,,In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or step back into safety.” Abraham Maslow
Where do we start in the direction of success? What makes some people get where they are? We learn another story full of essence given by Mihai…
„I don’t know how I could begin to say what I want to achieve in the future without saying a few things about myself. I grew up in the countryside, where I learned from a young age the basic things in the relationship with other people. To greet, introduce myself, respect the elderly, etc. Or the 7 years at home, as I would say. And these have helped me and I’m sure they will continue to help me in what I do next. I would like to add 2 more important things that I learned in the countryside.
The first was work. I learned to always work for what I want. And since there are a lot of activities in the countryside, I learned a lot. All this helped me professionally. During high school, even though I was in electromechanics, during vacations or weekends, I worked as a carpenter (building the roofs of houses). And not because I needed money because, thank God, I always got it from my parents, but it was a satisfaction to know that I had my money. Now, I have an even greater satisfaction when I walk in front of houses and know that the roof was built by me. It was also here that I learned about perseverance, what you can do by learning and how to work with people. I started on that team by helping the people who were already working, going up and down the stairs for whatever they needed. Then I learned and ended up working side by side with the ,,craftsman”, sending others for what I needed. And here I realized why if ,,you have a diploma, you have other possibilities”. So I no longer had to be the one running from left to right (and the money earned was more), I learned how to work with people and how to address them, because at my age of 15 I had to say to Mister John, who was 50 years old, to come down to bring me something. Why? Because Mister John didn’t know how to do what I knew.
After graduating high school I worked as an electromechanic and also based on the above principles, after a year I became a TLV inspector. And at the moment I work as a transport manager. I manage everything related to transport in the company, and for this I use and develop everything I have learned so far.
The second important thing I learned was to learn to offer help.
I grew up and live in an area where all the neighbors help each other. If one is working on something and I don’t have something more important to do, I went every time and helped him. And not just me. Everyone around. Here I realized how important it is to help. Instead of working a whole day, I finished the job in 3-4 hours. And that led me to go to volunteering after I started working, even after doing some hobbies like cooking, hiking, hunting or tennis. And after many searches, discussions with friends and analyzing each possibility separately, I decided to go to a field less chosen by those who volunteer but where, in my opinion, help matters a lot. So I went to the IGSU (General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations) and signed up, through the „Passionate Rescuer” campaign, as a volunteer on the SMURD (Mobile Emergency Reanimation and Extrication Service). Unlike other fields, it took a while to get started because a certain number of volunteers had to be collected, then for almost 2 months, there were training courses held on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 am to 4 pm and an exam at final. After all that, on days when I had free time or after work I went as a volunteer paramedic.
After almost a year, 10 volunteers were chosen to take the firefighter courses to ride on the rescue and firefighting vehicles, including me. I also completed these courses and then participated in various interventions as a volunteer firefighter. I learned what to do in an emergency and especially what not to do. I learned new skills, met new people and made new friends.
Volunteering has helped me a lot and I would recommend anyone to participate in various volunteer activities. Regardless of the field. All of this led to the choice to attend college and what I want to do in the future.
On a personal level, during university studies I would like not to give up my hobbies and to be able to continue volunteering, even if, having a job, I don’t think I will have time until the summer. But help from other people is always good.
On a professional level, I would like to develop more, to mobilize myself, so that in the coming years I can advance or even open my own business. Or maybe I will start a career within the Inspectorate. Or in IT. There are many directions in which I can perform. I do not rule out the possibility of continuing with one of my hobbies, cooking. Or even open my own business based on this hobby. But one thing I can say for sure. Whichever direction I choose to go during university studies and especially after, whether I end up as a chef, manager, entrepreneur, or who knows, the menial job, I will do everything I can to do that thing exceptionally well.
As for the emotional plane, what can I say? How can I not be happy and at peace with myself when thanks to what I have done so far, as a volunteer and as a human being, I have seen people happy? When at night, before I fall asleep, I know that I could choose to be bad but I was still a good person? And above all, when I know that I started from the bottom and everything I have achieved so far, regardless of whether it means a lot or a little for others, I have achieved through my work and perseverance. Because of all these, even if I don’t have everything I wanted, I am happy. And I will stay that way. And personally, I believe that no one should have everything they want. And not for any selfish reason. But for the fact that the desire to have something and a little ambition, makes us involuntarily develop.
I believe that the best version of myself, and of every person, is and always will be when we continue to develop.”
