Upon arrival in Draganesti-Olt, we were warned about the gypsies.
In Draganesti we have both extremes of gypsies: very rich & very poor
In this area it is common for the poor ones to work for the rich ones.
Some general characteristics of gypsies, on both extremes, are: thieves, beggars, & untrustworthy.
Knowing all of this from the very beginning of our time there…
I had mistrust for gypsies.
I guarded my purse at all times.
I limited my interactions with them.
[A rich gypsy house… mansion]
After a week of being there & spending a lot of time wandering around town, mostly buying groceries, I started to realize that there were 3 of the poorer gypsy children who would follow us around. They would sneak up from behind, ask us to buy them stuff, and follow us back to church.
I would shoo them away, tell them no, and try to avoid conversations.
My mentality was “I don’t want them to steal from me… I don’t want them bothering us.”
So for 2 weeks I thought and acted this way until one day….
[The 3 gypsy kids]
