1. 1
December, 2012 - January 2013
Fourth Edition
I will honor
Christmas in
my heart, and
try to keep it all
the year.
Charles Dickens
EXAMS ARE COMING!!!
By Irina BUCICO
During this semester I experienced different
interesting moments. At the beginning of the semester I
prepared for the lessons every day. I was worried every
time. I lived every moment with enthusiasm and with the
ardent desire to study. I often felt like I was at the exam while I
was answering. I didn’t know some of the teachers, I was afraid they
might get disappointed in me. After a while, I felt less stressed. I could enjoy the
process of studying. Sometimes I was lazy, sometimes I was too tired, but anyway I
did my best to study well.
Now it is the end of the first semester. The exams are near. And I have
the feeling that I know nothing. This is because I am excited. What is the most
interesting, when I am at the exam, I forget about my fears and knowledge and
ideas are coming to me.
I am not afraid of all the exams. The most I am afraid of are the ones we
had only few lessons. On the day of the exam I can’t eat nor drink even water. If it
is an oral exam I like to answer the first because more time passes more I am wor-
ried; and if I am worried there is a probability that I might fail.
I don’t copy at the exams. The explanation is that I am too worried and I
don’t need one additional thing to worry about.
Before the exam, my best supporter is my mom. She always tells me
“Don’t worry, you know everything. I saw you working hard and you’ll get what you
deserve.” My answer is “Yes, I know everything “. And with these words I majesti-
cally sail into the hard process of examination!!!
I wish every student success, luck, and courage. I want to tell them to
trust themselves, to rely on the knowledge they have learned, never doubt in their
powers and to have patience. Once my teacher of English told me “Patience is the
key to success”.
BALTI, HERE I AM!
In the second issue we published an
article by the English Fellow working at our
university, Rafel Naseer. We got interested
in his personality and asked for an inter-
view which he gladly accepted. He eagerly
answered our questions. The friendly at-
mosphere he created made us feel at
ease. We would like to remind that every
week Rafel organizes a conversation club.
Everybody is welcome there. Don’t lose
your chance to practice your English with a
native speaker!
Artiom LUPOI: As far as I know, it’s your
second visit to Moldova. Why have you
chosen Moldova again?
Rafel NASEER: You are correct it’s my
second visit to Moldova. After Moldova I
lived two years in Russia, and you will find
it very different to Moldova. I relish the
opportunity to go back because I had such
an interesting time my first two years in
Moldova. From 2008 – 2010 I lived in Balti.
It started very hard when I first arrived. But
after a while Balti became a part of who I
was.
A L: If you were to compare your first visit
with this, which one do you like most?
Why?
R N: It’s a very small difference; everything
looks the same, people kind of look the
same. They seem to be a little bit warmer
here in Balti. They are very simple good
hearted people.
It’s hard to answer your question. When
you first come in a country you have a kind
of honeymoon period. And you begin to
realize that Moldovan, Russian, American
people are basically all the same. We have
the same problems. The honeymoon is
over, but I still enjoy being here. So it’s
hard to say, because I’m not finished, I’ve
been here only 2 months. It’s hard to com-
pare. I wouldn’t give you a fair answer right
now.
A L: Which are the qualities of Moldovan
people you’d like to see in Americans?
The continuation of the interview is on
Page 3.
Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall,
the genial flame of charity in the heart.
Washington Irving
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is
dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Thomas Alva Edison
ON EXAMS
By Alina GAMUREAC
Dear fellows,
First of all, I would like to tell you that I am happy to finish this semester
because, in my opinion, it was a very difficult semester.
Secondly, I wish you much success in our exams and to get only good
marks!!!
Thirdly, I know that we are "Bessora and Experts" (as our teacher says)
and we are smart, good at all the subjects and we will win them, the exams I mean.
So, my dear fellows, don't be afraid, everything will be OK and think that
after this we will have the possibility to stay home, to talk to our families and rela-
tives, and also to celebrate the Winter Holidays!!!

2. 2
A L: Which are the qualities of Moldovan people you’d like to see in Americans?
