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1. Romania Does not Use the Euro
Although Romania is a member of the European Union, it hasnot adopted the Euro as its currency. Rather, Romanians use a nationalcurrency, the Romanian Leu, for most transactions.
Although the Euro is not the country’s national currency,Euros are commonly used for high-dollar transactions such as mortgages and carpurchases.
Luckily, ATM machines and contactless card readers areeverywhere in Romania. You can get by in most situations by using a credit cardif you aren’t carrying Romanian lei.
2. Romania is not in the Schengen Zone
While Romania joined the European Union in 2007, it does not benefit from full Schengen Zone reciprocity. This means that you’ll need to check if you need to apply for a visa in order to enter the country with your passport. Luckily, Romania allows citizens of the US, Canada, Australia, and European countries to enter and travel for up to 90 days without a visa.
In my experience, the fact that Romania is not in theSchengen Zone is a major positive for most tourists. Since the country does notparticipate in the Schengen visa program, visiting Romania does not counttoward the 90 days you are allowed to stay in Europe under the Schengen visarules.
3. Romanians Aren’t Gypsies
In the West, there is a lingering stereotype that Romanians are Gypsies and beggars. While the country does have a sizeable Gypsy (Roma) population of 3.3%, Romanians and Gypsies are ethnically separate peoples.
Gypsies have their own culture, languages, and socialstructures that make them distinct from Romanians. In addition, Gypsies areracially distinct from Romanians since they descend from tribes in India, andnot from European stock.
In fact, you’ll notice that relations between Gypsies andRomanians are not very good in Romania. Many Romanians complain that Gypsiesare beggars who do not send their children to school, while Gypsies complainthat Romanians discriminate against them.
4. Romanian Culture is Blunt
If you’re visiting from a place where politeness is animportant part of social interactions, such as the UK or the US, then you maybe surprised by Romanians’ general bluntness. When I visited Romania for thefirst time, I was shocked by how rude and impatient people were.
For example, while a clerk in an American supermarkettypically greets customers with a friendly greeting and a smile, I’ve foundthat Romanian clerks rarely even make eye contact with you. In the US, youcould probably lose your job for willfully ignoring your customers.
While in the West we are used to dealing with foreigners andpeople who do not speak our language, Romanians can be impatient withoutsiders. Don’t take it personally if you’re chided by a shopkeeper or busdriver for not doing/saying the right thing at the right time.
Of course, this isn’t to say that Romanians are mean or evenunfriendly, their culture just has different attitudes and expectations aroundpoliteness.
5. Romanians are Christian
One of my favorite aspects of Romanian culture is that people there are highly religious. In fact, over 60% of Romanians believe in God without a doubt and over 50% pray daily. It is refreshing to visit a European country where people still hold to traditional Christian values, which seem to be waning elsewhere in Europe.
In Romania, most people practice Romanian OrthodoxChristianity. Orthodox churches are the focal point of most villages and linethe streets of major cities.
One practice that you may find intriguing is that Romanianscross themselves whenever they pass by a church. Even on bus rides, you willnotice the entire bus of Romanians furiously crossing themselves each time thebus drives by a church.
6. Romanian is a Latin Language
Another misconception Westerners have is that Romanian is aSlavic language. While Romania is surrounded by countries where Slaviclanguages are spoken, Romanian is not a Slavic Language.
Romanian is derived from Vulgar Latin, the language of theRoman Empire. As such, Romanian is a fully Latin Romance language which sharessimilarities with French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.
Of course, there are some non-Latin elements of the Romanianlanguage, as well. For example, the country’s close association to the Orthodoxchurch has caused many words from church Slavonic to make their way intoRomanian vocabulary. There are some Slavic, as well as Greek words, used in themodern Romanian language, but the language is primarily Latin.
7. Romanians are a Latin People, but it’s Complicated
For the most part, Romanians are a Latin people. LikeItalians, Romanians are the descendants of the ancient Romans. In fact, thecountry’s name—Romania—is a reference to the country’s relationship to theRoman Empire.
While Romanians are primarily considered a Latin people, there are pockets of Slavic/Ukrainian, German/Saxxon, Hungarian, Serbian, Turkic and even Polish peoples scattered throughout Romania.
On your visit, you may notice that people tend to look different in the different regions of the country. Some Romanians have dark hair, dark eyes, and olive skin, while others are fair and blonde with blue eyes.
The largest ethnic minority in Romania are Hungarians, wholive predominately in Western Transylvania. In many towns in this region, it iscommon to hear Hungarian spoken as the primary language.
