Comenius - School Partnerships Bilateral School Partnerships

OUR LIFE LIKE A STORY No. 2013 – 1 – GR1 COM07 15169 1

MAGAZINE NR.1 PARTNERS: 1ST EPA.L OF FARKADONAS TRIKALON GREECE “MIHAI BĂCESCU” TECHNICAL COLLEGE ROMANIA

"This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] 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’’

Technical College, “Băcescu”Mihai

“Mihai Băcescu” Technical College from Fălticeni, in the County of Suceava, is a nationally representative school by the quality in education it fosters. With its 1,500 students distributed in 54 classes and 92 teachers, our school's mission is to provide educational services for young students based on responsibility, performance, equal chances and opportunities at high standard in the national and the European context for development of human values and training of professional skills, in order to meet the requirements of a democratic society based on knowledge and openness. The professional school structure comprises two profiles: theoretical, with the following specializations: mathematics and computer sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, philology and technological specializations: electromechanical technician, computers operator technician, design engineer, tourism technician and gastronomy technician. The exchange of experiences and good practices at European level is a benchmark of our activity, ensuring the development and consolidation of European values, better communication and understanding of multiculturalism and diversity. Through the Life Long Learning program our school has implemented 21 projects in Comenius, Grundtvig, Leonardo da Vinci IVT and VETPRO and 22 teachers participated in the Comenius and Grundtvig training courses. Each project opens a new window to knowledge, to new ways of cooperation at European level. The whole experience is reflected in the quality of teaching, the students benefit from new approaches, new methods, new content and information. Given the experience in the design, implementation, management,

"This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] 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’’ evaluation and dissemination of European cooperation projects, our school was named EUROPEAN SCHOOL, in 2007, 2010 and 2013, the first and the only school in the county which enjoys this recognition three times in a row.

The team of teachers and coordinators of European projects and 4 students being awarded prizez at The European Projects Gala in 2014.

The 1st EPAL Farkadonas

Is a relatively small regional school of Trikala region Farkadona. We are a Technical ), 80 students and is engaged in providing theoretical and practical knowledge and an appropriate infrastructure with its own laboratories for complete training Vocational school and the teaching staff in year 2013/2014 is 24 (professors of students.

In our school work the areas 1.Mechanology sector with specialization: Mechanical Installations and Constructions 2. Economics sector with specialization: Economy and Management 3.Agronomist sector with specialization: Technology of Environment and Food Control.

ROMANIAN TEAM THE TEACHERS:

SUSEANU CLAUDIA

I am Suseanu Claudia, HEADMASTER at "Mihai Bacescu" Technical College, Falticeni with studies in Engineering and Textile Technology, specialist in Commerce, Tourism and Services Management and expert in educational management.

I represent an institution in continuous change and uprise, open to novatory and useful ideas for students, teachers and parents.

I'm married and I have one child.

MAGDALENA GRIGORAS

I`m Magdalena Grigoras, I`m a teacher of Geography and the coordinator of the project, I love travelling and descovering other cultures. Through my shared experience, I want my students to discover new cultures and broaden their horizons.

HORVAT RALUCA OANA

Hello, My name is Raluca Horvat, I'm teaching English. I'm married and I have a child. I like to travel and I want to descover new cultures. COTUN CORNELIA

Hi! My name is Cornelia Cotun, I'm a teacher of Geography and I'm married. I like to travel and I want to visit Greece, because it's a beautiful country with lovely people.

"This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] 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’’

THE STUDENTS: IOANA MATEI

Bună ! Numele meu este Matei Hi! My name is Matei Ioana, I`m Ioana, am 17 ani şi sunt elevă în clasa a 17 years old and I`m a student in the XI-a A la Colegiul Tehnic „Mihai 11th grade at Technical College “ Băcescu”, la profilul matematică- Mihai Băcescu”, mathematics and informatică. computer science. Sunt o fire sociabilă, I am a sociable person, comunicativă, serioasă, dar în acelaşi communicative, serious, I could also timp şi prietenoasă. Îmi place foarte say I`m perfectionist, but in the same mult să ascult aproape orice gen de time friendly. muzică, să mă uit la filme,în special I like very much listening almost comedii şi de asemenea să citesc. any type of music, watching movies, Aceste activităţi ma ajută să mă relaxez especially comedies and also şi îmi dau o energie pozitivă. Îmi plac reading.These activities helps me to plimbările în aer liber şi de fiecare dată relax and they give me a positive când am ocazia imortalizez peisajele energy. care mă impresionează. I like walking in the open-air and Sunt foarte încântată că am reuşit every time I got the chance I să particip la acest proiect care cu immortalize the landscapes that siguranţă mă va ajuta pe parcurs să impresses me. dobândesc noi calităţi care îmi vor fi de I am very excited I managed to folos pe tot parcursul vieţii. attend this project who definitely will Aşadar sunt nerăbdătoare să help me on the way to acquire new încep să particip la cât mai multe qualities. activităţi şi sper ca pe parcursul acestui So all I can say is that I`m very proiect să învăţ cât impatient to mai multe. start participating as many activities and I hope during this project I will learn as much as I can.

BOLD MARIA

My name is Maria Bold. I am Mă numesc Bold Maria. Sunt student in the 11th form at the College eleva în clasa a XI-a A la Colegiul “ Mihai Bacescu”. I am living at 1 Bis, Tehnic “ Mihai Bacesu”. Locuiesc pe Aleea Pinului street, Falticeni . What I strada Aleea Pinuluui la casa cu like most to do is to walk, to read, to numarul 1 Bis. Ceea ce îmi place cel play the violin and listening to music. I mai mult să fac este să mă plimb, să am very excited and also wait to see citesc, să cânt la vioară ș i să ascult Greece. This project gives me the muzică. Sunt foarte încântată ș i chance to improve my English. totodată aș tept să văd Grecia. Acest proiect îmi oferă ș ansa să îmi îmbunătăț esc limba engleză.

IFTIMIE ROXANA

Bună! Hi! Mă numesc Iftimie Roxana, am My name is Iftimie Roxana, I’m 17 ani, sunt în clasa a XI-a A şi învăţ la seventeen years old, I’m studied in the Colegiul Tehnic “Mihai Bacescu”. Sunt 11th A form and I learn at Mihai o fire prietenoasă, sociabilă ș i Bacescu college.I’m a friendly, entuziasmată. Îmi place să ascult sociable and enthusiastic girl. I love muzică, să mă plimb, să vizionez vilme listening to music, take a walk, watch ș i să citesc. Am ales să particip la acest movies and read. I chose to participate proiect din dorinț a de a cunoaș te at this project in want to know the tradiț iile ș i obiceiurile din Grecia. traditions and customs of Greece. Also, Totodata, acest proiect îmi ofera this project give me opportunity to opotunitatea de a-mi îmbunătăț i limba improve my English. engleză.

CHITU COZMIN-GABRIEL

Salut, mă numesc Chitu Cozmin- Gabriel, am 16 ani ș i locuiesc în Hi, my name is Chiț u Cosmin, Fălticeni. Sunt în clasa a X-a C, profilul I,m 16 old and living in Falticeni. I am ș tiinț e ale naturii (chimie-biologie) la in 10 grade, in profile Chemical Colegiul Tehnic Mihai Bacescu. Biology at Technical College ”Mihai Principalele mele pasiuni sunt Bacescu”. legate în principal de PC, adică îmi place să lucrez la diferite lucruri cum ar My main passions are video fi editarea filmuleț elor dar asta este o editing, recently discovered, I like to do pasiune mai recent descoperită , îmi rides alone and with my friends, I like place să fac plimbări lungi singur dar to listen music, I like to watching ș i cu prietenii, îmi place să ascult muzică, îmi plac filmele horror dar ș i horror movies and I like to work with cele de comedie, îmi place să fac my friends but my real passion is diferite activităț i cu prietenii dar cea cycling . mai mare pasiune a mea este ciclismul . Cea ce m-ar caracteriza ar fi What characterizes me is răbdarea, îndemanarea ș i abilitatea pe patience, skill, and agility which you care le puteti observa atunci cand sunt can see when I riding a bike on offroad. pe saua unei biciclete ș i în faț a terenul accidentat care mă aș teaptă . The reason for my participation Motivul participării mele la acest at this project is the desire to meet new proiect este dorinț a de a cunoaș te noi people, to see new places, to get new persoane, de a vedea locuri noi, tradiț ii experiences and I am sure will help me noi, de a avea parte de noi experienț e in the future. ș i sunt sigur că mă vor ajuta pe viitor .

APETROAEI SANZIANA

Mă numesc Apetroaei Sânziana, My name is Apetroaei Sanziana, sunt elevă în clasa a-XI-a E ș i am I am a student in class a-XI-a E and I varsta de 17 ani. Ca orice elev have a seventeen years old. As any obiectivele mele principale sunt cele de student of my main objectives are to a lua bacalaureatul ș i de a dobândi noi take baccalaureate and to acquire new cunoș tinț e. knowledge. Sunt o fată sufletistă,sensibilă I am a girl sensitive but hopeful. dar ș i optimistă.Îmi place să mă implic I like to get involved in all sorts of în tot felul de activităț i pe care cred că activities that I think can lead the way. I le pot duce până la capăt. Am încredere trust always will be better, and that any că mereu va fi ș i mai bine, ș i că orice inclinations I had in life, I will carry out înclinări a-ș avea în viaț ă, le voi duce the very seriously. la bun sfârș it cu multă seriozitate. My passion is music, and in my Pasiunea mea este muzica,iar în free time I like reading, going out with timpul liber îmi place să citesc, să ies friends, doing one activity that keeps cu prietenii, să fac câte o activitate care me pretty busy. mă ț ine mereu ocupată. I decided to participate in this Am decis să particip la acest competition, because I want to meet concurs,deoarece vreau să cunosc new people, learn a new language and oameni noi, să învat o limbă străină ș i see new things. să văd lucruri noi. I think that it will be a nice Consider ca va fi o experienț ă experience! plăcută!

LUPU DAVID Hello!

Salut! Hi, Mă numesc Lupu David Mihai, am 16 ani ș i locuiesc în Fălticeni.Sunt My name is Lupu David Mihai, în clasa a X-a,profilul chimie I`m 16 and I live in Falticeni.I am in X biologie,la Colegiul Tehnic Mihai grade,chemical biology profile at Bacescu. Technical College Mihai Bacescu. Principalele pasiuni ale mele My main passions are: sunt:alpinismul,domino,îmi place să mountaineering,domino,I like to listen ascult muzică cum ar fi dubstep,hip-hop music like dubstep,hip-hop or sau jazz,să vizionez filme,mai ales cele jazz,watching movies especially de comedie.Una dintre cele mai comedy movies.One of the funniest amuzante comedii pe care le-am vazut a movies I ever seen was LittleMan or fost LittleMan sau Yes Man.Actorul Yes man.My favorite actor is Jim meu preferat este Jim Carrey. Carrey. Cred ca cea mai importanta I think my most important calitate a mea este răbdarea ș i puteț i quality is patience and you can see this vedea asta în timp ce fac domino. when I do domino. Motivul pentru care m-am The principal reason I joined is înscris în acest proiect este acela că îmi that I like to travel, I want to tie new place să călătoresc, doresc să leg noi friendship,to enjoy new experiences prietenii,vreau să mă bucur de noile and I want to join in more and more experienț e ș i aș vrea să mă înscriu în projects because I know that the new cât mai multe proiecte deoarece experiences will help me in the future. experienț ele dobândite mă vor ajuta în viitor.

SOLCANU BIANCA

Hi there! My name is Solcanu Bună! Numele meu este Bianca, I’m 18 years old and I’m Solcanu Bianca, am 18 ani şi sunt from Bogdănesşi, Suceava. I’m a din Bogdăneşti, Suceava. Sunt elevă student at “Mihai Băcescu” la Colegiu Tehnic “Mihai Băcescu” Technical College in 11th grade and în clasa a XI-a, profilul filologie. I study filology. I really like to read, Îmi place foarte mult să citesc, să listening to music and go out with ascult muzică şi să ies cu prietenii my friends. I’m a sociable, friendly mei. Sunt o persoană sociabilă, and very ambitious person and in the prietenoasă şi foarte ambiţioasă, iar future I’m going to be a successful în viitor voi fi un avocat de succes, lawyer, I hope. I like new life stories sper. Îmi plac poveştile noi de viaţă and I look forward to meet you all. şi abia aştept să vă cunosc!

