning till Monday evening. In the first day, the relatives and the people from the village come with the musicians at the godparents to invite them to arrange the bride’s veil. The veil is given by the godmother to a maiden and she has to wear it to the bride’s house and give it to her. After the veil ritual is finished, the godmother returns to her house in order to prepare herself for the wedding. The bride nicely dressed is ready to go wetting. Then all children from the village join the bride to the wetting place, usually, the grandparents’ house or the close relatives’ house. But the young bride is accompanied by a young man to perform the wetting. This tradition consist of wetting the wedding guests with a bunch of basil made by the bride’s grandmother, which is soaked in water and then following the cross shape, the bride and the young man wet every single person present at the wedding. The ritual is performed three times, every time using different water.

After the wetting ritual, people have to find another road to return at their homes. Once the people arrive home, the children and the bride decorate the tree with apples, pretzels, red and white thread from a spindle made by the grandmother of the bride and other ornaments. The tree is given to a young man. After that, they all gather for the dance of the tree and in the middle, two musicians break the tree cake, one holds a glass of wine and the other soften the cake in wine and share it with the dancers. When the music stops, the children are invited to eat. After the meal, the bride breaks the spindle on her knees, throws it on the house and runs into her room. It is said that, if the spindle stay longer on the house, their marriage will be long and beautiful. Few wedding guests leave the bride’s house and go to the godparents place to take them to the church. It is common to give them gifts from the bride and groom, such as wine, plum brandy, poultry and sponge cake. Meanwhile, the son-in-law is prepared to be shaved. Sitting on a chair in the yard, where everyone can admire him, the groom is being shaved by a young man. The beard is splashed with wine and then with a knife, the young man fulfills the task. Actually, the groom is already shaved but the tradition requires a new demonstration. The wedding guests who arrived at the godparents’ house are invited to eat and to drink, in the honor of the young couple. The candles are carried by two young people, a girl and a boy, to the bride and groom’s house and then to the church.

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In Community

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After the godparents reached the couple’s house, the bride is prepared, the godmother arranges the veil and then she wet with wine the land in front, behind, left and right sides of the bride, forming the Holy Cross. Then, the godmother places the cake over the bride’s head and together they break pieces up, never down. First, the bride eats, then the godmother and last, the cake is shared with the wedding guests. After the cake is finished the groom come, takes the bride into his arms and runs with her in the house. The guests start to dance and party while the preparations for the ceremony are made. Also, two pillows, a sheet, a blanket, sponge cake and a bottle of wine are needed for the ceremony. The wedding procession is ready and the bride and groom start the road, as follows: in front of the procession there is the young man with the tree, a young girl with a mirror used by the bride, the girl with the sponge cake, children with candles, the groom and the godmother and then the bride with the godfather. The bride wears on the right hand the shawl which will replace the veil and behind the wedding guests carrying the pillows, the sheet and the blanket are coming. The whole village follows with the eyes the wedding procession and the men with the bottles of wine and plum brandy serve the people while they wish all the best to the couple. The wedding service is universal but in the end when the altar is surrounded, the aunt of the bride throws wheat mixed with candies from the bucket used on the wet ritual. After the service, the married couple go home, arm in arm and the godparents carry the candles. Returned home, the mother of the groom waits them in front of the house with a towel, which is put around their necks, she takes them in the house and wishes them best of luck. The godparents came with the candles and have to touch them on the door frame. The first light which turns off symbolizes the first person who will die - the bride or the groom. After this part of the ritual, the godparents are wet once again by the bride. Then, they will leave but promise to come back in the evening to dance nuneasca. For this dance, only the close relatives of the bride and groom are invited and during the dance the godparents and the relatives will receive gift from the couple. The gifts are prepared by the mother of the bride, for the day of her daughter wedding. In the middle of the dance floor there is a table where all the gifts are brought and the bride, helped by her mother share it to everyone.

movie of the first day. The next day in the morning, the bride and the groom go to the godparents’ house in order to take them water to wash their faces. It is a funny tradition because the couple put mud and soot on their faces. The bride pours water to the godfather and the groom pours water to the godmother, which is not let to wash but helped by the guests. After the tradition is performed, the dance begins. All guests are dancing, even if it is the second day. The bride and the groom invite the godparents to continue the party. While people are returning home, they express their happiness for the young couple through yelling and dancing. Young and elders join the party. When two brides are meeting it is said that this can bring bad luck, but for preventing bad things to happen, the brides have to exchange veil flowers. At the couple’s house the musicians are singing, the wedding guests are merry and the dance continues as long as the music is played. The tradition says that in every wedding, several guest wear costumes and their dance has the role to amuse the people. Around midnight, the godmother takes the veil of the bride and to replace it with a shawl, sign of the married women. The veil is given to a young girl and everyone will know that the girl will marry soon. And then, along with the bride – the new wife, people continue the party until the morning. The second day ends. In the last day of the wedding, the third, the bride and the groom go to the godparents with gifts and invite them to the party. In this day, the bride, the groom, the godparents and the wedding guests will harness horses and donkeys to carts to stroll through the village. This is the last tradition which announces that the wedding finishes and the young couple will live together happily ever after. This is the way a wedding in my village takes place.

