Walk of Life

General
Oltenia has the largest drinking comunity in Europe. They are in a continuous competition with UK&Ireland. People here don`t drink water. An ancient scientist from the region discovered that water contains dangerous bacteria for health. They only drink red (local variety zaibar), white and rose wine, plum brandy (20-30 degrees called tzuica) and anything else with a drop of alcohol in it.

Geography
Oltenia is a picturesque land, laying between Jiu & Olt(the first writer of this article is a fool....coz oltenia is laying between Olt and Danube in the west (Mehedinti district)) rivers and Carpathians Mountain. Its Northern part is covered with hills and man-made lakes, while its Southern part is covered with vast plains. Although the historical province lies only between the rivers, those that live on the Eastern bank of Olt River are also called Oltenians and they are considered to be the pinnacle of Oltenian human evolution.
Its official capital is Craiova, but lately the most famous city in Oltenia is Caracal, the place where the proverbial "cart full of idiots" ("caru' cu prosti") had an accident, thus all the idiots ended up in this city,
Density of Oltenians (recommended by European Union) 1 per office (regardless of the office area). The above number was obtained after many years of research by the specialists from University of Daily Shit, US.

Fauna
The land initially (few thousands years BC) was covered by forests. Then one day one Oltenian had problems with the stomach because of bad water. They decided to replace the forests with vineyards. Once Burebista decided to cut all the vineyards as the Oltenians were very thirsty and continuously in a happy mood. Oltenians forced Burebista to drink water and as a consequence the vineyards are still there.
There are plenty of animals around hares, pheasants, ducks, dears, boars, etc. Oltenians love them. Ussualy on a grill with plenty of wine.

People
Oltenians are a proud and ancient race, descending from Burebista the Hairy's elves that escaped the Romans. Their intelligence is well known, and all of them are natural born leaders. This innate ability to rule other people makes them leave their beloved land, because there is no one to lead there, since everyone is a boss. This characteristic also makes them easily recognizable, apart from the leak(praz) smell: if you shout "boss!" on the street, there are 99% chances that the ones who turn their heads are Oltenians. They usually have long necks, so they can see leadership opportunities better, even if the boss job is beyond the mountains.
Because they are very fast they talk using Present Perfect Tense which is as a label of them. in this way you can recognize them easy. If you hear them you better run else you will have them as leaders asap.
Since the competition for leadership is so fierce in Oltenia, the Oltenians usually build round houses, so the neighbours can't gossip around the corners.
Due to the huge ussage of leak and Present Perfect Tense some historians have advanced the hypothesis of common roots with the Brits. However no evidences were found.

Religion
Oltenians are very superstitious people who are still afraid of the local monsters, especially the strigoi. Oltenia has a a lot of old churches and monasteries, including the newely opened "Dintr-un Lemn de Bambus" budist shaolin kung-fu monastery, located deep in the mountains of northen Oltenia. People living in these parts are very fond of magic.The village Strehaia is well known for its gipsy witches who use mercury,herbs and bat wings for their potions.(me again! the first writer forgot dragon tails, a black cat's pooh, some lizards claws and stuff like that )

Personalities
The number of personalities in Oltenia is equal with N+1, where N is the total number of Oltenians in www +1 because of Mircea Dinescu who is not an Oltenian but he bought a house in Oltenia and act as one.
Mihai Viteazu (Michael The Brave) (aka Amza Pelea in 19eighties and Gigi Becali 20noughties). He was the first one who realised a merger between all small Romanian farms in 1600. The merger dissapered in the .com crash only one year after. An investigation of Serious Crime Division showed that he got the money to start from prostitution. (A young and rich Venitian girl -let us call her X- felt in love with the poor Oltenian and gave him the money to start his own buisness. At that time the only job on the market was that of CEO of Walachia and he bought it with the money from X. The rest is history).
Tudor Vladimirescu famous guerrilla fighter in 1821. He did not listen his mother advice "Never befriend the Greeks". The Greeks sold him to the Turks and they killed him. He died famous.
Petrache Poenaru - another famous Oltenian. Nobody knows exactly his job. He is one of the most hated man in the world. He invented the fountain pen.(Do you remember how difficult was to learn to write?). He was born in 1799 a litlle bit too late for the French Revolution. However he was Tudor Vladimirescu's secretary during 1821 insurgency. After they lost the fight he realised that he was not born for guerrilla. He decided to study. He got a new pair of hand made pork skin boots and a sheep fur coat&hat (nobody remembers the designer). He bought a notebook, ink and feathers (goose, not Mount Blanc). With all this he went to Viena. The journey was long and full of adventure (we will not narate it here). He had to bribe the custom officials because he did not have the papers to show that the pigs and sheeps used to make his clothes were killed humanly. He started to study Physics and Mathematics at University of Techmology from Viena. During a first year students party he met a young woman. He really liked her and decided to unlock her castity belt (German locks do not resist to Oltenian keys). Her husband (let us call him Y) suspected something. Y found few blue spots on her dress and suspected that was someone from the royal family. But when the DNA analysis came from the lab they told him that was ink. The poor Oltenian student was in danger and all because of the leaking ink from feathers. The fourious Y beaten him. Petrache thought about a revenge. The initial data were: Oltenian 60 Kg, 1.65m tall, German 110 kg, 1.85 m tall solution destroy the feathers and invent something better and non-leaking. This is how the fountain pen was invented. He finished his life as Ministry of Education or something like in Romania.

