Memoirs of a Transylvanian Expatriot

8/13/2019 Memoirs of a Transylvanian Expatriot

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Escaping Transylvania to the World

From the Romanian Gulag to Old and New Cultures - Memoirs

By Dr Olga Lazin

Chapter 1 - How the University Really Worked in Romania

In 1963 when I was born in Transylvania, the golden age of

socialism was in full progress.

The city of Satu Mare was undergoing catastrophic

transformations, as it was forcefully modernized, and people from

the villages were forced to work in huge, socialistic factories.

Along the Somes river, the tiny village of Vetis, where my

ancestors on my fathers side were born, is now a heavily

populated colorful and diverse grew into a lovely place. On my

mothers side, Bixad, in the Oas region of Romania is still a

beautiful traditional village, with houses spread far apart, not all

jammed together. My mother was osanca, as they would say in

the old days.Transylvania belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary (Transylvaniaas part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire[.After World War I, in

1918 Transylvania became part of Romania again. In 1940

Northern Transylvania reverted to Hungary as a result of the


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Second Vienna Award, but Romanian queen Maria reclaimed it

after the end of World War II.

All of Romania was seized for its oil by Nazi Germany (1940-

1944), liberated by the Soviet Union(1944-1947), and re-

liberated to become the Popular republic of Romania (underUSSR remote control) as the Cold War was beginning to freeze

the Iron Curtain into to place.

The first president, Gheorghiu-Dej (1965) ruled as puppet of

Moscow, but when he died, his Sec Gen of the Communist Party

of Romania, Nicolae Ceausu, was elected as the second

president (1965-1989), shifting his savage dictatorship into a

harsher nationalistic Gulag than known in the USSR. At the

end of 1994 the Russian military organized presidential

elections of peoples committees in the region. The end of the

war occupied some formerly Romanian northeastern territories

occupied by the Soviet Union, with Red Army units stationed on

Romanian soil. In 1947 Romania forcibly became a People'sRepublic (19471965).


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My parents: Magda

For two decades I neither understood the dimensions of tragic

situation of Transylvania (located in northeast Romania on the

Ukrainian border), nor did I understand that I would have toescape the Gulag of Romania by the skin of my teeth. My mother

was of Ruthenian extraction, and even today I fee deep empathy

for the Ukranian population revolting against a pro-Russian

president.

For peoples of the world Transylvania seems to be a far away

place, where most people know the werewolves and vampireshave been rumored to roam & lurk in nature. In the imagination o

people everywhere, whose beliefs are soaked in mystical folklore

even today it is hardly possible to have a rational conversation on

any subject matter. Most occupying forces never understood
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either the culture of the Romanian people or the distinct culture of

Transylvania.

Naturally I am a bi-national citizenship, but without belonging to

any of the two countries. Summoning my unconsciousness to

write this autobiographical piece, I need to reaccustom myself to

thinking of the distinct cultures of the region.Once in general school I excelled in Romanian and American

Languages.

The population consisted of Romanians, Hungarians (particularly

Szkelys), Ukrainians, and Germans.

These languages are still being spoken on the Territory of

Maramures County, including Rroma, or the Gypsy language. I

always liked and loved the Romanian language, so I decided to

become a Professor of Romanian Language and Literature.

After getting married in Satu Mare, on the Hungarian border, my

parents moved to Sighetu Marmatiei, when I was only 3 years old.In the North West corner of Romania, closer to Ukraine than to

Hungary.

My childhood was marked by fights I had to protect my little

brother Alexandru. I was known as the student-poet, the class

poet, and I won some pretty prizes for my poems.

I grew up in the Maramures region, where I have I have my firstmemories. The region was much nicer, ethnically more diverse,

better climate, and more geographic diversity, with the Mountains

of Gutinul and the rivers if Iza and Tisa, as Tisa was the natural

border with the Ukraine.


