Romania Yay or Nay

After a few weeks in my new country, I have decided it is time to make a list of the things I love about Romania and the things I don’t so much love. I would enjoy comments from people about if you agree/disagree or if you have additional yays/nays.

Yay

·         Fresh food. You wouldn’t believe the favor of the fruits and vegetables here. Tomatoes were my favorite food before arriving, but, when I had my first tomato here it was like trying a different food. As a side note the E. coli outbreak in Northern Germany has me a bit worried. Good thing there is an epidemiologist at the center who receives up-to-date information about the situation.

·         Fresh chocolate croissants on my walk to work. If there is one way to get me to work on time every day, it is the lure of a delicious chocolate filled pasty that costs 2.2 lei (conversion 75¢)

·          Outdoor seating. Now as many of you are well aware (due to spending time with me there or hearing me talk it) the ped-mall seating of Saloon is my favorite location in Iowa City. Cluj takes this concept and runs with it. I have, without a doubt, eaten more meals outside than in. The set-ups, at the restaurants varies, some with seating out in front to people watch, some with a quiet courtyard behind, some with couches to sit on. All of them share the essential feature of adorable stray cats and dogs wandering in from time to time (Dylan and Pebbles don’t be too jealous).  

·         Free wireless everywhere, do I need to say more?

·         Dogs allowed everywhere. The other day I was blogging at this adorable coffee shop, Flowers, and I look over to the other side of the café and there is a table with two chairs. In one chair a man, in the other, a dog.

·         Not knowing the language. It is nice to be able to be in my own world and read a book at a café without getting distracted by conversations going on around me.  

 Fresh tomatos and ruccola

 Stopping for hot chocolate at an outdoor restaurant

Using wireless at Flowers. Wish I had a picture of the dog.

Nay

·         PDA (public displays of affection). I ordered the Mediterranean salad with a side of marinara bread not a side of second base at the corner table.

·         Couples sitting on the same side of the table. Now this is a universal pet peeve of mine and many others, but the incident rate seems to be epidemic here, to facilitate nay number one.

·         Hammer pants. Yes, I am referring to the pants made popular by MC Hammer that went out of style about the time I started to wear pants instead of onsies. For a city that’s typically so stylish it’s shocking to see.

·         Smoking. Never truly appreciated the Iowa ban in restaurants and bars.

·         Not knowing the language. You may notice that this is in both sections. It is definitely a double edged sword. I like being able to enter my own world, but on the other hand, it is a bit unnerving to watch a conversation go on and have no idea what is being discussed. On this note, I am very much looking forward to beginning my Romanian tutoring.

Thoughts?