"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you have to keep going forward."

Anca Șuță Avram is Legal and Data Protection Consultant (Certified EU GDPR and CCMP Practitioner) and ROMPRO Legal member as a volunteer.

What made you come to the Netherlands?

On a professional level, in September 2017 I was co-opted in the legal team and data protection office of a group of companies based in the Netherlands, through the Romanian/Cluj-Napoca subsidiary. The role was an international one, consisting in particular in assisting the companies in the group and providing the necessary legal support to ensure their compliance with the incident legislative rules in force, the "soul" project carried out being that of aligning companies in 14 European countries to the new EU legislation on data protection (known as "GDPR"), i.e. the implementation of GDPR within the group. On a personal note, in early 2017 my husband changed his role from ship captain to a management role in the maritime sector starting to work for a company based in Amsterdam, with my coming to the Netherlands being the solution to reunite the family.

Before leaving Romania, did you feel informed about what was waiting for you here? Did you have any pleasant surprises or the opposite? What do you wish you had known or had available that could have made the process easier for you?

As my arrival in the Netherlands was a gradual process, I can say that I was broadly informed.

Anca Suta Avram

How long have you been here? Have you adapted well to the new culture? How was the process and how long did it take? How long did it take you to feel at home? What problems did you face or are you still facing?

I have been living in the Netherlands since August 2018, and I am currently in the process of adapting to the new culture, trying in this way to penetrate the mysteries of the Dutch language and a mentality quite different from the Romanian one.

What has changed in your way of life since living here?

I cycle more, which for me is both a way of exercising and relaxing because "Life is like riding a bike. To keep your balance you have to keep going forward."

How do you see the relationship with other Romanians and the preservation of the Romanian identity abroad?

I believe that social relations with other co-nationals are necessary to preserve identity. Since I was the first Romanian employee in the company where I work, I feel the absence of the Romanian element, which is why, when time permits, we try to participate (together with my husband) in the events organized by ROMPRO - Romanian Foundation for Romanians in the Netherlands.

Why did you choose to get involved in the Foundation's work and what would you like to achieve through your contribution?

Before my move to the Netherlands I received a link from my husband to the ROMPRO website, specifically to an advertisement for legal volunteers. It was the first step to become a volunteer for the Foundation.

What do you like to do? What profession have you chosen and why?

My profession is that of a legal consultant, with approximately 10 years of experience in the field. I chose this profession because I believe that a society, in order to exist in a democratic framework and to evolve, needs, first of all, rules in this respect, and, for their adoption and implementation, lawyers for whom the law is more than an abstract notion.

Would you like to tell us about a funny, interesting or maybe not so pleasant event that you experienced in the Netherlands?

A pleasant incident was when at the door of the building where we live a neighbour (a native Dutchman) greeted me and started chatting with me in Romanian. On the other hand, less pleasant was when I started working in the company where I currently work and was implicitly placed in the Russian-speaking team on the grounds that people from Eastern European countries speak Russian.

What are your plans for the future and how will you put them into practice? Do you consider Dutch society to be a good environment for them? If not, what would be the obstacles to their realisation?

My future plans are, in the short and medium term, to improve my legal and data protection skills, with a focus on European and international law, and, in the long term, to identify the best way to contribute to the recovery of the Romanian legal system as part of the EU legal system. I believe that, especially as a result of Brexit, the Dutch society can be a favourable framework for the implementation of my short and medium term plans.

Do you have any advice for people thinking of emigrating to the Netherlands?

Before setting off on this journey, do your homework, especially on the Dutch mentality and culture, which is quite different from the Romanian one. This will make it easier to adapt.

Your motto or a quote that motivates you.

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you have to keep going forward."

Albert Einstein

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