Bucharest, Romania Report of what it's like to live there - 05/30/11
Personal Experiences from Bucharest, Romania
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
Yes
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
Washington D.C. - about 14 hours with a layover in Germany.
3. How long have you lived here?
2 years
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Government
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Housing is superficially nice. They built a lot of new flats, but built them too quickly and cheaply. There are electrical and water damage problems all throughout our building. Traffic is an issue no matter where you live.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Most basic foodstuffs are available - prices and quality will vary based on where you shop.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
We can get basically anything through Amazon since we have a DPO address.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Dominos Pizza, Burger King, KFC; lots of mediocre high-priced restaurants. You can find every price range, but there is really only one GOOD restaurant in town: OSHO
5. What kinds of organic, vegetarian and allergy-friendly foods are available, such as organic produce, gluten-free products, meat substitutes for vegetarians, etc?
It is hard to tell what is and is not organic. Your best bet is the markets, but no guarantees.
6. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
None.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
Embassy
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Cheap and available.100 RON/week for one full day of cleaning.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
Yes, but pricey.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Try to avoid it.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
Yes; Christian denominations only, from what I know.
6. English-language newspapers and TV available? Cost?
Yes
7. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
Little.
8. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
A lot, especially if walking and stairs are a problem.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Yes; taxis will try to rip you off.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
You can bring a sedan, but something with clearance is nice because EVERYONE parks on the sidewalks.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Yes; fairly expensive and unreliable. You certainly don't get the bandwidth you are promised, but... that's Romania.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
You can get pretty cheap pay-as-you-go phones from Vodafone.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
No
2. Quality pet care available (vets & kennels)?
Decent; Kennels have flea problems.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
No
2. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Well-dressed to impress.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
A lot of Romanians will try and take advantage of you. Dogs are a problem. Vandalism is an issue, especially to vehicles.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Don't use the medical system here unless it's an absolute emergency. Expect to be asked for a bribe.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
Unhealthy
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
4 seasons - cold winters with snow, rainy spring, hot summer, and perfect fall. Fall is the best time of the year here.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
Yes, but it is hard for expats to break into unless you are with AISB.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Fairly large.
2. Morale among expats:
Low
3. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
You better like bars and clubs, and even then it will wear on you.
4. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
Good city for single men, bad city for single women. Decent city for couples and families.
5. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
I have heard it is a bad city for gay and lesbian expats.
6. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Yes, especially racial and religious.
7. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
We really enjoyed Sighisoara, Sibiu, and a couple of mountain retreats. The seaside is depressing. Bucharest itself is drab and depressing save Herastrau Park.
8. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
The markets are fun; Lipscani can be fun. They also have things like lasertag and bumper carts which can be fun.
9. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Not much is truly unique to Romania. You can find almost everything in some other culture; in some ways, Romania is very cosmopolitan in that respect - typical Balkans, though they think they are above being Balkan...
10. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
You can save some money, and it is really cheap to travel to other European countries on low-cost airlines. We were able to fly three people round-trip to Italy for approximately 28 US dollars.
11. Can you save money?
Yes
Words of Wisdom:
1. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
No
2. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Expectations that this is Europe... it's not.
