Bro, hold on tight, 'cause I've got a story that'll make you realize how much we complain for nothing. On Teacher's Day, everyone's posting pics with flowers and kisses on Facebook, but I stumbled upon a woman who runs a school in a village with no electricity and no drinking water. Yeah, you heard that right! In 2026, in Romania, there are villages like the Middle Ages, and there a teacher, Maria Lăcătușu, has been fighting for 16 years to pull kids out of poverty. And she's not on TV bragging, she's in Hetea, Covasna county, where they also speak Hungarian, but the poor thing teaches in Romanian for kids who've only seen electric light by candlelight. No joke! And look, the Dan Voiculescu Foundation put her in the League of Exceptional Teachers, 'cause she deserves it, bro, not like some who take pics on TikTok and act like big shots.
Listen to what a guy I know who knows someone there told me. Maria Lăcătușu, a woman who put her soul in her hands, says her motto is simple: 'I want what I do for the kids to happen here. Here that child should benefit 100% from what I bring.' And it's not empty talk! Since January, with the help of colleagues and some people from the country and abroad, she managed to provide a hot meal once a week for 200 students. 200, bro! For some of them, that's the only meal of the day. And you sit and complain that you forgot your bread at home. Shame, man, shame!
The school principal, Szilard Dullo, said that Mrs. Lăcătușu 'came to fight on the front line. She started like on the front and coordinated even the food part, together with a foundation from America.' So, while some are arguing over positions in Bucharest, these folks are working with foundations from America to feed kids in Covasna. And the deputy principal, Roman Ilie, praised her: 'Mrs. Cristina's energy and devotion are something to envy. She raises funds without being forced by anyone.' See, that's the difference: some wait for the state to give, others get up and do.
And here's the cool part: a parent from the village told that he, at 56, is the only one out of 12 siblings who knows how to read and write. 'Thank God, I manage somehow with school and that's why I send my kids, so they can learn.' Another parent said: 'The kids come here willingly, they like it. They come for pleasure. They're ready to run away from home to come to school.' I mean, bro, kids run away from home to come to school! While ours pretend it's raining and skip class to play video games, there it's something sacred.
And to show it's not just one story, Prof. Dr. Dan Cașcaval, senator and rector of TUIASI, sent a message on Teacher's Day about his teacher, Mrs. Vrîncea, whom he searched for years. He said: 'A strong woman, with the stature of a Transylvanian used to hard work... an angel who took our child's soul in her hands and shaped it with endless love.' And he ended: 'Let's not forget to love our teachers.' Bravo, Mr. Rector! That's how it's done, not like some who run campaigns and forget after.
So, if you want to see what it means to do good for real, look at Maria Lăcătușu. The 'League of Exceptional Teachers' campaign is open until June 7. Come on, maybe you too can nominate a teacher who deserves it. I'm off to call Fane to have a beer and think about how we can help too, even with a kind word. Happy Teacher's Day, teachers!
