Arts Lab 6.0: Soukaina Sekkan - First ten days

Since I arrived in Romania on the 4th of October, I initially felt like an outsider because everyone else had already formed friendships and were working together. I thought it would be hard to fit in, but I soon realized I was wrong. 

My first day here was a trip to Iaşi for an event – I don’t remember the name, but it was like a festival that happens once a year, and many galleries were open. We managed to visit eight galleries, but I was too tired to go to the last one because of my long journey from Morocco to Valencia, then to Bucharest, and finally a mini-bus ride to Târgu Frumos. Besides being exhausted, I enjoyed exploring the galleries. And before taking the train I’ve meet the first Moroccan here in Romania in a shawarma restaurant that gives me the feeling that Romania could be my second home. 

I came here to express myself more in the field of art, and my experience started at Moldova school, where everyone had their own workshops. I filmed each person to see how they interacted with the kids and how the kids reacted. This helped me understand how I will manage my own workshop later. I made videos of those two days and enjoyed the process, feeling like this place could be a good fit for me. 

The Folcloristica festival was an experience on another level. From the moment we waited for the mini-bus to our arrival in Tătăruși, where the kids welcomed us in their traditional clothes, offering bread with salt, I could feel their warmth. They saw us as important people, and the festival didn’t even start until we arrived, which made us feel very special. The mayor gave a speech, expressing pride in his village, which had won the title of the most beautiful village last year. He highlighted how three key elements—religion, education, and community—have shaped their village, and it was clear how much the villagers love and value their home. After our introductions, we felt very welcomed. We then visited a local museum where I saw traditional and historical items. The traditional clothes the women used to make, especially the headscarves, reminded me of my grandmother. It felt like a sign to call her, as I hadn’t had the chance to visit her before leaving Morocco. It made me realize that there are similarities between Moroccan and Romanian cultures, which felt comforting. 

Later, we reached the top of Tătăruși, where we could see the whole village with a forest behind us. The view, with sheep grazing nearby, was beautiful, and the mayor told us that we would taste their cheese the next day. That evening, we visited a restaurant managed by a kind woman who welcomed us warmly and prepared homemade food based on our preferences. That night, we broke the ice between us all, and we had a fun party together. 

The next day, we did workshops with around 90 kids of different ages. Although it was fun, it was also a bit challenging because we only had 30 minutes with each group, and we had to do something related to the Folcloristica festival. We gave them panels to draw on with markers or paint, which was difficult but rewarding. I was so happy when some of the kids drew hearts with the Moroccan flag for me—it made me proud of what we had accomplished. After the workshops, we visited a colorful church with interesting architecture, had lunch, and later visited the Sheppard. The view was refreshing, and it was very cold, but tasting the cheese made by the villagers was worth it. Later, we went to the forest where I sat by the largest tree I’ve ever seen. It felt like the tree of life you see in jewelry or on bracelets, though I’m not sure. Being there made me feel alive. Afterward, we returned to the festival and watched the children dancing. When we joined them, everyone else joined in too, creating a joyful atmosphere. We heard Romanian music, and later, we presented our countries. I wore my Moroccan Takchita, and I had the same feeling as when I was in Tunisia—people loved it. Although I know there are even more beautiful Moroccan dresses, it was nice to see how much people appreciated it. We had so much fun that day and enjoyed ourselves. 

On the final day of Folcloristica, we acted as judges for the four villages that participated. Watching their traditional dances and performances showed how connected they are to their culture, as many of them have been dancing since childhood. The dances were complex, but they made them look very simple. Each village also presented their traditional food, but we especially loved the food from the winning village (though I can’t remember its name). We hope to visit that village in the winter, maybe even to buy a coat from there. After a delicious lunch, we discussed the event and how much we enjoyed it. We felt very welcomed, and the mayor promised to invite us again soon. 

Now, I am doing my on-arrival training, but I look forward to more experiences like this in the future. These first ten days in Romania have been a mix of challenges and joy. I’ve learned to be patient with myself when feeling like an outsider, and I’ve gained insight into how to manage workshops and connect with kids. I’m looking forward to developing my own workshops and further exploring Romanian culture. I hope to use what I’ve learned in my upcoming projects, and I can’t wait to see what the next few months hold.

Report written by Soukaina Sekkan, she's from Morocco and she's one of the 14 volunteers participating in Arts Lab 6.0, a project co-funded by the European Union through the European Solidarity Corps program.