Interviews from 2013 - ANG CONSIDERED THEM A WASTE OFTIME -

During the year 2013, despite an important lost in my life, I decided to be involved in an European project of volunteering in Romania. First of all, because the person who suddenly died that year knew that I really want to enjoy this project that was about generations, because I already had a research at the university about them. I went to Romania sharing my thoughts about Europe, my knowledge and my creativity. I leave in this blog the interviews the ANG never sponsorized, but I think that these could be a good starting point for other projects and research, in order to sensibilize better about the consequences of the wars in the people. Enjoy it and leave a comment telling me which one you like most!

Developing EVS projects, CLUB VOLTIN has a great motivation and interest to offer for young people from the local community but also for youngsters from different countries a wide range of opportunities and information in order to achieve intercultural experience and widen their European awareness.

This project is financed by The European Commission. This publication reflects just the point of view of the author and the European Commission can not be held responsable for the use of information that this material contains.

ays , we hope this will be just the first edition of the EVS Day and through the future projects in the following years to enable the transformation of this festival in a tradition. Since 2009, the European Voluntary Service (EVS ) is a part of the "European Union " brought here near us, in our community. It is a living proof , that the European Union is palpable real for the young of our community. This " virus called EVS " brought in Braila 4 years ago by Louis Pasteur Association - Club Voltin changed lives , initiated the elimination of prejudice , made of " multiculturalism " an everyday experience for many residents of Braila. Thanks to all EVS volunteers that are now in Braila and especially the 5 miraculous girls from The project Linking Generations whom are hosted in Club Voltin . Thanks to my team of present and over time collaborators that made possible the developing of Club Voltin of 7 EVS projects in Braila County. Last but not least: my gratitude to all young people from Braila, especially the ones from high schools , who were willing to actively be involved and proudly call themselves " Voltin volunteers " and have been friends for all 33 young EVS volunteers hosted so far in Club Voltin . Let the story begin !

The project “Linking Generations” brought together young EVS and local volunteers from different cultures, several methods of non-formal education (Living Library, Forum Theatre, Photo voice), stimulated group actions from 3 generations (children, youngsters and elders), energized everything with the ferment called „culture” and blended it in Braila's multicultural melting pot. This project saw the involvement of 4 EVS volunteers from Armenia, Bulgaria, France and Italy who performed a 7 month stage in public institutions in Braila : 2 kindergardens, 3 schools, 2 elder centers from Braila town. In order to be able to develop the project's actions, they attended several trainings and workshops: Methods of non-formal education for YiA, specific work techniques adapted to different age psichology (children, youth, elders), Elements of estethics and digital photography (for non-formal Photo Voice method). They organized cultural events in which they promoted their cultureslike Eurovillage in the County library “Panait Istrati” Braila.They also attended intensive Romanian language classes. Through the use of non-formal education the young volunteers and their beneficiaries came up with two cultural creations, as dissemination materials: a multicultural-fairy tale, an intecultural-life story (a broshure in electonical /edited format ) and a DVD containing the most important events of the project. The EVS volunteers participated at some traditional events from Braila’s community, like “The Volunteering Fair”, together with all the NGOs from the city. They also participated at a festivity called ZIUASEV - EVS DAYwhere they prepaired materials descibing their EVS experience in a non-formal method, and their activities during the entire project “Linking Generations”. LINKING GENERATIONS SCAMBIEUROPEI – Italia- sending organisation FOR Alessia Bruni and Valeria Colangelo EI ref. 2010-IT-163 website: www.scambieuropei.com The main purpose of the organization is finding opportunities for young Italian people to experience European (or extra-European) mobility, through the promotion of job offers, scholarships, internships, volunteering, and intercultural exchanges. Our work puts a special accent on young people, because we strongly believe in the importance of the youngsters for the building of a real European feeling, based on concrete action as our national campaign against unpaid internships. One of our main objectives is to stimulate multi-cultural meeting and reciprocal knowledge to encourage a more real and less rhetoric ideal of "European citizenship", that's why since January 2010 we are participating and organizing project in the framework of Youth in Action Programme. Since june 2010 and we are running an online magazine to allow our associates to share their experiences. Federation of Youth Clubs of Armenia(FYCA)–sending organization for Yana Baghdasaryan. EI reference:2012-PL-59 website: www.fyca.net Was founded in 1999 as a national NGO. It now unites more than 90 youth clubs, centres and organisations from all over Armenia. FYCA's main aims are: to empower open youth work, encourage active involvement of young people in their community and civil society, to develop youth information, counselling and research, intercultural learning, inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities, sustainable human development, active democratic participation, development of youth work in Armenia. “Active Ideas” Foundation – Bulgaria- sending organisation for Svetlana Georgieva EI reference: 2010-BG-18; website: Is a youth environmental organization. Our main aim is to build ecological education, by doing outdoor activities. We organize activates connected to: ecology, art, culture, sport, social work, music and other free time activities.