I am very happy that traditions are very much alive and I am very proud to be a part of it, I am very proud of my Romanian origins!

In the evening, the guests join the wedding. This is the

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Liberal Arts Poems WRITTEN BY: ALEXANDRA-COSMINA COMANICIU. TÂRGU FRUMOS - ROMANIA

Awake

Liberarl Arts

When sun is down and moon begins to shine, The whole world seems to be mine. Like bubbles in a bottle of wine Lihgts on the sky are trambeling And make sparkle into my mind.

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The dark blue sky is filled with stars, Designing a web of purely gas And Orion and Taurus seems to fight Against all this shiny light. Clusters of galaxies are spinning around Hiding some things that must be hide, Having a perfect balance Between dark and light.

Ghosts

Thought all these chambers, Ghost are walking And in the back I think I’m hearing Some weird tapping. Lots of clouds are floating with them, Dancing like sad balloons in the air And nasty smell from dead bodies Is not anymore one of their problems.

Life

The book of life is opened And pages are falling down Creating a beautiful dancing world, Which is spinning round and round. Lonely people are walking Down to the river of life; Through rumors and thoughts they party ‘Till the sun is forever gone. Sound like whispers are felted On their translucent skin But they don’t mind about it Due to a cold, dry wind.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ADRIAN NICA, CHARLIE PUB, CLUJ-NAPOCA - ROMANIA “PLAYING THE PIANO”


“Pick me, choose me, love me” WRITTEN BY: ȘTEFAN APOSTOL. IAȘI - ROMANIA

In the spring of 2005, Shonda Rhimes, one of the best director in the world (now), brings to life an amazing TV show: Grey’s Anatomy. 2 Golden Globes and another 56 wins and 153 nominations.

a story who, even will be dispelling someday in the Universe, will be an example for the next generation because all of us have feelings and we know that the real life is in our heart.

“Pick me, choose me, love me” is one of the delicious scenes of this show. Is the moment when probably the beautiful 2 actors on this serial, Dereck Sheperd, played by Patrick Dempsey, a neurosurgeon doctor, and Meredith Grey, daughter of Ellys Grey,an amazing surgeon who wrote Grey’s Anatomy compendium, played by Ellen Pompeo, started an amazing love relationship.

Heart is the center of the body as the Sun is the center of the Universe. Between them is an amazing connection. Sure, there are some questions, like how can we pick somebody or when is the moment than we know that we made the perfect choice. All the answers are in this connection between us and the Universe.

For me, these three words Let’s be always between heaven and earth and we will represents l’essence de la vie. have an amazing trip, a trip in our souls. In this trip we From the ancient times until now, the human been needed to love and to be loved, needed to feel that somewhere is someone who can have the same emotions. Love is not just a word, love is not just an emotion. Love is an amount of searches and choices. Love is

will discover not only who we are and what we are, we will find the way to Love, we will discover that choices are like Sun rays. When we have been finish the trip, at the end of our days, we will know that we made the perfect choice and, like a star on the sky, we will show the way our next generation.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ADRIAN NICA, CLUJ-NAPOCA - ROMANIA “EXPRESSIONS”

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PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT RAP WRITTEN BY: CRISTIAN BOLDOR. CLUJ-NAPOCA - ROMANIA. “VOLUNTARI PENTRU IDEI SI PROIECTE CLUJ (NGO ORGANIZATION)”

it didn’t go as planned. When I was in primary school, my grandmother wanted me to learn how the play the piano. I didn’t like it to be honest. During my college years, when I was hanging out with a friend of mine, who was into rock music, I began to try this genre out. I had even bought an electric guitar, to develop my skills. But that was a failure too. I didn’t feel like that was my real artistic passion. So I sold the guitar to someone who wanted it more. I don’t regret that. It found its way to a proper owner.

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I don’t quite remember what got me into rap, but I do know that a group called Wu-Tang Clan was responsible for my rebellious years during high school. In 2005, I had written my first rap song called ‘Buster’, with lyrics that would be censored. Not to mention that it was poorly organized and written, given the level of my English knowledge at that time. But, that didn’t stop me from continuously writing rap lyrics, and acting like a rapper as well. It was a phase I was going through. An example that I can share with you right now would be the moment I decided to get a cornrow hairstyle. I was in my final year of high school. My peers and teachers were baffled by my new imagery. They were acquainted with my baggy clothes and accessories, but I don’t think they were expecting me to have that type of hairstyle. I wore it for two weeks, only to let my hair go wild afterward. Despite going through an identity crisis, I did manage to achieve high results at school. I was among the first ones, academically speaking. It was an interesting contrast, which paved the way for an even higher achievement, when I continued my studies at college level. At that point in my life, I couldn’t act like a rapper anymore. My self-image improved, so I began to wear more formal attire. It’s safe to say that I was becoming more mature as well. If you’re wondering how this artistic passion came to be, I may have an answer for you, and it has to do with the family’s gene pool. From one side of the family, an artistic gene was passed down through the generations. My grandparents were music teachers, who also sang in choirs and taught others how to sing. Many of their students reached high levels of performance. So, it only came as natural that I was somehow going to perpetuate this line of work. But,

