Last week's speaker: Alex Batcu - Man behind the Badge
Posted by Franz Huber
on Mar 02, 2015
Alex came to be involved with Rotary when his charming daughter, Maria (Photo on right) applied for selection in the National Youth Science Forum (almost impossible to get into the inner circle, not to mention being selected) and indeed was successful. Maria will be our guest speaker next Wednesday 11th March. Last Wednesday, we were given a bit of an inkling from where Maria got half of her top level Scientists brain from: her father!.jpg)
How many people do you know who have a double degree? (yeah, a fair number). But how many do you know who have a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and then later in life decided to obtain a degree in Medicine? Well, there you have just one aspect of Alex.
Aleandru Ciubuc-Batcu is his full name. Born in Romania, shortly after his country turned to Communism, deposing its King Michael I. His Grandfather was a Commander of the Romanian Army. He thus took the blame, was sent to a labour camp where he was killed as "an enemy of the people". Yes, Alex doesn't leave any doubt that Mr Nicolae Ceausescu, Romania's Dictatorship ruler from 1965 to the end of his reign in 1989, is not his favourite person. When one considers the hardship he, his family and his country have gone through, Alex displays a remarkable control over his emotions. And since Rotary is not about politics, let's concentrate on his achievements: Lenin's motto of "Learn - Learn - Learn" went well with Alex's overall attitude (and aptitude). School was extremely harsh and discipline was enforced in every way (inclusive physical punishment if you didn't present your home work the next day). But the psychological pressure would go beyond that: non-performers had to repeat their class, "and this would bring big shame onto the family".
But 'learn - learn - learn' he did: Alex studied Mechanical Engineering, which consisted not just the expected subjects, but also Chemistry, Biology, Architecture, Art. "Being an Engineer requires you to be able to do everything, to create" he stated. He worked at a manufacturing plant of some 20,000 workers where they manufactured Locomotives. The Party established the targets: 1,000 Locos per year... [no further comment. Just read 1984 by George Orwell. - Ed]. Alex ultimately specialized in designing Simulators for all sorts of applications. For example, he constructed a simulator to test petrol tanks to see how much it took to make them burst. Later on, in a rather unexpected departure from 'the line so far', he followed this up with a degree in Medicine - Yes! Medical Doctor. And, if you consider how totally different the Romanian language is to English, one can't help to be impressed by Alex's adoption of our language.
Ultimately, in 1989, the Communist State failed. "The transition time was very hard - we didn't know what was Democracy". Alex ran an automotive parts plant with some 300 employees. However, gradually he came to the realization that "I love Romania, but this country doesn't want me". He decided to emigrate, first to New Zealand (2002) and in 2011 came to Australia. And, as the saying goes, the rest is history. Or is it? [I have no doubt that there would be another dozen 'Man behind the Badge' presentation in Alex without once repeating himself. I look forward to it. Ed.]