Memories : special moments in my life

There is a box full of memories. I keep it in my parent's house, somewhere hidden. When I come back home, I search in this box sometimes. Parts of my life are there. Beautiful memories.

...the box is full of letters: the first love message, the correspondence with Andra, Larisa, Andreea, Adriana; leaflets from my classmates, poems, feed back from different projects, 'secret' posts, small souvenirs. Reading some of my high school classmates' letters, got a bit surprised: they saw me becoming a lawyer or a  high class member in the Parliament; some others saw me as a journalist or a person involved in big social activities; somebody saw me President :) None assumed that I will involve in the academic life, cinematography and charity.

 Here I have my grade transcripts from primary school. The highest grade all over. And so I continued until college. Good start, I must recon. :)

Need to say that my primary school teacher was my mother and she was the most severe teacher I have ever had! I remember how difficult was to write with right hand, when I was left handed :)

Then there's the story of this vase: when I first went to a cultural trip with my classmates in primary school, after visiting a monastery in Moldova, I entered in a ceramic shop. I loved so much the things presented there and I bought two vases and 4 bowls (one for each member of my family) with all my trip money. The rest of the excursion I almost starved and couldn't buy anything, but it was worth the sacrifice!

The dried plants have another beautiful story. My mum wanted to teach me how to do agriculture. It was a very difficult lesson, never understood it, must recon that.  All I did  at the end was to dry plants and keep a bit of nature inside my room. I have them since primary school, more than 20 years, I think.

That small white sculpture is a high school remembrance. I had a fight with one of my classmates, he made me cry - and I  remember  I wanted to transfer myself to another high school because  of that. My classmate wrote me a poem next day and additionally, gave me this little sculpture as a present. So cute :P

Two beautiful crystals here, received from two special persons. I love all the horses, but this one is really peculiar as it is a Saudi Arabian horse. It came from so far away for me and  I simply love it! 

About the rose: On NYE I met a person for the first time. This person offered me this crystal rose in the same time when the New Year came. I found the gesture as unique as that person is.

 Ali's book. Birmingham memories.  He gave it to me when  he moved back to Iran. Surprisingly, I still do the 'common mistakes' in English even though I read the book. Shame Victoria! Read again and again and get it right every time!

 A Christmas snow globe!
- 'Do you like it?' he asked.
- '.......Well..yes....very much actually.'
-'Then take it, it's yours'.

I insisted not having it as it was his car accessory, but I found it in my handbag pocket at the end of the day. Some things will never be forgotten.

 My MA graduation. Watching this I'm just wondering: will I ever finish my PhD? hmmmm

'Nine short stories' by  J.D. Salinger.  This is how I started preparing for the Journalism Faculty exam. The entire summer I wrote essays and short stories, again and again.  I prepared so hard (as there were 11 people fighting for one place) and at the end I got rejected. Nevertheless, I got the position the following year, on the top list. Wanted to be a TV presenter. Now I want to have my own television and  even many more things!

Oh, yes! This reminds me of a very nice guy. A  boy with blond  hear, blue eyes and a great, great  soul. I was in the final year at college. So stressed, so many headaches! He worked in a toy shop and brought me this; and he put a smile on my face! I will never forget his help when preparing for the final exams and  writing  up my dissertations. I probably would not have been able to finish both (journalism and sociology) if he wouldn't have been there.  THANK YOU!!!!

My first trip abroad was in the second year of college when I visited Wien.  It was a Christmas trip. Since then I plan to go back there; missing so much the Mozart chocolate (with pistachios),  Schonbrunn (with  the legend of Sisi Empress)  and Albertina Palace (where I saw the entire Picasso collection), Parndorf (where I bought for the first time something from Mango).

After this I enjoyed travelling abroad a lot, and since then I do travel and travel... and now I get tired because of too much travelling, haha :)

Hm...Winston Churchill from Mark. A very good choice. I think that  I received it last year on this time. I have it with me. I found there very good thoughts.

I love these ones: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” or “You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.”  You changed my life too, Mark.

 This book....I have received it from the European Commission during my internship there. A heavy book, literally and figuratively.  When returned to Romania, I had this book in my hand luggage. When I did the check in, they told me that I have 2 kilos more. I just lost the previous flight and bought the next one with my last money so I could not pay the extra tax. So they told me to throw out some stuff from my baggage. What to throw out? I had my camera, my laptop, my hear drier and books. Thirty minutes I begged for some understanding and permission to keep my stuff because I did not have money to pay the extra fee. Almost lost the second flight, hehe. Finally took the plane and my  hand luggage  with everything inside, this book too :)

 J. Bosh with dedication from Alex! A genius, erudite gentlemen! I am so proud  that I have him in my life (as little as I can). Before getting this book from him, we had a great argument about religion, I remember. I got so angry in that dispute and amazingly found out  that he kept himself calm and great. The best professor ever too: he explained me math and computing theories as simply as I understood them, even if I am not a mathematician and studied human sciences all my life. Thank you Alex for your kindness. I love Oxford because of you!

This guitar....  From all the musical instruments, I love the most the piano and the guitar. I saw this one on a post in a  blog in 2008. A guy wanted to give it to anyone who would be able to convince him that the guitar wants to be his/hers. And I convinced him. The guitar wanted me and I wanted it too. It's mine, I love it. Stays there, on a special chair in my room. Always imposing, old and wise! 

One of the poems from M. When I read it I realize that I had everything once  and now I have nothing. What a life!

And this....so difficult to open this box. But I did it. Smiled. Only beautiful memories remained in my mind. Life is just one. Past is past. I can only learn from it and take the good things with me.

Haha, the bird nest from Kian. This guy is crazy..and so original! He gave me this bird box full of candies and chocolate. Never thought that inside the box can be something else. So, day by day, I ate those candies. When the box was almost empty, I saw something there: gloves (it was a very cold winter in Birmingham as far as I remember). In those tiny gloves I found another surprise. You put a smile on my face Kian, thank you! Good friend :*

At the end I want  only to say that I am who I am because of you! All these things happened in my life formed me and made  me to be the human being I am today. I learned to forgive and to accept people as they are. I learned to ask for nothing as no one is obliged to offer me something. I learned to lose and to accept the loss.  I love to give, but I learned to stop giving if those people are not prepared to receive my gift. I learned to wait and to be patient.

And don't forget: I have a little, special place for you in my mind.