There are many similarities and differences between Romania and America, especially when someone has lived in them both like I have. Every country has different customs, beliefs, and ways in which they live their everyday lives. Both cultures are very different from one another. I loved living in Romania and I also love living in America very much but I do prefer one to the other and I will explain why. Romanians are very known for being naturally hospitable people. They are always eager to make you feel welcomed and comfortable. For example, every meal, party, and holiday is an event for them.
The grandmother or mother of the household cooks all three meals, it usually takes them all day to do so. Every meal the family sits and enjoys the amazing food and each other’s company together which I have always loved. I remember living in Romania and going to friend’s houses with my family to eat with them. Every time one of us finished our plate someone would always bring us more food even if we did not want anymore. That is because the cook of the meal is very proud of their food, they want to impress and make whoever they are feeding content. Birthday parties and other parties are also a big custom in Romania.
When someone arrives at a party it is also custom to bring a gift. They usually bring flowers, liquor, chocolates, or a small present for the children. When I was little, my favorite part of a birthday party was when the birthday boy or girl would open their presents. In Romania they do not open their presents they have received in front of their guests. When I asked my father why they did that he told me they wait until their guests are gone to open their presents. This is because if someone at the party did not have a enough money to bring a gift they did not want to embarass them.
The biggest custom in Romania are holidays, especially Christmas. The mid-winter festivities in Romania start on the 20th of December and last until the seventh of January. During this time they celebrate St. Nicholas Day and many others things. On St. Nicholas Day children leave their shoes outside of their front door for St. Nicholas to fill with candy if they have been good and sticks if they have been bad. On Christmas Eve, children go out caroling door to door to the adults in the houses. Romanians also do not put their Christmas tree up until Christmas Eve.
Mos Craicun which means “Old Man Christmas” is what they call Santa Claus. On Christmas Day morning the children wake up to all of their gifts from Mos Craicun. There are many customs in Romania that contrast to customs in America. Whether it is school or work, most Americans are always in a hurry. Dinner is a big down time for American families. This is the time the family can sit down with one another over a nice meal and talk about their days. On birthdays and parties Americans always bring gifts, but usually it is just a card with money in it. We like to cook hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill and open presents together.
Just like Romanians, Americans are very big on Christmas but they celebrate Christmas a lot differently. Like my family, most Americans put their Christmas tree up on Thanksgiving Day or the day after. The children lay out milk and cookies for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. If the children were good, they are eager to go look in their stocking on Christmas Day to see if Santa filled it with goodies. If they were bad that year, Santa would fill their stocking up with coal. While Romania and America are very different, there are also many similarities.
Just like Romanians, Americans love family time. The mothers of the households both love cooking for their family and enjoying meals together. Birthdays and other celebrations are also a time where everyone can relax and enjoy each other’s company, just in two different ways. I believe Christmas is the biggest holiday in America and in Romania. Both countries have a type of fictional figure that brings the children presents on Christmas morning. Both Americans and Romanians put up a Christmas tree together and continue to enjoy the holiday season as a family.
The Romanian culture is a very unique culture because of it’s amazing geography and history. The name “Romania”, reflects the influence of ancient Rome on their culture and their language. The Romanian flag is made up of three vertical stripes in the colors blue, yellow, and red. These three colors symbolize Transilvania, Moldovia, and Walachia. The people as a whole are not very patriotic because of their communist past. Currently Romania is a democratic country with a president and a prime minister. The president is elected and there are over sixteen political parties involved in the election.
The prime minister has much more political athority in Romania than the president, but the president is a bigger public figure. The people of Romania usually love the president but they never trust the prime minister. The American culture has influenced many things in our world today. The United States is like a melting pot; it is the most culturally diverse country in the world. America is named after Amerigo Vespucci. He was an Italian explorer who navigated the lands of America with Christopher Columbus. Unlike Romanians, the people of the United States are very patriotic.
We even have a holiday to celebrate America’s independence from England on July 4th, 1776. We take a lot of pride in the history of our country and how we have progressed as a society. America is a democratic country with a president, a vice president, and many other people who help make decisions for our country in the White House. The two main political parties in America’s presidential election are the Democratic and Republican parties. For many months American’s watch the news, keep up with the polls, and figure out who they want to vote for in the upcoming election. Most Americans are 100% Democratic or 100%
Republican so they vote for whoever is running in the party of their choice. Romania and America both have very interesting histories of how each country came about. Even though Romania is not as proud and patriotic as America, they still like to have a say in who is running their country. Both Romania and America are democratic countries with a president. The two countries both have parties that run in the presidential election, Romania just has many more. I personally like the fact that the people of Romania and America want a leader they can trust and relate to, no matter what party they are in.
Everyday life in Romania is very leisurely and laid back. The people of Romania live their life as if there was no time in the world. Romanians are never in a hurry or rushed. In the rural parts of Romania life is very simple. Horses and bicycles are their common means of transportation. Farming is how they make their money to support their families. Romania is still suffering from their communist past, especially in the villages. The villages are like a big family, everyone knows everyone and they all help each other.
The children play together, the mothers garden together, and the fathers all farm together. Everywhere you look in the cities of Romania there are tall, grey, concrete buildings or big billboards. The cities of Romania are much more modernized than they were about ten years ago. Most people still ride the trams or the metro to get places, but people who live in the cities with more money are now driving luxury cars. Life in the city is very crowded and busy at all hours of the day and night. I remember living in Bucharest, one of the biggest cities in Romania.
I loved listening to life go on at night when I was going to sleep, that sound is still comforting to me. I love that no matter how busy life gets for Romanians, they always find time to relax with their loved ones. Unlike Romania, America is a very rushed country. Everyone is always in a hurry and they never take the time to slow down. People work nine to five shifts just to make ends meet or to simply keep up with their luxurious lifestyle. Unlike Romania, I believe American as a whole are more about money and succeeding. Where as that is good, it can also be unhealthy.
At the end of the day the working man may have a drink or spend time with his family, which is the most important thing. Even though America is much more rushed than Romania, the people of each country still live their lives mostly the same. Men and women work to provide for their families all day everyday. Everyone has their daily routine and they tend to stick to it. Personally my favorite place to live would be Romania. Some may say it is because I grew up there. Although I love America, I will always genuinely love the way Romanians do things more.