Occupation
Having a real talent for leadership the main occupation is leading, whatever you can. Leading the State (Nicolae Ceausescu), leading the Government (Radu Vasile, Mugur Isarescu), leading Dinamo (Gigi Netoiu), leading you name it we find the person. But there are too many of them so they have to so something else too.
The services are well developed in the region. The retail sector is well known. 99% of the sector is dominated by e-bay and other e-commerce sites. The most sold items are virtual (mobile phones, bikes, cars, planes, countries). Banking sector is flourishing especially the Enforcements division. A large variety of techniques are used from classical (beatings, cut you fingers/hand, burn your car, kidnappings) to modern ones (half mirrors, blackmails, ...).
Another big sector is the mining sector (gold mining). This is highly dominated by women. As a recognition of women's merits in the sector the artists Kanye West and Jamie Fox have created a hymn for them Gold Digger.
Computer Science industry had a boom in the region. Web Design and Network Security are best developed. However DHL, UPS and other major parcel carriers are complaining that the sites developed in the area are 100% like theirs the only difference being the IP. Few millions users of yahoo, hormail and e-bay are complaining about their accounts being cracked.
In the last years the specialists in economy observed a high tendency in outsourcing. Nowdays the Oltenians have broken the barriers of space and they do their occupations anywhere where people are stupid enough to believe them. (still me! the first writer means all over the world!)

Education
Since an early age (7-8) children are send to school (parents had enough of them). Here they learn how to smoke, curse, play football, how to avoid work and other useful tricks for an easy life. The rest of them (1%) in between two pints of beer learn mathematics, physics or computer science.
Arts are very important in Oltenia. There everybody can sing. After few glasses of wine they remember the saint duty as members of Drunk Philarmonica of Oltenia and they start rehersals or even concerts.

Sport
The greatest football team in the world is Universitatea Craiova. The football team is in the second league (ok they promoted to first league), but the boss Adrian Mititelu said that Universitatea Craiova will win the Champions League in three years... That's happen only a year after this football team was posted for auction on e-bay by its former boss Dinel Staicul.

It has been exactly one year since I got off in Serkici train station in Istanbul, Turkey.
I was scared, tired, but eager to experience my 6 months traineeship and everything that might come up with it. It was amazing ...

Incredible how fast time flies ... it seems like yesterday

Today I went fishing with some guys I met latelly. Last time I have been fishing was couple of years ago, in highschool.

Anyway, it was a nice day, I caught few beers and a 1 hour sleep :))) , burned my skin from the sun, had a barbeque on the run cos it suddenly started to rain, slept from 18.00 to 22.00 o'clock and now I don't feel sleepy at all :)

Because we weren't able to catch any fish, although we paid some amount on earthworms, worms and corn mush, we had to buy fish from 2 local guys who caught more than 1 kilo of fish with their bare hands :)

Do you remember how you feel when you desperatelly need to piss? I mean, those moments when you must piss!!!

Well, today I felt the same when I was driving the car and I realised that gas is almost about to end in the middle of Bucharest, at 14.00 o'clock when the trafic was crowd, the cars were next to each other and no way to get out of the jam ...

The edge computer was showing "o km left - fill the tank" (actually it's in french). Suddenly, the only purpose was to find a gas station, but, I couldn't remember no one near by ... it's the same when you are searching for a toilet when you need it :)))

It could have been the most stupid and worse situation to remain without gas in the trafic jam, with hundreds of cars in front and behind me ... I have finally found it with the help of taxi driver who let me turn left and directed me to one gas station near a hotel downtown.

