Three-and-a-Half Weeks in Romania

As reported earlier, I flew on 14 May from Stuttgart to Berlin and then to Bucharest on Air Berlin, then back up northwest to Cluj on TAROM.  At Cluj I was welcomed by Horațius Flueraș, and brought to Caminul (Dormitory) Economica, just next door to FSEGA.

Horațius and Moni

I have lived here at Economica for the past three weeks as a guest of Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.

Mihaela, Alexandra, and Tibi meet with me at Marty on Str. Horea

The official purpose of my coming once again to Cluj was a pair of invitations to participate in academic conferences on 16 May and 6 June.  The reason I accepted those invitations is that I love it here.  I have managed at least one visit a year since coming here to teach for the academic year 2008-2009.

At dinner at Marty with a wonderful family

This year it was Monica Z. who first invited me to return to the conference on Contemporary Managerial Challenges that she is in charge of each June.  Once I had accepted that, my colleague Alexandra M. responded with a message reading, "What about my conference?"  Needless to say, I came also for that one.

The new Iulius Park near the Mall

My (messy) room

Valer's mother and uncle in Satu Mare

Mihai Moroșan with Students Charles and Simo in Suceava

Mihai 's work in Suceava

And at Putna

Putna Monastery

Student friends Charles and Simo

And Tibi's car, which he kindly loaned to me for the trip to Suceava

Thus, I have now enjoyed over three consecutive weeks in Cluj and Northern Romania.  As Klaus stayed in Fellbach this time, I have traveled only twice from Cluj, once to Satu Mare to visit Vali S. and his family, and once to Ocna Șugatag and Suceava to visit Vasile at Popasul din Deal and the Moroșan family, respectively.

Mostly, my weeks have been devoted to seeing former students, colleagues, and beloved friends here in town.  I have met this trip with Meli P. and her son Sasha, Moni Z. and her daughter Anamaria, Horațius F., Florina P., Titiana M., Lucian B., Tibi G. and Alexandra M. and their daughters Ida Maria

Ida Maria

and Ingrid,

Ingrid

 Mihaela L., Mircea M., Raluca T., Diana D., Valer S. and his mother Maria, plus his family and neighbors in Satu Mare, Mihai and Traudi M. in Suceava, Andrâs N., Andrei Mocan and Andrei Mutu, Simo Imakor from Morocco, new friend Charls J. de B. from Belgium,  too many colleagues at FSEGA to list here, and Teofil and Maria Rusu, the parents of Daniel, who has lived with us in New Hampshire for much of the past year.  I have also made some new friends in Cluj, including my new teacher of Romanian Ilinca T., as well as Canadian immigrants to Cluj Mihaela and Ted French, and Andrea and Daniela, both kind ladies who work at the coffee shop just up Str. Alexandru Voevod from Caminul Economica.

Some Clujian friends I have missed seeing on this trip, so please forgive me if we did not get a chance to meet, and please keep in touch on Facebook, Skype, or in the e-mail.

So, now I must cross the street to see if anyone is home at the Confucius Institute of UBB, for I promised my dean in America that I would give his best to Doamna Feng, if she is still working here in Cluj.  Then, off to see the Family Rusu, and on to dinner with the Family Tarcea.

Life is good.  Living is relating to people.  I love many of the people I know here in Romania, as at home, where I hope to be going in two more days!