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You see, music is very important to me. I’ve been through many hard times in my life, but music always seemed to lessen the pain. I was in love like any other person. I’ve had my own share of emotional failures, but certain type of music helped me to move on. On one of my blogs, I have composed a page where I compiled a list of motivational songs, the kind of songs that can get you through a rough time, be it emotionally or professionally. As you can probably tell by now, I tend to listen to different music genres. I’m not stuck on rap. Rather I diversify my tastes in order to get a broader view over the importance of music. I also listen to rock, pop, and even soundtracks from anime or famous movies. It’s funny because I don’t listen to rap that much nowadays. You’ll understand better how that came to fruition, as you keep on reading. This is a picture of myself from my first year in the master’s program. By the way, I did mention that I became valedictorian during the bachelor program, right? Okay. Let’s get into the most fun and revealing part of my musical endeavors, the personal development period. I had started going to personal development seminars and entrepreneurial programs. I wanted to become a better version of myself and achieve my dreams. In that regard, the decisions were easier to make. I attended a lot of events on personal development and then I went on to the next level, which was to join entrepreneurial programs of several days in length. That was a game change for me. At one of these programs, Fabrica de Antreprenori, my passion for rap music had come as a saving grace. During that program, the participants were asked to develop a short business idea and present in front of a jury. Unfortunately, my business idea was poor and lacking in many relevant parts to be a good one on today’s market. But, my rap lyrics brought me a lot of


happiness, when I decided to try an unconventional approach to marketing. The presentation of that idea involved a tactic I call ‘contrast marketing’, which entails to associate two subjects with nothing in common. To better explain, I told the audience that as a person who majors in management and economics I would also sing rap. The expression on their faces told the whole story. I even threw an extra ingredient in the mix and that led me to make money off of that presentation. And, by sheer luck, I had decided to only sing a small part of a song. I say that because what followed was my moment of glory in 2013. The song I had started before was the one I sang at the closing party of that entrepreneurial program. Girls ‘dig’ courage and glory let me tell you that. I was finally starting to see tangible results, after some 8 years of trial and error. I had finally found the courage needed to progress. So, with that mind, I joined a slam poetry competition several months later. This concept of slam poetry was pretty close to what I was doing. I didn’t have any instrument part, just the lyrics and the rhythm. But it was enough to earn me the third place at that small contest.

I’ve implemented with a friend, a personal innovation program, which helps the young generation to become a better version of themselves in order to fulfill their dreams. We have since hosted a few events on self-awareness, motivation, perseverance, efficient communication, priorities and vision. I tend to sing at each event, as I don’t want to be a hypocrite. How could I teach personal innovation when I don’t even innovate something? This way, one of my objectives is to become the first Romanian author and public speaker who has his own rap songs. Having a dream is wonderful because a vision coupled with action can change the world. I want to be exceptional in what I’m doing in order to bring a positive change in society.

This song I sang at the entrepreneurial program and at the slam poetry event is called ‘The City of Dreams’. It speaks about how I began to follow my dreams, how to persevere and how to unlock the legend from the corners of my mind. At the present date, I have a second song called ‘Cleansing Dye”, which speaks about superficiality and spiritual development, the reason I’m writing, and how to develop a product which isn’t based on superficial ties. And, by the end of 2015, I want to own 3 songs with an instrumental part, as now they are only poetry and rhythm. This is the next level I want to reach. I never would’ve thought that his old passion of mine could stand at the foundation of another concept

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DRAW YOUR LYRICS WRITTEN BY: IONUT ALEXANDRU BANU. COLLEGE OF ECONOMICS AND ADMINISTRATION, IASI CITY I’M INTO READING LOVE NOVELS, I LOVE DRAWING AND ESPECIALLY ANIME; I OFTEN PLAY BASKETBALL. MY MOST DARING AMBITION IS TO WORK IN JAPAN FOR AN ANIME-CENTERED FIRM AND MY MOST TREASURED DREAM IS TO HAVE MY OWN DRAWING-BASED BUSINESS.

The Police - So Lonely

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“But I just can’t convince myself I couldn’t live with no one else And I can only play that part And sit and nurse my broken heart So lonely, So lonely”

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Lil’ Bow Wow - Basketball “I like slam-dunks that take me to the hoop My favourite play is the alley-oop I like the pick-n-roll I like the give-n-go” Smokey Robinson - The Agony and the Ecstasy “Hey, got to pay some agony If we wanna have an ecstasy, yeah And we need each other desperately, don’t we, baby? And I’ll never from you be free, no no”


WRITTEN BY: ALEXANDRU MARIUS BUHUȘ. COLLEGE OF ECONOMICS AND ADMINISTRATION, IASI CITY OBVIOUSLY, I LOVE DRAWING AND I CAN DO DRAWINGS I AM PROUD OF ONLY WHEN I’M IN THE RIGHT STATE OF MIND FOR IT. IF YOU HAPPEN TO TAKE A WALK THROUGH MY NEIGHBOURHOOD, YOU ARE MOST LIKELY TO SEE ME PLAYING BASKETBALL. I ALSO PRACTICED FENCING, BUT MY MOST RECENT PASSION IS CONNECTED TO TATTOOS, THOUGH STILL I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE SOME DONE ON MYSELF.

