CONTENTS
What are the Romanians like? …………………………………………. 1
Lifestyles in Romania ……………………..…………………………….. 4
Pastimes ……………………………………...…………………………... 6
Cinema …………………………………………..………………………. 7
Music……………………………………………...………………………15
Fashion …………………………………………...………………………20
Philosophies of Life ………………………………...……………………22
Attitudes to War ……………………………………..…………………..25
Opportunities for High School Graduates ………………………...…...27
Comenius Calendar 2002 ..………………………………………………29
What are the Romanians like?
Romania shares much with
The Romanians for the most
other Eastern European countries, but at
part are well educated by the time they
the same time is distinct. Historically, the
graduate from high school. Most of them
Romanians are descendants of two very
know a lot about their poets and writers,
old peoples: the Dacians, the ancient
such as author and playwright Ion Luca
inhabitants of the land, and the Romans,
Caragiale,
who conquered the country in 106
composer George Enescu and playwright
AD.The
Eugene Ionesco.
population
is
made
of
Romanians (about 90%) and minorities:
poet
Mihai
Eminescu,
The state religion of Romania
Hungarians, Germans, Ukrainians, Serbs,
is
Orthodoxy.
There
are
Orthodox
Croats, Russians, Turks and Gypsies.
churches all over the country, as well as
The Transylvanian Germans
many monasteries. The history and decor
and Hungarians have a particularly
of these churches make them worth
strong community that tries to preserve
visiting. There is a real sense of loyalty
their traditions and culture.
to the Orthodox church and almost all
The Russian minority lives in
Romanians will attend, at least for
the Danube Delta. They call themselves
weddings and funerals.
"Lipoveni" and are very different from
The Romanians love to have
the typical Russians. They lost all
guests. They are very hospitable. They
contacts with Russia, but they still love
will not want you to leave until they have
drinking
are
offered you everything in their house.
traditionally fishermen, and know by
Often guests will be offered "tuica"
heart the intricate maze of chanels of the
(plum
Delta. Naturally, they gave Romania a
mamaliguta" (minced meat balls in
multiple Olympic and World Champion
cabbage leaves with polenta), Romanian
in canoeing - Ivan Patzaikin.
traditional
vodka.
The
Lipoveni
1
brandy)
drink
and
and
"sarmale
food.
cu
Many
Romanians also take pride in their home
The inhabitants of the towns
made wine.
usually dress casually; only on special
Giving gifts is a part of the
occasions like weddings or parties they
culture and it is an insult not to accept a
like to wear elegant clothes.
gift. A very special gift, mostly for
Romanian peasant costumes
women in Romania is the "Martisor". On
are distinctive to their regions, local
the first day of March, people wish each
occupations and crafts. Both men and
other health and happiness and place a
women wear colorfully embroidered
decoration made of red and white woolen
wide-sleeved shirts. Women have bright
threads on their clothes or on their wrist.
aprons worn front and back, and either
This
it
white silk or black patterned head
symbolizes the end of the winter and the
scarves. Men wear wide belts with
coming of the spring. It also includes a
punched
charm in the shape of a figurine, or a
embroidered sheepskin vests, boots and
gold or silver coin.
hats representing their specific region.
is
called
"Martisor"
and
motifs
or
braided
strips,
In Romania, it is polite to offer
The folk art of Romania is
your seat to an elderly person when
rooted in the region's distant and
travelling by bus or by tram. Also, men
tumultuous
past.
use to kiss ladies' right hand as a form of
crossroads
of
salutation. The Romanians communicate
civilizations - Greek, Roman, Byzantine,
in an indirect manner and may be a little
Oriental and Occidental - elements of
insulted by too much directness.
this cultures were absorbed by the local
Situated
many
at
the
historical
When the Romanians talk,
people, resulting an original vision found
they will often stand very close to each
throughout Romania's art, crafts and
other and use many gestures and physical
music.
contact. Sometimes it will seem that two
A type of Romanian artwork is
people are arguing, but in reality they are
seen on painted eggs. Intricate and
just discussing things loudly. A friend
colorful designs painted on hollowed
not seen in a while will usually be
eggshells are one of the most popular
greeted with a kiss on each cheek.
folk art decorations.
2
The
wooden
gates
of
dance is combined with music, poetry,
Maramures, a northern province, are the
costumes, gestures, ornaments. One of
finest examples of wood carving. Large
the most spread is "Calusarii", a dance
wooden portal gates are covered with
with a magical load. It is performed by
beautifully carved designs, dominated by
young men and it is related to fecundity
the signs of the sun and the rope (which
and to the initiation in the ancient cult of
symbolizes the thread of life).
the Sun.
Romanian folk song and dance
Actually,
in
spite
of
the
is a joyous music, best witnessed during
changes brought about by time, and
one of the many seasonal or traditional
especially by this century, governed by
festivals around the country. The music
modern technologies, in all the regions of
is usually accompanied by clapping of
Romania the folk craftsmen continue to
hands and vocal singing.
exist, to build up houses of wood, to
Some of the most popular
shape the gates of their households into
folklore genres are the ballad and doina.
triumphal arches, to make their tools and
The ballad, also called the old-age song,
objects necessary to the household, to
is sung on the occasions of gatherings.
make pottery and painting on wood, eggs
The masterpiece of the genre is the
and glass.
pastoral ballad "Miorita". Doina features
In general, the Romanians are
a musical style of a lyrical nature, which
an extremely friendly people, who love
conveys feelings of sadness, longing,
gaiety and jokes, but they are also
nostalgia.
sophisticated
The picturesqueness of the
and
clever,
rich
in
knowledge, skills and family values.
dances lies in their sincretic nature - the
Oana Comanici 10M1
3
Lifestyles in Romania
Lifestyles change because of
traditions and values of our people have
various reasons : the social conditions,
been preserved. It is most common for a
the political regimes or just because the
Romanian to be very attached to his
world is in progress. For 12 years the
family.
Romanians have been trying to regain
anniversaries,
their social and economical democracy
funerals, which are the most important
and freedom. This has had a significant
moments in one's life.
impact on their lifestyle.
Relatives
usually
baptisms,
meet
at
weddings,
Religion is also important for
In learning our manners, the
us. The people from the countryside go
family plays one of the most important
to church more often than the people in
parts,
a
cities, but in the last years a lot of young
character from the first days of our lives.
Romanians have gathered in and around
At the age of seven, every child has to go
churches at Easter and Christmas Eve.
to school, where our models become our
There is a sort of orthodox revival among
teachers.Good teachers are loved and
young people because religion has been
their manners can pass on to their pupils.
taught in school as well since 1990.
because
it
Probably
helps
everywhere,
The Romanians like eating and
politeness is appreciated in Romania, so
that is why our traditional kitchen is
even the youngest members of our
diverse and also tasty. Most women cook
society know that you must treat elderly
quite a lot because we eat all the meals in
people with respect. It is considered an
the family. Rarely do the Romanians go
act of rudeness if you do not let someone
to restaurants to have dinner and when
finish what they were saying or if you
they do there must be a special occasion.
mock at someone older than yourself.
Men like to prepare alcohol drinks (wine
Despite
as
creating
the
influence
of
and the traditional plum drink) in their
historical events, the most important
4
household and drink them with their
jeans. However, everyone likes to be
family and friends.
admired in their elegant clothes worn at
If men sometimes go fishing or
anniversaries,
to a pub to watch a football game,
weddings,
or
when
celebrating the New Year's Eve.
women spend their free time at home.