My name in Dragan D. , i am seventy years old and i am an engineer chemist and i realised products inventions in chemistry. 2. There was a moment in your life in which you was compared with others cultures? When i wasan intern i worked with japanese, russian, german people. The germen people are very correct, self confidence- to russian people you had to give them something to drink every morning before starting the work. I have been gone abroad also with job and on my own. I visited 14 countryies- Estonia, Austia- i faced the culture of other countries. In Spain i stayed for ten days, i visited the Prado musseum, in Estonia a cathedral, a castle, a smoky factory and a place with golden tours. 3. What was the most important experience? I wnt to Austria and Spainwith an representant of America who was a romanian person and i proposed to him a project that we realized it in three years together. First, it was aplied in Bacau, then in Tragu Mures. We visited a petro chimichal factory in Viena, then in Spain. In 1992, i participated at an international exposition at Sevilia. Abroad, i met organizational differences, but there was an approach betwwn persons. 4. Which were the differences from the beginning of the multicultural experience and how do you see this experience now? Every culture has something to offer- i liked the literature, the music, i was open to new experiences – i saw a dancer in the middle of Sevillia dressed in blackand who danced on her own. At Prado musseum i saw special pictures. In Russia, at San Petersburg i liked very much the Ecaterina's Palace. I was not afraid to explore new culutres, i wanted very much to do it, it came from the heart. I talked with russian, but the spanish people was very opend. 5. What are your feelings about multiculturality now, at this moment? I'm sorry i cannot travel now- i have a son who works in Torino as a mecanic engineer . I really wish to see Roma, Milano, the nord-east of Italy- i read about these things i want to share with the foreign people thins about my country, the romanian country. 6. What is your advice for the people who have contact with other cultures? I would advise them to go to meet other cultures, but not to stay in restaurantes and hotles, bu to talk to people, to feel them 7. What is one of the funniest events of this multicultural experience? It was something that impressed me-at the edge of Rusia, at 20 km near San Petersburg, there were many fountains that started to blow out and people started to avoid the water. I also danced- an estonian woman who fought for the independence invited me to dance. Interview made by Valeria Colangelo EVS volunteer from Italy

My name is Mariama G. and I am 73 years old. I'm from Timisoara and now I live in the south of Italy (Lagopesole) with my daughters. 2. There was a moment in your life in which you was compared with others cultures? My first daughter went to work in Italy with her husband. When my husband is dead me and my youngest daughter we reached. Elena's husband has found a job at my youngest daughter in a neighboring village and I take care of my youngest grandchild. 3. What was the most important experience? Definitely come to Italy after the death of my husband. My daughter didn't work in Romania and I never saw my grandchildren. I never thought that I would spend my old age in another country. Now I'm glad I made ??this choice because I am with my family , I can see my grandchildren , my daughters and my son-in-low working and because here we're fine . 4. Which were the differences from the beginning of the multicultural experience and now? When I arrived I spent the most part of the time at home. I didn't have so much to do and I always need one of my grandchildren to help me whit the translation. Then one of the Romanian girls who work for the Association UNLAwent at home and introduced me to the other Romanian women how work in Lagopesole with older people. Now the Tuesday and Thursday we go to the park together. 5. What is your advice for the people who have contact with other cultures? I think the most important thing is to know the locals and try to communicate with them. I was lucky because my daughter and my grandchildren already knew the people of the country and the language. 6. What is one of the funniest events of this multicultural experience? At the beginning when I came here I went to the market with my older grandchildren. He was whit me to translate what I wanted but when we went at de desk of the baker he always asked a piece of pizza or a sweet more. It was his reward. Interview made by Valeria Colangelo EVS volunteer from Italy.

