When we arrived in Romania, we felt that was the beginning of an adventure and a period of learning a lot of skills.
The trip to Baia Mare it’s can be reported about the beautiful landscapes that we saw, with mountains, roads, typical villages and with an amount of curious churches. The first contact with Romanian culture was when we arrived at the airport and we can say that was a bit difficult to interact with people about what we wanted because we encountered the difficulty of people speaking in English and we can’t say a single word in Romanian. But nothing that the Google translate does not solve.
But now, let’s introduce what it was for Cindy and Catarina when we felt that apartment in Baia Mare was going to be our home for 11 months and how was the contact with our new flatmates and YMCA association (our hosting organization).

Cindy, 26 years old from France 

The first meeting with Alina was very warm in a Skype conversation. I felt happy when I arrived in the apartment when I will live for 11 months. The apartment have 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a big kitchen where we spend the free time talking and having a good time together.  For me, this space it’s perfect.
The first meeting with Olatz, who has already arrived in the apartment was very great because she spoke with me very well in English but obviously I didn’t understand nothing. Alejandro, arrived after me and started talking with a good level of English too. They both came from Spain and the dialogue between them was done in Spanish. My level of Spanish is the same as in English, so immediately I understood that it was going to be hard.
Catarina was the last girl coming to the flat and she arrived in the evening, very late. But, the first impression of each person was very positive.
And now, the adventure can start.
Two weeks passed. All the papers were treated (account in the bank, the Romanian certificate, contract… ).  Actually, the mission didn’t start yet. We are in the introductory phase with presentations, explanations and construction about the teambuilding.
The cohabitation goes well and we are in the same wavelength. Each day it’s a discovery of the city and I find it really charming. For me, the only negative aspect is the fact of the airport staying far from our hosting city. The rest is good.

Day by day, I will improve more and more 😊.

Catarina,  20 years old from Portugal

When I entered in the flat, it was like a stranger invading the house that didn’t belong to me and I didn’t know who the people were, only their names. After exploring the house and deciding which room and bed I would sleep in the next few months, doubts and a number of questions started through my head: “What am I doing here?”, “Is this really what I want?”. But all this was answered in the next 2 weeks. We began to deal with the subjects, so we could stay in the this country on a comfortable way and I realized that my contribution to this city it was started.
The first few days were with a lot of learning and observation. I felt every step that I took, every look that I showed was an evolution of myself.
The guys with which I live in this moment I consider them my friends and I’m so grateful with the way we established this connection. We have a relationship that I didn’t expect, a relationship of inter-help, collaboration, with care, respect, honesty, a relationship when we can understand each other, so a good friendship relation. We all have different ways of acting, of thinking, but none of us is dispensable. We need the little of each one to complete ourselves in the day by day and at work. When I talk about work, I mean the days we spent at YMCA’s office with Alina, a person always ready to help us with a lot of great energy, affection and good humor. In a simple way, a fundamental element in this whole process of adaption, learning and growing as a person. It’s incredible how we can express our way of thinking, working, realizing and the task that each one has in a teamwork with different types of activities.
This is the beginning, the first 2 weeks, but for me it’s as if a month has already passed and in somehow, I feel like I’m at home.
There is a still a lot to learn, a lot to explore and get to know, a lot to see and enjoy, but what I have already saw, I can say: this city is fascinating!!!!
For sure, this is a challenge to myself, both in a personal and professional way. When I look back I will be able to say that all this was worth it.
We have to live everyday with all possible motivation and courage to face everything that comes, if it’s good or bad. Only in this way we can fight against our fears .