Me in the News?!

I just received an email from someone who wants to write an article about the CIWC.  She sent me a list of questions, but who knows what she will end up using.  Just so you can have a little more insight into my life here, I have included the questions and my responses.

What you like and dislike about Cluj (three items each):

Likes

1. The oppenness and friendliness of everyone here, Romanians and international residents alike. Even when I try to speak in my very elementary Romanian, people let me try and usually seem to be happy that I at least tried!

2. The opportunities that exist here. It seems like Romania is in a great place in its history and that there are so many options for people in business and so many other areas.

3. I love that bags cost extra at stores and that people are, therefore, encouraged to bring their own bags. I wish this would happen in the U.S.!!

4. (if I can add one more!) I have really enjoyed taking advantage of the many art and cultural activities in Cluj. I cannot imagine a city this size in the U.S. being able to support two theaters/opera houses, a puppet theater, and the many museum performances. It has been great to see packed houses at the operas and to be able to attend so many high quality (and free) performances at the Gheorghe Dima music school.

Dislikes

1. The general bureaucracy of life and the strange eccentricities to life here. For instance, why can the bank not give me change for my 100 lei note? To an American at least, this is the strangest thing.

2. The approach and value of education here. I wish that more university students really took advantage of the amazing opportunity to go to school, and I wish that I could see more of a reflection of the value of education in society instead of just in skills. Thinking is a skill, too!

3. This is a tie between race/ethnicity and class.
(1) I miss the diversity and the acceptance of diversity that exists in the U.S. In Romania, I look twice every time I see someone who is not white and wonder what they are doing here and what kind of reception they have received. Related to this, I really miss the variety of foods available in the U.S. - Thai, Chinese, Afghan, Ethiopian, etc.

(2) It has been really shocking to see the very dramatic differences between the cities and the villages here. Cities like Cluj seem so Western that you could be anywhere in Europe. The villages are a completely different story where it seems like people are trying to get by on so little. It also makes me sad that there seem to be primarily older people in the villages. What is going to happen to these communities in 10 or 20 years? I know that people come to the cities because that is where the jobs and opportunities area. It is the same in America. However, I just wish there were something that could be done to create a viable way of life in the countryside, too.


How was you first contact with the Romanians?

I actually first met Romanians back in the U.S. when I took a Romanian language course in Arizona. Although we did not learn that much Romanian, we did learn a lot about the country. I arrived having watched movies like California Dreamin and Four Months, Three Weeks, Two Days and knowing about places like the Black Church and the merry cemetery. I think that really helped me know what to expect when I arrived. When I got to Romania, I first met people in the American Studies department at UBB who were absolutely amazing in helping me find an apartment, get a cell phone, and so much more. They were great in helping me get settled.


What was your first impression on Cluj?

My first impression of Cluj was when I was living in the UBB hotel out in the sport park (Babes Park?). I tried to walk into the center of town and turned the wrong way. I ended up in the middle of all the block apartments up in Manastur and just thought, "Oh my goodness, is this really going to be my life for the next year? All of this gray??" Luckily, I ended up finding the center of town and central park and great little nieghborhoods. I have just been blown away by how beautiful so many of the buildings are and by all of the history that is here.


What are some differences between your life in America and the one in Romania?

Everything is different! In America I was in graduate school, and here I am working. Also, if you can believe it, this is the first time in my life that I have signed a real rent contract and lived alone. It also is so strange to be in a place where everyone speaks another language. I know enough Romanian to get by, but definitely not enough to have an actual conversation. Someone said that being in a country without knowing the language is like being a toddler again, and they are right.


When did you arrive in Romania?

I arrived in Romania at the end of September in 2009 and will be here until early July 2010, and the time has been flying by!


Is your entire family here with you?

I came to Romania by myself. Back in the U.S., I was in a good position to do this because I had just finished graduate school and was ready for a change. Sometimes I feel a little lonely with my friends and family so far away, and at times it can be isolating because I do not know the language very well. However, I have been so happy about what a great experience this as has been. I have met really wonderful people through the Fulbright program, through the university where I am teaching, and through the CIWC.


How is the Romanian education system?

I am in Romania on a Fulbright award and am teaching at Babes Bolyai University in the American Studies department for the 2009-2010 academic year. Because of this, I have a rather unique insight as a teacher into the Romanian educational system. I have been surprised at the very large differences between the American and Romanian education systems. In the U.S., students are expected to attend class regularly and come to class prepared, having read all of the assignments. Our classes also are very focused on interactivity and in-class discussion. In part this is possible because American schools have more funds at their disposal and have classrooms equipped with computers and projectors. In contrast, the classrooms in Romania rarely have this type of technology available, which makes it more difficult for professors to create different types of classes and activities for the students instead of primarily using a lecture format. Regarding the students, there certainly are some very capable, enthusiastic, and hard-working students in Romania. However, I have been surprised by the number of students who do not feel it is necessary to attend class and by the intense focus on the final exam (and re-examination and re-re-examination and re-re-re-examination).

I could talk much more about this, but I think that is enough for now!


What kind of activities do you have at CIWC? Do the Americans in Cluj meet regularly? What do you do then?

CIWC holds all sorts of activities and events. We have regular meetings once a month and do a variety of activities each year to raise money for different local organizations. However, we also do "fun" things like yoga, lunches at different restaurants, trips out of town, and much more. Because we have members from all over the world (Mexico, India, South Africa, America, England, New Zealand, etc etc), one of the great programs we have done are international showcases where women from that country put on a presentation about their homeland. These have been really wonderful learning experiences for all of us. I participated in the American Showcase and was able to attend the showcases about Romania, India, and New Zealand.

The American women do not meet as a separate group on their own, but I think a lot of us do tend to spend some time together. In part this might be because there are just so many of us here in Cluj! I have met some really great people here - American, Romanian, and much more - and I hope that we will all be able to stay in touch after I leave.