METRIC ALEXANDRU

Bună! Hi!

Mă numesc Alexandru Mertic, My name is Alexandru Mertic, am 15 ani ș i locuiesc în Podeni, I am 15 years old and I live in jud. Suceava dar primii 14 ani din Podeni, Suceava but the first 14 viaț ă i-am petrecut în Grecia. Acum years in my life I spent in Greece . I sunt în clasa a 9-a la Colegiul am in IX grade at College Techinical Tehnic „Mihai Bacescu” Fălticeni. ”Mihai Bacescu” Falticeni.

Am ales să particip în acest I chosee to participate in this proiect din dorinț a de a revedea project in want to review Greece, my Grecia, locul copilăriei mele. childhood place.

SOLCANU MADALINA GABRIELA

Bună! Mă numesc Solcanu Mădălina Gabriela, am 15 ani şi sunt din Bogdăneşti, Suceava, România. Sunt elevă la Colegiul Tehnic “Mihai Băcescu” în clasa a IX-a, la profilul filologie. Îmi place să ascult muzică, să cânt, îmi plac filmele şi cărtile romantice. Iubesc plimbările lungi cu prietenii, îmi place să cunosc oameni noi şi să-mi fac cât Hi! My name is Solcanu mai mulţi prieteni. Mădălina Gabriela, I’m 15 years old and I’m from Bogdăneşi, Suceava, România. I’m a student at “Mihai Băcescu” Technical College in 9th grade and I study filology. I like listening to music, singing and I like romantic movies and books. I love long walks with my friends, I loke to meet new people and make more friends.

GREEK TEAM THE TEACHERS:

ΑΧΙΛΛΕΑΣ ΓΑΛΑΝΗΣ ACHILLEAS GALANIS

Hello! My name Galanis Achilles, I am Professor in Mechanical Engineering sector and is teach in the 1st EPAL Farkadonas. I am married and have three children (a daughter and two sons). I love travels, the sea (snorkeling and swiming), mountain (ski and hiking) as well as computers. I like the traditional music and dance. My favorite Greek singer is Stelios Kazantzidis. In Romania come first time. The reason I choose the program is to familiarize with other European schools, to get and to know your culture and the educational system of your country....

"This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] 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’’

ΣΤΕΡΓΙΟΣ ΠΑΠΑΣΤΕΡΓΙΟΥ STERGIOS PAPASTERGIOU

Hello! I’m Sergios Papastergiou, I stay in Larissa, I am professor Economist, married and I have two boys aged 10 & 15 years old. I come to Romania for the first time and a main reason were I chose the project is to meet the Romanian education system, your school, as well as the culture of the Romanian people. My hobbies are hunting, fishing and photography. My favorite singer is Vasilis Tsitsanis Also speaking Romanian ..

THE STUDENTS:

ΑΧΙΛΛΕΑΣ ΔΟΥΡΔΟΥΡΗΣ ACHILLEAS DOURDOURIS

Hi there! My name is Achilleas and I live Farkadona. My parents working Farkadona we have Greek tavern and I spend my free time helping them whenever you they need me. My hobbies are a lot, but the main and the favorite is to ride my bike cycle and to do repairs and improvements. The reasons were I participate in the project are to make new friends to know new European countries, new languages and to see the high school education in Romania. In Romania I will come first time and I think to like me…

"This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] 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’’

ΘΕΑΝΩ ΜΑΝΑΦΑ THEANO MANAFA

Hi! I am Theano and I live in a small village called Krini in the region of Farkadona of τhe town Trikala. My hobbies are painting, running and hiking. I like all kinds of music but mostly I like hip-hop. The main reason for joining this program is to meet people and visit Romania.

"This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] 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’’

ΔΗΜΗΤΡΗΣ ΧΑΧΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ DIMITRIS ΗAΗOPOYLOS

Hi! I am Dimitris and I am seventeen years old. I live in Farkadona and I go to Farkadona’s Vocational Training School. I like riding my bike in my free time. I also like hanging out with my friends and play video games. From time to time we play football. I decided to take part in this program to meet new persons and to grow familiar with the culture of the Romanian people.

ΕΥΡΥΔΙΚΗ ΧΑΣΙΩΤΗ XASIOTI EYRIDIKI

Hello! I'm Euridiki and I live in a small village called Krini in the region of Farkadona of city Trikala. My parents are farmers and my father he was forced by the crisis we are experiencing in Greece to leave immigrant in Germany. My hobbies are mainly dancing, computers and the volleyball. I like a lot the Greek music but mostly I like to dance. The main reason for my participation in this program is to know schoolmates from others countries to make new friends. I never visit the Romania and I hope to like me…

ΜΑΝΟΣ ΜΑΝΑΦΑΣ MANOS MANAFAS

Hi! I am Manos and I live in a small village called Krini in the region of Farkadona of the town Trikala. My hobbies are moto cross, running and swiming. I like all kinds of music but mostly I like hip-hop. The main reason for selected this program is to meet pupils, to make new friends, to know new cultures and to visit the Romania. Also I want to refresh my English language.

ΚΑΤΕΡΙΝΑ ΠΟΛΥΓΕΝΗ KATERINA POLYGENI

Hey there! I am Katerina Polygeni and I am sixteen years old. I live in Zarko Trikalon wich is a small village. I like listening music and hanging out with my friends. In my free time I go shopping and hiking. The main reason for joining the program is my love for traveling and to learn foreign languages and cultures.

ΣΤΕΦΑΝΟΣ ΝΑΤΣΙΝΑΣ STEFANOS NATSINAS

Hi! My name is Stefanos and I live in Farkadona. I go to school at the Vocational Training School of Farkadona. My hobby is playing music at my home town’s cafes as a DJ. I like all kinds of music except rock. My friends and I like to play football sometimes in the weekends. The reason that I decided to participate in the Comenius Program is to visit new place, meet people to make new friends and to know foreign languages.

ΔΗΜΗΤΡΑ ΛΕΤΣΙΟΥ DIMITRA LETSIOU

Hello! I am Dimitra and I am sixteen years old. I live in the farkadona Trikalon, is a big village. My hobbies… I like listening music, hang out with my friends and to play video games in my computer. In my free time play volleyball. The main reason for the participate in the program is my love for traveling, to learning foreign languages and to know new cultures. I think there are a lot common elements between Greek and Romanian. We will see……

ΚΩΣΤΑΣ ΜΑΚΡΗΣ KOSTAS MAKRIS

Hello! My name is Kostas and I live in a small village wich named Piniada it is in region of Farkadona. My hobbies is the football, the computing and I like to do study for how it works the mechanical technology. The reasons were I participate in the project are to make new friends to know the Europe countries, new foreign languages and to know how it works the school education in Romania. I never come in Romania and I hope to like me …

ΣΤΕΦΑΝΟΣ ΝΑΤΣΙΝΑΣ STEFANOS NATSINAS

Hello I am Stefanos and I live in Farkadona. My hobbies are hikin, riding my bicycle. The kind of music that I like is Greek love songs and pop music. My friends and I play basketball and football. I participate in the program to meet new places, new people and to make new friends.

Poveste de viata acord cu plecarea, deoarece se temeau de Sunt un tânăr plecat din Fălticeni din necazurile ce le voiîntâmpina. cauza situaţiei financiare ș i materiale din Suntvenit in Grecia de România. La început părinţii nu au fost de şaseani,împreuna cu sora ș ifamiliacumnatului.A trecut o perioadă family. It's been a long time until I got lungă de timppână m-am acomodat cu accustomed to the life and language. About mediul de viaţă ș i cu limba. După three months I started working at a baker's. treiluni de zile am începutsălucrez la o I found this job with the help of friends. brutărie.Locul de muncă l-am găsit cu And with time I have learned the secrets of ajutorulunor prieteni.Şi cu timpul this work and I relied heavily on it because amînvăţatşieusecreteleacesteimuncişi m- I love it and I earn very well, but it is also am bazatfoartemultpe ea,deoarece îmi hard work, because I work at night. During place şi se câstigă foarte bine,dareste ș i o those six years I have worked in different muncăgrea,pentrucălucrez de places, thathelped me a lot to get along in noapte.Întoţiaceştişaseani am lucratşipe la the new society. alţipatroni,carem-au ajutatfoartemultsămădescurcînnouasocietat After a long period of work, I e. managed together with my sister to buy a house and a bakery. The way of life in După o periodălungă de Greece is very different from Romania.To muncă,amreuşitîmpreună cu sora,să ne get to know the country, it seemed to me cumparăm o casăşi o brutărie a noastră. very strange. Greek people are hospitable, Încetul cu încetul ne-amridicat. Modul de noble-minded believers, and religion is viaţă în Greciaesteunulfoartediferitfaţă de very strict. România.Pânăsăcunoscţara,totul mi s-a părutstrăin.Greciisuntnişteoameniprimitori, Holidays are more like Romanian sufletişti holidays, and are spent differently. As well ș icredincioşi,religiafiindunafoarte strictă. as culinary secrets are different. Although I prepare my meals by myself, occasionally I Sărbătorilesuntmaimulte ca la tried their food too. And regarding the românişisuntpetrecutealtfel.De family, I can say that they are very asemenaşitaineleculinaresunt la fel de hardworking, and children have enough diferite.Deaceeamâncarea mi-o facsingur, freedom to do what they are allowed. What deşi din când în cândmaiîncercşi din is more important is that in Greece there bucatele lor. Iar în are the best varieties of olives. No wonder ceeaceconstăfamilia,potspunecăsuntfoarte it is called "the land of olives ". gospodari,iarcopii au destulălibertate încâtsăfacăce le estepermis. Şimai However I have never forgot where I important estefaptulcă,înGrecia se came from. I have talked to my parents găsesccelemaibunesoiuri

Life Story demăsline.Nudegeabaestenumită”ţaramăsli I'm young boy who left Falticeni nelor”.Cu toate acestea nu amuitatniciodată because of the financial situation in de unde am plecat.Cuparinţii nu Romania. At first parents were not agree amvorbitdecât prin intermediul with this, because they feared that I will telefonuluisaua internetului. encounter troubles. Fiind o I have lived in Greece for six years familiemare,amtrimisajutorpentrucasăşipen with my sister and my brother’s in law trufraţiimaimici,atâtcât am putut.Chiardacănui-am văzutatâtatimp,sunt It's been six years, I miss the country, liniştitcu gândulcăindiferent de situaţie am the family, but it’s difficult to get home încercatsăîiajut ca să le fie bine. because I cannot lose my job, and I did not have enough money. Au trecutşaseani de zile, îmiestedor de Romania is the country and the place ţară,defamilie,darîmiestegreusăajungpentru of my childhood. I wish from the bottom of căîmi pot pierdemunca,şinici nu am my heart to get home and I will try to do avutbanisuficienț i. my best in order to get to Romania one day. Româniaesteţara ș iloculcopilărieimele. Îmidoresc din sufletul săajung ș ivoiîncerca din răsputeri.

