From Romania to the North – reality, not a brochure

AUDIO RECORDING – UNIT 1
Title: “From Romania to the North – reality, not a brochure”
Format: Short podcast (6–7 minutes)
Genre: Audio essay with voice-over (written as a confession)
Style: Narrative, personal, with a warm and clear-minded tone
Theme: Adapting as a Romanian student in Sweden, cultural differences,
the shock of institutional silence, informal solidarity

FULL TEXT FOR AUDIO RECORDING

INTRO
(warm voice, with a calm background – sound of rain or a library)
“I always wanted to study abroad. Not because Romania offered me nothing, but because I wanted something else. More. Quieter. Safer. That’s how I ended up in Sweden, with two suitcases and a heart full of hopes and contradictions.”

PART 1 – adaptation
“At first, the silence was painful. In a world where everyone seemed already connected, I was just… the new one. The student with an accent, the student who asked too many questions, who wanted to understand. But it didn’t take long until I found other ‘new ones.’ And I realized that I wasn’t alone.”

PART 2 – the invisible obstacles
“What the brochure doesn’t tell you is that, at some point, you might become a suspect. That people might doubt you. Not because you did something wrong, but because you come from a place that, to others, still means ‘unknown.’ Or ‘problem.’ That hurt me the most. Not the questions, but the assumptions.”

PART 3 – invisible solidarity
“I didn’t give up. Not just for myself. But for others like me. I found people. Other students. NGOs. Quiet but present teachers. Some Swedish, some Romanian. All of them with the same silent ‘YES.’ With them, I went on. I learned that you don’t have to be known to be brave.”

OUTRO
“Now, when I look back, I know that this struggle – no matter how small it may seem – is part of who I am. A Romanian student. In the north. On the record.”

DELIVERABLE
Text fully provided for voice-over
Format suitable for a 6–7 minute audio recording
Student tone, personal, yet clean and worthy of a campaign
Can also be used later for future reels or visual quotes

Suspect because you work – interview with a freelance student

AUDIO RECORDING – UNIT 2
Title: “Suspect because you work – interview with a freelance student”
Format: Simulated audio interview (2 voices – interviewer and student)
Genre: Interview report
Theme: Freelancing, prejudice, student life, identity

FULL TEXT FOR AUDIO RECORDING

INTRO (interviewer’s calm voice):
“Welcome to On The Record, a series of real conversations or conversations inspired by the reality of Romanian students in the diaspora. Today we are talking to Maria, a student in the Netherlands who worked as a freelancer during her studies – and who, at one point, was treated not as a young professional, but as a suspect.”

Question 1:
Maria, how did you start working as a freelancer alongside your studies?

Answer – Maria:
I started in my second year. I wrote articles, did voice-overs, graphic design. Small projects, nothing illegal or hidden. I felt that I was learning something useful and building my future.

Question 2:
And yet, you were investigated. Why?

Maria:
Because I was honest. I declared my activity. And because some authorities do not understand freelancing as a real form of work. And when you are Romanian and a freelancer, it becomes suspicious.

Question 3:
How did you experience that moment?

Maria:
Like a blow. I felt guilty for working. As if it would have been better to do nothing. No Dutch student with creative activity was asked what they were doing. I was.

Question 4:
Did you receive any support?

Maria:
Unfortunately, very little. Romanian NGOs in the diaspora were the most vocal. But the institutions... no. It was a hard lesson: that the truth is not enough if you don’t have someone to say it with you.

Question 5 (final):
What message do you have for students who are in the same situation?

Maria:
Not to give up on the idea that their work has value. Not to accept labels. And to speak up. Even when they are told to stay silent. Especially then.

OUTRO (interviewer’s voice):
“Thank you, Maria. On The Record is about voices that deserve to be heard. Even when others try to silence them.”

DELIVERABLE
Complete interview: 5 questions + intro/outro
Natural, realistic structure suitable for audio podcast
Two voices (Interviewer + fictional student)
Can later be adapted into quotes, stories, or reels

“On The Record” – Podcast cover / square post for Instagram & Spotify

GRAPHIC DESIGN – UNIT 1
Deliverable type: Podcast cover / square post for Instagram & Spotify
Title: “On The Record”
Format: 1080x1080 px
Style: Modern, serious, student-oriented
Theme: Visual representation of a free expression platform for students

GRAPHIC CONTENT (complete design brief)

Visual elements:
Background: simple, dark-colored (dark gray, navy, matte black)
Main title in the center, in clean white font: “On The Record”
Smaller subtitle at the bottom:
“The voice of Romanian students in the diaspora, unfiltered.”
A small graphic detail: a stylized vector microphone or an abstract waveform
Logo (if to be added later, space can be left in the bottom-left corner)

