The chronicles of a time traveler from Ciuc

Dear readers, dear listeners:

My name is Klára Kelemen, Klárika for my friends, that is, for you too from now on.

This name of mine will sound familiar to some, and it will mean nothing to others. «Is she a stranger?» – so many others will wonder.

I am the daughter of a forester father and a housewife mother, a girl who started her journey in 1910 on a small farm on the outskirts of the village of Csekefalva. I am the csíki time traveler who will navigate the waters of the most famous moments, as well as the least known, of our small great region.

I have come a long way, and now you can find me here in cyberspace, on the Internet, on modern radio, on your mobile phones and computers, on social networks, and in the spheres of thought. This is where I will be sharing with you how life was in Csík in the 1920’s. I am here to share the stories of this place and bring them back to life little by little, so those that have been living here forever and also the newcomers know what happened and why when no one was looking.

How did I get here? One day, someone knocked on my door to propose a project to me, I couldn’t resist. They told me its name was Living the 20s and that a girl from Granada (Spain) had come up with the idea. It turns out that she, Conchita, began to tell the neighbours of the Albayzín district what had happened in their neighbourhood every day in 1920. This helped people to learn a little about their history and also entertain themselves during the lockdowns of the 2020 pandemic, just 100 years after the events and happenings that she narrated.

Due to my curious and amazing ability to travel in time, I was invited to join the European project Living the 20s and to become the storyteller who shares the stories of our region and helps people learn a little about Csík’s history. I won’t be taking this journey alone but together with Clarita, my old friend and namesake from Spain, who will be telling you stories about her town called Purchena. You will have the opportunity to read and listen to our exciting stories in cyberspace every Monday, or whenever you feel like it.

Let the journey begin!

Klárika