APETROAIE SÎNZIANA ClasaaXI-a E

only at the telephone or through the Internet. We have a large family, so I help my youngerbrothers as much as I could. Even though I have not seen them for so long, I amcontent that I tried to do my best to help them, to have a better life. Povestea lui Ovidiu Ovidiu Demostenis Simos’s Demostenis Simos story Cine nu-l cunoaste pe Ovidiu Simos în Fălticeni? Grecul, care a trăit mai mult Who doesn’t know Ovidiu Simos in în România decat în ț ara de origine, este Falticeni ? The Greek, who lived more in un nume de referintă pentru Fălticeni ș i Romania than in his origin country, is a pentru viaț a economică a oraș ului nostru. reference name for Falticeni and for the Trec zilnic pe lângă „Supermarket economic life of our city. Simos” ș i dintr-odată am devenit curios să aflu ș i eu câte ceva din istoricul acestei Daily, I pass along " Simos familii. Supermarket" and suddenly I became Pentru că domnul Ovidiu Simos a curious to find out myself something of the fost coleg de clasă cu tatăl meu, l-am rugat history of this family. să-mi mijlocească o întâlnire cu acesta. Heinvited me in his office and I was M-a primit in biroul domniei sale ș i amazed by the patience with which he told am rămas uimit de răbdarea cu care mi-a me about his life. I found out that his povestit despre viaț a sa. Aș a am aflat că, father, Simos Vasilis, born in 1939, left tatăl său, Simos Vasilis, născut în 1939, a Greece alone at the age of 8, during the părăsit Grecia, singur, la varsta de 8 ani în civil war because his children's lives were timpul războiului civil pentru că viaț a in danger. copiilor era pusă în pericol. Pentru început a ajuns în Albania, de First, he arrived in Albania, from acolo a fost trimis in România. După ce a there he was sent to Romania. After petrecut câț iva ani în Sinaia, unde a fost spending a few years in Sinaia, where he găzduit la o casăpentru copii greci was hosted at a house for the refugiaț i, timp în care a învăț at limba refugeesGreek children, time when he română. Mai târziu a ajuns în Fălticeni learned Romanian language. Later he came undes-a integrat foarte repede, oamenii îl to Falticeni, where he integrated very priveau cu ochi buni, aveau multă simpatie quickly, people looked at him kindly, they ș i respect pentru el pentru că era foarte had much sympathy and respect for him muncitor, a făcut ș coala de maiș tri, s-a because he was a hardworker man, he căsătorit cu o româncă ș i a avut doi copii, made the technical school, married a Camelia si Ovidiu. Romanian woman and had two children, Familia Simos ș i-a dat copii la Camelia and Ovidiu. ș coală în Fălticeni, unde erau trataț i la fel Simos family sent their children to ca elevii români, dar după o perioadă de school in Falticeni, where they were timp au plecat în Grecia, legal. Petrecându- treated as Romanian students, but after a ș i verile,ori copii ori parintii, la rudele while they went back to Greece. Spending dinGrecia, au hotărât să se întoarcă în their summers at their relatives in Greece, taranatală în anul 1987.În Grecia, împreună they have decided to return to their cu părinț ii, au muncit pentru a-ș i asigura homeland in 1987.In Greece, along with o viaț ă decentă. Tatăl s-a angajat in 1987 the parents, they worked to ensure a decent la o fabrică de bumbaciar Ovidiu s-a life. The father got hired in 1987 to a angajatîn cotton factory and Ovidiu in 1988 to the 1988 la aceaș i fabrică de bumbac din Pireu. Mai târziu a cumpărat împreună cu un asociat o firmă de taximetrie în Atena. same cotton mill in Piraeus. Later he Îi era destul de greu deoarece nu cunostea bought along with an associate a taxi company in Athens. It waspretty hard for foarte bine străzile dar în final ajunsese să facă 12-14 mii de drahne pe zi, bani pe him because he didn’t knew very well the care îi aduna pentru a-ș i face o casă. streets but in the end he reached to make În anul 1992 tatăl s-a întors în 12 to 14 thousand of drahne daily, money Fălticeni ș i a început o afacere. L-a luat that he collected in order to build a house. asociat pe fiul său ș i au construit o casă In 1992 the father returned to ș i un magazin. În anul 1996, domnul Falticeni and started a business. He took Ovidiu a revenit în tară iar în 1997 a his son as an associate and started to build inaugurat magazinul, cunoscut de toț i sub a house and a shop. In 1996, Mr. Ovidiu numele de „Supermarket Simos” had returned in the country and in 1997 Toată lumea cumpăra de aici had opened the shop, known to all as the deoarece preț urile erau convenabile ș i, "Simos Supermarket ". apoi oamenii erau atraș i ș i de interiorul acestui magazin. Deș i nu era foarte mare, Everyone was buying from here impresiona prin abundenț a mărfurilor ș i because the prices were convenient and the prin faptul că era un magazin cu people were attracted by the inside of the autoservire. store. Although it wasn’t very big, it A conoscut-o pe soț ia sa, doamna impressed by the abundance of goods and Nina, dar casătoria cu aceasta a fost the fact that it was aself-serving shop. umbrită de moartea tatălui sau, Vasilis He had met his wife, Nina, but the Simos, într-un accident de circulaț ie care marriage with her was shaded by the death a avut loc cu o zi înaintea nunț ii.Au trecut of his father, Vasilis Simos, in a traffic împreună peste această dramă ș i acum accident that occurred in the last day sunt o familie fericită ș i împlinită, before the wedding. Together, they had bucurându-se de cei trei copii. passsed over this drama and now the Îș i aminteș te cu plăcere de family are happy and fulfilled, with their vremurile în care maestrul Ion Irimescu three children. savura cafeaua grecească facută la terasa domniei sale. Mr. Ovidiu remembers with pleasure Anii au trecut, a muncit mult ș i a the days when Master Ion Irimescu was oferit un loc de lucru multor oameni prin enjoying the Greek coffee made at his deschiderea unor magazine noi în Fălticeni, terrace.Years passed, he worked hard and Mălini, Broș teni(aici a avut partede o offered and offered many places to work experienț ă neplacută, magazinul a for people by opening new stores in fostincendiat dar a deschis unul nou) ș i Falticeni, Malini, Brosteni (here he had a urmează să mai deschidă unul în Borca. În bad experience, the store was burned but prezent are 73 de angajaț i plus încă 8 he opened a new one) and will open a new ceurmează să fie angajaț i la Borca, de one in Borca. He currently has 73 care se îngrijeș te cu responsabilitate employees plus another 8 that would to be domnia sa, fiind de părere că angajaț ii vor employed in Borca, that he takes care da randament doar dacă sunt mulț umiț i de responsibly, considering that the condiț iile pe care le oferă patronul. employees will give yield only if they are pleased by the conditions that the employer Nu de mult, a inaugurat ș i o terasă gives them. în Fălticeni „Simos Grill” unde le oferă clienț ilor produse fast food, ș i nu numai, Recently, he had inaugurated a de calitate ș i la preț uri avantajoase. terrace in Falticeni " Simos Grill " where they offer customers fast food products at Secretul succesului domnului Ovidiu low prices and good quallity. Simos? Multă muncă, familie unită, sinceritate, seriozitate ș i grijă în investirea Mr. Ovidiu Simos secret of success? banilor. Hardwork, united family, honesty, diligence andcare of investing money. În prezent domnul Ovidiu Simos este un om împlinit, are o familie sinceră ș i Currently Mr. Ovidiu Simos is an iubitoare ș i o carieră de succes pe care accomplished man thathe has a honest and multi ș i-ar dori să o aibe. loving family and a successful career that many would like to have. DAN BOGDAN clasa a XI-a A

Poveste de viata Life story Colega mea, Andrioaia Ioana, a fost de acord să-mi dezvăluie în câteva rânduri My classmate, Andrioaia Ioana, povestea ei de viaţă petrecută în Grecia. agreed to tell me in a few words her life story spent in Greece. „Când am plecat în Grecia eram foarte fericită şi entuziasmată pentru că When I moved to Greece I was so ştiam că voi fi cu mama şi că totul va fi happy and excited because I knew that I bine. Am locuit într-un frumos orăşel din will be with my mom and everything was centrul Greciei, numit Lamia! going to be all right. I was living in a beautiful town in the centre of the Greece, După ce am început şcoala, în clasa called Lamia. a5a, au început să apară şi primele probleme, pentru că străinii nu sunt After I started school began to appear catalogaţi foarte bine acolo. Ca şi roman the first problems, because the strangers într-o ţară străină nu m-am simţit foarte are not categorized very well there. As a bine din cauza oamenilor. Erau copii şi Romanian in a foreign country I didn’t feel chiar profesori care mă marginalizau şi asta very well because of the people. There era foarte supărător. Dar gândul că sunt cu were children and even teachers that mama făcea să mă simt mai puternică şi să marginalized me and that was very gândesc pozitiv. upsetting. But the thought that I’m with my mother made me fell strong and think Înainte să plec în Grecia îi spuneam positive. mereu mamei că vreau să merg acolo şi să fiu cu ea. Nu am fost obligată să merg în Before moving to Greece I was Grecia, puteam alege să rămân în ţară cu always telling my mother that I wanted to bunicii. go there and be with her. I wasn’t forced to go there, so I could stay in Romania with Nu am avut foarte mulţi prieteni my grandparents. acolo, doar un singur băiat pe nume Vagheli, care îmi era coleg de clasă şi I didn’t have a lot of friends there, only one vecin. Ceilalţi colegi erau drăguţi cu mine, boy named Vagheli, he was my classmate dar uneori mă vorbeau şi simţeam că nu mă and my neighbor. All the classmates were plac pentru că stăteam mai mereu singură. nice to me, but sometimes they were Nu aş putea compara niciodată prietenii şi talking about me and I was feeling that colegii de aici cu cei din Grecia. they don’t like me because I was sitting the Nu m-aș mai întoarce definitiv în whole time alone. I couldnever compare Grecia pentru că simţeam că sunt străină, the friends and classmates from here with dar în vacanţe merg acolo pentru a petrece those of Greece. timp cu mama. M-am întors în România, I wouldn’t come back permanently in după 4 ani jumătate, pentru că şcoala este Greece because I was feeling that I’m a diferită acolo şi vreau să învăţ foreigner, but in vacation I go there to spend time with my mom.

I’m back in Romania because the mai multe, dar şi pentru că nu mai school is different there and I want to learn puteam sta fără prieteni, fără cineva cu care more things, but also becauseI couldn’tstay să mă distrez. there without friends, without someone I can have fun with. Asemănări între România şi Grecia nu aş putea spune că există, dar diferenţe I couldn’t say that there are sunt. Una dintre ele ar fi faptul că acolo similarities between Greece and Romania, eram cu mama şi mă înţelegeam mult mai but there are some differences. One of bine cu ea. O altă asemănare ar fi oraşul în them is that there I was with my mom and I care am locuit 4 ani, Lamia, şi unde erau get along very well with her. Another one foarte multe lucruri de făcut. Erau localuri is the city where I have lived for four unde ieşeam cu puţinii prieteni pe care îi years, Lamia, and there were a lot of things aveam, erau parcuri de distracţii unde to do. There were places where I could go mergeam cu mama când eram mai mică, out with my friends, there were theme dar şi foarte multe parcuri naturale şi parks in which I was going with my mother peisaje minunate. when I was little, but also there were a lot of natural parks and wonderful views. În România este mult mai bine, am prieteni buni şi sunt mult mai liniştită. Nu In Romania it is much better, I have poţi compara locul unde ai crescut, limba good friends and I feel great. You can’t naţională cu străinătatea. compare the place you grew up, the national language with a foreign one. În ceea ce o priveşte pe mama, ea s-a adaptat mult mai bine. Oamenii maturi sunt As my mother tells me, she has mai înţelegători şi respectă mai mult adapted much better. Mature people diferenţele dintre culturi. Nu are probleme understand and respect better the cu oamenii de acolo, aici referindu-mă la differences between cultures. She has no cei de la muncă, la vecini sau la prietenii problems with the people, and here I am greci. Le respectă tradiţiile, mâncarea, referring to those from work, neighbours merge la mese festive împreună cu ei, la and her Greek friends. She respects their spectacole sau petreceri locale. A învăţat să traditions, their food and she goes with tolereze ca să fie tolerată. Nu uită, însă, că them at parties, dinners and shows. She este român. De Crăciun, Paşte petrece în learned to tolerate and to be tolerated, but stil românesc, găteşte mâncare românească, she doesn’t forget that she’s Romanian. îmbodobeşte bradul, respectiv vopseşte She spends Christmas and Easter like a ouăle roşii, merge la biserică. Îi sunt Romanian, she cooks Romanian food, respectate toate aceste tradiţii şi, de multe decorates the fir tree, she paints the red ori, prietenii greci petrec alături de ea, eggs for Easter and she goes to church. Her pentru că sunt interesaţi de tradiţiile Greek friends respect all these traditions româneşti, de mâncare şi de tot ceea ce and they spend together these moments înseamnă România. Dar, ca şi în cazul because they are interested in Romanian meu, cel mai bine îi este acasă, alături de traditions, in Romanian food and in all that toţi cei dragi. means Romania. But, as in my case, it isbetter for her in Romania, with all the loved ones. Grecia este un loc în care am petrecut Greece is a place where we spent a momente frumoase împreună, un loc în lot of wonderful times, a place where we care am adunat amintiri, dar pe care nu îl collected memories, but we can’t call it putem numi ”acasă”. Acasă e România, e home. Home is Romania, it is the locul natal, e lângă cei dragi. birthplace, it is where the dear ones are!

