Wow! This touched my heart. What a magical telling of your life/lives. And what courage it takes to move and be with your grandfather. Wishing you many blessings and joy!
This is a breathtakingly beautiful (and moving) piece of writing Anna. V visceral too and has me thinking of all those Other Lives I’m currently living. Xx
Beautifully written, Anna. At the end of a long day (long week... long life...) I was scrolling emails looking for confirmation of my take-away order (!) when this stopped me in my tracks - you had me from the opening line. My Mum left Ireland for England before I was born and I moved 'back' to the Northern-most tip almost 18 years ago, so this especially spoke to me. A move I never saw coming and yet felt perfectly inevitable. Home. I hope it all works out well.
I felt this so deeply because you put in words things I have contemplated as well. I left Cluj when I was 6 and often wonder what my life would have been like if we'd stayed. When I go back and visit I am also met with the ghosts of who I could have been...
Oh wow then you really get it!! Also I don't know about you but I don't know or meet that many Romanian immigrants my age who left so young/their parents left. I don't feel connected to the disapora either!
Oh totally! I'm not Romanian enough for most people because I never went to school there and don't speak the language fluently. I feel like I could talk/write about that forever!
Anna, this text is wonderful! As a migrant, I found myself in your piece. I often ask myself “what if” and how my immigration experience has changed me and that only people who have immigrated themselves can understand what that really means. Xo, Natalia
As an immigrant who wonders what my life would have been like if I had been allowed to stay in my native country as a child, I truly loved this piece. Your grandpa has such a wonderful granddaughter in you.
Bine ai revenit. Welcome back! Who’d have thought that evening in 2018 when you organised an all-women-led social entrepreneurship event that you'd be returning to Romania, Anna! We’ve met that one time.
It just crossed my mind … there’s this blog http://expat.ro written by someone called Matt. Born in Romania, raised in Canada. And readjusted to Cluj. I enjoyed reading his blogs for many years. The blog is closed, but the archive is there, if you fancy to ramage through while settling in, and in between the yoga classes. https://expatro.blogspot.com/?m=1
I really enjoyed this. I never wondered what would have happened if I never left Romania, but now I do. And the longing I didn’t feel before is here to stay.
Wow! This touched my heart. What a magical telling of your life/lives. And what courage it takes to move and be with your grandfather. Wishing you many blessings and joy!
Thank you so much this so kind ❤️
This is a breathtakingly beautiful (and moving) piece of writing Anna. V visceral too and has me thinking of all those Other Lives I’m currently living. Xx
Thanks so much, Emma! 😌
Beautifully written, Anna. At the end of a long day (long week... long life...) I was scrolling emails looking for confirmation of my take-away order (!) when this stopped me in my tracks - you had me from the opening line. My Mum left Ireland for England before I was born and I moved 'back' to the Northern-most tip almost 18 years ago, so this especially spoke to me. A move I never saw coming and yet felt perfectly inevitable. Home. I hope it all works out well.
I felt this so deeply because you put in words things I have contemplated as well. I left Cluj when I was 6 and often wonder what my life would have been like if we'd stayed. When I go back and visit I am also met with the ghosts of who I could have been...
Oh wow then you really get it!! Also I don't know about you but I don't know or meet that many Romanian immigrants my age who left so young/their parents left. I don't feel connected to the disapora either!
Oh totally! I'm not Romanian enough for most people because I never went to school there and don't speak the language fluently. I feel like I could talk/write about that forever!
i loved this.
the highest of praise!!
Anna, this text is wonderful! As a migrant, I found myself in your piece. I often ask myself “what if” and how my immigration experience has changed me and that only people who have immigrated themselves can understand what that really means. Xo, Natalia
This was a beautiful piece. I connected with it and the possibilities of other lives, other selves. Hope the transition is as smooth as can be x
Thanks Parul, means so much coming from you ❤️
As an immigrant who wonders what my life would have been like if I had been allowed to stay in my native country as a child, I truly loved this piece. Your grandpa has such a wonderful granddaughter in you.
Bine ai revenit. Welcome back! Who’d have thought that evening in 2018 when you organised an all-women-led social entrepreneurship event that you'd be returning to Romania, Anna! We’ve met that one time.
It just crossed my mind … there’s this blog http://expat.ro written by someone called Matt. Born in Romania, raised in Canada. And readjusted to Cluj. I enjoyed reading his blogs for many years. The blog is closed, but the archive is there, if you fancy to ramage through while settling in, and in between the yoga classes. https://expatro.blogspot.com/?m=1
Wishing you a smooth readjusting in Cluj.
Good luck with this new start, or dare I say the life you would have always lived in your other In-Between space?
I really enjoyed this. I never wondered what would have happened if I never left Romania, but now I do. And the longing I didn’t feel before is here to stay.
Beautiful piece, thank you for sharing!
This is stunning. Says so much so efficiently
Thank you so much, what a compliment 🥹
Oh Anna this is the most beautiful piece of yours I’ve ever read. Thankyou. Moved.
My daughter’s other grandmother was from Cluj. I never met her. She died in Canada, in her Canadian life.
Oh wow!! And thank you so much, Sophie 🥹
Anna! Your reflections are gorgeous, your writing is masterful, and your decision is bold and beautiful. Thanks for bringing us along.
Watch "The double life of Veronique" by K. Kieślowski. Your words suddenly reminded me of it.
👀
when they watch each other in the eyes - just for a second - it's through a window, not of a car but of a bus. You'll see