The small things that change our lives

When I was young, I used to shovel. I picked corn and collected plums. No one forced me to. And I'm not talking about the practice that students, employees, and students in Romania before '89 did. Looking back, history seems mundane. Because that's what I'm going to talk about today. So I invite you to tell me who you were before you were you, the person I'm talking to here and now. I'm waiting for you to tell me your story.

Over time, I have noticed that as we climb the social hierarchy, we tend to consider that we have always been this way. And the present becomes a kind of permanent mask of the things we have done in the past. So today is a stroll down memory lane.

Growing up in a small village in communist Romania had its ups and downs. Still, it ultimately shaped me into the person I am today. While there were indeed challenges, such as scarce resources and limited opportunities, there were also some positive aspects to life in a communal society.