I spent all last week days in Constanta for work.

I celebrated my birthday on the vessel with egyptian sailors. Happy Birthday to me :)

I went to ice skating for the first time with my good friend, Simona, who visited me last weekend.

I lost the football game, Steaua Bucharest - Heerenveen, although I had bought tickets with 1 week in advance.

Today is my last day in my current appartment, as tomorrow I will move in a new one. I did the same in Turkey and life changed in better :)

I am so happy that Steaua won against Heerenven in Holand :)
I didn't expect that before the game, but i am happy i was wrong. Next week i will be on the stadium at Steaua - Heerenveen

UEFA web site says "Superb Steaua overpower Heerenveen". Read the article cy clicking here.

Hertha Berlin 0 - 1 Rapid Bucharest
I am even more happy that the other romanian team won agains Hertha Berlin in Germany :)) Click here to read the article on UEFA web site about its victory.

Both romanian teams have realistic chances to qualify in the next round.

Fortza Steaua, Vinci per noi,
Fortza Steaua e vinci per noi!

I attended a hochey game was yesterday.
Steaua Suky Bucharest - Miercurea Ciuc Sport 4 - 0. The atmosphere was great, my favourite team won and I am very happy :)))

I attended Salsa classes was yesterday.
I wanted to go to dance lessons since I was 14 years old, but I postponed till now. I enjoyed yesterday's classes, especially because I was told I learn fast :))
I started with Merengue and Bachata (I think), and tomorrow I will start Salsa classes.

I was alone in the weekend was last weekend, as my flat mate Kemal is out of the country.

I went to Salsa Club on Sunday evening since I came in Bucharest was yesterday, with my coleagues from salsa classes. Also, yesterday, was first time Salsa Club was opened on Sunday, so we were just few inthere

I cooked romanian food since I came to Bucharest was yesterday.
I prepared delicious beans' soup with bacon and pickels. I boiled soup for 3 and a half hours, but it was worth it, as it was more than eatable. Actually, I like it very much :)

Few minutes ago I ended one of the most interesting conversation latelly with Hasan, a syrian guy who lives in Aleppo and fights to promote arabique culture and values around the world (you would see him very active in Thorn Tree Forum on Lonely Planet). Among the subjects discussed, there were Mohamed cartoons issue, wars in Afganistan and Iraq, US policies, Osama movie...

I just want to tell that regular arab people are very friendly, welcoming, with strong familly and religion values. I felt all on my skin during the 4 days i have been travelling through Syria. Most of my friends asked me if I am scared of visiting Syria alone, and they were true. I was scared because I was facing unknown, I had preconceived ideas about arabs. But everything vanished now. Right in my first day I met a nice guy, Okba, freshman, who invited me to spend the night at his familly house, in a small village near Hama, had dinner with his father, brothers and cousins, discussed about cultural differences, familly issues, economic, education, politics ... in Romania and Syria.

How many romanians would invite a foreigner to spend the night in their homes after 2 hours after they met???

Besides, it seems that they first learn in school the word WELCOME, because it's the first word they'd tell when meeting a foreigner, and they keep repeating the same words, WELCOME in SYRIA, if they don't speak English at all.

Otherwise, in January, Aleppo, the town I visited back in September last year, was choosen the capital of Islamic Culture for 2006.

“The celebration, due to start on 18 March, includes different activities, among them presenting 8 seminars, 150 lectures, restoring 20 historical site, organizing exhibitions, TV and Radio programs in addition to issuing a special magazine for this event. Aleppo city has recruited more than 500 persons in different domains to prepare for this celebration… Spain and Germany will take part in the event through offering books, CD’s, and films on the historical sites of the city,”
Said Governor of Aleppo, Tamer al-Haja.

There are more than 3 months since I came back from Turkey and I am happy to say that I continue to enjoy some of the nice things I liked so much in Turkey.

Right now I am having my second cup of Turkish tea, CAY in Turkish and CEAI in Romanian. It's interesting that I liked cay even before going to Turkey, Romanian tea, but when I discovered Turkish Tea, I liked it even more.

It's interesting the way Turkish prepare cay, using 2 pots, boiling water in the larger one and puring it in the second pot with the tea; they put water again in the larger pot with the small one on the top and put them again on small fire for 15-25 minutes. When cay is ready to be served, the pour cay from smaller pot and water from the larger one, different proportion according of how strong they like to drink tea.

