Episode Transcript
Hello, my name is Aziz and I'm the son of a divorced mother.
She is my superhero.
That's why it's important for me to support women, to share their uniqueness, their personalities,
perspectives, and emotions about this world.
In these difficult times in human history, we need to bring the people of the world together.
And when we hear women, when we listen to real lives of women from other countries,
we connect our cultures without our differences or stereotypes, and we get inspired by their
stories to live a better life.
That's what this podcast is all about.
My guest today is Katerina Sathmari.
Katerina is from multiple countries, Romania, Germany, Austria, and Hungary, and the descendant
of the famous photographer Karol Sathmari, as well as being now an economics student.
She is the class secretary, she is an ENTJ in her personality, and her passion is acting.
Kater, how are you today?
Hello.
Well, I am really good today.
I just finished school and I feel really excited for this opportunity I have for this interview.
I'm honored.
I'm lucky and privileged to have you here and very curious about you as a person.
So I'll begin with this nice question.
If your friends, the people who know you best, could describe your personality, what would
they say about you?
Well, a lot of my friends, well, actually my classmates, a lot of them, four of them
to be exact, they refer me to me as their mother, because I'm usually really motherly
today.
I brought them yesterday, actually, because it was St. Nicholas Day, and there's a whole
legend with St. Nicholas, you have to clean your boots, you have to lead them on the doorstep,
and he will come and put sweets and money or whatever in your boots, you know?
And I brought them gingerbread yesterday, and they refer to me as their mother.
And then I went to class, and then one of them was like, mom, or something.
And I thought that was really funny.
So a lot of people would describe me as a really motherly person.
That's really funny, I can imagine the scene.
But I'm curious to understand really, what you mean with motherly?
Do you mean that you're their leader, the person who tells them like the plans and what
to do and what's best for them?
Or more, the carer, the person who gives them some food and gives them that nurturing side?
Well, I think that I am more of the, I'm actually both, because you said I am an ENTJ.
And how do I say it, that is the commander.
That's how the personality type is called, is the commander, and I am, I really like
to lead people, I know how to draw boundaries and rules.
But at the same time, I'm a really nurturing person, you know?
And I like to bring them food and other things.
And I think I'm kind of both of them, both of the sides.
Thank you.
And I'll ask you this question.
It's based more on a philosophical post-modernist thought that nowadays people have freedom,
but freedom and responsibility gives most people anxiety.
So they run to social media and run away from that stress.
But to you, as someone who can be a commander, do you feel in your element and very comfortable
when you have responsibility, when you are the leader?
Or it's something you feel is stressful, but you have to do it because you trust yourself
to do it more than other options?
Or how is your relationship with that responsibility?
Yeah, well, usually I'm getting stressed when I have responsibilities.
But I don't know, a really bad trait that a lot of people say about me is that you're
always so stressed, and you try to hurry up a lot, and you end up doing a mess.
And that was in the past, and I feel like now I am a lot more open, a lot more responsive
to others' needs.
I was before, but still, now I, well, it's really people describing me in a funny way
as a dictator, you know, I mean, it's just a joke.
I'm not actually a dictator, you know, because I know that the world is framed badly.
But a lot of people say to me that, hey, you are really dominant, and you're like dominating
everyone, but you're really good at it, and you know how to explain yourself, you know
how to have people draw their ears to you, you know, I mean, that's something I really
like about myself personally.
Thank you.
And I'm even more curious about this.
So since you're a very dominant girl, when you are fascinated by people that you want
to learn from them, or maybe characters in movies or stories, do you like and feel fascinated
by those who are even stronger and more dominant than you so that they can be even more dominant
and put you in the follower state?
Or you prefer people who follow you without too much complaining, too much stress, and
without with accepting you as a dictator?
Yeah, well, I, people describe me as a dictator in a, actually, it's just a joke about me.
Because I don't really like the word dictator for my description, because it's framed badly
by everything that happened in the past.
But I use the word dictator as a joke, and then I'm more like a leader.
And to be honest, I haven't really, how do I put it?
I haven't really found a lot of characters that are that dominant.
And I use everyone, it's really funny, because my mom always tells me that every time I talk
to a person, they're like, that's so fascinating.
I mean, and she's right, to be honest, because people, I don't want to be narcissistic or
something.
But people usually are like, wow, she's different than other people.
