Life in Romania http://romania.bloghi.com/ The random ramblings of a UK expat living in Romania Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:06:41 +0000 http://bloghi.com/ http://romania.bloghi.com/img_ch.hi?id=5985 Life in Romania http://romania.bloghi.com/ I turn my back for one second and Romania get into the EU http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/10/02/i-turn-my-back-for-one-second-and-romania-get-into-the-eu.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/10/02/i-turn-my-back-for-one-second-and-romania-get-into-the-eu.html#comments Mon, 02 Oct 2006 23:15:41 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/10/02/i-turn-my-back-for-one-second-and-romania-get-into-the-eu.html Hi,I've been away in the UK for a few months and then when we returned it was the peak of the summer holidays. But schools are back and things are returning to normal.So while I was gone Romania got accepted to join the EU... Interesting... Obviously...
I've been away in the UK for a few months and then when we returned it was the peak of the summer holidays. But schools are back and things are returning to normal.

So while I was gone Romania got accepted to join the EU... Interesting... Obviously the EU commision haven't been to this part of Romania if they think Romania is ready for the EU!

More on that soon!
]]> http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/10/02/i-turn-my-back-for-one-second-and-romania-get-into-the-eu.html#comments So they came to my door http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/30/so-they-came-to-my-door.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/30/so-they-came-to-my-door.html#comments Tue, 30 May 2006 04:09:19 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/30/so-they-came-to-my-door.html So the men in their space suits and the police escort finally came to my door. Fortunatley I don't have any chickens so they went on to the neighbour. Here is a snapsnot of them at the neighbours gate! Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.usFree Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us

So the men in their space suits and the police escort finally came to my door. Fortunatley I don't have any chickens so they went on to the neighbour. Here is a snapsnot of them at the neighbours gate!
]]> http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/30/so-they-came-to-my-door.html#comments First one street and now the whole village http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/30/first-one-street-and-now-the-whole-village.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/30/first-one-street-and-now-the-whole-village.html#comments Tue, 30 May 2006 03:09:52 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/30/first-one-street-and-now-the-whole-village.html We thought we had escaped! Last week the men in their space suits came and only killed the chickens on two or three streets. But then yesterday it was annouced that all the chickens in the whole village would have to be killed. They started yesterday... http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/30/first-one-street-and-now-the-whole-village.html#comments Our village next? http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/22/our-village-next.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/22/our-village-next.html#comments Mon, 22 May 2006 05:58:50 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/22/our-village-next.html It looks like the men in their space suits will be moving into our village next. The rumour was that we would go under quarantine today but someone I know checked with the vice-mayor and it seems that we will not be quarantined but they will start... http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/22/our-village-next.html#comments Flexible quarantine http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/22/flexible-quarantine.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/22/flexible-quarantine.html#comments Mon, 22 May 2006 00:45:53 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/22/flexible-quarantine.html Just a little story to show that these quarantines of whole towns and villages are really just a farce and political moves to be seen to be doing something. I have heard lots of stories of people being able to break the official cordons. One story...
Finally, I am no expert but spraying my car won't stop the mud or animal dung on my shoes or boots!]]> http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/22/flexible-quarantine.html#comments Worse? http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/19/worse.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/19/worse.html#comments Fri, 19 May 2006 06:03:51 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/19/worse.html According to the news things are getting worse. More cases are being found in our area and now the biggest city in our county has suspected cases! The good news is that day to day life here in my village hasn't been effected too much. I needed to...
Apparently the state has started criminal proceedings against one chicken farm for criminal negligence.  I wondering if they will ever convict anyone... These things have a tendency to go quiet after a while! ]]> http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/19/worse.html#comments Bird flu http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/18/bird-flu.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/18/bird-flu.html#comments Thu, 18 May 2006 11:15:02 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/18/bird-flu.html Bird flu has struck here in our district. The closest town (just 7KM away) is now under quarantine and there are lots of rumours about dead chickens here in our village. At the moment day to day life isn't affected too much. I had a meeting today...
Watch this space...
]]> http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/18/bird-flu.html#comments Romania still has more to do says EU http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/18/romania-still-has-more-to-do-says-eu.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/18/romania-still-has-more-to-do-says-eu.html#comments Thu, 18 May 2006 11:12:03 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/18/romania-still-has-more-to-do-says-eu.html The European Union has failed to come to a conclusion on whether to allow Romania and Bulgaria to enter on 1 January 2007 or delay entry until 2008. Instead the European Commission will review the situation by October.  European Commission... The European Union has failed to come to a conclusion on whether to allow Romania and Bulgaria to enter on 1 January 2007 or delay entry until 2008. Instead the European Commission will review the situation by October.  European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said Romania needs to “demonstrate further results” in the fight against corruption, investigations into graft and implementation of judicial reform.

The following problem areas where flagged:
  • Agriculture: to improve the organisational infrastructure of agencies which hand out EU payments to allow villages and farms to take advantage of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy
  • Anti-Corruption: to implement plans for an impartial, transparent and efficient judiciary that actually convicts criminals
  • Fund management: For Romania to manage EU funds with more stringency and to access the funds to ensure they reach the people who need them
  • Tax structure:to have an IT system operable with the rest of the European Union to allow the correct collection of VAT through the EU's internal market
  • Food safety:to ensure food from farm to table is kept in the safest of circumstances, especially considering the threat of bird flu and its recent outbreak in Romania.

But I could have told you all that (and more)!!! biggrin

]]> http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/18/romania-still-has-more-to-do-says-eu.html#comments Fined for having a baby! http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/05/fined-for-having-a-baby.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/05/fined-for-having-a-baby.html#comments Fri, 05 May 2006 06:10:03 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/05/fined-for-having-a-baby.html Romania the is the only European country where you can get fined for having a baby! Most countries try to help out, but no, not here. In my last post I mentioned that I got my new resident's permit, but what I didn't tell you was that when...