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I was admitted to the University in Cluj, in the heart of

Transylvania, namely the American Language and Literature

ROMANIAN Language And Literature Department of Philology,

Babes-Bolyai University. The professors, started reading the

mounds of new Decrees every day, which made me laugh, andstaff of the university was suspicious of me not believing their

expose in the classrooms. Professors were trying to befuddle us

with words from a wooden language, totally bent toward twisting

our brains into confused submission. Especially Bonica, the

History professor, was totally indoctrinated with toxic socialistic

crap. The Professors, the securitate officers acting as sweaty

bureaucrats, uneducated idiots trying to tell us what to think. Not

one professor asked us, What do you really think, all of you?

Each professor had their favorite students and made sure they

pointed it out in class, stifling any competition, and showed

openly their favoritism or nepotism.


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My parents: Eugen & Magda in 1963

When I reached 22 years, I started being argumentative, and started criticizingprofessors, esp. the history professor. I was getting so sick at academics yelling at


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us, and being forced to do the military service as a woman in the academia. Afterall, Americans were coming to take away our socialist country.

We couldntt buy books in English, and I was an English major.We couldnt talk to foreigners, and the atmosphere was dreadful in

classes. Speech was not free; one couldnt argue in class, or make any realanalysis or debate. You had to regurgitate what they were telling you, and

read whatever was there in the old books stacked in the communist library. Iwas an English major, but could not get the books in English necessary forthe Exams. They did not exist. Talking to foreigners in English oranswering one question was a crime, according to a stupid decree. Abortionwas a crime for 20 years. Doctors performing it ended up in jail, and so didthe pregnant women. 5 years jail for an abortion. If my uncle from Canadavisited us, we were all under surveillance, the entire family. Even today, in2014 one has to go and declare if you have family visiting from the USA orCANADA for some bizarre security reasons. Well after 22 years, not muchhas changed in poor Romania.

Nobody underwent this.

I was a professor of Romanian and English in Sighetu Marmatiei,Maramures County, at School #2. It was very exacting commuting all thetime from Tisa where I lived in our private Museum (Pipas Museum of Art)to Sighet. So, finally I decided to leave in 1986, and traveled to the border,as well as paid a smuggler to take me to Yugoslavia. We were caught on the

border and sent back in 1984.The jail was so cold in Timisoara to keep the bacterias and

viruses that it made everybody sick internally with the cold andthe flue. Most of civil society was imprisoned, for trying to openthe system, and denounce the Ceausescu dicatatosrhip. Theblanket was as warm as a kleenex tissue. Moreover there wereno pillow, and the concrete slab where inmates slept was aback-breaker. The lights were on 24 hours a day, blinding all of

us, and there was constant observation. Every hour one wasawakened to be counted. All under the guise of watching out forsuicides. But everyone could be clearly seen by the guards, andthere was no need to sleep-deprive inmates, as they were doing.There was also someone in the higher echelon ripping off thefood bill. They served only baby carrots, and spicy beans.


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My poor mother was so confused by the propaganda, that shestarted crying when I was freed from jail, feeling very emotionalafter the death of the nations father, Ceausescu.

Fed up with all the restrictions, and full of

frustrations, I hit the border with Yugoslavia.I have been unfairly jailed as I tried to leave the country

in 1986. I was ready to give up my freedom, just to escapean impossible country, with impossible leadership.

In 1989, Ceausescu finally pardoned everybody whotried to escape the horrendous conditions in the country.

The first act of freedom I have performed it was tosecure a passport for myself. And got married to ValerianPipas, a famous violinist from Virismort, Tisa in Maramurescounty. Otherwise the consulate would not have given methe visas. Conditions were one had to be married, and own ahouse.{ Truly I enjoyed being married to a musician; he

played the violin and I danced tango and csardas in

weekends.}I have been teaching English in Sighet, Tisa, and

Giulesti, as well as Camara for another 10 years. Conditionswere absolutely horrific; no heating in schools, no teachingmaterial, and constant harassment from colleagues of beinginformed on.

