When my mom told me that she really wanted to go to the Black Sea, I was skeptical. I didn’t know much about the Black Sea and I thought it would be similar to a not-so-pretty beach that’s close to Houston on the Gulf of Mexico. I knew that I was also going to Constanta with the rest of the program so I didn’t want to spend so much time there. My parents and I had taken a road trip to Brasov but we wanted to explore another town or city and were trying to plan where to head next. Dad and I tried to convince mom that we should stay in Transylvania, in the mountains and where there was a lot of beautiful countryside scenery. This was my dad’s first time in Europe and I wanted him to see how beautiful Romania was. But my mom insisted; she claimed she had read a lot of great reviews about Constanta and she refused to leave Romania without seeing the Black Sea. So Dad and I decided to go, mostly to stop arguing with mom about the situation.
When we got there, Constanta was a lot more fascinating than we expected, even than what my mom had thought. I don’t necessarily only mean scenic wise, although it was a very pretty place with a beautiful coast line and beaches. However, what impressed me the most about Constanta was more than its surface level beauty, but rather its ability to showcase the diversity of the surrounding cultures. My parents and I took a walk along the sidewalk along the sea that’s near the famous Constanta Casino. We walked through town, saw the mosque, and ate at some really good greek and seafood restaurants. I remember seeing a sign that had many arrows pointing to different directions on it with the names of cities like, Istanbul and Sofia. All of these things caught me by surprise as I had never really thought much about the Black Sea’s proximity to so many countries and how this could influence the rich societies of the cities that surrounded the coast. It seems like an obvious fact, but since I hadn’t known really anything about the Black Sea, I hadn’t given much thought to its relations with various places. The activity that intrigued my dad and I the most was visiting the Roman Mosaics, near the Archaeology and History Museum. A nice woman who worked there offered to tell us about the mosaics. She gave us a personal tour and told us about the history of the place and its connection to the Roman Empire. We learned that the walls and mosaics were from an ancient Roman bath house. The feeling of walking so close to and seeing artifacts that were from 4 century AD was truly indescribable. The site had also served as a place where people had conducted trade and stored their goods. It was also a wholesome experience to see my dad’s reactions and excitement as he was even more amazed than I was. What made my experience at the Black Sea even more memorable was touring the Histria Museum a few days later with Mihaela and my peers. Throughout my time spent on the coast, I came to realize that the cultures of these various places really represented themselves well in Constanta. While just walking around, I could see its Roman Empire history, as well as its Greek and Turkish history and culture through the architecture, mosque, museums, and statues.
During our class discussion about the Black Sea, I thought a lot about my experience at the Black Sea with my parents, especially visiting the Roman Mosaics. More specifically, I thought a lot about Charles King’s claim that regions “are about connections: profound and durable linkages among people and communities that seem to mark off one space from another” (7). I really do think the Black Sea is more than just a body of water, but more of a region that brings together various cultures and histories that have all gone through the effects of nationalism. Because of this, the Black Sea was the most unique place I have ever visited. Before going to the Black Sea, I had never though of its interesting geographic location or its connection with so many countries. I had also need thought of its history with the Roman Empire and how expansive the Empire was. Now, when I think of the Black Sea, it won’t be the beaches, sand, blue water, or seashells that I’ll remember first. The memory that will stick with me the most will be seeing the Roman Mosaics, the Histria Museum, and thinking about the incredible way that the Black Sea connects the different and unique surrounding countries. I’m grateful to have spent some time in Constanta and the surrounding area and I’m glad that my mom refused to leave Romania without seeing such an integral part of Romania and the rest of Eastern Europe. I will also cherish the fact that I was able to visit such a beautiful place and learn about its intricate culture and history with both my parents and everyone on this program who have changed the way I see and learn about new places and ideas.
