Last night was the beginning of the New Year 2007

   It was a special night because at 12 Romania entered the
European Union.

   It was cold and there was at least half of the population
of Nădlac out in the piaţa to celebrate the historic night.

   I arrived at the festivities around 11 p.m. and there
was singers and dancers on the stage entertaining the
crowd. There were a few food and beer vendors selling
their wares.

   I received an invitation to go to the border to watch a
small parade enter Romania from Hungary. We arrived
at what appeared to be the abandoned custom stations
at 11:20 p.m. and almost immediately we could hear the
band and see the procession marching from the sister
European Union country.

   We immediately returned to the piaţa and at midnight the
procession arrived to the stage. The church bells rang, there
were fireworks and the mayor of Nădlac began the speeches.
The Hungarian representatives also gave their speeches that
were translated into Romanian.

   Then they played the European Union anthem as the EU
flag was presented to the mayor.

   Here is some basic information about the anthem ...

This is the anthem not only of the European Union but also of
Europe in a wider sense. The melody comes from the Ninth
Symphony composed in 1823 by Ludwig Van Beethoven.
For the final movement of this symphony, Beethoven set to
music the "Ode to Joy" written in 1785 by Friedrich von Schiller.
This poem expresses Schiller's idealistic vision of the human
race becoming brothers - a vision Beethoven shared.
   It will be interesting to watch the changes that Romania's
entry into the EU brings. There is a lot of not knowing how
individuals will be affected. Every change takes energy and
the Romanian people are more than capable of doing it.

   For me I know that for the upcoming years, even after my
time here is finished, it will always perk my interest when I
see or hear anything concerning Romania's transition into the EU.
Heck, I was here from the first minute.