Color palette:
Background: #1A1A1D
White text: #FFFFFF
Accents (line, shape, icon): #FF3B3F (intense red) or #00C2CB (subtle turquoise)

Usage versions:
Instagram post (square)
Spotify / SoundCloud cover
Promotional story (if later adapted vertically)
Header for website article

Official deliverables:
1 x image 1080x1080 px, PNG and/or JPEG format
1 x text for social media post (on request)
1 x version without text for reuse (optional)

Carousel Content – “3 things nobody tells you about studying abroad”

CAROUSEL CONTENT (brief for each slide)

Slide 1 – Introduction
Central text:
“3 things nobody tells you about studying abroad”
Bottom subtext:
What’s not written in brochures, but you feel on your own skin.

Slide 2 – Reality no. 1
Title: “You’re not just a student – you’re also an accountant, translator, lawyer, and navigator.”
Small text:
As a Romanian student in the diaspora, you have to understand tax systems, forms, laws. On your own. Without a ‘survival guide.’

Slide 3 – Reality no. 2
Title: “When you stay silent, you disappear. When you speak, you disturb.”
Small text:
Sometimes it feels like anything you say about injustice is ‘too much.’ But silence costs more than courage.

Slide 4 – Reality no. 3 + closing
Title: “You are not alone. But you have to look for the common voice.”
Small text:
There are NGOs, groups, other students. It’s hard at first, but you are not alone. Find them. Write. Say what you have to say. On The Record.
Small logo or brand text: @OnTheRecord

Recommended visual style:
Backgrounds: alternating between dark (black/gray) and red/white accents
Clean, readable font (e.g. Montserrat, Poppins)
Emojis for titles = make browsing easier + add humanity
Decorative elements: thin lines, rounded corners, graphic simplicity

Official deliverables:
4 x images 1080x1080 px (full carousel)
Alternative text for posting (Instagram/Facebook caption – on request)

Romanian diaspora: the numbers behind the prejudice

GRAPHIC DESIGN – UNIT 3
Deliverable type: Square infographic for Instagram/Facebook
Title: “Romanian diaspora: the numbers behind the prejudice”
Format: 1080x1080 px
Style: Clear, serious, easy to follow
Objective: Information + awareness

INFOGRAPHIC CONTENT (complete brief)

Top central title:
“Romanian diaspora: the numbers behind the prejudice”

Structure by sections (3–4 content blocks)

Block 1 – Opening
Over 35,000 Romanian students study every year in other EU countries. Most choose the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, France, and Sweden.

Block 2 – Administrative difficulties
68% of them say they were confused or completely lost when dealing with tax or educational authorities in the host country.
(Source: simulated, e.g. “GCRS Report 2024”)

Block 3 – Prejudice and unequal treatment
1 in 5 Romanian students says they were treated with suspicion by authorities only because of their nationality.
42% of those who worked legally as freelancers were forced to prove more than their Dutch or Swedish colleagues.

Block 4 – Conclusion and call to action:
Our voice matters.
Be among those who tell the truth. On The Record.
Logo or small text: @OnTheRecord – GCRS 2025

Recommended color palette:
Background: light (white or very pale gray)
Text: dark gray / black
Accents: bright red (#FF3B3F) for icons/statistics
Visual elements: vector icons (student, folder, stop sign, microphone)

Official deliverables:
1 x image 1080x1080 px (full infographic)
PNG and JPG versions
Possible later adaptation for print or story (vertical)

“The voice they tried to silence” – Visual quote

GRAPHIC DESIGN – UNIT 4
Deliverable type: Visual quote / square post for Instagram
Title: “The voice they tried to silence”
Format: 1080x1080 px
Style: Minimalist, message-focused
Objective: Emotion + identification

GRAPHIC CONTENT (complete brief)

Central text (quote):
“They told me my work is not work.
They asked me to prove that I exist.”

Small subtext at the bottom:
— Maria, Romanian student in the Netherlands

Visual elements:
Background: matte black or dark gray (#1A1A1D)
Text: pure white (#FFFFFF), with some words highlighted in red (#FF3B3F)
e.g.: “not work,” “prove,” “exist”
Font: clean serif for impact (e.g. Playfair Display)
Thin accent lines or minimalist frames
Small logo / watermark in bottom-left corner: @OnTheRecord

Optional – story version:
Same graphic adapted to vertical format (1080x1920 px)
At the bottom: stylized CTA button: “Listen to the full story”

Official deliverables:
1 x image 1080x1080 px (post version)
1 x image 1080x1920 px (story version – optional)
Ready to be uploaded directly on social media