Elton John - Writing

„Will the things we wrote today Sound as good tomorrow We will still be writing In approaching years.”

The Fray - Trust Me „You can trust me, trust nobody But I said you and me We don’t have honesty”

Teacher coordinator - Nona Agape College of Economics and Administration, Iasi City. My heart is divided between my addiction to all my wonderful teenage students, my unrequited love for (teaching) English and volunteering. How do I fill my soul with laughter? I need the kisses and hugs I often get from my students (and I mean girls :) ), I recently got a scholarship for a teachers’ course from The University of Oregon, and one of the best volunteering experiences I’ve got was in Brussels, working for The Second Convention of The European Youth Forum.

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ON MY WAY TO ITHACA WRITTEN BY: MARÍA CONSUELO LÓPEZ VICENTE. SPAIN

“When you set out on your journey to Ithaca, pray that the road is long, full of adventure, full of knowledge”. With those words Konstantinos Kavafis starts his poem “Ithaca”, and his words have become a kind of compass on my life. I have always loved travelling, but in my fear to Cyclops, I guess, I did not try lots of adventures. I let escape many enrichment experiences because I was in my comfort zone, full of doubts.

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I read aloud “Ithaca” in my graduation’s celebration. That was seven years ago. It is weird how time catches us, how, immersed in our daily routine, we usually forget that there are “Phoenician markets” out there, waiting for us to discover them. Some months ago, I was running in the countryside and I saw the sunset. Then I realized how unconnected I was with my soul, with Nature, with the rest of people. So I decided to re-started my journey to Ithaca, not losing more “summer mornings”. Since then, in many different ways, I have been travelling, making my flag over the word wanderlust. I have been blessed with wonderful people, experimenting the marvelous feeling of entering “ports seen for the first time”. If I can give any advice in this life, it will be not to lose your curiosity, your ability to be surprised. This is totally enrichment, most when you discover you can change your expectations and opinions. This could be my reflection after reading this poem now. It is great when words happen to you, when they walk with you. Ithaca is going to be always the same, but as Kavafis says, I pray for my long journey, in order not to be disappointed with what I offer about myself, in the last end, to the Grim Reaper. I cannot be angry with Ithaca if I do not get what I want in this life; it gives me “the beautiful voyage”. It is on me to enjoy the trip.

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Ithaca, Konstantinos Kavafis. 1911. When you set out on your journey to Ithaca, pray that the road is long, full of adventure, full of knowledge. The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops, the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them: You will never find such as these on your path, if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine emotion touches your spirit and your body. The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops, the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter, if you do not carry them within your soul, if your soul does not set them up before you. Pray that the road is long. That the summer mornings are many, when, with such pleasure, with such joy you will enter ports seen for the first time; stop at Phoenician markets, and purchase fine merchandise, mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony, and sensual perfumes of all kinds, as many sensual perfumes as you can; visit many Egyptian cities, to learn and learn from scholars. Always keep Ithaca in your mind. To arrive there is your ultimate goal. But do not hurry the voyage at all. It is better to let it last for many years; and to anchor at the island when you are old, rich with all you have gained on the way, not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches. Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage. Without her you would have never set out on the road. She has nothing more to give you. And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you. Wise as you have become, with so much experience, You must already have understood what Ithacas mean.


PHOTOGRAPHY BY: MĂDĂLINA GĂCEANU, CLUJ-NAPOCA - ROMANIA. “COLORS”

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Another fish in the sea, another wish in the well WRITTEN BY: LARA KIM LEITNER. leitner@outlook.at LEIPZIG - GERMANY - UNIVERSITY OF LEIPZIG

When it gets cold and we are forced into warmer and more comfortable environments, we are forced to reflect on the effects of the comfort zones in our lives during the past year, that are even harder to leave than that cozy bed in the middle of winter. By this time of the year our old resolutions are suddenly not long forgotten anymore and the regrets feel so new that it’s hard to believe that we did not follow through, put in just a little more effort, after all. Or is it?

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In this mystical time of self-evaluation, finding yourself is unfortunately not as important anymore. Rather than finding out which changes we would benefit from, we let ourselves be bombarded with the standards of our globalized world – which, of course, leads to more confusion. We are taught to keep our wishes a secret, but our intentions exposed. The embarrassment that follows from adopting values that don’t align with our own, follows the New Year’s resolutions that we never did seem to implement as well as we thought we could. Maybe because the values we took for granted are not something within the very core of us after all. When the frustration and stress over something like this hits me, I like to find some time to relax and listen to my favourite music, preferably something that will help me let all the anger out that comes with the complicated notion of finding yourself and holding yourself to your findings. In 2014, one album - by one of my favourite bands – helped me to just let it all go for a few minutes and gave me the strength to believe that, yes, sometimes the truth hurts, but it’s better than feeling nothing at all. The album “Isolate and Medicate” by the post-grunge band Seether was released on July 1st 2014 by The Bicycle Music Company, in association with Concord Music Group. As this year comes to a close and we are, once again, weighing our options for a meaningful resolution, I would like to share some selected lyrics from this album that could assist you as a kind of stimulus to embarge on a journey to yourself. What does it mean to be you and how are we all really that different? Is everyone just another fish in the sea or a unique being? Is there even a differantetion? You can

