One of the many places we will go is Romania. So here are some fun facts! Thanks to http://www.vayama.com/romania-etiquette for this bit of info!
Romanian Etiquette Tips
and you decline, be prepared to be served some
food anyway! In Romanian culture, as well in much
of the Balkan region, refusals are not taken seriously.
It’s considered polite to refuse, and it’s also
polite to repeatedly insist if someone is refusing.
So, if you really don’t want something, keep on
declining over and over again!
Romanians are incredibly hospitable to tourists
and they often love having guests to their country.
If you go to a Romanian’s home, you will be
treated like royalty. In return, be kind and
respectful to everyone you come across in Romania.
Romania has a very interesting background and
culture, so learn a bit about their etiquette.
1. What to wear
- DO wear
suits for business occasions. - DO dress
casually but nicely for other occasions.
Avoid jeans and sneakers. - DO dress conservatively if visiting
a church or monastery. Women should wear
full length skirts or pants and a shirt
that covers their shoulders.
2. Food/Drinks
- DO expect
to be served food even if you decline
the offer. Refusals are often seen as
being polite and not always taken seriously,
so if you really don’t want food, you
must be firm. - DON’T eat until the host says “pofta
buna,” which means “good appetite.” - DON’T put your napkin on your lap. Leave
it on the table. - DO use bread to soak up sauce or gravy.
- DO indicate that you are still eating
by crossing your fork and knife on your
plate. - DO indicate that you are finished eating
by placing your knife and fork across
your plate with the handles facing to
the right and the prongs facing downwards.
3. Tipping
- DON’T tip a
taxi driver unless you were particularly
impressed with the service. - DO tip a hotel maid 4 Lei a day or 25
Lei a week for long stays. - DO tip waiters 5-10% if the service
was good. Service will be included in
the bill, but a small tip will not go
unappreciated. - DO tip a hotel porter 2 Lei a
bag.
4. Gift Giving and Accepting Gifts
- DON’T
give flowers in even numbers. Even numbers
are for funerals. - DO give roses or carnations as a gift.
- DO open your gift upon receipt, though
some Romanians may not do this. - DO wrap gifts.
- DO give gifts such as chocolates, wine,
or Western cosmetics and clothing.
5. Greetings
- DO exchange
handshakes upon greeting. - DO expect older men to greet a woman
by kissing her hand. - DO cheek kiss with close friends. Kiss
once on each cheek, starting with the
left.
6. Visiting Someone’s Home
- DO arrive
on time if going to a Romanian’s home
for dinner, or no more than 15 minutes
late for a party. - DO check to see if your hosts
are wearing shoes. If not, you will probably
have to remove yours. - DO bring flowers, chocolate or liquor
for your hosts, and bring a gift for their
children, too.
7. Business
- DO take time
to built a personal relationship before
getting down to business. - DO make an appointment 2-3 weeks
in advance. Avoid scheduling meetings
in July and August, which is often vacation
time. Also avoid scheduling meetings during
the two weeks before and after Christmas
and the week before and after Easter. - DO be on time, but don’t expect your
Romanian associates to be punctual, unless
you are meeting with an entrepreneurial
company or a company that frequently does
international business. - DON’T sit until told where to sit.
- DON’T remove your jacket without permission
or until the most senior ranking Romanian
businessperson does. - DO be patient. Romanians can be tough
negotiators and decisions often need to
go through many layers of approval. - DON’T use hyperbole or high-pressure
sales tactics. - DON’T be too direct. It can be seen
as rude. - DO have one side of your business card
translated into Romanian. - DO include any advanced academic
degrees on your card, as well as your
company’s founding date if the company
has been around for over 50 years.
8. Socializing
- DON’T
mistake the Romanian language for being
a Slavic language, or related to Hungarian,
Turkish, or Albanian. It will be very
offensive. - DON’T incorrectly assume
that Romania was part of the Soviet Union
or the Russian Empire. - DO expect to have to
repeatedly refuse if you are offered something
that you don’t want. In Romania, “no”
doesn’t always mean “no” because
it’s considered polite to refuse.
You will quickly learn
that Romanians are very accommodating and
polite to visitors to their country. Even
so, abiding by their etiquette will help
you blend in a little more and it will impress
those you come into contact with. Be friendly
and polite, and enjoy your trip to Romania!
Romania (From http://www.romaniatourism.com/index.html)
Religions:
Christian Orthodox 87%, Roman Catholic 5%, Protestant 5%,
Jewish
Average
Temperature for September:
Bucharest – 65 W. Romania
– 65 C. Romania
– 65 Black Sea Coast – 70
The People:
About 21,700,000 people live in Romania
History:
Romania’s
history has not been as idyllically peaceful as its geography. Over the centuries,
various migrating people invaded Romania.
Romania’s historical
provinces Wallachia and Moldova
offered furious resistance to the invading Ottoman Turks. Transylvania
was successively under Hapsburg, Ottoman or Wallachian rule, while remaining an
autonomous province.
Romania’s
post WWII history as a communist-block nation is more widely known, primarily
due to the excesses of the former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. In December 1989 a national uprising led to his
overthrow. The 1991 Constitution established Romania
as a republic with a multiparty system, market economy and individual rights of
free speech, religion and private ownership.
Economy:
For many
centuries Romania’s
economy was based on agriculture. In the 1930s Romania
was one of the main European producers of wheat, corn and meats and it used to
be called “the bread basket of Europe.” In the
1950s the communist leader of Romania,
Gheorghe Gheorghiu Dej, began developing heavy industry.
There has
been a shift towards heavy industries since the 1970s but the agriculture is still
economically important and employs about one-third of the workforce.Romania
produces coal, natural gas, iron ore and petroleum but most raw material for
the country’s large industrial capacity potential are imported. Prominent
industries include chemical (petrochemical, paints and varnishes), metal
processing, machine manufacturing, industrial and transport equipment,
textiles, manufactured consumer goods, lumbering and furniture.
39.2% of Romania’s
territory is arable land, 28% forests, 21% pastures, hayfields and orchards and
2.5% vineyards. Corn, wheat, vegetable oil seeds, vegetables, apples and grapes
for wine are the main crops and sheep and pigs the main livestock. Forestry and
fisheries are being developed under long-term programs. Since 1990, successive
governments have concentrated on turning Romania
into a market economy.
Romania
(From the WR website)
The northern regions of Romania
are home to the gypsy people. Though strangers in their homeland and forgotten
by society, the gypsies are a strong and vibrant people who embrace the light
of Christ in an inspirational way. Here you’ll teach English, lead sports
camps, live life with the gypsies, and more. Check out the video to learn more
about the gypsies.
