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\n[EN] Three and a half months ago, when I arrived, Romania directly surprised me, keeps surprising me every day and will certainly surprise me the whole duration of my stay here. I am surprised in many ways, whether by the beauty of its landscapes, its people, its customs and habits. It is a country full of surprises and richness that I wish to know more about.<\/p>\n
I will speak here of “culture shock”, of things and anecdotes that I was able to see or experience in Romania and that were for me a confrontation with otherness, which were a sign of different reality, than that of my own. Different from my own culture, my own habits.<\/p>\n
But before that, I would like to clarify this notion, this idea of culture shock by putting things in context.<\/p>\n
Indeed having arrived in Romania only 3 and a half months ago, I would have no pretension to describe “a Romanian culture” in all its aspects. So far I had the chance to know only Izvoarele and its surroundings, Brasov, Bucharest, Sighisoara, Vama Veche and Constanta, so I would not speak only of what I could live or see.\u00a0I would also like to point out that what I am going to consider as a “culture shock” is strictly personal, the elements will be directly related to who I am: a young French man of 29 years of age who lived in Latin America for several years, to what I have experienced in my life; in other words, these cultural differences could never be the same for another person.\u00a0And finally there will be no value judgment, no criticism, I would simply be in the shoes of an external observer for whom differences of any kind are a richness to understand others.<\/p>\n
My first big surprise when I arrived, while I was still in the car being driven in the rain (having left Paris a few hours earlier under a blazing sun of about 30 degrees…) was to observe the rolling landscapes, curves and mountains, coming from a region bordering Belgium called “the flat country” this difference of landscapes jumped directly to my eyes.<\/p>\n
In the days after my arrival there was a line of surprises about my village, between the herds of cows coming down the street every night singing their bells, the countless street dogs quietly making their lives (I have never seen a street dog in France), the fruit\/vegetable sellers shouting in the street, the wooden horsecarts used daily or the zigzag moves that you have to do while driving in order to avoid holes in the road: the change of scenery was very complete for me!<\/p>\n
In the following days I was very surprised to observe that many people hitchhiked along the roads to get around, or that cars stopped when we were waiting for the bus to offer to take us. That was the point where I decided to try the adventure myself with my first three Romanian phrases, “buna ziua, sunt voluntar, nu am bani”, and my astonishment was even greater when I realized that it was really working very well (not without some nice laughs from the drivers). From here on, I used this method to move around without hesitating (Bucharest, Vama Veche, Brasov, Sighisoara), fortunately I have always come across people who speak a little English, French or Spanish which allowed me to communicate during the trip… And it was still a surprise that in most of these conversations (saw no generality in my subject! it’s just my experience), most people came to talk without any restraint and with hatred about their racism towards the gypsy community. Me being used to people feeling ashamed to have such ideas, that they usually only express them through the ballot box, the freedom of speech that my drivers have reported is confusing to me.<\/p>\n
I was also amazed to observe that in the cities, people respect traffic lights, patiently wait for the light to go green in order to cross. Being used to people crossing as soon as the opportunity arose in France or even in Latin America where there sometimes even is no signs, it was a sure fun to observe this.<\/p>\n
Then gradually as I\u00a0 grasped another characteristic of Romanian society, which is the place of religion in people’s lives. Religion seems to me to be omnipresent, whether it is through the various religious objects that can be observed in the streets, in front of houses or through the signs of the cross that people make when they meet a church, whether they are elderly or younger, this represents a great cultural difference for me.<\/p>\n
