Alex  Cotoranu  (27)  stands  out  from  the  crowd Photo:  Alex  Cotoranu
Born  to  be  a  global  nomad $OH[ &RWRUDQX VKDUHV KLV H[SHULHQFH OLYLQJ LQ GLIIHUHQW FRXQWULHV  %\ (YJHQLD %HO\DHYD
W Â
KHQ PHHWLQJ D SHUVRQ IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH \RX XVXDOO\ DVN ZKHUH KH FRPHV IURP 0RVW RI XV ZRXOG QRW KHVLWDWH DQG JLYH D VWUDLJKWIRUZDUG DQVZHU ³ , FRPH IURP (QJODQG´ RU ³, DP .HQ\DQ´ EXW IRU $OH[ &RWRUDQX LW LV D GLI¿FXOW TXHVWLRQ +H LV SX]]OHG HYHU\ WLPH VRPHRQH DVNV KLP WKDW ³,W¶V FRPSOH[ EXW , KDYH OHDUQW WR DGMXVW P\ DQVZHU ´ KH VD\V ³, DP &DQDGLDQ RULJLQDOO\ IURP 5RPDQLD ZKR VWXGLHG LQ 6ZHGHQ DQG QRZ OLYHV LQ *HUPDQ\ ´ 2WKHU WLPHV KH ZRXOG VD\ ³, DP 5RPDQLDQ ZKR JUHZ XS LQ &DQDGD VWXGLHG LQ 6ZHGHQ DQG FXUUHQWO\ ZRUNLQJ LQ *HUPDQ\ ´ +RZHYHU KH LV QRW D VWHUHRW\SLFDO &DQDGLDQ DQG KH GRHV QRW DVVRFLDWH KLPVHOI WKDW PXFK ZLWK WKH 5RPDQLDQ FXOWXUH RU WKH SHRSOH ³, DP DFWXDOO\ PRUH ZRUOGO\ ´ &RWRUDQX VD\V ODXJKLQJO\ ³, KDYH DGRSWHG WKLQJV IURP GLIIHUHQW FRXQWULHV LQFOXGLQJ 5RPDQLD &DQDGD ,WDO\ 6ZHGHQ DQG QRZ *HUPDQ\ ´
How  the  global  nomad  was  made ,W DOO EHJDQ ZKHQ $OH[ &RWRUDQX ZDV RQO\ ¿YH \HDUV ROG *URZLQJ XS LQ D UHYROXWLRQ WRUQ FDSLWDO FLW\ RI 5RPDQLD %XFKDUHVW LQ WKH V KLV IDPLO\ OHIW ZLWK OLWWOH FKRLFH DZD\ IURP QXPHURXV VWUHHW SURWHVWV YLROHQFH DQG LQVWDELOLW\ WKDW PDUNHG WKH HQG RI WKH 5RPDQLDQ FRPPXQLVW UHJLPH RI 1LFRODH &HDX‫܈‬HVFX 7KH GHFLVLRQ WR PRYH IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH KH VD\V ³LV QRW DOZD\V \RXUV WR WDNH ´ .H\ PRPHQWV IURP &RWRUDQX¶V FKLOGKRRG LQ 5RPDQLD DUH VWLOO HQJUDYHG RQ KLV PLQG ³, UHPHPEHU FRPLQJ RXW IURP P\ JUDQGSDUHQWV¶ DSDUWPHQW GXULQJ ZLQWHU PRQWKV LQ D VWUROOHU DQG ZHDULQJ D QHZ SDLU RI ZLQWHU ZRROOHQ VRFNV WKDW P\ JUDQGPRWKHU ZRXOG NQLW IRU PH HYHU\ \HDU , ZLOO QHYHU IRUJHW VD\LQJ JRRGE\H WR P\ JUDQGSDUHQWV ´ KH VD\V ZLWK D QRVWDOJLF VPLOH RQ KLV IDFH 7KLV PDUNV WKH H[DFW WLPH WKDW KLV ORYH IRU WUDYHO DQG UHORFDWLRQ UHDOO\ EHJXQ
