Sitting by the window and sipping my 3rd coffee of the day while outside it’s a cold and rainy day, I think back on the last few years and how I got here. ‘Here’ is being back in Romania, after 15 years abroad. Although I am already thinking of moving and I fantasise about how it would be to live in Brussels, Lille or Geneva, while I send in my applications to various positions… I am also thinking of what would make my stay here, for the moment, more enjoyable and generally what would an ideal day would be for me, a day that would give me a little taste of all the places I have lived in. I am at ‘home’ so I am surrounded by photos, books and objects that come from many places and remind me of my life ‘away’.

But the city itself doesn’t allow me to dream much. It’s neither a pretty city like Paris nor a multicultural one like London. And these have been my dream cities for the last 3 years. I hesitated between the two and in the end I chose London at the beginning of the year. I had to try it out and see if I could fit in and find my spot in London. As it turns out, France had changed me and my expectations and lifestyle didn’t match a city the size of London with everything that is included. I think I will forever enjoy it multiculturalism, but the traffic, the amount of people, commuting… it’s not the way I saw myself going forward. So, I decided to return to Romania, to think about my next move, have a decent size apartment all for myself, and be in a more quieter environment to pull myself together and than maybe embark on a different adventure. I’ve been here since June and I still doesn’t feel entirely at ease. It feel like I am back in time and sometimes it feels like I’ve taken a step backward, but maybe it takes one step back to take a few good ones forward.

So going back to what it would take for me to have an ideal day, and what I would need in order to feel more connected to places from the past I care deeply about. (Actually I got a similar question in an interview the other day. How does Romania deliver/satisfy these needs?) Well… I think there were places in the past that could satisfy this need of feeling ‘connected’ to the world quiet well. Strasbourg for example, in a strange way and retrospectively was one place that grounded me to where I was but also allowed me to feel connected to places from the past. Working in an international environment meant working with people from different countries and speaking on a daily basis at least 2 languages, English and French. Walking to work, I would be listening to Latin American music which would put me in a good mood for the day. Food is something I particularly enjoy and take an interest in. That need would be satisfied by my small, local and delicious bakeries and restaurants, which truly flourish in Strasbourg. (Strasbourg has a multitude of restaurants from all over the world, so on a lunch break you could easily be transported to India, Thailand, Japan or other even more exotic destinations.) Hmm.. what else is missing? Multicultural environment reminding me of Australia – check. Music from Colombia and Latin America – check. Yummy desserts and beautifully presented dishes from France – check. I could not forget the most important! Friendships and connection to my friends spanning the globe – Facebook, FaceTime, whatsapp – check. I did manage to stay in contact with my friends from all over the world but it does not compare to being together and enjoying a good night out. So ideally, a perfect day would also include preparing a trip to see friends in Madrid, in London or elsewhere. Clearly, going to Sydney for the weekend is rather impossible, so these friendships that meant so much to me while I was there, are hardest to maintain. Luckily some of these friends moved to Europe, so now we can see each other more often.

Here comes the million dollar question. Can I have all these things which I had in Strasbourg in Bucharest? Clearly listening to music is possible anytime anywhere. The other needs are harder to satisfy. But I have decided to give it a shot and see how it goes. I admit, I have been trying to find a nice cafe/’boulangerie’ and enjoy a good croissant or tarte citron since I arrived. And if and when I do, I’ll make sure to share some impressions. As for the other needs, it will depend on the employment opportunities and the environment I end up with. With it, also the possibility of travel comes into question. No matter where I end up working, being in Romania is a serious blow to the type of budget I was used to. But here I don’t pay rent, so it might work out. If I manage to travel, I will feel like I am still ‘connected’.