Handmade products come to Life

Not far away from Ancuta's Inn, in the very heart of Moldova, any traveller who crosses this fairytale land can come across traditional handmakers - just like the ones I've met in Barticesti village (Neamt county). The summer was very hot and the local people welcomed us in the coolness of their village house with great hospitality. I couldn't help admiring the hundreds of objects on display - spoons, baskets, pots, pads, various cooking utensils - all carefully handmade of wood, straw and various other natural raw materials. The owners told us this tradition comes down from many generations and you have to be suitably ''cut'' in order to be able to do it. However, they were not doing it for money, even though they had taken part in a Traditional Products exhibition in Bruxelles at the European Parliament. I left the place with many beautiful and useful tools (at bargain prices) that I've been using ever since in my kitchen. I feel safe with such simply gifted kind-hearted people around and their beautiful story fills up my kitchen everytime I spend time there.

Talking to Father Iustin Parvu

One of my most surreal yet eye-opening conversations ever took place in the remote land of a forest oasis in the heart of the Carpathian Mountains this summer.

Romanian monasteries are well known for their instant quests into one-self-ness but this time was different. Surrounded by a good handful of people, I was diligently waiting for my turn to talk to and receive blessings from Father Iustin - probably the holiest man in Eastern Europe today.

Solid hours passed by: I took part in the morning lithurgy, then I was kindly invited to lunch by the nuns - food has so much flavour when eaten in simplicity - and then there came the long waiting. Each step was carefully taken, each time a little closer to the Father's humble room. Everyone was getting deeper into their own introspection. Words were useless anyway...And suddenly a group of tourists disturbed this silence - everybody was making way for them (it's tradition, by all means). Without waiting they were ushered next into the unpretentious room. The rest of us were skeptical - they were mere tourists without any connection to the process of self-ness we, the local people, were undergoing. As they were entering I was asking myself - are they gonna make anything out of this experience or just a tick on a sightseeing list of Romania? Eventually they got out - less cheerful and gay, more retained and pensive. Their eyes were alive with insight and meaning, their touristic giggle had turned into a subdued smile. I was proven wrong. They left in silence and respect.

After several hours my turn came. I had prepared my speech - fully logical and quite a mighty lengthy speech - well, such a complete waste of words! Here all was simplified to the quintessential. I got inside and sat in front of Father Iustin. He calmly looked at me and carefully searched inside my eyes - he got closer slowly and turned his head a little to the left as you would do with a magnifying glass to see the subject better - this time right into the furthest corners of my soul. He straightened up then and simply said: ''it's hard!'' - ''yes, it is.'' came my answer. Never had I been so subjected to a minute soul check-up! I spent 15 minutes instead of the five allowed for each one... Father Iustin quickly dropped all my civilisation shields I had been building for years: ''certificates are not important. it's the way you live your living moments that truly matters'', he said...

Here I was, one of the millions of people in a crisis today - the crisis of the soul, fundamentally. If only we could make this constantly our reason to go on - living our precious moments simply the right way.

What will you be reading this summer? Mircea Cartarescu

The leading magazine Time published the choices of leading world writers about their summer readings - Mircea Cartarescu's choice is among them.
My choice? Cartarescu's Visul ("The Dream") shall be among my readings.

"Antreprenoriada" - Live Up to your Business!

Antreprenoriada is a most interesting business project, whose aim is to encourage entrepreneurial spirit in Romania, organized by Edurom in Iasi but developed in 9 different cities all over the country. This is an excellent example of what can be done with European funding and people's great ideas in order to build up stronger communities.

Personally, I have been particularly impressed by the attitude and spirit of the two young organizers - Razvan Mitocariu and Adrian Randasu - very professional, inspiring, supportive, informative, with a real sense of 'let's roll up our sleeves' and make a real contribution with our businesses.

While taking part in this project, I strongly had the feeling that Romania is growing.
Thank you so much Edurom team!

