If you have recently come to Romania, either to study, for professional reasons or simply as a tourist, be advised that in order to live here it is important to know certain things about the language and culture of Romanian people.
First of all, you have to understand the people around you and to know how to respond to their answers, even in a few words. It is important that you have full confidence in your skills, do not be afraid if you make some mistakes at first (many natives are also making mistakes!).
Secondly, you have to get some information about Romanian mentality, famous people and Romanian history, customs and traditions, favorite music, films that the Romanian people watch and the many ways they spend their free time, preferred trades, even traditional dishes. To have a clear overview, you can also compare what you discover here in Romania with what is specific to the region you come from.
If you take a look on the UNESCO heritage lists, you will find that Romania is represented by “doina” (a song expressing a multitude of emotional states from sadness, melancholy to joy, loneliness or even love; furthermore, this term cannot be translated into any other language because it has no cultural equivalent) and by “căluș” (a dance dedicated exclusively to men aimed at healing sick people). Moreover, UNESCO included on the Romanian heritage list the monasteries in Bucovina, the wooden churches in Maramureş, the Hurezu Monastery, the fortified churches in Transylvania, the historical center in Sighişoara, the Dacian fortresses in the Orăştiei Mountains and the Danube Delta reservation. Therefore, to get to know this culture, you must visit all the sites belonging to the Romanian heritage, because Romania is a country full of of diversity.
To avoid a cultural shock, ask questions whenever you have cultural doubts, so that you may successfully integrate professionally and culturally into the Romanian society and even to achieve the desired living standard.
Adapting to a new culture can even last several years, but by communicating and having life experiences similar to those of locals, you will surely succeed!
