factory-journal-flora

[EN]

1984

1st January

Dear New Journal,

I'm writing because I entered the year from my favorite book. Orwell's 1984. And I feel just like a character in a book. This year I turn 16 and I realized that I haven't had a single day of freedom until now. I want to do a lot this year. To become national champion in swimming. And to have a friend. Or even more. Now it's hard because it's just me and Iren and I have to take care of her. But finally I think I got used to it. I miss mommy and daddy and I know they do too. But we'll get through it. This year will be my year!

24 February

Today I couldn't see H at all. They lined us up for the celebration and we had to recite patriotic poems in two voices, in Romanian. Boys on one side, girls on the other. H. the butt. And I was sorry that I didn't go to the People's Park. We all have to pretend we're happy in this cage. As long as we're all pretending, the mate is happy. Because all the other comrades are satisfied. We are all pretend slaves. At one point I asked to go to the bathroom. I went to class and wrote Freedom on the board. There will be an inspection for sure. Or the companion will quickly delete confused and not say anything. In both cases I will laugh and joke. What nonsense, freedom. H. he's free because he's knocking. But even he doesn't know. 

28th of March

I qualified for the country in swimming. I'm going to the championship. Iren is so happy, as if more happy than me. The final is in Bucharest, I've never been. But I heard it's much colder and nastier than here. The queues are much longer. And well, everything I've seen in the movies. Swimming is my freedom. My absences are excused, everyone treats me differently. As long as I win, it's good. We all pretend to be champions. I have new girlfriends who keep clinging to me. I'm sure I'm still chirping at the ones I know are pouring. I'm twisting them into thinking that I'm the one who jumps out of my mind. So leave you alone. No problem. Swimming is the way to freedom. One day I will use it to cross a very large water. I'm still trying to teach Iren to swim too. But he is afraid of water. Until I learn, I'm not going anywhere. 

June 6
Last night I went to a party, to the athletes. There was a lot of dancing in a bar at T.'s house. I drank a little and got dizzy. H. wanted to drive me home but I no longer trust him. I kept hearing rumors that he chirps too. And it got so boring. When he touches me, I don't feel anything. I left alone on Begheu. At one point I saw an old woman who had come out of a yard. When he made eye contact with me, I got a strange thrill. We stood for a while and looked at each other. Mommy, you are important... He spoke in Romanian. He took my right hand and looked long at my palm. Live while you have time. Your line is cut off here. I don't believe in these weird things but I was scared. I'm afraid of drowning. I always have. No one knows this but you, Orwell's Year Diary.

July 7 

Today is my birthday and I will be alone. Iren is at camp with her class. H. and P. are also gone. I don't feel like girls. And I don't think I even feel like it. I have drawn before. But I don't like that all the lines are broken. Exactly as that grandmother told me. And the strings in the pool are just like lines. And we compete to reach the finish line faster. How stupid. Where do we end up? Nowhere. Still in a cage we choose. I don't think I trust anyone. Apart from Iren and Mr. Toth. And Iren still doesn't want to swim. 

September 19

I won. I won and I don't feel anything. I didn't really like it in Bucharest, but I didn't have time to see much either. There is a lot of work, it is falling apart everywhere. But I went by subway. I made friends with a very cool man, I'll call him A. I'm very exotic and special to him, he told me. Okay, he's from there. I'm from here. He told me something that I will think about. Let us both race in the Danube, where you can escape. He told me that if we both made it to the Olympics, there might be a chance. Yes, the chance to be guarded by all the Security. Better the Danube. But I don't go anywhere without Iren.

November 25
I'm wet all over, shivering with cold and I want to howl with sadness. I had the chance today to… leave. To swim. A. went. Is there. I lost it. And I... I couldn't. Iren did not resist. He was about to drown. I had to take her home. We were very lucky that no one stopped us. It was a perfect day. Cold, clouds, boredom and silence. These days you can leak… I should burn you, Diary. This year will end and 1984 will remain. 

[OF]

TAGEBUCH LYZEUM FLORA

1984

January 1

Liebes neues Tagebuch,

Ich schreibe, weil wir nun das Jahr aus meinem Lieblingsbuch haben. 1984 von Orwell. Und ich fühle mich genau wie eine Figur aus einem Buch. Dieses Jahr werde ich 16 und ich habe erlebt dass ich bis jetzt keinen einziden Tag Freiheit erlebt habe. Ich habe vieles vor in diesem Jahr. I will become Siegerin der nationalen Schwimmmeisterschaft. Und einen Freund haben. Oder sogar mehrere. Es ist jetzt schwer, weil ich allein mit Iren bin und ich muss auf sie aufpassen. Ich vermisse Mami und Papi und ich weiß, sie vermisst sie auch. Aber wir kriegen das schon hin. Das wird mein Jahr sein!

  1. February

Heute konnte ich H. überhaupt nicht sehen. Wir mussten bei dem Fest in eine Reihe stehen und patriotische Gedichte auf zwei Stimmen aufsagen, auf Rumänisch. Boys on the other side, girls on the other side. H. hat geschwanzt. Und mir hat es leidgetan, dass ich nicht auch geschwänzt habe, dann hatten wir in den Volkspark gehen können. Wir müssen alle so tun als wären wir glücklich in diesem Käfig. Solange wir alle so tun, ist die Genossin glücklich. Weil alle anderen Genossen glücklich sind. Wir sind alle eine Bande falscher Sklaven. Dann habe ich, um Erlaubnis auf die Toilette zu gehen, gebeten. Ich bin in die Klasse gegangen und habe Freiheit auf die Tafel geschrieben. Es wird sicher eine Inspektion geben. Oder die Genossin wird verwirrt alles rasch abwischen und nichts sagen. Ich werde auf jeden Fall lachen und Witze reißen. So ein Blödsinn, Freiheit. H. ist frei weil er schwänzt. Aber nicht einmal er weiß es.

  1. März

I have qualified myself for the national swimming championship. Ich gehe zur Meisterschaft. Iren ist so glücklich, scheinen glücklicher als ich. Das Endspiel ist in Bukarest, da war ich noch nie. Es soll aber viel kälter und hässlicher sein als hier. Die Schlangen sind viel länger. Und, nun ja, alles was ich in Filmen so gesehen habe. Swimming is my freedom. Meine Fehlstunden werden entschuldigt, alle gehen anders mit mir um. Solange ich gewinne, ist alles gut. Wir tun alle nur so als ob wir Sieger sind. Zwei neue Freundinnen kleben praktisk immer an mir. Natürlich zwitschere ich schön bei denen, wo ich mir sicher bin, dass die spitzeln. Ich verdreh ihnen den Kopf damit sie denken, ich sei halt so, ein wenig verrückt. Dann lassen sie dich in Ruhe. Macht nichts. Swimming is the way to freedom. Irgendwann werde ich diesen Weg gehen und ein ganz großes Wasser querschwimmen. Ich versuche immer wieder der Iren das Schwimmen beizubringen. Aber ihr graut es vor dem Wasser. Bis ich ihr das nicht beibringe, geh ich nirgends hin.

  1. junior

Gestern Abend war ich auf einer Fete, bei den Sportlern. Es wurde viel getanzt in einem Keller bei T. zuhause. Ich habe ein wenig getrunken und war dann ein bisschen benommen. H. wollte mich nachhause begeilten, aber ich vertraue ihm nicht mehr. Ich höre immer wieder, dass er auch spitzeln würde. Und er ist so langweilig geworden. Wenn er mich anfasst, spüre ich gar nichts. Ich bin allein der Bega entlang gegangen. Plötzlich habe ich eine Alte aus einem Hof rauskommen gesehen. Als sich unsere Blicke trafen, lief mir ein Schauder über den Rücken. Wir standen da und schauten uns eine Weile gegänstige an. Mädel, du bist etwas Besondere... Sie hat Rumanisch gesprochen. Sie hat meine rechte Hand genommen und hat lang meine Handfläche eenkechts. Lebe, solange du noch Zeit hast. Die Linie endet hier. Ich glaube nicht an solche komischen Sachen, aber das hat mir Angst gemacht. Ich habe Angst zu ertrinken. Diese Angst hatte ich immer. Niemand weiß es, außer dir, Tagebuch aus dem Jahre Orwells.

  1. scratch

Today is my birthday. Iren ist mit ihrer Klasse im Ferienlager. H. und P. sind auch nicht da. Ich habe keine Lust auf Mädels. I believe, I have also no Lust auf mich selbst. Ich habe noch etwas gezeichnet. Aber ich mag es nicht, weil alle Linien unterbrochen sind. Genau wie diese Alte es gesagt hat. Die Seile im Schwimmbecken sind auch wie Linien. Und wir kämpfen darum, wer als Erster die Ziellinie erreicht. So ein Schwachsinn. Wo kommen wir so hin? Nirgends. Wir laufen weiter in einem Käfig herum. Ich glaube ich vertraue niemandem. Außer Iren und Herrn Toth. Und Iren will immer noch nicht schwimmen.