SOLCANU BIANCA

clasa a XI-a D

Atena Pintilii Karkiukas Atena Pintilii Karkiukas’s

story

În anul 1947, în împrejurările In 1947,in the dramatic dramatice cauzate de războiul civil din circumstances caused by the Greek Civil Grecia(1946-1949),bunicii doamnei Atena War(1946-1949),Atena Pintilii Karkiukas Pintilii Karkiukas au luat copii ș i au plecat grandparent`s took the children and left in în Albania,localitatea Scodra unde li s-a Albania,Scodra town where they stayed 2- oferit găzduire 2-3 luni apoi trecând prin 3 months,then passing through Yugoslavia Iugoslavia si Ungaria au ajuns în România and Hungary they reached Romania where unde s-au aș ezat în localitatea they settled in Dumbraveni town,Sibiu Dumbrăveni județ ul Sibiu. county.

Tatăl doamnei Atena, Kartukas Her father,Kartukas Iorgos,borned in Iorgos, născut în localitatea Trilofo Trilofo town,Kastoria county which at 11 județ ul Kastoria care la 11 ani a venit în years camed in Romania,he done România, a făcut ș coala profesională de professional driving school and he worked ș oferi ș i a lucrat în România până în in Romania untill 1953 when he repatriated 1953 când s-a repatriat în Grecia, in Greece,Kastoria town.In 1955 he localitatea Kastoria. În 1955 s-a căsătorit married with a romanian woman and in cu o româncă iar în 1957 s-a născut primul 1957 was born the first child Atena Pintilii copil Atena Pintilii Karkiukas. Karkiukas.

Momentele de cumpănă din viaț a With tears in her eyes she narattes ei le povesteste cu lacrimi in ochi. Deș i the darkest moments of her life,but these acestea sunt ș terse atunci când îș i are removed when she reminds of her aminteș te de tinereț e cum în Fălticeni youth how together with her husband alături de soț ul ei ș i-a intemeiat o familie founded a happy family with which shares fericită, cu care împarte bucurii ș i joys and troubles. necazuri. Today she looks with pride at her by Astăzi priveș te cu mândrie alături her husband at their two de soț ul său pe cei doi copii ai lor, children,Alexamdra and Alexandru which Alexandra ș i Alexandru care duc cu lead further with pride the name of the mândrie numele familiei mai departe. family.

LUPU DAVID clasa a X-a C

Poveste de viata Life story

Adrian şi Cristina Slabu sunt nişte Adrian and Cristina Slabuare some vechi prieteni de familie care au emigrat în old family friends who immigrated to Grecia acum 6 ani, în regiunea Argolis. I- Greece six years ago,in the region of am rugat să îmi spună povestea lor de viaţă Argolis. I asked them to tell me their life de când s-au mutat acolo, şi nu m-au story since they moved there, and they refuzat. didn’t refuse me.

“Când am hotărât să plecăm în “When we decided to move to Grecia, mai exact în 2007, ne-am dus cu Greece, more precisely in 2007, we went gândul că vom avea o viaţă mai bună, atât with the hope that we will have a better noi cât şi fiica noastră pe care o lăsasem în life, both of us and our daughter, who we România cu bunicii. had left in Romania with her grandparents.

La început a fost greu. Până am At first it was hard. Until we found a găsit un loc de muncă, am locuit în aceeaşi job, we lived in the same house with some casă cu nişte prieteni care erau stabiliţi friends who were already settled there, and acolo deja, şi asta ne-a ajutat foarte mult, that helped us a lot, considering that we având în vedere că noi nu ştiam să vorbim didn’t know to speak Greek. Now we have greacă. Acum avem acelaşi loc de muncă, the same job and both of us work in the ș i lucrăm împreună. Lucrăm la câmp, same place. We work in agriculture pentru că aici agricultura este activitatea de because it is the main activity here, and we bază, şi câştigăm destul de bine. earn quite well.

Înainte să ne cunoască, oamenii de Before they had known us, people acolo erau puţin distanţi faţă de noi şi nu from there were a bit distant to us and we ne înţelegeam foarte bine cu ei. Acum didn’t get on very well with them. Now the situaţia s-a schimbat puţin pentru că situation has changed a littlebecause oamenii ne-au cunoscut, s-au obişnuit cu people have discovered us, they have noi, şi-au dat seama ce fel de persoane become accustomed to us, and they suntem şi au devenit mai prietenoşi. Avem realized what kind of people we are and şi prieteni greci cu care ne înţelegem de they are friendly with us. We have some minune, dar unii oameni încă ne tratează cu Greek friends with whom we get on very superioritate doar pentru că suntem români. well, but there are some people who are still treating us with superiority, just După ce ne-am stabilit, ne-am adus şi because we are Romanian. fiica aici, în Grecia, în 2009, pentru a fi din nou împreună. Nu ştimsigur dacă ne vom After we settled, we brought our mai întoarce sau nu în România. daughter here, in Greece, in 2009, to be Deocamdată venim doar în vacanţă. together again. We are not sure if we return Aşteptăm ca fata să termine şcoala, pentru or not in Romania. Now we come only că s-a obişnuit cu stilul de învătământ de during the holidays. We are waiting that aici, şi ar fi dificil pentru ea dacă ne-am our daughter finish school, because she

întoarce în România. Acum, pentru familia accustomed to the style of education from noastră cel mai bine este în Grecia, pentru here and it would be difficult for her if we că avem un loc de muncă stabil şi fiica return to Romania. Now, for our family it noastră are toate posibilitaţile să îşi termine is better in Greece, because we have a job studiile aici, unde şi-a făcut foarte mulţi and our daughter has all the opportunity to prieteni. finish her studies here, where she made many friends. Ne-am adaptat la tradiţiile greceşti pentru că viaţa ne-a dus pe acest drum şi We adapted the Greek traditions trebuie să trăim împreună, să ne respectăm, becauselife took us down this road and we să ne înţelegem(nu aveam altă variantă). have to live together, to respect and to Dar nu am uitat că suntem români, aşa că understand each other(we hadn’t other respectăm şi tradiţiile noastre. De exemplu, option). But we didn’t forget that we are de Crăciun gătim mancare tradiţional Romanian, so we respect our traditions too. românească, împodobim bradul în seara de For example, for Christmas we cook ajun, îi sunăm pe cei de acasă şi le cântăm traditional Romanian food, we decorate the colinde, şi petrecem împreună cu prietenii fir tree on Christmas Eve,we call those noştri români. from Romania and we sing carols to them and we spend the Christmas with our Putem spune că viaţa noastră s-a Romanian friends. schimbat în bine si că nu ar mai fi fost aceeaşi dacă nu am fi făcut această alegere, We can say that our life has changed de a ne muta în Grecia.” in better and it wouldn’t be the same if we hadn’t made that choice, to move to Greece. SOLCANU MĂDĂLINA- GABRIELA clasaa IX-a D

Familia Kartsoukas Familia Kartsoukas

Familia pe care am ales-o şi care este The family I have chosen and that is foarte dragă sufletului meu este familia very dear to my heart is Katsoukas family. Katsoukas. Oameni modeşti, care s-au Humble people who met on the train that cunoscut în trenul ce ducea spre Gura goes to Gura Humorului-Oradea, he was Humorului- Oradea, el facînd şantier la doing the Oradea site, and she went with a Oradea, iar ea mergînd la o prietenă la Dej. friend to Dej.

Doamna Atena, din Grecia de Mrs.Atena, originating from Greece, origine, purta la ea niste iconiţe si le-a had some icons and dropped them in the scăpat pe jos prin vagon, iar domnul train wagon and Mr. Ioan, originating Ionică, romîn de origine, a ajutat-o sa le from Romania, helped her to gather all strangă. Astfel, această simplă întamplare a icons from the floor. Thus, this simple devenit o frumoasă amintire pentru cei doi, event became a beautiful memory for the care dupa multe discuţii, au hotărît să se couple, who after much discussion, căsătorească. În urma frumoasei lor relaţii decided to marry. Following their beautiful de iubire, au venit pe lume doi copii, love relationship, two children were born, Alexandru, un talentat pictor de icoane si Alexander, a talented painter of icons and tablouri în acuarelă, şi Alexandra, paintings in watercolor, and Alexandra, a profesoară de greacă şi romînă la şcoala professor of Greek and Romanian in a Grecească din Bucureşti. Greek school in Bucharest.

În discuţia pe care am purtat-o cu In the discussion I had with Mrs. doamna Atena, am aflat foarte multe Atena I found out a lot about her mother despre mama acesteia, deoarece dînsa a because she felt that the story of her considerat ca povestea mamei este mult mother is more interesting, because she mai interesantă, ea fiind născută în was born in Romania and went to school Romînia şi facînd şcoala aici, învăţînd here and learned Romanian in parallel with romîna în paralel cu greaca. Pe mama ei o Greek. Her mother's name was Iliopulo chema Iliopulo Sultana. A venit în Sultana. She came to Romania alone Romînia, singura, deoarece parintii ei au because her parents died in Greece in 1947, murit in Grecia, în anul 1947, în urma following the Civil War in Greece, after Războiului Civil din Grecia, dupa ce a she traveled through Albania, Yugoslavia, parcurs Albania, Iugoslavia, Ungaria şi Hungary and Romania, and she was 9 Romînia, avînd vîrsta de 9 ani/. A fost years old. She was raised in an orphanage crescută la orfelinat de statul Romîn şi în in Romania and in 1955 she finished high 1955 a terminat Liceul Agricol la Fălticeni, school at Fălticeni, and she married a căsătorindu-se cu un grec, pe care l-a Greek, whom she met at the orphanage, cunoscut la casa de copii,şi fiind and was assigned to work in a spinning repartizată să lucreze la Filatură. In anul mill. In 1980 the majority of Greek were 1980 majoritatea grecilor din Romînia au repatriated from Romania, so Sultana fost repatriaț i , astfel că Sultana s-a întors returned home in 1983 in the village acasă în anul 1983 în satul Ptelea, comuna Nestorion, judeţul Castoria. A avut mai mulţi copii, printre care doamna Atena Ptelea, Nestorion, Beaver County. arămas în Romînia, în urma căsătoriei cu She had several children, including Mrs. un român. Sultana a murit acum doi ani în Atena who remained in Romania and got ţara ei natală, dupa tristeţile, dar şi married to a Romanian. Sultana died two bucuriile pe care i le-a adus viaţa. years ago in her native country, after sorrows and joys that life has brought to După ce mi-a povestit aceste amintiri her. despre mama ei, doamna Atena şi-a amintit din discuţiile pe care le purta After she told me these memories of deseori cu mama ei şi a dorit nespus să her mother, Mrs. Atena remembered the scriu în această scurtă compunere şi despre discussions that she had with her mother modul cum s-au comportat romînii, şi mai and she wantedme to write in this short exact, statul Roman, în peroaida în care composition and about how the Roamnian copiii grecilor erau expatriaţi din ţara lor behaved, when the Greek children were natală şi despărţiţi de părinţii lor. Astfel, expatriated from their homeland and were dînsa a început prin a-mi mărturisi că statul separated from their parents. So she began Romîn a fost alături de orfanii greci, by declaring that Romania was besidethe oferindu-le casa si căutându-le părinţii, Greek orphans, giving them house and lucru care a unit o parte din familiile din searching for their parents, which brought Grecia şi a adus din nou bucuria pe together some of the Greekfamilies and chipurile lor. Însa, lucrul trist, este că nu brought back the joy on their faces. But the toţi copiii au avut frumosul viitor de a şi-l sad thing was that not all children had a petrece langă parinţi, deoarece Războiul beautiful future to be withtheir parents, Civil le-a şters urma şi nu au mai fost because they disappeared in the Civil War găsiţi. De asemenea, la Fălticeni au fost and they had not been found. Also in mai multe familii de greci, formînd o mare Fălticeni there were several Greek families, comunitate şi avînd un preşedinte pentru forming a large community and they had a dezbaterea problemelor. Copiii grecilor li president to discuss their issues. Greek s-a dat dreptul ca în scoală să aibă children were given the right to study their posibilitatea de a face şi limba lor maternă. native language at school.

