Growing up in Romania, a girl and later a woman is taught to be seductive, sexy and feminine in a superficial way. The point is to find a "good man", get married and have a family. Did you experience that too?

I often felt I didn't fit in as I felt strong and independent and smart and I liked the games boys liked. However, I didn't have any examples of women in the outdoors, alpinists or athletes.

Much later in life I started to spend a great amount of time in the outdoors and finally realized I found my place! I became a mountain leader and I am trying to build a career as an alpinist/athlete.

I believe that women should be encouraged to be strong, independent and proud of their bodies, not for how they look but for what they can do. While doing this, one can also preserve her femininity.

A woman in the outdoors is not masculine. A woman in the outdoors can be feminine and also strong and successful.

Although things have evolved in the past years, especially in the Western countries, the reality is that in our society people are still divided into categories of gender, skin color and race and not everyone has equal rights and opportunities.

I want to be part of the change by personal example as well as setting up a bigger project, community: "Femei pe munte" (Women in the mountains). I hope by this to see more Romanian women in the mountains and more Romanian female athletes in the outdoor space.

On my personal page I always try to show the struggles and successes of a woman in the outdoors: the joys,the hardship, the lessons.

If you have the same believes, you can support this project by reading and sharing our stories and by donating to support expeditions - which right now are self-supported.

Next expedition is on Baruntse summit in the Himalayas (7129m) - single push ascent from Base Camp to Summit and back to Base Camp.

Buy Cristina Podocea - Femei pe Munte a coffee