R N: You we have a very big thing. In the US there is a sense of individuality. I can
do this by myself, leave alone. We have our personal space. I find that Moldovan
people think in a very collective way. They work together to achieve certain goals, it’s
not like I can do this by myself, it’s maybe like we can do this together. So accom-
plishing goals together is something nice that I see in Moldova. Not that I don’t see
that in America, I see that not as much as here. This is the quality of team work.
A L: Which are the qualities Moldovans should take from your culture?
R N: I don’t think they can take anything. I just wish Moldova had the natural re-
sources that US have. Because Moldovan people have the brains, they’re extremely
intelligent. But, let’s not forget that money can do things. Moldova has the brain-
power. I work with my students, extremely bright students. I just whish sometimes
they had a little bit more opportunities here in Moldova.
A L: But we have one resource, I think it’s soil.
R N: Ok, agriculture. You do the best vine in Europe, better than the Georgian vine. I
think it’s just one part of it, a very small part.
AL: But we have one resource, I think it’s soil.
R N: It happened accidentally, like a lot of good things happen. I was a probation
officer for many years. My first job was as a probation officer. I had to work with not
such nice people. I wasn’t quite happy with what I was doing. My mom was a teacher
and she told me if you don’t like your job then do something different. You ask me
why I choose it. My mom suggested it, then I did it and I am finally doing what I really
like.
AL: Are you realizing your childhood dream?
R N: I guess yeah, I’ve always wanted to travel; I’ve traveled for the last five years.
It’s always been my dream to see different places and I had the opportunity to see a lot of places. I guess I can say yes, I’m living
my childhood dream.
AL: Which famous person do you associate yourself with and why?
R N: Gosh, I try not to compare myself with anyone because they each are individual. It’s unfair to compare oneself to anyone. My
dad says: “Never compare yourself with anyone, just do the best you can, find your little place in society and do the best you can” I
really try to compare myself to no one, I’m unique.
I have movie stars that I like, I have religious people that I like. But I don’t necessarily look up to them. if I was to look up to
someone that would be maybe someone like, maybe my mother, you know. people who are not perfect but who worked hard to
achieve certain things. I don’t look up to anyone, but my parents would be the only people I’d look up to.
AL: What is, in your opinion, one of the best moments in your life you could share with me?
R N: Oh gosh, the best moment in my life, That’s a tough question. You know every morning I wake up, and I’m breathing that’s a
good moment. If I’m alive that’s a good moment. Maybe we can come back to that question I can’t think of a particular moment but
every day I’m breathing, I’m happy and it’s a good moment.
AL: If you had the opportunity to go 10 years back, what will you change in your life and why?
R N: Oh, Gosh. I very seldom look back, man. What happened happened. I closed that door behind me and never look back, man.
I know I could never change anything and I don’t think about it because it’s a useless endeavor. I close that door behind me and
don’t look back.
AL: How do you see yourself in 10 years?
R N: Oh boy, I see myself in ten years married with twenty children, man, twenty – five children (laughs).
AL: Some people say that it is necessary to try everything in life. Are there things that you have never tried? Would you like to try
them?
R N: Oh, sure there are many things I’d like to try. I’ve always wanted to go on the Concord. But now they don’t have the Concord
anymore. That was one thing I really wanted to try. I can’t think of anything that I really, really want to try that I haven’t tried. No, no.
I can’t really think of anything. I’ve always wanted to try jumping out of an airplane and I did that. I’ve always wanted to try surfing
and I did that, too. No, I can’t think of anything I really want to do.
AL: Maybe to fly into the space?
R N: (laughs) I don’t have that dream; I’d like to fly airplanes, though. That’s probably a dream.
AL: If you catch a goldfish, what are the three wishes you’ll ask for?
R N: I don’t want to sound contrived but maybe peace on earth, happiness for everyone and good health for my family.
AL: If you had a million dollars, what will you buy in the first place?
R N: Only a million (laughs). Ok, It’s not so much.
AL: Ok, a billion dollars.
R N: If I had a billion dollars the first thing I’d do I’d donate to some kind of charity because I do believe really when you give
something you do receive. But I wouldn’t give just to receive something. I would give something maybe to help
the poor in somewhere, whether it be an American poor, a Moldovan poor, an African poor, I just think to help
with something. I’d give something for education in all villages around the world, for educational purposes, to
clean drinking water, Secondly I’ll buy a nice car.

