Vagabonding Field Report: Brasov, Romania

Cost/day: $30

What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen lately?

Probably the strangest thing one sees in Brasov is some of the food, at least if you’re from a country like the US. Seeing stuffed pig stomach and intestine sitting next to smoked whole heads is just something you don’t come across every day in many countries.

Describe a typical day:

Brasov was a place we used as a short-term base for a few months, so our daily routine will be much different from a typical visitor’s. Market day usually consisted of at least a couple of stops—farmers market for produce and raw milk and the supermarket for other things. We found some of the best produce we’ve had anywhere in the world while in Romania.

When we wanted something a bit more out of the ordinary, it involved an almost 30-minute bus ride to the outskirts of town so we could shop at the giant Carrefour. In fact, that was the only store that sold whole turkey, which we had for our Thanksgiving dinner.

I never really got tired of walking around the historic area. The old buildings, streets, and fortifications made me feel like I was in another time.

Describe an interesting conversation you had with a local:

Probably the most interesting conversation was with a taxi driver outside the train station. Anywhere else in town the drivers will use the meter without asking, but the taxis at the train station will try and take advantage of you if you aren’t Romanian. One time we were returning from a trip to another city, and this driver was trying to charge me more than double the metered rate. I explained that we lived there and know the right amount. He tried to justify it by comparing the metered rate for my trip to the cost of buying a pack of cigarettes. My favorite line from him, and one my son remembers as well, was when he said “You’re a man. You should understand what it’s like.” My response left him speechless: If I was Romanian, you wouldn’t be charging me that rate.

What do you like about where you are? Dislike?

I love the friendliness of the Romanian people, the flavor and freshness of the food, and the general feel to the area. It has a great, chill vibe. The area has a lot of natural beauty which combines well with its man-made side. It’s easy and inexpensive to get around and explore the country by train.

While it’s a place we loved living, and it felt like home, there just isn’t enough to do once you’ve been there a couple of months. You can only explore the same sites so many times.

Describe a challenge you faced:

Really, my biggest challenge was learning numbers in Romanian. Most people speak basic English, but you want to be able to communicate in their language as well. I remember being so excited when I understood a complicated number in Romanian.

What new lesson did you learn?

When we came to Brasov, it was with the idea of making it a long-term base. After two months, we were chomping at the bit to leave. I realized later that the biggest mistake we made was not getting involved more with the community. Granted, that was a bit more difficult because of the language barrier, but I think we could’ve done some things that would’ve enhanced our experience.