1. What is yourname? Victoria T. 1930 June 21. 2 . When started the 2nd World War, where were you ? We were in common Moraru in Braila. I was 12, my father spent three , four years into the war , we were good kids home entered Russians in the country after Germans ' that started the war in Russia, and then returned and fought in Romania . They stole ships throwing bombs, hid , crying , we were children , we lived very troubled by that time and my mother had six children upset . Mother's brothers died in the war and a neighbor so have been prisoners in Russia but returned to Romania when the war when the Germans came to our country , we went with our people united to Russia and we beat Russia and Russians Americans were advised and were back again in Romania , and have united with us. And after that , they fell under communism. They tormented world , and Russians , and others. I like to tell kids . Weather was poor on that . That was our life at that time . Germans were united with Romania and they beat the Russians . Then , Americans what they did with the Romans came back again, I left the Germans and we have united with Russia, Russians told us they care but have not kept either. They came and caught us , and we struggled onward as they wanted to . Communism until the fifties or until fifty seven , when we were liberated by the Russians . That we know mother , I was upset that time bomb . ( How many children were you ? ) Six . I was the greatest . Ani came after us where we were in the big island of Braila . Came water enters the house , went to the chickens, in Dobrogea there was war and in war you ducking bombs and so we spent our childhood with bombs that. 3. How old were you during one of the 2nd World War? I was 14 years old. 4 . You have lost relatives or friends during the war? Yes, I lost a brother of the mother, I do not remember ever since. I know that my mother's brother died in the war, in 1917 the mother and father died my mother grew up without a father. But we are talking of war in 1944. Here only the mother's brother died in the war. A nephew was a prisoner of the Russians, stood up in .... eight years. Forty-eight gave way and came out of jail. Captured prisoners. Do not give any food. They eat grass struggling there. Anything else to tell you dear? I was 14 years old. 5. Immediately after the war , what life was like in Romania ? I was upset from a great drought came up in 1955. In 1946 , 1946 was famine , it was not there , was destroyed everything in Braila was nothing , no shop , in Braila or Galati , nothing, everything was down. Something, clothing, anything. After the war it was very hard . In the 50s it was better , but still with poverty. In 50 I was born my daughter. Not found beds , not to the time that was nothing there . Passed as I could. We received three thousand in cooperative cargo queuing . That was in those days . I worked on the yard. ( How did you manage to have a normal life after the war, in the years 1950/1960 ? ) . After the war came collectivization , and we took all the wealth we have and then I worked on collectively. It took us and the earth was hard after the war. We struggle it took all his wealth . It was hard but after his collective sweetened makes us clots were taking people homes , drew people from their homes on fields leads them to make their homes . Very hard it was after the war. Then they went back to their homes , it was life then: very heavy. And that's the thing . And done from home after the Russians left the country, his life sweetened Russians because they took everything and they went in their country , they carry them. In Romania Russians stay there long . Russians have installed here but then never came . Romania took over . They stood for many years but can not remember . But , you say, who knows how it would have been here say they stayed in our country. Interview made by Alessia Bruni, EVS volunteer from Italy

