Going to Romania was not glamorous, it is not clean and refined, but it certainly has character. I am familiar with traveling, but this experience was different than anything I imagined. I usually take in the sights and the culture, eat the food and walk around in awe of the land. I had never traveled to a country that had felt the oppression of communism so recently. I had never stayed long enough to see the effect of long term poverty on an entire country. I guess I had no idea where we were going- and it was hard to piece together all of it. As an American, I now realize the poorest and most desperate parts of the world seem to be hidden away from us- shown occasionally as news stories from seemingly another planet. I am familiar with the challenges the the poor and sick face at home- but as a whole we are very fortunate to have the government, the intellectual freedom and healthcare we have.
I am guilty of hiding the ugly myself, for I did not post the pictures of the rivers filled with garbage in Romania. I did not post pictures on my blog of the devastated buildings, the beggars, the moldy produce or rotting animals left in the streets. I wanted to show my friends and family the beauty of Romania, but I realized it is also important to explain the ugly side.
After being there a month, we got the pleasure to sit down with our young landlord Raluca and her boyfriend. They confirmed many things about Romania that we thought to be true. They told us Romania is definitely one of the poorest country in Europe- the average Romanian income is 340 euros a month (which is why the cost of living in Romania is also very cheap). Most Romanians cannot afford to ever leave the country. They cannot afford to go out to eat everyday (most people sit in cafes only to enjoy a soda, or cheap beer.) They told us today in Romania, there is no real middle class. Both Raluca and her boyfriend work full time in banking but claim they even struggle to pay off her mortage on her apartment (which cost 8,000 Euros when she bought it.) Property values have increased in some regions, but most investment and industry is being outsourced to other countries, making the country even poorer.
They remember the revolution of 1989 (our landlord Raluca was 7 years old and her boyfriend 12 years old at that time). They remember being in hiding. They told us that after the revolution, the country was very chaotic because of the end of communism- they did not know what to do with themselves or how to make a living. They remember getting a voucher for one half loaf of bread to feed their families daily because of the lack of food. People could barely care for their families, much less their pets- which is why so many generations of "wild" dogs and cats roam the streets and villages of the country today.
They explained that many Romanians in smaller villages grow their own food and raise their own animals but large agriculture is limited because after the revolution the government gave small plots to all citizens. Most cannot afford to buy large properties in order to grow large crops and most are not willing to give up their small plots anyway, causing a halt in commercial farming.
They told us medical care in Romania is very limited and life expectancy is very short- about 70 years. They cannot afford to pay good doctors, so skilled medical professionals go elsewhere to make more money.
The government owned property in large cities are decently maintained, but private residences are usually is poorer condition. The cities are literally falling apart. It seems overwhelming to even think about restoring most of the property without tearing it down and starting over, which they cannot afford.
The public transportation system has grown but it is still lacking. Riding in a car in Bucharest was definitely one of the scariest things I have ever experienced because traffic laws are not really practiced or enforced well in the cities.
I realize that as an American, I am in no way qualified to speak or write about the lives of real Romanians. They have a vast history, a beautiful landscape and plenty of heart. I do not mean to be disrespectful when talking about their struggles or their culture. I cannot really even wrap my head around most of these things but seeing a glimpse of their struggle was very powerful. I understand it might take centuries to recover from a lifetime of Soviet communism. It must take generations to learn to thrive in a capitalist economy. It was amazing to see how resilient and positive the people of Romania are. Most people we met were incredibly kind and hospitable. All in all, it changed my perception and reminded me to not take for granted the simple things. I am so thankful for this experience.
( A few more pictures that captured the buildings in Romania)
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