More recently I learned when I went with my roommate to the village bar at the end of the day on a referundum day, where the police stationed there, that it was not possible to buy and drink alcohol on election days, people explained to us that this was a law to encourage people to go to the polling station, it seemed very surprising to me and was probably my most recent”culture shock”.<\/p>\n
I think I have shared with you the most striking situations and anecdotes for me during these first 3 months in this country, there are obviously others, but probably less significant for me.<\/p>\n
I hope now to complete this list while I am here for the next 5 months, to continue discovering and getting to know this very special and endearing country, to confront myself more and more with what cultural differences have to offer us and to learn on a daily basis.<\/p>\n
[RO]
\nAcum trei luni \u0219i jum\u0103tate c\u00e2nd am sosit, Romania m-a surprins efectiv, continu\u0103 s\u0103 m\u0103 surprind\u0103 \u00een fiecare zi \u0219i va continua cu siguran\u021b\u0103 s\u0103 m\u0103 surprind\u0103 pe toat\u0103 durata \u0219ederii mele aici. Sunt surprins \u00een multe feluri, de c\u0103tre frumuse\u021bea priveli\u0219tilor ei, de c\u0103tre oamenii ei, practicile \u0219i obiceiurile ei. Este o \u021bar\u0103 plin\u0103 de surprize \u0219i bog\u0103\u021bii despre care \u00eemi doresc s\u0103 aflu mai multe.<\/p>\n
Voi vorbi aici despre “\u0219oc cultural”, despre lucruri \u0219i anecdote pe care am putut s\u0103 le v\u0103d sau s\u0103 le experimentez \u00een Rom\u00e2nia \u0219i care au fost pentru mine o confruntare cu altfelul, ceea ce a fost un semn al unei realit\u0103\u021bi diferite dec\u00e2t cea a mea. Diferit de cultura mea, de obiceiurile mele.<\/p>\n
Dar \u00eenainte de asta, a\u0219 vrea s\u0103 clarific aceast\u0103 no\u021biune, aceast\u0103 idee de \u0219oc cultural prin a pune lucrurile \u00een context.<\/p>\n
\u00centr-adev\u0103r av\u00e2nd \u00een vedere c\u0103 am ajuns \u00een Rom\u00e2nia cu doar trei luni \u0219i jum\u0103tate \u00een urm\u0103, nu a\u0219 avea nicio preten\u021bie s\u0103 descriu “O Cultur\u0103 a Rom\u00e2niei” \u00een toate aspectele ei. P\u00e2n\u0103 acum am avut \u0219ansa s\u0103 cunosc doar Izvoarele \u0219i \u00eemprejurimile sale, Bra\u0219ov, Bucure\u0219ti, Sighi\u0219oara, Vama Veche \u0219i Constan\u021ba, deci a\u0219 vorbi\u00a0doar de ceea ce a\u0219 fi putut s\u0103 tr\u0103iesc sau v\u0103d. A\u0219 vrea de asemenea s\u0103 punctez c\u0103 ceea ce eu am s\u0103 consider ca fiind un “\u0219oc cultural” e strict personal, elementele vor fi \u00een direct\u0103 rela\u021bie cu cine sunt: un t\u00e2n\u0103r b\u0103rbat francez \u00een v\u00e2rst\u0103 de 29 de ani ce a tr\u0103it \u00een America Latin\u0103 pentru c\u00e2\u021biva ani, raportat la ceea ce am experimentat \u00een via\u021ba mea; \u00een alte cuvinte, aceste diferen\u021be culturale nu ar putea fi niciodat\u0103 la fel pentru o alt\u0103 persoan\u0103. \u0218i nu \u00een ultimul r\u00e2nd nu va fi nicio judecat\u0103 de valoare, nicio critic\u0103, voi fi pur \u0219i simplu \u00een pantofii unui observator exterior pentru care diferen\u021bele de orice fel sunt o \u00eembog\u0103\u021bire care ajut\u0103 s\u0103 \u00eei \u00een\u021belegi.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Prima mea mare surpriz\u0103 c\u00e2nd am sosit, c\u00e2t \u00eenc\u0103 eram \u00een ma\u0219in\u0103, condus prin ploaie (dup\u0103 ce am p\u0103r\u0103sit Paris-ul cu c\u00e2teva ore \u00een urm\u0103 sub un soare arz\u0103tor de cam 30 de grade…) a fost s\u0103 observ peisajele ce se derulau prin fa\u021ba mea, curbele \u0219i mun\u021bii; venind dintr-o regiune aflat\u0103 la grani\u021ba cu Belgia numit\u0103 “\u021bara plat\u0103”, aceast\u0103 diferen\u021b\u0103 de peisaje mi-a s\u0103rit \u00een ochi imediat. \u00cen zilele de dup\u0103 venirea mea am avut o linie de surprize c\u00e2nd vine vorba de satul meu; \u00eentre cirezile de vaci ce vin \u00een josul str\u0103zi \u00een fiecare noapte c\u00e2nt\u00e2ndu-\u0219i clopotele, nenum\u0103ra\u021bi c\u00e2ini vagabonzi tr\u0103ind-\u0219i vie\u021bile \u00een lini\u0219te (Nu am v\u0103zut niciodat\u0103 un c\u00e2ine vagabond \u00een Fran\u021ba), v\u00e2nz\u0103torii de fructe\/legume strig\u00e2nd pe strad\u0103, c\u0103ru\u021bele din lemn trase de cai \u0219i folosite zilnic sau mi\u0219c\u0103rile \u00een zigzag pe care trebuie s\u0103 le faci c\u00e2nd conduci pentru a evita g\u0103urile din drum: schimbarea de decor a fost foarte complet\u0103 pentru mine!