First time when I tried tea with milk was in Turkey and I considered the mixture interesting and tasty. Till that time I couldn't even imagine drinking tea with milk ... but few days ago I tried again and I liked it again :)))

Turkish food is something I enjoy at least once a week. Arab kebab, turkish pasta, turkish omllete are the types of food Kemal and I prepare in our kitchen. Lentil soup, lahmacun, Adana Kebab less spicy or Iskender Kebab which is spicy are dihes we try at Ozdemir turkish restaurant each time we went to Constanta :)))

Few weeks ago we went to King's Valley Pub and tried nargilea :))) which wasn't as good as in Turkey, by the way ...

I don't have to say about Turkish music, because Kemal likes it so much, especialy Ibrahim Tatlisis (I am not sure about spelling), and I kind of like it too, a part of it :))))

We twice had visitors from Turkey and they brought Turkish Baclava from Gaziantep, the best :))) hmmm, I like it so much :))) I can't wait for kemal to come back from Turkey with baclava and turkish delights :)))

I don't love you for who you are, I love you for what I am when I am with you.

Nobody deserves your tears and the ONE who deserves them surelly shall not make you cry.

If somebody doesn't love as you wish, that doesn't mean she/he does not love you from the deepest of her/his heart.

The true friend is the ONE who keeps your hand and reaches your heart

You badly miss somebody when you sit next to him and you know he/she will never be yours.

Never stop smiling :)) even when you are sad, you never know when somebody will fall in love with your smile.

Don't lose time with somebody who is not willing to spend his time with you.

Don't cry 'cause it's over, smile 'cause it happened :))))

It will always be a person who will criticise you, but keep having faith, be carefull in whom you can trust twice.

Try to be a better person and ensure you know who you are before meeting somebody and waiting him to see who you are.

Don't run too much, the best things happen when you expect the least.

Everything happens with a reason.

Today in the morning, Kemal and I prepared a delicious omellete with chips, eggs and spicies, accompanied with tomatoes, cheese and fresh bread :))))

It's first time this week when we eat at home, due to the fact that we stayed for 4 days in Constanta.

I spent last weekend in Iasi following Gabitza's invitation who was there for her friend, Elena, birthday party.

Oana and I reached Iasi Friday night at 23.30 after a 6 hours ride with Intercity train who was actually very cold, especially as soon as we were heading closer to Iasi.

Friday night passed with a delicisous dinner home made by Elena (Thank you, Elena) and a DVD movie Son of the Mask. Gabitza nad Oana fall asleep before the end of the movie. Fortunatelly, they didn't miss too much :)))

Saturday, we left home late in the afternoon for town study tour, having Elena and Catalin as excellent guides.

Iasi is one of the largest city in Romania, in east of the country. It is also called The town of 7 hills and it is one of the richest culturally cities in Romania.

The tour ride started at Cultural Palace reconstructed in the begining of 20th century on the base of old fortrace. We continued with Gheorghe Asachi School, the first school in Romania and Metropolitan Church of Moldovia where there is the shrin with Saint Paraschiva relics.

Driving in Iasi, you can see everywhere old and impresive houses such as Vasile Alecsandri National Theatre, Iasi City Hall, Mihai Eminescu Library, memorial houses of Ion Creanga (where Ion Creanga passed away), Mihail Sadoveanu, Dosoftei House, 3 Ierarhs Church and many, many others; we could see from car ride The odd poplars which inspired Eminescu to write about in his poems.

Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iasi is the oldest in Romania and continues to be one of the largest educational centre with diverse facilities for students.

Besides old and historical places, Iasi is a modern city, the Iulius Mall situated in the center of the town is larg enough, nice clubs and restarants are everywhere, modern and traditional. I tried a delicious Ciorba Radoviteana (soup) with local branded beer, Sapte Coline (7 hills).

Due to cold wheather ( -14 Celsius degrees ) and time presure, we didn't visit all interesting places, but it was just as much as to wish to visit Iasi again and take my time to see all places and discover more about one of the nicest city in Romania. Soon.

Saturday night was Elena's Birtday party. Happy Birthday! Elena, you and Catalin make a great couple. Wish you have a beautifull wedding and live happy forever after :)))

The party was nice, we went back home around 5.

