What are the Romanian people and culture like?

Answer 1

Depends on their education a lot. In the rural areas people tend to be nicer than in the big cities, but I think it's like that anywhere in the world. In the cities, generally they are educated, have a very realistic idea about the world around them and the women dress like they're ready to hit the cat walk - I mean that. We tend to be sarcastic and somewhat cynical, especially if we were around when communism was still strong. We tend to have a perverted sense of humor, but it's just for fun. We generally have respect for the elders, referring to them as dumneavoastra (formal you) vs. tu (informal you). Many people live in extended families which means that when grandma and grandpa get old, you take care of them, you don't put them in a home. Like everywhere else in E. Europe, we have some gypsies - some of whom are nice people, and some who are just odd in their customs. The gypsy king lives in Romania. Some Romanians think that money grows on trees in the US. Some are more interested in appearances than they should be, especially after the fall of communism.

We also have some bad people who commit crimes or do stupid things. Most of our very smart people live in Canada or the US, or elsewhere working as engineers or working for Bill Gates (second most spoken language in Microsoft is Romanian).

We have some brilliant writers and actors. People like Mircea Eliade (History of Religions), Emil Cioran, Eugene Ionesco. We have great gymnasts - Nadia Comaneci, Domonique Moceanu (US).

Just wanted to let you know that Cold Mountain was filmed in Romania. The director said we have the most pristine mountains in the world. Also, part of Borat was filmed in Romania (not Kazakhstan). It's a very poor village, probably gypsy since the cow is in the house (lol - don't ask - some gypsis just love their cattle - maybe some old custom from India?). Yes, those people are NOT educated, probably the kind you'll see on Springer, but not so mean. They are really nice and try to take life as it is, poor as they are, they enjoy their lives.

I'll attach some links for you here so you can see what I mean.
Watch some of all of them so you get a well rounded view of Romania. We are not all the same, and I think that's what makes us a wonderful people. We have Germans, Jews, Russians, Arabs and Gypsies. Somehow, we get along. The worst thing that can happen to you in Romania if you're a tourist is pick pocketing.

ENJOY!!!

A world without Romania

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSoruzRkj7g

Free hugs campaign

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxx454vmqz0

Some of our women - watch to the end and read the message - these aren't even the most conventionally beautiful - we have such beautiful women

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzeAuGVwz1o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSFa32ezp5I

Mihai Traistaru - singer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlNExFlUkJs

O - zone - internationally known band

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfiVc0X9Ewc

Ada Milea - she's incredible - she mainly makes fun of others and can play that guitar in 10000 different ways - her voice is like a chameleon - she can sing with different accents - but it's the lyrics that get you - she's funny and smart - it's like avant garde theater (with music)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFm9Vmn_jK0

Divertis - in English - comedy - the show is called animal planet - it's mainly in Romanian, but this is in English - they're all very educated, the guys who have this show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-mRsPU5Agc

Nadia Comaneci - the first perfect 10 in gymnastic history - all across the board!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tl0kE7Oels

Vali Vijelie - gypsy singer - gypsies originate in India so you can probably see the influences in the way he sings - there are many, and in spite of people who put them down, I enjoy their music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgcZKpADwig

Adi Copilu' Minune (Adi the wonderboy) - another gypsy singer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzliiMWeZjI

Gypsy singers - the first one Stefan de la Barbulesti sang at my best friend's wedding and is on the sound track of Borat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvKMpWGxfyw

Dona Dumitru Siminic and Faramita Lambru - old time gipsies, masters of soul gypsy music - it helps if you understand it


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYiAUnIHevY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwOjuCkYuik

Sofia Vicoveanca - Moldovian singer (region in Romania) - if you notice her accent is different - closer to Russian

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2k0A63z1yQ

Muzica Populara - folk music - I don't know these guys, but this sounds like it's music from the Transilvanian area (Cluj, Timisoara) - open to correction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um76U2oyRXM

Parazitii - rap - yep - in Romanian they are great - they swear a lot, but they are the critics of our society, and are wordsmiths - if you understand Romanian, this is rated R for language - but what they say is true... so I can't dismiss them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgO4mM2tXC4

Zdob si Zdub - these guys are original - rock mixed with all kinds of traditional stuff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IFrakGsdvs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0DP-EeV8oc

PS - my spell check is ill - I suck at spelling as I speak 4 languages - please forgive my mistakes. Thanks. ;-)


EDIT -
Cleopatra Stratan - she's 3 years old here!!!

English
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPBLJL3H_V8

Romanian version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNLXjXxj3J8

Pavel Stratan - her father - sings with a Moldavian accent and has very simple lyrics, so much wisdom in his words though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_L5qaen3Zg

Hagi - famous soccer player - now coach

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgjHIzYs0Vg

Ilie Nastase - famous tennis man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFn_oRq208U

George Enescu - composer

Ciocarlia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w58vfYWQsjg

Romania slide show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn1KFW2kcs8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo4ejY7EgYE


EDIT 2 - I put the correct link up for Divertis - sorry it was the wrong one the first time. See it, I think you'll like it.

Some more, in case this wasn't enough -

Vama Veche - I love these guys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAlh1z1e7HE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZZZqXaekmA

(I'm not even sure this is them... they sound so good and I haven't been back home for a while, but I'm guessing it is - it sounds a lot like Metallica sometimes)

Mirabela Dauer - people say she's gypsy - I've always loved her voice, even though she's old now and Marian Nistor - he looks kind of scary... lol... he got old I guess - oh yeah and this is definitely play back... I could not find a video of the time they actually sang this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aulPLvSQplA

Aura Urziceanu - also gypsy - she's incredible -internationally known jazz singer - I'll put two videos for you so you can se her range -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM6qscjLVeg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCyn3Xq_Q58

when she was young...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7RS5LDPMEg


Maragareta Paslaru - she's dead, a few of the ones above are... great Romanian voice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMe48BCU89E

Loredana Groza - 1988 before I left... the video is something else - the revolution, I think

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij83pX5K52U

singing traditional music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vCvCETeynM

Toni Iordache & Faramita (not sure what to call this instrument, but I love it) also gypsy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEutyJCM7Bw

Romica Puceanu - old timer - dead now, but will live forever through songs like these

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgUKa-CoUno

this is what she is really famous for - not sure why it has a Jewish flag on it - the guy who posted might be Jewish, but she's gypsy and the influence in the song is Arabic -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vehVa6OfLY

If you're not sick of Romanians by now, lol, then you should go visit. This is just a taste of a little bit of everything - old and new. No thanks needed; I actually enjoyed doing this. ;-)

Answer 2

Romanian People

Answer 3

Romanian culture-South-east European with East and West Europe influences...
Also great composer is George Enescu and great poet is Mihai Eminescu...try more on Wikipedia aritcle dedicated to Romania.
I am Romanian in Romania yet,but I will leave it forever for a better country.

Answer 4

Romanian people claim they are Thrakians and Italic.Their culture is same as any other East European culture.

Answer 5

Nobody could be a better ambassador of Romania here on Y!A than Codrina. She's given you an insightful and colourful answer; enjoy doing your search and following the links she provided. You'll discover a wonderfully diverse country and above all warm people with a rich culture. I'd like to add I'm not biased as I'm not Romanian, but as their southern neighbour from Serbia I'm only happy we have them next door because we've been through a lot together and never received anything but a warm and friendly support from them. They are among highest ranked people to us in terms of successful and positive international relations.

Answer 6

I hope you will find this video helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNqAnBwUP50