16.12.11

Getting Around...

  So a friend of mine - well I met him and his wife online, and recently in person, was featured in this article on Romania Insider.  Raoul Pop and his wife Ligia, are both Romanian, whose families emigrated to the U.S. when they were younger.  They have returned to Romania, and are rapidly teaching healthier eating habits to Romanians; which is a good thing, since pork seems to be the main staple on the tables here.  Raoul is also a very talented photographer, who after running into many ex-pats here and speaking with them, decided to start filming a series that he puts online, called "Romania Through Their Eyes".  His goal is to hopefully get the ear of those in positions of power who can bring about some much needed change.  Even just getting the ears of average Romanians.

I was recently interviewed for this series, which I understand Raoul is currently editing, and I'm a bit nervous, as I'm a bit of a talker - especially with my hands - I think it's an American thing.  ;)

Anyway so in the article, right under Raoul, guess whose name and photo is listed?!?  That's right - mine. I was utterly shocked, since the other ex-pat bloggers listed are professionals who are actively working here in Romania, where I'm just the American wife of a Romanian man, with 3 kids, who struggles desperately to learn the language.

The man listed directly below me, is absolutely hysterical, and definitely a must read for any ex-pat here in Romania, or anyone wanting to visit Romania.  Sam's motto, is "You might have been born here, but I'm still more Romanian than you" - and I think he's probably right!  PLEASE check out his blog here!

5 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

Yep, he's an interesting fellow. BTW, I LOVE your new portrait!

Unknown said...

Guess what, I've been editing the episode for the last few days will do my best to publish it before New Year's. Keep your fingers crossed I don't run into some unforeseen delays. Thanks for the plug! :-)

Dan said...

Hello,Odessa! i wish you good luck to live here,in this country,if you want that with the kids and your family (i'm here because youtube video-"Romania through their eyes"),you are an excellent speaker,you made good remarks about romanian hospitals and more bad stuff...this country having good stuff and bad problems like other countries,anyway is easy for someone or maybe hard for others- to live here,because is a poor-medium country from eastern Europe,maybe you know the history of Romania was from 1945(end of WW2) to december 1989 a communist country,a soviet satellite,ex-USSR occupied many eastern countries like Romania,Bulgaria,Hungary,ex-Czechoslovakia,Poland,Eastern Germany for ex.-Romanian capital was Moscow and not Bucharest,like today, for 44 years.
Romania looking so bad in 1989 like North Korea today!
22 YEARS OF DEMOCRACY is not enough to recovering 44 years of savage communism! 44 years romanian citizen starving because all good resources of this country was stolen by soviet Russia-(USSR).
In my opinion Romania need another 20 years(in mentality) to be a normal country like western countries today,just young generation born after 1989 could change the mentality in a good direction,because the oldest generation like my grandpa or my father (2 generations was sacrificed to "building" the communism,by the way ,impose with FORCE by USSR in Eastern Europe,Stalin maintain in Romania the RED ARMY until 1958,to be sure that this country will be a "communist"one.
Stalin having agreements from USA (the president Roosevelt)and England (Winston Churchill)to take this part of Europe.
In other words,Romania was "sold" by western allies in WW2,especially Winston Churchill (a hero in England, a traitor in Romania)who sell eastern countries writing on a piece of paper to Stalin what countries should USSR take at the end of the war in 1945.
Unfortunately, Romania was one of them. my grandpa tell me in a year,that he "look on the skies to search for american planes or british to liberate our country from russians...in vain", they never comeback here...
That was the sad part from Romania history,1945-1989.Romania lived without their wish,ruled by foreigners (russians)
ok,that's all for today ,maybe much more stuff to talk in the coming days,if you want,of course about history ,mentalities in Romania. :)

Thanks if you read my long long comment
Duruinu Dan,
34 years old,
Pitesti,Romania.

Dan said...

Tulcea is a quiet city ,a peacefull zone,(fishing and for trips)while Bucuresti,Cluj,Timisoara,Sibiu or Brasov is for for the people who like to party-noise cities!!! i'm from Pitesti and this city is ok ,not quite and with not very noise (like middle part of two sides); depend what you search and what you want.
So,Odessa,if you want silence stay in Tulcea,or come in Bucuresti if you want something else

Ex-pat Odessa said...

I agree with you on both parts Dan. But I do like this quiet peaceful life here in Tulcea. Visiting Brasov, Bucuresti, Cluj, etc. is nice for a short distraction, and sight-seeing. But I like the quiet solitude, where I can hear myself think! :)