“You’re probably the only brown person who ever visited Romania”….

When I was selected for my AIESEC internship in Timisoara, I knew nothing about Romania. Sure, I knew the capital is Bucharest, and Dracula is probably the most famous celebrity export, but that was it.

So after the interview and a long flight, there I was at this tiny building that the Romanians call the Train Vuia Airport, where the immigration officials wanted to steal my chocolate cookies. Great beginning, right? When I finally managed to get out of the evil clutches of the immigration officials, I met two people who were waving out like their life depended on it. Enter Vlad and Liana. My support system.

If I ever had a problem, all I ever had to do is either call Liana (my AIESEC ‘buddy’) or Vlad (my un-official buddy). They managed to arrange everything from vegetarian food in a carnivorous country to access to a swimming pool. Also they had the privilege to listen to my constant whining (“My legs are hurting!”, “Ugh, why is it raining?”).

On my first phone call home, I told my mum “They have no buildings and no one lives in this tiny village!” By the end of two months, I would cry on leaving this ‘little village’.

So what was I doing 8,000 km from home? I was a trainee for AIESEC University at their Branding Timisoara project.  There was also another trainee, Marianna, a food-crazy Italian, who would offer to make pasta at the drop of a hat.

Let’s be honest, I’m quite a slob. I’d rather starve than cook myself, so having Marianna around was great!  I remember our first night in our tiny dorm room, Marianna was snoring away like a truck, and I was thinking “Great! I’m not sleeping for the next 2 months!”

But everything changed a few nights later; we just stayed up and talked about everything, boys, school, our lives at home. Right at that point, I decided to like her. She made me soup when I was sick, and left me notes when I was home late.

I delivered trainings along with Marianna to participants who looked much older than me!  The organizing comitee of Branding Timisoara was incredibly open, from helping us deliver the trainings, to arranging our teambuildings at football games.

Slowly, the ‘tiny village’ felt like home to me. I will always miss the ability to walk or bicycle in Timisoara without being run over. I’ve tried it in Bombay and even New York, but some crazy driver always wants to kill me.

By the end of the project, I was assigned to work with FMedia Studios under Vlad Fiscutean with five other participants. Those three weeks were amazing, stressful, but I learned a lot. We came up with four branding proposals for Timisoara, conducted a survey and managed to print a book!

Ah, I love Romanian parents someone always wanted to stuff me with food, send some food over, or even volunteer to do my laundry!

AIESEC-ers were always making me feel welcome. Even if I was just walking about in Timisoara, and they’d spot me, they would always stop to ask me how I was feeling. They would make plans, take me shopping, go to Aurora and Flavia; even invite me to spend Easter with their families!

I also met a Romanian girl, one night at Bierhaus. Not just any Romanian, but a Romanian who went on exchange to India. Oana and I made parathas (Indian bread), went to flea markets and wrapped ourselves in sarees.

For my last week in Romania, I hoped it would get cold and rain. No one understood this ‘stupid’ thought. But if you live in a tropical country, where the only seasons are ‘hot, hotter and hell’, you’d understand. Someone up there listened, it poured and poured.

It was still raining when I was at the airport leaving. Maybe Timisoara was crying for me. At least that is what I’d like to believe!

When I was on that flight, I remember reading the things my friends wrote for me.  Friends I had just made two months ago. But they felt so close.  I was crying like a baby, and the lady sitting beside me asked me if someone had died.

Romania hasn’t left me. On the contrary, it’s following me around. Movies I watch, books I read, even my Google calendar informs me about the Romanian National Day!

I’ve met Romanians in Bombay, watched Romanian movies, sometimes I listen to manele music, try my hand unsuccessfully at cooking supa de pui andGoogle sends me an email everyday with the latest Romanian news.

At this point, I don’t know if I will return next year. But I’d like to come back and work in Timisoara… more than anything.  Of course, at the back of the mind, I have this feeling that the second time won’t be as great as the first, but at least I know that I tried.

Until next time, Ceau Romania.

Zahraa Ansari

Trainee at Branding School in AIESEC University 2010

H.R College of Commerce & Economics
University of Mumbai, Class of 2011