Ce am spus la Ultimul Sunet (in engleza)

This is the speech that I gave at the last bell ceremony at my school in Mereșeni on May 31, 2007.

90 years ago, an American writer, Robert Frost, wrote a poem called "The Road Not Taken". It starts like this:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood...

Two years ago, I stood, thinking of the future, seeing two roads: one road in America, with a familiar and comfortable life, and another road in Moldova, a foreign country in which I wouldn't know the language, wouldn't be near my family and friends, and would receive a tenth of the salary. I had to choose a single road. You could say that I took the road unpaved.

21 months ago, I stood here with you for the first time in front of the school. For you, I was a foreigner, and for me, you were more than 250 new faces. But slowly, slowly, I learned all my students' names. You quickly adjusted to my teaching methods, and because of your hospitality, I felt at home after only a few months.

In the second year, I was lucky enough to also teach you informatica. I enjoyed seeing you using computers and understanding a tool that, for many of you, was something new in life. I also liked that we spoke your language in class, so that I could better know your personalities. There are a lot of wonderful kids and teenagers here at this school, and I'm thankful that I could know you.

Last night I looked at some pictures from the last school year, and I couldn't believe how much you have all changed. In my pictures, Denis Boincean is a little boy without any discipline, but this year his face is thinner, he's taller and he has been a true leader in computer class; but he's still a little bit of a punk. The Ion Cătană in my pictures is a student whom I used to kick out of my class nearly every day, but this year he always did his homework and quieted down the class when it was too noisy. When I arrived in the village, Tanea Cazanji and Doina Bufteac were quiet and passive girls, but they've transformed over the course of two years to be two of the most active students in class. I look at the 6th graders, and I think all of them have grown at least three centimeters.

These are just a few examples of the changes I've seen in two years. Each of you has grown, has matured, has had experiences both good and bad, and has learned many new things about life.

When I think of all the things I've learned since I came here, I think of that poem by Robert Frost about the two roads in a forest. Frost ended his poem with these words:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

I didn't take the easier road, but I'm glad now because the road I took lead me to this village and this school, which has truly become a second home for me. If I had not taken the more difficult road, the road less traveled by, I would never have come here, and I would never have met all of you.

In about two months, I'm returning to America. I will miss you, and I will always remember you. I want to ask you to do one single thing: Don't forget the words of Robert Frost. The world is huge, and you will have many more roads open to you than your parents and grandparents had. I hope that you always take the road less traveled. I did, and it has made all the difference.

Thank you again that you always made me feel at home, and I wish you many years of education, health, happiness and success. Thank you.