1. What is yourname? Caterina T. 1927 September 5 2. When started the 2nd World War, where were you ? I 'm from the country , 100 km of here . Belong Braila . Coltea village , Braila. We have 100 km to our village , we know there was war , it was here in the city when it was learned that germans come in our village . There was ransacked between people who haved big girls , we had a yard with a shop where I had pigeons and finished . From there he climbed the chimney and made clean , we put a new and three neighboring pres and we got up there and enter the warehouse was half bridge and entered the shed, gave us water, food , ... The germans came . I thought it goes . Our parents were in another village . They came on all streets , as the country with cars and came the boss, the mayor came and made every yard channel and forced many people to cut their sheep two , make them food. That night we got up and sat there and. Now they knew as comrades , were in all the houses , and they were all there, we look through the crack . Did nothing : the boys were calm and determined mother who learned from her school in the village that was the command center where the germans came and they all said, " Stoiana, those girls are up there , give them food, what to do ? They are quiet , do not say nothing , do nothing . Let them talking. There were a man who was walking and came and said : " Aunt , until evening girls sit down as if something happens kite eats " . And we sat there and we started to head out a little, little bit. Some germans boys were so beautiful guys , beautiful young people were then employed and he had many war mean he had the army at war. They were young and in the beginning when we saw begin to wonder what it was as they say in chickens , as they say in the coconut , as they say pig , and we wrote a paper we wrote what they say to overtake them there a month came to us in the yard there some young people all get together . I slept in parents room . 3. How old were you during one of the 2nd World War? 17 years 4. You have lost relatives or friends during the war? No. I have 58 years of marriage. 5. Immediately after the war, what life was like in Romania? Collective Interview made by Alessia Bruni,EVS volunteer from Italy

1. What's yourname? My name is Constantin M. I've 94 years old and I was commander, instructor, aspiring commercial ships. Commercial ships I've been l'Ocean Pacific. Crossed the Panama Canal 6 times. Panama Canal is in the Persian Golf where the canal is in the south of the country are the two largest cities, Iemeno and Jordan. Jordan is very high. These two countries now are fighting, now there is war. We can no longer travel there, although there is the Panama Canal was caught once before Christ, discovered in 706, by the brother of Christopher Columbus. 2. When the 2 World War started, where were you? I was in the war 3 years, 7 months, from 1941 to 1943I didn't knew anything about my family, or the garrison, nothing. 3 . How old were you when the war started? I was young, I was 37 years old. 4 . Did you lost some parents or friends during the war? During the time of the war, after the time in the corporation of monitoring, I left Catargiu , and I came to Braila. I was 22 years old and 7 months. I was in Mangalia. One stagion, as it told, one stagion and half, I worked there in the torpedo boat. Torpiloarele Acesta de Sigur aveau a numar us nu aveam voie (...) . I played in the theatre with Vasilica Tastaman, the most important actress from Braila. I didn't have parents or friends that died in the war. 5 . Immediately afterwar, how was Braila ? Braila is an extraordinary and a beautiful city. The population of Braila is of 360,000 inhabitants. It's a long time that Braila have a lot of beauty things, so rare, as I spoke with the lady who is responsible in Bucharest, Teodoroiu , that interviewed and gave me the opportunity to spoke in the radio, and showed a beauty , but the day today , it's really a shame, that was destroyed almost everything, a lot of intreprineri , shops, are completely destroyed . And the street and sidewalk , as i am told Mr. Teodoroiu he came to me and I was the oldest, they informed , was made at a natural beauty , not with asphalt but with cubic stone . Must not pass a car nic nic even bicycles. We have a tremendous mayor 's cunsecade householder did Braila rare natural beauty , but all stores all as you - I said, disappointing models are completely destroyed stores , do not know if one can find someone to fix them . ( ...) I am when I am part of the Bucharest Corporate and was helmsman . After that I transferred to Galati. I remember family, friends, people who are returning from war. This was the shuttle that we were doing . There happened a bit in 1941 to take the requisition army and ships were transient . I was ready for my conscious all material and necessary because in war you have to think and have consciousness so that a man can fall in the water or it hits something and you immediately sink and tools. I had this, but I was young then. I had a cat ladder boat had all the bare minimum and I was helmsman . My pilots left for fear of war in Greece I am Greek origin . ( ... ) I started working on me about 6 7 months and after this period I have given to torpilou . I was a very conscious I loved that ship commanders . I know to play the instruments and then right on the front there is not music . Music gave them military courage . 6. Can you sing forme? In which language do you want that I sing? In Turkish? In Greek? I want to sing in Greek. (She started singing in Greek). All I have loved this ship which sank in front of our eyes but we were able and escaped three people from drowning. And then we went, we went there we did seven months on monitors. The new monitors came from Bucharest and I filmed. And they came monitors a control, an extraordinarily good man. Took him there now has an office in Constanta. On the street I saw when I kissed. What documents I have given, to frightened. 7.There was a television immediately after the war? Which programs did you remember after the war? Which program was more famous after the war? Let me explain what aintamplat after we left the Danube. In captivity, when I was young, not in the army, took me there and I gave on that ship torpilou . Same ship I sail, I was young , my parents had to live for and he was put out of the army. I was young and I told them do not pass on the Danube. I have a family and need to give them to eat, And then I went and did the private Academy. I was acting and I said that I have an extraordinary talent . Good Lord helped me . I had to give parents and the two sisters to eat . In our free time, we read said if you do not know need to repeat them again. Browse and learn book. I went abroad. I was young. In Germany, there is a bridge that pass on him. Is very low, it is at a level of one meter and a half, it's impossible pass also for a very small boat. No one knows today who did that bridge. And because no one knows, is very wide, from Rechensburg. And because no one knows, it 's called “the devil”. And if we climb on it, see Montenegro, where he was the tragedy. In Germany there is no water greater than 2 and a half meters. We had a load of 70 coaches is taking out merchandise and puts the other ship and go with them. From there out and coming back and must pass several cities. Rechensburg Seamen 's nightmar . It's not allowed to touch anything. You step aside and wielding ship pilots. It has a 1616 feet adancine varies water stream flowing at 24 km per hour. As it was in Braila, when we pulled ashore and locomotive. And there are not anything new we give away. Sunto by humans special. There are 72 ships sunk, is Anahita and exit and there we do not get our hands rudders. Special riders come and go because we have sunk more ships. From Rechensburg I passed the Rhine, drain sin France. It has a fricheuza, open doors if we come from Braila Opening the gates and out to the Danube in Germany. After that, let the water and get up 11 m above. You went in, closed and you ducve the Lower Danube. ( ... ) Acaroling 17 continents 13 islands in the Pacific Ocean but I still travel. I gave a higher degree , a new uniform but I do not want to do them because I army army and I 've done quite enough. You were the first boy mother father sii ? Yes, I have them figured my sisters but they are not alive now. I lost my wife 14 years ago old but I'm thrifty and my house is very clean. I'm going to Greece and I was in Italy, I went to the island of Cyprus and Crete. I want travel again now. 8.How many children do you have? I don't have any son, I've just 2 sisters. My wife was died 14 years ago. Interview made by Alessia Bruni, EVS volunteer from Italy