Finally, I'd like to express my happyness that I met great persons in Iasi, Elena and Catalin and all others. Thank you guys for your hospitality, I felt very good in your home, I am delighted to meet you :)))

"I think a woman loves because this is the way how she feels fulfilled.Beyond the reason we love a person, at one point, the base is the desire, curiosity to know that person, to identify if the person we love NOW can be the LAST we love. This is the main purpose: to find the last person to love, whom to share. Everything.

I think man's purpose is the same.

We are looking to equilibrate ourselves. Then, till we find the LAST person to love, it lays the joy of getting to know eachother, smile appeard at any game played, shakeing of the knees, tryings to cover eachother's needs, at one point of life. We are looking for the OTHER to find ourselves. To find out who we are.

With each relationship we grow, we find out more about us. We find out more about men and women. And these to know how to finally recognise the most appropriate person for us. And even if many times we think we have found him/her and afterwards we discover that he/she is not the ONE, we have to be happy that we could love another person.

It's a paradox: we all love with the same purpose, but each of us loves and is loved for whom we are. I mean each of us has his/her own charm, uniqueness. Even even there are classifications, categorisations and they work. Maybe this is the charm of finding our HALF ..."

It's not from a book, it's an SMS received from a friend of mine answering at question: why do women love men?

I couldn't express better. What do you think?

I was feeling a little bad some time ago because my social life was not as I wished here in Bucharest, I am new here and I know few people, I just go out only with my turkish coleague and flat mate, Kemal.

After a discussion I have had few days ago with a friend from Turkey, I remembered the time I have spent in Mersin. It was pretty much the same as now, an Australian former trainee and me living together, I didn't know anybody else in the begining, but things improved as time has passed and I enjoyed every moment of my staying there.

I guess I have to learn to be more patient with myself and to appreciate and enjoy much more what i have, take life as it is and just make new friends and keep in touch with them more closely.
Yesterday evening and night was one of the nicest since I arrived in Bucharest and tonight is going to be the same, because it is Gabitza's birthday party at Cezky :)))

Happy Birthday!, Gabitza, love and be loved (sa fii iubita) and all your hidden wishes come true this year. Enjoy your party tonight :)))

Few days ago I redirected my old blog at http://dragostuta.myaiesec.net

It's the same crap, but with other name :)))

The reason I did this is simply because I was AIESEC member, I like AIESEC and I continue to use its old and new web features and information.

I changed my blog's address also because I'd like to stay in touch with more AIESEC members that might know me and find my blog easier.

The year 2006 has started. With movie week. Kemal and I rent almost each day a DVD and we watched Mr & Mrs Smith, Be Cool, ... and Filantropica, a Romanian movie.

Going out with a beautifull woman Saturday night, is a risky financial investment in 21st century in Bucharest. A place where there are only 3 jobs: poverty, wealth and sex.

The story of Philanthropique is very sad. Ovidiu, a poor highschool teacher, a nice guy who is so easily defeated in a transition period like in Romania, falls in love with Diana, a beautifull girl with modelling skills. To be able to afford going out with her, our poor teacher learns to beg with a former prostitute, Miruna, playing the role of a poor teacher who can not pay a dinner at restaurant, for him and his wife, to celebrate 10 years of marriage. So a real situation becomes a profitable act, suffering becomes a trick, humble teacher becomes a cheater, and the cheating expands at national scale with the help of a national TV station.

I spent Christmas Day on the road. I first went to my grandma which I haven't seen for almost an year and after that to my auntie, which is like grandma for me. I was very happy to see they are fine and healthy, as much as their age can afford to be :(

Later in the afternoon I stoped in Craiova where I met my good friend Raluca which I haven't seen since September 2004.

A reason to speak about lots of things that happened to both of us during this time, her extraordinary life experience in Sao Paolo, Brasil, and now in Wroclaw, Poland, my traineeship in Turkey, to renew old and funny memories and make plans together. If everthing goes as we planed, I will visit Wroclaw this spring :))) Insallah!!!

I also met Simona and Iulia, fortunatelly I'll meet them again, cause we didn't have time to tell everything ..

New Year's Party overcame my expectations. Kemal and I went to Craiova for AIESEC New Year's Party. I was afraid that I don't know so many people, but fortunately I met Bancheta and Claudiu, former @ members which I haven't seen for a long time. Kemal and I had a nice time in Craiova and we were about to make some commitments to come again, but I couldn't find a mobile number of a cute girl, so he reached the conclusion that it's easier to stick to our life in Bcuharest, for now ...

