People often ask me which country I love most.
I have never been able to answer that question.
Life has taught me that places can become part of us in different ways.
Romania is where my roots are. It is family. It is where I learned my first words, where I discovered love, loss, work, friendship, and the quiet strength that carries us through difficult times.
New Zealand found another place within me. It became heart. Through my daughter and grandsons, it became a reminder that love is not measured in kilometres. Sometimes a place on the other side of the world feels closer than one just across the street.
Portugal brought something different. Joy. The simple joy of light, the ocean, conversations, colours, and the feeling that life sometimes smiles for no particular reason.
If someone asked me where I belong, I would answer:
Romania is family.
New Zealand is heart.
Portugal is joy.
None of these countries replaced the others. They simply expanded my horizon.
Perhaps this is what life quietly teaches us: we do not always have to choose between places. Sometimes we simply allow each one to leave its own gift within us.