marți, 21 octombrie 2008

Ovidiu Palcu

Here are few pieces of information about me.

My name is Ovidiu Palcu.
I was born in a sunny summer day, on June 10 (I guess this means I'm a Gemini, but I don't care about it, 'cause I don't believe in horoscopes) in Brasov city (considered in Romania the most beautiful city and the gate of entrance in Transylvania) but I lived mostly in Alba Iulia and few years in Cluj Napoca.

After studying different things in Romania and going through several jobs, I settled in Athens city, Greece where I am living permanently since 1997.

Have I mentioned that I love to travel? Oh …and I love to travel often!!! Oh …and I love to travel CHEAP!!! I travelled since today in 49 countries!!!

I studied in the best school in Greece at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and probably in the Balkans ( I guess I am not overdoing?) (http://www.uoa.gr/) where right now I am doing a PhD in Sociology:

2003 –2005:
Master Degree in Political Science, Southeast European Studies.
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
School of Law, Public Administration and Political Science
http://www.pspa.uoa.gr/node.php?n=3_4_southeast_european_studies&lang=en

1998-2003
B.A. in English – Greek language and literature
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
School of Philosophy, Faculty of English Studies
http://www.enl.uoa.gr/


WORK EXPERIENCE

1. 1990, September – 1991,March – Substitute Teacher for English language at the General School – Sugag village – Alba County –Romania
2. 1991,September – 1991, December – Substitute Teacher for English language at the General Secondary School Nr.2 – Alba Iulia, Romania
3. 1992,September – 1995, September – Substitute Teacher for Religion Education at the Mail and Telecommunication High School in Cluj Napoca – Romania
4. 1991-1995 - Journalist at the “ Observator “ and “ West Magazine “ newspapers in Romania
5. 1995-1996 I collaborated with the State Television of Moldova in Kishinev.
6. 1995-1996- Freelancer for “ Astra “ newspaper in Kishinev – Moldova Rep.
7. 1996 September-1997 September – Substitute Teacher English language at the High School nr 4. Alba Iulia city -Romania
8. 1997-2003 I work part time as a receptionist for the “ Thisseus “ Hotel in Athens
9. 1999, June-September – London, United Kingdom, Tent city Camping, Millfields Road, Hackney. Here I did reception work and general duties
10. 2003, July – December - Journalist for the “ Curierul Atenei “ Romanian weekly newspaper for Greece and Albania - in Athens.
11. 2004, June-August – Retail- Hard Rock Café – Athens, Greece
12. 2004, September – Receptionist at the Exarchion Hotel ( http://www.exarchion.com/ ) , Athens, Greece
13. 2004, August – English and Romanian language private lessons
14. 2005, May –2006, January Journalist at Foreign Press Media Agency (http://www.foreignmedia.gr/) and “Saptamana” ( Romanian newspaper published in Greece for the Romanian and Moldavian people living in the European Union) – Athens Greece
15. 2006, May –2007, April Journalist - economic, stock exchange and business news from Balkans and translations from Romanian to English language at the Premium S.A. Greece (http://www.reporter.gr/)
16. 2006, May – Eurovision Song Contest Athens 2006 (http://www.eurovision.tv/ ) – International Relations Department – Responsible for the Team of Republic of Moldova.
17. 2007, Pre-Junior English Language Teacher, “Saint Luca” Kinder Garden, Athens
18. 2008, May – Journalist part time for Athens International Radio http://www.athina984.gr/ and Radio Community voice Athens http://www.communityvoice.gr/ , here I do programs in Romanian language for the diasporas and I present a weekly Romanian Radio journal.

TRAINING

2004, September-November: training course in English Language Methodology for English Language teachers, organized by the Hellenic – American Union in Greece (http://www.hau.gr/ )
2003, October – December: training course in Journalism organized by the Greek Minister of Press and Communication and Greek Minister of Labour.
1997-1998 – The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens- School of Philosophy, Preparative year of Greek Language and culture (http://www.nglt.uoa.gr/index_en.html)
1995-1996 - State University of Moldova – Kishinev- Preparative intensive year for Russian language and culture

