The topic of main discussion in the house today was this article about a Romanian student in London and her declaration on life in the West. The article was posted back in July by a local newspaper in Romania, but not surprisingly I came across it only today, keep in mind I m leaving abroad myself. In essence she states that so many of the values we stand by back home are more or less extinct in the Western civilized countries. Sad to agree with all her points. And of course they are. How many of the expatriates are finding abroad what they left back home?! Is not going to happen. You go abroad, either to work, to study or just to see the world and learn a new language, and you have to accept the change. Its the deal you have to make. As Ernest goes on saying, “You’re an expatriate. You’ve lost touch with the soil. You get precious. Fake European standards have ruined you. You drink yourself to death. You become obsessed by sex. You spend all your time talking, not working. You are an expatriate, see? You hang around cafés.”
I find this quote painfully to the point. As my friend in London, I did lost touch with my homeland, and figuratively also. I barely watch any home television channels, when I do, its mainly for the fashion, as no offense, we re so more fashion savvy than the Irish. Sort of like the Italians, which we share Latin roots with, together with talking loudly, and getting hot or bothered in an instant.
And I suffer of a long time illness too....“Expat Syndrome is a condition whereby many expatriates see mostly either the best of their own nationality and the worst of the locals, or see the opposite.”...Here I am, not a big drinker - have to be careful with my steps here - living between people that share a "drinking culture" and a "big Monday national hangover" I did joined in a few times and "Never again!!!" The funny thing is, sober or not on a Monday, nobody will bloody believe you, and if you don't want be an outcast, you better get drunk. No, is not right. Like I do say, I m not a drinker, and I can have fun without drinking. The curse of the Irish so went that at least once I did run into trouble for not drinking. I was driving home from the Christmas party and took the wrong turn, upps, the Guards right there. They would not believe me I did not drink that night, and there I was spending half the night at the station. I got famous in the area and in work for this. Morale of the story: drink! Only kidding. Never drink and drive
There are tons of fake European standards we try to live by. Shopping with money we don't have is one of them. People here actually take a loan for getting the Christmas presents, and another one for a birthday party, and another one for changing the car, and on top of that a loan to renovate the kitchen, and a top on loan to get off to Ibiza, and a top on loan to take a career break for a year, off to Australia. And when the credit cards get maxed up, what are you to do? Get a loan to pay that! A friend of mine, expat herself for double the years I m here, was telling me : " ..and you re back from your holiday, broke, and there they are, two new credit cards waiting for you in the post! Hurray! All your problems are sorted! " Well, this was the case anyway until "credit crunch" entered our life and everyday vocabulary. Still, amazes me how people don't see ahead, they don't think. Like children who haven't been refused anything before ,finding it damn hard to limit themselves to what they do have, spend what they have only. I m a happy girl, never had too much, one credit card only, yes it gets maxed up at Christmas after trying to pay it off all year, but summer won't let me, and even got cut into pieces a couple of times,as I sure hate borrowing from friends. When it comes to money, rather leave it to the banks ha ha. Joke aside, I do believe there are hard times ahead but something good will happen : get people back to their senses when it comes to spending. Its all material things and impulse shopping reflects the lack in our life of the very things that cannot be bought with money.
I have never been ashamed of where I am from. Because in my country (and I am going to say some of the things this London student said) people greets you with "God help (us)" and running in the woods is still free. You can still walk the hills over from one village to the other, and take the train without a ticket as a student. Our grandparents still work and sweat to send us to the city organic vegetables and meat, not poisoned by preservatives as in the West. We mostly don't agree with microwaves and frozen foods. We pick apples and grapes in autumn from our gardens. Our children don't grow in gated concrete apartment complexes and they walk from school back home.
Than why all this infatuation with the West? Why are we so impatient to embrace globalisation and a loss of national identity? Our ancestors, and most recently the heroes of December 1989 Revolution have died for me and my friend in London to have a better chance in life. Not to go abroad to get it. But we still had to.
Why are so many Romanians working so hard for the money in the West, when we should work get our own country running? We sure did fuel the West economies , but did little for our own. We have amazingly beautiful natural landscapes, all full of resources We have intelligent people, please do something for the "brain drain" to end. A blessed land in the hands of traitors. What we don't have is the right people at the top, to make the best of what we have.
Most Romanians went abroad for a better life. The curse on us, after we killed Ceausescu, that was meant to last seven years, it sure lasted twenty?? I don't think there s one family back home who doesn't have someone working or living abroad to help them. Cost of living skyrocketed every year and its normal to want to provide for your family. In the same time, we should acknowledge WE are Romanians, be proud of where we came from and if we can, return home as better people. Smarter too. Its true the government let us all down, but that's pretty much the reality in every country these days. We should not use this as an excuse for what we are doing, leaving Romania. Is this the way we hope to change things back home?
I left my country myself and I m not particularly proud. I sure hope to bring something back, something of value to a future generation. On the other hand, I do believe living abroad is definitely a good life experience as it should enriches you as a person. “Life might be difficult for a while, but I would tough it out because living in a foreign country is one of those things that everyone should try at least once. My understanding was that it completed a person, sanding down the rough provincial edges and transforming you into a citizen of the world....
“What I found appealing in life abroad was the inevitable sense of helplessness it would inspire. Equally exciting would be the work involved in overcoming that helplessness. There would be a goal involved, and I liked having goals.” We do have to give credit to all those that live as expats and than move back home or not. Is not an easy life, and you have to take the good with the bad and make it work.
“What I found appealing in life abroad was the inevitable sense of helplessness it would inspire. Equally exciting would be the work involved in overcoming that helplessness. There would be a goal involved, and I liked having goals.” We do have to give credit to all those that live as expats and than move back home or not. Is not an easy life, and you have to take the good with the bad and make it work.
I admire your message my friend, here s a link for those who want to read it too, and I m proud of you going back home. We re not all as privileged as you
quotes by Hemingway, T Crossley and D Sedaris
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