În timpul pe care mi l-a acordat During the time allowed for me to pentru rememorarea trecutului, doamna remember her past, Mrs. Atena told that Atena mi-a povestit cum veneau din alte many Greek were coming from other oraşe, ce înconjurau Fălticeniul, mai mulţi towns surrounding Fălticeniand they met oameni de etnie gracă şi se întîlneau pentru to be together for the Greek holidays. In a participa la sărbătorile greceşti. La aceste these moments Romanian people were also frumoase momente îşi făceau simţită present and they were eager to learn the prezenţa şi romînii, care erau dornici să traditions of Greece. Also, the New Year’s afle din obiceiurile Greciei. De asemenea, Eve was spent only at Greeks Association, trecerea dintre ani sau revelionul, era where each of them came with Greek petrecut numai la Asociaţia Grecilor, unde traditional cakes such as baklava and fiecare venea cu prăjituri tradiţionale Sarala. Every Greek made at home a Sarala greceşti precum baclavaua si cake and put inside a coin.

saralie.Fiecare grec facea acasă cîte o The habit was that the one who found prăjiturasaralie în care punea cîte o the coin, became cashier for the Greeks monedă. settled near Fălticeni.

Obiceiul era că cel care găsea So steeped in the beautiful memories moneda, devenea casierul grecilor stabiliţi of Mrs. Atena, the two hours passed very în apropiere de Fălticeni. quickly and it seemed like two seconds. After these discussions about her mother’s Astfel, adîncită în frumoasele life, we began to talk about other topics amintiri ale doamnei Atena, timpul a trecut related to the present time. The discussion foarte repede şi doua ore mi s-au părut ca was interrupted by nightfall, and I had to două clipe. Dupa aceste discuţii despre return home, with the promise that I will modul de viaţă pe care l-a adus mama ei, go to Mrs. Atena again. I left there with am început să vorbim şi despre alte immense joy that I found out that Mrs. subiecte care ţin de timpul prezent. Atena felt very well in Romania and chose Discuţia a fost întreruptă de venirea serii, to live her life here with her husband and iar eu a trebuit să mă întorc acasă, cu her children. promisiunea că voi mai merge la doamna Atena pentru a mai sta la cîte o povestioară. Am plecat cu o bucurie imensa pentru ca am aflat ca doamna Atena s-a simtit foarte bine in Romania si a preferat sa-si traiasca toata viata aici alaturi de sotul si de copii ei.

MARIA BOLD clasa a XI-a A

Poveste de viaţă Life story

Familia pe care am ales-o şi despre The family I have chosen, and about care am descoperit că are o frumoasă şi whom I found to have a beautiful and impresionantă poveste de viaţă, este impressive life story is Tsakamas family. familia Tsakamas. În urma discuţiei cu Following the discussion with Mr. domnul Christos, o persoană în vârstă de Christos, a nice person who is 71 years old, 71 de ani, am reuşit să descopăr o parte din I was able to discover some of the events întâmplările care i-au schimbat total viaţa. that have totally changed his life. I can say Pot spune că pentru această persoană, that for this person the word childhood cuvântul copilărie înseamnă suferinţă. means much suffer. Life was hard for him Viaţa a fost dură cu el şi cu ceilalţi greci and for other Greek of his age. apropiaţi vârstei lui, deoarece nu s-a îndurat sa-i lase în preajma celor dragi şi să The story began after the Civil War, le ofere liniştea sufletească. when many children in Greece were forced Povestea a început în urma to leave the loved ones and to be taken to Războiului Civil, când mai mulţi copii din the socialist countries. They were divided Grecia au fost obligaţi să se despartă de cei across Eastern Europe, some of them dragi şi să fie duşi în ţările socialiste. Au reaching Romania and others the Soviet fost împărţiţi în toată Europa de Est, o Union. Mr. Christos was 8 years old when, parte dintre ei ajungând în România şi alţii along with his two sisters were forced to în Uniunea Sovietică. Domnul Christos leave the country. The road from Greece to avea varsta de 8 ani când, împreună cu cele Albania was like a nightmare for them două surori ale lui, au fost obligaţi sa-şi because they not have any means of părăsească ţara. Drumul parcurs din Grecia transport and they were forced to walk for până în Albania a fost ca un coşmar pentru a week.When they arrived in their foreign ei, deoarece neavând vre-un mijloc de country, it was noted that there were not transport au fost obligaţi să mergă pe jos enough places to house young people, so timp de o săptămână. Când au ajuns în ţara that Albanian people were forced to străină lor, s-a remarcat că nu erau assume the responsibility of taking care of suficiente locuri pentru a-i adăposti pe one or more Greek children. All tineri, astfel încât albanezii au fost nevoiţi organization lasted for one month, after să-şi asume responsabilitatea de a avea that they were transported in cattle wagons grijă de unul sau mai mulţi copii greci. and they were sent to Yugoslavia. Soon Toată organizarea a durat timp de o lună, they were brought to the Romanian capital după care fiind transportaţi în vagoanele city, Bucharest. There were many children pentru vite au fost duşi în Iugoslavia. După so that the Romanian state sent them to puţin timp au fost aduşi în capitala different cities, some of them to Roman României, Bucureşti. Erau multi copii city and others to Craiova city. During the astfel că statul Român i-a repartizat pe conversation with Mr. Tsakamas, he said oraşe, unii în Roman, alţii la Craiova. În that from Roman he was sent to Oradea, discuţia cu domnul Tsakamas, acesta from Oradea to Pitesti and finally to mărturiseşte că de la Roman a fost trimis la Faticeni where he was taken into the orphanage. The period that followed was Oradea, din Oradea la Piteşti şi în cele din urmă la Fălticeni unde a fost luat în plasament. Perioada care a urmat după, nu not very difficult for him because he a fost foarte dificilă pentru dânsul, was a child and it was easily to get used to deoarece fiind copil s-a putut acomoda life in Romania, to new cultures and new uşor vieţii dinRomânia, noii culturi şi people. From the description he made noilor oameni. Din descrierea facută de about Romania, he noticed the kindness of acesta despre Statul Român am remarcat people who took care of these foreign bunătatea oamenilor de atunci care au avut children, Mr. Tsakamas spoke with such grijă de aceşti copii străini, sufletul cald şi kindness and love about the warm and milos al românilor de care domnul compassionate soul of Romanian people. Tsakamas mi-a vorbit cu atâta blândeţe şi dragoste. Currently, Mr. Christos is married to În prezent, domnul Christos este a Romanian and he has children and căsătorit cu o româncă şi are copii şi grandchildren. Even if his memories about nepoţi. Chiar dacă amintirile acestuia în Greece are not very extensive, he never legătură cu Grecia nu sunt foarte ample, el gave up on bringing the atmosphere in his nu a renunţat niciodată la readucerea own home, celebrating both Romanian atmosferei în propria casă, practicând traditions and the Greek ones. Therefore, totodată atât tradiţiile româneşti cât şi although he lives in Romania, he prefers to unele dintre cele greceşti. De aceea deşi stă spend his summers in Greece with the în România, verile preferă să şi le petreacă family and his sisters who went back to în Grecia alături de familie şi de surorile their homlend.In my attempt to get from lui care s-au repatriat în ţara lor natală. Mr. Tsakamas a comparison between În încercarea mea de a scoate de la Romania and Greece, I was astonished to domnul Tsakamas o comparaţie dintre discover that the two countries have the România şi Grecia, am fost uimită să same place in his soul. In Greece he wishes descopăr că cele două tări au acelaşi loc în to spend his summers, to relax and feel sufletul lui. În Grecia doreşte să îşi good, and in Romania he prefers to be with petreacă verile, relaxându-se şi simţindu-se the loved ones. bine, iar în România preferă să fie alături I was curious to know about religion, de cei dragi. Astfel, pentru dânsul, nu people and the difficulty of language. există un loc preferat ci, viaţa sa aparţine Mr.Christos encouraged me by telling me ambelor ţări. that Greece is a "museum" which does not Am fost curioasă să aflu despre belong only to Greek people but to all religie, oameni şi dificultatea limbii mankind. From his words I found out that poporului grec. Domnul Christos m-a Greece take good care of children. Thus, încurajat spunându-mi despre Grecia că some cities have organized free camps for este ca un „muzeu”, care nu aparţine doar a large number of young people dealing grecilor ci întregii omeniri şi unde dai de with all that is necessary. From what Mr. civilizaţie la fiecare pas. Din vorbele Tsakamas said, I found that the language is acestuia am desprins că poporul grec au not very hard to learn, but difficult in foarte multă grijă de copii. Astfel, unele pronunciation. oraşe au organizat tabere gratuite petru un numar foarte mare de tineri, ocupându-se

de tot ce era necesar. Din spusele domnului Time passed unconsciously and the Tsakamas am aflat că limba poporului grec great conversation ended.But I left Mr. nu este foarte grea de învăţat, doar că are o Tsakamas with his words, which appear to oarecare dificultate în pronunţie. my mind: "Greece is a wonderful country. Adâncită în discuţie, timpul a trecut Everyone that goes there will be surely în neştire, iar frumoasa conversaţie a luat impressed." sfârşit. Însă, am plecat de la domnul Tsakamas cu vorbele lui, care îmi apar şi acum în minte: ”Grecia este o tară minunată. Orice om merge acolo sigur va rămâne impresionat. De obicei le spun celor care colindă prin afară că degeaba au mers prin toată lumea, dacă nu au văzut Grecia!”.

Iftimie Roxana clasa a XI-a A

Viaț a familiei mele între Grecia și My family lives between România Greece and Romania M-am hotărât să vă prezint povestea familiei mele care a locuit ș i a muncit 18 I’ve decided to tell you the story of ani în Grecia. Iată ce mi-a povestit tatăl my family that lived and worked in Greece meu . for 18 years. Here is what my father told me: ,,După 1990- ani grei în România . Economia a început să decadă ș i să ”After 1990 - hard years for dispară locurile de muncă dar a apărut Romania, the economy started to fall and mirajul plecării la muncă în altă ț ară. Dar the the jobs to dissapear, but it began the trecerea dintr -o ț ară în alta nu era un miraje for working in a foreign country. lucru simplu.Viza se dădea foarte greu. But leaving in another country wasn’t a simple thing. It was difficult to get a visa. Terminasem liceul.La noi în ț ară nu se gaseau locuri de muncă .Nu aveam I had finished high school. It was bani. Nu aveam cu ce să mă very difficult to find a job in our country. I întreț in.Tinerii plini de curaj ș i idei had no money. I had nothing for a living. fantastice s-au gândit să treacă vama Courageous young people and with ilegal.S-au încurajat reciproc. Alț ii aveau fantastic ideas thought to cross illegally the familii de întreț inut aș a că nu s-au mai customs. There were others that had gândit la consecinț ele acestui fapt families to support so they did not think ilegal.Ț in ș i acum minte anul 1994 în about the consequences of such an illegal care m-am hotărât ș i eu să trec vama fără thing. I remember that in 1994 I decided to viză, umblând prin munț i ș i desiș uri. pass the customs without a visa, walking in Mă pregătisem de multă vreme. Nici the mountains and through thickets. I had rugăminț ile mamei mele, nici prepared for this journey for a long time. stăruinț ele tatălui meu nu m-au pironit Neither my mother’s praying nor my pe loc, ci eram hotărât să trec peste father’s insistence did not nailed me, but I această barieră a vieț ii ca să aduc bani în was determined to get over this barrier to casa familiei mele ș i săpot întemeia o bring money home to my family and to be familie . able to have a family of my own.