Speaking of anniversaries, one
Still, in most of the cases, men and
should take into consideration that the
women spend the weekends together
Romanians offer gifts frequently : at
with their families.
birthday parties, at weddings, when
Being a woman in Romania is
inaugurating a newly built house and
quite challenging because she has to
even when friends visit each other after a
devide her time between her family
long period of time. We like flowers and
(children, husband, household) and her
that is why we like to offer them as a
profession. Women in Romania are neat
token of love, respect, friendship.
and
elegant
which
means
they,
The
Romanians
like
their
surprisingly, find the time to go to the
homes, which makes them very good
hairdresser's or shopping for themselves.
hosts. Their hospitality is a characteristic
In the last six or seven years there has
feature of their nature and they like to
been
woman's
impress their guests by offering the best
emancipation in that women prefer
food and accomodation in the most
making a career and taking care less of
pleasant atmosphere.
remarked
the
their household.
The
Romanians
concern
The teenagers obviously have
themselves with various cultural aspects
a completly different lifestyle compared
such as buying or reading books or
to their parents. They spend their free
surfing on the Internet. Theatre and opera
time on the Internet, watching music
goers are less and less, because in their
programmes, going to discos, parties,
rush to do extra jobs for extra money,
movies, or just meeting and walking with
people simply do not find the time for
friends.
this kind of entertainment. They prefer to
The children, the teenagers and
watch TV quite a lot as it is time and
many adults dress casually, most likely in
money saving and more comfortable.
5
Having
suffered
from
an
of what is essential for any people : the
imposed alteration of the traditional
love and respect for their predecessors,
values and a denial of religion during the
the concern for the material and spiritual
long years of communism, the Romanian
wellfare of their children.
society today seems to undergo a revival
Lavinia Constantin 10 M1
Pastimes
In a world of globalization, it is natural to assert that the pastimes favored by
young Romanians are almost standardized, because they are not very different from those
enjoyed by other European teenagers.
On the one hand, this is due to the MTV "culture" which imposed itself in
teenagers' lives. Young Romanians are influenced by this particular "culture" because music
and television gained an important place in the hierarchy of their priorities.
On the other hand, Romanian youngsters prefer group activities, because they
enjoy spending time with their friends. However, individual hobbies are important, because
most of them don't like to depend only on their group of friends, they also preserve their
independence.
For instance, young people in our country enjoy a lot of different pastimes, from
the most relaxing ones, like watching TV or a movie at the cinema, to those that require a lot
of energy, such as snow-boarding or other extreme sports. As a matter of fact, among all the
pastimes that the Romanians prefer, two are more popular within teenagers: sports and
music.
Indeed, in Romania, a lot of people like practising sports and even a higher
number enjoy watching them. The "king" of sports is definitely soccer. We have a great
number of teams playing in four divisions, from A to D. Then, there are other different
sports that Romanians like, such as: handball, basketball or rugby.
6
But sports aren't the only thing we are interested in. The other important pastime music- includes a lot of different activities, like hanging out with some friends in discos or
clubs, going to a party, to concerts or music festivals.
Furthermore, there are also some new pastimes that have become very popular
really quickly, like surfing on the web, or playing computer games at internet-cafes.
All this considered, young Romanians, like all the young people from other countries, want
to have fun as much as possible, whether with friends or on their own.
Stefania Mohoreanu and Sebastian Trentea 12M2
Cinema
Types of films in Romania
Nowadays, the role of television in our life gets more and more important. The TV
programs influence our life, our way of thinking.
The main attraction of television is the movie. It doesn’t matter what kind of
movie it is: action, comedy, tragedy, science fiction.
In my opinion the movies in our country are not so varied. They have similar plots
and, by far, action films are on top. Although people want less violence, action movies have
the biggest audience.
We sometimes see a TV film again and again for two or three years and that
happens because new movies are expensive to buy.
On the other hand, soap operas are getting more and more famous. On every TV
channel there must be at least one soap opera. I believe that this kind of movies is totally
unimaginative and I really don’t understand why some Romanians like it so much.
In cinemas, the situation is not so bad. New films are brought weekly. It’s true the
movies don’t get very fast in Romania but we all must have patience. What I consider
7
remarkable is that Romanian films are promoted more and more. And that as a step forward,
because our national values are recognized irrespective of international movie competitions.
In conclusion, we can say that we have many options regarding movies. However
we should not be so much influenced by these films.
Raluca Popa 11M2
Film plots
The Courier
as good as we have expected. However
USA, 2002: directed by Corey Yuen
that might not bother you too much as the
Cast: Jason Statham, Shu Qi, Matt Schulze
main character is played by a brilliant
An ex- member of the Special
British actor from Guy Ritchie’s “Snatch”.
Forces, Frank Martin is living a relaxing
Asoka
life on the Mediteranean Coast taking up
India 2001. Directed by Santosh Sivan
every now and then job of a “special”
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor,
courier. All he has to do is to transport
Danny Denzongpa
things from one place to another, without
In the third century BC Asoka
asking questions. But one day, one of his
becomes the new ruler of India.The young
packages starts to move and Frank brakes
man starts his reign by leading the attack
his own rules and takes a look to see what
meant to unify the whole peninsula, but
is all about. From that moment on, his life
the love of two women will transform the
is in danger and he has to go all the way in
warrior king into one of the most peace-
breaking the rules to save his back.
loving rulers of his time.
The
film,
produced
and
Expensive and shiny, the
partly written by Luc Besson, has scenes
film describes am important part of Indian
of sheer action, even though some seem
history, filled with extraordinarily created
stupid, yet the coherence of the story is not
battle scenes. They alternate with scenes
8
when actors sing and dance and shots of a
Lusting, the convict Anne Bancroft - as
man and a woman looking in each other’s
Miss Nora Dinsmoor
eyes, silent, burning with passion, but
Directed by: Alfonso Cuaren
without kissing, as you are not allowed to
Produced by: Art dinsom
do that in Indian films.
Written by: Mitch Clazer
“Great
The man with no past
Expectations”
is
a
Joint production, 2002. Directed by Aki
modern movie version of Charles Dickens’
Kaurismaki
classic novel.
Cast: Markku Peltola, Kati Outien.
Its action takes place in the
Barely arrived in Helsinki, a
USA and presents a sensual tale of a
man is attacked and beaten so violently
young man’s unforgettable passage into
that he loses his memory. He doesn’t
manhood, and the individuals who will
know who he is, where he comes from and
undeniably
what he’s doing in the city. His only
Through these surprising interactions of
option is to try to survive without money,
these
ID and a place to live; so he ends up at the
Expectations”
takes
a
unique
and
outskirts of the city. Then he tries to make
contemporary
look
at
life’s
great
a living and find out who he is. In his
coincidences.
elliptic style, the director focuses more on
intelligent
lives
then
on
the
change
vivid
his
life
forever.
characters,
“Great
In a small Florida town on
social
the Guff Coast, eight- year- old Finn Bell
condition of his main character. Then
lives with his sister Maggie and his “Uncle
sudden changes from comedy to tragedy
Joe” Finn is an aspiring artist who enjoys
during the film, the dry humour may cause
his simple life, drawing pictures in the
some confusion to a normal viewer, but
colourful Gulf waters.
Finn’s journey to adulthood
the fans will really enjoy the experience.
Great Expectations
begin
Release date: 30 January 1998
s
Cast: Ethan Hawke- as Finn, Gwyneth
sudd
Palthrow - Estella
enly
Robert de Niro - as
9
with the shocking appearance of a
the girl leaves without saying goodbye. A
dangerous convict who forces the boy to
disappointed Finn stops painting, stops
aid in his escape from prison. After this
dreaming…until a mysterious benefactor
event, Finn is called to the mansion of Ms.
sends the now grown young man to New
Nora Dinsmoor, the richest woman in the
York.
gulf, who had lost her mind thirty years
glamorous world of the New York- art
earlier when her fiance had left her
scene, the once poor- artist seems to
standing at the altar. There, Finn meets
finally have it all wealth, status, fame- and
Estella. This meeting fuels new dreams: to
a reunion with Estella.
paint
for
the
rich,
to
enjoy
their
Pursuing
But
freedom…and to love Estella.
his
life
dreams
and
in
its
the
great
coincidences have more surprises in store
for Finn, who, in the course of his journey,
becomes lost in his great expectations.
