During out visit, I also took interest with the Romanian daily life. After my time as an exchange student, I have always taken a particular interest in how different cultures live at a very basic level because tourists rarely get to see it. I tried to capture as many daily life moments as possible with my camera, however it sometimes feels invasive to record people's personal moments. I also wanted to look into the general standard of living and lifestyle of Romanians.
On the weekends, it was common to see Romanian's out and about with family and friends. They dressed in modern fashion and enjoyed the pleasures of life, such as food and drink, to the fullest. The ease at which they laughed and were jovial reminded me of my Argentine families, even though their wrinkles show a life of past strife. I always enjoy finding that people are just people, no matter where you go and that even though we are taught to tolerate differences, once you meet somebody "different," you find that they aren't really.
The old man on the right was another jovial character that I noticed in the streets of Sinai. I enjoyed watching two cultures blend as he observed the crazy Americans obsessed with the street dogs. In many of the smaller villages, you could see elderly gentlemen and women meandering together and enjoying coffee. It was nice to see a culture that valued togetherness and enjoying a slower pace of life.
Despite the modernity witnessed in Bucharest, the daily life of village people attested to the countries status as a developing country. According to Horizon of Hope, an online cultural awareness site, Romanians typically do not indulge in "mega stores" and instead get most of their produce from local markets. Agriculture, and the jobs it provides, still play a large role in the economy. During our visit, I saw many people working employed in agricultural products, such as the man transporting lemons. During our drives, it was also obvious that many families had their own plots of land on which to produce their own food. Because of this reliance on the agricultural sector, and the economically handicapped nature of post-communist countries Romania has struggled to compete internationally. This is obvious in the prevalence of horse-carts for transportation and extremely small houses.
The Romanians are hoping to increase their competitiveness through strong government and social emphasis on the importance of education. The country has achieved a 97% literacy rate and has legally accommodated minorities to enable them to learn in their own languages. This is a huge advantage that minorities have in Romania that many do not experience in other countries. This will hopefully help Romania avoid human capital flight. The photo to the left is of University of Bucharest, the oldest university in Romania, established in 1868 by Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza. Romanian citizens now have access to free higher education in any of the universities throughout the country. Unfortunately, young, educated people often leave for Western Europe to attain higher salaries. To truly boost competitiveness, the government will have to create incentives for young people to stay.
Unfortunately, in spite of the great improvements to daily life, poverty and homelessness still exist within the country. It was not uncommon to see beggars in the streets of cities, and many buildings were vacant or riddled with graffiti. According to the World Bank, Romania has among the lowest health indicators in Eastern Europe particularly in rural areas. Though the increased GDP could indicate improvement of standard of living, since the transition to capitalism, there have been great improvements for the few while the many struggle. The World Bank also reports a poverty rate of 21.5%, with the poverty line set at about $3.30.
During out visit, I also took interest with the Romanian daily life. After my time as an exchange student, I have always taken a particular interest in how different cultures live at a very basic level because tourists rarely get to see it. I tried to capture as many daily life moments as possible with my camera, however it sometimes feels invasive to record people's personal moments. I also wanted to look into the general standard of living and lifestyle of Romanians.
Despite the modernity witnessed in Bucharest, the daily life of village people attested to the countries status as a developing country. According to Horizon of Hope, an online cultural awareness site, Romanians typically do not indulge in "mega stores" and instead get most of their produce from local markets. Agriculture, and the jobs it provides, still play a large role in the economy. During our visit, I saw many people working employed in agricultural products, such as the man transporting lemons. During our drives, it was also obvious that many families had their own plots of land on which to produce their own food. Because of this reliance on the agricultural sector, and the economically handicapped nature of post-communist countries Romania has struggled to compete internationally. This is obvious in the prevalence of horse-carts for transportation and extremely small houses.
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