Ziua cea mare sosise. Aveam The big day had arrived. I was very emoț ii foarte mari.Gândul de a trece nervous. The thought of crossing the graniț a prin munț i ș i desiș uri îmi border through the mountains and thickets facea să mi se clatine speranț ele. La ora made it shake my hopes. At the appointed stabilită m-am întâlnit cu grupul cu care time I met with the group with whom I had trebuia să împart greutăț ile de-a lungul to share the hardships along the journey. A acestei călătorii.Unautobuz a venit ș i ne-a bus came and took us. Some were so preluat. Unii erau atât de veseli, încât m- happy, that made me forget the hardships I au făcut săuit obstacolele pe care trebuia that had to face. The bus left us at night at să leinfruntăm. A sosit momentul în care 10 km from the customs, in order to cross autobuzul ne-a lasat noaptea la 10 km de the border furtively. We were walking in a vamă ca săpornim ș i să trecempe jos, line clandestin. Mergeam încolonaț i fără a without making a sound. We approached scoate unsunet.Ne- am apropiat de the customs. We were very excited. Finally, vamă.Toț i eram emotionaț i. Într-un after almost 5 km of walking, we crossed final de aproape 5 ore de mers pe jos am the border on foot. Then a bus took us from trecut graniț a. De acolo un autobuz ne-a there to Tessalonic. Then we took the train transportat la Tessalonic.Apoi am luat trenul spre Atena. Acolo ne aș teptau to Athens. There, our friends were waiting prieteni cu braț ele deschise. După ce am for us with open arms. After this big făcut aceastămare călătorie,prietenii m- journey my friends helped me to find a job au ajutat să-mi găsesc un loc de muncă and a place to stay. After a long time I got ș i un loc în care puteam să stau. După un used to that life, in 1995 I came to lung timp care m-am obș inuit, in 1995, Romania. I got married and I had two am revenit în România.M-am căsătorit, children, I continued with my work and am facut doi copiii ș i după un timp am after a while I left my two children and I lăsat cei doi copii ș i am plecat inapoi in Grecia .Am continuat munca ș i mi-am got back to Greece. I continued with my găsit ș i o casă să locuiesc. După doi ani work there and I found a house to stay. de zile am adus ș i familia din România After two years I brought my family from gâdindu-mă la o viaț ă mai bună Romania thinking to a better life together. împreună. Copiii mei au făcut ș coala la My children studied in a school in Athens Atena ș i s-au obiș nuit cu toate lucrurile and they got used to all the things that were care până atunci erau străine. Eram o unfamiliar to them before. We were a happy familie fericită în care s-au mai născut doi family and other two children were born. In copii. Însă în anul 2010 criza economică din Grecia a făcut să-mi pierd locul de 2010 I lost my job because of the economic muncă ș i să nu mai pot intreț ine familia, crisis and I couldn’t take care of my family încât ne-am hotărât să ne întoarcem în anymore, so we decided to get back to România la casa noastră ș i să continuăm Romania and to continue our life there. It viaț a acolo .A fost foarte greu să ne was difficult for us to get used to life here ș ș obi nuim i aici dar după un scurt timp but after a while our life came to normal. It viaț a noastră s-a adaptat cerinț elor. was an experience that helped me to Astfel, eu consider că a fost o experienț ă care m-a ajutat să trec barierele vieț ii. overpass the barriers of life. Nowadays our Acum copii noș tri sunt liberi să treacă children are free to pass the border and to granț ele ș i să viziteze sau să muncească visit or to work in Greece or in any other în Grecia sau oricare altă ț ară când vor.” country they want”. I left to Greece with my mother and Eu am plecat în Grecia cu mama ș i fratele meu mai mare în 1999, cand aveam my elder brother in 1999 when I was 2 2 ani. Am crescut la Atena, am învăț at years old. I grew up in Athens, I learned limba greacă, am mers la ș coală până în Greek and I studied there until the 7th clasa a VII-a. Mi-am făcut mulț i prieteni, grade. I made a lot of friends, I got on well mă înț elegeam foarte bine cu vecinii, with my neighbours because Greek people grecii sunt oameni deschiș i, prietenoș i. are very friendly.

La 12 ani am fost nevoit să mă When I was 12 I had to get back to întorc în România, în satul Podeni din Romania with my family, to my village județ ul Suceava alături de familia mea. A Podeni, Suceava country. It was a difficult fost un moment greu, am lăsat în urmă moment for me, I left my friends, a place prieteni, un loc în care crescusem ș i care where I grew up and where I was warmly mă primise cu căldură. Acum sunt elev la liceul din Fălticeni ș i dorec să termin received. Now I study at a high school in ș coala, să merg la facultate dar mi-ar Falticeni and I want to finish school here, to plăcea să mă întorc în Grecia, să muncesc go to university, but I would like to get ș i să trăiesc acolo. Am amintiri foarte back to Greece, to work and to live there. I frumoase despre Grecia, despre oamenii have beautiful memories from Greece, with de acolo, îmi place modul lor de viaț ă, people from there, I like their life styles, cultura ș i istoria lor, deș i nu voi uita their culture and history, but I will never niciodată că sunt român. forget that I am Romanian.

ALEXANDRU METRIC clasa a IX-a

Poveste de familie Family story

În perioada Războiului Civil(1946- During the Civil War (1946-1949) in 1949) din Grecia multe familii au fost Greece many families have been expelled, alungate, acestea refugiindu-se în mai they took refuge in several countries. In multe ț ări. În Grecia era o perioadă foarte Greece it was a very difficult period, grea, oamenii erau fugăriț i iar dacă nu people were chased and if they did not plecau, erau omorâț i.Printre refugiaț i se afla si familia Findanis alcatuită din tatăl leave, they were killed. Among the Thanasi ș i mama Dimitra ș i fiul lor refugees there are the Findanis family that Antonis, care au ales ș i decis să vină în consists of father Thanasi, mother Dimitra România, mai exact în Județ ul Suceava, and their son Antoniswho chose and municipiul Fălticeni. În Fălticeni deja se decided to come to Romania, namely in formase o colonie de greci, erau Suceava county, Falticenimunicipality. In aproximativ 10 familii.Aceș tia au Falticeni it had already been formed a înființ at un club aparte doar pentru colony of Greeks, about 10 families. They familiile lor, pe str.Maior Ioan unde se întalneau ș i desfăș urau diferite have set up a special club just for their activităț i. families, where they met on MaiorIoan În anul 1965 Antonis, fiul lui Findanis street and participated atvarious activities. Thanasi ș i al Dimitrei, se căsătoreș te cu o fată de naț ionalitate română pe nume In 1965 Antonis got married to a girl Angelica. În urma căsătoriei lor, în anul 1968, named Angelica, a Romanian girl. în Bucureș ti se naș te Evald Findanis.După o Following their marriage, in 1968, in perioadă petrecută în România, Thanasi si Dimitra împreună cu fiul Antonis s-au reîntors Bucharest, Evald Findanis was born. After în Grecia unde lucrurile se liniș tiseră ș i se a time spent in Romania, Dimitra and putea duce o viaț ă mai bună decât în România Thanasi with their son Antonis returned to . În România au rămas Angelica ș i fiul său, Greece where things calmed down and Evald care au reuș it să plece ș i ei în Grecia they could have a better life than in abia în anul 1978 când întreaga familie s-a reîntregit . Ajunș i în Grecia, tânărul Evald se Romania. Angelica and his son întegrează în noua comunitate ș i îș i continuă Evaldremained in Romania and they studiile în Atena, locul în care s-a stabilit managed to leave to Greece only in 1978 familia. when the whole family was reinstated. După Revoluț ia Română din decembrie 1989, care a constat într-o serie de Arrived in Greece, young Evald integrated proteste, lupte de stradă ș i demonstraț ii, ce in the new community and continued his au dus la sfârș itul regimului comunist din studies in Athens, where the family settled. România ș i la căderea preș edintelui ț ării, Nicolae Ceauș escu, multe familii After the Romanian Revolution in de greci din cele stabilite în România au 1989, which consisted of a series of ales să se retragă înGrecia dar ș i sărevină protests, street battles and demonstrations în România acelefamilii care au fost silite that led to the end of the Communist în timpulregimului comunist regime in Romania and the fall of the să o părăsească. country's president Nicolae Ceausescu, Aș a a revenit în ț ară ș i Evald many Greek families settled in Romania împreună cu părinț ii săi, mai exact în chose to go back to Greece and to return to Fălticeni unde, în anul 1993 o cunoaș te pe Laura, o tânără de care se îndrăgosteș te ș i cu Romania those families who were forced care mai apoi se căsătoreș te .Tinerii during the Communist regime to leave. căsătoriț i hotărăsc să se stabilească în Grecia. Acomodarea a fost grea pentru Laura dar s-a So Evald with his parents returned to obiș nuit repede cu traiul de acolo.Oamenii Romania, in Falticeni where in 1993 he erau mult mai deschiș i, mai sinceri, iar met Laura, a young woman who fell in oportunităț ile erau mai multe decât în love with and who later got married to. România. În data de 3 mai 1995, în Grecia , se Newlyweds decided to settle in Greece. It naș te micuț a Angelica, fiica lui Evald ș i a was hard for Laura, but soon she got used Laurei. După naș terea Angelicăi, părinț ii au to living there. People were much more revenit în fiecare vacanț ă în România la open, honest, and there were more bunicii paterni cât ș i la cei materni. Angelica a opportunities than in Romania. învăț at atât limba greacă cât ș i cea românădeoarece părinț ii vorbeau în casă în On the 3rd of May, 1995, in Greece, ambele limbi. După moartea soț ului ș i a bunicului Antonis , bunica Angelica, a mers Angelica, the little daughter of Evald and mai des in Grecia la fiul sau Evald. În anul Laura was born. After the birth of Angelica 2005 acesta decedează în Grecia dar her parents returned every holiday in dorinț a sa era să fie înmormantată în Romania to the paternal and maternal România alături de soț ul sau, Antonis. grandparents. Angelica learned both Greek Abia după trei ani , după o procedură grea and Romanian because her parents spoke at si specială osemintele ei au reuș it să fie home both languages. After the death of aduse în România ș i îngropate alături de ale soț ului său, Antonis. her husband, Antonis and her grandfather, Tânara Angelica urmează Ș coala Angelica went often to her son Evald in Gimnazială ș i o parte din liceu în Grecia. Greece. In 2005 she died in Greece but her Odată cu apariț ia crizei financiare ș i desire was to be buried with her husband economice cu care se confruntă Grecia, în Antonis in Romania. Only after three anul 2011 părintii săi, Evald si Laura, years, after a special and difficult decid că este cazul să se întoarcă în procedure, her bones were brought to România în speranț a unui trai cât de cât Romania and were buried with her husband mai bun faț ă de cel din Grecia. Terminând clasa aIX-a în Grecia , Angelica este Antonis. înscrisă în clasa aX-a la Colegiul Tehnic Young Angelica follows the Mihai Băcescu din Fălticeni unde este ș i secondary school and part of high school in în prezent elevă în clasa a-XII-a. Acomodarea pentru ea nu a fost una foarte Greece. With the economic and financial grea,deoarece venea în fiecare vară în crisis facing Greece, in 2011, his parents, Româniaș i astfel ș i-a format prieteni. La

ș coală a fost puț in mai dificil dar a reusit Evald and Laura, decided that it's time to sădepasească toateproblemele. Dorinț a ei return to Romania hoping for a life better este de a urma studiile universitare în than in the Greece. She finished the ninth cadrul Facultăț ii de Medicină si Farmacie grade in Greece, Angelica is registeredthen din Iasi specializarea in Stomatologie.La in the 10th grade at Technical College terminarea studiilor universitare ar dori să “Mihai Bacescu”Falticeni where she is se stabilească în străinătate. Deș i Angelica currently a student in the 10th grade. Her nu a fost de acord cu decizia părinț ilor ei de a veni în România. Pentru ea, oamenii desire is to follow her studies at the Faculty de aici sunt total diferiț i, au diferite of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iassy. After concepț ii si te judecă pentru orice lucru she graduates she would like to settle mic făcut.Ț ara de suflet în care se va abroad. întoarce cu mare drag va rămâne Grecia.