Alexandra Toma
The crazed woman’s warnings
Dan Bordeianu 11M2
about Estella become Finn’s reality when
Filantropica
It is a “black” comedy directed
satisfy Diana’s whimsical demands. A
by Nae Caramfil. Its action is set in
night spent in town may have devastating
today’s Bucharest and centered upon
financial results even for wealthier people.
Ovidiu (played by Mircea Diaconu), a
Consequently,
modest high-school teacher, striving to
desperately look for a new source of
become a writer. He is in love head over
income, something more substantial than
heels with the charming and much
his salary as a teacher. So Ovidiu will
younger Diana (played by Veronica
come to know the fabulous and dramatic
Voda). Ovidiu is in an awkward position
world of beggars. Pepe (performed by
as he doesn’t have enough money to
Gheorghe Dinica), one of the mafia’s
10
the
man
begins
to
chiefs and “composer” of the texts uttered
This film represents Romania in the
by Bucharest’s beggars, chooses to protect
festival for the Oscar Awards given by the
him.
American Academy of Films.
Radu Goicea 12M4
The Merchandise and The Money
although he guesses there might be
Like many other Romanians, the
something illegal about the content of the
young Ovidiu (played by Alexandru
bag. For him “the aim justifies the means”
Papadopol) form Constanta (a town on the
as he badly needs the money to set up his
Black sea Coast) dreams of having his
own serious business. He will go by car to
own business, at least a kiosk where he
Bucharest together with his friend Vali
could sell any kind of merchandise. Yet he
and with the latter’s girlfriend. No sooner
has to carry out his commercial activity in
had they left Constanta than the problems
the “boutique” from his livingroom whose
appeared.
window becomes the counter and whose
The film is a drama directed by
shop-assistant is his mother. Ovidiu
Cristian Puiu that got several awards at the
considers himself lucky when an old
film festivals in Angers, Salonic and
acquaintance, Marcel Ivanov (performed
Trieste. It represents Romania at Cannes
by Razvan Vasilescu) proposes him a deal:
Festival
he is to get an important amount of money
realisateurs” ).
if he delivers a bag to an address in
(section
“Quinzaine
de
Rain Silvia 11M2
Bucharest. Ovidiu accepts the proposal,
Top ten films in Romania (December 2002)
1. Die Another Day
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
3. Santa Clause 2
4. Deathmatch
5. The Quiet American
6. Anita and Me
7. Enough
8. 28 Days Later
9. Rishtey
10. Bowling for Columbia
11
Our favorite films
The Titanic
A film I saw recently and liked very much is the famous James Cameron’s
‘Titanic’. It is the story of the sinking of the largest and most expensive ship in the world.
Brock Lovett, a modern treasure seeker, tries to pull out the Titanic, sunk in 1912.
And the remains of the transatlantic bring back to the memory of Rose (who had traveled on
board of the ship) all her beautiful and painful memories.
She was a sad woman, engaged to a man she didn’t love and she wasn’t happy at
all with her life. That is why she wanted to kill herself by jumping off the board of The
Titanic. While she was at the edge of her life a voice stopped her. It was Jack who persuaded
her not to take that decisive step. Rose finishes by falling in love with her savior. Although
engaged to another man, she couldn’t stop her feelings and lived a forbidden romance with
Jack.
Their beautiful love was very emotional and nearly made me cry. Yet the most
touching moment was Jack’s death and Rose’s promise to go on with her life and to remain
with the memory of a beautiful love.
I liked this film very much because, apart from its scientific meaning and the
presentation of the sinking of the Titanic, it reveals a very beautiful romance and an
impressive fight for survival in extreme situations.
Simona Dumitrescu 11M2
Not Another Teen Movie
The last film that I saw is a comedy with teenagers. It wasn’t awarded any prize in
movie festivals but it was well received by the public.
Its plot isn’t so special: the most popular guy in school, Jake, makes a bet with his
sport rivals to transform the ugliest girl in school in the queen of the prom ball.
The girl chosen is a rebel painter who comes from a poor and weird family.
He’s helped by Catherine, his sister, to make Jenny fall in love with him.
After a while, Jenny finds out the truth about the fact that generated their
relationship; yet meanwhile Jack’s feelings got serious.
12
The difference between their social status is great. It is difficult for Jenny to
forgive him but love is stronger than those reasons.
This is a story with a happy ending, even if Jenny isn’t the prom queen.
Don’t miss this film!
Anca Susma 11M2
Our Favourite Actor/ Actress
Angelina Jolie
My favourite film actress is the 27- year- old Angelina
Jolie. I admire Angelina and her work very much. I have been a big
fan of hers for a few years now and I have always been impressed
with each new movie and project she makes.
She
is
an
extremely talented
actress
with
an
extraordinary ability to play any role. In one movie she’s sexy and
sultry, in another she can play a convincing crazy psycho. With her
new “Tomb Rider” movie, she’ll prove she can play an action star. I’m eager to see how far
she’ll go.
Angelina landed her first starring role in “Hackers”. She portrayed the only
girl in group who can lay claim to the status of elite hacker. She has acted in several
independent films such as “Gathering Evidence” and “Oh no, not her”. Her recent success,
“Gia” has catapulted her into stardom. I think that Jolie’s performance in this movie is
phenomenal.
Her film debut was “Looking to get out” at seven years old.
Before becoming an actress, Angelina worked as a professional model and she
has also appeared in music videos. I think that she is rising higher and higher in her career
due to her excellent acting skills.
Mihaela Dragomir 11M2
13
Keanu Reeves
I have chosen to speak about Keanu Reeves, who is so different from other
actors that some people consider it would not be an exaggeration to say that he lives on
another planet from the rest of us.
Born in Beirut in 1964 to a British mother and a
Chinese – Hawaiian father Keanu (his name means cool
breeze over the mountains) spent his childhood in Australia
and then in New York.
He had a difficult childhood, drinking heavily
and partying while studying at the High School of Performing
Arts in Toronto. But he dropped out and began making TV
commercials for Coke and other products.
At the age of 19, Keanu decided to move to Los
Angeles, where he has lived ever since.
His first serious movie was River’s Edge. Since then, his most notable roles
have been as FBI agent in Point Break, as an Englishmen with an accent problem in Bram
Stoker’s Dracula. Recently, he has been acclaimed for the role in Matrix.
What I particularly like about this intelligent and mysterious actor is that he
doesn’t believe in the material world, but remains aloof from it.
Ana Maria Popescu 11M2
QUESTIONS TO PONDER ON
What makes o good film? (its cast / director / sets / theme / message / plot / special
effects / stunts etc)
It is more challenging to read a book or to watch the film it was turned into?
A ten-year study in the USA shows that violent movies are likely to induce violent
behaviour in teenagers. What is your opinion?
14
Traditional and Classical Music
Romania has a very rich culture which allows its people to be proud of their
origins and of their ancestors. It is largely derived from the Roman, with strains of Slavic,
Magyar (Hungarian), Greek, and Turkish influence. Although Romania has been influenced
by divergent trends, it also has a rich native culture. Poems, folktales and folk music have
always held central place in our culture. Romanian literature, art, and music attained
maturity in the 19th century when minorities in European empires, including Czechs,
Romanians and Finns, began to fight political and cultural independence. Nations on the
outskirts of Europe began to develop individual musical identities. In the context of these
political and cultural developments, folk music emerged as an expression of national identity
in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century in Europe.