The end of 2005 was definitely marked by reviewing (revedere) time for me, and I am so glad that I saw my relatives and friends.

May you love and be loved, share, dare, win and be happy and successful in 2006.

My boss and his brother in law visited Bucharest the week before Christmas and on Saturday we went for a short visit to my parents, in Caracal, just for getting to know the familly.

My boss's brother in law surname is Deliorman ("crazy forest" in turkish) and on the way to Caracal we passed through Teleorman county. His ancestors come from north of Bulgaria which is just near Teleorman county. Due to this strange coincidence, we stoped on the road and he took some ground from Teleorman to put on his ancestors' graves.

The visit to Caracal was short, but enough to taste my mother's home made goodies :)))

There is already 1 month since I moved to Bucharest for work. Last weekend Kemal, few of his friends and I went to Coyote Cafe, who is actually a night club with live band and karaoke.

Tables were full, though club was not as crowed as I could imagine. An US singer and later the owner of the club entertained us with nice ever green songs, one of them is Feel - Robby Williams, that my Indian friend, Natraj, likes so much to sing :)))

After Coyote, we all went to Salsa Club. Oha, it was amazing :))) it was like a salsa school, there were lots of couples who seemed they were teaching salsa lessons. Althoug I was told I dance pretty good, I just sit and admired them, and thought about taking salsa lesson and come back :))

Yesterday evening Kemal and I attended Planter's Cafe, pub and club, with nice atmosphere. We enjoyed the nice music and moved on music rythms for a few hours, later on, after a short visit to Everest Fast Food, we hit the road to home.

Night life in Bucharest is becoming day by day more interesting and captivating for me. I like it, and I enjoy every moment of it.

After a long period of silence, here I am, motivated to start posting again.

After great life experience in Turkey, I am back in my home country, Romania. I visited my familly couple of days in Caracal, ate delicious food home made by my mother, attended Local Training Seminar of AIESEC in Craiova and now I am in Bucharest.

I started work 3 weeks ago at INTERTIM WOOD SRL, romanian branch of INTERTIM LTD, the company I worked for in Turkey, and I have similar JD.

I'll come back with details about Bucharest and my life here.

Cory, my good and old friend from Craiova, and Gabitza, ALUMNI of AIESEC Craiova,have arrived in Mersin yesterday at noon, after a long and exhausting 14 hours trip.

Yesterday evening, Cory, Gabitza, Joe and me went out for having dinner on a boat, first time for us, romanians, went for a walk on the coast and admired the big waves that were breaking by the rocks and tryed delicious but very heavy Turkish sweets.

Welcome in Turkey, Cory and Gabitza, and enjoy your time here.

Last Thuersday I went to Ankara for attending Cappadochia Tour organized by AIESEC Ankara and I meet Betty (Mexico), Luboj (Slovakia) and Marc (USA), trainees in Gaziantep. After processing and obtaining Syrian visa with the help of Christiane (Germany) and Tim (USA), some of us went to Atakule Tower, 30-40 m tall, and we could see all Ankara sightseeing from the top of the tower. On the top, there is a restaurant who spins around making a full rotation in less than 2 hours.

We've spent the rest of the day in AIESEC office sitoated in a 2 levels rent house with front yard and benches. In the same frontyard, UK trainees organized traditional UK evening and we served Sheppard Pie with turkish beer, being accompanied by AIESEC songs and dances. Shame on me, Dragostea din tei - O-ZONE was one of the songs, but I don't know the lyrics nor the dance ...

Friday morning we met the other delegates. First stop in Ankara was Ataturk Mausoleum, an impressive rocky building that contains personal objects of Ataturk, landscapes from the Turkish Independence war and victory celebration. We continued Ankara study tour with visiting Museum of Anatolian Civilization and Ankara Castle, important places in the history of Ankara city and Turkey. The day ended with nice but too short party outside the town, where we also organized a kind of glovall village, but most of the delegates came unprepared. Romania was reprezented by Cristina (from Cluj Napoca, trainee in Bursa for 3 months), me and Romanian flag, Blue-Yellow-Red!!!

Saturday morning, study tour started with a short visit at Salt Lake, second large lake in Turkey and a longer visit at Derinküyü, a 7 levels Underground City, fully equipped with food storage rooms, stables, wells, air inlets, chimneys for smoke from the cookfires, wine presses, salt-grinding tables and even huge churches. Around 6000 people were able to live in the underground city for more than 3 weeks. Both, lake and underground city are in Cappadocia region, called Horses Land by arabians, situated in Central Anatolian region.