+DYLQJ UHODWLYHV LQ *HUPDQ\ DQG ZDQWLQJ WR JXDUDQWHH D VDIHU IXWXUH IRU $OH[ &RWRUDQX WKH IDPLO\ PRYHG WR *HUPDQ\ &RWRUDQX DWWHQGHG D *HUPDQ NLQGHUJDUWHQ SLFNHG XS WKH *HUPDQ ODQJXDJH UHDOO\ TXLFNO\ DQG PDGH QHZ IULHQGV 2QH GD\ &RWRUDQX OHDUQW ZLWK D JUHDW VXUSULVH WKDW WKH IDPLO\ KDG GHFLGHG WR PRYH WR 9DQFRXYHU &DQDGD ³, GLG QRW NQRZ ZKDW WR H[SHFW , WKRXJKW SHRSOH ZRXOG EH UHDOO\ ELJ DQG WDOO WKHUH DQG , ZRXOG JURZ XS D ELJ &DQDGLDQ JX\ ´ &RWRUDQX VD\V ODXJKLQJO\ +H EHJDQ WR DWWHQG D &DQDGLDQ VFKRRO ZLWK RQO\ &DQDGLDQ FKLOGUHQ WKH UHVW FDPH IURP DOO RYHU WKH ZRUOG ,Q &DQDGD KH OHDUQW WR X Q G H U V W D Q G that it was RND\ WR EH GLIIHUHQW DQG to come from D GLIIHUHQW F R X Q W U \ &DQDGD IHOW LQWHUQDWLRQDO DQG \HW LW IHOW OLNH KRPH +LV ¿UVW GHOLEHUDWHO\ LQGHSHQGHQW GHFLVLRQ WR PRYH WRRN SODFH ZKHQ KLV SDUHQWV VROG WKH KRXVH WKDW WKH\ KDG LQ &DQDGD DQG GHFLGHG WR PRYH EDFN WR *HUPDQ\ ZKHUH WKH\ KDG ERWK IRXQG LQWHUHVWLQJ MRE RIIHUV &RWRUDQX¶V GHFLVLRQ ZDV PRWLYDWHG LQ HTXDO PHDVXUH E\ KLV ZLVK WR PRYH FORVH WR KLV SDUHQWV DQG KLV URRWV DQG KLV RZQ GHVLUH IRU FKDQJH +H DOVR ZDQWHG WR EH LQ D GLIIHUHQW HQYLURQPHQW IRU KLV VWXGLHV ³+DYLQJ EHHQ LQ ,WDO\ IRU WZR PRQWKV ZLWK WKH ,WDOLD'HVLJQ ¿HOG VFKRRO , IHOW WKDW ORYH IRU (XURSH ZDV JURZLQJ LQ PH DJDLQ , GHFLGHG WR EH LQ WKH PRPHQW WDNH WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ DQG GR D 0DVWHU¶V GHJUHH LQ (XURSH ´ VD\V WKH \RXQJ JOREDO QRPDG 7ZR \HDUV DIWHU FRPLQJ WR (XURSH &RWRUDQX ZDV OLYLQJ LQ &RSHQKDJHQ 'HQPDUN DQG VWXG\LQJ LQWHUDFWLRQ GHVLJQ DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 0DOP| MXVW DFURVV WKH EULGJH LQ 6ZHGHQ 8QLYHUVLW\ OLIH EHJDQ DJDLQ ZLWK WKH DVVRFLDWHG IUHHGRP RI OLYLQJ DORQH HQMR\LQJ D ELJ FLW\ DV ZHOO DV RXWGRRUV DQG ELNLQJ FXOWXUH LQ 6FDQGLQDYLD ³ 6ZHGHQ LV D VSHFLDO SODFH IRU PH ´ &RWRUDQX VPLOHV ,W LV D FRXQWU\ ZKHUH KH PHW KLV ,UDQLDQ ZLIH $YLVVD %LJGHOOL ZKRP KH PHW VWXG\LQJ IRU WKH VDPH 0DVWHU¶V SURJUDP LQ ,QWHUDFWLRQ 'HVLJQ
“Once you have the taste of it, you want to have more”
New job, new city 7RJHWKHU ZLWK KLV ZLIH &RWRUDQX PRYHG EDFN WR &RORJQH ZKHUH KH IRXQG D WUDLQHHVKLS LQ WKH &RPPXQLFDWLRQV 'HSDUWPHQW DW WKH (XURSHDQ $YLDWLRQ 6DIHW\ $JHQF\ &RWRUDQX VHHPV WR HQMR\ KLV MRE WR WKH IXOOHVW ³, ORYH WR VROYH SUREOHPV RI LQWHUDFWLRQ EHWZHHQ SHRSOH , DP DOZD\V ORRNLQJ IRU QHZV ZD\V RI GRLQJ LW , ORYH WR EH FUHDWLYH ´ KH VD\V +DV &RWRUDQX¶V H[SHULHQFH PDGH KLP GLIIHUHQW LQ WKH ZRUN HQYLURQPHQW" 'RHV KLV JOREDO QRPDGLF FKDUDFWHU VKRZ" )LOLSSR 6HOODUD DQ ,WDOLDQ FROOHDJXH ZKR VKDUHV DQ RI¿FH ZLWK WKH \RXQJ PXOWLOLQJXDO LV FRQYLQFHG WKDW WKH LQWHUQDWLRQDO H[SHULHQFH KDV VKDSHG &RWRUDQX¶V SHUVRQDOLW\ ³+H KDV WKH DELOLW\ WR DGDSW HDVLO\ WR GLIIHUHQW VLWXDWLRQV KH LV RSHQ PLQGHG FUHDWLYH DQG DZDUH RI GLIIHUHQW FXOWXUHV ´ KH VD\V