Past Composers
George Enescu was born in 1881 in Liveni, Romania. He was a great violonist,
pianist, conductor and composer .He began the study of violin at the age of 4 and entered the
Vienna Conservatory at 7 and the Paris Conservatoire at 13.Among his masters were the
noted French composers Jules Massnet and Gabriel Faure. Enescu toured Europe as a violin
virtuoso; he conducted the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 1937-1938. Enescu was
also a noted teacher: the violonist Yehudi Menuhin was his pupil. After World War II,
Enescu made Paris his home.
Romanian banknote with George Enescu’s
E
portrait
N
15
Enescu was considered the outstanding Romanian composer of his time. A versatile
musician, he wrote in a number of styles: romantic, neoclassical, atonal. His fame as a
composer, however, rests on such works as the two Romanian Rhapsodies, in which he
makes use of national folk melodies. His other works include the Symphonic suite Poema
Romana (1898), three symphonies, chamber music, and the opera Oedipe (1936).
To find out more about the classical and modern music in Romania visit the site
http://www.geocities.com/petrudumitru/mysound/history_romanianmusic.html
Ciprian Porumbescu (1853-1883) was one of the greatest Romanian composers.
He discovered his love for music since he was only a child. His patriotic songs made the
people of his country be proud that they are Romanian. He was born in Sibot, Suceava
county (Northern Moldavia).He was one of the precursors of Romanian music\. The link
with the folk music was decisive in his professional forming. The operetta “Crai Nou”, his
“Balada”, for violin and piano are very popular. He also wrote the former anthem of
Romania , “Three Colours”.
Modern Music in Romania
In Romania people like listening to music very much, sometimes just to relax or
sometimes to dance to it at parties. A Romanian party is an opportunity for people to enjoy
themselves by dancing to good music. So, they choose Romanian, but also foreign music
and singers like Nelly, Eminem, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna and others.
Most teenagers like listening to foreign music and bands like t.A.T.u, Nickelback,
Linkin Park and others. Rock, rapp and trance are in fashion.
16
We also have very good Romanian bands that perform dance, pop, hip-hop and
other types of music. One of the most remarkable is Animal-X, who won this year's MTV
EUROPEAN MUSIC AWARD for best Romanian group(they perform techno trance).
We also have very good hip-hop bands like B.U.G Mafia or Parazitii, who are
very well known.
To make you have a better ideea of modern music preferences in Romania, here
are presented charts of the best songs in Romania and best ones in Europe.
Top 10 for Best songs in Romania:
Top 10 in Europe:
1. Dilemma (Nelly feat Kelly)
1. Can't stop loving you (Phil Collins)
2. All the things she said (t.A.T.u.)
2. Complicated (Avril Lavigne)
3. Lose yourself (Eminem)
3. Die another day (Madonna)
4. Just Like a pill (Pink)
4. Feel (Robbie Williams)
5. Jenny from the block (Jennifer Lopez)
5. Lose yourself (Eminem)
6. Die another day (Madonna)
6. Asereje (Las Ketchup)
7. Familly portrait (Pink)
7. Just like a pill (Pink)
8. Tu es foutu (Ingrid)
8. These are the days (O-Town)
9. A bit harde (Kosheen)
9. Dilemma (Nelly feat Kelly)
10.Can't stop loving you (Phil Collins)
10.Maybe (Enrique Iglesias)
At the moment,the number one album in Romania is “Nellyville”. According to
statistics, people like best the following songs: Dilemma, Air force ones, Work it and No 1.
As you may see, the Romanians appreciate all types of modern music and
this is the most popular music in Romania. Most of the people who love listening to modern
music are teenagers and youngsters (aged 25 to 30).
17
Folk music
In the villages of Transylvania, part of Romania since World War I (1914-1918),
the influence of previous decades as part of the Hungarian empire is still felt. Music and
dance was, and still is, at the core of seasonal celebrations and life-cycle rituals. Among the
dance music usually played at outdoor village gatherings, a strong solo vocal tradition
developed exploring the full range and expressive tones of the voice. This is also true for
instruments such as the violin or bagpipe, which are played quite demonstratively as solo
instruments.
In Romania's traditional music the following instruments (some of them are not
originally from Romania) are used:
The lute entered medieval Europe from Arabic culture as an instrument plucked
by a plectrum, or pick, with four pairs of strings. It was a version of the Arabic 'ud (spelled
oud by its modern Balkan players), which today is an unfretted, plectrum-plucked
instrument with four to seven double courses. Relatives of
the 'ud and lute include the Romanian cobza, the
mandolin, and the medieval mandola. These broadly
resemble the short-necked lutes that had appeared in the
Middle East by about 700BC. Modern examples include
the Greek bouzouki and the Japanese shamisen.
Lutes
are
plucked
chordophones
divided
roughly into two types: long necked and short necked.
18
The long-necked lute seen here has elaborate inlay work and a fretted fingerboard. The lute
was introduced to Europe in the 10th century and became very popular during the
Renaissance. Today lutes are usually used in folk music.
Panpipes are members of the flute family of musical instruments .Panpipes are a
set of tuned pipes, often stopped at the lower end and joined together in either a raft or a
bundle shape. Panpipes made from a variety of materials-cane, wood, clay, metal, and stoneare found worldwide and have been known since antiquity. They include the ancient Greek
syrinx, the modern Romanian nai, and the yupana of the Andes. The name panpipe refers to
the god Pan of ancient Greek mythology; fleeing his pursuit, the nymph Syrinx was turned
into a bed of reeds, from which Pan made his pipes.
Moldova has a rich folk culture, which flourished during the Soviet period. The
Soviet government strongly promoted Moldovan folk music and dance, but it also
introduced subtle distortions to hide the folk traditions’ Romanian origins. For example, the
national folk costume was changed to replace the Romanian opinca, a traditional moccasin,
with the Russian boot. An ancient folk ballad, the Miorita, holds special significance in
Moldovan folk culture. Folk traditions such as ceramics and weaving continue to be
practiced in rural areas.
Hora is a lively Romanian folk dance, performed by dancers with arms
interlocked, moving counterclockwise in a circle. The Romanian hora is danced at
celebrations and for recreation. Its steps vary from simple to intricate, and the musical meter
often juxtaposes units of two and three beats. Dancers may be included or excluded
according to local standards of propriety. The dance was taken to Israel by immigrants,
where it became purely recreational, without ceremonial significance, and is often danced
with participants holding hands.
Throughout most of Romania, dances are popular communal affairs. In many
villages, a hora (round dance) takes place every weekend and on special holidays. This is
also the time when the exchange of gossip, news, and job opportunities occurs. This is an
example of a brîul, a men’s line dance that might be performed at the hora. The featured
instrument in this dance piece is the tárogató, a double-reed woodwind instrument invented
19
in Hungary during the 19th century and now a popular instrument in west Romanian
villages.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER ON
Do you think that certain kinds of music such as rock may have a bad influence on
teenagers?
Do you consider that certain musical pieces can uplift your soul and change your
mood for the better?
Can you imagine life without music? What would it be like?
Brânduşa Bâră, Matilda Marin and Andra Straja, 9F1
FASHION
Over the centuries fashion has played an
important part in people’s life. It has acted like a status
symbol and many people have determined a person’s
character by the clothes he or she has chosen to wear. That is
why both men and women have always tried to look good.
In Romania, fashion has been influenced by western
countries for more than a decade. However, in the past few
years, several native fashion designers have set trends which
evolved somewhat independently from western ones. Up-tothe minute fashion is particularly popular with teenagers, who sometimes devote quite a lot
of time choosing what to wear. Of course, their choice depends on where
they have to go: they dress formally for a school ceremony and casually
for a party.
Some adolescents enjoy extravagant, eccentric clothes
when they go to a disco or to a party. It is their way of showing they are
nonconformist, that they defy generally accepted codes. They may be in
search of their true self and simply experience an “identity crisis”. Some
20
try to imitate their music or movie idols, but most of them end up realizing that ordinarily
dressed people may be human beings of remarkable value.