After seeing the sunrise on Nemrud Mountain, in Cappadochia we saw sunset up on the natural rocky hills. We could stay there for hours admiring the beautifull landscape, but traditinal Turkish night at The Yaşar Baba Cave Restaurant was waiting for us. Turkish Folklor, dances around a hugh fire, belly dances, turkish marriage brokerage play, traditional food and the party made the evening to be excellent. As it was not enough, we continued the party at the hotel, playing bitches-bitches and drinking Turkish wine :)))).

Sunday morning started with a refreshing swimmimg bath and a copious breakfast. Devrent Valley, Zelve (the oldest Christian village and church), Goreme Open air Museum were the places we visited Sunday morning. After lunch we went to see hand made Turkish natural coloured carpets and rugs, and a potery for half price very interesting ceramics and glass objects.

For Adana delegations study tour ended here, as we had a bus to catch from Nevsehir via Niğde (I will not forget this town anymore!!!). As we took a wrong bus to Aksaray, instead of going to Niğde, we met again the delegates at Aksaray when we were waiting the buses to Adana and Mersin in a wrong place. Finally, the transportation to Adana and Mersin was taking care by AIESEC and we went back home, me in Mersin, and the rest of the delegation in Adana.

Following Joe's invitation, Saturday evening I joint Sebi, Bouchet, Serkan, Pinar, Kaya and Joe to their former work coleague's, Iclim, wedding party.

Lots of people attended the event, about 400 persons, organized in one hotel near the coast. Few minutes after we were welcomed by the bride's mother and wished her and her children all the best, the bride and the groom walked the red carpet being accompanyed by nice fireworks and guests clapping.

After traditionally tour around tables, they signed the official papers and sweared to love eachother unconditionally, for better and for worse ...

After admiring their nice wedding dresses, we have tryed traditionally turkish appetiser consisting in 2 kinds of yougurt with cuecambers, olives salad, a red (russian) salad, lam salami, and few other traditional salads who's names I don't know in English nor Turkish :)))) E vorba de un fel de zacusca, salata de vinete, si alte 2 feluri de salate, dar nu imi amintesc exact ce anume ... Everything was accompanied by a glass with turkish red wine, care nu se compara cu vinul rosu romanesc ...

As people came on the dance floor, we also moved our bodies on Turkish and a bit of foreign music rhythms. I admired the way how Turkish women and men move their bodies following the music rhythms, it was a pleasure. I even tryed to get into their rhythm and if I was more insistent maybe I would have succeded, but second dish was served, so we had to try lam and chicken with rise, as it is used at most of Turkish weddings.

After another dancing round, a 7 or 8 levels cake was served together with summer fruits such as watermelon and melon, cherries and apricots. The cake was pretty good, and I will describe it in Romanian, as I don't know the words in English :))) Tortul a fost bun, cu crema intre 2 straturi de blat obisnuit, deasupra fiind frisca decorata cu ciocolata.

During the wedding, there were very beautifull fireworks who delighted everybody. It is very common in middle and upper class Turkish weddings to have fireworks at wedding party, as I noticed almost every weekend at the weddings organized at hotels nearby my flat.

As midnight had come and people had left, we wished happyness to host familly and I even wished traditionally Romanian 'Casa de piatra' in the official 'sugar cube' :) notebook, said good bye and hit the road to Tarsus, after few tryes to continue the night in one night club on the coast.

It was a lovely night and a new cultural experience for me. Thank you, Joe, for invitation, thank you all, guys, for the excellent night.

PS: I will come back with pictures!!!

Today AIESEC Local Committee in Craiova, Romania celebrates 14 years of AIESEC, 14 years of projects, conferences, activities, but also 14 years of lifetime memories, tight friendships and lots of fun.


Hey AIESEC Craiova people,

Have fun at the party tonight and continue the traditions with wild, crazy parties in AIESEC Craiova. And drink a beer for me, guys :))))

It is like yesterday when I was walking on Istanbul streets, visiting old town with old otoman arhitectured buildings used for trade purpose, walking with an old too crowded tram, contrasting the modern part of Istanbul, nearby the port, with fancy buses and trams, new shopping center (and very expensive also) and too hurried Turkish drivers.

