Baia Mare – I Love You by Chloe Colinet de Labeau

Baia Mare, I Love You

Different, new discovery, amazing, new place, exotic, meeting, tiring but transcendent.

It’s been already more than one month since I’m here. Before being here, in Baia Mare, Romania, in a European Voluntary Service, I have never imagined time can pass so fast.

Six months ago, I interrupted my studies as a nurse.

I wanted to take a break, to discover other things, a different country, a new culture. And that’s how, searching on the internet, I discovered the EVS projects and noticed this particular one “Life Skills for Rural Education”. When I first read about it, I knew this is it! There was a feeling, deep inside me, as if it was already written, that I had to join the project.

I applied, that moment. And after a few days of stress, anxiety and waiting, finally, the answer from Team for Youth Association has arrived: YES!

Two weeks later I was in Baia Mare.

Stuffed in my broken suitcase, I lost half of my stuff, my identity card, my fear of flight. But finally, I was there and that’s all that mattered.

When I left France, I imagined an exciting project and, of course, I started feeling homesick. But I also imagined Romania as not necessarily beautiful, not necessarily pleasant, not necessarily at all. But it was totally the opposite.

Romanians turned out to be so nice and of a beautiful kindness that seemed a little disturbing. I don’t know if it’s only Baia Mare or people are like this everywhere in Romania, but if that’s the case, this year may be exceptional.

The landmark here is completely crazy – just sublime. Just go roaming the mountains around the city and you will see – life is beautiful!

And of course, there is also the work in the association.

Do you know what love is? Personally, I thought I knew, but it was before working with children, before seeing smiles that lights up their faces – their little toddler faces, before receiving all their gifts, their hugs. Before all of this, I really didn’t know.

But there’s one thing that scares me – a little bit. All these positive and strong emotions; and I’m here only since a month ago, but everything is so beautiful.

I only have one more sentence to write:

Thank you Team for Youth Association for this amazing gift.

Chloe Colinet de Labueau (France) is hosted in Baia Mare by Team for Youth Association, in the “Life Skills for Rural Education” project, a European Voluntary Service, financed by the European Commission, through the Erasmus Plus Programme.