1.What's yourname? My name is Maria T. 2.When the war start, where were you? I was born in '39. I was lucky enough to still have a year of peace here in Italy. I had everything from my parents, I was cuddled: my dad took me to Piazza Carlo Felice and (my mother) dress me with clothes that she packaged herself. They treated me as a queen, I was really lucky to have this moment of peace! Unfortunately, in the 40's Italy entered into the war and then my childhood totally changed. I remember a strong bombardment in Turin: there was really a surprise and then we did not get to the shelter. There were meadows, before reaching. Unfortunately, that day, a beautiful sunny day , one afternoon, my dad was at work, he worked at the Riv in Turin in Via Nizza, and mom has not had time to take us to the shelter, so we were almost alone, because for the most part had already arrived there, so my mum get down me and my brother and she protected us like a shield. At any rate Torino had been bombed at that moment, on that day there and then we were lucky that between a bomb and the other we are saved, after all. 3.How old were you during the 2 ww? One year on 14 july. 4.Did you lost some relatives or friends during this period? No, but I remember two moments in particular related to that period: I remember that there was a lot of brotherhood , indeed , among us, because the first who understood that there was danger and they had to get ready to go to the shelter , especially if it was at night, remember that you knocked the wall of the bedroom that ad joined the other bedroom, or on the other hand, yes , on the other hand, both from the left and from the right side of other people were staying , so we were all for one another , we were all , did compete to give us a hand , so I 've been picked her up at times by people who did not know ... in the same house , among other things, my godmother lived , then there was also that she was helping my mother in those moments. Then we had a dog , beautiful , fighter , was very smart , he felt even before that, we felt even before the warning signal that he said it on the radio, autum , autum Turin city , he said, and he already pointed out before us , and then , my mother saw as the Leda , so called, which wagged his tail and went back and forth to the balcony , we had a long balcony , this balcony we were four families, so then my mom warned us that it was necessary to protect themselves and therefore, already almost always ready because you went to sleep almost as well dressed and then was in a hurry to get dressed , and go. Even the night that the dog ... I followed the dog, followed Leda Leda and turned around to see if I was following him and my mom followed me with my little brother in her arms. 5.Immediately after the war, how was the life in Italia? I did all the years of the colony. In 1950 I was in Marina di Massa. I was eleven years old and on a Sunday there was a visit engineer Bertolone, who came to see how we were placed. (Q.: Leaders of that company?) Fiat , the Riv , especially those of the Riv , it was they who came to see how you spent your day. Mr. Bertolone calls me and asked: " How are you here?" "Good," and the engineer : "I would like to stay a month here?" To which I was a bit ' surprise because, yes, I said fine, but of course I missed the parents, they wrote me but very little, (laughter) , so I missed my mom and my dad.(Q.: Phone ?) Eh , no, the phone does not exist yet! So I I relied only on a few postcards , yes, a few postcards come, but right now ... The mail was as recruits expect messages of the cards but I just came . However,.. (Q.: Upon returning home , what happened?) I said, " Yes , thank you, engineer ," and I stopped. I did among other things, the beds with the cooks , who among other things in those three days I was without ... I do not even know what team I belonged then, because I remained there! And then I was left with the cooks that I have cared for and I helped them to make the rooms , all rooms have the beds made ??, etc., then I helped them. On the way back, what ' was the surprise? Because my dad had asked the customer service department to keep me a month? The surprise was that he was born on my brother Enrico , the fourth in the series. However, those two months there, all the times that my brother 's birthday , I always tell him : "Look, because of you I was two months! " (Smiles) . Interview made by Alessia Bruni,EVS volunteer from Italy

