My Return to Romania After 10 Years
There’s something quietly profound about going back to the place that shaped you. This trip home wasn’t just a visit — it was a reconnection, a deep breath after a long stretch away. And through my lens, I rediscovered the beauty that’s always been there, often hidden in plain sight.
Ten years. That’s how long it had been since I last walked the streets of Bistrița — the city where I was born, where I took my first steps, and where so many memories are rooted. Returning after all this time, now as a professional photographer, felt like stepping into a dream. So much of the world had changed… and yet, somehow, here, time had gently pressed pause.
The buildings stood just as I remembered them — weathered yet proud, the colours, the textures, even the way the light touches certain corners of the city in the late afternoon — it all felt the same.
What struck me most was how everything felt slower. Truer. Here, time expands. Conversations stretch into the golden hour. Meals turn into rituals. Even silence feels sacred. Coming home reminded me why I fell in love with photography in the first place. It’s not just about capturing what you see — it’s about honoring what you feel.
This journey wasn’t just about the city. It led me into the landscapes beyond — the rolling hills, the quiet forests, the countryside where my grandparents live. Life moves slower there. Mornings greeted me with birdsong and the soft murmur of wind dancing through the trees. It was magical, almost otherworldly — as if nature had its own language, one I had forgotten how much I missed.
I set out to photograph it all — not for a project, not for a client, but for me. For remembering. For honoring the place that raised me. Each frame held a quiet reverence — not just for the visuals, but for the memories they stirred.
But the biggest shift wasn’t in the scenery. It was in my grandparents. Being with them, in the same home my great grandparents used to live and the same home I once ran through as a child, was both comforting and bittersweet. Time may stand still in places, but it never truly stops.
This post is a visual love letter to Romania — to its landscapes, its stillness, and the deep familiarity that called me back. Sometimes, returning home isn’t just about going back — it’s about seeing with new eyes.
If you’ve ever returned to a place that holds your heart, you’ll understand. If you haven’t yet, I hope these frames take you there.
