- Just about done with the rough draft of the new book. It’s looking awesome!
- I’ve got an interview (in English) with Business Review coming up in their January 31 edition.
- I had a wonderful experience last night.
Guess that one needs a little clarification, eh? :P
Last night I got to meet these guys (Romanian only). Their website is quite slow loading and poorly designed but it does a fairly good job of describing their attitude.
In English I’d say they are something of an “artistic collective”, a loosely organized group of artists – singers, poets, comedians, musicians, etc – who are using their talents to make Romania a better place.
Does that sound like my kind of people? Heck yes!
Last night they had another edition of what in English we call “open mic” or perhaps like a beatnik/coffee house style “slam”. Anyone can come up on stage, do a skit, sing a song, etcetera.
Not only did I get to hear a Romanian version of the vagina monologues but also heard an amazing rendition of Janis Joplin’s Mercedes Benz. Wow!
Although it was a very relaxed and friendly setting, at the end of the night the crowd would pick a winner, who would get the prize of “credit” at the bar. Plus the host (link in Romanian) of the night passed around a “hat” and the winner of the night would receive the take. Nice!
This is exactly the kind of thing I like to see. It’s no waiting around for the government or European Union grant money. In fact, it cost almost no money at all. The bar wins by having more customers (the show is free but hopefully they buy drinks) and these artists get a place to have fun without it being some kind of official, measured, regulated kind of thing.
The best part – in my opinion – was that they had a large poster (Romanian: afis) on the stage with a phrase in bold – bun simt (goodwill). Yes!
Step by step, folks. That’s how it’s done. Goofing around on stage and making people laugh is a relatively small thing. And yet, it’s also a big thing, you know? It’s definitely the right thing.
AND NOW YOU KNOW!
All Things Romania 
Sam:There is an old definition for “bun simt”that reads like:”Bun simt” is what is left when one forgets whatever one has ever had been taught in school and at home and has to behave in society following only one”s(bun simt) common sense.Hope this will help you understand the meaning Romanians give to this expression and find the closest English expression with the same meaning.I don”t think it has much to do with the goodwill,good feeling or willingness to be good and I would rather presume it is “unconscientious” good behavior induced by common( good) sense as opposed to “unconscientious”bad behavior induced by uncommon (bad) sense.Literally “simt”=sense…a simti=to sense …simtit(adj.)=? nesimtit(adj.)=?.So finding the proper English words for these will lead to the proper equivalent english expression.Regards!
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yah I’ve been thinking about this word a lot – clearly “feel/sense” are related and I think “nesimitit” would be quite similar to english “unfeeling”, related to “uncaring”. Whereas “bun simt” might be more similar to “sensitive” as in “sensitive of others” in the larger sense, because the root of these words is how one’s actions affect OTHERS. There is no “bun simt” on a desert island with just one resident. I know there’s a Romanian connotation that you “should’ve learned this in the 7 ani” but I think that’s a secondary meaning in this case.
Quite an interesting topic!
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Sam:”Bun simt” translates in English as “common sense”.Goodwill would be translated in Romanian as “Bunavointa”.Now you know!NO offence intended.Regards!
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Sam, “now you know” that you will always get criticism from us ;) And clau2002 is perfectly right on “bun simt” translation, though it has a more social meaning. Bun simt is what “nesimtiti” lack and surely that’s not just goodwill. It is talking politely, waiting in a line, not spitting on the street, picking up the litter, cleaning after yourself and so on. That’s what your artists want from people of Romania, more BUN SIMT!
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yah i think its more than just “common” sense – its something like “good feeling” as a result of conscientious behavior, no?
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:P im not offended, goodness!
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Foarte tare. Uite si aici niste tineri care fac in principiu cam acelasi lucru. Imi place cum se integreaza oamenii atat de usor in societatea romaneasca :)
http://fulgerica.com/2011/01/17/pavel-stratan-eu-beu-asian-version/
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Very misto initiativa.
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