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try to answer these questions for yourself and make a more resolute resolution this year, if you wish to do so at all. “Take me back to where I need to go – inside me. Show me how to question all I know – excite me.“ (FROM SUFFER IT ALL) This is a very relatable piece of lyric, because it voices a need that every human being has felt at least once: to understand themselves and the transcendence of life. Who am I and what does existence even mean? “You’re not that saint that you externalize, you’re not anything at all. (...) All I really want is something beautiful to say, to never fade away. I want to live forever.“ (FROM WORDS AS WEAPONS). It’s not important to be a being free from sin and pretending to be something that you are not is even more harmful than thinking you have to become such an entity. Coupled with the desire of becoming unforgotten this could be a destructive weapon directed at yourself, even though that wish alone is something completely normal and understandable.

“I’m a whisper lost upon wind.“ (FROM NOBODY PRAYING FOR ME).

That is something that nobody wants to become. We all want to find something that will have made our existence meaningful and unforgotten. “Breathe the lies, expell them with a cough.“ (FROM KEEP THE DOGS AT BAY). Internalizing lies (in other words: lying to yourself ) is physically unrewarding. That is something that we all know to be true, but still it is very difficult to stay true to yourself all the time. Why? “And tell me you love me, worship and need me. Tell me you want it all. (...) So tell me you love me, never would leave me. Tell me you want it all. (FROM BURN THE WORLD).


Everyone wants to be loved, respected and needed. Only when we accept this fact about our nature can we become independend and happy without the need have someone stay by our side, especially because love can never truthfully be something that is received out of the will to have it alone. Respecting yourself will ultimately lead to a more healthy relationship to one’s self and others. “No more love to purchase, I’ve invested in myself. (...) Take your observations and turn them on yourself.“ (FROM WEAK). And lastly, the most important thing is to realize that love does not have to come from an external source and that it is wrong to let other opinions dictate how much you do for yourself..

presented to them, but even so: Knowing that there is alot to know about you is exciting, is it not? It is one of the things that keeps life interesting and worth contemplating. A never-ending question and you are the only one that holds all the important answers. I would like to complete this thought with a quote from someone that is incredibly close to me and taught me more about friendship than most people in my life ever will. ”I don’t know what they think, but we know what we know.“ -ALBERT DZAVUKTSYAN (MY ARMENIAN HOST-BROTHER).

Understanding yourself is not an easy task and it is one that may never come with an ultimate answer. Everyone keeps changing with the challenges

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Songs for myself WRITTEN BY: DANA BORONTIS,

I find myself many times lost in the lyrics of a song – as much as I find myself many times lost in the rhythm of a song, and totally ignoring the lyrics. I decided to write about lyrics which we (at least I) ignore. It’s not so easy to think about them, because most of the times, we are not aware of them.

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The first time when I was actually surprised at the idea that I was enjoying a lot a song which had nothing to do with my ideas about life, was some 10 years ago, at a party, while dancing on “Sweat (A La La La La Long)”. I wonder if there are, among you, some other people, who also didn’t notice what the lyrics said, and despite this, enjoyed this song so much.

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Just a short reminder about the lyrics: “Girl I want to make you sweat Sweat‚ til you can’t sweat no more. And if you cry out I’m gonna push it Push it push it some more”. The song was introduced by Inner Circle, a Jamaican reggae, in 1992. Even back then, it received international fame, and stayed on top of the charts for a long time – actually, we can say that it stayed until today, considering how famous this song still is. I wanted to search for some information about this song, to find out the story behind it – what were the authors/songwriters thinking about, when they came up with the lyrics. I could not find anything useful – so I reached the conclusion that it’s just one of those songs whose lyrics just follows the rhythm, without adding anything important – all of the contrary. When I hit a google search for this song, it suggested me “meaning”, so I tried it: among the top results were: “Inappropriate Songs I Enjoyed as a Child”, “Five surprisingly inappropriate songs”. So, what do you say? It’s a pretty famous song, right? I am sure you’ve heard it at least once at most parties – especially parties with friends. It has a good rhythm, it’s catchy, it makes you want to dance, to move. Who cares what the guy is actually saying, right? Well… not quite like that. The lyrics are important, and the message that the song is sending is important – whether or not we perceive. As soon as I realized that the artist is saying “if you cry, I’m gonna push it some more”, I stopped enjoying this song. It brings the “girls” to a level where they are forced into something they do not want. It is misogynistic and patronizing.

TIMISOARA - ROMANIA


PHOTOGRAPHY BY: DAN ALEXANDRA MANDACHI, IAȘI - ROMANIA. “GIRL ON THE LAKE”

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ADRIAN NICA, CLUJ-NAPOCA - ROMANIA

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: MĂDĂLINA GĂCEANU, CLUJ-NAPOCA - ROMANIA

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Profile Hunter When passion meets work WRITTEN BY: STOICA LAURA ANDREEA, TÂRGOVIŞTE - ROMANIA.