Romanian adults do not always agree with this kind of dress code, because
they say “We used to have other dressing habits, more formal ones”.
In some way they
are right but they must try to understand us and comply with these new trends without
arguing so much.
SCHOOL
School is where adolescents spend most of their time every day. Although
school requires a more formal style teenagers like to dress fashionably and adopt any latest
significant tendency in fashion.
The denim has always been fashionable and popular with pupils as it is
suitable for many occasions, school included, of course
In Romania school uniforms are not compulsory any longer (they used to be in
the communist regime and they were very dull). Yet a few schools have their distinctive
outfits Ours doesn’t and we are glad we can dress casually and thus feel more comfortable.
Girls usually wear blue jeans, t-shirts, blouses, pullovers and coats, while boys wear blue
jeans, shirts, pullovers and coats depending on the weather, of course.
PARTIES AND FREE TIME
Adolescents always try to look good, feel good and have a lot of fun. As
parties and their free time are very important to them and don’t require a formal style, they
have a wide range of choices. Going to a party, to a disco, to the cinema, to the theatre, to a
concert or on a trip mean having a good dress sense and choosing the most appropriate
clothing items.
It is a generally acknowledged fact that girls are more interested in being
fashionable than boys; they want to look good every single day and impress everyone with
their style. Girls have a lot of clothes for different occasions, from the classic jeans and tshirts to the sensual long dresses that reveal the sensitive part of every girl.
Boys are also fond of looking good and of being fashionable at the same time.
They dress more casually but sometimes their clothes also show their romantic side.
21
QUESTIONS TO PONDER ON
Do you believe that fashion can radically change the exterior aspect of people?
Do clothes always reflect the person who wears them?
Do you get dressed according to your mood?
Do you act differently when you are dressed in a certain way?
Do you agree that by the clothes people wear they can convey certain attitudes
towards life?
Alexandra Cismaru and Laura Duma, 9F1
Philosophies of Life
Answers to the German Questionnaire
1-Things you do and things that you don’t do. You need to take advantage of the
beautiful things life gives you and set aside the disappointments. If you choose to live as a
couch potato you are going to hate yourself later on.
2.-If such a reality exists people are entitled to believe in it if they think it
enlightens them spiritually. It is not up to me to say whether such an entity exists, but if
people chose to have faith in it, it’s simply a matter of taste.
3.-The world develops because smart enough people were born to develop it. The
world today is certainly not the consequence of a fluke, the world is what it is because
humans made it possible.
4-Humans are animals. The most evolved species but still animals. What separates
us from the rest is our ability to create and also to think in such a way that we can tame other
animals.
5-Women and men are born different, first of all sexually but this is just an outside
portrayal of the inner differences between both sexes. It’s hard to name them precisely but
sadly there is a gender war in progress throughout the world.
22
6-I could probably say that the world is progressing towards destruction.
Technologically it has grown so much that certain moral boundaries have been crossed (first
human clone) and we are headed for a world where the individual will no longer be taken
into account.
7-We are not doing very well as far as nature is concerned. Basically if we desire
to improve life physically we need to stop exactly what we are doing now, which is
destroying the rain forest and waste dumping just because it’s easier this way. Sooner or
later we won’t have an Earth to live on.
8-If what is thought to happen in the future will actually become reality, I am not
sure I will enjoy life on Earth. People seem to have less and less time for romance and think
thousands of times before making a decision, thus worrying to much and wasting precious
time. From the lifestyle point of view I don’t see any improvements in the future.
9-This is a question we can only speculate on, because we cannot give a certain
answer. Personally I think mankind has the ability to build a bright future for it self, but only
if we really want to. People have got stuck with the idea that they can trash the world any
way they want to like their private property. This is not true.
10-I see happiness. Why? Because I don’t ask too much from life and I never did.
“Simplify, simplify” that is my motto. A nice teaching job in a quiet little town without any
complications and with lots of friends.
11-I have to say I am not looking forward to either of them! Death is however a
natural phenomenon but when someone dear to as passes away a part of us seems to die
along with that person. You just can’t help it. And it’s not death itself that scares people Its
eternity frightens them……..
12-Love, freedom, and a good CD player!
13-Balance. Nothing can be achieved without some sort of system that gives
everybody a chance. Nowadays, there is no such system. Democracy cannot be a substitute.
14-
23
15-Nowadays, money. Very few people do what is right and most of them do what
is profitable. Like Sheryl Crow used to say, “If it makes you happy/ It can’t be that bad”.
With or without money!
16-Every human being has a certain amount of kindness in them, but many choose
not to let it show and rather leave their evil side dominate them. It’s a matter of how you’re
brought up and how you choose to live, but I’m convinced every person has a little bit of
good inside them.
17-We don’t know. We have the opportunity to choose what is good for us.
“Universal Good”, if it exists, is not accessible to the masses. You have to direct yourself to
whichever road you think is best for you. If you’re on the right track, you’ll know it.
18-Like I said before, these kind of questions are almost impossible to answer
because you cannot bring any arguments to support your theory. Some things you just have
to leave as they are or else life might lose its meaning.
1920-I’m a happy person. I never complain, I always try to make the most of every
situation. I love to live and I live to love. I consider my presence on Earth a gift from God
and I don’t take it for granted.
P.S. Don’t try to explain the inexplicable. Leave it as it is!
Bogdan Tudor 11S
24
Attitudes to War
Is Iraq a Threat?
On 6 December 2002, the 11 S students from “Mihai Viteazul” National College
organised a debate on the “Attitudes to war” topic within the Comennius Project. Supervised
by Ms. Roxana Boldijar, their history teacher, they discussed whether or not Iraq is a
possible threat. The debate was held between two teams consisting of three members, in the
Karl Popper debating style. The ones who considered Iraq an actual threat were Dragos Ivan,
Camelia Dinu and Teodor Manea. Those who opposed them were Lucian Terente, Mihai
Bucur and Anca Avram. Mrs. Doina Dumitrache (English teacher), Mr. Bogdan Georgescu
(religion teacher) and Mrs. Alina Ranenfir (Sociology teacher) attended the debate.
The team which considered Iraq to be a threat had as a major argument the theory
according to which Saddam Hussein and Iraq are one and the same thing. This is the reason
why they based their strategy on their first speaker and on the biography of the Iraqui leader,
focusing on the brutal way through which he has achieved his power, embarking in a futile
war against Iran and the hostility shown towards the USA and the Western world in the past
12 years. The social and economic status of the country is also a consequence of Saddam
Hussein’s policy.
On the other hand, the opposing team stated that the refusal to cooperate with the
USA is a normal, self-defensive attitude if we account for all the American interferences in
the Middle-East.
Discussing the actual political and social context, they noticed the country is
under strict international monitoring, surveillance which is obvious in the embargo imposed
upon them and in the international resolutions adopted by the UN, which have forced
Saddam’s regime to accept control from a team in charge with the nuclear, chemical and
biological inspections. The consequence of this situation is, in the team’s view, Iraq’s
tombstone, for they are no longer capable to gain access to the resources that would have
powered them in a hypothetical conflict against the allied forces. Their opponents’ answer to
this theory was that even though Iraq is under embargo, the only person responsible for this
25
status is Saddam Hussein himself. They also pointed out that the ones who suffer the most
from this embargo are the Iraquis themselves, who ironically, are not even directly involved
in the conflict. Hence, a first conclusion arises: Saddam poses a threat to his people.
Regarding Iraq’s capability to develop weapons of mass destruction, those who
considered Iraq dangerous brought evidence in the form of the disarming commission’s
reports which pointed out the country’s capability to develop such weapons. Being asked
where Saddam gets his funding from, they brought into discussion the dictator’s numerous
ties with the Russian mob, but also with high Kremlin officials (an article published in a
Romanian newspaper on March 31st 1999, quoting from “The New York Times”, stated that
the Iraqui leader had bribed the Russian prime-minister in order to be supplied with materiel
for an atomic weapon).