I had no expectations, I was just willing to take out the most of my traineeship, to travel, experience Turkish traditions and culture, meet new people and start new friendships, have great time and develop myself.


After 2 months, I am having a great trainesship experience at INTERTIM company, being surrounded by nice people, living in a beautifull town, Mersin, sightseeing historical and culturally reach places in the south east of Turkey and looking forward to experience much more and share it with you!!!

Sunday morning, after a stupid bicycle accident, Orhan and I left to Kiskalesi beach, who is probably one the best beaches near Mersin.

After settling down and trying the sea few times, Grace, Adriano, Suvi, Rifeh, Juan, Surya and Joe arrived bringing their good mood and CD player that delighted us with great music till batteries were finished :)

We swam, got some tense on our skin and had a lot of fun, we even tried a cocktail with coniac, cola and ice who was delicious, although it was very hot outside. Thank you, Surya, for the coniac!!!

I have even overcome my water fear and swam till Kiskalesi Castle, which is more than 100 m from the shore, although I didn't thinl I am able to swim so long distance...

Unfortunatelly, in the same time Adriano played at his quitar. I am sorry, Adriano, for not being there listening your songs!

For me, Sunday finished with listening the replay of charitiy concert organised in 9 of the most important cities in the world and having as major objective convincing the G8 countries's leaders to complete debt cancellation, more and better aid and trade justice for the world’s poorest people.

Today, 1st of July 2005, the denomination process started in Romania under the slogan:

'' Nothing to lose, nothing to win. Everything will be simplified! ''

The old LEU (ROL) is the subject of denomination by cutting 4 zeros, so that 10.000 old Lei will be equal with 1 new LEU (RON).

1 ban

Everything about the denomination process in Romania here!

Football fans,

Romanian League schedule is on. Here is it the first stage:

Etapa I (6 august 2005, ora 18.00)
FC Argeş - Steaua
Pandurii Tg. Jiu - Farul
Oţelul - Dinamo
Poli Timişoara - Poli Iaşi
FC Naţional - FCM Bacău
FC Vaslui - Rapid
Jiul - Gloria
Sportul - CFR Cluj

Click here for the first half of the games.

Dear football fans,

Yesterday evening, Joe and I have watched the Final Match of FIFA Confederations Cup in Germany, Brazil - Argentina (4-1) drinking FOSTERS and EFES beer.

The game was fantastic, brazilian footballers on the football field are like fishes in water :)

Congrats, Brazil, for playing for the show!!!

To everyone,

I uploaded the pictures from Southern Anatolian Tour. Enjoy them here!

Pe langa 40 trainee si membri AİESEC, alti 150 de turisti s-au trezit de dimineata sa vada rasaritul soarelui de pe muntele Nemrud.

Cu toate ca ne-am trezit la ora 1.00, am schimbat 2 autobuze, am tresarit cand soferul turc conducea cu peste 60 km/ora pe langa prastiile de zeci de metri adancime, am urcat muntele alergand la 2150 m altitudine, iar cand am ajuns pe platou nu mai puteam respira, am infruntat un frig de imi curgeau lacrimile, tremuram din tot corpul si nu aveam destul aer, cu toate astea a meritat!!!

Probabil o amintire de o viata, rasaritul Soarelui vazut de pe muntele Nemrut. Poze si cateva informatii despre Muntele Nemrut, in continuare...

Strangere de mana intre 2 zei: Antiochos si Zeus!!!

Muntele Nemrut este una dintre atractiile principael in Turcia. O colectii de statui de marime impresionanta aflate la 2150 m altitudine Statuile au fost descoperite in anul 1881, iar cercetarile geologice au inceput in 1953.

Mii de turisti viziteaza anual Muntele Nemrud pt a vedea rasaritul soarelui si statuile din piatra reprezentand zei din antichitate, Apollo, zeita din Kommagene, Zeus, Regele Antiochus I Theos si Artagnes.

A fost declarat Patrimoniu Cultural Mondial de catre UNESCO si este unul dintre cele mai importante Parcuri Nationale in Turcia.

STEAUA Bucharest, my favourite football team, won 22nd time Romanian Football League and will play in the second qualifying round for Champions League!!! For pictures and more visit www.steauafc.ro

Tomorrow, 24th June, at Nyon, it will be held first & second fualifying round draw and Steaua Bucharest is head team in the second group.

Good luck, STEAUA and many winnings in CL!!!