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COLEGIUL NAŢIONAL “CONSTANTIN CARABELLA”

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“The only way to do great work is to love what you do”-this is the key of success, looking at Steve Jobs, one of the founders of Apple Computers. As a teen, it is essential to do what you want to do, to be completely dedicated to your purpose, to your dream if you want to really enjoy your life. Nowadays, it is more and harder for us, the new generation, to make something entertaining and useful at the same time and I know a lot of people who renounced at their passions because of money, which is not very comfortable and pleasant. Despite all inconveniences, I also know teens who reached to apply advice of Steve Jobs in their life. One of these teens is Cornel Neacşu, 28 years old, videographer and cook, a complex personality, who lives in Târgovişte, România and who wanted to share with other young people the story of his life, how he succeeded to make a part of his dreams come true and what people should do to be where they want


to be. Cornel agreed to answer some questions about his past, present and future. Let’s see what he wants to relate us! Tell me, Cornel, what do you do professionally, at this moment? At this moment, I share my time between two domains of activity and one hobby. I work at a money currency centre and also, as a videographer at a large game of events. I try to focus the rest of my free time improving my knowledge and developing my skills, viewing the culinary art. What can you say about your childhood? I can consider myself a lucky man because I have had wonderful parents who put all their efforts to ensure me a great childhood, without being worried about anything. As a teenager, they also helped me with advice in taking important decisions for my future. I still keep precious memories from that period and sometimes I feel the nostalgia of my beautiful past. Can you tell us which was your first passion? My first big passion was football, but I couldn’t turn this into a profession because of some reasons. I have inherited this passion from my father, an exfootball player, but I can say I lost a part of this ardor with the passage of time. When did you realize you like to cook? I think I have inherited this passion for kitchen from my mother, when I was still a child. I remember I spent a lot of time with her because I was interested in discovering the mysteries of this art, and also in eating a lot of delicacies.

How you performed in this domain? It is a very complex area in which progress is unceasing and it presupposes theoretical thoroughgoing study and, of course, a lot of practice. Viewing this, last year, I followed the courses of a chef’s school, where I could enrich my knowledge and develop large perspectives about the process of food preparation. How far do you want to get with the cuisine? We never know what future reserves us, but I think that if you have a dream, a real dream and you put your whole heart and all your time in fulfilling it, one day, the dream will become reality. My dream is to have my own restaurant and to manage its kitchen in an active way. And I am convinced it depends only on me to reach this dream. Which is your preferred dish? I can say I have a favorite dish because the nature of my profession gives me the possibility of trying different dishes from different cultures. I can say I really appreciate the flavor of Romanian food and also the airiness of the Mediterranean cuisine. What does the videography mean to you? My point of view is that videography is a job which can be advanced as an art if it is made with passion. It is a very complex domain which stimulates creativity a lot and also the innovation and the capacity of adaptation to the diversity of subjects in videographics productions could represent the key of success.

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Is videography also a hobby or a means of making money? I started to make videos in order to help my wife to fulfill her own dream, which is to become a very good wedding’s photographer. In our country, photography and videography are offered as a packet, and if you can’t offer the complete packet, there is the risk of not being requested. I followed o lot of courses and I stored a lot of experience. Meanwhile, the videography has become a passion and the nature of events we take part in and the fact that we immortalize the people’s happiness in the most important day of their life makes the professional satisfaction to have priority and the financial motivation to be in the second place. Has your wife any role in what you are professionally nowadays? My wife has had an essential place for what I am today. Practically, her desire to become a very good photographer has motivated me to make all the necessary efforts to reach her level viewing the quality of our products. A video is a succession of photos in movement, so I can also say I like photography. Which one of your passions is more advantageous financially speaking? Viewing that at this moment my passion for cuisine reduces only to cooking for family and friends and my passion for videography is materialized in my presence at different events, I think the second one gives me more financial resources. But, the financial part is not so important because many times it is overpass by the feeling of joy which overwhelm me, when my friends taste the dishes prepared for them with appetite, dishes which I prepare with a lot of LOVE.

It is hard to live from what art offers you? It depends a lot on the level that you imposes yourself. Also, it depends on the type of art, if it is appreciated or not by a large mass of population. I can’t offer a concrete answer to this question because there are a lot of factories which influence this subject. What should do the new generation to succeed in life? I consider it’s very important to have a wellprepared plan in order to help them get what they want to do. They don’t have to abate from these rules and they should work hard because it is worth. Many times, the temptations of the age make us to provide more time to entertainment and less to our future preparing. The ones who reach to find the balance between these two big challenges have big chances to be successful. What is the key of success? I don’t think I can answer to this question clearly. It depends very much…For me, the key of success is represented by work and total dedication in all that I do. As long as I am correct and honest with myself and with the domain which I activate in, no matter what, I truly think that the results of my work won’t retard to appear.

What professional plans do you have for the future? I want to be in top 5 videographs from Romania and I know that one day I will make it. I count on my working capacity and the passion which supports my dream.