The people’s general view on the situation was also taken into account. In
September 1998, before the operation “Desert Fox” had been authorised, many people
expressed their disagreement towards the American interference in Iraq. In cities such as
New York, Washington, Los Angeles, London or Rome the marchers held up signs that
could read: “We don’t want to die for Texaco!”, “Our blood has a greater price than oil!”,
“Stop killing Iraqui children!”
Clearly, the answer to the question: “Is Iraq a threat?” is as relative as it can be: as
long as the United States will continue to interfere in the Middle-East or anywhere else in
the Muslim world, Saddam Hussein will express his hatred towards them and the shockwave of the conflict will be felt entirely by the Iraqui people.
Bogdan Tudor & Lucian Terente 11S
26
Opportunities for High School Graduates in Romania
After finishing high school,
reversed. People appreciate more the
Romanian students are bound to take a
public universities because they have
school-leaving
the
gained their good name during a long
“baccalaureate” exam. Those who pass it
period of time. Private universities were
can continue their studies at a university,
founded after 1990 and they aren’t deeply
for 4, 5 or 6 years. The others, who
rooted yet in the Romanian educational
haven’t
system.
exam
obtained
the
called
“baccalaureate”
diploma, can choose to work or to go to
Bucharest, the capital, Cluj-
college for a shorter period of time, for 2
Napoca, Iaşi, Timişoara, Braşov, Oradea
or 3 years. But the majority of the
and other are old university towns of the
Romanian students decide to go to
country. In Bucharest there are 12 of the
university.
most important universities and academies
The
Romanian
educational
of Romania and the highest number of
system gives to the high school graduates
students
the possibility to choose from 55 public
university education is developed in every
universities, colleges and academies and
county and our high school graduates
52 private ones. Those who go for a public
sometimes prefer to study at a university
university have to pass a university
which is situated in the county where they
entrance exam, which is quite difficult. In
live than to go to a university city with a
the case of private universities, the written
long lasting tradition, like Bucharest.
exam is replaced with an interview.
of
the
The
country.
most
appreciated
Consequently, it is less difficult to become
universities
student at a private university.
Polytechnic Institute”, “The Academy of
In
countries,
comparison
where
private
other
Economical
educational
Academy”,
with
in
However,
Bucharest
Studies”,
“Carol
are
“The
Davila
public ones, in Romania the situation is
27
Law
Medicine
University”, “The Faculty of Letters”.
institutions are more appreciated than
“The
Moreover, university education
”The Institute of Architecture Ion Mincu”,
in foreign languages is highly regarded in
“The Music Academy” or “The Art
Romania.
“The
Academy”. Also, those who want a
Polytechnic Institute” or at “The Academy
vocational career can attend “The Military
of Economical Studies”, the candidate can
Academy”, “The Police Academy” or
choose a department of the university
“The Marine Academy” and those who
where he can study in French, English and
desire a career in sports can go to “The
German. These departments give the
National Institute of Physical Education
students
and Sports”.
For
the
scholarships
example,
opportunity
in
France,
at
to
obtain
England
or
All in all, Romanian university
Germany. As a result, students become
education covers every area of the labour
motivated in their university studies and
market. Romanian youngsters must learn
really consider the university degree an
to take advantage of the opportunities
opportunity in life.
given by the educational system.
For those who desire an artistic
Stefania Mohoreanu 12M2
career, there are universities like:
28
COMENIUS CALENDAR 2002
The European Week, 9-16 March 2002
Biecz, Poland
I consider we are lucky we have become the 6th school in the Comenius
Partnership Project in the autumn of 2001 (after submitting a complex Application file to our
National Socrates Agency , which by the way , ranked it among the best in Romania). The
Socrates Programe, within which the Comenius action is meant for preuniversity education ,
has a very generous plan: to recreate the lost union of the European countries , which was
destroyed by the First and Second World War.
Our “Translational Learning Network’’( for short TLN) , brings together teachers
and students of 6 high schools from 6 Europe countries : Germany, Great Britain, Finland ,
France , Poland, Romania.
During the European Week 2002, students and teachers from six countries had the
chance of a lifetime to meet their foreign peers during 7 days which meant a lot of fun ,
friendship and lessons about each other.
In my opinion, the European Week in Poland wad one of the best weeks of my
entire life. I had the luck to meet a group of wonderful people in a youthful environment , in
which I learned that political borders could be surpassed by friendship.
I think that none of the foreign pupils who came to Poland will ever forget the
nights we spent chatting in the “Ogroda” (a local restaurant) or in the boarding house
bedroom where we gathered for a glass of apple juice and snacks, thus becoming hosts of
our Polish peers.
Another day full of adventures and fun that will “haunt’’ our memories is for sure
the Scouting day in which the Polish students taught us about their different traditional
handicraft making that included: pottery, knitting, building brick walls. But that wasn’t all
for the bravest pupils, who knew the story about the previous European Week Scouting Day.
In the afternoon we learnt, the hard way, how to be forest scouts and that meant putting up
and down a tent, making fire without matches, giving first aid to some injured girls (that
were very good at acting!), how to find our way using a map and a compass. And of course,
29
in the tradition of the Polish Scouting Day some teams were lost in the forest and didn’t
arrive until midnight after they had a little ‘’swim’’ in the local swamps.
Yet, in the spirit of our project, we managed to help each other and overcome
all the impediments, including our native origins, thus creating the bonds between us that, I
hope, will bring the European countries closer in the future.
Radu George Goicea 12 M4
Lancaster, Great Britain
Devised as a project intended to directly foster mutual knowledge and
collaboration, The European Week had an unexpectedly far reaching impact; a school
activity turned into an unforgettable life experience. Regarded as a challenge due to its
international character, the project required documentation, a lot of work, the wish to share
knowledge and get closer. In fact, it meant thorough involvement on behalf of both the
participants and the organizers.
Before going to Britain we made a lot of suppositions and had a lot of doubts
coming from misconceptions referring to “English coldness’’. Nevertheless, the time spent
with the British families showed us that it is wrong to judge by stereotypes.
The Weekend with the families enabled us to get acquainted with the
surroundings, with their lifestyles and was a first step towards good mutual understanding.
Although our hosts’ information about Romania referred to the former communist regime
and to the present poverty, they showed interest in the new different perspective as
embodied by us. We managed to highlight a favorable, realistic image of Romania and show
them our values.
Actually the European Week began on 11 March 2002 when we had the first
official meeting with all the participants in the Assembly hall ad were warmly welcome by
the Headmaster of Lancaster Royal Grammar School . After visiting the school ( we were
impressed by their equipment) we had “getting to know you” games in the International
Room. Then international teams began their workshops on “Lifestyles”. Later that day we
had the honour to be received by the Mayor of Lancaster at the Town Hall.
30
On Tuesday we participated in the sporting activities. Three international teams
participated in a competition which required building team spirit in the some “limit”
situations. We had to use our ingenuity and skill to build a raft for crossing Lancaster
Channel. We succeeded in getting over our fear of heights, in climbing a two metre high
wall. We learned to overcome difficulties together, to count on each other, to laugh together.
On Wednesday, during the Maths contest, we were surprised to find out that
emphasis was laid on team problem solving, not on individual knowledge. After finishing
work on “Lifestyle”, we took part in an orienteering competition, managing to read maps
and to collect all the clues on our way.
On Thursday we visited The Film Museum in Bradford where we had an
incredible experience of a three-dimensional movie.
On our last day in Lancaster we attended an English lesson and a videoconference with the partner schools. In the afternoon the participating groups introduced
their towns and schools. Our speech and the images presented stirred our hosts’ interest and
curiosity and they promised to visit us soon.
