Kristály Rita (1995-2014)

„The foundation’s help means extra energy to me...”

My name is Kristály Rita, I was born in a big family in Sândominic as the fourth child. My parents raise 8 children beside me. I have been studying music in the „Nagy István” Art Shool for four years in Miercurea-Ciuc. During grade school I took part in the school’s choir where I like to sing. So did it happen that on the summer of 8th grade I decided that I would like to sing more, so I enrolled successfully to the school’s music specialization.

Q: Tell us, what is a big family like?

Kristály Rita: What could I tell about a big family like this? I think it isn’t really different from living in a family with 2-3 children, because we eat, drink, play, fight just like any other families, but more. My mother doesn’t cook a small but a big portion of food. If somebody is happy, he cheers the others as well, but if somebody is stressed then not only two but at least five people fight, because we also need to take sides. But the best and most important thing in a big family is that you have more people beside you if you are in trouble, more people to comfort you when you cry, because you call these people your siblings.

Q: What do you do in your free time besides singing?

Kristály Rita: I always have different activities. Sometimes I learn songs; sometimes I go swimming or do voluntary activities. I like reading, going to theatre or hiking. Long ago I was dreaming of becoming an actress.

Q: What changed?

Kristály Rita: It was an old dream, but as I grew older I was disappointed about this kind of life, and I picture myself in another domain. The reason why it changed I don’t know, maybe because of my inhibitions. I think that in the theatre it is very hard to remain moral. Because of my character it would have been hard to become a good actress.  

Q: So instead of theatre...

Kristály Rita: If the financial situation allows me, I would like to study music education in Oradea.

Q: You have mentioned that you do voluntary activities. Where, and what motivates you?

Kristály Rita: Yes, as a volunteer, and a member, I helped the Youth Organisation of our village and I often was team leader in school camps for elementary school pupils. The things that mostly motivated me were to get to know myself, my ability to adapt to different situations, how would it be if I had to be with children every day. I am also interested in children’s behaviour.

Q: Do you have a role model? In the music, or in your environment?

Kristály Rita: I don’t have any, but there are many people I respect, and look up to. I didn’t choose anybody in particular, because I don’t want to copy somebody when I was created like that. It would be a disappointment, if I couldn’t be like my role model, I would be sad, and it would block me. But I should mention a few people, who often open my eyes and help me see clean. One of these people is my music teacher, who not only teaches me singing, but other things as well. I can’t leave out my parents, who I am very grateful to, they understand a lot of things, and they support me in everything no matter our hard financial situation.

Q: What does the foundation’s help mean to you?

Kristály Rita: The foundation’s help means extra energy for me, extra time and opportunity for activities, that I couldn’t have time for, like theatre, which is a relaxation for me. The foundation means the student residence to me, I would spend two hours travelling, which means that I would be more stressed, and I would have less time to practice and study and I wouldn’t eat normally. Thank the foundation for helping me, they spare me from extra stress and give me opportunity to do useful things.

Bőjte Csongor

„We, youngsters from Szeklerland are lucky, because we were taught to work, to love our fatherland, to appreciate the values. If we appreciate this heritage, we are going to be able to stand our ground.”

My name is Bőjte Csongor, I was born on Women’s Day in Miercurea Ciuc in 1995. I live in Sândominic with my parents and my younger sister, Anita. I am a 12th grader of the Segítő Mária Catholic High School with humanities specialization.

Q: What do you do in your free time?

Bőjte Csongor: In my native village, in Sândominic I am the leader of the Youth Organisation. The activities as a leader of the organisation take up most of my free time: organising young, community and cultural programs, team building, continuous consultation with the council. Beside I also help my parents in the works around the house in the weekends, because during the week I live in a student residence. I also like hiking, being in the nature, in the forests. I am interested in ethnography, in customs and culture.

Q: You also take part in voluntary activities...What motivates you?

Bőjte Csongor: Yes, I took part in the school’s student council as a volunteer, for two years I was a proof-reader and editor of the school’s newspaper, and I also helped organise and carry out cultural programs in my native village before the foundation of the Youth Organisation. I consider voluntary work important, because nowadays everybody wants to be paid for his job, but I think the work we do as volunteer is much more valuable.

Q: You, as a leader of a Youth Organisation, how do you see the progress of a community? What kind of values do you consider important?

Bőjte Csongor: The most important thing in the progress of a community is that people should have common interests, common goals, succeed by cooperation, by helping each other, carry out their activities happily. If everybody participates in the activities and enjoys it, we can’t talk about work, because everything done in a community helps the community members to advance. It is important, that beside the activities we also spend time in order to know the other better, to get close to each other, that’s why groups, teambuilding moments, activities are crucial. In my opinion in a community the most important things are unity and good atmosphere, because in lack of these a community can’t function successfully.

Q: How do you see youngsters’ future here, in Szeklerland.

Bőjte Csongor: I think that here in Szeklerland, contrary to what is thought, youngsters do have future, if we want to stay here, and if we want to work here we should go along a long way, where the first steps are the most important. We, youngsters from Szeklerland are lucky, because we were taught to work, to love our fatherland, to appreciate the values.If we appreciate this heritage, we are going to be able to stand our ground.

Q: And yours? How do you picture yourself in 5-10 years time, what would you like to carry out by then?

Bőjte Csongor: My present plan is to study public administration, after my studies I would like to work in the public sphere, I would definitely like to help the community with my work at home, in my native land. By 5-10 years I would like to have results in terms of education, to have a job, where I see the advancement of a community. As I grow older, I would like to have a life, which could be an example for the future generations, because it meant a lot for me as well that I had people around me to look up to. For me family is the most important, the family members are the ones that support you, that encourage you, that’s why I would like to start a family myself, to educate my children as I was educated, because my father and mother raised me and my younger sister with such a great love, that I couldn’t imagine anything better.

Q: How does the foundation help you?

Bőjte Csongor: The foundation’s support is a huge help for me and my family, because I can cover the student residence, so I can study in normal conditions. It helps my family to cover the expenses, because we all know that in the current system even the high school costs a lot, and let’s not mention the university. I am grateful to the foundation for its help; they contributed to my success in terms of education.