After taking this interview I learned some important things: as a teen, I have to put my whole heart in everything , I have to work hard and to respect myself and my future profession. I really think that this boy will have a successful life because I saw the passion in his eyes…Also, I think we should all learn from this professional confession because one of the big problems of our century is represented by the idea that people don’t know to choose correctly between working just for money and working for a more important reason: passion.

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“To see a world” WRITTEN BY: PAULA HORELL, LONDON - UK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: MĂDĂLINA GĂCEANU. SERBIA “LANDSCAPE VIEW”

Maybe some of you have heard. Maybe some of you haven’t. But for those of you that have heard of the great William Blake, British born poet from the 19th century, we can say that you indeed are blessed. I guess growing up I should have paid more attention to who this Blake guy was instead of running and jumping in the puddles or climbing the trees in the woods, but today I am thankful for the kind soul that put this poet in front of my face in the purest form possible, I have more gratitude than you could ever imagine when I experienced in the most pure form about William Blake and the effect that his lyrics cold have upon a person. Imagine yourself standing in a room at a peace centre in the middle of the forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, UK, surrounded by strangers from across Europe and one man captures you all in a moment with his whispers of which at first you cannot recognise. Silence strikes the room, the drop of a pin would echo between these four walls like an elephant running up and down some stairs, but nothing. He waited and we waited. Together our senses opened up, we were on the edge of our seats in suspense until a bellowing sound captured once again our full attention; ‘To see the world in a grain of sand, ’ his stature was big, it was enlarged compared to normal, emphasis was given to particular words and then he came in small again collecting what appeared like the smallest piece of sand from the floor itself, followed closely by ‘and heaven in a wild flower,’ I was there, these strangers and I in a field of wild flowers, like nothing else mattered, this was our dream. We were encapsulated, hanging on every last word, believing that in this moment anything could

happen and that we the future young people from across Europe were capable of anything as long as we let our hearts guide us. It was hypnotising as he strung more lyrics ‘Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand’ still his movement mirroring the sounds coming from his mouth, a silence still as we waited for the next line, all of the suspense that we began with was there, it was present, and then the penny dropped, his last words echoed throughout the room, ‘And Eternity in an hour.’ His voice trailed off somewhere into the distance and we sat in silence questioning our very existence. There it was the first encounter that I had with William Blake himself, and a very special one it was. Since then I took some collections of Blakes work form my local library and when on the road buried myself in his words, in his magic, I took leaps of faith, I was inspired, this was me and that was him, but together we could do anything we wished to do. I urge any of you to pick up a collection of William Blake’s poetry and act in his words, allow yourself to be encapsulated and allow yourself and those around you to be wholly and truly inspired. “To see a world’ Willliam Blake ‘To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour”. Be stolen by words and imagination.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: BOGDAN FUIOR, ROMANIA “MISTERY”

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: BOGDAN FUIOR, ROMANIA, “THE SPARKLE FROM YOUR STREET, IS THE LIGHT FOR YOUR HEART”

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To exist, in their souls, out of time, for a season... WRITTEN BY: ŞTEFANIA ARGEANU, STUDENT OF THE FACULTY OF PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION SCIENCES, PSYCHOLOGY SPECIALIZATION, “ALEXANDRU IOAN

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CUZA UNIVERSITY OF IASI”, ROMANIA

This year, one of these days the sun baked the month of October, Nora Iuga she has given me a smile at International Festival of literature and Translation in Iasi. I remember now of the transmitted when, as well as her eyes closed in color which were talking incessantly, but not in avalanche, but leaving your time as well as to hear magical tone. You look into its depths, and scan in their inside human, open his eyes had the color of the words written in time of their author itself.Reading recently, has warned me physical perception and metaphysics which, in intimate space of memory, winter. In an interview with Diei Radu, cultural editor and editor of the magazine Formula As, writer Nora Iuga describes during which it follows the thought by the time he reached to dress condition in which it is shown. Therefore, the thought of his own image inside, that memory of his senses that keeps the thrill of first memory.As a form of going back to his childhood, when there is no joy without the presence of the object apparently and without desire to find necessarily reply to question thorny issue later, “Why? “.He confesses that she doesn’t like walks through the snow, bringing with them the cold and darkness, “ than when it’s not a gust of wind, when is not bad nor a bough, when the silence is complete

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and the air completely static, when it rains with very large flakes and squeaking snow beneath his feet.Or when it’s sun, everything is frozen, and white becomes blinding, that you have the feeling that you move in an over-world.”It is only in such a time suspended white silence, Nora Iuga could walk hours at a stretch. The story of air season of opal begins to be breathed in order to first snow flakes, when it is triggered when the sun was inside a frantic joy: “It’s an explosion of excitement that I think we have all small and which are repeated every year.I don’t think there is a man who doesn’t come to shout “Snows! “, with the raptures when he sees through the window first flakes.” However, other directions remain painted in her heart by her majesty, winter. How he loves Russian winters revealed in lectures, returns to inner significance, with fine once glossy psychological, the “winter means cold weather”and verbal expression “ -I’m cold” emphasizes certainty abandoned and the feeling of safety after which any man wishes warmth and on which it is only when he meets another human being.Sinonimic correspondent “I’m cold”, “I’m alone”, emphasizes hearing shrill echo man who needs you, needs a alter ego of his.”A little girl with a thousand wrinkles” continues as a dreamily, to rehabilitate his


