E086 Ioana Margarit

Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 0:08 femininity is powerful in all its forms exceptional women, rare girls must be appreciated in every way for their perspectives, actions, thoughts and their unique ways of being. Such rare girls are inspiring. And this is what this podcast is all about. Hello, my name is Aziz and my guest today is Ilana Marguerite. Ivana is a Romanian flex finalist of 2020 to 2023. In Washington State, USA. Ivana is an active volunteer, and she loves interacting with people reading, as well as creating jewelry. You wanna How are you today? Ioana Margarit 1:00 Hello, I'm very good. Thank you for having me on the podcast. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 1:03 It's my honor. It's my privilege. And I'm very curious about you. So I'll begin with this question. If your friends could describe your personality, what would they say about you? Ioana Margarit 1:19 I think maybe they say I'm very adaptable. Because throughout my life, I moved a lot. And I've been in many different environment. And I think that I adapted very well to all of them. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 1:37 I like that. And does the environment affect how you behave and think and feel as a person? I mean, are you somehow different in the US, compared to in Romania? Ioana Margarit 1:51 I don't think I'm different. I think I always encouraged people to be themselves. So I always tried to do that as well. So I try to be myself, everywhere I go. And with an anyone, actually, because that's a way you learn how to love yourself, and not to change anything, because of anyone or any place. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 2:18 I like that. And I'm happy you mentioned loving yourself, what do you feel or think are the things or forces or technologies or whatever that are eroding people's self love, self esteem, and making people feel more self conscious these days? Ioana Margarit 2:39 I'm not sure exactly for most people. But I'll say from my perspective, it's social media. Because i Everyone wants to show the best part of their lives. And I can say that, I do that as well. I show my exchange here, to beautiful pictures of places and people I hang out with and things like that. But behind the screens, there's always good and bad. So the mistake that people do is compare their bad with the good they see on social media. And I can see I do that as well. And throw my exchanger. I did that at first because it's hard being in another country and trying to adapt when you compare everything you do to somebody else's experience. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 3:40 I agree 100% And then to ask you, is it necessary? Do you feel people are somehow forced to show only the highlights on their social media in order to be popular to succeed? There is the alternative will not work as well? Or is it somehow of a personal thing where people cannot feel they can be fully themselves, there is a kind of mask they need to put. And so it comes from the people that they don't dare to show anything other than the best Ioana Margarit 4:16 defend. Many people on social media try and are more open about their lives, try and show the bad aspects as well. But at the end of the day, social media I think was created for people around the world to communicate and you you kind of want to show people that you're okay and that you're having fun and look what I did and it was with the people that I hang out with, but at the same time, it depends on your platform. Because if you have a very big platform and you feel comfortable with it deploy your platform, of course, you will show the bad aspects as well. But if you have a big platform and you're not comfortable showing your bad parts of the life you live, maybe that's the reason I'm not really sure exactly why people not not showing the bad aspects as well, because I'm sure that many others can relate to their life. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 5:27 I agree. 100%. And speaking about life, how is your daily routine these days and the US? Are you somehow like retracing and recreating the routine you had in your life and Romania or trying new things? Or how do you spend your days so that you balance both your mental health as well as your productivity, Ioana Margarit 5:55 I believe that my routine is kind of the same as back home. Because I obviously go to school, and I have projects, projects, projects to do, and a homework and stuff like that. But I feel the only thing that has changed throughout my routine, since I've been here is that I have many more activities. For example, I'm trying for cheer next week, and I've been practicing a lot. I've been also looking for volunteer opportunities, I've been going to orientations with lots of other exchange students, it's been, I think that's the most different part of my routine here and back home is that I have different activities to do. Because otherwise, I try and maintain my cycle. I also try and love, I tried to have thing, time for myself, especially when I have to study a lot and do all of these things. You can get burned out burned out easily. And that's not that's not very good for your mental health or physical health either. So I try and squeeze in all these activities some time for me to relax and take in everything that's happening. Because it can be overwhelming sometimes. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 7:31 I agree. And burnout is a real threat and a serious issue. And then since you lived most your life or all your life in Romania, and then you went to the US. How would you compare the mentalities, the attitudes, the cultures of people your age, specifically, in Romania, compared to the US? Did it make you understand some things and notice about the Romanian people that you can share? Or what are the similarities and differences? Ioana Margarit 8:06 You can say there's many differences. And I am very thankful that I can compare it to as many cultures as I can. Because throughout my life, I lived and creased an aroma Romania and now in the United States. And even though it's very hard, I'm so thankful that I can compare cultures to one another from a direct perspective, because I lived through them. I think that one of the culture shocks that I had, when I came here is that I believe that in the US, people are very welcoming. And they're very open to you from the first moment. I feel like back home, they are welcoming and nice, but they're a bit. They don't let their guard down for a little while. They really want to get to know you and then be open to you as they could be open to you in the US. I've noticed also that the word friend is used a lot. Whereas back home friend, your call someone that you've known for a long period of time and that you feel very close to of course, it probably depends on people and how comfortable they are with you. But for me, it's happened a lot that people call me their friend and maybe we've known each other for like, a few days. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 9:55 Thank you some people who have their flex experience from Eastern Europe to the US, they also remarked on that friendliness, but they say it's more of actually politeness, you're not really becoming friends with the people, no matter how friendly they are in the US, while people might be more reserved and first and Eastern Europe, but if you become friends and they say it, it has to wait and meaning. Do you agree with this? Do you feel that, for example, people might smile more in the US, but it's out of politeness rather than out of two positive mood, or it's not what you think. Ioana Margarit 10:41 Yeah, I totally agree with that. Of course, it's different from person to person. But I do agree that people in the US smile a lot to each other, and maybe say hi, and they're more open to other people, then back home and Romania. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 11:04 Thank you. And tell me about your hobbies. First, do you still like create jewelry there in the US? How did you find I know you're applying to become a tear? And all that are you're replacing them? And tell me how did you begin, for example, your jewelry journey, Ioana Margarit 11:25 it's been a little bit hard to keep up with my, with my hobbies back home, especially with making jewelry, because well, of course, I didn't have lots of space in my luggage to bring all my materials from back home with me. But I still try and make some sometimes, here and there when I have free time and my schedule, because it's been something that has called me and I don't know what making jewelry is I Oh jewelry, I always reflect on the day and try and be more positive. It's been helping me through really hard days when maybe I have lots of activities, and I'm very tired or overwhelmed. So even though I can't really keep up with it, I try and do it as much as I can. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 12:33 I understand that I understand how overwhelmed with your schedule packed, etcetera, you are telling me about applying to become a cheer. How did that idea come to be? What did people notice something and comment that Oh, wow, you have some skills? You could be part of the cheer squad? Or what is the story of that decision? Is it your own curiosity and pushing yourself outside your comfort zone? Tell me more? I Ioana Margarit 13:05 think it's more because out of curiosity, because back home, we don't have two liters, or they've been trying to implement to squat squads in some schools, but it's never the same as in the US. Because back home, I feel like we're not as big on sports, as the United States is. So because I've been dancing for a lot of my life. I did dance for five or six years. When I came here, I was I was very excited. And I was okay, now I can continue Vikki vicariously living through cheer. Because I really want to dance. I'm not sure if it really makes sense. But I really love dancing and cheer was the closest thing to it. But also curiosity pushed me to doing it even more. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 14:12 I like that and I wish also to speak about dance. But first, culturally, you and maybe your peers in Romania, but you specifically do you feel your culture is mostly or all of it. Romanian the way you think your habits etc. Or are you more of a cosmopolitan mix of Eastern European Balkan Asian us Greek culture is all in a melting pot inside your head. Yeah, I Ioana Margarit 14:49 really like how you put that. I think that throughout my life because I've been in so many different environments. I picked up everything that I liked, and that I thought represented me the most from every culture I've been in. So I'm more of a mix of everything. And I really liked that I really enjoy taking good parts from different cultures and being my own person through them. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 15:25 Thank you and now that you have tried the life that comes would be in a flex finalized, do you feel that you will have this longing to live abroad to try new experiences all your life where you'll become maybe a digital nomad or a traveling dancer or something like that? Or have you had so much travel whether living in Greece or the US that you would love to settle down in Romania, but travel only for vacation, Ioana Margarit 16:00 I haven't really thought about it that much. I'm so I'm so trying to live this experience, and maybe afterwards, actually decide the path that I want to take. I really, really love traveling. So that will not stop for me. Either. If it's maybe for working in a different country or just visiting it, I will, I won't, I don't really want to stop traveling. And I know for a fact that I want to try and go to college abroad, I really want to try and come to college in the United States, or maybe somewhere in Europe. I didn't decide yet. For settling down. Um, I've still, like I said, trying to figure figure out, I would love to go back home in Romania, and maybe help make a change with everything I've learned from all these different cultures, because every culture has the goods and the bads. So I would love to help improve that as well. But I'm still I'm still working on my path, I can say Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 17:20 thank you. And nowadays, especially there in the US, what inspires you? Do you go in nature during the weekend to recharge yourself? Is it reading a specific kind of books or something that really makes you feel inspired to keep going in the face of being tired, overwhelmed, and not burning out? Ioana Margarit 17:49 Reading obviously, has helped me a lot. And I try to do it as much as I can. But one of the things that really inspires me to keep going and helps me every time I feel overwhelmed, and tired or all these different emotions at the same time, is spending time with my host family. They've been so helpful and so welcoming, that even when I have a bad day, they show me that there's good and everything, and they make me feel at home. And that that really helps me keep going and thinking about the positive aspects of this experience. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 18:43 Thank you that so interesting. And you mentioned your mind considers study in university in the US. Do you have the subject in mind maybe a specific city, they would love to go to Miami or to Hollywood or New York or something like that. What is your future desire Ioana Margarit 19:06 still have haven't decided on a city or state yet. I've been here in Washington for a month or so. And I really like it. So I'm starting to considering to consider Washington as well. But I'm so I'm still looking through all these universities and try and decide which one is best for me. I'll also try and apply to as many as they can and then we'll see where I end up. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 19:48 Thank you and do you find it easy to make new friends now a month into your flex experience? Because also I'm asking like you said People are friendly in the US. And many girls from Eastern Europe have this habit of having a bitch face where especially in the US, people will wonder, Is he angry? Why does he look so serious etcetera? Was this your situation? Did you find it easy to make friends? Or are you still adapting and learning how to roll with it? Ioana Margarit 20:25 That's, that's an interesting way to put it. Well, I can say, I'm still adapting to making friends, like I have lots of friends at school, and I'm not lonely, or I don't feel like I'm lonely. But it's still hard, because I haven't found the people that I'm very close to. And it's normal, because I've been here for a little while. And we didn't really have that much time to get to know each other, that well. And I really, really try and smile and be positive and talk to as many people as I can. So I, I can make new acquaintance acquaintances and get to know people better, maybe actually finding the close friends, I am looking for. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 21:22 Yes, that's really important. And so to ask you, I know you grew up with friends and people, you have no inner Romania, you lived in Greece, and now in the US as well. Have you ever had that chemistry experience of meeting someone new and feeling like you know them all your life like you're a match made in heaven, or are you always open up slowly to people you're in your shell at first and need to understand and observe people in different situations to understand their values, their intentions, etc, before you allow yourself to put your guard down, as you've said, depends Ioana Margarit 22:07 on the person. But I really had throughout my life, some friendships that were there from the start, that just, we just clicked from the moment we met each other. And I can say that with other exchange students, I think maybe because we've been going through the same experience, that we relate to each other. And that's what makes us feel like we've known each other for a while, maybe. But I'm very thankful for them. I have exchanged I have friends that are exchange students, and we've known each other for a few months only. But we're so close to each other. And even though we're now in different states, we still talk and give each other advice, and help with anything we can help, which is been great. I'm very thankful for them. When it comes to making friends. I'm not really reserved. I try and be as open as I can. So we can get close and learn as much as we can from each other. But it depends on the attitude of every person I meet. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 23:34 That's very wise. And you mentioned, one of your desires is maybe someday to be in Romania and to help change things like you said, what are some things you feel could be improved about your home country? What can you contribute? What are your thoughts about this, even if it's like a small thing you kind of you feel you can help impact Ioana Margarit 24:02 missing? Something I would want to improve is the school system, the school system in Europe and in Romania, I'll talk to I'll talk about the Romanian one more, because I've lived through it. I think is it's a good system, but it's based only on academic success. I feel like in the US, you have so many more activities and so many more opportunities that you can learn from and express yourself and that will help you become the person you want to become. Of course, academic success is very important. And we should focus on that as well. But we should also focus on a person's create create If side and their ideas and their sport abilities or things they love, I feel like in Romania we could change some things about that. Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 25:13 Of course every place has many things that could be upgraded, improved, developed, and I'm happy that you as a volunteer, someone with an activist, like streak in your soul will contribute to change and the planet, the world and your home country. Thank you. You honor. This was my privilege, my honor. Such a wonderful way to understand you better and share your experience. And I wish you success. And I hope soon you will get your cheer dreams become a reality. Ioana Margarit 25:51 Thank you so much, and I hope so too. Thank you for having me on your podcast and it was a pleasure talking to you