If we're still talking about the topic about rare girls, you know.
I love that.
What do you think makes you or any person come across to others as different from everyone
else as a rare person or a rare girl?
Well, to be honest, a lot of people stare at me when I'm walking down the street or
whatever, because I dress really differently.
Most people dress really modern and they're like, oh, these new sneakers.
And then I'm like, no, I shall have the knee high boots with laces to look like I'm back
from war or something.
That's the main thing.
And the other thing is that a lot of kids nowadays from a lot of schools or a lot of
places don't really have respect for adults.
And I am a person that wants to be respected and if not respected, will take measures and
respects other people.
For example, I have a classmate who makes fun of the teachers without any mask.
He just straight up makes fun of them.
And then I just stood there from the first day of high school, I mean.
And then I just stood there in shock thinking, how can he disrespect these people?
These people went through a school, went to a university to teach us, and then he just
straight up disrespects them.
And I had a thing with respect from a long time ago, but still I am just shocked at how
many people don't respect teachers in our days.
And that's why I am pictured as an old soul if we're still talking about, again, the topic
about my friends describing me.
But then I just stay in shock and think about how can people disrespect people.
And that's why I am pictured as an old soul, you know, because I have a lot of respect
and I respect people.
Thank you.
I like that.
And speaking about old souls, etc., what are your metaphysical beliefs?
Are you someone who is spiritual, who believes that souls are eternal or souls are reincarnated
or that every person in this world is part of our soul that is there to teach us a lesson
and help us grow and therefore we should show it love and respect because it is like the
energy of all of the universe into people?
Or are you a girl who believes in tarot and manifestation or how do you perceive it?
Well, to be started, I don't believe in tarot cards, but I am a tarot reader.
That's the irony of the faith.
I mean, the irony is uncanny, to be honest.
But my country, Romania, the one I live in, is really religious.
There was a joke on the internet with Romania and all the hospitals in it.
And then like a map with all the hospitals in it and then another photo of the map with
churches.
And the number of churches is way, way more prominent than the number of hospitals in
Romania.
And I found that really funny because it's really true.
I am a person that is not really religious.
But with Christmas coming up, I am more of a Grinch.
I mean, I don't know what happened, but I'm not really that excited for Christmas anymore.
And then I looked into it and the religious meaning behind it and being the day that God
was born, I honestly thought about it and connected more with my spiritual side.
We have Christian Orthodox in our country, Christians in English.
And to be honest, I think I can connect more to the spiritual part of religion, to be honest.
I understand that's so interesting.
And you mentioned previously that you had some troubles with respect before.
To understand your confidence now and your ability to walk in ancient clothes in front
of people, is acting something that transformed your being, gave you confidence and a lot
more ability to be a leader, was acting a healing experience for you?
Or is it fun that you can be any character in the world, you can live any life, you can
imagine yourself in any story and that gives you escape from any pain of life into other
worlds?
Well, acting is kind of an escape mechanism for me because, to be honest, I am a really
confident person, as you said before, and I got that confidence because it used to be
a mask because I was having a really bad self-image, I had a really bad self-image of me.
And then everything changed with acting and I realized that I can act more confident.
And this is the one exception where I believe that pretend and you'll get it, affirmation.
And I honestly think that acting gave me a lot of confidence because I used to act it
out a lot.
And now I'm a confident being and people ask me, or I can actually give you an example,
I was dressed as a pirate, full-blown everything, hat.
I have it on my wall right now, my hat, I had a hat from Amazon and I put feathers on
the side and I went out with it one day.
I didn't have it on my head the whole day, but then when I walked home, I just put it
on and just went in character, full drunk walk and everything.
And then a group of men approached me.
And first of all, I got scared because me being a really paranoid person, I honestly
thought that they were going to ask me questions or anything, not ask me questions.
They were going to put their hands on me or whatever.
And I got really scared.
But actually there were a group of really nice people and they said, wow, good job.
I'm glad you're confident to dress like a pirate and behave like one on the stage.
And I thought that was a really nice change of plans suddenly, to be honest.
I like that attitude and their encouragement for you and then to ask you, if you have some
paranoia and some tendencies to overthink, how do you protect your self-confidence and
self-esteem?
Well, to be honest, I need reassurance.
For example, if my teacher said, oh yeah, you need this and you need that and then you
have to bring this and then your parent or whatever, I need to ask her two times or something.