3. 3
A L: Is there friendship between a man and a woman?
R N: Sure, sure, absolutely, one thing there is understanding.
A L: Could you forgive infidelity?
R N: That’s a complex question, man. We need coffee and cognac to discuss that question. It depends on the
circumstances. On the surface, I would say no; but I would have to look at the situation, because these things
are very complex. I would like to give you a yes / no answer but it’s a complex scenario.
AL: What’s your attitude towards criticism?
R N: It’s a good question. Criticism just for criticism’s sake, I think, is stupid. If you just criticize to be critical but it is constructive
criticism I’m open to this. I think it’s a good thing. In my classroom I welcome it. Just not some criticism, give me constructive criti-
cism. I have no problem with criticism. I think it is good. You must criticize, we must question authority. I think that is why we are at
the university not just to learn but to question authority, to question things; why are we doing this. We need to question why. Al-
ways.
AL: If you could be invisible, where would you go?
R N: I would like to sit at some high level negotiation. I don’t know I’m fascinated with leadership and people in power. And I would
like to see how they actually negotiate on very important issues, for example on nuclear disarmament, or negotiating some peace
process. I would love to sit and just listen how these negotiations go. I think this is fascinating, to see the high level diplomats nego-
tiate on certain issues.
AL: Who was your hero in the childhood? Why?
R N: A hero? The typical superhero of a young boy: Superman, Spiderman. Why? Because they are helping people, who can’t help
themselves. It’s always nice to help people. And I saw Superman helping an old lady cross the street or fighting evil. It’s a pleasure
to see that. It’s a pleasure to help people.
AL: If you could acquire a superhero’s power how would you use it?
R N: A superhero? I would probably want to be a superman because he’s able to fly. I guess that would be the freedom of libera-
tion, the ability to fly anywhere, go anywhere and do what you want to do. And I hate to go back to it, but the power to help people
is a very nice thing. I would use my powers to assist people, try to help as much as I can.
AL: Name the book, the movie, the song everyone should know?
R N: That’s a tough one. The book… I have a couple. Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. It’s a very beautiful book about the search for
life. Some of Ernest Hemingway’s Old man and the Sea, Hills like White Elephants, Cat in the Rain, beautiful works. Some songs.
Oh gosh, I don’t know where to start with that. Just go to my Kontakty playlist. And the movie, If I had to recommend any movie that
would be the Godfather trilogy with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, some of the bestr actors in the world.
AL: Faced with God what would you tell him?
R N: I don’t know if I would tell him anything but I’d certainly have a lot of questions for him because from what I see, the way peo-
ple treat each other, the way we behave here, it’s not so nice. It’s just horrible to see how they treat each other. I would just have
many questions.
AL: Do you have a motto you try to follow?
R N: I guess it would be the golden rule: Do onto others as you would have done to you. I guess this the golden rule, my motto. But
that’s something I kind of try to do every day.
AL: What helps you make the right decisions in difficult situations?
R N: This is a difficult question. Obviously when you’re making a decision you have to look at how it would benefit you and how it
might hurt you. Making a difficult decision probably, weighing both sides of the issue, thinking about the process and the conse-
quences, coming up with the least problematic solution, the easiest way to go. Just weighing my options and choosing one that
benefits me most.
AL: What gives you pleasure?
R N: What gives me pleasure? Freedom, man, the freedom to do what I want to do, the ability to go where I want to go, the quiet-
ness, solitude sometimes.
AL: Do you think freedom might be dangerous sometimes to people
R N: Like too much of anything is dangerous. Water is good for you but too much water is bad for you. But I don’t think freedom is
one of these things. I don’t think you could ever have too much of it, as an adult, as a responsible person, not as a child. We’re not
talking about children; they don’t deserve all the freedoms. But as you get older, you’re an adult, you’re mature enough to handle
complex issues. I think freedom is one of the things one can never get enough. And if we allow people to take it away from us this
is very bad.
AL: Do you like sports?
R N: I do. I love sports. I try to take care of my health, because without the health we have nothing.
AL: What kind of sports?
R N: I like mixed martial arts; I’m a fan of mixed martial arts. There is a lot of violence, but it’s a beautiful sport with professional
fighters and I love it.