Face a Book: The Overcoat, by N. V. Gogol

Face a Book is the second edition of the successful annual Book Review Contest launched by Humanitas, in an open quest for book adventure and lifelong wisdom. Here's my take on The Overcoat, by N.V.Gogol, the text Dostoevsky referred to with these famous words: "We all come out from Gogol's 'Overcoat"...


Care a fost cea mai solemna zi din viata ta de pana acum? - ziua in care ai simtit ca beatitudinea iti inunda corpul, dar nu datorita vreunui vin moldovenesc, ci pentru ca esti plin de dragoste de viata - delirant, iremediabil, ireconciliabil! - ziua cand slujba sacadata, anosta, enervanta nu-ti mai intra pana-n maduva oaselor reumatic si nevrotic, ci ziua in care te-ai imbracat cu haina noua iar cea veche a iesit definitiv din viata ta - un nou "tu" cel eliberat, in sfarsit...

"Mantaua" lui Gogol exploreaza tocmai adancimile unei astfel de transformari si consecintele ei comunitare. Functionarul tipic Akaki Akakievici isi face treaba cu cea mai precisa constiinciozitate pe o leafa perfect mizera. Se intampla de ani de zile intr-un minister oarecare din Sankt-Petersburgul eclectic si eminamente injust, pana cand ziua imbracarii mantalei celei noi ii marcheaza definitiv ultima parte a vietii.
Incredibil de actual, Gogol intuieste miezul problematicii urbane - cum poti trai fara demnitate? Fara respect fata de tine insuti si fata de ceilalti? Indiferent si ignorant? Si cu ce pret?
Umbrele noptii pe stradutele orasului ascund voci nebanuite, soapte, franturi - "aaa, asta...", "lasati-ma in pace, de ce ma necajiti?", "dati-mi mai bine sa copiez ceva", "mantaua asta-i a mea", "da-mi-o pe-a ta!"...Orasul le ascunde dar asta nu inseamna ca ele nu exista.

Poate exercitiul nostru de reflectie de la inceput e unul reusit dar ma intreb ce l-a facut oare pe Gogol sa remarce "Sfanta Rusie, totul este contaminat de imitatie!" spre sfarsitul cartii.

Indubitabil, Mantaua lui Gogol e un text acid dar foarte placut prin vocea domnului Razvan Vasilescu, ceea ce este o adevarata incantare si un privilegiu al multor audiobook-uri.

130 Years of Diplomatic Relations

The year 1880 marked the beginning of the modern Romanian diplomacy, with most distinguished scholars and ambassadors like Ion Ghica in London, Vasile Alecsandri in Paris and Mihail Kogalniceanu in Berlin, who set a high morality and character standard (how seldom can we see this nowadays!) and who succeeded in defining Romania on the map of Europe at that crucial time - all under the careful scrutinizing gaze of King Carol I.
The temporary exhibition "130 Years of Diplomatic Relations from 1880. Partners in Europe" at the Union Museum in Iasi has been set up with the mutual help of the German, British and French Embassies in Bucharest.
It's a unique experience the cool majestic feeling inside the intimate yet imposing House in Lapusneanu Street that used to host so many of the royal and noble family members, while taking a quiet tour of what was and still is a truly remarkable episode in the history of Europe.

TED - in Iasi: What makes you happy?

Under the well-known motto "Ideas worth spreading", TED began its first edition in Iasi in a very creative and relaxing atmosphere on June, 13th. The audience was young, fresh, smart and distinctive - 99 people who gathered up to share not only ideas but spirit in its youngest form.
Speakers had a difficult task - to try to tackle the ever-lasting question: What makes people happy? and answers were as diverse as the speakers - from Maia Morgenstern, the renowned actress who sparkled around the very concept in full energy as usual to Vali Tatar who shared with us his passion for tennis in amazingly striking images.
But Razvan Crisan was the one who really caught the eye and heart of everyone in the room - with his authentic way of living, of building his time against social prejudices and restrictions and at the same time in a very simple, essential way - by being true to himself.