One Thing that Shocked me in Romania 🇷🇴
This post is an answer (more of a thought) to this comment:
which I received after I published this video, which surprisingly got tons of positive feedbacks from foreigners, and some negative feedbacks. 99% of the negative feedbacks the video received came from Romanians.
Before You Read
I appreciate the comment, but I’ll say something you might not like to read (especially if you're Romanian), so please don’t take it personal. Or don't read further if you don't feel so!
My Thoughts
The problem is not the memes or the stereotype; but rather how much stereotypes and memes Romanians tolerate! Not only they accept them; but some of them might even fuel them.
Did I ever tell you how your country first caught my attention ? It wasn’t 3 years ago when I left the US and starting traveling. It before, when I met Romanians living in the United States 🇺🇸 and in West of Europe 🇫🇷 who told me that Romania is bad. Just like that: bad!
If I were a Romanian citizen 🇷🇴
Here is how I would answer if asked by a foreigner about Romania:
Our country 🇷🇴 emerged out of ancient cultures +7000 years old, crowned with the Dacian kingdom, privileged by the Roman civilization, protected Christianity in medieval Europe, built a kingdom ruled by the granddaughter of Queen Victoria 🇬🇧, which could’ve been today one of the finest countries in Europe if communism never came to power, fed Europe with its grains and cattles for thousands years, pioneered the most vital inventions, such as first jet engine, plane, the design of the car the way we know it today, and even the first refinery in the planet (Ploiești 1859) decades before the Americans, or Arabs get their first drop of the black gold.
Our Land: is blessed by a nature that words fail to describe! Our people: proud people emerging out of the most diverse DNA capital in all of Europe, way before it became trendy in Europe to tolerate "non-white", "non-christian" people in the aftermath of the WWII and the Holocaust: Muslim tatars who settled in Dobruja region in the 10 century AD (+1000 years ago), Russian Lipovans in Moldavia and South East of the Danube since the 17th century fleeing the Russian Orthodox church reforms. They call themselves: the Lipovans of the Old Russian Orthodox, and they found their peace in the land of Romania, and are still thriving until today (e.g.: Târgu Frumos town). Every Romanian I met said that the Lipovans are peaceful, no problem type of people, respect the rules, super kind, etc. Turks descendants of Ottomans who stayed in Romania, even when offered to join the Ottoman Territory after the Romanian wars of independence (1877-1878). Hungarians, Saxons, Protestants, Catholics...and the list goes etc.
Romanian Lipovans, who fled the Russian Orthodox Church reforms of the mid 1600s, and settled in România📍Târgu Frumos, Romania 🇷🇴.
...but if I say these words, they’ll say it’s just another foreigner sweet talking East Europeans to get accepted, and looking for likes and clicks. I've been told that many times in comments/DM. Really: do I look like I’m seeking acceptance from anyone? I live 💯 solo; whether others accept me or not, the sun will still rise from the east; and so my life will carry on the way God decided it for me.
As a foreigner, I would not tolerate such a thing about your country 🇷🇴, and I’m not even Romanian, and have no intention of becoming one (I’m happy with my passports). So how comes you, Romanian, you tolerate it? Is it because I'm just a foreigner, so I'm still naive, and haven't tasted the bad sh** of Romania, or is it because you fail to see the positive in your own land...
Anyway, that was my 20 cts thought...🪙 - "River Newsletter"
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Thank you, and see ya in the next one ✌🏼