Conflict and reflection about your country and hosting country

When Romania make you think your country is necessarily not better.

It’s always difficult to be impartial, concerning his country. Sometimes, your country is the “best country in the world”, and sometimes, “it sucks    ”. In all cases, this is not totally fair for your country. (Except if it’s about Estonia.)

 

So, what better than profit your EVS mission to have retrospection about it? You are surrounded by other volunteer from different European (or not) countries, which have also different points of view/clichés about your and their countries.

A lot of information’s, who can only make you think and considering your situation is finally not too bad for certain points, and other details who can inspired you, who gives you idea to improve your way of life.

 

In December 1989, Romania saw the end of the communist dictatorship, leading the country in a democratic system. This event, with the time, create a separation between young people, who haven’t lived this period, and “old” people, who still remember how was the life before, with disgust or with nostalgia.

I don’t know for you, but when i see an old man, with a missing leg, probably because of this chaotic period, taking the tram everyday to go work without complaining, I’m always wondering how a lot of French people like me can complain about our situation. Always criticize about our government, about our jobs, about salaries, about prices, while we have financial help, a good social security, we haven’t known war, civil war or against the government since 70 years.

 

Can we protest in these conditions? It’s an interesting topic, because with this logic, you can never grumble: there will always be someone in a worst condition than you. But, it’s also nice to see and admit the good things we had in our life, how pleasant was our childhood in our nation.

Ideally, we can have a “balanced view“. Understand what you have, and still looking for to improve your life, your land.

 

Try to guess from which country they are. Little hint, they’re certainly not French.

 

Almost two mouths I’ve joined ZURY for a short-term EVS mission, almost two mouths I share my daily life with volunteers from different countries, and this is a good opportunity to see what other people think about their country, and Romania. Surprisingly, a majority of people consider his country in bad shape, about economic, politic, unemployment…

Of course, we can’t deny the 2008 financial crisis, which strongly affected the European Union and declined the people’s trust about our nations. But, why necessarily and systematically remember bad things about your native land and praise the current hosting country (In this case, Romania)?

In other case, you have people who are really proud about their country, sometimes modestly, sometimes exaggeratedly. Their thoughts will change in the future? Or the mission will confirm their patriotism? My short-term existence can’t give an answer for this, but it can inspire me.

 

This “balanced view” is my main objective. Be not too cynical concerning my home, but also not to proud, and stop before nationalism. Understand the other country, take example of them, and evolve.

At the end of my mission, I feel my mind have changed. In a “good” or “bad” way, I don’t know. But I’m happy about everything I’ve learned here, in Romania. This knowledge is a part of me now, and will help me to handle the rest of my, I hope, long and prosperous life.

After all these thoughts about national identity, should I consider myself like just a human, equal to other humans, in a huge world, and not just as a lucky citizen of a limited country ?

This is another topic…