I consider that the European Week played an important part in the lives of all
the participants. Apart from the intercultural contact that broadened our horizons, the
interpersonal contact was our greatest attainment. So, all our misconceptions about
foreigners vanished and, in our turn, we proved that many suspicions about Romania were
wrong. We successfully lived together in a multinational environment and demonstrated that
country borders are merely conventional as they cannot be barriers to friendship and mutual
understanding among people.
Ruxandra Camenita 12 M1
Montargis, France
A great philosopher once said that no matter what you visit during your lifetime,
no matter what you see and do in those places, no matter what the aftermath of your
activities are, you do not actually leave your birthplace, your country, you are related to
31
them for as long as you live. He also sad that it is all in our minds…I wonder if it is so in the
case of the Romanian group’s trip to Montargis, France.
I have always wished to see France, to discover its unique essence, to understand
its sole culture-history, literature, and art. So, together with Cristian Cretu, Alina Costache
and Mr.Gh.Morar, we arrived on Charles de Gaulle airport, a after an amazing flight with the
airplane. There were two teachers waiting for us; we were the first ones to arrive and they
told us they told us we are bound to wait for the boys in Great Britain to arrive, so we
decided to go on a short trip to Paris together with the Finish girls. We only had a map and
our curiosity and courage to help us. We didn’t feel strange at all; we felt we belonged to
that world…
…And there was Sacre Coeur, the heart of the cosmopolite spirit of France. “Mio
Cordi Jesu Gallia Poenitens et devota et gratia” — this was written on a frontispiece in the
immense Church. There were people from all over the world in the small, bleak corners, in
front of the altar, and on the long benches. We also went to La Place de Tertre, near Sacre
Coeur, a dazzling world of the artists painting, drawing, and singing in small bohemian cafes
or outside.
We then returned to the airport and met the others. The British boys were quite
silent, we had to say something stupid about Manchester United in order to make them talk,
and they proved to be funny. So was the group from Germany and Finland. We met our
hosts, and each of us went “home”…Jenny, my host threw a party; though I was exhausted, I
stayed up late, as I wanted to analyze and understand the French teenagers’ way of living.
There is no better way of understanding the values of a human being than studying the way
he / she acts at a party. The boys and girls were very enthusiastic and had the time of their
lives-maybe it was their way of living life, or maybe the alcohol and cigarettes.
I went to sleep in the morning and got up after three years. Jenny was fresher than
ever. As it was our free day, we decided to visit her friends. Cristian and my sister had gone
to Paris, and I was to visit the city after 2 days, on a cold night. I saw Champ Elysee, the
Eiffel Tour, the museum of Louvre and all the others at night and I will never forget the
drops of rain on my face when seeing those incredible testimonies of solid history and
culture, but also of a modernist spirit.
32
However, the hours that I spent together with all the students in Lycee en Foret or
during our trips to Fontainbleau or the cattle farm made the most enduring impressions, the
workshops also had appositive effect: we came to know each much better, to destroy
preconceptions, to whet the interest of the others concerning our own country with its culture
and traditions. The Romanian group was quite disappointed to learn that were the others
known very little about our country. Moreover, they only knew the bad things about
Romania, and kept asking us about the gypsies, the dogs on the streets, the miners and the
politicians-“what they saw on CNN, Euronews, TV5, and other channels. We were ashamed,
but also furious, so we had to present them Romania in a more realistic light. We read them
some of Eminescu’s poems, we told them about Constantin Brancusi, Mircea Eliade, Emil
Cioran — they thought he was a French-, about Ploiesti and our school, students and
teachers and we sang some Romanian songs. We shared the input of the gipsy-problem, of
all the bad things in Romania, and in the end, they felt that there is something special about
this country and its people.
The Comenius Project proved to be an excellent idea when we began to develop
friendships, to make plans in order to meet again, always seeking to be together as much as
possible. We discovered new things about each country, and these are not only words. I
understood that French are not as superficial as they are considered, the Germans are not
cold, and neither are the British. We shared some Romanian wine with the entire group and
our hosts received some wine bottles, “cozonac” — they called it “pain au sucre”-,
“martisoare”, traditional tapestry and also some CD-s with Tudor Gheorghe, Gheorghe
Zamfir.
The Fontainebleau Castle imprinted the felling of grandeur in our minds and
hearts. We saw some of Napoleon Bonaparte’s most beautiful rooms, the Diana Gallery, and
charming drawing rooms. In the end, we were supposed to do a quiz, and find some statues
in the immense garden of the castle.
It’s been 10 months since we left France and we all still keep in touch!
Sanziana Costache 10F1
33
Rendsburg, Germany
Taking part in the Comenius Week in the German town of Rendsburg, at the
Herderschule Gymnasium, was a unique experience for me and a great opportunity to learn
more about the culture and lifestyle in Germany, as well as in the other participating
countries.
As I had a wonderful host family, that of Kristina Butenschon, I was introduced
to aspects of everyday life in Northern Germany and so I now have a very well-formed
impression of what living in Schleswig-Holstein means.
The activities of the Comenius European Week in Herderschule included visits
to Flensburg, a near-by town, where we were taken to a brewery (the biggest in the area) and
a Science Center. Thus, we witnessed the very process of beer-making, which was a “first”
for most of us. We were shown the huge vats where different beers are stored during the
various stages of production, a huge wall with noisy machinery used to clean empty bottles,
and an underground transport tunnel. At the science museum we admired many strange and
wonderful “hands-on” exhibits and optical illusions, many of which seemed to defy the laws
of Physics.
We also became familiar with a traditional sport which we played with our hosts
– a very curious ball-game called Boβeln, which involved the throwing of two balls by the
respective teams, each team-member aiming to throw farther that the opponent. We were
told that Boβeln developed out of some old defense tactics of the Frisians (North seacoast)
against the Romans or other enemies. They would throw the sun-dried balls of loam onto
their enemies, and scored very well. This sport was brought to Northern Germany by the
Dutchmen sometime in the 16th and 17th century.
Apart from then trips and activities organized by Herderschule for the whole
group of visiting students, many of us were taken to different places by our host families. I
for one was lucky enough to be taken to St. Peter’s Ordnung, a North-Sea resort about 60 km
from Rendsburg. There I saw the beautiful sea coast, where a huge beach stretched from the
town’s promenade to the water’s edge. Although the weather was terribly cold and windy, I
very much enjoyed this trip, as well as that to Multimar Wattforum, a sea-museum in
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Tönning, a near-by town. There I could see many varieties of fish living in the North Sea, as
well as other fascinating marine animals.
During the activities that took place within Herderschule, that is the workshops we
took part in, all of us had the opportunity to learn more about each other and the cultures we
came from.
I was surprised to find out some strange ideas others had about Romania, and in
turn, many of the other students and teachers were amazed when they saw our presentation
of our country. Some pictured Romania as an undeveloped mountain country, others thought
we were in the throes of war, while many were convinced our capital was Budapest. With
pictures and explanations we tried to acquaint them with a realistic image of Romania, and,
as a result, many announced their intentions to come and visit our country sometime soon in
the future.
The family I stayed with were also hosting a Polish student and, as she asked
permission to go to church on Sunday morning, this led to discussions about faith and
religion. While Kristina, our host, and her family were Protestant, as most Germans, Kasia,
the Polish girl, was a fervent Catholic, and I was Orthodox. The three of us talked a lot about
our religions and I found out that 95% of Polish people are Greek-Catholics, and most of
them are very active in their faith (as Kasia was). They are very keen on Lent, which implies
not eating any meat on Fridays during the 40-day period that leads to Easter, and go to
church regularly. Both Kasia and Kristina were surprised when I told them about the
Orthodox fasting-custom (no meat or animal-products at all before Easter and Christmas).