AL: Now that Christmas is here, do you have a fireplace where you can put some socks with presents?
R N: In our house we do't have a traditional fireplace, because the weather is hot in Florida.
AL: Do you sing Christmas carols?
R N: Usually we don’t sing Christmas carols, but we decorate the Christmas tree together. We enjoy different meals.
Like at Thanksgiving we cook Turkey. I like to go shopping, to buy gifts for my relatives. Christmas is the time when
all my family come together. Wishing you and all Moldovan people a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
May all your dreams come true, and don’t forget to question authority.
AL: Thank you. All the best to you and to your family.

4. 4
Everyone is invited to contribute with their articles! Let our academic world hear your voice!
Just send your contributions to one of the following emails:
vioricacondrat79@gmail.com or 1989.art@gmail.com
THE IMPORTANCE OF
BELIEVING IN SANTA CLAUSE!
By Marina SINGEREANU
Why is it important to
believe in Santa Claus?
Santa Claus has always
been an irreplaceable part
of Christmas. His image
has always represented
the magical part of Christ-
mas. Finally, children do
stop believing in him
mostly because parents,
friends or older brothers
and sisters tell them that
he does not exist. The first
time a child learns that Santa Claus does not exist they feel
cheated and sometimes angry or sad. So why is it important for
people, not just children, to believe in such mythical characters
like Santa?
Believing in Santa represents hope and the importance
of having a dream. When you believe in Santa you believe that
the world is full of infinite possibilities and that anything you wish
for will come true. It is not just about something material, it is
about the possibility of something better. It seems as if one gets
the chance of becoming better, of making something good for
the ones they love, for parents , children , friends or pets. Believ-
ing in Santa means that you believe in yourself and the world
around you.
The belief also plays an important role in developing
one’s imagination. Developing your imagination enables you to
form images, feelings and ideas without even seeing or hearing
anything. It helps people make sense of the world around them
and find it easier to perceive what is happening every day.
Believing in Santa Claus also helps you think about the
future and what purposes you would like to carry out. Believing
helps reduce stress. The ability to dream is a healthy part of life
and often a necessity especially in hard times.
Believing in Santa Clause makes you feel good. You
can’t help watching the children’s eyes light up at the sight of
Santa. You are bound to get caught up in their excitement. It’s
important to keep the image of Santa alive even if the children
around you don’t believe in him anymore because he represents
so much more than just presents. He represents hope and joy in
the crazy world.
While I was brought up with the idea that there is a
Santa Claus (Ded Moroz, to be more specific), I don’t have any
real memory of truly believing in him. Nevertheless I am keeping
the myth/hope alive by
perpetuating the idea that
every New Year a philan-
thropic, fat man bestows
gifts upon all the good girls
and boys of the world.
Sure I see the gleam of
unadulterated joy and
wonder in the eyes of the
children around me.
Christmas is a special time, when your soul sings the
song of happiness and fancy. All around becomes a part of a
fairy tale and the snow is like a magic powder that makes
people blessed . It has no age, no social status or privileges,
it only brings a mysterious light that gives you hope and
teaches you to be kinder and more loving.
I WISH you to believe in yourselves, because sometimes
it is more difficult than to believe in a fairy tale, be your-
selves , don’t pretend to be somebody else. Every day
should be really a new one, better than it was yesterday and
let magic enter your life. Be lively, kind, and tender-minded.
Open your heart for the holidays spirit, let God fill your life
with happiness, smile, joy and peace. Enjoy the winter holi-
days and … MARRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW
YEAR!
Victoria GOBJILA
Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at
least one day of the year to remind us that we're
here for something else besides ourselves.
Eric Sevareid
We are now speedily approaching another Christ-
mas and another New Year. Nature has made it look majestic
with plenty of snow, with biting frost and huge icicles. It is up
to each of us to make these days warm and peaceful and full
of love and forgiveness.
On Christmas Eve I would like to send my warmest
greetings to you and your family.
Rejoice in the spirit of Christmas which is Peace, the miracle
of Christmas which is Hope, and the heart of Christmas which
is Love.
Ana MUNTEAN
ENGLISH PHILOLOGY CHAIR
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow