Moldova is ME // Ana Stîncă, from Causeni in Dublin: “Wherever we go in the world, we carry with us the values from home”

On Independence Day, the MOLDPRES Agency is running a campaign titled, Moldova is ME, an initiative meant to promote the citizens of Moldova, their visions, concerns and aspirations. Each of the protagonists is a part of Moldova, whether they remained in the country or settled abroad.

Independence is not just a page of history, but a daily commitment — to defend the values we believe in, to build a fair, dignified and united society. This is also reflected in the story of Ana Stîncă, a young woman from Causeni, who built her career in Ireland, but continues to carry Moldova with her wherever she goes.

There are departures that do not mean separation, but expansion. Sometimes, the distance from home does not weaken your connection with the place you come from; it makes it stronger.

For Ana Stîncă, the road to the wider world began at just 16. At an age when most teenagers are still searching for their path, Ana had the courage to go alone to Ireland to study and build her own future.

It was a decision that meant breaking away, but not cutting off her roots.

“When I left Causeni, I didn’t feel like I was leaving for good. I felt like I was setting out on a journey where I had to discover who I am and what I can do. Obviously, at 16, you don’t understand all the difficulties that await you. But I think the very fact that I had to manage on my own made me stronger,” Ana recalls.

From Causeni to Trinity College Dublin

Adapting to a new country and a different educational system was not easy. For a teenager coming from Moldova, Ireland meant a new world, with different rules, mentalities and expectations.

Ana not only adapted, but chose to aim for excellence.

She was admitted to Trinity College Dublin, one of the most prestigious higher education institutions of Ireland, where she studied Law and Political Science. Later, she continued her studies with a Master’s degree in Sustainability & Business.

“My studies were very important to me, but I believe university taught me much more than what was in the textbooks. It taught me to ask questions, not to accept things just because they’ve always been done that way, and to understand that each of us can contribute to change,” says Ana.

In a competitive academic environment, she discovered that performance does not mean only individual results.

“I understood that personal success does not have the same value if you can’t turn it into something good for those around you. That’s where my desire to get involved in the community came from,” the young woman explains.

A piece of Moldova in the heart of Dublin

Homesickness and the wish to make her native culture known led Ana to initiate a project that would quickly go beyond the boundaries of a simple student activity.

During her student years, she founded the Eastern European Society, the first student society in Ireland dedicated to promoting the traditions and culture of Eastern Europe.

The initiative brought together young people from more countries and created a space where Eastern European culture could be discovered and appreciated.

Later, the model was adopted by other major universities of Ireland.

For Ana, this was one of the moments when she felt most strongly that the identity from home can become a resource in the world she had entered.

“I wanted to show that Eastern Europe is not just what people sometimes see in the news. Behind this region, there are people, traditions, stories, music, art and a great deal of creativity. And Moldova has an important place in this story as well,” Ana says.

She says she did not want the society to be just a place for Moldovans or Eastern Europeans.

“I wanted people to come, to discover and to ask questions. For there to be a dialogue between cultures. I believe that, when you present your culture with confidence, you don’t build walls, you build bridges.”

Moldova far from home

Although Ana’s career has evolved in an international environment, her connection with Moldova has remained constant.

She has been involved in the Moldovan community in Ireland, in volunteer projects and in activities dedicated to supporting Ukrainian refugees. She has collaborated with the Embassy of Moldova and contributed to organizing community events.

For her, involvement is not an obligation, but a form of gratitude.

“I believe that, when you have received something from your community, at some point you have to give it back. Maybe not in the same form and not necessarily right away, but you must contribute. For me, Moldova is not only the place where I was born. It is a part of who I am,” Ana says.

The experience of recent years has strengthened this conviction even more.

“When you are far away, you start to understand differently the things that you might have taken for granted at home. The language, the people, a meal with your family, a holiday — even the small things gain a different value.”

Work at the Irish Government

Her academic journey opened the way to a career in the Irish public administration.

Ana Stîncă works at the Government of Ireland, where she is involved in managing areas related to legislation and complex financial transactions.

It is a field in which precision, responsibility and integrity are essential.

“Working in public administration means understanding that the decisions you make can have consequences for a great many people. That obliges you to be very careful, to be fair and to never forget the responsibility you bear,” she says.

For Ana, professional status does not mean that the learning process has ended.

“I don’t think there is a moment when you can say you’ve finished learning. The more you advance, the more you realize how many things are still left to discover. For me, professional development is a continuous process.”

What independence means to a young woman who left at 16

Within the Moldova is ME campaign, Ana’s story takes on a special meaning. A country’s independence can also be seen through the lens of the people who represent it abroad, through the values they carry with them and the way they build bridges between communities.

Ana says that, for her, independence has a deeply personal meaning.

“Independence means having the freedom to choose your path, but also the responsibility to follow it with dignity. For me, the fact that I could leave, study, build a career and choose what I want to do is a form of freedom. But independence also means not forgetting who you are and where you come from.”

And Moldova, she says, needs people who believe in this freedom.

“I would like young people in Moldova not to think that success is possible only somewhere else. The world is open and we must take advantage of the opportunities we have, but we should also want to build at home. Even if you leave, you can still contribute to Moldova’s development.”

“Wherever you go, you take Moldova with you”

At 16, Ana left Causeni with a suitcase and many unknowns ahead. Today, after years of study, community projects and professional experience, she looks back on that moment with gratitude.

“If I could tell something to the 16-year-old Ana, I would tell her not to be afraid. There will be difficult moments, there will be moments when you’ll question the decisions you made. But each experience will shape you. And above all, never forget where you started from.”

From Causeni to Dublin, Ana Stîncă has shown that roots and aspirations do not exclude each other. On the contrary, they can grow together.

She is part of a generation of Moldovans who are building careers in the most diverse corners of the world, yet continue to speak about Moldova, represent it and create connections for those back home.

“Wherever you go, you take Moldova with you. I believe this is also our responsibility — to make sure that when people hear about Moldova, they think of good people, professional, courageous and dignified,” says Ana.

And this is perhaps one of the most beautiful ways in which Moldova is ME gains meaning: through people who leave, learn, succeed, but never forget where they started from.

Today, Ana Stîncă is a voice of a Moldova that is not afraid to face the world. A European Moldova, open, ambitious and connected to its communities everywhere.