It is a marathon, not a race

It just happens - a sentence that I constantly say when something changes in my life. How did I end up living 6 months in the capital of Romania for 6 months? While of course the answer is it just happened. Hitchhiking from Bucharest to Timisoara? Just happened. My experience here has been something out of the ordinary, life changing and eye opening to how different yet similar people are. Born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, minutes away from a wonder of the world that is a daily normal scene for me. My name is Ahmed Elzomor but if we met before you would know me as “Zee'', and this is my Experience in the ESC volunteering project “A Sustainable Life in Romania”, organized by GEYC Association.

“The people there are cold” is what I always heard from everyone before going to Romania. Day 1 there already broke that stereotype while being in the airport waiting for my already late luggage in a heavily rainy day a group of Romanians that was on the same plane with me that had nothing but warm smiles on their faces asked me “Did someone gave you a hug yet?”. Being alone my answer was obviously no. They followed by saying “Let us be the first then! Welcome to Romania!”. From that point my mind shifted to expecting the best in people and being the light you want to see in others.

Coming here I had so much that I wanted to achieve and do and thankfully I got to do them. Since day 1, my coordinator told me “It is a marathon, not a race, you have to pace yourself.” Through that I learned that I need to slow down and take things as they are. Embrace the uncertainty and that knowing that nothing is constant - which is fine. I had the chance to work and live with a diverse group of people from different parts of the world. Sharing the ups and downs, having people now that I can’t imagine my life without.

I realized that no one really cares about where you come from rather who you are and what you believe in. Many people in Romania opened their houses for me, shared their life with me and showed me that solidarity knows no borders.

I experienced first-hand how hard it is to be far from home in a different culture, how difficult yet beautiful it is to learn more about others. I came here as a stranger and will leave feeling like I have a home here. Friends, colleagues and students from our workshops that I learned more from them about how to engage with people and how to speak “their language”, I’m not referring here to the spoken language I mean how they say things, how they feel and express themselves.

“It just happens”. Well, it does not just happen, people make it happen. Individuals that choose to be the change they want to see in the world.  I realize that now and plan to live with those words.

Updated on Monday, 09/09/2024