The author arrived in Baia Mare in October as a recipient of an International Council for Canadian Studies (ICCS) Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship at North University of Baia Mare, Romania, and has since remained as a recipient of a Canadian Leadership Grant from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the Embassy of Canada-Bucharest.
Here I am with one of my students, Raluca, ice skating on the Baia Mare old town square. I'll spend the Christmas holiday in Slovakia (and perhaps Czech Republic) and return to Baia Mare in early January, 2010 :-)
9 December, 2009. Universitatea de Nord din Baia Mare, camera șase, cāminul trei.
Pretty much everyday since I've arrived in Baia Mare, I've heard/seen a handful of pop songs, played repeatedly. Now, maybe this is because I frequent low-class establishments that play only one channel on their fancy flatscreens: KISS-TV... regardless of the reason, I think I have heard (or seen the video clips of) the following songs about 100 times each already.... Not all are Romanian artists, but they will forever be entrenched in my mind as part of my Romanian experience. Prepare to be amazed, haha... (does anyone else notice the common bip-bip-b-bip sound in most?)...
Inna, "Amazing" (I have to admit that after repeated listens and viewings, I might actually like this song... see, this is the power of suggestion!!!)
Roller Sis, "Se Thelo" (oh no, this song has grown on me too, and I don't even like this kind of music!!)
Puya, "Change" (this song is one that I definately DO NOT like... and it might have been the unofficial song to the recent Romanian elections, considering its attitude of complacency... or are they saying "I CAN change the world..." I can't tell...)
Connect-R, "Burning Love" (this one drives me crazy... never have I heard or seen a song so original... I mean, the opposition of fire and ice in relation to love... revolutionary! haha -- Hey, he's Black AND he's Romanian... that's recipe enough for celebrity status, isn't it?)
Deepcentral, "Russian Girl" (this video clip is so amazing that "embedding [has been] disabled by request"... This was probably the first song to begin driving me over the edge.... certainly one of the most over-played...)
Dan Balan, "Chica Bomb" (this video clip may be the closest thing to pornography I've seen on mainstream television.... And Mr. Balan's gaze, my goodness, enough to give me a serious case of the willies!)
Radio Killer, "Voila" (a seriously strange music video, and an incredibly annoying song...)
Pitbull, "I Know You Want Me" (yes, indeed, Mr. Pitbull... you have read my mind. Never have I lusted for another man like I lust for you....)
The First-Year MA students persuaded me to join them on a little field trip to Mogoşa, one of the bigger hills/mountains in the Eastern Carpati region near Baia Mare. It was cold and foggy, so I couldn't fully grasp the height of Mogoşa. This is a popular ski resort in the Winter.
2 December, 2009.Universitatea de Nord din Baia Mare, camera șase, cāminul trei.
A student recently presented me with a questionnaire as part of her interest in "Romanian-Canadian" relations and "Romania seen through the eyes of a Canadian." These are my responses....
Background Information
1.Please specify the purpose of travel to Romania. First trip: To participate in a student conference on Canadian Studies at Universitatea de Nord din Baia Mare (April, 2008)
Second trip: To undertake an ICCS Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship at the Canadian Studies Centre, Universitatea de Nord din Baia Mare (October-December, 2009)
2.Please specify the period of your stay in Romania. First trip: Approximately 1 week
Second trip: Approximately 3 months (to date)
3. What crossed your mind first when you heard about the country? I don’t recall when I “first heard” about Romania. Probably as a schoolboy, but I don’t know what my first thoughts were… It was the 1980s, so probably something to do with Communism, or “Eastern Europe,” as this is mainly what we were taught/told.
4.What did you know about the country before your visit? (any kind of cultural information, like music, arts, sports, tourism, food, science, literature, geography etc) I knew embarrassingly little (refer to my interview in Bibliotheca Septentrionalis, Spring, 2008 – copy available at the Canadian Studies Centre), except that it was a “post-Communist” country in Europe. Probably I knew about Nadia Comaneci, and was vaguely aware that Transylvania (and Dracula) were related to Romania.
5.What was your main reliable source of information about Romania? Reliable? Good question. Other than the internet, and word-of-mouth from friends in Slovakia, I had only a copy of Romania & Moldova. Robert Reid and Leif Pettersen. (Lonely Planet, 2007). Oh, and of course I expected to meet the people I saw in the film Borat – even though they pretended to be Kazaks. I’ve been disappointed so far in that I haven’t found a similar bathing suit to that worn by the main character in that film.
I also watched the films Transylvania (2006) and 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days (2007) before my second trip to Romania.
6.What are the general opinions regarding this country in the eyes of the people from your country of origin? I can’t say specifically, but generally I would say most Canadians lump Romania together with other “post-Communist” European nations. Exceptions would be Canadians with Romanian relatives or travel experiences, of course, but before coming here I do not recall hearing opinions from such people (unfortunately).
7.Are there any stereotypes in your country of origin about Romania or Romanian people? If yes, please state them. “They were Communists, right?” “Is it safe their?” “Do they speak Russian?” “Be careful one of the girls doesn’t try to marry you so she can get Canadian citizenship.”