image most disturbing of winter, giving her confession accents: “”You know, all the rest of my life I had a dream of a winter.I want to travel in a troika, dressed in furs, with a man who would love him. Horses have bells, like in Anna Karenina, and letters dating along a forest ice cream. This desire took years and I never got to the place only dreams are made of. In fact, the most beautiful events of my own have been dreams, because it did not come true.” Winter brings with it and the letters of the selfknowledge by getting closer to the books, the tendency to give us a bit more time for creativity, mystery, imagination, interpretation, his reverie, controlling crowds exteriore and retrieval rates substance in the silence that gives us statuses of spirit enforced,As if we would permit it to exist, in their souls, out of time, for a season ...In other words, as he says also the author Nora Iuga: “ ( ... ) winter weather is conducive to creation.It’s something to do with this season, it’s a metaphysical dimension, a pull to sleep, dream, imagination.Winter has a peace of it, snow slows down weight exterior rhythms and causes inner rhythms. As though bake something in each man, heat, behind curtains pulled away.”

Lights in houses dressing increasingly intense and bright, as well as decoration with respect of globes and garlands, the desire to acquire objects and decorations sophisticated, as far as the fashion conscious, all these represent an unknown assumed he became aware of his reign, which has its own vision of the place in which he lives every day. In this respect, says that interest in her house, the house linked to his own internal mechanism “via an umbilical cord, such as house auger, which carries with it all over the place.” A sentence from the interview given by writer, which reproduces these thoughts, it sounds like this: “I’ve never ever wanted a house museum.” Are we, in this way, the famous Nora Iuga has never wanted to live in a house off-center, being concerned at all times and the way the aesthetic of his soul, which he fed continuously with fiber and cultural substances, as they were and how they are today: walking frequently at the theater, at concerts, in the cinema, reading and writing.

NORA IUGA –POET, PROSE WRITER, TRANSLATOR NAME: LITERARY NOM-DE-PLUME OF ELEONORA ALMOSNINO DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: JANUARY 4TH, 1931, BUCHAREST. MARITAL STATUS: FORMERLY MARRIED TO POET GEORGE ALMOSNINO, WHO DIED IN 1994. HAS ONE SON, BALLET DANCER TIBERIU ALMOSNINO. STUDIES AND CAREER: – GRADUATES FROM THE GERMAN STUDIES BRANCH OF THE FILOLOGY FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST IN 1953. – HAS HER DEBUT AT 37 YEARS AGO , IN 1968, WITH THE POETRY VOLUME “VINA NU E A MEA” [THE FAULT IS NOT MINE]. – HAS PUBLISHED 17 VOLUMES OF POETRY, AMONG WHICH “CAPTIVITATEA CERCULUI” [THE CAPTIVITY OF THE CIRCLE] (1970), “INIMA CA UN PUMN DE BOXEUR” [THE HEART LIKE A BOXER’S FIST] (1982), “FETIŢA CU O MIE DE RIDURI” [THE LITTLE GIRL WITH A THOUSAND WRINKLES] (2005), “CÂINELE UD E O SALCIE” [THE WET DOG IS A WILLOW] (2013). – HAS PUBLISHED 6 VOLUMES OF PROSE, AMONG WHICH “SĂPUNUL LUI LEOPOLD BLOOM” [LEOPOLD BLOOM’S SOAP] (1993), “SEXAGENARA ŞI TÂNĂRUL” [THE SEXAGENARIAN AND THE YOUNG MAN OR THE SIXTY-YEAR-OLD WOMAN AND THE YOUNG MAN](2000), “HAI SĂ FURĂM PEPENI” [LET’S GO STEAL WATERMELONS] (2009). – HAS TRANSLATED DOZENS OF BOOKS BY AUTHORS SUCH AS HERTA MÜLLER, GÜNTER GRASS, AGLAJA VETERANYI, AUGUST STRINDBERG, KNUT HAMSUN, PAUL CELAN. – HER BOOKS HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED AND HAVE RECEIVED AWARDS IN ROMANIA AND ABROAD. CURRENTLY LIVING IN: BUCHAREST.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: CLUJ-NAPOCA - ROMANIA “OLD PEOPALE”.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: DAN ALEXANDRU MANDACHI, IAȘI - ROMANIA. “STATIC”

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What’s in the Next issues...


Spring 2014 – 6 years of “Super Youth” At the beginning of 2015 our NGO, “Super Youth” ASIRYS will celebrate 6 years of activity. So we decided to put together in the fifth issue of our journal all the important projects and their results, all the people we interact or we meet during international projects, all the experiences from all over Europe. If you had any connection with “Super Youth” ASIRYS or you intend to have, then we will appreciate if you write something about us and our activity. Send pictures, stories, present good friends or people that you met. Celebrate together with us

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY: CHEVUK KELEVRA, MEXICO CITY - MEXICO. “TRASPASING ROMANIA SERIES 2011®”

6 years of “Super Youth”.


– 6 years of “Super Youth” -

“ISSUE 5 - YEAR TWO SPRING 2015”


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