Well hello there, dear friends, as you are reading these lines I am getting ready for my birthday. I am back in my homeland, in Romania, enjoying the last sunny days (as in Poland is raining cats and dogs). I wanted to write on this subject for a long while now, so… I thought I might let you read my thoughts while I was away 🙂
Polish people that did not travel resort to stereotypes!
Polish people are used to thinking through the prism of stereotypes. Unless they have traveled and met people of other nations, they have no other place to learn about Romania than through Social Media. We all know that Social Media is not actually our friend, but rather our enemy in this case…
Generally, people that have travelled have 90% travelled to and through Romania – most probably with their cars, to get to an end destination. All of these people said the Romanian people are warm and welcoming. All have said also that our food is divine, wine is cheap and delicious and that our mountains are virgin and breathtaking!
People, however, that got stuck to their village/city and never went abroad, do tend to put an equal sign between Romanian people and Romani culture AKA The Gipsies!
Fun fact: Polish people seem very fond of the Hungarians
For which most of the Romanian people I know, have a great hate!
Polish people have great respect towards the Hungarians and the relationship between the 2 countries is exemplary! On March 12, 2007, Hungary’s parliament declared March 23 the “Day of Hungarian-Polish Friendship”, with 324 votes in favor, none opposed, and no abstentions. Four days later, the Polish parliament declared March 23 the “Day of Polish-Hungarian Friendship” by acclamation.
Poland Hungary – 2 Brothers!
I would rest my case here, but let me share with you a well-known proverb that translated from the Polish language says: “Poles, Hungarians, two brothers, they fight together, they drink wine together.” “Pole and Hungarian brothers be, good for fight and good for party.”
PL: “Polak, Węgier, dwa bratanki, I do szabli, i do szklanki, Oba zuchy, oba żwawi, Niech im Pan Bóg błogosławi.”
Romanians DO NOT EQUAL Romani!
People might not know this, but there was a strong alliance between Poland and Romania before World War II. Romania hosted many Polish refugees and we still have large communities that speak Polish language. Romania also helped in evacuating the gold from Poland, so it would not fall in Nazi hands. We even shared a border! But after the Second World War the cooperation decreased as we no longer were neighbours…
Right now, I can tell you that in the last 9+ years living in Krakow, Poland, I have met many people that do not distinguish between Romania and Romani people (Gypsies). They think we are one and the same. This can be mainly because in the early 90s there was a huge afflux of these people to Poland.
A minority very much at home…
Point to be taken: Gypsies are considered to be relatives of one of the ethnicities living in India – they originate in medieval India and were brought to Europe AS SLAVES! Romanians on the other hand are Dacians invaded by Romans in 101 AD or so… The Romani culture settled mostly in Romania, where they were given large freedoms. They do not answer to the State, but they have their own King and their own rules and their own strata.
They are a minority inside Romania – probably around 5%? Gypsies are considered nomads but they feel very much at home in Romania – or wherever they settle. In Romania, we call them “Tzigan”. They look different and behave differently from the Romanian people… but that is a different topic altogether… However, in Poland, I was asked more than once, back 8-9 years ago… how come I am not darker-skinned and how did I manage such a perfect command of the English language.
Candies for children & rabid dogs
Sometimes 14-15 years ago, when the first project reached Capgemini Iasi, I was one of the first hired – number 7, if I remember correctly. The project was both in Poland and Romania – the team split between the 2 locations. We had Polish trainings coming over from Krakow, staying with us for a month – until we went live.
I can laugh about this now but I was quite shocked when I first heard that our Polish trainers came to Romania with several kilos of candy to ward off “children who would ask for money and the rabid dogs running free on the streets”. And this is no joke! After we were good friends the trainers shared this as a fun anecdote… They were told by friends and family to watch out for people that wish to steal their money, for kids that would ask for money from them and not leave them be & for dogs running around in the street, with no owner. They were instructed to throw candies as them and run away…
Truth be told, at the time there were problems with dogs running on the streets and people protecting them from euthanasia or castration but thankfully now there is no more danger. Still… how crazy is that?!?
Anyway… that is it for today 🙂 the #SecretThoughtsOfAnExpat 🙂
Twisted Red LadyBug
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