  1. September

Ich habe gewonnen. Ich habe gewonnen und fühle nichts. Bukarest hat mir nicht wirklich gefallen, ich hatte aber auch nicht wirklich Zeit vieles zu besichtigen. Es gibt sehr viele Baustellen, es wird überall abergissen. Aber ich bin mit der U-Bahn gefahren. Ich habe einen ganz tollen Menschen befreundet, ich werde ihn A. nennen. Er meint ich wäre sehr exoticisch und besonders für ihn. Nun, ja, er ist dort. I am here. Er hat mir etwas gesagt, was mich zum Nachdenken gebracht hat. Wir sollten beide in der Donau, wo man ausbrechen kann, um die Wette schwimmen. Wenn wir es beide zur Olympiade schaffen würden, meinte er, dann gäbe es vielleicht eine Chance. Ja, die Chance von der ganzen Securitate überwacht zu werden. Dann lieber die Donau. Aber ohne Iren gehe ich nirgends hin.

  1. November

Ich bin komplett nass, zittere vor Kälte und könnte vor Trauer schreien. Ich hatte heute die Chance zu… gehen. To swim. A. ist geschwommen. Er ist dort. Ich habe ihn verloren. Und ich... Ich konne nicht. Iren konne nicht durchhalten. Sie ist fast ertrunken. I had to bring home. Wir hatten großes Glück, dass uns niemand angehalten hat. Es war ein perfekter Tag. Kalt, bewölkt, Langeweile und Ruhe. An solchen Tagen kann man sich einfach tragen lassen... Ich muestre dich verbrennen, Tagebuch. Dieses Jahr wird zu Ende gehen, aber es wird weinster 1984 ble

[EN]

DIARY LYCEUM FLORA

1984

January 1st

dear new diary,

I am writing because we now have the year from my favorite book. 1984 by Orwell. And I feel exactly like a character out of a book. I'm turning 16 this year and I've realized that I haven't had a single day of freedom until now. I have a lot planned for this year. I want to be the champion of the national swimming championship. And have a boyfriend. Or even several. It's hard now because I'm alone with Irish people and I have to take care of them. I miss mommy and daddy and I know she misses them too. But we'll manage. This will be my year!

February

Today I couldn't see H. at all. At the festival we had to stand in a line and recite patriotic poems in two voices, in Romanian. Boys on one side, girls on the other. H. skipped. And I was sorry that I didn't play hooky too, then we could have gone to the Volkspark. We all have to pretend we're happy in this cage. As long as we all do this, the comrade is happy. Because all other comrades are happy. We're all a bunch of fake slaves. Then I asked permission to go to the toilet. I went to class and wrote freedom on the blackboard. There will be an inspection for sure. Or the confused comrade will quickly wipe everything away and say nothing. I will definitely laugh and crack jokes. Such nonsense, freedom. H. is free because he plays hooky. But not even he knows.

March

I qualified for the national swimming championship. I'm going to the championship. Iren is so happy, seemingly happier than me. The final is in Bucharest, I've never been there. But it's supposed to be much colder and uglier than here. The lines are much longer. And, well, everything I've seen in movies. Swimming is my freedom. My absences are excused, everyone treats me differently. As long as I win, everything is fine. We all just pretend to be winners. Two new girlfriends practically always stick to me. Of course I chirp when I'm sure they're spying. I twist their heads so they think I'm just like that, a little crazy. Then they leave you alone. never mind Swimming is the way to freedom. At some point I will go this way and swim across a very large body of water. I keep trying to teach the Irish how to swim. But you dread the water. I'm not going anywhere until I teach her that.

young

Last night I was at a party with the athletes. There was a lot of dancing in a basement at T.'s home. I had a little drink and then got a little groggy. H. wanted to accompany me home, but I no longer trust him. I keep hearing that he would also snitch. And he's gotten so boring. When he touches me, I don't feel anything. I walked along the Bega alone. Suddenly I saw an old woman coming out of a yard. When our eyes met, a shiver ran down my spine. We stood there and looked at each other for a while. Girl, you are special... She spoke Romanian. She took my right hand and examined my palm for a long time. Live while you still have time. The line ends here. I don't believe in weird stuff like that, but it scared me. I'm afraid of drowning. I've always had this fear. No one knows but you, Orwell's journal.

July

Today is my birthday. Iren is at summer camp with her class. H. and P. aren't there either. I don't like girls. I don't think I feel like myself either. I drew something else. But I don't like it because all the lines are broken. Just like that old woman said. The ropes in the pool also have like lines. And we're fighting to see who gets to the finish line first. Such bullshit. Where are we going? Nowhere. We keep walking around in a cage. I don't think I trust anyone. Except Irish and Mr Toth. And Iren still doesn't want to swim.

September

I have won. I won and I don't feel anything. I didn't really like Bucharest, but I didn't really have time to visit a lot either. There are a lot of construction sites, demolition everywhere. But I took the subway. I've made friends with a really great person, I'll call him A. He thinks I'm very exotic and special for him. Well, yes, he is there. I have here. He said something to me that got me thinking. We should both swim a race in the Danube, where you can break out. If we both made it to the Olympics, he said, maybe there would be a chance. Yes, the chance of the