Public speaking competition 2014

Living through the hallways

Theme: Life is the most difficult exam

I think that our life sets its beginnings when we become teenagers. Because before that,we lived on the principles that our parents taught us. In adolescence,we tend to spend more time alone and that way,we begin to discover ourselves. We start to realize our perspective towards every aspect of this world,and most of the times,our perspective is way different than what we have been taught.

                These had to be said,because what I am about to do,has to make sense. Let’s play a game. Imagine that your entire life is like the years you spend in high-school. And we start high-school in our teenage years. Remember how scared you were as a freshman,walking for the first time on such big hallways? That’s where it all starts for every one of us. We wander confused through the entire building,not knowing where to go. But then we meet some people that are just as lost as we are and they might lead us to the right or maybe the wrong path. In real life,I like to call these people in a simple way: “friends”.

After all those circumstances that you have considered scary,given the fact that every start is pretty frightening,you get into your class and you meet the teachers. In life,your mistakes are the greatest teachers. Later on,you are given tests,like crossroads. Take an interesting fact here: you can’t quite copy. Because everyone has a different question paper. You cannot live your life based on someone else’s. Just a second,I take this back. Of course you can live someone else’s life. But where will this actually get you? Every person has its unique personality and way of doing and dealing with things. It’s like you’re given the same directions as another person,just on different maps. So you’ll be stuck at the same crossroad until you realize that you should learn your lessons and go on your own way.

As time goes by,you start to get used to the way things happen. You already know most of the people that are going to your school and you don’t get lost anymore in the building. You are also used to be given tests,because they are almost at the same difficulty all the time and you don’t try so hard studying for them anymore. This is not a bad thing,as you might think. In life,this is gaining experience. But don’t worry. The waves of change never passed anyone without touching them. Some of your teachers might leave,and other strict ones will replace them. Lessons are getting harder to understand,you will probably fail some of the tests and start freaking out. In those moments you have to recall the experience you have gained and update it. As far as I’m concerned,nothing is impossible if your will to accomplish something is alive.

For example,through my life so far,I have failed a lot of tests myself. I never seemed to bother,never seemed to care. I was soaked and stuck in my own misery,never determined to study,as in learning my lessons,no matter how hard my teachers,my mistakes bugged me. I was making up excuses after excuses,shouting that that’s the way that I am and I have to be accepted. I was always lying to myself,believing that I’m always right. But one day it just hits you,just like it hit me,when you don’t have anything to do on an idle Tuesday. Or maybe you need a big impulse,a huge mistake to smack you in the head. It got me thinking: What am I doing with my life? It took me a while to get back on the track,but at least now I’m at peace.

The tests will always be repeating. You will be constantly learning,making your way right to the end,shaping yourself through all the lessons,mistakes and people that you’re going to interfere with,along  the path that you’ve chosen. Because life is what you make it and your whole life is a story. Make sure it’s inspiring.

Afterwards,everything comes to an end. I guess there is a rather interesting feeling when you’re close to this. I think life itself is not an exam. It’s actually a sequence of tests that lead to a final exam. That exam consists in one simple question: Am I happy with what I’m leaving behind? After that,who knows what happens? But as the wise Dumbledore said: “To the well-organized mind,death is but the next great adventure.”

Visatori cu plumb in ochi

Doua masti pe sute de fete

Ce arata pictate incurcat orgolii

Dar inauntru ele ascund

Nimic din ce ar trebui ascuns

Sa fii sincer azi e un pacat

Nu stii ce sa crezi din ochii ce-i privesti

Lacrimile lor se milogesc la tine

Sa cazi in genunchi si sa mai speri

Ca apoi tu singur sa-ti infigi

Acelasi cutit de dinainte

Cu sangele deja uscat pe lama veche

Pe masa paharele sunt goale

In scrumiera filtre arse

Scaunele imprimate de prezenta

Aici a avut loc un razboi

Fiecare tabara crede ca si-a castigat lupta

Tot asa si pana cand?