I just need to ask her again to make sure I need a lot of reassurance.
That's the base that I get.
I get, let's say, healed from paranoia.
I mean, it just disappears when I get the reassurance in relationships and romantic
relationships as well.
I need reassurance.
I mean, I always say I love you or whatever, just expecting it back.
I had a discussion with my mom the other day, me saying I love you and then she says, good.
And then she says, yes, you're expecting to say it back, I knew it.
And I thought that was really funny.
And then I realized, you know, that's true, to be honest.
My mom's a psychologist, so she is really good with people, good with understanding
what they mean and interpreting everything.
She actually has done an acting course, too, and she played one of, a character from Tudormu
Shatesko, a really nice, dramatic writer, and she played the character called Lelutsa.
And then I have, and then, I'm sorry, and then I thought it was really funny.
And her and I are really talented actresses, as you can see, and I have a really close
relationship with my mother and I appreciate her very, a lot, as you said about your mother
as well, which I am really happy about.
Thank you.
You're very kind.
And to ask you, you spoke about Romania, how there are more churches than hospitals and
you've lived your life here.
What does it mean to be a Romanian girl in 2022?
And do you feel 100% Romanian or because of your mixed heritage, you're a little bit German,
a little bit Austrian, Hungarian, Romanian, maybe a little bit of every story you have
acted in and some Japanese with the anime, some Korean with the K-pop, Hollywood, the
US and mixed all in one person?
Well, being from multiple countries, I think I have traits from each one of them, but Romanian
is the most pronounced.
And to be honest, to be a Romanian girl in 2022 is I just keep looking at history and
other things.
I'm actually a very history passion person and looking back at history and what happened
all the wars with Vlad Tepes, with him impaling people or whatever, I just look back and see
why people associate us with vampires or other things, but actually the legend doesn't go
that way about stereotypes of vampires and theft or other things.
The one with vampires was a funny joke 20 years ago, but now it's really getting old
to be honest.
I mean, I get the joke.
It's fun.
We had Vlad the Impaler and I know it's fun.
We're all vampires.
I'm going to suck your blood out.
But well, I think that joke is getting really old.
I just spoke with one of my friends and then he said, yeah, well, you're well, I just I'm
sorry.
Well, I just spoke with one of my friends from other countries and then they said, oh,
yeah, well, you're Romanian.
Yeah, you're a vampire.
You're going to suck your blood out.
I mean, totally, it's just getting old, to be honest.
And then about another stereotype, it's that, oh, yes, Romanians are Gypsies and thieves.
I mean, not a problem, but to be honest, I mean, that's a stereotype.
And if we're Gypsies, then so what, to be honest, that this thing with racism and other
things, we're all humans.
I mean, a lot of people can't understand we're all humans and about the LGBTQ community,
we're all humans.
We're on the same planet.
We breathe the same air, we're all humans and we all have to have respect for one another.
That's my opinion, to be honest.
But then a lot of people from Romania are immigrants, are immigrating to other countries
and then they become really successful and they're all sort of, I don't know how to put
it, to be honest, they're all expected to be bad people or something.
And I don't think that's true.
If you come to Romania and see all the traditions and all of the food and the Sarmal and everything,
I mean, you like it.
All of the people who went to Romania, they liked it a lot.
And some people have these stereotypes and then they say, oh, yeah, well, Romania is
not really kind of my cup of tea.
But then they come to Romania and they say, wow, everything, the mountains, the countryside,
the baby goats that sit on the lawn of other people in the countryside, they're so cute,
everything.
It's so wonderful.
The food, the traditions, everything.
And then they say they see that actually Romania is a beautiful country.
I was getting home from high school today and I saw a group of boys that went, for translation,
it's called Went with the Goat.
It's called Semelři Kukapra.
It's a song that people sing on the streets.
There are a group of boys that are dressed for the winter in traditional clothes.
And one of them is wearing a bearskin and they have drums.
They hit the drums and it's really loud and they just go on the street and play the song.
And I thought it was really interesting because in 2022, to be honest, a lot of people stick
by the traditions and just seeing everything, getting all back to the traditions.
And it just brings me a lot of joy.
My father has a passion with the traditional and all of that fun stuff.
And to be honest, I just feel really connected to him when I am seeing all of the traditional
things being put back together, all the food and everything.
