Not Every Dream Comes True
A recent read reminded me of a time in my life, sometime in the late 1980s. Inspired by one of @galenkp's suggestions in this week's post, our Hive colleague who lives in the same country as me, @erikah, wrote about something that was also my intention in my youth. The chosen topic is called: Somewhere else and you can read our colleague's post here: The Past And Future Plans.
Do you ever wish you lived somewhere else? Explain where and why in a post of 300+ words using photos you took personally where possible.
I start now by saying that it is not clear to me because I am a mediocre (in general) but also a mediocre speaker and understander of English. Because of this, I don't know if "somewhere else" refers only to a foreign country or means (what I am inclined to believe) just somewhere else, i.e. another house, street, city, region, country, continent... That is why I will refer to both variants.
I was drawn to this post by @erikah primarily because it presents, in the first part, a very well picture of life in Romania during the communist period in the second half of the last century. A period in which I lived my childhood, adolescence, and the first part of adulthood. A period of our life full of deprivation, both material and spiritual. Because our colleague has presented so well and so plastic the situation of those times saves me from saying more.
All I want to say about those years is that most of my acquaintances and friends wanted to leave the country, i.e. to live somewhere else, and like them, my wife and I wanted to leave. In fact, most of them dreamed of doing so, and so did I. My dream was France, I was in my adolescence and youth a passionate Francophile, mainly because I was also a cinephile and I particularly liked French films.
But not every dream comes true!
Because leaving communist Romania was similar to escaping from the most sinister and well-guarded prison.
I was not capable of such a thing but I can praise myself that I had a few friends who succeeded.
When I realized that the dream would remain just a dream, I started thinking about something more realistic. Because another dream was to live by the sea, to have a house where I could see the sea!
My favorite place to vacation by the sea in my country was a small fishing village called Vama Veche. A place associated with a bit of freedom and non-conformism, a place frequented especially by artists and nostalgics of the hippie period.
This Vama Veche was a phenomenon in communist Romania, a place of freedom, even if it only manifested itself in music, love, and a beach without clothes.
I caught the last acceptable part, the 80s, and 90s, then it turned into something extremely crowded, heterogeneous, and without any connection to the spirit of freedom when it was scarce.
Now there is a lot of misunderstood freedom!
It would have been possible to buy a house there, we lived with the locals when we were on holiday.
We loved the sea, the sun, the breeze, and the wind through our hair, but...
...there were problems I couldn't get past. I had nowhere to work for money, no school for the child. Of course, there were obstacles that could be overcome by the ambitious and determined, but I was never like that.
Now I don't regret not living there. Everything has changed in a way that is not to our liking.
Source-You can see more about Vama Veche here
After 1990 everything changed in Romania. A major change, a return to democracy, capitalism, and freedom. After 50 years of destructive communism, it wasn't easy. There were some Romanians who were prepared for it, and those who don't want to be asked how they made their first million dollars, took full advantage of it, but a part of the population was and still is totally confused. Nostalgic and unable to adapt to change. Lacking culture and education, lacking understanding of politics, disarmed in the face of populists and charlatans... A danger to the country's future.
Worried about the future that is looming, a future inspired more by a dark past (i.e. the first part of the twentieth century), further proof that people forget history.
This worry makes me think again, after almost 50 years, of moving "somewhere else", only now there are other reasons stopping me from crossing the border. Age and health in the first place, then lack of money to buy a property abroad...
But if I had to be, once again dreamy, I would choose either neighboring Bulgaria which has an attractive Black Sea coastline and is a much less populated country than Romania.
It's a small town, Balcik, where I would like to live. I'd have the sea under my eyes and I wouldn't lose touch with Romania either, where it would be easy to get to in a few hours. Plus Balchik has many Romanian influences!
And if it were to be the ultimate dream, it would be Greece! The island of Thassos is the only place I have ever holidayed in Greece and offers everything I love most, in terms of lifestyle and gorgeous sea.
I wasn't meant to have that in this life... and I don't have high expectations for the next one. If I'm wrong I'll only regret not being able to come and tell you that!
I am aware that many things are possible if we have enough will and determination. I've learned that from the blogs of some of my colleagues whom I follow and admire in this little world of ours called Hive.
Denise, i.e. @dswigle, has lived in dozens of different places on this earth, @fotostef, who writes on the same theme declares that he is ready and determined to move again and again to find the place where he feels happy, you can read his post full of gorgeous photos from same Greece here, Somewhere else, and my fellow countrywoman @erikah, now ready to explore the world in search of the right place and the kind of life she now feels ready for.
Strong people who know what they want from this life. Unfortunately, I met them too late to learn and change myself.
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I don't know what about this post but, I felt everything. Well, I couldn't feel what you felt when you spoke of old Romania but, the part where some dreams just don't come true. I don't know. I'm inclined to ask...watching these people you admire take off and be themselves, do you like...get sad that you can't do same? I am now wondering. What if I meet the right people at a wrong time in my life too? Wow. This was beautiful and as heartbreaking as it seemed to be to me, I still loved it.
I have no regrets. Everyone does as much as they can.
I know the passage of time is fond of destroying beautiful memories and the values and attributes that once characterized a wonderful place. Vama Veche looked like it was such a wonderful place where people could express themselves and be who they are, freely and without fear of judgements. I'm glad you could sharr it with us today.
Thanks for reading and understanding exactly how it was and what happened to Vama Veche!
You're most welcome. It was a pleasure reading.🤗
I don't know in abroad, but buying a house in my country has been a dream, even a car. I would rent a house for some months in the city where I would like to live. This seems reasonable to me because one can see any other places in this way in years, otherwise I would have to be stuck for years with the same place and the same house I would bought.
You're right, it's a better solution for those eager to see more, and to travel.
I am not in this category.
@galenpk? An imposter seemingly.
No, I don't think so. It could be an alter ego... Sorry, that's how I get when I rely too much on my memory, I often make mistakes like that. I assure you, unintentionally.
I also noticed this ending "kp" in your brother's name and it probably has an important meaning, sorry for the mistake! I'll fix it right away.
In the meantime, I noticed that I've missed the deadline by a couple of hours... further proof of how out of date I am.
Lol...Yeah, lets go with alter ego...Maybe my better personality.
Don't worry about the deadline...Anyway, there's another opportunity for a post if you're keen...see my very last post that went up minutes ago.
Thank you!
I am really sorry you did not get to live in the places you dreamt of doing so as a result of factors that were out of your control.
I'm not sure if it's too late to keep the Greece dream and hopes in your heart.
A lot of things can change for the better. And I have a good feeling, you might be able to at least live that particular dream.
Whatever you decide, I hope you'll be happy, as that's the most important thing.
All the best, sir
Thank you! In old age and desires are more insignificant, their unfulfillment is not so painful.
Very thought-provoking. Yeah, it's a bittersweet fact that not every dream comes true. Anyway, it's commendable that you had friends who could succeed in their chase of a new life. Our dreams may not always come true how we expect, but they can shape our perspective and inspire us to appreciate our journey. If I were to choose a place to live, Singapore would be my top pick. By the way, I hope you continue to find joy and fulfillment in the experiences and connections you encounter.
Well, by the looks of it, you're very young so it's time to get your wish. Thank you!
It's nice to see your post about the same topic and most likely we understand what life was back in those days. I suppose you were not part of the top either, so you must have faced the same problems.
It's not easy to start a new life in a new country, especially when you get to an age when so much change is not what you are looking for. As I said in my post, this will always be my home and prefer to keep my home where it is, but traveling and living a year or two in other places is not impossible now, if you can afford it.
Travel as much as you can and enjoy the benefits of life we have now :)
I was not part of the communist nomenklatura. I was close because I went to a high school where many of the children of the party leaders went to school, so I saw and knew them and could see the difference between what their parents said and how they lived.
Of course, now we can travel and live almost anywhere, I see that young people now have a colossal openness and opportunities. Old people like me have lost their enthusiasm and interest, but if I had the possibilities of the young and had no obligations to my family, I would still like to go a few places. I see that you are planning it. I was surprised and glad to learn of your future plans. I find it very nice and exciting. I look forward to seeing your written posts from the Alps!
I'm glad to hear that, but it's not going to happen tomorrow as I still need to work hard to be able to afford the lifestyle I want, but it's going to happen one day as I have no intention of giving up :)
It'll be fun to post about the Alps.
Good luck! Of course, it doesn't happen right away, but unless something bad happens in the near future, I'm sure you'll make it. You've proven here in Hive that you know and can follow a goal.
These old photos are great.
I could have written those exact lines about Greeks. Many times, as I read what you write about the past, I get the feeling that our countries, although they have found themselves on different sides of the "wall", they somehow have a common course in history and possibly a common future.
Vama Veche seems like the right place to be, at least back then :)
The history of Greece and Romania, I mean the recent one, I think has a lot in common and I am glad that there is a mutual sympathy between our peoples. I could see this in Thassos, it is true that from old people. As for politics and the future, I think there are similarities and I am afraid it is a worldwide movement leading to the historical past.
My apologies for the long overdue response, @fotostef!
When there was no freedom, you made your own. ;) I loved how you lived out loud despite communism. You had moments of fun, despite how hard it was to achieve. The music, the art, the bohemian lifestyle that you achieve a piece of. Even the people you met and kept in your lives for the rest of their lives. Interesting people who lived lives surrounded by the arts, which pulled you and Magda into the circle of that life. You have lived, just in a different way from me. You have broadened your life in ways that I could not achieve.
Living in different parts of the world is/was fun and interesting, but there are still places I would like to go for a bit.
I don't think you should ever give up on the dream. Of course, you think of yourself as old and perhaps a few medical issues, but, I can tell you what I think, Which of course, is only an opinion and nothing else. I never give up hope, give up the dream. If I give that up, what will I have? If I never go again, I will still have the dream. Dreams are cheap and they can be the hope we need. It is not a bad thing and even if you think it is not realistic, I counter with, why not?
I personally look forward to your next trip. It's only a dream away.
Time is passing very quickly and the age of man is getting very high which is why there are some desires which man cannot fulfill due to old age as you are telling. I would like to say right here that a person should have courage and fulfill all his desires. Because we all do not know at all that when our life ends, it is better that a person spends his life according to his own will and this is also rightly stated by you that where a person has spent so much time in that place. It is also very difficult to leave and live in another place.