8. Romania was Never Part of the USSR
Another misconception people have is that Romania is aformer Soviet country. In reality, Romania was never part of the USSR.
Romania did, however, endure a nationalist communistmovement which lasted for decades. Romanian communism is best-known for NicolaeCeausescu, the country’s second and last communist ruler who was ousted in thecountry’s 1989 revolution.
Under the rule of Nicolae Ceausescu, and his predecessorGheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, Romania underwent severe transformations that shapedthe country’s identity.
Many families during the communist period were forced tourbanize and relocated into city centers where they were employed in factories.Much of historic Bucharest was razed during this period in order to buildcommunist housing blocks to accommodate the influx of industrial workers.
The best-known relic from this period is the massive CasaPoporului, or People’s Palace, which currently houses Romania’s parliament.
9. Romania is a Country in Flux (Everyone is Leaving)
Since Romania joined the European Union in 2007, Romanianshave been fleeing their country in droves. While this trend has slowedsomewhat, it’s estimatedthat 17% of all people born in Romania now live outside of Romania.
Poor economic conditions are the primary driver behind the exodusof Romanians from Romania. Compared to Romania, the UK, Spain, and Germanyoffer much better pay for well-educated Romanians.
Within the country, Romanians from rural towns and villagesare moving to the country’s urban centers at a rapid rate. Villages which wereonce teeming with life and families are now mostly empty.
This confluence of economic and demographic realities meansRomania is a country in flux. As its population shrinks and ages, its future asa nation seems less certain. While this is a common theme throughout Europe atthe moment, you will notice this trend is especially pronounced in Romania.
10. The Country’s Charm is in the Villages
If you want to know what it’s like to time travel, then lookno further than Romania’s villages. While Romania’s large cities feel anonymousand gray, its villages are full of old-world charm and culture.
On a recent trip to Romania, I took a bike tour throughsmall villages around the city of Sibiu. This region, known as marginimea Sibiului,is known for its traditions and the agrarian lifestyle of its inhabitants.
Over the course of my tour, I came across a wedding beingheld in the dusty streets of a village. The bride and groom were followed inprocession by the townspeople, all dressed in their Sunday best. An accordionplayer accompanied the wedding party through the village to the small chapel,where the local priest blessed and wed the couple.
Scenes like this are common in rural Romania. Children ridehorse-drawn carts full of hay through the dirt roads. Old ladies sellvegetables on the side of the road. Romania’s villages are full of charm thattake you back to a time when things were simple.
11. Romanians Speak English
Romanians are very intelligent people, and many of them speak English. In fact, a recent study by Pew found that 100% of Romanian students are actively learning English as a second language.
Since many Romanians will work abroad at some point, Romaniansunderstand they need to know English in order to be marketable in the Europeanlabor market. For this reason, Romanians begin learning English in kindergartenand continue their studies well into high school and university.
While older people may not have knowledge of the Englishlanguage, I’ve found that younger Romanians are overwhelmingly proficient inEnglish.
12. Romania was a Monarchy
Prior to becoming a socialist republic in 1947, Romania was amonarchy ruled by the German House of Hohenzollern Dynasty. Under the monarchy,Romania excelled economically and gained sovereignty.
Romania’s last king, King Michael I, died in 2017 at the ageof 96. King Michael was a loyal king who served Romanians well. King Michaelwas made King of Romania at the age of six years old, following the abdicationof his father in the wake of a scandal.
During his reign, King Michael led a coup d’etat against theAxis-aligned regime in Romania and took Romania to the side of the Allies.Following the installation of a communist regime in 1947, King Michael wasforced out of Romania and into exile.
When the communist regime eventually fell in 1992, KingMichael I was allowed to return to Romania for a visit. His visit drew a giantcrowd of one million people in the city of Bucharest, who hailed his return.
Fearing his popularity, the new government once more barredKing Michael from ever returning to Romania. While he later would be allowed toreturn, he spent most of his life in exile in Switzerland. He attended the weddingof Queen Elizabeth II, who is his cousin.
13. Romanians Pickle Everything
Romanians pickle EVERYTHING. Pickled foods are commonthroughout Eastern Europe. For example, pickled cabbage is a staple in manycountries including Poland, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Russia.
If you aren’t a fan of sour foods, then you may not loveRomanian food. Romanian food, like other European cuisines, is full of sourflavors. Dill is one of the most commonly used spices and Romanians add fermentedwheat to their soup to make it extra sour.
One of the most interesting pickled foods I’ve had inRomania is pickled watermelon. This sweet and sour snack is common during thewinter, particularly in the country’s East, where watermelon is especiallypopular.
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