Comment: The 8 contrasts of Romania

I don’t know what it is but I seem to experience contrasts everyday while being unconscious of them. A friend of mine suggested that I write about the contrasts in Romania, but I hadn’t sat down and thought about it; ever. So, after some brainstorming and more than a little reflection , I want to run you through the contrasts in this country, as I see it. The Healthy vs. The Un-Healthy If I could describe the way Romanians look after themselves, it would be with the quote: “My body is a temple” You really do. And for obvious reasons. The fresh food is fantastic. No pesticides. Or genetically modified. No minerals and vitamins added. Nu. Good, old fresh fruit and vegetables. The way they are meant to be. Natural. This, added with a general healthy mindset, mean that the overall population is looking good! It’s the California of the East. Jogging, gym, salads. It’s infectious. However, on the flip side, you can smoke pretty much anywhere. And quite a lot of people do. Although, it is going slowly out of fashion. And some of the traditional food; there is a tendency towards frying in copious amounts of oil. Mici. That can’t be healthy for you. A greasy mix of lamb and beef, shaped into a little sausage. Stick to the Sarmale; at least that has some greens in it! Summer and Winter Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Yes Ashley, of course Summer and Winter are a contrast. That’s the point.” Well, yes, I certainly couldn’t disagree with you there. However, the contrast itself is so much more pronounced here then back home. The seasons in the UK are very difficult to differentiate between; you either get grey and cold or grey, wet and cold. Literally. And so, when I came to Romania, not only for the first time but also now that I live here, it was a completely new experience. Let’s start with Summer considering it is almost upon us. I’ve experienced the same heat on holidays before but that’s just it. Holidays last for a finite amount of time. Therefore, you can get your suntan for two weeks and then hope to keep it for as long as possible when you get home. Ah, the famous Sun Tan. A symbol of health, prosperity and too much free time. Here, I’ve had to live with the heat. And by God,, does it get hot. It’s pushed the 40 Celsius mark in Bucharest since I’ve arrived. It’s the worst at night. You can be wearing next to nothing and still be sweating. You daren’t put on the air conditioning for fear of getting ill. And if you open the window, the room becomes an oven. And Winter. Yep, you guessed it. Bloody cold. As my Romanian friends would say: “But you’re used to the cold, why are you complaining?” This is true, to a degree. But I’ve never known anything like this. The best thing about Romanian winters is the fact that they are proper winters. Snow and freezing temperatures. Oh, and something I commend Romania for and for which the UK really can’t get right; the infrastructure in place to deal with the snow. If, back home, we get even the slightest covering of snow, the whole country grinds to a halt. Here, you can have a couple of feet and the airports are still open, the roads are functioning and people are still alive.