MOROSANU ALEXANDRA clasa a X-a C

Noi preieteni, familie nouă New friends, new stories Pe Alina am întâlnit-o prima dată în I met Alina for the first time during vacanț a de vară. Venise singură pentru the summer holiday. She had come alone două saptămâni într-o mică vacanț ă for two weeks in a little vacation beacause fiindcă i se făcuse dor de oraș ul natal. A she started to miss her hometown. She început să ne povestească că a plecat în started to tell us, to me and my friend,that Grecia din anul 2000, când avea abia 5 ani. she had left in Greece in 2000,when she Părinț ii ei s-au hotărât să plece din cauza was just five years old. Her parents decided lipsei locurilor de muncă ș i astfel,Alina, to leave because they didn`t have jobs and împreună cu sora ei mai mare, Dorina, so, Alina, with her elder sister, Dorina, atunci în vârstă de 8 ani s-au mutat în who back then was 8, moved in Greece. Grecia. Even though at the beginning it was Deș i la început le-a fost greu, hard, step by step they got usedwith living încetul cu încetul s-au acomodat cu traiul there. She told us that life in Greece is de acolo. Ne-a spus că viaț a în Grecia e almost like in Romania, except there they aproape ca în România, doar că acolo îș i can afford buying more things. By time, pot permite să-ș i cumpere mai multe they also adjust with Greek culture and lucruri.Cu timpul s-au acomodat ș i cu civilization. civilizaț ia ș i cultura lor. She said that although the Greeks are Mi-a povestit că deș i ș i grecii sunt orthodox, there are some differences ortodocș i sunt unele diferenț e între unele between some holidays, like Christmas. sărbători, cum ar fi Crăciunul.La ei There the presents are given on the 1stof cadourile se împart pe 1 ianuarie, nu în January, not onthe Christmas Eve and also Ajunul Crăciunului ș i de asemenea ei they go from house to house singing the mergdin casă în casă pentru a cânta Birth of Jesus on Christmas Eve,but also Naș terea lui Hristos atât în Ajunul on New Year’s Eve and on Epiphany. In Crăciunului, cât ș i de Anul Nou ș i the first years when they established there Bobotează. În primii ani de când s-au it was hard to learn all this new habits, but stabilit acolo le-a fost cam greu să înveț e after a time they started to mix the toate aceste obiceiuri, dar pe măsură ce le- traditions from the two countries. au învăț at au încercat de asemenea să combine tradiț iile din cele două ț ări. Daniela Nică, Alina`s mother, works as a chef in a restaurant called "Friday`s", Daniela Nică, mama Alinei, lucrează and her father, Dorin Nică, is an security ca bucătar chef într-un restaurant, agent. ”Fridays”, iar tatăl, Dorin Nică, este agent de pază. I also asked her how she accommodated when she arrived and how Am întrebat-o de asemenea cum s-a she was received by the people. She told acomodat când a ajuns ș i cum a fost me she can`t remember because she was primită de oamenii de acolo. Mi-a spus că little and at the beginning she didn`t leave nu îș i aduce aminte foarte bine fiindcă era the house. But after she learnt Greek and mică ș i la început nu prea obiș nuia să started to go to school,she felt really good iasă din casă. Dar pe măsură ce a învăț at limba greacă ș i a început să meargă la ș coala s- asimț it foarte bine cu noii prieteni care i- au arătat Alinei împrejurimile ș i care deasemenea au fost curioș i să afle mai multe despre România. with her new friends who showed Alina the surroundings and they also have been Între timp familia s-a mărit ș i a mai curious to find out more about Romania. venit pe lume un frăț ior, Daniel. Meanwhile the family become bigger Acum Alina are 18 ani ș i este în and came into the world a new baby clasa a XI-a la un liceu general din Atena. brother, Daniel. Sora ei, Dorina, are 21 de ani ș i este la Now Alina is 18 and she is in the 11th Facultatea de Informatică, iar fratele cel grade at a general high school in Athens. mic, Daniel, este în clasa a VII-a. Her sister, Dorina is 21 and she is at La final am întrebat-o pe Alina dacă Informatics College. The younger brother, Daniel is in the 7th grade. se vor mai întoarce în România. Mi-a spus că poate părinț ii ei se vor întoarce la At the end I asked Alina if they are bătrâneț e, dar ea împreuna cu fraț ii ei nu going to come back in Romania. She said au de gând să se mai întoarcă. Deș i le este that maybe their parents would return when dor de casă, viaț a de acolo este mult mai they get old, but she with her brothers are bună ș i deja s-au obiș nuit cu un alt stil de not planning to return. Even they miss viaț ă. home,life there is much better and they Vor veni însă când vor putea într-o have already got used to another lifestyle. mică vacanț ă pentru a-ș i vizita rudele ș i They will come in a little vacation once in prietenii care i-au lăsat în România.Fiecare a while to visit friends and family they left back here. ț ară este specială în felul ei. România e ț ara în care Alina s-a născut ș i a crescut Every country is special in its way. în primii ani de viaț ă, iar Grecia este ț ara Romania is the country where Alina was care i-a oferit un trai mai bun alături de born and grew up on her first years of life părinț ii ei care aveau nevoie de un loc de and Greece is the country which offered muncă. her a better living with her parents who really needed a job at that time. MATEI IOANA, clasa a XI-a A

The search for the Romanian families and recording their stories made by the group of students of the 1st EPAL Farkadonas with the help of their teachers.

"This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] 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’’

1η Συνέντευξη 1st Interview

18-12-13 18-12-2013

Γεννήθηκα και μεγάλωσα στη Ρουμανία , στη I was born and grow up at περιοχή Cluj -Napoca. Είναι βορειοδυτικά της Romania, at the state Cluj –Napoca , it is at Ρουμανίας, έχει 400.000 κατοίκους. the North - West si de of Romania , and has about 400.000 citizens. Έχω σπουδάσει εκεί και έχω τελειώσει την οδοντιατρική. Κατά την διάρκεια των I have been studying there as a σπουδών μου γνώρισα τον άντρα μου, ο dentist! During my studies meet my οποίος φοιτούσε στην ίδια σχολή. Ήταν husband, he was a student over there. He is Έλληνας. Το ΄94 ήταν η πρώτη φορά που ήρθα from Greece. I was visiting Greece first στην Ελλάδα για διακοπές. Από τότε και μετά time at 1994 on vacations. I keep visiting ερχόμουν κάθε χρόνο για διακοπές έως το Greece on vacation until 2000. 2000. Then I moved permanent to Greece Έπειτα εγκαταστάθηκα μόνιμα στην Ελλάδα and I had to give exams again here for my και έδωσα εξετάσεις για αναγνώριση του title to be recognized from the Greek πτυχίου, ώστε να μπορώ να ασκήσω το educational system. επάγγελμα μου. I came to a small society. People Ήρθα σε μια κλειστή-μικρή κοινωνία . Με were calling me as the new dentist in the γνώριζαν στην πόλη που παντρεύτηκα όχι village. Most of the people, which some of όμως και στο χωριό όπου εργαζόμουν. them were from other countries too, Ωστόσο οι κάτοικοί του, μεταξύ των οποίων accepted me easily and friendly. They υπήρχαν και πολλοί μετανάστες, με δέχτηκαν weren’t racist at all, only a little bit με χαρά και χωρίς ρατσιστική διάθεση ίσως curious. I was the second wife that came μόνο με κάποια περιέργεια. Στη μικρή from abroad and I was something special. κοινότητα που ήρθα ήμουν η δεύτερη ‘’ξένη,, Locals were taking care of me and they και για την τοπική κοινωνία ήμουν κάτι were offering me sweets and food. ξεχωριστό. Οι άνθρωποι με καταλάβαιναν, με πρόσεχαν πάρα πολύ και μάλιστα συχνά μου In my work they were treating me πρόσφεραν φαγητό και γλυκά. as a professional. They recognized the good job I was doing, and they didn’t stay Στη δουλειά μου με αντιμετώπισαν ς μια επαγγελματία, αναγνωρίζοντας την καλή at the fact that I was from Romania. Of δουλεία που έκανα, δεν με έκριναν με βάση course, there were some of them who came την καταγωγή μου. and asked me where I was coming from. Personally I think, that the country who Ωστόσο κατά διαστήματα ερχόταν κάποιοι someone comes from is not important, the πελάτες και με ρωτούσαν από πού ήμουν. important thing is the relationship that Θεωρώ όμως ότι αυτό που έχει σημασία someone has with the citizens . δεν είναι η καταγωγή κάποιου αλλά η

σχέση με τους συνανθρώπους του.

Αρχικά υπήρξαν κάποιες δυσκολίες. Το At first I had some difficulties. The πρώτο πρόβλημα που αντιμετώπισα ήταν mayor problem was the language. In αυτό της γλώσσας. Η Ελληνική γλώσσα δε Romania Greek language is not been διδάσκεται στη Ρουμανία. Έτσι μετά τη taught. So when I moved to Greece I had to μόνιμη εγκατάσταση μου στη Ελλάδα, ο learn them. When we got married, my άντρας μου πήγε στρατό για 20 μήνες και husband had to go to army for 20 months time, so only books and a vocabulary book έμεινα μόνη με τα βιβλία και το λεξικό. Τα could teach me the language. Some other ελληνικά άρχισα να τα μαθαίνω από students helped me a lot and when we got άλλους συμφοιτητές Έλληνες, αλλά and in a little time I managed to learn the ζώντας εδώ τα τελειοποίησα. language!

Όσον αφορά το εκπαιδευτικό σύστημα When it comes to the educational στη χώρα μου ήταν πιο τυπικό και system from my country I think that it is αυστηρό σε σχέση με της Ελλάδας. more typical and district as things in Greece are. Οι γονείς μου δεν γνωρίζουν τόσο τα ελληνικά, μόνο σε επίπεδο επικοινωνίας My parents don’t speak very well (τα βασικά). Είναι εγγεγραμμένοι στην the Greek language, they know only the ένωση φίλων ελληνικής κοινότητας στη basics, these are what they need to Ρουμανία. Έχω και μια κόρη είναι 8 communicate with Greek’s. They are χρονών γνωρίζει τα ρουμάνικα, αλλά δεν members of the ‘Union of Greek Friends’ τα μιλάει τόσο καλά. in Romania. My daughter who is 9 years old understands the Romanian language Ερχόμασταν στην Ελλάδα, όταν but she cannot speak them too good. φοιτούσαμε αλλά για διακοπές. Σαν χώρα When we were students we visited η Ελλάδα είναι εντελώς διαφορετική από Greece on vacation. As country, Greece is τη Ρουμανία, έχει διαφορετικό κλίμα. Αν totally different from Romania. It has ήταν να επιλέξω ανάμεσα στις 2 χώρες θα different climate. If I had to choose έλεγα ότι θεωρώ περισσότερο χώρα μου between the two of them, I think that την Ελλάδα και όσες φόρες πηγαίνω για Greece is the country I like. I visit διακοπές στην Ρουμανία (1-2 φορές το Romania once or twice a year to see my χρόνο) το μυαλό μου είναι στη Ελλάδα relatives there but my mind is always at κυρίως λόγω των υποχρεώσεων που έχω Greece because of my obligations here. (επαγγελματικών- οικογενειακών). And of course I mean my family and my job.

Δήμητρα Λέτσιου Μανάφας Εμμανουήλ Μαθητές της Α’ Τάξης

2η Συνέντευξη 2nd interview 19-12-13 19-12-13

Η Μαρτσέλα ζει στα Τρίκαλα. Έχει 20 χρόνια Marcela today lives in Trikala. She στην Ελλάδα. Έφυγε από την Ρουμανία 18 moved to Greece 20 years ago. Now she χρονών. Αισθάνεται και Ρουμάνα και feels as Romanian as Greek. Ελληνίδα. She was born in Timisoara , a city at the west side of Romania. She has lived Γεννήθηκε στην Τιμισοάρα, μια πόλη δυτικά there until she finished school. Life was της Ρουμανίας. Έζησε εκεί μέχρι που difficult. The immigrants couldn't afford τελείωσε το σχολείο. Η ζωή ήταν δύσκολη. Οι the basics and markets were empty. There λαϊκοί άνθρωποι δεν είχαν τα απαραίτητα , τα were no things to get, from the markets. μαγαζιά ήταν άδεια. Δεν υπήρχε να πάρεις Food supplements were given in measured τίποτα από το σουπερ μάρκετ. Τα τρόφιμα τα amounts with a special family card. Her έπαιρνα με συγκεκριμένες ποσότητες με grandma was living in a village and she οικογενειακή κάρτα-δελτίο τροφίμων. Η was providing them with some kinds of food. Those years they had nothing at all γιαγιά της ζούσε σε χωριό και τους έδινε είδη not even cars. She always was dreaming to διατροφής. Τότε δεν είχαν απολύτως τίποτα. leave Romania. Ούτε αυτοκίνητα. Είχε πάντα όνειρο να φύγει

