After living for so many years in the Netherlands, we started to appreciate the idea of a community of Romanians, we started to understand that it would be very good to find out about one another, who we are, why we are here, why we feel good in this country.
And so the project Noi Rădăcini – New Roots – was born: a format based on short interviews, which will be published every week for a year. 52 interviews in total.
Who is it for? First, to say that Romanians feel good when living in the Netherlands. We can collect their stories, some different from the culture and traditions they left behind, and we can learn from them. We, Romanians, want to learn about other Romanians, to understand the different facets of living and being successful in the Netherlands.
Second, Noi Rădăcini wants to be a credible source of information for the Dutch people, focusing on the good things Romanians actually do in the Netherlands, from things that are tangible and easy to appreciate, to less tangible things that nevertheless make the Dutch society work.
There is also a third reason for Noi Rădăcini to exist, a reason perhaps only meaningful to the authors: we were and remain curious about Romanians living in the Netherlands. Who are these beautiful and courageous people?
“Maybe the biggest change in perspective I’ve had since arriving here was that I changed my definition of success. I am successful now but I don’t have either money or cars. What I do have is impact on other people’s lives and I believe that, eventually, this is what success is about”
“I think the idea of success changes with age. When I was studying at the George Enescu high school in Bucharest, success meant how many awards I got and if I passed the finals as the first, second, or third. When I was in Germany, success meant to have as good a position as possible in the orchestra. Here, in the Netherlands, I don’t know if I’m successful, but I’m happy to be alive, I’m happy I can share this joy with others. If this is success, then so be it. But ask me again in twenty years, maybe then I’ll think differently!”
“… here a public official will never expect to receive a graft from you. Never! If I think that something could be solved easier, I offer them an alternative and we have a dialogue – “Have you thought about this solution?” “Oh, yes, of course, this would be good.” Or: “No, this is not possible.”
“… For us, it is important that we are very well integrated into the Dutch society.”
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