AIESEC CLUJ-NAPOCA Reception Booklet
Contents Contents Sharing Development Inspiring Action Getting Connected
S I G P E
Foreword............4
D A C I M
Some facts about Romania...............5 Cluj Napoca........10 Basics.................11 The Language.....13 Getting Around...14 Sightseeing.........16
Performing Intelligence Exploring the Mind
Going out and events.................18 Tips and tricks.................20 AIESEC in Romania.........21 AIESEC in Cluj Napoca....22 Testimonials.......24 Maps...................26
3 3
44 Foreword Dear reader, I am extremely honored that my words are read by YOU, unknown reader for me, but possible trainee in AIESEC Cluj-Napoca, possible friend for me and others in our organization. For sure I can tell you that it will be an experience that will change your personality or even your world view. In Cluj-Napoca you will meet very different characters, because it is a very diverse, multi cultural and bohemian city. You will definitely find places to go, places to visit (even other cities in Transylvania that can be easily reached from Cluj-Napoca), sports to perform, pubs to enjoy, books to read, festivals and concerts to attend,NGOs and companies to work at, friends to make, and people to date : ) In AIESEC Cluj-Napoca we have a lot of different activities in which you can take part. You can work in teams to organize different events or conferences, you may take a leadership opportunity, or just be active in a department and participate at training or workshops organized in AIESEC Cluj-Napoca. What experience will have you here, depends on you and on us. As president of AIESEC Cluj-Napoca, I can promise you that we will do our best to make your exchange experience here as qualitative as possible. I truly believe that the words of our trainees are just a fragment of the experiences that they had here, in AIESEC Cluj-Napoca.
Truly yours, Cristina Podaru President of AIESEC Cluj-Napoca
niRomania 5 A country of incredible contrast
5
Cultural Romania
Romanians' vivid imagination and intense Romania's culture is the product of its spirituality have always been expressed geographical position and of its distinct historical through their architecture, music, crafts and evolution. It is fundamentally defined as the traditions. meeting point of three regions: Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans, but cannot be truly included in any of them. The Romanian identity formed on a substratum of mixed Roman and Dacian elements, with numerous other influences like: Slavic,German, Hungarian,Turkish.
Authentic Romania
For your curiosity:
The countryside is the heart and soul of Romania, where peasant culture remains a strong force and medieval ways prevail, as they do nowhere else in Europe.
Natural Romania
Recognized as the world's third most biologically diverse area, the Danube Delta has been recognized by UNESCO for its outstanding universal value.
6
Romania 77
Romania Try this :)
- The meaning of the word „Transylvania” is the land beyond the forest? - The Palace of Parliament, located in Bucharest, ranks as the biggest office building Did you know? - The movies Cold Mountain, Modigliani,in Europe and second-largest in the world, Callas Forever, Blood and Chocolate were after the U.S. Pentagon were filmed on location in Romania? - The Romanian city of Timisoara was the first in Europe to have electric street-lighting?· - Romania features the youngest continental land (Danube Delta) in Europe? - Voronet Monastery, located in north eastern Romania, is also known as the 'Sistine Chapel doors to the public three years prior to the of the East'? - The Bruckenthal museum in Sibiu opened its doors to the public three years prior to the Louvre Museum in Paris, being one of the first museum s in Europe?
And then there's that Dracula thing. Many visitors,lured by bloodcurdling tales, make full trips out of Transylvania's castles and lovely medieval Saxon towns like Sighişoara.
Romanian spirituality is greatly influenced by its strong connections with the Eastern Christian world. T here are only a few Romanian How would the look Catholics andworld a small without number of Protestants, the vast majority of Romanians being Romanian Orthodox (over 90%).
Romania?
88 Romania
Romania
Romania
Romanian cuisine Romanians like to eat, and they eat a lot with a great diversity :) Recipes bear the same influences as the rest of Romanian culture: from Roman times there still exists the simple pie called, in Romanian, placinta and keeping the initial meaning of the Latin word placenta. The Turks brought meatballs (fried mititei or perisoare in a soup called a ciorba); from the Greeks there is the musaca (moussaka); from the Bulgarians, a wide variety of vegetable dishes like zacusca; from the Austrians there is the snitel (schnitzel) and covrigi (hot pretzels); from the Hungarians, their ornate pastries; and the list could go on. One of the most common meals is the mamaliga.
Want more? Beer in Romania comes from the long tradition of Romanian brewing, being introduced in Transylvania by the German colonists (Transylvanian Saxons) and in Moldavia by culturalconnections with Poland.
Alcohol And since a meal is incomplete without a responsible amount of alcohol... The traditional drink is known as either the famous tuica (a once-refined plum brandy) or palinca (twice-or-more-refined plum brandy). Romania is currently the world's ninth largest wine producer, and exports have increased in recent years.