Where is home? 0RVW SHRSOH KDYH D WUDGLWLRQDO XQGHUVWDQGLQJ DQG DVVRFLDWLRQV RI KRPH IDPLO\ FKLOGKRRG DQG \RXU FRXQWU\ )RU $OH[ &RWRUDQX LW LV DOVR D GLI¿FXOW TXHVWLRQ WR DQVZHU ³3HRSOH DUH WKH PRVW LPSRUWDQW IDFWRU IRU PH ,I P\ ZLIH LV ZLWK PH LW LV KRPH LI P\ SDUHQWV DQG FORVHVW IULHQGV DUH ZLWK PH LW LV KRPH ´ KH VD\V +RZHYHU KH PLVVHV PDQ\ SODFHV IURP KLV QRPDGLF OLIH ³<RX VSHQG VRPH WLPH LQ D SODFH DQG LW EHFRPHV KRPH 3ODFHV OLNH )ORUHQFH WKH $OSV RU &RUVLFD FRXOG EH KRPH IRU PH 3ODFHV WKDW OHW \RX H[SHULHQFH OLIH DQG EH VRFLDO DQG KDSS\ FDQ PDNH PH IHHO KRPH ´ VD\V &RWRUDQX .
What the future holds $OH[¶V UDWLRQDOH IRU PRYLQJ HYROYHG RYHU WLPH $V D FKLOG KH KDG WR PRYH ZLWK KLV SDUHQWV :KHQ KH ZDV KH ZHQW RQ D 8QLYHUVLW\ ¿HOG VFKRRO WR ,WDO\ /DWHU KH ZDV RQ D WULS LQ WKH 8. YLVLWLQJ KLV IULHQGV DQG E\ FRLQFLGHQFH DSSOLHG WR VWXG\ DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 0DOP| DQG VLPSO\ UHPDLQHG WKHUH IRU WZR \HDUV +H PRYHG EDFN WR *HUPDQ\ EHFDXVH KH IRXQG DQ LQWHUHVWLQJ MRE 7KH VXUHVW WKLQJ RQ &RWRUDQX¶V PLQG QRZ LV WKDW KH PLJKW PRYH DJDLQ $OWKRXJK KH LV LQFOLQHG WR PRYH EDFN WR &DQDGD ZLWKLQ WKH QH[W GHFDGH KH LV ZLOOLQJ WR OHW IDWH KDYH D KDQG LQ LW ³$Q\WKLQJ LV SRVVLEOH \RX DOZD\V SODQ RQH WKLQJ EXW \RX HQG XS GRLQJ VRPHWKLQJ GLIIHUHQW ´ KH VD\V $V D QRPDG WKH XUJH WR PRYH WRZDUGV WKH QH[W KRUL]RQ LV YHU\ VWURQJ $V &RWRUDQX SXWV LW ³2QFH \RX KDYH WKH WDVWH RI LW \RX ZDQW WR KDYH PRUH ´
How many students study abroad? 0DQ\ JOREDO QRPDGV EHJDQ WKHLU H[SHULHQFH E\ VWXG\LQJ DEURDG DQG WKHQ GHFLGH WR UHPDLQ LQ D IRUHLJQ FRXQWU\ WR SXUVXH WKHLU FDUHHUV $FFRUGLQJ WR 81(6&2¶V ,QVWLWXWH IRU 6WDWLVWLFV WKH QXPEHU RI LQWHUQDWLRQDO VWXGHQWV KDV ULVHQ GUDPDWLFDOO\ IURP PLOOLRQ ZRUOGZLGH LQ WR PRUH WKDQ WKUHH PLOOLRQ LQ 7KH QXPEHU RI LQWHUQDWLRQDO VWXGHQWV LV HVWLPDWHG WR JURZ WR HLJKW PLOOLRQ LQ ,QWHUQDWLRQDO VWXGHQW À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