1.In what year did you meet your husband, in what circumstances and what was your material status at the moment ? We met in 1976 when we both became students at the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages ? and Literatures. I came from Dudestii Vechi - Timisoara and he came from Braila, and that is how I got in Braila.I was late to enter the examination, because then there were exams, not like now when the place is assured with a dossier. Looking on the list of exams, the first name I saw was Andriev Andrew and seemed very nice, so instead of thinking about how to get faster in the exam, and not to miss the exam, I was surprised how nice it sounded the name. Then was the first snap. Then I wanted to find out who is the boy but I didn't express my feeling in any way. Regarding the economical status, being in 1976 during the time of communists, there was no question regarding that matter, we were pleased thatwe had with what to dress and what to eat. For example, I was wearing the sandals of my sister in law wich were platforms, as otherwise it's in trend today, to look taller, cause I just became a student in Bucharest. Our parents were very diligent , hardworking and we eat everything in the most natural way. In the yard we had even a small farm. Our goal was to become intellectuals , and so we chose the best university . 2.Where are your children and how have you influenced their future? Both my children are in Braila. Daniel works at the APAN Company, sales advisor for the BMW brand. I am very happy that he followed his passion. We have always supported the children in what they wanted to do. Our girl, Ioana Maria, is the manager of marketing also at APAN, her majors are in English and Japanese. 3. Do you know what are the dreams / ideals of your children ? What is success for you ? For Dan is a success because he is doing what he likes. For Ioana Maria it was not a dream to work in marketing, but I'm afraid that she didn't have a dream, a clear ideal. But the mere fact that she has an achivement where she's going to work every day and she goes with joy, is an achievement. We personally have dreamed more for her, we bought an apartment but it seems she does not want to live alone because she still lives with us. 4.What is the book that left an echo in your mind , and had a philosophical content wich had an echo ? There isn't a book in particular. I liked the books of great Russian writers but Ididn't manage to teach their work in schools. I am passionate about love literature but I don't find myself in them because I feel fulfilled in love. 5. Have you dreamed to have someone else's life ? Have you ever dreamed to be a queen or to live in a royal family ? Sounds like an interesting question. I never dreamed to be a queen / princess. I dreamed to have someone else's life , but my life has hijacked when I enteredthe faculty of letters. Even though I have a great attraction for foreign languages, I have not dreamed of being a teacher. I loved theater. But at that time there were very limited places, and those were only for the politician's children and the son's of actors. I even risked an year to stay home to get ready with a great actor, George Leahu from Timisoara. I was really good, the teacher with whom I was preparing realised that I was very good, but it was not to be. On the day of the exam , coming on the road, we all were very tired, I remember that the students have organized a protest because we didn't have where to sleep. The Institute said it has no obligation to accommodate us, but still we were hosted in Bulandra's movement room. I failed because there were only 4 seats and 400 candidates and I was not part of those who had to enter. I signed at the Faculty of letters, but I did not forget about my first love, The Theater, and I played three years in the theater Podul. I was part of Catalin Naum's team. After two years the director told me to go to the theater because I will enter for sure. True, it was a guaranteed success. But I was a scholarship and if I would have quit the 3 years of letters I would have lost it and I was not in condition to support myself. The scholarship was my only source of income because my parents were unable to sustain me. This is how it was during the comunism. And so I quit the ideal for the material condition. I rejected the help of Catalin because I wanted to have very fast a salary. Interview made by Svetlana Georgieva, EVS volunteer