9
10
Cluj Napoca – European Capital 2015
In the heart of Transylvania, Cluj awaits its visitors, with the silent full of history walls and hospitable people. Treasures of architecture and centuries of shaping people’s minds have made up a unique realm. You’ll see here the famous Transylvanian calm and reflexive mind, seriousness and pride. Stephen Bathory founded a Jesuit academy in 1581, with three faculties, and the city became the main cultural and religious center of Transylvania, later on in 1872 being inaugurate the Babes Bolyai University, where today more than 50.000 students enroll each year.
Basics
11
Currency
Exchange offices
Romania's currency is LEU (RON).
Functioning in banks and in special street offices – and even in a bar (Diesel) – most of them of them will exchange money in lei at no commission.A passport must be presented at the exchange offices.
Banks
Internet access
Business Hours Services and business meetings are expected to begin as early as 10AM and end before 5PM. However, most official documents and applications should be scheduled early in the morning.
There are several wi-fi hot spots in central Cluj (Eroilor Boulevard and the Museum Square) and outskirts, but nowadays most cafes and bars provide free wi-fi, so you may zip your coffee, with good music and pleasant atmosphere, while surfing on the internet.
Shops Most shops are open from 9AM until 8-10PM. But there are also a number of non- stop shops in the center and kiosks in the districts. Services are not usually available on Saturdays and Sundays.
Emergency phone numbers Dial 112 for any emergency, free of charge from any phone and any operating network.
12 Basics
The Language
13
Time zone
Basic elements of Romanian
Cluj is on Central European time (CET): GMT + 2 hours.
Are you a good mime? If not, here are some tips on our language Greetings Numerals Key phrases
Climate Cluj-Napoca has a continental climate, characterized by warm dry summers and cold winters.
Electricity Romania's electricity network operates at 230 V. Plugs are the regular two pin continental types.
Phone card If your company doesn't give you a company mobile phone, we will take you to buy a cheap SIM card for your phone. This will cost up 5 €. Other networks available in Romania are Vodafone and Cosmote. Also we provide you a small list of prices of basic products in Cluj:
1 – unu Hello! – Salut! 2 – doi Thank you! – Mulţumesc! 3 – trei Good morning! – Bunǎ dimineaţa! 4 – patru Please – Vǎ rog! Good evening !– Bunǎ 5 – cinci Sorry! – Scuze! seara! 6 – şase Here – aici There – acolo 7 – şapte Good afternoon! – Bunǎ 8 – opt Where – unde ziua! 9 – nouǎ When – când Good night! – Noapte 10 – zece I don’t speak romanian - Nu bunǎ! 100 – o sutǎ vorbesc româneşte Goodbye! – La 1000 – o mie I love you – te iubesc 1 million – un millionrevedere! Yes – Da No – Nu
Emergencies Milk (regular), 1l......3,5 - 6 RON Bread......2,5-5 RON Water (0.5 l)....2 to 2,5 RON Eggs (1piece)....0.60 RON Fresh Cheese (1kg).......14-28 RON Tomatoes(1kg)........3-6RON Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1kg).....12-16RON Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant .... 10 to 15 RON Beer (produced in Romania)....3-6 RON(market), 4-9 RON(bars) Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range in market).....15 RON Pack of Cigarettes (the cheapest).....12 RON
Help! – Ajutor! Watch out! – Atenţie! I am sick – Mi-e rǎu Where's the toilet? – Unde este toaleta?
Presentation My name is… - Mǎ numesc… I am from… - Sunt din…
14
Getting around 15
15
Taxi
If you don't like Cluj public transport (which is very crowded sometimes) you can get around by taxi. There are may taxis and quite enough taxi companies in Cluj Napoca. Taxi stations are situated near major public transport stations and near all points of interest. All taxi companies have the same fees, 1.79 RON per km + 1.79 RON start fee. After 10 pm the fee is 1.99 RON per km.
Order a taxi: Taxi Diesel: 0264/946 or from mobile *9946 Taxi NOVA: 0744959959 All prices are showed on the car door. So, please look at the prices when you get on the taxi, because there may be some taxis .
Bus, trolley, tram Bicycle http://travel-tocluj. blogspot.com/search/label/Bike%20r ental or you can also rent for free for 2h - ask your trainee buddy for details Rent a car http://www.rent-a-car-cluj.ro/ or Avis Rent –a- car: b-dul 21 Decembrie nb 54-56 Car& go: Calea dorobantilor nb 484 Getting around
We recommend that you buy a busticket, otherwise you may get a rather big fine. - -a ticket valid 2 trips costs 3,5 lei (about 0,8 euro) from special kiosks in the station and you must validate it by yourselves.
If you want to explore the surroundings of Cluj or just get out in the country...the most popular way to travel, for wonderful scenery, for meeting people and their stories is...the train.