έξω. The educating system was good but Το σύστημα παιδείας ήταν καλό αλλά λίγο strict. Abortion and talking birth control αυστηρό. Οι μέθοδοι αντισύλληψης και η pill was not allowed. Taking the basic education was needed. At schools those εκτρώσεις απαγορευόταν. Η βασική years there were very much obeying and εκπαίδευση ήταν υποχρεωτική. Τότε στο fearing. She was the class president but she σχολείο υπήρχε πειθαρχεία και φόβος. Αν και had no right to tell her opinion. They had ήταν πρόεδρος, δεν είχε το δικαίωμα της to have a decent behaviour. At classes γνώμης. Έπρεπε να έχουν καλή συμπεριφορά. there were about 40 pupils which were Οι τάξεις είχαν 40 παιδία τα οποία δούλευαν working on teams. At the school they had σαν ομάδα. Στο σχολείο φορούσαν παντόφλες to wear sleepers, preventing not to make για να μην καταστρέφουν τα πατώματα. any damage on the floors. They had to take care of their books for the next class. Over Έπρεπε να προσέχουν τα βιβλία τους να μην there, there were no outschool preparing γράφουν πάνω σ’ αυτά, να μη τα σχίζουν γιατί school. She finished Junior High School όταν τέλειωναν μια τάξη έπρεπε να τα you give exams, that shows which επιστρέφουν και να πάρουν τα βιβλία για την direction you should follow. There was the επόμενη. Εκεί δεν υπήρχε φροντιστήριο. literature the maths the music, the Τέλειωσε το Γυμνάσιο και το Λύκειο. Μετά το gymnastics and the jobs direction. She Γυμνάσιο δίνεις εξετάσεις που δείχνουν προς followed the literature school, and πια κατεύθυνση θα ασχοληθείς, φιλολογικά, especially the prenatal school and became a teacher. Over there, there were jobs fir μαθηματικά και τέχνες. Ακολούθησε το everybody, but you had to stay at your παιδαγωγικό Λύκειο και έγινε δασκάλα. living place, internal movements were no Υπήρχαν θέσεις εργασίας για όλους. Έπρεπε allowed. For staying in an other city you να μείνεις στο μέρος που ζούσες μετακινήσεις had to get a type of licence for a sort time. δεν επιτρεπόταν. Για να μείνεις σε άλλη πόλη έπρεπε να πάρεις μια μικρή ταυτότητα για λίγο χρονικό διάστημα. Μετά από 4 χρόνια στο λύκειο και με βάση After 4 years at High School την βαθμολογία, ξαναέδινες εξετάσεις για according to your degrees you give again κάποια σχολή στο πανεπιστήμιο. Ήθελε να exams for a better school at university. She τελειώσει νομική. Είχε πολλά όνειρα. Μόλις always wanted to finish the Faculty of Law to become a laywer . She had a lot of τέλειωσε το λύκειο ήρθε στην Ελλάδα. dreams. When she finished High School Ήρθε μετά την επανάσταση, όπως πολλά άλλα she came to Greece. κορίτσια. Οι Έλληνες δεν ήταν θετικοί δεν She came here after revolution with μπορούσαν να δεχτούν εύκολα τους ξένους. a lot other girls too. Greeks were not very Τα πράγματα ήταν δύσκολα έπρεπε κάτι να friendly, not very positive they were suspicious with foreigners. Things were κάνουν για να ζήσουν. very difficult. They had to do something Ήρθε από μια μεγάλη πόλη στα Τρίκαλα. Εδώ for living. She came from a big city to Trikala. δεν είχε τίποτα, ούτε τηλεόραση, ούτε τραμ. Here she had nothing, no tv set, no tram Απογοητεύτηκε στην αρχή. Κατάλαβε πως transfers. At first she was disappointed. έπρεπε να δουλέψει περισσότερο για να She realised that she had to work more βγάλει τα ίδια χρήματα που έβγαζε στην here to earn the same money that she Ρουμανία. Ήταν δύσκολα τα χρόνια τότε. earned at Romania. These years very hard. She and her sister who came to Greece a Άνοιξε με την αδερφή της που είχε έρθει έναν year earlier bought a road mini market for χρόνο πριν στην Ελλάδα ένα περίπτερο και living. She get the book from the A class of πήρε τα βιβλία της Α’ Δημοτικού και έμαθε Primary School and started learning Greek σιγά-σιγά Ελληνικά. Η επικοινωνία με τον step by step. The dealing with Greek κόσμο την βοήθησε να τα μάθει πιο γρήγορα. people at the market helped her learning Πήρε απολυτήριο λυκείου και έδωσε Greeks faster. She graduated from the Greek High School and gave exams. εξετάσεις κανονικά. Her dad is on the army. He was Ο μπαμπάς της είναι στρατιωτικός με coming from the city. She has three work sisters. Two of then are here in Greece. On καταγωγή από την πόλη. Είναι 4 αδερφές, οι of them moved to France and the other on δύο είναι στην Ελλάδα, η μια έφυγε για to America. Her parents still live at Γαλλία και η άλλη για Αμερική. Οι γονείς ζουν Romania. They are Orthodox Christians στην Ρουμανία. Είναι Ορθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί but over there is not allowed to visit αλλά εκεί δεν επιτρέπουν να πας στην churches freely, you go but occasionally. εκκλησία, πας αλλά όχι ελεύθερα. She has 2 boys. The first one goes at the 1st of Junior School (gymnasium) and the η Έχει 2 αγόρια, το ένα πάει 1 Γυμνασίου και other one at the 1st of High School η το άλλο 1 Λυκείου. Αισθάνεται νοσταλγία για (lykeio). She feels nostalgia for Romania, τηΡουμανία, αλλά αγαπάει την Ελλάδα, είναι but she loves Greece. It's a part of her life. ένα κομμάτι της ζωής της. Πλέον είναι πιο Now it is easier for her to write in Greek εύκολα για αυτή να γράφει Ελληνικά παρά than Romanian. She starts speaking in Ρουμάνικα. Μιλάει Ρουμανικά και Romanian and with no trying she turns it to ασυνήθιστα τα γυρνάει στα Ελληνικά. Όταν Greeks. Imagine when she came, she didn't ήρθε δεν ήξερε την γλώσσα. knew the language. Her children feel like Τα παιδιά της αισθάνονται Έλληνες, μιλάνε Greeks they are talking both languages. και τις δυο γλώσσες. They visit Romaniafor ΠάνεδιακοπέςστηΡουμανία, όπου έχουν τους συγγενείς τους και μπορεί vacations to see their relatives and they να πάνε για να σπουδάσουν εκεί. might go study over there. Over there, there are several kinds of Εκεί υπάρχουν διάφορα σχολεία, αθλητικά schools. Athletic, Musical, Literature, σχολεία, μουσικά σχολεία, για τεχνίτες κ.α. Maths for job. Τώρααισθάνεται Ελληνίδα και πιστεύει πως oι Έλληνες είναι πολύ φιλόξενοι. Now she feels like Greek and believes that Greeks are very friendly. Χασιώτη Ευριδίκη Μανάφα Θεανώ Μαθήτριες Α΄Τάξης

Συνέντευξη 3η 10-01-2014 Έλενα Χαλβατζά- Γραμματικού Ο παππούς μου ήταν Έλληνας. My grandfather was Greek.

Ο μπαμπάς μου γεννήθηκε στη Ρουμανία από My father was born in Romania, Ρουμάνα μάνα. Ζούσαμε Στο FunduMoldovei from a Romanian mother. We lived in Fundu στον νομό της Σουτσιάβας. Moldovei at the Suceava Region. I studied at the Primary and Junior Εκεί πήγα Δημοτικό και Γυμνάσιο. Γενικό High School I went to Campulung Λύκειο πήγα στο CampulungMoldovenesc. Moldovenesc. Things were very strict over Είναι πολύ αυστηρά τα πράγματα ακόμα και there even now. I was there as a pupil during τώρα εκεί. Εγώ ήμουν εκεί στα χρόνια του Ceausescu . At the second class of High Τσαουσέσκου. Στη Δευτέρα Λυκείου έπεσε ο School Communist regime fall. Κουμμουνισμός. One thing I dislike in Greece is the Αυτό που δεν μου αρέσει στην Ελλάδα είναι National exams (Panellinies), to enter the οι Πανελλήνιες! Εμείς δίναμε εξετάσεις μόνο University ,which are very tough. για την σχολή που θέλαμε. Χρειαζόταν διάβασμα, δεν υπήρχαν χρήματα πολλά. In Romania we take tests for the Έβγαινα μόνο ένα Σάββατο σε καμιά direction-school we are interested in. For ντισκοτέκ και καμιά Κυριακή πηγαίναμε every successful pass at the school we are Εκκλησία. interested in , a lot of reading was needed and there were no money to spend. I had Εγώ πέρασα στη Σουτσιάβα Ιατρική αλλά only a free Saturday night to go outside, for γύρισα γιατί ήταν μακριά και πήγα σε a coffee or to a disco, and occasionally on κατώτερη τάξη. Ξαναέδωσα εξετάσεις και Sundays we went to the church.

πέρασα Μαθηματική Φυσική. Πέρασα στην I passed successfully at the medical Ιατρική σχολή. Η φοίτηση ήταν 6 χρόνια. school of Suceava but I quitted and returned Έμενα σε εστία από 2-3 παιδιά σε κάθε home because of the distance in a level class. I had to give exams again and I entered the δωμάτιο. Κάποια στιγμή έμενα με την αδερφή Faculty of Mathematics and Physics also I μου. passed successfully at medical school. The studies were 6 years. I stayed at a boarding Στο 4 έτος γνώρισα τον άντρα μου. Ελληνικά school, with 2 or 3 students in the same δεν ήξερα. Στην αρχή έκανα λίγη γραμματική room for a short time I stayed with my sister. στη Ρουμανία, όταν ήρθα εδώ έκανα ένα At the 4th year of my education I met my εξάμηνο γραμματική με ένα φιλόλογο. Βέβαια husband, who is Greek.I didn't know the για μένα ήταν πιο εύκολο να μάθω τη Greek language. At first ,I studied a little bit γλώσσα, γιατί ο άντρας μου είναι Έλληνας και of grammar at Romania.When I visited Greece I took a course of Greek language με βοήθησε αυτό να μάθω την Ελληνική with a literature teacher for six months. The γλώσσα πιο εύκολα. Οι δικοί μου δεν fact that my husband was Greek helped me συμφώνησαν με την απόφασή μου γιατί δεν to learn the Greek language easier. My ήθελαν να φύγω. family didn’t agree with my decision to go to Greece and they wanted to stay over there. 3rd Interview 10-01-2014 Elena Halvatza - Grammatikou Ήρθα μια φορά τα Χριστούγεννα διακοπές, I came firstly for the Christmas vacations and when I returned I announced them that γύρισα και τους είπα ότι αρραβωνιάστηκα. I was engaged. We married with a political Παντρευτήκαμε, κάναμε πολιτικό γάμο, μετά wedding and we made our Orthodox wedding in 1998. Now we have 3 children Θρησκευτικό γάμο το 1998. Έχουμε 3 παιδιά 12,10 and 6 years old. 12, 10 και 6 χρονών. When we graduated from Romania and returned to Greece we gave exams again for Ήρθαμε εδώ και δώσαμε εξετάσεις για our degrees to be recognized from the αναγνώριση του πτυχίου στην Πάτρα. Greek University of Patra. I started practicing for 2 year at the University Ξεκίνησα 1,5 χρόνο παιδιατρική στα Τρίκαλα Hospital of Larissa.

και μετά στο Πανεπιστημιακό Λάρισας 2 I opened my own Pediatrician office at χρόνια. 2005,with no dealing special problems as a professional doctor. At first the local people Το ιατρείο μου το άνοιξα το 2005. Σαν was a little suspicious with me, but they επαγγελματίας δεν είχα ιδιαίτερα trusted me and started visits at my office προβλήματα. Στην αρχή οι άνθρωποι ήταν and they were very pleased from my λίγο επιφυλακτικοί, αλλά μετά με services. After all, this was my life at εμπιστεύτηκαν και είμαι ευχαριστημένη από Romania Things were pretty much difficult την δουλεία μου. Η ζωή ήταν διαφορετική και at Romania but sincerely these years were δύσκολη στη Ρουμανία, αλλά για μένα ήταν the best of my life. I don't regret at all. May τα πιο όμορφα χρόνια της ζωής μου. Δεν my children could live the same way my μετανιώνω. Μακάρι και τα παιδιά μου να τα childish years were. περνούσαν έτσι.

Κατερίνα Πολυγένη Κωνσταντίνος Μακρής Μαθητές Α΄τάξης