When the stars align
About belonging and a trip like no other
I have to admit, I desperately missed the sounds of Bucharest. I missed the language. I missed being able to blend into the streets and not look like a foreigner. I missed speaking without an accent, without being judged or asked, “Where are you from?”
I missed the familiarity of knowing where the streets lead. I missed the parks, the buses, the avenues, the noise, the rhythm of the city. I missed speaking to my handful of much missed, beloved old friends. I missed seeing the places that shaped me. I missed the city buzz, the fashionable women, the impeccable makeup, the high heels, the elegance, the life.
I missed this and so much more.
When the stars align, they align. I had been waiting for this moment for seven years. Seven long, difficult years. And then, somehow, the metaphorical door opened and I was finally able to return to Bucharest.
It was business and pleasure, but above all, it was a week of coming back to myself.
So much had changed in seven years. I carried so many worries, fears, and apprehensions. For years, I had nightmares about returning. I screamed in my sleep so many times.
And then I came back.
My fears disappeared. Instead of terror, I found peace. Peace in an almost empty flat. Peace in the streets. Peace in familiarity. Peace with my friends. Peace within myself.
Perhaps this is what belonging really means — not perfection, not airy fairy, not even happiness as this is another concept meaning different things to different people, but the quiet recognition of yourself in a place, a language, a memory, a park, a smell, a market, a church, a monastery, a sound.
This journey stirred something profound in me, and I know now that I want to write more about it. About displacement. About identity. About the invisible grief of leaving and the unexpected emotions of returning. About the human need to belong somewhere, to someone, to ourselves. About the massive questions related to belonging, to identity, to joy.
In the coming weeks, I will share more stories and reflections from Bucharest — honest thoughts about memory, migration, healing, cultural identity, and the complicated emotional landscapes we carry within us.
Because behind every journey, there is a human story waiting to be told and telling stories help us reclaim bits of our lives just like the pieces of a puzzle.
Until next time, be well.
STRAIGHT TALK RECOMMENDS
Documentary - Bucharest in a nutshell - a good video, quite informative. I think you will enjoy it.
Music - George Enescu - Romanian Rhapsody - performance from the Romania Atheneum a place full of memories for me
A touch of history - Queen Marie of Romania - for the ones who are interested in European History - granddaughter of Queen Victoria, much loved by the Romanian people.
Straight Talk Archives -
We Need Poetry to Remember Who We Are
·It is early morning in England. It is still dark outside. Bhakti snores happily on my lap and, well… I feel the need to write a few words.
Incredibly insightful and most beautiful to connect again so
Positively
Reading this brought back memories of my own returns, and the way you describe both the longing and the peace of coming home is beautifully honest. There’s such warmth in the idea that belonging is not about perfection, but about quietly recognizing yourself in the places and people you love. Thank you for sharing your story and inviting us into these moments of rediscovery. I’m looking forward to hearing more about Bucharest and how these pieces of your past continue to shape your present.