1.In what year did you meet your husband, in what circumstances and what was yourmaterial status at the moment? I am 80 years old. When I married my husband I was 20, living in the same city. Material status can tell you that in those days was a huge gap between rich and poor. We were workers working in the factory. I was 20 years old and my husband 22, was slightly older. We have five children. All are great now, at their home. 2.Where are your children and how you have influenced their future? My kids are in town, here in Braila. One of my boys is at monastery, Christianity and faith are his source of universal values, which he uses in trainings and workshops in iconography for children. For my kids I have tried to cultivate morality, cultural spirit. I tried to support the pursuit of knowledge and understanding of our fellow man, to be patient and to understand their mistakes. 3.You know what are the dreams/ideals of your children? What is success for you? Charity, family and contacts 4.What is the book that left an echo in your mind, has a philosophical content to have had an echo? The Bible is the foundation of values that built value system of Christianity. It contains important information about the purpose and meaning of human life, past, present and the future of man, the beginning and end of the world, an invisible world that goes beyond the laws natural matter, space and time, and last but not least information about the Creator of all things visible and invisible. 5. Have you dreamed to have someone else's life? Have you ever dreamed to be a queen or to live in a family of kings? I have not had a life of luxury, I was unhappy. Interview made by Svetlana Georgieva, EVS volunteer from Bulgaria

1What is yourname, when you were born? My name is Maria B., I was born in 1942. My life was a nightmare, I was orphaned by parents and grew up in an orphanage in the orphanage until '49 when I went to first class . From there I finished 7 classes, I was adopted by a family, a family of Perisoru but I was adopted by them to be a slave. I worked a lot in my childhood. At school they did not gave me, I was only 7 classes. Just they sent me with the cow and the sheep in the field. 2What would you like to do when you were a child? Student life was the most beautiful. I liked to work. 3Have you had pets in childhood? Yeah, I had it all. We do not because we had all the money in court, pigs, poultry, turkeys 75. 4What was your childhood idol? I have not an idol. I really wanted to find my brother that I broke in childhood. When I was at school I wrote to “Scanteia Pionierului” (magazine for teens from the communist period) and the ladies therefrom gave me the answer that when I have my house and my salary to visit all the children that were in the orphanage... It was a year younger than me as well. When we split, the teachers gave me a doll as big as me and reconciled me. 5What was your childhood dream? I have not a dream in childhood. I wanted to go to Nicolae Balcescu school but I took the exam without in tha clasroom... Some rich child took my place .......... And I went to a school of agronomy and I buried my dreams. 6What would you like to do when you were a child? I had an unhappy childhood. I worked very hard. Interview made by Yana Bagdhasaryan , EVS volunteer from Armenia

