Bucharest, Romania Report of what it's like to live there - 12/30/08
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?
Asuncion, Nagoya, Lima, and Guatemala City.
2. How long have you lived here?
2 years.
3. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Working at an NGO.
4. Travel time and best routes to this city from Europe or the US:
It takes 12-15 hours from most spots in the U.S. You have a number of options to get through. Only Delta has a direct flight from the U.S. through New York, and it only operates part of the year. Plan to change plans at a major European hub.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Along with traffic, this is one of the hassles of living here. Because the communist-era housing is so substandard, finding decent housing in the city can be hard. Most buildings look pretty forbidding on the outside but can be fine when you get inside. Older buildings will have high cielings, good floors anddecent number of windows. Oudated plumbing, heating, and overall fit an finish may be a bit lacking. The new houses out in the suburbs are huge but lacking in character and yards. Commute times vary but plan on spending forever in your car. The traffic situation is terrible and will be getting worse before it gets better. If you can use public transportation you'll be better off. Those who live in the expat enclaves in Baneasa and commute into town have it the worst. I've heard it can take up to 90 minutes to get a few miles.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Prices have gone up since Romania joined the EU but prices basic groceries can be OK. Take advantage of the outdoor markets for produce, where the quality and prices are great. Good meat is hard to find, as is good seafood. American cheese and some spices along with ethnic foods are hard to find. Appliances and clothes are ridiculously expensive.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Every electrical appliance we'd need, more bedding, Mexican and Asian foods.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
McDonald's, KFC, and local stuff. The restaurant scene keeps growing and going up in price. There are a number of good places, maybe not a lot of great places. European cuisine is pretty well represented, but otherwise the pickings can get slim. Asian restaurants aren't very good, and there's only one half-decent Mexican place in town. Still my family has a number of favorite places. Romanian service isn't overly friendly, so you need to get used to that.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
The mail service is pretty good if slow for letters. Packages are a pain to receive so we tell people not to bother.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
You can find excellent household help although sometimes it takes a little bit of trial and error to find someone who's good. We've been very lucky with our maid and she does an amazing job with everything. We pay her about US$25 day and feel she's a bargain.
3. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Widely accepted and even thought there's lots of talk about credit card fraud here I don't know anyone who's actually had any problems. Just use sensible precautions. In a lot of stores you have to have a PIN to use your credit card. Make sure you get one before you get here.
4. What English-language religious services are available locally?
5. English-language newspapers and TV available? Cost?
You can get a pretty good selection of English channels on cable, but expect it to take a long time to get set up. International editions of papers and magazines are in a lot of places for the usual prices.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
Not very much since so many Romanians know at least a little English and some a lot. Some taxi Romanian will help and people here appreciate it if you make an effort.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
A lot. If you have physical disabilities this wouldn't be a good place to come. Sidewalks will be hard to handle, crossing the street dangerous, and there's little steps and few elevators.
Transportation:
1. Do you drive on the right hand side of the road or the left?
Any side you want. I've never seen drivers make up the rules of the road like they do here. The general rule here is the larger and more expensive your car the more you can get away with. A lot of the drivers here actually are fine. It's just the larger number of real nuts that makes it seem bad.
2. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
The metro is safe and cheap. It's a great way to get around. Buses and trams are safe although you have to watch out for pickpockets. They can get pretty crowded and will have some pretty ripe passengers. You have to be careful with the taxis here, but there are a few honest companies that have English-speaking dispatchers you can trust. The faster trains around the country are great, but don't try the slow ones. The trains are so good that we hardly ever drive when we head out of town on the weekends now. You get there faster, they're pretty cheap, and comfortable. They seem to be a well-kept secret among expats.
3. 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?
Don't bring anything you care about. Romanians are some of worst and most aggressive drivers you'll ever see. Add to that a lack of roads, a lack of roads in drivable conditions, and you'll find that your car gets dinged up fast. Import parts are expensive, so I'd go for a European make with high ground clearance. Don't bother bringing an SUV since it will be hard to find a place to park it and you don't really need it.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
No problem for about thirty bucks a month. Good connections.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
Necessary and pretty cheap. Orange and Vodafone are the most common. You can either buy a plan or get pay as you go. Getting set up can be a hassle but it's getting better.
3. What is the best way to make phone calls back home?
Direct dial just got cheap in recent months although the quality of connections isn't great. We've found it to be a lot cheaper than our cell plan.
Pets:
1. Quality pet care available (vets & kennels)?
Romanians love their pets and the vet care here is excellent. A number of vets do housecalls, and are open late.
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. It's hard to navigate getting a work permit and you'd need to know a lot of Romanian to get by.
2. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
More formal at work than in the U.S., and when you go out. Everyday attire runs the gamut. Women probably are dressier here than in the States.
Health & Safety:
1. Pollution index (Good, Moderate, Unhealthy, or Very Unhealthy)?
I'd guess moderate. For a large city it's surprisingly good. There's not a lot of industry here. You can get some bad days with inversions in the winter or during the summer, but so far I've been impressed.
2. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Very few major ones. You have to watch out for pickpockets and minor crimes, but Bucharest has one of the lowest major crime rates for any major European city. It's even more remarkable considering that the police force here is tiny. Most people feel very safe here, but you have to take the usual precautions you'd take anywhere else. The street dog problem has improved a lot in recent years, but you need to be careful out of downtown.
3. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Healthcare isn't good, but at least it's cheap. Make sure you have insurance that will evacuate you for major work. The new Euroclinic is a step in the right direction, but it's hard to find really good healthcare here. Dentists are good. Prescription medications are cheap.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Four seasons and for the most part a good climate. Winters can get cold and dreary but it seems there's less snow due to climate change. Spring, summer and fall are great. Lots of sun, long days, but July can get pretty hot.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
There are a number in town, but the American International School is the only one worth considering. There's a lot of good teachers there and my kids have been very happy, and I've been pleased with their results. The administrators seem a bitinexperienced but a new head is turning things around in this area. This is an IB school, so don't expect things to be like they are in the U.S. There are a lot of U.S. parents who get upset because it's not just like what they had at home. It's a lot better.
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
The American School makes some accommodations.
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?
I don't know too much about this other than what's offered at the American School. My guess is that it's probably OK but not great.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Pretty big with a lot of nationalities. The English speaking community is only part of the expat community here. There are a lot of multinationals here, a high number of NGO's and a sizeable diplomatic community. Must be a few thousand.
2. Morale among expats:
Depends on who you're with and if they're willing to make some effort. For a lot of us, it's pretty high and we like living here. Those stuck in the suburbs who don't make the effort to get out seem pretty unhappy. The families at the U.S. Embassy seem to be the unhappiest of all the expat groups and aren't satisfied until everyone is as unhappy as they are. I don't know what the deal is, but they sure don't like being out of the U.S. We've learned to steer clear of them. If you're willing to accept you're in a foreign country and have some initiative, this is a great place to live. Romanians are very friendly towards Americans and are hard workers. We've liked getting to know them.
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 can have what you want. If you want to go out a lot, you can. Lots of groups get together for parties in homes. It's harder to socialize with Romanians, but it can be done.
4. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
It's a city that's what you make of it. There's a lot to do here but you have to get out and about to find it. The unhappiest people seem to be those stuck in the suburbs who never get into town. Families can have a good time if they can work with transportation and traffic issues. Couples can have a great time. Single guys will love this place. Single women may find that the attitudes of Romanian men may leave something to be desired.
5. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
Not really. Although Romania no longer has laws against homosexuality I'd say most of the population is pretty against it. You'd probably be OK but wouldn't find this a gay friendly place.
6. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Yes. If you're not white a lot of Romanians will be either be curious about you or won't like you. There's also some anti Jewish sentiment here. This place was closed off for a while so it's pretty homogenous and attitudes aren't all they could be. Romanians hate gypsies and it's sometimes hard to listen to the complaints.
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Museums, clubbing, restaurants, tennis, soccer games, parks, cultural events are good and cheap, going to the mountains. A lot of people say there isn't anything to do here but it's because they don't take the time to look for it. If you like to shop you'll be disappointed. Gyms aren't great and pretty expensive but they're OK. A lot of guys miss their golf. Getting to the mountains for the weekend makes for a great getaway. There's decent skiing not too far away. Black Sea resorts are a bit rough and ready but OK. You also have all of Europe next door. We've had a great time here and enjoy it.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Glassware, carpets, wine, tuica.
9. Can you save money?
Sure as long as you follow a budget like you would anywhere else. We've managed to save a lot here, but are careful to stock up on cheap items when were out of country.
Words of Wisdom:
1. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Absolutely.
2. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Expectation that you're going get all the conveniences of home and belief that where you life has to be "pretty" in order to have a good time.
3. But don't forget your:
Clothes, shoes, appliances and sense of adventure.
4. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
5. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
6. Recommended movies/DVDs related to this city:
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days for a good glimpse of what things were like not that long ago.
7. Do you have any other comments?
We've had a great time here and look forward to staying longer. My kids love their school, my wife and I enjoy our Romanian colleagues, and we've had a lot of fun here. It's hard to figure out why so many Americans are so down on this place. A lot of people find they really miss Bucharest once they leave.