8.Did some of them/all of them turn out to be true? Please give details. Yes, I have had several marriage proposals here (j/k). Well, as it turns out, Romania IS a “post-Communist” country, but I haven’t heard any Russian language here :-) And if hitchhiking is any indication, maybe Romanian is “safer” than Canada….
9.How long did it take for you to get used with the idea of 'living/ moving to Romania?' Maybe I’m still not used to it, although I think I “adapt” pretty easily.
10.Did you get support from your relatives or friends regarding the idea of moving / living in Romania? Some of them expressed surprise, but also asked a lot of questions, like, “what is it like there?” Social Relations in Romania
1.Do/did you get family or friends visit you during your stay in Romania? No family. One friend (from Slovakia). No Canadian visitors.
2.Did Romania meet your expectations? Please support your answer. Yes, and no. I try not to come to a new place with too many expectations. But, of course, some are inevitable and impossible to suppress. Having been to other neighbouring countries in the past (Hungary, Slovakia, etc.), I had some expectations regarding architecture, landscape, and city planning, for example. I can say that these were generally correct, although “blocks of flats” in Romania are a little different than those that I’ve seen in Hungary and Slovakia, for example. I guess most of my expectations relate to the history of Communism and the general exclusion of outsiders for much of the 20th century, which of course have left considerable traces on several countries in this part of Europe (visually and culturally).
One thing that has surprised me, has been the degree to which the citizens of Baia Mare (at least) are apparently quite religiously and socially conservative. Of course, this is just my largely superficial “sense” of the people I have encountered to date. North Americans generally view “Europe” as more open and liberal in many regards, but I do not feel I’ve seen much in terms of “liberalism” here. In fact, I feel I have to censor myself so as to not offend “Romanian” sensibilities. This leads me to wonder about “freedom” twenty years after the political revolution here.
But I am still learning, and my “expectations” may be met yet ;-)
3.What more did you learn about this country during your period of stay? I am still learning. But to-date I have learned something about the geography of the Maramures district, made many observations with regard to architecture, food, and general Romanian behaviour. I have learned that I do not “look like” a Romanian (nor think like one, apparently); the language has begun to “sound” somewhat familiar to me (although I do not understand much); I have learned about the frustrations of the education system here; get the general sense that many Romanians are “fed up” with their politicians (and democracy?) 20 years after the revolution; I have learned to be patient with regard to how “quickly” things get done here; I have learned that Bucharest is a long way from Baia Mare (or, at least this is what people tell me) – and not just geographically.
4.What was your first impression upon arrival in Romania? “Where are the contorting quintuplets?” (j/k). I was disappointed to see such a scenic city like Baia Mare so badly polluted (the river especially). On my first visit, when I travelled from Budapest to Baia Mare by minibus, I recall being a little surprised by the relatively “grey” city landscape and dirty streets (but I was also very tired). But I was also pleased to be greeted by some students upon arriving on that visit, and the accommodation I was given at the university was very clean and acceptable. Similarly, on my second visit, I was met by a friend I’d met on my previous visit at the airport in Cluj. She was very generous in driving me to Dej, with one of her friends, and treating me to a home-cooked meal. She was very careful and attentive in making sure I was comfortable and safely on the right train to Baia Mare.
5.What was your opinion regarding Romanians before you visited? I didn’t have any conscious opinions. But I’ve since learned that one of my closest neighbours growing-up, “Gramma Rosa” – who I always thought was from Hungary, because she spoke Hungarian – was in fact Romanian (from Satu Mare). She was a little old lady, whose husband had passed-on and children were grown. She had a huge garden full of fruits and vegetables, including some Rosca grapes (which I loved as a child – see my story). She was a very generous woman (in my memories, at least) who loved our pet cat (“Fonzie”) and would often give him cooked chicken as a “treat.” She always shared her garden’s bounty with us too.
6.What is your opinion regarding Romanians after your visit? As I’ve said, my opinions are subject to change, but I get a general sense that some people are very laid back, if not indifferent, while others are very friendly and welcoming (to foreigners, for example). I do have the sense that people here (at least in Baia Mare) are more religiously and socially conservative than most of the people I know in Canada and other countries. I wish Romanians took more pride (in their actions) in relation to their own country – in keeping their city environment cleaner, for example.
7.Is there a special trait that defines Romanians, in your view? Dark brown or black hair; tight jeans on women; they like their Dacia’s; shop clerks like to get exact change; religion is very important to most people…. And people seem to be surprised that a Canadian would want to come here.
8.Do you have some good Romanian friend/s ? I think so.
9.What was the attitude of Romanians towards you when you first met them? Some were curious (“Where are you from? Why are you here?”); some were very welcoming (as mentioned above); and clearly others remained largely indifferent. In other words, a full range of reactions.
10.What is the attitude they have now? Did you notice any change? I’m not exactly sure what people think of me here! Romanians, in general, are hard to read.
