My country won't have me

What chances have I got?

Unemployment rates are low world-over. It's recession. Jobs are axed, people laid off, exceptional employees made redundant. People lose homes and are unsure about tomorrow. It's only the beginning and the worst is yet to come. We haven't hit rock bottom yet and we don't know how long this recession is going to take. But this is not unfortunatelly the only disturbing problem I'm facing back home in Romania.

I am in a state of shock. I am bewildered, confused and disgusted. I never imagined coming back to Romania at the age of 29, with an impressive resume, an international teaching experience and holding a Qualified Teacher Certificate from the UK and not being able to find a job in Romania.

I got a frank answer a while ago from a school mate that works in Personnel Recruitment for Renault in Bucharest. We had a chat about my disappointment at the cruel reality I have to face back in Romania and sorrowfully he told me:

'Mona, when we advertise new vacancies and we get CVs of young professionals with international experience, they are the very first we cut off our lists'.

Targoviste

BUT WHY ON EARTH??? I felt outraged! It just can't fit my mind, my understanding of the world, I was utterly speechless. I replied:

' International experience means that I travelled abroad, I managed on my own, became more open-minded, culturally aware, I coped with cultural differences, adapted in new environments, learnt to work in a team with people I might have had some difficulty relating to....and that is not it! I CAME BACK!! I decided to return to Romania! AFTER TRAVELLING THE WORLD, GETTING QUALIFIED IN ENGLAND AND TEACHING IN LONDON!! I CAME HOME!! I obviously want to be home and put all that experience and every bit of success and personal and professional achievement and growth to serve my country!! In the INTEREST of MY COUNTRY!!! Doesn't that mean ANYTHING???'

The reply simply hurt and left me perplexed: ' Companies hiring will only presume that once you've worked abroad and you come back home, you'll want a high-salary, probably expect the figures you used to earn abroad.' He took a deep breath and carried on: 'There's another thing. Managers wouldn't want to hire over-qualified people that any day could steal their bread away.

Targoviste

It's as simple as that'.

REVOLTING.

DESPICABLE.

There are many, so many young professionals in my position. Young people coming from abroad after a couple of years in interships, work placements, studying in France, England, Turkey, many of my fellow AIESECers, some as well returning after doing a Masters in France, etc, they all want to share their hard-earned knowledge, Degrees for the benefit of Romania, but what chance do we all have in a country where Education means squat and personal ambition and achievements mean squat as well?!?!

Romania is a country where political parties pull strings and fake-elect Elena Basescu, the president's daughter whose only knowledge and ambition has been to match her shoes to her dress and has the audacity to send her off as a representative in the EU Parliament!!?! When there are so many genuinely passionate, brilliant young people who could actually represent Romania in the EU Parliament and actually have a clue of what they're talking about! WHAT CAN I EXPECT?? There's NO ROOM for us, the young generation seeking opportunities to prove ourselves. We return home with an impressive background and real achievements, excellent references and a luggage of knowledge. It is off-putting! We're not given a chance! Not a chance. I am not going to stick around and feel sorry for myself. I feel sorry for my country, but by the age of 29 I have learnt that I'm not going to change the world. I might have dreamt about it when I was little, but now I know it's not in my power. Not when people don't acknowledge your work, your merits, not in a country where money talks and nothing else matters.

It makes me sad and I feel empty. My country is the one sending me off again, telling me 'Mona, we don't need you'. It's my own country that won't hear of my skills and knowledge and won't benefit from my international experience and personal drive and ambition. It's my country that won't hear of my studies abroad, my enthusiasm, my travels, the money that I invested in my own Education which now I want to offer to a Romanian institution that would be interested to have me. But nobody would.

Isn't it a real shame? To want to do something for your country, to genuinely care and return home with an eager and hearty interest to help this country get ahead and shoulder her reconstruction and progress!? To wholeheartedly wish to offer all your ambition and skills and knowledge to make Romania a better place and a better European country?! And to be dismissed without getting ANY appreciation for your effort and your good will?....

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The pictures are again unrelated to text, they're actually from a lovely, sunny day-out in Targoviste, spent together with some lovely friends. For a few good hours I forgot that I'm in a country that doesn't care about me and simply doesn't need me.

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