I am a very big fan of the small fan-shaped quiz cards from DPH (Didactica Publishing House): over 500 questions mixing math, grammar, history, geography, logic and many other domains for kids of all ages, split by years.They even have parents questions, so the fun is bigger.

However, if any would prop these questions to me: 

• where do the most productive cows live
• who invented the cherry tomatoes and 
• where waze was developed

I would certainly flip the cards for the answers section.

Israel? No way, it is such a small country, somewhere in the Middle East.

Still, their cows are world champions in milk output, cause every cow produces an average of 12.000 liters per year. 

They created the cherry tomatoes while their soil is something far from being friendly and prone to agriculture.

Not only waze was developed in Israel, but they are first in the world for business investment in R&D as a % of GDP.

They are also a start-up nation, kind of The Sillicon Valley of the East, with more than 1,000 new start-ups each year (as of a population of 8 million)

I got all this info and much more during the first IRTD - Israeli Romanian Trade Delegation - organized by BWFR - Business Forum Women Romania, for which I am an honoured Advisory Board member. I knew about the project since I had the pleasure to present BWFR Gala in January. I loved the idea and also the timing - it was linked to Women’s Day.

Still, I had no idea how inspiring, fun and useful the meeting will be.

I only participated in one of the two conference days - shame on me, I know - but the structure was more or less the same: Israeli-Romanian business pairs, sharing knowledge and answering questions on similar topics -  legal with legal, fiscalization with fiscalization, advertising with advertising, social media with social media and so on.

In the same time, the Commercial Attache from the Israeli Embassy presented some facts and figures about Romania (for the Israeli business ladies visiting Romania), as well as the trade mission with Israel.

Where is the big potential for trade?

• Energy sector - Romania has the largest hydrocarbons reserves in the region and has a long history in the exploitation and processing of oil and gas resources.Plus it is 85% energetic independently
• Water sector  - Romania is relatively poor in water resources, disposing of less than half of the European average cubic meters/inhabitant/year
• Pharmaceutical sector - A market of almost 3 billion euro, with a growth rate of more than 10% last year and high degree concentration on producer segment
• Cosmetics industry - A market of 800 million euro, this is one of the least developed on the continent, with an average spending of 3 euro/inhabitant per month
• Medical sector - Both private and public health services rely almost 90% on imported medical devices and equipment. There are almost 300 privately owned clinics and policlinics and almost 300 specialty medical centers. 

What the hell does all this info do with the business women from the two countries? Are they involved in any of these sectors, will they start any related projects?

Who knows, cause we have just known each other. We had a networking session, kind of a fast-speed dating process, trying to discover one another in 5 minutes. And we liked each other and we liked the future that we could build together for women (and not only) in the two countries.

There is a strong wish from the Israeli ladies to have a Romanian designer fair organized in Tel Aviv for sale and fundraising. They loved the small one organized at the event and they bought a lot because the quality and the design are a premium!

I was proudly wearing an Andra Clitan custom made dress with a wall carpet piece from her grandma in Baia Mare. She made it 6 years ago but it is as trendy as ever.

Special credits to Osnat Peled, the Visionaire Lead of BWFR who made this exchange possible. And who proudly represented Romania on this occasion, also wearing a special traditional-modern Romanian inspired dress from Izabela Mandoiu.

I have no Israeli origin and I have a Hungarian name - inherited from my ex-husband.

I am just a girl of the world. Of the world of all possibilities.