Cand stai sa te gandesti 

Ca s-a intamplat totul fara cauze

Doua tari ce n-au ce sa-si mai spuna

Se-ntalnesc mereu la drum

Se saluta cu arme o vecie

Si un tipat

Nu va fi nicicand intre ele

Sol de pace

12 fix pe Revolutiei

Uitasem placerea

Cum e sa te plimbi

Cand noptile le-am ingropat in somn adanc

Cu pastile,fara etanol

In urechi imi rasuna ipocrizia

Ce-mi trezeste adanc nevroza

In capul meu urla pitici

Si ma uit strident in luminile orasului

Sa-mi arda privirea

Ca sa nu mai vad ce am in jur si ce-am pierdut

Plutesc printre cadavre ce-si dau titlul de oameni

Am fost si eu candva

Dar acum sunt un "infer"

Destinul sapa o plaga adanca

Intre mine si ei

Asta seara

Am vazut cum din neant

Apare silueta virgina

Nestrivita de viata

Ce merita condamnarea in infern

Cum pasesc nervos

Ma incalzesc pana la oase

Dorind ca toamna sa-mi dea frigul

Sa simt

Sa traiesc

De ce?

Ca printre fiinte parsive si meschine

Sa ma tarasc

Fiindca dragostea e-nalta ca Eiffel-ul

Iar eu sunt cat un pui de vrabie

Ploile nu mai vin sa spele bulevardul

Plin ochi de suspinele mele

Imi astern in pat scenarii

Ce in mod cert in veci nu se desfasoara

Ma trezesc

E soare afara

Si ma-ntreb in fiecare dimineata

Tot ce-am simtit a fost un vis?

- pentru Robert

Me,in everything

When I'm by myself

And I close my eyes

I'm a denied pain

I'm the running drops of rain

I'm the gently sound of the guitar

I'm the fading sun from miles afar

I'm a wide awake dream

I'm the smell of peach ice cream

I'm the moon that watches over

I'm the forth leaf of a clover

I'm the bishop in a game of chess

I'm the most constructive mess

I'm the blind that claims to see

I'm the love that was never meant to be

I'm a tea on Sunday evening

I'm an open wound that is still bleeding

I'm the first leaf that falls in autumn

I'm the last word in a post mortem.

I'm the weak unfearful beast

That is still alive at least

I'm me through all I exist

Passionate and summer kissed.

inspired by Eloise Greenfield poem "When I'm all by myself".

Farewell

Tremuranda-mi tin mana pe hartie

Am sifonat-o stramb de durere.

In suflet adunata mi-e bruma

Si-mi lasa roua rece sa-mi curga pe obraji.

N-am curaj sa impart cu tine gandul meu

Pierit.

Ai plecat cu constiinta nepatata

Luandu-mi vremurile portocalii din ceruri.

Am aflat ca tu esti cel ce nordul mi-ai furat.

Cautand debusolata,de mine m-am impiedicat.

Ma trag inapoi in lanturi catre tine,

Tu nu mai esti sa vezi chinul din mine.

Ma pierd in zare iar si iar

In ureche cu planset sincopat de pian.

Imi amintesc subit acea zi trista,

Cu adio ti-am suflat printr-o batista.

Te-am privit pana-ai plecat,

Speram o eternitate in gandul tau eu sa mai fi stat.

Deja pun pariu c-ai si uitat.

Am sa te caut in genunchi prin lume,

Dand de mii de exemplare de "tine".

Niciunul nu m-a acoperit.

Erai arcusul viorii mele.

Nu mai stiu sa cant decat la stele.

Nici ele nu te mai aduc inapoi.

M-arunc in viata fara vreun drum,
Era mai bine langa tine acum.

Sunt sigura ca soarta-mi va incropi o alta dragoste,

Fara de tine sa nu mai simt in mine-o pacoste.

O durere

O lacrima

Tacere.

Are sa ma tina-n brate si iar am sa cersesc

Cu lacrimi calde pe sufletul sau ceresc.

Deja straina

Existam ieri,undeva singura in noapte. Eu una asa mi-am dorit. Ma uitam in gol prin fumul ce-mi salta din cerul gurii. Nu mai stiam ce sa fac,asa ca am stat,lipita de ciment. In fundal era o melodie asa draga mie. Am inchis ochii sa-mi ascund cioburile de lacrimi dintre gene. Nici sa plang cum trebuie nu mai stiu. Am simtit un gol in stomac. Privind in sus catre felinarul pal,in bataia vantului pitigator,rapuneau frunze uscate. Auzeam crengile smiorcaind de durere. Am ramas acolo prostita cu gura cascata fiindca nu stiam cum le puteam ajuta. 