Before came in Romania I was assigned to take from my country some interviews about the stories and the message that people from the old generations want communicate to the young one. I did this duty in a very short time with non – professional tools (phone and photo camera), also if my teacher of the University told me that, with more time, I can use the tools of my university – in fact, in my city we had a television. By the way, I took this interviews to Braila. I'm not satisfied because we took interviews of old people just in the second part of the project, with a very hard work for our mentors, that had to translate the interviews in English. I was upset because I received the information that for every people that I wanted interviewed I had to ask the same questions: for the Italians were not the same and I had cut the answered of the only persons that I chose for being like the others. I recognize that I was promoted from the beginning in my team the importance to start to take interviews in the Caminul de Batrani, maybe used the first meetings with old people and the mentors, that are available to help us with the main difficulty for everybody: the language. The organization share different topics for every of us: mine, in accordance with one of interview from Italy that I told them, was the period of the Second World War and the post war. I chose to tell them this interview because there were more simple events but with a very important meaning: the sense of brotherhood during the war in my city and the role also of the dog to put in a safe place children, women and men. Also if we wrong the way in which use the energies and the materials that we had in the beginning, I can say that thanks this part of the project I understood historical differences between my Italians and Romanians people of other generations. For some aspects, I'm happy to be young in the contemporary age because I've some important elements that can help me more than in the past to be stronger and really helpful with the world community. An element of the interviews of my colleague Miss Yana Baghdasaryan hurts me a lot: she asked to a woman to tell her about dreams of childhood and she answered that she has not time to dream when she was child because she started to work very soon. I read an article of the newspaper of a man from Braila, friend of the center for old people Sfantu Nicolae, that I had occasion to interviews directly. The journalist of the article put as a title: “Adreamer of a long time”. I think that it's very important for every human beings build his own dream and try to realize it. The duty of the political organization of each country is to have the possibility to give to the all people the tools to dream.

Only 2 months are passed after my arrival in the group of «Linking Generations " but two of the main goals of the project have already been completed : the creation of a multicultural basma starting from the national basma and a series of life stories whit interesting topics such as war and love stories. There are many emotions that that this new commitment has generated in me, and I hope to draw many lessons from this experience First I want to talk about the more useful experience for my future work (and certainly the more fun): the creation of a basma with Gradinita 34 and Gradinita 51 . These two schools are so different for the organization of the structure and for the type of users for whom they work. This difference gave me the opportunity to confront two completely dissimilar educational system in two different districts of Braila . Be in contact during my volunteering time with pedagogical systems radically different from my previous experience will allow me to build on a more solid my ratings on assisting school in the future. Another important point of this experience has been the joy and energy with which the children have ever met us. They responded with creativity and attention to all the activities in spite of our language difficulties and organizational mistakes . Surely more difficult was for the teachers adjust their daily program to our visits see that, the most part of the time, they didn't know the activities of our program. Despite the short time that we had to engage children in the creation of the basma, I must say that the interpretation of the final multicultural basma pleasantly surprised all of us. Has been a real pleasure for me to see the kids so involved in a story created specifically for them by the volunteers. The part of the project dedicated to Povesti de Viata provided more individualized work and linguistic competence and I do not think I would have reached my goals without the strong support and the work of the mentors. The linguistic handicap has made difficult to collect the testimonies although I have to say that the sympathy of the elderly has allowed me to progress faster in my knowledge of Romanian. So important in this case was for me the subject of my interviews: the multicultural experience. It was really interesting to talk about a subject so important to me with people so different from me for age or for life experiences. In general I must to say that I am really proud of the team work that we have done and for the good atmosphere that we created between volunteers and mentors. I think that, for the most important part, the achievement of our objectives have been possible only thanks to the work and the availability of Madalina , Ionut et Laura . They have played a key role in the development of this project. I would have liked also to see the meeting of the protagonists of our different activities in order to have a real linking generation between our different generations and I hope that it will be our next goal.