PARTICIPATION AT INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

2008, May 22 - 25, 6th International “Border Crossings” Conference Rethinking Balkan identities: The dynamics of space and time Korca, Albania, I presented the paper “ The Romanian Transnationalism in Greece”
2005, 21-29.May “One World –One Vision” – World Youth Festival – University of Ilmenau – Germany
2005, 14-16 of April “Conflict Resolution and Peace Maintenance in the Balkans”, conference organized by the University of Western Macedonia and Aegee Forina – Greece
2005, 31ST March – 3rd April - EUROFOR Marie Curie Conference: Multi – Level Governance of Immigration Flows – conference organized by the European Research Forum on Migration and Ethnic Relations and Berlin Institute for Comparative Social Research – Athens – Greece
2004, December – Leaders Romania – Bucharest - Romania (http://www.leaders.ro/) – conference on leadership
2004, December – “Integrating immigrants and refugees in the Greek society” – event organized by the Municipality of Aghios Nikolaos city (Crete – Greece), where I represented the European program “ Emigrants Artists in Action “
2004, November – Multicultural Festival – Xanthi, Thrace – Greece. I represented the European program “Immigrants Artists in Action “.
2004, October – Symposium in “Transit Migration” – organized by the University of Crete (Greece) and University of Frankfurt in Rethimno city (Greece)
2004, May – “ European Student Week “ – Debate about Europe after 1st of May 2004, conference organized by the University of Lodz – Poland
2004, March – “ Integrating Immigrants “ Human Rights conference organized by the Human Rights Working Group Aegee Europe at the University of Malta – La Valletta.
2003, May – “ All ways to Europe “ conference at the Utrecht University – Holland
2003, March – “ West Meeting East “ conference at the Alicante University – Spain
2003, February-July – Erasmus student, University of Minho – Braga – Portugal
2002, December – “Jewish Heritage “ cultural event organized by Jewish Student Organization from the Jerusalem University – Israel
2002, November – Balkan Student Regional Meeting at the “ Anadolu “ University Eskisehir – Turkey
2002, November – member of the organization team of the European General Agora of Aegee Europe in Athens – Greece
2002,July – training at Aegee Europe Central Office (General Association of European Students) in Bruxelles – Belgium
2002, March – Balkan Student Regional Meeting at American University of Bulgaria in Blagoevgrad
2001, October – “ Debate of Europe “ international conference organized by the Academy of Economical Science – Bucharest – Romania
2001, July-August – Summer University “ Piedmont Culture “ organized by the University of Torino – Italy.
2001, May – “ Spring Student Festival of Bursa “ organized by the “ Uludag “ University in Bursa – Turkey
2001, March-April – Training with AIESEC INTERNATIONAL in the city of Eskisehir – Turkey. I worked for the Turkish Junior Chamber of Commerce as a translator (English – Greek) and I helped with organization of the International Kite Festival.
2001, October – Alba Iulia – Romania, Social Worker courses organized by the Blue Cross of Romania. I learned how to work with people dependent from alcohol, cigarettes and medicaments. I received a certificate for being volunteer social work.
2000, August – Summer University “ Anatolian Culture “ organized by the “ Cukurova “ University in Adana – Turkey
1995, July-August – Summer Course for Greek Language and Culture at the “ Aristotle “ University in Thessaloniki – Greece
1993, July – Summer University “ Open Society and his friends “ at the “ Janos Panonius” University in Pecs – Hungary – from where I received a certificate in political philosophy

Volunteer work

1. 2002, February-July – Athens, Greece, The Greek Council for Refugees, I taught Greek language and I did social work.
2. 2003, August – Athens, Greece, International Games of Kayak Canoe organized by Greek General Secretary Athens Olympic Games 2004
3. 2002, October - Greek correspondent for the Balkan Academic News Agency in Belgrade (Serbia)
4. 2004, August 13-29 – Secretary for the International Olympic Committee – Medical Commission at the 28th Olympic Games Athens 2004
5. 2004, September – Working for the Municipality of Athens city, at the Tourist Information kiosk with the occasion of the 12th edition of the Special Paralympics Games.
6. 2006, June – Working for the World High Schools Athletic Championship “ Gymnasiada Athens 2006 “ – International Department – Responsible for the Team of Israel.

LANGUAGES

Romanian – mother tongue
English, Greek and French – Fluent
Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish - Intermediate

SKILLS

Team work: I have worked in various types of teams
- Mediating skills: I work on the borders between young people, youth trainers, youth policy and
Researchers, for example running a 3 day workshop at Symposium ‘Youth Actor of Social
Change’, and my continued work on youth training programmes;
- Intercultural skills: I am experienced at working in a European dimension such as being a ‘youth against violence seminar’ and working with refugees at the Greek Council for Refugees
Organisational skills and competences
- Whilst working for a Athens based NGO “ AEGEE” I organized the General Meeting in Athens
- During my studies I organised a seminar series on research methods.

Additional Informations:

I published articles in Romanian newspapers in Romania, Moldova and Greece (Curierul Atenei, Saptamana, Astra, Observator, and West Magazine)

I am a Greek Correspondent for the Balkan Academic News Agency http://www.seep.ceu.hu/balkans/index.html

Also I was working until recently as Journalist for “Premium S.A.” http://www.reporter.gr/. , where I was responsible for the publishing in English language of daily economical, political and stock exchange news from Romania, also I did interviews with politicians, businessman from Romania and Greece.

I presented the Romanian news and a magazine at Athens International Radio 104.4 FM (http://www.athina984.gr/) and Athens Community Voice Radio (http://www.communityvoice.gr/), you can hear me every wednesday between 14.00 - 15.00 p.m. Greek time.

I am a member in some organizations and NGO-s as:

InASEA-The International Association for Southeast European Anthropology-
http://www-gewi.kfunigraz.ac.at/inasea/index.html

SAFIA (Student Association of International Affairs) http://www.safia.gr/

AEGEE (European Student Association) http://www.aegee.org/

IAPPS (International Association of Political Science Students) http://www.iapss.org/

Contemporary Balkania, Cultural Non-Profit Organization.

European Expresion http://www.ekfrasi.gr/