<\/p>\n \u00cen zilele ce au urmat am fost foarte surprins s\u0103 observ c\u0103 mul\u021bi oameni f\u0103ceau autostopul de-a lungul drumurilor pentru a se deplasa, sau c\u0103 ma\u0219ini opreau c\u00e2nd noi a\u0219tept\u0103m microbuzul pentru a se oferi s\u0103 ne ia. Acela a fost punctul unde am de ie\u0219it s\u0103 \u00eencerc aventura \u0219i eu cu primele mele trei fraze \u00een rom\u00e2n\u0103, “Bun\u0103 ziua, sunt voluntar, nu am bani”, \u0219i mirarea mea a fost chiar \u0219i mai mare c\u00e2nd am realizat c\u0103 merge chiar foarte bine (nu f\u0103r\u0103 ni\u0219te r\u00e2sete bune de la \u0219oferi). De aici \u00eenainte, am folosit metoda asta pentru a m\u0103 deplasa prin jur f\u0103r\u0103 ezitare (Bucure\u0219ti, Vama Veche, Bra\u0219ov, Sighi\u0219oara). Din fericire \u00eentotdeauna am dat peste oameni care vorbesc pu\u021bin\u0103 englez\u0103, francez\u0103 sau spaniol\u0103, ceea ce mi-a dat voie s\u0103 comunic de-a lungul c\u0103l\u0103toriei… \u0218i a fost \u00eenc\u0103 o surpriz\u0103 c\u0103 \u00een mare parte din aceste conversa\u021bii (a nu se vedea generalizare \u00een subiectul meu! este doar experien\u021ba mea), majoritatea oamenilor au ajuns s\u0103 vorbeasc\u0103 f\u0103r\u0103 nicio re\u021binere \u0219i cu ur\u0103 despre rasismul lor fa\u021b\u0103 de comunitatea \u021biganilor. Eu fiind obi\u0219nuit ca oamenilor s\u0103 le fie ru\u0219ine s\u0103 ai e astfel de idei, a\u0219a \u00eenc\u00e2t de obicei le exprim\u0103 doar prin urna de votare, libertatea de exprimare pe care \u0219oferii mei au raportat-o \u00eemi induce confuzie.<\/p>\n Am fost de asemenea uimit s\u0103 observ c\u0103 \u00een ora\u0219e, oamenii respect\u0103 semafoarele, a\u0219teapt\u0103 cu r\u0103bdare ca lumina s\u0103 se fac\u0103 verde pentru a trece.\u00a0 Fiind obi\u0219nuit cu oameni care trec de \u00eendat\u0103 ce oportunitatea apare \u00een Fran\u021ba sau chiar \u00een America Latin\u0103 unde uneori nici m\u0103car nu sunt semne de circula\u021bie, a fost cu siguran\u021b\u0103 distractiv s\u0103 observ asta.<\/p>\n Apoi gradual peste mai mult timp am mai \u00een\u021beles \u00eenc\u0103 o caracteristic\u0103 a societ\u0103\u021bii rom\u00e2ne\u0219ti, care este locul religiei \u00een vie\u021bile oamenilor. Religia \u00eemi pare a fi omniprezent\u0103, fie c\u0103 prin variile obiecte religioase care pot fi observate pe str\u0103zi, \u00een fa\u021bele caselor sau prin semnul crucii pe care oamenii \u00eel fac c\u00e2nd \u00eent\u00e2lnesc o biseric\u0103, indiferent dac\u0103 sunt \u00een v\u00e2rst\u0103 sau mai tineri, aceasta reprezint\u0103 o mare diferen\u021b\u0103 cultural\u0103 pentru mine.<\/p>\n Mai recent am \u00eenv\u0103\u021bat c\u00e2nd am mers cu colegul meu de camer\u0103 la barul din sat la sf\u00e2r\u0219itul zilei \u00eentr-o zi de referendum, unde poli\u021bia sta\u021bionase, c\u0103 nu era posibil s\u0103 cumperi \u0219i s\u0103 bei\u00a0 alcool \u00een zilele de alegeri, oamenii ne-au explicat c\u0103 asta esteo lege care s\u0103 \u00eencurajeze oamenii s\u0103 mearg\u0103 la sec\u021biile de votare; a p\u0103rut foarte surprinz\u0103tor pentru mine \u0219i a fost probabil cel mai recent “\u0219oc cultural” al meu.<\/p>\n Cred c\u0103 am \u00eemp\u0103rt\u0103\u0219it cu voi cele mai\u00a0 izbitoare situa\u021bii \u0219i anecdote ale mele din perioada acestor prime 3 luni \u00een aceast\u0103 \u021bar\u0103, mai sunt desigur \u0219i altele, dar probabil mai pu\u021bin semnificative pentru mine.<\/p>\n Sper acum s\u0103 completez aceast\u0103 list\u0103 \u00een timpul \u00een care sunt aici pentru urm\u0103toarele\u00a0 cinci luni, s\u0103 continui descoperirea \u0219i cunoa\u0219terea acestei foarte speciale \u021b\u0103ri ce te face s\u0103 o \u00eendr\u0103ge\u0219ti, s\u0103 m\u0103 confrunt pe mine mai mult \u0219i mai mult cu ce au diferen\u021bele culturale s\u0103 ne ofere \u0219i s\u0103 \u00eenv\u0103\u021b zi de zi.<\/p>\n Baptiste este \u00een Rom\u00e2nia pentru o perioad\u0103 de opt luni, din iulie 2018 p\u00e2n\u0103 \u00een februarie 2019, \u00een cadrul proiectului\u00a0Voluntary Generation<\/em>\u00a0[2017-2-FR02-KA105-013326]\u00a0proiect co-finan\u021bat de Uniunea European\u0103 prin Programul Erasmus+ \u0219i implementat \u00een Rom\u00e2nia de c\u0103tre\u00a0Curba de Cultur\u0103.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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