E ea. Se stinge..incet,ca o lumanare in apa ce-a fost odata stalp sustinator si puternic de ceara. Tuseste adieri racoroase si se inveleste cu nori de-ascunde stelele. N-am apucat sa ma bucur de tine. Ai sa pleci iar si de data asta iei tot ce-am eu mai drag. Imi arunci in cap toata viata si singuratatea,problemele si nelinistea. 

Esti grabita ca un cersetor la o mana-ntinsa cu o paine calda. O iei si pleci. Nu mai stai la povesti. Asta-mi faci tu mie. Nici n-am apucat sa ma bucur de tine. Cateodata ma intreb ce ti-am facut de ma lasi prada mortii lumii.

De la inceputul tau am trait de parca o sa fii vesnic. Te pastrezi doar pentru altii. Nu credeam c-ai sa te duci. Probabil te-ai imbolnavit din pamant de oameni acri si rautaciosi. Te-nteleg ca vrei sa pleci. Dar macar ia-ma cu tine,sau..nu-i lua pe ei. De fapt,stii ce? Ia-ne pe toti. Vreau sa rad in hohote si sa simt iarba moale sub spatele meu iar si iar. Vreau sa simt mirosul lemnelor ce mocnesc in foc si caldura blajina a serii sub aripa lunii pline inca vreo mie de ani. 

Ai fost pentru mine ca cea mai buna prietena,atat de apropiata. Mi-ai scris povesti in piele si-n suflet,mi-ai dat lacrimi si zambete. M-ai crescut si m-ai maturizat,m-ai innebunit de cap. Mi-ai dat tot ce am mai bun.

Anul asta tot tu esti cea care-mi schimba radical viata. E inevitabil ce vrei sa faci. Dar m-ai ranit profund. Nici nu vreau sa ma gandesc la ce va urma. Vor fi nopti cu ger si fara somn,de-o singuratate mai crunta ca viscolul de-afara. Vor fi zile in care-mi voi dori sa mor. Doamne,nu ma lasa. Ma vor prinde iar in mrejele lor,pacalindu-ma sa-mi inchid sufletul si facandu-ma sa uit sa zambesc.

Promite-mi ca te intorci repede cu soare si zambete,fara de griji,cu parul dat dupa umeri,smechera si vioaie,asa cum te stiu de cand m-am modelat subtil in lume. As vrea sa poti sa ma lasi s-o iau iar de la capat,cu tine-n spate an dupa an. Mai lasa-ma macar o data.

N-o sa-mi inteleaga nimeni firea tragica pe care tu o retusezi si o ascunzi. Pleci si iese monstrul din mine. Nimeni nu stie cu adevarat ce rani adanci imi lasa departarea ta.

"Pan' la dementa,jur,mi-a mai ramas un vis."

                                            - Marcel Bostan

P.S.: Copil prost cu vise mari,nu mai cauta prin lume ceva ce ai deja langa tine. Caci colindand alte meleaguri aievea,ai sa pierzi tot ce sperai sa ai. Ai sa uzi pereti cu septembriile din ochii tai.

Si acum,ca sa adaugam putina culoare tristetii (si ca sa se prinda tot neamu de ce am avut de zis mai sus):

What is happening in Istanbul?

Stiu,nu am mai postat de mult timp. Dar asta nu inseamna ca nu sunt inca aici. Nu fac asta foarte des. Cred ca au trecut 2 ani de cand am facut asta ultima data. Nu obisnuiesc sa postez pe blogul personal chestii scrise de altii,insa sunt unele exceptii care trebuie scuzate,din anumite motive. Am gasit pe net o scrisoare a unui tip din Istanbul,postata probabil acum cateva zile. I was deeply touched si vreau sa o cititi si voi. Credeti-ma ca merita !


