About Me

i was 10 the first time...

I thought about the North American continent, and my thoughts were as if… it were another planet. Getting there started to be my deepest desire, which at the time was so dear to me just because it seemed impossible, and I so much enjoyed dreaming about the impossible… always. I was an only child, born and raised in an East-European country where I lived until I was 30. I had a wonderful childhood. My parents were strict but loving and giving. I grew up in an atmosphere of “sweet harmony”, which fostered books, music, art and travel as the best way to educate yourself. I was taught that knowledge means empowerment and that unlike a lover, your job or even your freedom is something that never can be taken from you and will always be there for you to rely on. The environment my parents provided, left me to indulge my childhood self well into my late teens. Unlike many teenagers today, my sweet 16 was therefore a wonderful time, and happens to be one of my fondest memories. Is this memory and so many others like it that I enjoy revisiting, to again experience the feeling of not having a care in the world, of reading, dreaming, imagining and passionately believing that everything is possible.

From age 18 to age 24, studying and attaining my degree in Mechanical Engineering was my main focus. Though my childhood left me sheltered from the street wise experience, and therefore left me apprehensive about my abilities to survive in the real world, I had a strong desire to be in charge of my life and leave my parents house, and so I did. In this period of time I had three goals: to get married, to have a son, and to leave the country, and believe it or not I am here to tell you that it all worked as planned. I know it made seem hard to believe but I planned it and it happened. I got married in '86 gave birth to my son Vlad in '87 and from ‘89 to ‘92 I was traveling in Europe.

For most people is hard to imagine how much risk was involved to leave a communist country. How much determination, as well as planning and gathering resources was required. Believe it or not, simply possessing foreign currency in my country, left you and your family, in danger of being investigated by the government’s authorities. Borders were closed and a legal passport was out of the question. I tried to establish myself somewhere where freedom was a way of life, although I had no real idea what freedom was, but I surely had a “picture” of what it meant for me. During this period of time Europe and the east European countries were changing and I was able to experience this historical period both in my country and beyond its borders. I worked hard and always kept in mind my values, my upbringing, my son and my parents. My experience was a wonderful adventure, I did what I wanted to and what I wanted to do was happening for me…

Although I tried twice to establish myself once in Germany and once in Sweden (which seemed the perfect first step to an open world) both times I found myself returning to my country where I was so connected to everything that meant “home”, and I felt that I could never leave again. Resigned to this fact, and therefore started to work in my field. I took a position teaching technical design at a local high school and from there went into marketing and business administration for a locally based Italian construction company. I had stopped thinking or planning to leave my country, but in ’99 the opportunity to do so presented itself in an unexpected manner. As a direct result of the political changes in the region, I found myself free not only to leave my country but to go directly to the North American continent. These circumstances rekindled my dormant desire to reach North America and almost without a thought my son and I were on our way…

I cannot express enough the gratitude that I feel every day for the life that I live, for the joy I find in what I do and for the people I have in my life, most notably my warm and loving son whom I rely upon heavily and the special love I have found with my “North American Man” who is supportive and caring (my noble knight).

I have had many challenges along the way, and every one of them turned out to be an opportunity for growth. After a long career in the engineering field, I found myself at the threshold of an opportunity to truly embrace my passion, “Coaching and Counseling for individuals and small businesses”. My life has been one long exercise in overcoming adversity and realizing my dreams. This has left me with all of the tools, knowledge and experience required to help others do the same, so the decision to become a professional was a natural fit and I find I ware it well.

My life is a testimony of guided transformation, a testimony of mind renewing, of reconnection with your heart in achieving “more from life”. Being successful in my endeavors and living whatever enriches me is what I strive for, I wouldn’t settle for less, and neither should you.