After I finally left Romania, when an execution squadshot Ceausescu in December 26, 1989 for Christmas. Nicegift to the Romanian people.

When the regime changed in 1990, I was free to get apassport, and Organized Conferences and Seminars at the


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University of Babes-Balyai, in the heart of Transylvania. Iwas mostly writing on destatification and privatization ofRomenian companies. 51% of MARA, the textiles companyI reserched was finally sold to the Germans. The opening upof Romani has finally begun.

It was on a rainy Spetember 17thday, in Sighet. Shortlyafter, I have met American professors from UCLA, whowere doing a study on the effects of the Cold War in post-socialist countries. My observations were very valuable toDr Wilkie who then asked me to guide the academic groupthrough Eastern Europe. They were traveling in a GermanOpel (a U.S. made car). I took them to the Museum of myfriend, D-ra Mihaly de Apsa, in my hometown, Sighet. Wewent to the Merry Cemetery, and it was dusk by the time DrJames Wilkie from the University of Los Angeles,California, arrived in Sighet at the Marmatia Hotel. His bookwas about cycles of statism in Socialist countries. He haswritten over 30 books on economic development.

Ill start by explaining the places I went in 1991, on oneof the most beautiful part of Romania, through Pasul Prislop.We went Around Romania, visited the monasteries ofMoldova, C-lung Moldovenesc, Suceava, Sucevita andAgapia monasteries. Then we went to Lacul Rosu. We tookthe scenic road to Cluj Napoca, where I was trying to get the

plane in order to fly out to Paris, in France. I had all thevisas. But there was no flight. Nobody took credit cards, soJW had to take out a lot of cash, so that we can travel safely.

I fell in love with Jim Wilkie. After this I am going tocall him JW.


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I was deeply in love with James Wilkie, whom has hiredme as a guide.

He said: call me Jim. We finally left for Budapestafter the airport visit in Cluj Napoca. We got throughBudapest, finally, and then got out towards Austria and

Germany.

Dr JP was worried that I was a spy, as we receivedspecial private rooms, and great Hotel deals, plus goodlunches at the Monastery, where I was a good friend withMother Superior.

Richard Beeson, who headed up Deutsche bank, Londonoffice, where he represented all EE countries, had convincedEE countries Central banks to deposit their golden cash atDeutsche Bank, London office. He reunited with JW inPrague, and Cracow, where the horrible polluted air blindedhim.

In Budapest I obtained the Austrian visa, where I neededa transit visa.

Then we travelled to Kobentzl, overlooking Salzburg,talking about the economy. We even spent most of our timedown Salzburg city, taking pictures, and JW was teachingme economics, how the world of development worked:finances, credit, interest. JP had more faith in me than ever.

Then we went to Munich, where we celebratedOktoberfest. Then I took the plane to Paris, from Munich, tofly out to Bordeaux to meet the family, which invited me toFrance. JW had to go back to teach. He promised he wouldreturn for me soon.


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After ten weeks in Bordeaux, JW came to visit me. InParis, I was refused asylum in France. The national securityBureau headed by a Gris guy (security officer)..

JW returned for me. It was a very wonderful fall, I

Bordeaux, so we drove to see all the castles along the LoireRiver.

The 1sttrip was to and along the river of LOIRE; we leftin September, and came back in December. Then we went toParis, and visited the Versailles, Champs Elysee, theMontmartre, and Montparnasse. We had everything toourselves, and then we went to Marseille, listening to thePASTORALES, beautiful green lands of France.

In Marseille we stayed at the Sofitel, JW wasoverlooking the Bay, into the icy cold town. And we went tothe COTE Azure. We stayed at Hotel Welcome. Then rodeover the serpentined Cornish roads, overlooking the

Mediterranean, Cap Ferrat, and Monaco. Then JW had to flyout to teach again, and I flew back to Bordeaux, where I tooknumerous courses in European Union Regulations for theenvironment, and susteinability.