In my last post I mentioned that I got my new resident's permit, but what I didn't tell you was that when I went to collect it the police officer told me I had to pay a fine. Why? Because my wife had given birth of course! Apparently any foreigner in Romania, who is the parent of a child born in Romania, has to inform the local police within 15 days of the child's birth! My boy is almost 1 years old now!

It doesn't matter that the boy has a Romanian birth certificate, that his mother is Romanian... Oh no... You are a foreigner so you must pay a fine.

Life in Romania!

G.]]> http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/05/fined-for-having-a-baby.html#comments Finally replaced all my lost documents http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/05/finally-replaced-all-my-lost-documents.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/05/finally-replaced-all-my-lost-documents.html#comments Fri, 05 May 2006 06:05:19 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/05/finally-replaced-all-my-lost-documents.html If you remember during the New Year I got my wallet stolen. Well now 4 months later I have manged to replace all my documents. First I got a new passport, then I had to get a new resident's card, which I received this week and finally with the...
The good news that my resident's permits is valid until 2011 so I shouldn't have to worry about fighting the bureaucracy for a while!!!

G.]]> http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/05/05/finally-replaced-all-my-lost-documents.html#comments Health care (the bad side) http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/22/health-care-the-bad-side.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/22/health-care-the-bad-side.html#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2006 03:09:11 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/22/health-care-the-bad-side.html There is much to be said in the positive for the Romanian health system and I am sure I will write some more on this at a later date. But there is also a lot to be said on the negative side. Take for example a neighbor of mine here in the village....
She is currently lying in bed, in lots of pain, trying to arrange extra money for her operation. Is Romania ready for the EU? I don't think so.

G
]]> http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/22/health-care-the-bad-side.html#comments Milk Powder http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/21/milk-powder.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/21/milk-powder.html#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2006 12:03:00 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/21/milk-powder.html This isn't probably something that has made it to your local news station or newspaper. Romania gives out milk powder for babies. In general this is a good thing as the mothers are encouraged to breast feed at the hospitals from day 1 and the milk...
Both of my children were born here in Romania and we have used the milk powder especially for our six month old who is a chubby fellow and needs lots of feeding. Anyway, I digress. The point is that this week I went to collect the milk powder and they told me that there won't be any for two months. The effect of this is that now lots of mothers who children need milk powder can't get it. The average Romanian earns abut $100 per month (not per week but per month). A box of the cheapest milk powder costs around $3. Our boy needs about 7 boxes per month, so that is $21. That is 21% of the monthly income.

Imagine being told by your local government that for the next two months you would have to spend an extra 21% of you income on something that they were giving you for free. Now think again when you only have $100 to start with.
]]> http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/21/milk-powder.html#comments Winter http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/07/winter.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/07/winter.html#comments Sat, 07 Jan 2006 03:18:16 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/07/winter.html One of the biggest differences between the UK and Romania is the Romanian winter. In the UK I guess we are used to winter temperatures of -1 or -2 C (well in the south where I come from) but in mountainous regions of Romania day time... Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us

One of the biggest differences between the UK and Romania is the Romanian winter. In the UK I guess we are used to winter temperatures of -1 or -2 C (well in the south where I come from) but in mountainous regions of Romania day time temperatures can be -10 C and night time as low as -25 or even -30 C.

In the south of Romania nearer the black sea the temperatures can be much milder and there is less snow (if any). However large parts of Romania are mountainous (and good for skiing) and these areas can have hard winters.

Also the length of the winters can be a bit of a shock. I remember a few years ago the snow didn't melt until mid April! We all rejoice at a bit of snow, we build snow men, go sledging, but when it goes on and on and on it can be quite difficult.

Also, on a more serious point, it costs money to heat the house. When winter goes on and it is cold then the fuel bills are much higher. For those with less money or who use wood for heating the winters can be quite a challenge!

G

]]> http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/07/winter.html#comments Theft http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/07/theft.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/07/theft.html#comments Sat, 07 Jan 2006 03:15:21 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/07/theft.html It is hard to know how widespread theft is in Romania. There are of course official figures and there are subjective view points. The theme of theft is closer to be right now as over the New Years my wallet was stolen while I was out in Brasov...
Is pick-pocketing common? Yes. Since I have been here, my wife has also been pick-pocketed and on two separate other occasions visitors from the UK have had things stolen while in the city. In one case the ingenious thieves used a knife to slit open a handbag and steal the contents without the poor lady knowing anything about it! When she got back to the house she discovered a big slit in the bag and things missing.

G ]]> http://romania.bloghi.com/2006/01/07/theft.html#comments Introduction to "Life in Romania" http://romania.bloghi.com/2005/12/25/introduction-to-life-in-romania.html http://romania.bloghi.com/2005/12/25/introduction-to-life-in-romania.html#comments Sun, 25 Dec 2005 12:51:36 +0000 http://romania.bloghi.com/2005/12/25/introduction-to-life-in-romania.html For the purpose of this blog my name is G. For reasons of security, I can't say exactly where I live in Romania or what my real name is as the Romanian government still retains a communist mind set and I don't want to endanger my residence...
I was born and bred in south London and lived much of my life in the SW17-SW19 area. 7 years ago I met my now wife, who is Romanian, and we married in 1999. After several years in the UK we moved to Romania. We now have two children both born here in Romania.

This blog will be my unorganized thoughts, tips, hints and sometimes frustrations about living in Romania.
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