It's just really heartwarming to me.
Thank you.
Yes.
I was wondering about your love for the traditional and now I understand it's a deeper connection
with your father.
And I noticed you mentioned respect two times.
One is there is no respect for the teachers and for the adults by kids.
And now you spoke about respect for all humans.
And to you, what is the meaning of respect?
Why is it important to respect everyone?
Well, one of the arguments that I have is basically what I've said before, that we're
all human.
We're all equal, to be honest.
Because this podcast is about women and their role in society.
And to be honest, women, men, non-binary people, all people have to have the same rights.
We have to be all equal.
And to be honest, the meaning of respect in my eyes is having equal rights for all and
just being a decent human, to be honest, to respecting the pronouns, respecting their
heritage, respecting the way they speak, if they have an accent, because there's a lot
of jokes about, yes, yes, the Romanians have a bad accent or people from Moldova have a
bad accent.
I mean, to be honest, just it's their country and let them be proud of their country.
And to be honest, it's just if they're born in Moldova, they're going to have an accent
because even Romanians make fun of people from Moldova because they speak almost like
Russians because they have Russian as a second language.
And a lot of people make fun of that.
And I mean, don't make fun of the freaking human's heritage.
I mean, it's really nasty to be honest.
When some people make fun of my country, I mean, I just get up and just say, why are
you making fun of my country?
Did I make fun of your country?
That's not okay.
And you have to have respect for my heritage, to be honest.
And I think that the respect is mostly about being human and having equal rights for all.
I just watched a Dhar Mann video a while ago.
I think you know about him.
And there were some girls that were complaining about the school dress code, that they weren't
allowed with skirts that were past their fingertips or they put their arms straight down or something
and then or with shorts or something.
And I mean, not those short shorts or whatever, but it was basically really decent ones.
And then there were some boys with normal shorts.
And then the principal said, oh, yeah, I said the girls weren't allowed with shorts.
I didn't say anything about the boys.
And then I remember that the principal came in the cafeteria and just said, oh, yeah,
we're going to restrict more things for the girls, for the girls, not for the guys, in
the school dress code.
And then the girl that was getting dress coded said equal rights for all.
And then all of the people in the cafeteria started saying equal rights for all.
And I thought that was really empowering for the women, for everyone, to be honest.
It was really empowering.
We felt honestly, I felt really empowered by the saying.
And then I saw that the boys stuck up for her as well.
And I thought that was really nice of them and really nice of all the people.
But the principal wasn't really happy with the idea of the principal of the school.
It's a Dhar Mann video.
I don't know if you saw it or not.
Thank you.
I love your attitude.
And I agree with you that it's equal rights for everyone and that women should have their
voices heard, their rights complete and fully empowered.
And so to ask you in Romania, how do you feel is the situation of women?
Are they fully empowered and free?
Is there anything you would like to change?
How would you describe as someone living there?
And what improvements or if it's already perfect, no improvements would you recommend?
It's not perfect, literally not one society is perfect.
But we have women candidates for presidency or other things, which I think is really nice.
We have women leaders, we have women prime ministers.
And I thought that's really nice that women can speak their mind about politics.
And to be honest, I'm still a little paranoid as being a woman and walking on the street
alone at night.
But it's not about the men or anything, it's just about me being paranoid.
I mean, I just saw a true crime case and I was like, oh, no, that's gonna happen to me
because I'm generally paranoid.
But as other women, I think that it's pretty safe walking on the streets at night, which
I really appreciate it.
But then again, I'm really paranoid.
So I don't know about it.
But I think that the situation with women in our country is pretty good, to be honest.
I mean, I really feel proud to be a woman in Romania.
I'm happy for you.
I'm proud of you.
And I'm happy that in Romania, women have a lot of opportunities.
They're equal, as you said, and everything is great.
Thank you so much for representing Romania.
Thank you so much for sharing your perspective, your voice, your views, your heritage, and
how great Romania is.
And I'm also against all stereotypes or preconceived notions.
Thank you for participating in this project.
It's my privilege and my honor to interview you.
And I wish you success.
I wish you great acting with your mom.
I wish you to keep being the mom and the leader of your friends and to change the definition
of a benevolent dictator to something super positive and keep going.
Thank you again.
Well, thank you for this opportunity.
I really like being interviewed by you.
And I really appreciate and support your organization and you have my full support.