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LIFE with the nuns in Bordeaux, France, the city of RedWines, was excellent The mother superior took me toToulouse Lautrecs castle, and swam in the Atlantic ocean.Then I flew to meet Jim in NICE, in 1992.

It is now another beautiful stay at WELCOME, inBeaulieu sur Mer.

Jim came back 10 weeks later. The second time wetravelled to Carcassonne, a fortified city, through Andorra (agambling center, in the Pyrenees). The Principality ofAndorra was rich and ostentatious with baroque buildings.And La Rochelle.

Then entered into Spain, toward Madrid, and stayed atHotel Paris for a week, in the center of Madrid.

Here we enjoyed the charales in the main plaza.

We left to Toledo, and then to the town of Trujillo. In

Trujillo we went and took pictures while walking on the redroofs of houses, perfectly lined up for me to walk. I tookgreat that I was free and nobody minded my business. Jimand I, we were only taking care of one another.

We went up to the Devils Throat(a town deep in acanyon, tucked into the mountains) to continue up in themountains, and then went down to a walled town of Avila, to

Trujillo, and continued to Madrid.

Then we headed toward El Escorial, the monastery, andthen JW flew out of Madrid. I took the plane to France, andin Bordeaux I joined the nuns again, and continued my


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studies of Folklore at the University of Bordeaux, where Iwas writing about the mythical Lilith.

To paint it in a picture of words, I am flashing out the

pageant, of that beautiful Catholic Church, as we went downfrom La Rochelle, along the clean river, where we called tomake reservations in a pretty tiny hotel, ahead and we founda room with a high ceiling warm and cozy.


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Out of many, Switzerland is my favorite Europeancountry; the majestic mountains and the rivers impressed me.

Monte Rosas Peak and Matterhorn were absolutelyfabulous, left us breathless, and the chalet Michabell waslooking down on Italy. The view out of the window was that

of Matterhorn mountain in Zermatt.I enjoyed the lovely scenery in Luzern, and Interlaken,

with the beautiful lake with little bridges leading up to thecenter, all dressed up in geranium flowers. Multicoloredgeraniums flowers were hanging out from each houseswindow. The beautiful trip is to go up on a chairlift(telefericul) to wheel you up over the meadows, seeing cattleand, magnificent glorious view of the Swiss Mountains, andthe peaks. It is a very gentle and slow trip.


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We then stopped at Kobentzl. In Kobenzl, Austria, where Ivisited the cemetery where Mozart was buried, and it wasvery uplifting seeing all the bridges and magnificentchurches surrounding me from all directions.

In 1991 in summer I left France for the United States, morespecifically to Los Angeles that is to UCLA, where I wantedto get my masters degree in History.

In L.A. I witnessed the 1992 riots. We found a lovelyhotel, Marina Del Rey, in Marina del Rey, where I stayed for

a week, and we looked for a place to live.I have escaped from the bad world into the good world.

We loved each other so deeply.

I moved into Westwood and enrolled into the UCLAsMaster program in summer 2004. I graduated soon after in2005, but no family was present, as my mother died of a

heart attack, and could never travel by plane.I understood that I never had good communication with

any of my husbands. I was sensitive and creative; and onlyJW could appreciate me.

My uncle Nicholas Lazin, who has fled to Hungary in1947, and settled down in Oshawa, Canada, invited me tovisit, Oshawa, in Toronto, Canada. It was wintertime inCanada, and it was a harsh experience staying there andgetting accustomed again to cold weather. It just does notwork with me; we dont mix, the cold weather and me, itwas as simple as that.


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Discovering new places and peoples.

It was good escaping Ceausescus tyranny anddiscovering the hidden side of the word. I realized how welived in the dark, and that there was better climate in Mexico

than in Romania; and one does not be the prisoner of theirown thoughts and limited spirit of the others, living the samenightmare, as I did back in Romania.

