6 months, 186 days, 4464 hours, 267840 minutes

6 months. Still can’t believe that this time passed so fast when I can remember very well my first day in Craiova. I guess my time here was always occupied with so many ups and downs, but here I am, a different person from what I was before I started this journey.

I continued with my dream of exploring different cultures and landscapes. Never in my life I thought I would meet so many people from different countries and become friends with them, the stories that we have together will always remain in my heart and they will always brighten my cloudy days. As well as the Romanian views, such beauty can’t be described by my simple words, but I will miss them as they are completely different from the Portuguese ones. The stillness and the colours of Transylvania, the blue from the Black Sea, the movement of the capital and the nature of Craiova are just some of the most precious moments that I remind myself when I am having a bad day, which (of course) there were a few.

I don’t recommend to anyone to be a volunteer without considering what will truly means. It’s not just travelling, making friends, trying new types of cuisine and dancing in the rain. Volunteering is also sacrifice. I missed so much my family and friends, to go to a café and have a nice cup of coffee with familiar faces, I missed the small talk with random people that I pass on the street, the food! To be honest, Romanian food isn’t my favourite but Ciorba este foarte bună! I missed a lot my hometown and my favourite beach, my dog and my radio. Sometimes, my “down moments” made me think the why I was doing this, why I am not going home when I have that option. But I hold on myself of doing that, there was still a road to continue and I don’t like to give up. And special moments like a younger girl saying that she wants to be a volunteer like me in the future, made me want to continue this road until the finishing line.

I will comeback home with a heavier luggage, full with the fights that I had with my roommates, with the laughs that I shared with my new friends, with souvenirs to the family, with beautiful images of a far away country and the “saudade” that I will have from the people that I will have to leave behind.

So, Mulțumesc Craiova for the good and for the bad. Thank you for letting me grow and Obrigada for this journey.

La reverdere! See you next time.