Arts Lab Report: Feeling closer to Romania

This month in Romania was absolutely wonderful!

The first week began with the training for volunteers in Romania. I met other volunteers, musicians and artists, we got together and wrote a song. We promised to see each other in the future and enjoy each other company. Even if the training of volunteers was online, I had a lot of fun and a new experiences. 

The second week we started to leave home in order to visit new places. We went to Cucuteni to get to know a little about the culture. I listened to new music (my favorite musician is Florin Salam) and I was able to learn more about the Romanian language. I started walking through the city of Târgu Frumos and it was full of surprises. In Iasi I met Dragoş, a very special person on this trip, who was a street musician. We shared moments making music and talking a little. We walked as much as we could and met friendly people.

The third week was important for me. I found a traditional Mihai Eminescu book in Spanish, so I could better understand his poems. Now, I feel closer to Romania. I found a poem that became mine immediately and I will carry it everywhere in my mind.

You can read the poem below.

Din străinătate

                                                            Mihai Eminescu

                     Cînd tot se-nveselește, cînd toți aci se-ncîntă,

                 Cînd toți își au plăcerea și zile fără nori,

                     Un suflet numai plînge, în doru-i se avîntă

                     L-a patriei dulci plaiuri, la cîmpii-i rîzători.

                     Și inima aceea, ce geme de durere,

                     Și sufletul acela, ce cîntă amorțit,

                     E inima mea tristă, ce n-are mîngîiere,    

                     E sufletu-mi, ce arde de dor nemărginit.

                     Aș vrea să văd acuma natala mea vîlcioară

                     Scăldată în cristalul pîrăului de-argint,

                     Să văd ce eu atîta iubeam odinioară

                     A codrului tenebră, poetic labirint.

The last week we practiced workshops to be able to share our artistic knowledge with the children. I started to get to know towns around and I could see wonderful landscapes.

Written by Omar Franco

Omar is European volunteer for 8 months, in Arts Lab 2.0 project,  funded by European Solidarity Corps, with the support of European Union.