Who, what and why
I am 28, I live in Bucharest, Romania.
I was fortunate enough to be supported by people who trusted me and gave me a chance to achieve great things in my education and career. I am a PHD candidate in sociology. Two months ago I was working in a polling institute, as a quantitative research manager. Nevertheless, I recently decided to call a halt to all this and I left to Namibia where I will be living for approximately 3 months.
Why? Not long ago I visited the Village Museum in Bucharest. One of the things I liked there was a small stand in front of a house and the seat nearby. It was a stand where the lady of the house would bring fresh water and fruits so that the travelers passing by could rest for a while and gain some strength for the road ahead (Romanian “merindar”). I am looking for such a stand in Namibia so that I could drink up some dreams and have my fill with strength. I had enough of the life in Bucharest with all the hypermarkets stuffed with colorful products, the frozen lights in the streets and the sound of rushing, strained people. I felt that the road I was walking on was too straight and barren so I changed it with the trickiest road I could find.
I have not chosen Africa out of sheer altruistic reasons. I have chosen it for my sake too; I thought I could learn many things from the people here while at the same time doing something that really matters in this world. I will be working, mostly, as teacher for a small NGO, trying to encourage children to dream and hope. While doing this, I will also look for dreams that are strong enough to consume my nightmares.
This blog will be about the people here in Namibia, about their hopes and their fights, their demons and their gods, their fears and their courage. I will post small pieces of the life in Namibia.
I am writing in both English and Romanian: English because it is the official language here and Romanian because I believe I should represent my country wherever I am.
I hope this blog will host at least one thing worth remembering.
Cine, ce si de ce
Am 28 de ani. Locuiesc în Bucuresti, Romania.
Am avut sansa de a fi sprijinita de persoane care au crezut mine si mi-au oferit ocazia de a realiza multe lucruri la nivel educational si profesional. Sunt doctorand in sociologie. Cu doua luni in urma lucram intr-un institut de sondare a opiniei publice, ca director de cercetare cantitativa. Totusi, recent, am hotarat sa ma opresc temporar din acest drum si am plecat in Namibia unde voi ramane pentru o perioada de aproximativ 3 luni.
De ce? Nu demult, am vizitat Muzeul Satului din Bucuresti. Mi-a placut in mod deosebit un suport mic aşezat in fata unei case si banca din apropierea lui. Era un loc in care gospodina punea apa si fructe pentru calatorii care treceau pe acolo, astfel incat acestia sa se poata odihni o vreme pentru a-si aduna puterea inainte de drumul ce-i astepta („merindar”). Caut, poate, un merindar in Namibia pentru a sorbi cateva vise şi a castiga putere. M-a obosit viata din Bucuresti cu hypermarketurile imbacsite de produse colorate, cu luminile inghetate de pe strazi si cu sunetul oamenilor stresati, grabindu-se catre ceva. Am simtit ca drumul pe care mergeam era prea drept si anost si l-am schimbat cu cel mai inselator drum pe care l-am putut gasi.
Nu am ales Africa din motive pur altruiste. Am ales-o si pentru binele meu; cred ca pot invata multe lucruri de la oamenii de aici, facand, in acelasi timp, ceva care ar putea conta cu adevarat in lumea aceasta. Voi lucra ca profesoara la un mic ONG, incercand sa incurajez copiii sa viseze si sa spere. In acest timp, voi cauta, la randul meu, acele vise care mi-ar putea nimici cosmarurile.
Acest blog va fi despre oamenii din Namibia, despre sperantele si luptele lor, despre demonii si dumnezeii lor, despre temerile si curajul lor. Voi include aici scurte istorii de viata din Namibia.
Voi scrie atat in engleza cat si in romana. In engleza, pentru ca este limba oficiala aici; in romana, pentru ca cred ca ar trebui sa-mi reprezint tara oriunde ma voi afla.
Sper ca veti gasi, aici, macar un lucru care merita retinut.
Monica
No comments:
Post a Comment