McGill is well-known for its diverse student body – the university boasts the highest percentage of international students in Canada and there are over thirty clubs and associations celebrating different cultures on campus. Whether you want to learn about a new culture or get in touch with your roots, you’re sure to find something that interests you! Her Campus McGill had the opportunity to interview Ștefan Cârciumaru, founder and President of the McGill Romanian Student Society (MRSS). Read on to learn more about what this club has to offer:
Diana Miruna for Her Campus McGill (HC McGill): Hi Stefan! To start off, tell us about yourself. What are you studying at McGill and what year are you in?
Ștefan Cârciumaru (SC): Hey, thank you for inviting me here. I’m in my fourth year studying Electrical Engineering and I really enjoy it.
(HC McGill): What do you like doing in your free time?
(SC): What free time? Just kidding.
I think philosophy is something everyone should study at one point. Everything we’re learning started out as philosophy, and a person isn’t truly well rounded until they learn about the nature of the reality they live in. That’s why one of my favourite things to do is to meet and get to know people. Apart from making friends, I get to see others’ points of view and expand my own.
(HC McGill): As President of the MRSS, what are your goals and responsibilities?
(SC): Being the president of an organization means you set the organization’s direction and culture. Your goal is to create a team, as well as to balance engagement with fun. A well-developed sense of humour really helps prevent the mood from getting too serious and boring. Then, once you have a team, everything starts flowing by itself. Even if the team members are inexperienced, you find ways to work together around it.
Stefan Carciumaru, President of MRSS.
(HC McGill): How did the MRSS get started? What was the inspiration behind it and when was it founded?
(SC): It’s a funny story – I was walking one day with one of my Egyptian friends, but we couldn’t have a proper conversation because nearly every other Egyptian on campus would interrupt to say hi. I thought it was great that my friend knew a group of people at McGill who shared his culture and I wished I had the same kind of connections. So, a couple of Romanian students and I got together in 2015 and made a Facebook group that grew very quickly. Once we had a decent amount of members, we decided to register it with the SSMU, and that is how the McGill Romanian Student Society was created. While meeting people from different cultures is great, the idea of meeting people with a similar cultural background is also special because you’ve been exposed to the same humour – you laugh at similar things and that creates a unique bond.
(HC McGill): How would you describe Romanian culture for someone who is not familiar with it?
(SC): Very lively. You never know what will happen next and that’s why I love Romanian parties and get-togethers. The humour is unique, and a perfect example of that is seen in one of the most famous tourist attractions of Romania: the Merry Cemetery. Rather than having a sombre gravestone remembering the good side of the deceased, the Merry Cemetery illustrates amusing stories in lively colours about the people who are buried there. You have to consider Romania was going through the toughest communist regime after Russia, and their sense of humour is one of the essential things that pulled them through and kept the spirit alive.
Another defining factor of Romanian culture has to be selflessness. Romanians are simple people and will try their hardest to help a person in need. When you visit a Romanian household, the owner will fill the table for you with more than they put for themselves.
(HC McGill): What kind of events does MRSS host? What were some of your favourite activities organized so far?
(SC): Well, the organization’s goal is to host all kinds of events from social to educational in an effort to promote Romanian culture. Our first event back in 2015 was a screening of a hilarious Romanian comedy and it went really well; people enjoyed the movie and enjoyed the company. Those are my favourite type of events: simple, and where people feel at ease with each other. You get to find out more about them that way and you make stronger bonds. On top of that, you also have the opportunity to learn something new – and that’s what being a student is all about.
Picture from one of MRSS’ movie screening events.
(HC McGill): Are there any upcoming events we should be on the lookout for? Where can we find more information?
(SC): We have our annual party at the start of the year where we’d love for the McGill community to see how Romanians have fun and dance. It’s something completely different from what you experience normally, and its very enjoyable as well. The Romanian hora is a dance where everyone holds hands and moves to a lively Balkan kind of beat. We’re also seeing if we can organize dance lessons, so if you’re interested let us know through our Facebook page.
During the warmer seasons, we have legendary Romanian barbecues with the famous mouth-watering mici (a type of Romanian sausage). From time to time we also sell some on campus to raise funds for our budget. They’re delicious, but don’t take my word for it, come try them out for yourself!
Whether you’re Romanian or not, you’re sure to always be entertained with members of the McGill Romanian Student Society! If you’re interested in staying up to date with all their fun events and traditional Romanian food sales, you can find more information on their Facebook page.
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