"To my friends who live outside of Turkey:
I am writing to let you know what is going on in Istanbul for the last five days. I personally have to write this because most of the media sources are shut down by the government and the word of mouth and the internet are the only ways left for us to explain ourselves and call for help and support.
Four days ago a group of people who did not belong to any specific organization or ideology got together in Istanbul’s Gezi Park. Among them there were many of my friends and students.  Their reason was simple: To prevent and protest the upcoming demolishing of the park for the sake of building yet another shopping mall at very center of the city. There are numerous shopping malls in Istanbul, at least one in every neighborhood! The tearing down of the trees was supposed to begin early Thursday morning. People went to the park with their blankets, books and children. They put their tents down and spent the night under the trees.  Early in the morning when the bulldozers started to pull the hundred-year-old trees out of the ground, they stood up against them to stop the operation.
They did nothing other than standing in front of the machines.
No newspaper, no television channel was there to report the protest. It was a complete media black out.
But the police arrived with water cannon vehicles and pepper spray.  They chased the crowds out of the park.
In the evening the number of protesters multiplied. So did the number of police forces around the park. Meanwhile local government of Istanbul shut down all the ways leading up to Taksim square where the Gezi Park is located. The metro was shut down, ferries were cancelled, roads were blocked.
Yet more and more people made their way up to the center of the city by walking.
They came from all around Istanbul. They came from all different backgrounds, different ideologies, different religions. They all gathered to prevent the demolition of something bigger than the park:
The right to live as honorable citizens of this country.
They gathered and marched. Police chased them with pepper spray and tear gas and drove their tanks over people who offered the police food in return. Two young people were run over by the tanks and were killed. Another young woman, a friend of mine, was hit in the head by one of the incoming tear gas canisters. The police were shooting them straight into the crowd.  After a three hour operation she is still in Intensive Care Unit and in  very critical condition. As I write this we don’t know if she is going to make it. This blog is dedicated to her.
These people are my friends. They are my students, my relatives. They have no «hidden agenda» as the state likes to say. Their agenda is out there. It is very clear. The whole country is being sold to corporations by the government, for the construction of malls, luxury condominiums, freeways, dams and nuclear plants. The government is looking for (and creating when necessary) any excuse to attack Syria against its people’s will.
On top of all that, the government control over its people’s personal lives has become unbearable as of late. The state, under its conservative agenda passed many laws and regulations concerning abortion, cesarean birth, sale and use of alcohol and even the color of lipstick worn by the airline stewardesses.
People who are marching to the center of Istanbul are demanding their right to live freely and receive justice, protection and respect from the State. They demand to be involved in the decision-making processes about the city they live in.
What they have received instead is excessive force and enormous amounts of tear gas shot straight into their faces. Three people lost their eyes.
Yet they still march. Hundred of thousands join them. Couple of more thousand passed the Bosporus Bridge on foot to support the people of Taksim.
No newspaper or TV channel was there to report the events. They were busy with broadcasting news about Miss Turkey and “the strangest cat of the world”.
Police kept chasing people and spraying them with pepper spray to an extent that stray dogs and cats were poisoned and died by it.
Schools, hospitals and even 5 star hotels around Taksim Square opened their doors to the injured. Doctors filled the classrooms and hotel rooms to provide first aid. Some police officers refused to spray innocent people with tear gas and quit their jobs. Around the square they placed jammers to prevent internet connection and 3g networks were blocked. Residents and businesses in the area provided free wireless network for the people on the streets. Restaurants offered food and water for free.
People in Ankara and İzmir gathered on the streets to support the resistance in Istanbul.
Mainstream media kept showing Miss Turkey and “the strangest cat of the world”.

***

I am writing this letter so that you know what is going on in Istanbul. Mass media will not tell you any of this. Not in my country at least. Please post as many as articles as you see on the Internet and spread the word.
As I was posting articles that explained what is happening in Istanbul on my Facebook page last night someone asked me the following question:
«What are you hoping to gain by complaining about our country to foreigners?»
This blog is my answer to her.
By so called «complaining» about my country I am hoping to gain:
Freedom of expression and speech,
Respect for human rights,
Control over the decisions I make concerning my on my body,
The right to legally congregate in any part of the city without being considered a terrorist.
But most of all by spreading the word to you, my friends who live in other parts of the world, I am hoping to get your awareness, support and help!
Please spread the word and share this blog.
Thank you!"