I know the nuns in Bordeaux were free spirits and happywomen, with a great sense of humour especially the MotherSuperior. We even visited Toulouse Lautrecs castle, andspent time on the beach where the Atlantic Ocean met thePacific Ocean. I had spent unforgettable moments ofdiscovery, and fraternization with the gentle nuns.

Because I have entered the Mexican state, in order tosee the pyramids first, I tried to live also in Mexico, at a

place called El Bosque del Secreto, but it did not work out.

The air is too polluted in Teotihuacan, and around MexicoD.F. that I only visited the Pyramid of the Sun, and the

pyramid of the Moon, and hurried to find a nice place. WhenI finally found the house surrounded by beautiful red

bougambillas, I realized it was too isolated from town,without a car, far from the market, in one word, it was notfeasible.

As all ironies are happening, when I arrived to L.A., theriots were in progress. In East Los Angeles, blacks were

burning tires and looting stores, because of the Rodney Kingpolice beatings. I witnessed later O J Simpson getting awayin his white Bronco from the police, with 5.000$ in cash and


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a wig, after he killed his wife and her suitor. Authorities inLos Angeles decided to let him go free, in order to avoidanother racial motivated riot on our streets, here inLosAngeles. Anyway, O J confessed he did it in jail, and wasready to do it again, if given a chance.

I decided on, and I was settling I thought in Marina delRey, astupendous Bay, that looks just like Nice, on thePromenade. Then I left again to Toronto to see my uncle

Nicholas, and cousin Caroline Lazin. I started teachingpretty soon, when I returned to UCLA.

Dr Lazin & her Students at UCLA:


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After 2 years in the Doctoral Program in History atUCLA, I graduated in 2001, in January. After graduation Ihave published my Doctoral thesis, and a second book on the

bright and dark sides of Globalization. My second book, co-authored with Dr James W Wilkie, Professor at UCLA, can

be downloaded from profmex.com. Our books are widelyread around the world and are used to teach Courses atCollege and University levels. To get the books, downloadthem form:

http://www.profmex.org

ORhttp://www.olgalazin.com

ISBN: 978-607-711-032-3. This book comprising 700pages is about economic, social, and political development

and exposes the positive and negative sides ofGlobalization; in energy efficiency, in technology, educationand health. Cultural and geographical impacts on thechanging world we face. Statistical data, tables, and chartsback up the Conclusions to this excellent book. Published in2011.
http://www.profmex.org/http://www.profmex.org/http://www.olgalazin.com/http://www.olgalazin.com/http://www.profmex.org/


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After 9/11 the whole world has changed. And this willbe the topic for another book. A book in which I willinvestigate what has changed exactly in these 22 years, andhow. Why are we missing those things, as a collective. I

focus mostly on places and people, in Los Angeles,California. Amongst these are the collective memory of thefilm industry, and free trade, including NAFTA, theEuropean Union.

At UCLA, with my students in History, 2014


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Source:http://www.scribd.com/doc/203836679/Escaping-From-Transylvania-30-FebTRANSYL?post_id=2538457_10103066199638166#_=_

Copyrighted Dr Olga M. Lazin-Andrei 2014 Escape to the West____________________//___________________________________Written on a E mail;[email protected]

On Google+:https://plus.google.com/u/0/+OLGALAZINDrTwitter: olgamlazinFacebook: Olga Lazin

LinkedIn: Dr Olga Lazin

Blog:http://olgaandrassy.blogspot.comhttp://drolgalazin.blogactiv.euhttp://olgalazin.wordpress.com

http://drolgalazinandrei.wordpress.com

E-rated:http://erated.me/p/drolga-lazin/

On My Space: olghita

HAPPY VALENTINEs DAY CONTINUATION,saturday.

Feb 15th, 2014, Olga
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