If liking everything makes me the group puppy – in Romania we say the village idiot, but I will be nice here- then I will gladly assume the title.
That might not be the most flattering title but I will accept it with pride because the Centropa Summer Academy comes at the end of the year when I am both tired and irritated, so meeting about 60 people, travelling around in bus and walking tens of kilometers would only irritate me more yet.. I love every moment of it!!!!
That is not a random emotion I chose for this event – I often chose my emotions randomly- I can find solid arguments for it. First of all, I develop skills that I use in the real world: I become more empathic and understand my students better because sometimes –very rarely – I have no idea about a certain subject but I try not show it – hopefully it doesn’t show on my face. I will also be more sympathetic with them when turning in their papers late because I haven’t done any of my work yet. Then, I certainly develop a very underrated skill: the skill of appreciation and I don’t feel like I am guilty –ed into it. No, I am humbled by the optimism, candor and modesty of survivors of the Holocaust, people who did not only survive but made it as victors of life.
I also develop social skills of which I am terribly proud and by the end of the 2016 CSA I am sure I will come up with other qualities I have mastered in these amazing 9 days.