But trains in Romania tend to teach you how to be patience, being famous for their “on time” arrivals :) Types: Rapid: These are the fast, modern trains. They are equivalent to trains you will find in Western Europe. They don’t stop much and they move fast.. Inter City: Are the fastest, the most comfortable and...the most expensive, but with few rides. Accelerate: You should always shoot for taking at least an Accelerate train. These are moderately fast and do not make frequent stops. Personal: These are-most might say- the worst, the slowest train you can ride, but the cheapest.
Sightseeing
16 Sightseeing Botanical Garden Occupying 14 ha of abrupt and hilly land in the south of the city, it is the largest green area of ClujNapoca, displaying a large variety of flora.
St. Michael Cathedral Was built between 1350 and 1487, probably immediately after the settlement had officially become a town, in 1316.
Central Park Slabbed alleys and narrow paths, benches and playgrounds, the familiar artesian well and an irregular scenic pond, all make up the favorite recreation place of the inhabitants.
Tailors’ tower Built in the 15th century, it guarded the southern access way in the medieval fortress. Today it holds the center for urban art.
National theater
The rest is for you to discover:
17
18
Going out and events
Going out and events 19
With almost 100.000 students, Cluj is a city that never sleeps. And Also here is a list of some of the biggest festivals in Cluj the best thing about Cluj-Napoca nightlife, in addition to the fact that there’s always a cheerful crowd of students ready to party, is that Napoca and Romania: Transylvania International Film Festival, Cluj-Napoca most cafes, clubs and bars are situated close to each other, on one of http://www.tiff.ro/ the picturesque narrow streets that form the historic center of the International Comedy Film Festival, Cluj-Napoca city. http://www.comedycluj.ro/ Transilvania International Guitar Festival, Cluj-Napoca http://www.transilvaniaguitar.ro/ Ÿ Baroque Music Festival, Cluj Napoca Ÿ Light Festival, Cluj Napoca http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_ThER6HnZo Ÿ International Romani Art Festival, Cluj Napoca http://www.iraf.ro/ Ÿ Septemberfest, Cluj Napoca Ÿ Gay film nights festival, Cluj Napoca The going out routine in Cluj consists of two steps: first, having a Ÿ Transilvania Jazz Festival, Cluj Napoca couple ofdrinks in a pub, second, descending underground into some Ÿ Classical Music Festival, Cluj Napoca noisy club. Piezisa Street, in Hasdeu campus is nothing but open Ÿ MAN.In.FEST - International Festival of Experimental Theatre, Cluj terraces, cheap drinks and youthful atmosphere.Other bars are Napoca centered around Unirii Square, Muzeului Square, Eroilor Boulevard and the old city wall (Potaisa, Baba Novac Streets). Local and international bands can be enjoyed on a weekly basis in places like: Irish Music Pub, Janis Pub, Diesel Club or Autograf. If you want to enjoy some good vibes in trendy clubs you have Midi, Bamboo or Eclipse, if you want clubs with music for all tastes: Janis, Retro, My way and the rest is for you to discover, especially because the best bars and clubs are hidden :) .
AIESEC in Romania 21
20 Tips & tricks Romania can get a bad rap, but don't cancel your trip if you're worried about losing a wallet or getting a dog bite –it's not that extreme.
What you need to expect when you`re hosted in a dorm? First of all, you need to make sure that your luggage is with you and not lost in the taxi, or bus. It this unfortunately happens, you should imeddiately call to the agency which carried you. In the dorm, the most likely thing is that you will share the room with another person, or maybe two or three. You should definitely keep in mind that living with others assume respect and responsabilities in terms of cleaning, noise etc.
