Exploring My Multilingual Journey: Proficiency, Writing, and Linguistic Oddities

I have always had a deep appreciation for languages, and I once aspired to learn at least seven of them. However, things didn't quite turn out as planned.

How many languages do I speak and write in? 

blonde woman with blue eyes and green dress

I have proficiency in a few languages, although not as extensively as I may have aspired. 

I apologize if the description of this blog or the information provided in other posts led to any misunderstandings.  


My native tongue is Romanian, and I possess fluent command of both Italian and English. Additionally, due to its status as a Romance language, I have a solid understanding of Spanish.

It's worth noting that Romanian, despite its geographical proximity to Slavic-speaking nations (many of which use the Cyrillic alphabet), is indeed a Romance language with a Latin alphabet, similar to Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. 

Among these languages, Italian, Spanish, and Romanian share considerable similarities, facilitating my comprehension of them to a greater extent than others.

While my grasp of Portuguese is appreciable, it is not on par with my proficiency in Spanish. Although I am capable of conversing in Spanish, Portuguese eludes me. 
In my youth, I was acquainted with the French language; however, my recollection of it is limited, although I retain a partial understanding.

As for my writing capabilities across various languages, I initially embarked on my writing journey in English. 
Remarkably, I hadn't contemplated composing books in Romanian until the suggestion arose to adopt the pseudonym "Cristina G." (with a period following the initial) due to the difficulty in pronouncing "Gherghel." 
At that time, I presumed this alias would exclusively accompany my literary works. However, between 2017 and 2018, I penned a few books in Romanian, including recipe compilations. In 2022, after a hiatus of four years, I resolved to employ my complete name, Cristina Gherghel, omitting any abbreviations. 
To date (June 2023), I have refrained from translating any of my books from one language to another.

I have attempted to translate my own books, and in the process, I found myself inadvertently writing another book.
Its English equivalent is "Manifesto for Women Over 30: About Menopause, Hormonal Imbalances, Endometriosis, Candidiasis, Pain, and Anxiety."
Subsequently, without forewarning, I embarked on writing a book in English as well, entitled "iPERIMENOPAUSE: The Latest Upgrade to the Operating System of my Life - Malfunction: Hormonal Mayhem," slated for release on June 3, 2023, which coincides with tomorrow or today. Although it addresses the same focal subject, the style and content differ substantially.

I don't write in Italian. However, I do have a blog in this melodious language that I adore, although I don't update it frequently. I can't recall the last time I published anything on it.

The reason for not writing in Italian is unclear to me at the moment, but I may consider doing so in the future. 

I am not proud of my English pronunciation, and for years, I felt quite ashamed to open my mouth. However, I had to come to terms with the fact that due to rarely speaking it, despite living in England for 7 years with some interruptions. 
To make a long story short, I mostly listen, read, and write in English. Since writing is a solitary endeavor, I can go for months without speaking to anyone. 

So, to summarize, I speak three languages, understand four (or six), but write in two: English and Romanian.

It could be interesting to mention an oddity, which is that I have a strong understanding of Moldavian and can speak it fluently.

This is due to being born in the Moldavian region of the former Socialist Republic of Romania (present-day Romania). 
Please note that Moldavian is not recognized as a distinct language; it is more accurately classified as a dialect. 
 
However, it's worth mentioning that not all Romanians have a complete understanding of Moldavian. 
It is important to clarify that Moldavians, who were born in the territory formerly under Soviet rule, generally understand and speak Romanian. 
In fact, the language spoken in Moldova is Romanian, and it is officially recognized as such. 
The term "Moldavian" often refers to the regional variant or dialect of Romanian spoken in the Moldova region of Romania. It is not a separate language but rather a regional variation of Romanian.

A bit of European or East European History

Moldova, as a term, can refer to both the region and the country. The region of Moldova, also known as Bessarabia, is a historical region that was a part of Romania before being annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. The Moldova region is currently located within the borders of Romania and is one of its regions. The people in the Moldova region speak Romanian, and it is integrated as a part of the Romanian state.

On the other hand, the country of Moldova, also known as the Republic of Moldova, is a separate and independent nation. It was a part of the Soviet Union as the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. At that time, the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic declared independence and became the Republic of Moldova. 
The country of Moldova has its own government, borders, and international recognition.

To summarize, Moldova can refer to the region within Romania and the independent country. The region of Moldova is a part of Romania, while the country of Moldova is a separate nation that was formerly a part of the Soviet Union.

I have tried explaining the differences and similarities between Moldova (Bessarabia), the former Romanian territory before becoming a part of the Soviet Union, and the Moldova region of Romania. However, it can be quite confusing for those who are not familiar with history. 
Personally, I am not fond of history either, but I am aware of these details because they are relevant to my personal history.

In fact, I am highly engrossed in the communist era of Romania, as I was born and raised during that time. I was 14 years old when the communist regime fell in Romania, which occurred in December of 1989. It was an incredibly painful and significant moment in Romanian history.

I have already written a small memoir in English titled "Oranges at Christmas in a Communist Country," which happens to be my first published book in English. 
In 2019, I published a 500-page memoir in Romanian that recounts my first-hand experiences during those 14 years of living under communism. The book is titled "14 NuanÈ›e de RoÈ™u, Amintiri din Copilăria Comunistă, Epoca de Aur," which translates to English as "14 Shades of Red, Memories from Communist Childhood, the Golden Age." 

These memoirs offer a profound exploration of my personal experiences, providing valuable insights into the daily life, challenges, and atmosphere of living under communism in Romania. They also serve as a tribute to the resilience and determination of Romanian farmers who played a significant role during that time.

Furthermore, I have plans to write another non-fiction book focusing on communist Romania and its leader, CeauÈ™escu. 
This upcoming book will delve into my personal thoughts and reflections on this infamous dictator, who, not so surprisingly, is still admired by some Romanians today. While I hold a different perspective, I recognize that opinions on this matter can vary greatly.

I apologize for digressing from the original topic of discussing the languages I speak and write in. The subject of communism is indeed fascinating, and maybe it has sparked your interest as well.

Thank you for reading. It is a great privilege to have had your attention. 
If you are interested in translating my books, please check the titles on platforms such as Amazon or Google (click)
Feel free to get in touch, and I wish you happiness. 



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