Protestants, I found fro Kristina, do not have any sort of restrictions of this kind. As we
discussed about God, and faith in general, Kristina confessed that, personally, she was a
little agnostic, and not very convince4d religion-wise To that, the Catholic girl replied
something that in Catholicism, you have no doubts about at all and by studying religion at
school everything becomes clear. As she told us that, I couldn’t help but remember James
Joyce’s “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” and his depiction of Catholicism taught in
school (a very scary image of Hell, and a list of things not to do in order to avoid getting
there). Anyway, it was very interesting to find what different people, belonging to different
religions, have to say on this matter.
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In terms of culture and heritage, the North of Germany seems to have lost many of
their tradition, by their own admission. I was told that many customs which wee once kept
are now overlooked, and that people don’t have time for such things anymore. The situation
resembled that in Romania, in my view, however here there are still places where tradition is
well-preserved, especially in the country. Knowing this, I expected a more pastoral country
side in Germany too, but there villages (like the one my host family live in Hohenwstedt),
are very similar to cities, on a smaller scale and there is no real “country”-feeling. Still,
villages are spared of the pollution that exists in big cities (which is why most people prefer
to live in the country), and for this reason in Hohenwstedt I saw the clearest and most
amazing star-filled sky ever. At night everything was very dark and a quiet, unique feeling to
experience for someone who lives in a town.
All in all, I am very happy that I traveled to Rendsburg for the Comenius
European Week, and I think the most important outcome of the project is the establishing of
friendships between the participants In the end, I must say that my host from Rendsburg i
visited me in Ploiesti in July, and we have already made plans for my return to Rendsburg.
Ioana Teodorescu 12F1
Tampere, Finland
Having participated in the Comenius project by going to Finland, in Tampere and
taking part at the “Comenius Week” activities organized by Tampereen Normaalikoulu has
meant for me a wonderful and unique experience, which helped me realize that teenagers are
the same all over the world and find out many new things about the differences and
similarities between peoples.
We arrived in Finland on Saturday, 9.03.2002, at about two o’clock in the
afternoon, on a cold and rainy weather, at the airport in Helsinki. A German teacher, who
told us what bus we should take to Tampere, was expecting us. After a long and tiring
journey, we arrived. At the station there were our hosts, who were waiting for us, and with
whom we spent the entire day.
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On Sunday we met with the entire group in the city center, to get to know the city.
Tampere is a city about the size of Ploiesti, with 250,000 inhabitants. Having been an
industrial center in the post-war years has made people call it “The Manchester of Finland”.
The walk was about three km long and ended at a restaurant downtown, where we
had lunch. In the evening we had a getting-to-know-you party, where we had the chance to
meet one another.
On Monday we went to the school, which is very modern. In every classroom
there are a projector, two computers, a TV and a videocassette recorder that are used by the
teachers to keep their classes. I noticed also that, although there is no bell ringing at the
beginning and at the end of the classes, the pupils are not late to classes.
There is also a modern school library, where pupils can use the computers that
are there for whatever they need. Every pupil has some objects that are obligatory and others
that are optional and he also can make his own timetable, with the optional classes he wants,
so practically there are no classmates. The relationship between teachers and students is very
close and the teacher is also a friend.
We had some getting-to-know-you activities: every group presented its own
country; we learnt some Finnish words and made some traditional Karelian pasties.
The next day we went on a trip to Seitsäminen, a Finnish national park situated
rather far from the city, where we skied, had a sauna, ate flamed salmon and played in the
snow. Also, we made our own pancakes and had a “carry your partner” race.
On Wednesday morning we went to the history museum (Vapriiki), where we
were divided into five multinational groups and had to inform ourselves about a certain
period of the history of the area and then present it to the other groups. We spent the
afternoon downtown, exploring an area of the city we had been told to, because the next day
we were suppose to make an artwork in order to express the atmosphere of the area.
On Thursday, we also listened to a Canadian choir and went shopping in the
afternoon.
On Friday, the last day, we were given diplomas for having participated in the
“Comenius Week”; we exchanged e-mail addresses, and talked to the Romanians who went
to Poland, Germany and England. In the evening we had a farewell party.
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The Finnish people are preoccupied with issues like smoking and the protections
of the non-smokers. That is why smoking is prohibited in most public places.
During this week I discovered that the Finnish people, teenagers especially, are
very civilized and responsible and also a lot warmer that we might expect from a northern
country’s inhabitants.
Oana Comanici 10M1
Ploiesti, Romania
What did the European Week represent for me? I’m certain that all the other
participants in the Comenius project would agree that it was more than an intercultural
exchange, even if the activities from this week meant first of all interaction between
different countries, different cultures or civilizations.
Indeed, the entire project could be seen as a complex action, which contributes to
the construction of the future Europe, as by means of the European Week, each participating
country tried to express its own identity. Every day our individual activities involved
collaboration among all the partners of a miniature European community.
By means of the workshops focused on "lifestyles" we tried to create a bond
between the six countries. Consequently, after presenting the manners, the customs, the
specific features of every country, many prejudices changed and we stopped judging a
nation by using statements that are merely stereotypical.
For example, the Finnish didn't present their nation as being extremely well
mannered or polite. However, they didn't prove to be typically Finish, as their behavior was
very polite.
This week really changed many of the participants. For example, the English,
quite cold and reserved in the beginning, gradually became very friendly and their cold
attitude absolutely vanished. To conclude, after the workshops on "lifestyles" we realised
that we should not, by any chance, judge a nation after having analysed only a few
representatives, because they may not all be typical.
So, we can say that the European week brought us many gains, excepting those
that are easy to understand. It is true that it was an occasion to get to know different cultures
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or civilizations or to improve our English knowledge, but what is really important is the fact
that we managed to get a more comprehensive view about the participating countries in the
Comenius project. We also managed to make friends with those who seemed, in the
beginning, very different and difficult to approach. Yet we overcame all this and we can
conclude that after this week we had only gains.
Moreover, for Romania and for “Mihai Viteazul National College”, the
participation in this project represented a challenge and at the same time an important test, as
it was our first participation in the European Week.
Probably the other countries were a bit skeptical at first, but at the end of the
activities, our participation was highly appreciated and we knew that we passed this exam
very well.
Stefania Mohoreanu 12M2
9 May 2002, Europe’s Day
As one of the representatives of TLN project, I participated in the celebration of
Europe’s Day at “Toma Caragiu” Theatre in Ploiesti on 9 May.
The activity was organized by our Municipality together with our Secondary
School that had an exhibition presenting significant aspects from Finland, France, Germany,
Great Britain and Poland as perceived by Romanian pupils during “The European Week”
held in our partner schools (9-16 March 2002).
In the presence of the Mayor of Ploiesti, of the municipality staff responsible for
European integration, of teachers from our school several initiatives were presented which
contributed to European development.
The pupils participating in the round-table talk that followed represented our
school and other important ones in Ploiesti such as “I.L. Caragiale”, “N.Stanescu”,
“Pedagogical Secondary School”, “Economic Secondary School”. Also, five French students
visiting “N. Stanescu” attended the meeting .
After the Mayor’s speech that highlighted some actions undertaken by yhe
Municipality with a view to European integration and development, Mrs. Doina Dumitrache
presented our TLN Comenius project and invited the pupils from our school to point out
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different aspects of it. So some of our participants in the “European Week” held in the 6
partner schools spoke about interesting workshops and contests and answered the questions
addressed by the representatives of the other schools.
We managed to make an imaginary journey in 6 European countries, laying
emphasis on significant aspects of national cultural heritage and of European identity.
The participation of our school in this celebration was highly appreciated and
rewarded with “The Best European Itinerary” certificate by Mrs. Coziana Georgescu, the
person in charge with European integration at our Town Hall.
Stefania Mohoreanu 12 M2
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