AIESEC in Romania was born in March 1990, when a team from Austria came to our country with the intention of founding AIESEC Romania. From that moment until today, 13 cities host AIESEC. Among those, there are Braşov, Bucureşti, Constanţa, Cluj-Napoca, Craiova, Galaţi, Iaşi, Oradea, Piteşti, Ploieşti, Sibiu, Timişoara and Târgu-Mureş. Our membership base consists of more than 1,000 young people in over 40 universities in 15 cities from Romania. Local offices are managed by students or recent graduates. AIESEC is run by youth, for youth. Together, the network manages relationships with well over 550 partners, facilitates more than 600 internships and 700 leadership roles. National conferences you can attend: SprinCo February; ICPS May; RockMe August; RYLF November. MC
There are few things that you should not forget to include into your luggage when coming: Ÿ Your favorite CD’s and books; Ÿ Some pictures of your family, friends, home etc.; Ÿ Some typical sweets and dishes; Ÿ Your national flag and other presentation materials which you can use to make a cultural presentation of your country; Ÿ Some CD’s of your typical music or folklore; Ÿ Some recipes of your traditional dishes; Ÿ and of course your excitement for starting a new life changing experience :)
Contact AIESEC Romania 50 Mircea Voda Street, BL. M20, 3th Floor, Flat 30, sector 3, Bucharest, Romania. Tel: +40 31 405 44 51 Fax: +40 31 405 44 52 romania@aiesec.net
Executive Board members President – Eduard Till Vice President Corporate Development – Bogdan Manea Vice President Communication – Andrada Falcoi Vice President Finance – Bianca Presada Vice President Talent Management – Dani Plesa Vice President Non-Corporate Development- Luiza Marcu Vice President International Internships – Andreea Fratila Vice President Alumni Development – Catalin Zbirn
22 AIESEC in Cluj Napoca
AIESEC in Cluj Napoca 23 The Executive Board President Cristina Podaru cristina.podaru@aiesec.net +40 741 464506
Founded in 1994 by a group of 5 students, AIESEC Cluj-Napoca became one of the biggest LCs in Romania, in the present having approximately 80 active members. In 2011 at the National Congress we have managed to accomplish one of our dreams and win “The Excellence Award”, which made us really proud and motivated us to have more and more qualitative projects and experiences for our members. Each year AIESEC Cluj-Napoca creates projects focused on themes such as entrepreneurship, education, IT or CSR in partnership both with public and private institutions. During the last years, we have tried to collaborate more with other NGOs from Cluj-Napoca and we actually managed to do this and positionate ourselves in projects like “Sunny Days” or “Be a volunteer”. We should also mention our strong organizational culture and the fact that AIESEC Cluj-Napoca created its own values, SIGPE DACIM (mentioned below); values that our members are living in the organization and we hope that all the internationals that come in Cluj-Napoca will be able to feel and live during their internship in our Local Comitee. The Values of AIESEC Cluj-Napoca are SIGPE DACIM, which is an acronym from
Sharing Development Inspiring Action Getting Connected Performing Intelligence Exploring the Mind
Vice President Non-Corporate Development Ioana Savu ioana.savu@aiesec.net
Vice President Corporate Development Raul Pop raul.pop@aiesec.net Vice President GIPo Mariana Balan mariana.balan@aiesec.net Vice President GCDPo Laura Niculas laura.niculas@aiesec.net Vice President Talent Management Vlad Haiduc haiduc.vlad@aiesec.net Vice President Communication Petruta Tuliga petrutat90@aiesec.net Vice President Finance Ioana Savu
24 Testimonials
‘Hi future trainee in Cluj - Napoca...The advice i can give you is to enjoy every single moment, even those that seem crappy at that moment, you will laugh about them the next day believe me... Travel a lot during your internship.... Go to all the places near by and why not to the countries near by?? Traveling with the train is a MUST while you are in Romania....Don't be afraid to do things you would normally not do, this is your opportunity to do those things....If you have roommates spend some wild nights just with them, it will bring you really close and make your time there easier and more fun. Plus you will add it to all the other moments that you will have with them :) You will end up being a little family...Live this period of your life to your fullest!!!!’ Tereza Makri Greece ‘Here are some important things I feel you should know as a new trainee in Romania: It is always good to learn one to ten in Romanian...Don’t be late. Things here work on time and Romanian people are too nice to tell you that you were late..Be involved with the LC as far as possible...Use your trainee buddies...Alcohol is cheap, I know. Especially to my Indian friends, keep the level of drinking at moderate...Enjoy every minute that you’re here in this country; it will be over even before you know it’ Gaurav Sathe,India
Testimonials
25
‘Romania and New Zealand may be very far apart geographically, but being on exchange here has made me realise that it is not the world is not so small – and despite differences in culture, it is the actions of people that are important. I arrived in Romania not knowing anyone, but immediately felt at home thanks to my friends at AIESEC Cluj Napoca’. Irene McDowall, New Zealand
‘‘Actually to be honest i liked everything i didn't have a lot of problem, you will not believe me but now i feel myself more experienced...… Well I guess for the first time it was little bit hard for me cause I didn't know that children and didn't know the language, but after when we started talk like body language and eye contact I started know them better we made friendship with children...I already miss them and Cluj... Mulţumiri pentru tot!!!’ Zarifa Hasanova, Azerbaijan Why Romania? And why with AIESEC? These were the most asked questions when I told people about my plans to go abroad again. The second question was easy to answer because I worked for 2,5 years in AIESEC. The.So I want to thank AIESEC and especially LC Cluj-Napoca for an amazing experience. You were the most hearty people I could imagine. LIVE THE DREAM!!!!FOAIE VERDE CLUJ-NAPOCA!!! Alex, Germany
26 Maps
Maps 27
28 Maps
Maps
29
u e o s to s y pe e Ho
o n o
!
Booklet realized for AIESEC Cluj Napoca 2012 ______________________________ by Anca Stefania Robu exchange quality responsible  updated by Reception Team 2013