I told the stories of Romanian spa resorts and theater actors. Now I tell you stories of West Midlands&more.
I started writing at the age of 9. Two poetry books published in Romanian, now I work on two novels in English inspired by my family history.
Prague, Copenhagen, Berlin, Istanbul, New Orleans - I visited all of them and wondered with a heart wide open at their beauty and personality.
Already a fan of Emir Kusturica‘s movies since Arizona Dream, I kept Time of the Gypsies (1988) on my must-watch list for years. Circumstances made so that I only recently watched it. With a big liking for the soundtrack music by another Serbian artist, Goran Bregovic, by the music videos I anticipated a sad ending. I can tell you now how…
What does it mean to graduate a Master’s degree at a British university, as an adult migrant student? Studying for 3 years as a part time student, facing difficulties and financial struggle, but enjoying great academic teaching and environment, I revelled in my recent graduation. Achieving the MA in Online Journalism with Paul Bradshaw equals reaching the summit…
Being a lifeguide for my natural mindfulness walks, I am passionate about providing an opportunity for my guests to feel relaxed, de-stressed, and happier and to be healthier too. Most importantly to get away for a couple hours from their busy modern day stresses so they feel refreshed and rejuvenated. From my walks I want my…
Written today, this poem comes as it is. It might be part of a series, it might be just a one off. If you read it all, you will understand why. the whiff of hot cocoa milk and a strange little childhood in a communist flat the whiff of hot cocoa milk two furry faces…
With an open mic or poetry performance event almost every week, local culture flourishes in the Black Country. Regulars on the local scene, poets John and Liz Mills, husband and wife, also travel the country for poetry events, workshops and festivals. Other poets in the Midlands find the couple “inspiring”. Gravity, humour and breath-taking poetry…
Photo: @Gareth Reed carbon gas dwells just a few notes above the golden tears and the village dazed by music tequila marijuana I remember the first time I heard his music that summer when I was very fat very in love with a German young man visiting with my cousin I was one step away…
At their “Breaking Bread and Boundaries” event last Saturday, Meena Centre announced the opening of a new space to support refugees and asylum seekers. The centre will open in Birmingham on June 20th. At last week’s event, refugee women shared their stories with locals from Handsworth and members of different ethnic local group. Originally from Ivory Coast, Agnes Tanoh…
As the Windrush generation scandal sweeps the political scene, Birmingham based organisations warn against migrants falling prey to scammers. Ashiana Community Project reports on solicitors tricking vulnerable people, and GP surgeries discriminating against them. Also Migrant Voice representative gives advice on how migrants should follow a safe path. Representing Migrant Voice in Birmingham, Salman Mirza explains how people can avoid being scammed on…
Anxiety, depression, burn out – all of us can experience these at certain points in our lives. New therapies like ReAttach recommend a broader approach instead of labelling patients. Speakers and specialists from the UK to India and Indonesia discussed such new ways of thinking at the first ReAttach international conference, in Eindhoven, April 2018. Specialists and practitioners today talk about the…
After nearly 3 years of unpaid freelancing journalism in Birmingham, I was looking at alternative options for my MA final project. With the scarcity of news websites or magazines to pay for my work in the area, offering my skills set to the third sector seemed the next best option. It also combines two important passions…
