In one of the small restaurants in close vicinity to the Old Center of the capital, a group of students enjoy their last days of vacation. They are all college buddies and sit at the table, gleefully recounting happenings over the summer. Amongst them there is a lad from Greece. A year ago, Dimitris Michas came to Bucharest in order to study at the “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy. From the first minute he integrated perfectly, and now he spends most of his time with the friends he has made in Romania.
He is fallen in love with Bucharest, and he does not shy away from speaking about how much the city that adopted him for his student years fascinates him.
Actually, his destiny is directly connected to our country, his mother having originated on these lands. “My mother is from Romania, and there was a lot of talk in our home about the history of Romania. Ever since I was a child, I found out from pictures and small video-clips about the beauty of this country. Furthermore, mother wanted very much that both I and my brother, who is now 16, would learn to speak Romanian. It’s true that I do not know the Romanian language as I should, but what I do know makes it possible for me to find my way around”, recounts the young Greek.
His Parents Directed Him to Bucharest
In Dimitris’ family, medicine has been a tradition. His father is a tooth doctor, and his mother is a psychiatrist. The two of them have also studied in Romania, having graduated from the “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest. Actually, this is also the place they met each other, fell in love with each other and formed a family. Moreover, Dimitris’ mother was for a period of time a teacher within this Higher Education Institution in Bucharest.
His parents’ experience has been defining in Dimitris’ decision to take the entrance exam at a faculty in the capital of Romania. “The Medical School in Bucharest is very well-known in all the European countries. At home, in Greece, it is very much appreciated. My parents have studied over here, and this helped them to develop successful carriers for themselves. I too desire for myself such a professional journey, so I chose to come to Bucharest in order to study and have a good start. In my decision, it mattered a lot that my mother taught at the University in which I study today. She explained to me the many advantages this educational institution can provide me and how much recognition a diploma acquired at “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest enjoys in Europe. It is a serious Medical School, and a student must work hard in order to reach graduation”, continues the young Medical student.
The Perfect Destination for the Foreigners Wanting to Study
In recent years, the number of the foreigners who selected Bucharest as a city to study in has increased pretty much. The devil’s advocates will make haste to say that all is due to the fact that here the tuition fees are smaller. And perhaps they are small in comparison to other countries, except that there is also another advantage that the Universities in Romania provide: the training level. It is no secret to anyone that the Medical School in our country is recognized in the entire world due of the fact that it provides a very good training.
That is why Dimitris says about Bucharest that it is a friendly University Center, a perfect destination for the foreigners who want to study.
“The faculties are very well-equipped. At least as regards the Faculty of Dental Medicine, where I am a student, the equipment is very good. Even though demanding, the professors are willing to direct the students and help them find their way. The student who selects Bucharest must know that here he doesn’t find only good universities. Here he finds other means that help him develop. And I’m referring to the museums, libraries, theaters. For instance, the “Carol Davila” U. M. F. Library is a place where I spend a lot of my time. During the breaks between classes, I sit in one of the lecture halls in order to document certain papers of mine, or to study. Also, in Bucharest there are many places to which you can go to relax, to listen to music or to watch a movie. I like Bucharest not only because it has well-developed University Centers, but also because it is a city in which I don’t feel like a foreigner”, underscores Dimitris.
He Loves the Cişmigiu Park, He Adores the Old Center
Even though he is a long way from Greece, the young man is never feeling lonely. He made himself a group of friends, all Romanians, and he spends his time off with them. They are his college buddies, who have adopted him and integrated him in their family, causing him to feel at home. They were the ones who showed him Bucharest and taught him about the history of the city. When not in class at the faculty, his friends take him with them and the tour around together, either within the Old Center, or in one of the parks in the capital.
“Sometimes I go out even by myself, since I love to tour around the small parks. What I enjoy in Bucharest is that you can find many such green places in which you can relax. I love Cişmigiu, it is my favorite Park. When I want to find a moment of respite, I go to Cişmigiu and sit on a bench. I never come empty-handed, since I need to feed the doves. The thing that impressed me the most in Cişmigiu was a statue portraying a woman (editorial note: Izvorul Sissi Stefanidi / The Sissi Stefanidi Spring). My colleagues told me that behind this monument there is the tragic story of a family that lost their child. In Cişmigiu I also enjoy the fact that it is a shady place, with many alleys on which you can take strolls, as well as many old trees,” explains Dimitris.
The Greek student also adores the Old Center, where he likes to go every time, he has the opportunity. He is fascinated by the old buildings in this area of Bucharest, but also by the agglomeration of entertainment places. “It seems to me that here, in the Old Center in Bucharest, a whole world gathered together in one place. There are many restaurants with various specificities, so that one has the opportunity to try cuisines from very many countries. In the evenings you can sit at a table with his friends or can go in a club. During the day one you walk down the Old Center and can discover a lot of old buildings with a very interesting architecture. From my standpoint, any foreigner coming to Bucharest should not miss the Old Center. Here you can find all you want: history, good food, entertainment, places where you can do various shopping for yourself,” is indicating the young man.
During the year he spent in Bucharest, Dimitris discovered a warm city, with friendly people who have never dealt with him as with a foreigner, but always considered him one of their own, helping him to integrate himself. He sees the capital of Romania as a perfect destination for those who want to study, but also as a place any tourist should visit.
“You have many beautiful places that you should promote. I don’t know how things went during the Communist period, since I was too young, but to me Bucharest seems a free, open city. It is a blend of styles, that placed next to each other have given birth to a living city, in a continual motion. The combination together of old and new is perfectly produced and provides a fascinating picture. What amazes me is that many among the Bucharestians do not realize how wonderful is the city they live in. Perhaps if they would stop for a few moments from this crazy rush for livelihood and would look around more carefully, they would realize that their city is gorgeous,” concludes Dimitris Michas.
What the Greek young man says should cause us to pause and ponder, since we Romanians sometimes forget to appreciate what we have. If Dimitris testified without even blinking that he loved the Cişmigiu Park and adores the Old Center, that means that these places succeeded to impress him to such an extent, that he declared his love for Bucharest. Just like him, there are many other foreigners who come to Bucharest and marvel at how many beautiful places is given to them to discover.
Author: Ștefania Enache
Photo: Corina Gheorghe
