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Tuesday, November 06, 2007
What Romanians Do For Italy
There's been a lot of hate and rage towards Romanians living in Italy these days. Mostly because some are dangerous creeps. But apart from these few villains, what are the others doing there? Well, according to a 9AM article (in Romanian, sorry), they create revenue adoptive-country Italy. Yes, they make money for Italy. How much? Well, they contribute about 11.3 million Euros to Italy's gross domestic product. There are about 600,000 Romanians (out of about 4 million foreigners) and they generate 1% of the GDP. And these are only those established there legally. They don't do as much as the Mafia, which contributes about 6%, but they do a pretty good job, don't you think?
Also, it seems like Romanians and other immigrants also work more than Italians. So, when you go about your business of throwing shit at us, Romanians, at those living there, in any kind of field, from football to constructions, think twice.
Unfortunately, it was all quite far from what I had hoped for. Apparently, we are quite intolerant, with one of the most narrow-minded religious leaders. This part actually pisses me off. I have never seen them protest (or do something relevant) against poverty, women being abused, children being neglected and beaten or forced to beg and other such real issues the church should really get involved in.
A call by the Romanian Orthodox Church for people to pray in the street for the salvation of homosexuals’ souls could not prevent violence at the gay parade that took place on Saturday at the end of the GayFest 2007 festival in Bucharest last week.
The marchers were helding banners urging people to tolerate minorities. The event was organized by the ACCEPT association for the rights of sexual minorities.
But the quiet still colorful event almost came to a halt when several hundred youth tried to attack the march. The police intervened with tear gas grenades and was welcomed with bottles and rocks in two rounds of clashes that resulted in the arrests of dozens of people.
The march was preceded by another protest organized by the Romanian New Right movement seen as many as the continuator of Romanian fascism. It was also boycotted by anti-fascist protesters in a rare appearance that also resulted in several arrests on Saturday morning.
The most important brands worldwide dominate the Romanian market as well. Coca-Cola leads the top in 2007, after ranking among the top five brands in 2005 and 2006, a study conducted by the Synovate market research indicates, according to the Biz magazine.
In Romanian brands, Dacia leads in notoriety among Romanians. After leading the top in 2006, Nokia is second this year, followed by Ariel.
Dacia (cars), Arctic (appliances), BCR (Romanian Commercial Bank) and Borsec (mineral water) are the most powerful Romanian brands. The highest climb in the top belongs to Banca Transilvania (4 positions, from 10th to 6th).
Well, I gave up drinking Coca-Cola a while ago, but I still love their brand campaign :) So, nice going! As for Romanian brands, I have a different top: I'd say Borsec, yes, Zuzu :P, of course, and a big no-no for BCR (influenced by Cristina's issues with her BCR card :P).
High Tourists Expectations for the Romanian Seaside
According to a piece of news published by Wall-Street, this year's number of tourists visiting the Romanian seaside will be 15% higher than last year's. As Lucian Morariu, state secretary with SMB Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry, tourism agencies have reported increasing demands for this area, 50 % more than registered last year in May.
The article also mentions that the reported increase is due to the stability and understanding reached by local authorities and tourism industry representatives regarding the beaches and other facilities on the Black Sea shore.
I am curios to see how pleased the tourists are at the end of their stay as I am convinced the service level is the same for hotels, restaurants, bars, and other such places. I am also quite sure there won't be more individual space on the crowded beaches of Mamaia, the resort mentioned in the article.
Romania Report: First Domestic dotcom Millionaires
This piece of news has been published by several newspapers and I think it's worth mentioning. As it proves there are successful Romanian businessmen. And we should all follow their lead: work hard and hope to get acknowledged.
The first Romanian dotcom millionaires are Liviu Dumitrascu (30) and Daniel Tatar (29), the two young people who, eight years ago, founded eJobs.ro, currently Romania's largest online recruitment website.
Liviu Dumitrascu and Daniel Tatar sold 30% of the company to US-based investment fund Tiger Global Management, for 4.2 million euros. The transaction was completed at the end of last week, sources close to the dealings told ZIARUL FINANCIAR.
I've been using eJobs.ro for a few years now. I got my job at BitDefender and then the one at AXIGEN through them. So up to now, I am pretty happy with their services. Great job and keep up the good work!
There are certain things you desperately wish for when you are too young to get them: the first vacation on your own, with your friends and no parental supervision, the first all-nighter, the first concert in a different city, May 1st on the beach. And the list could go on.
The Medieval Art Festival in Sighisoara was one of those, for me at least. Three whole days of concerts, theater plays, staying in a tent and drinking cheap and really, really bad beer. Awesome! Other than that, what’s left of the medieval fortress (yes, still inhabited), the torture chambers and the Dracula myths (for foreigners mostly).
I finally got there 3 summers ago, the first and only time I went. Everyone complained (read those who had been there before) it was less interesting than last year’s. To me it was perfect, I had an amazing time and I should remember to thank Mishu once again for taking me there.
This year the Sighisoara authorities are already working on organizing the 15th edition of the Festival (July 27-29).
According to a news release issued by the Sighisoara City Hall, the main organiser, “since this is an anniversary year, in a new European context, the 2007 Medieval Sighisoara Festival will bring together more international artists, which will enrich the event programme with European art works.”
According to a statistic carried out by BestJobs.ro, some 19,000 users of the largest headhunting portal in Romania look for work in Romania, rather than abroad.
BestJobs.ro officials said that the figures is constantly growing this year. The most interested are Romanians living in Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy and Spain.
Interesting, but quite incomplete...So I checked the article in Romanian, hoping to get more details. Not much though. What I wanted to know is: -19,000 of how many? - is the proportion the same on other portals? - is there an estimation of how many people actually work abroad? - do most of them want to come back?
Using a Romanian jobs portal seems inappropriate. First of all, because the majority of jobs offered by it are in Romania. So if you offer only a few jobs abroad and they are not interesting for all users, of course you get such proportions...This seems like a nice and devious way to promote BestJobs. Am I wrong? I doubt it. I do have to say they chose an interesting approach. It does catch one's eye. But then again, to make the story work, it needed more data.
The Tulips Symphony is a yearly event that takes place in Pitesti. You can read more about it and see a few snapshots of past editions here. This year, the event started on Friday, March 20, and lasted until Sunday. We were there on Saturday to celebrate the event.
Usually, waking up at 9 am is not a big problem for anyone. Well, given the fact that we went to bed at 4 am, the situation was not what you could call a normal one. Ryan and his friend Iulia (aka Olive) had come to visit us on Friday afternoon and we took them clubbing. It was a great night, but waking up the next morning did become just a little difficult. Well, we managed it eventually, picked up Cristinica on the way (she has already posted some photos), and one hour and a half later we were in Pitesti.
First we stopped by Silviana's place. Her mother prepared something to eat, then coffee and a great cake that I could not stop eating. A half an hour later, we got to Cristinica's place. Her mom had also cooked for us. So we started meal number two: steak, fries, pickles and salad. Then ice-cream. I only watched the others eat...But could not resist the coffee with cream that was next on the menu. So when we left to actually go see the symphony, we were all pretty much feeling like stuffed turkeys.
We got to the central area of the town and that's when Ryan and I turned into more than human beings. We had some weird devices attached to us that made us so much better! Yes, we were taking photos every five seconds :) We saw beautiful flowers everywhere! Tulips, lots of them, but also roses, orchids and cactus and any other flower you could dream of.
After all that walking we stopped for a quick drink and met some of Silviana's friends. At about 8 we were on our way back to Bucharest. We picked up D when arriving and went to the Plaza mall for some more food. Seasoned with conversations and drinks. I have to say I could hardly move when I got home!
Traian Basescu will watch from the presidential palace the evolution of the Parliamentarian vote on his suspension and will hold a press conference tonight, after the procedure is completed.
Basescu said his resignation will be wrote as soon as the Parliament suspends him and will be submitted as soon as the Constitutional Court decides that the suspension procedure was properly conducted. Article from here.
The same news portal, HotNews, published an article on an attempt (Romanian only) to gather people for a protest in Piata Universitatii (University Plaza). The protest against Basescu's suspension is scheduled for today, at 6.30 pm.
The Constitutional Court (CCR) decided that Basescu's constitutional "deviations" are not of nature to cause his suspension as president, yet the final word belongs to the Parliament.
Well, I'm with the President on this one! I prefer him to the Parliament as they are all a bunch of backstabbers and they switch sides for any reason. The President might not be far from them, but he's got more points from me in the end.
I will be at the Opera at the time anyway...Better choice! I am seriously thinking of never voting again. I simply feel there is nothing to choose from.
Update! It is done. President Basescu has been suspended. More in Romanian here and here. We are officially :presidentless", to quote Ryan.
President Traian Basescu participated in the spontaneous meeting in the University Square several hours after the Parliament voted in favor of his suspension on Thursday.
The matter of the resignation - which Basescu promised to submit as soon as possible in the event of his suspension - remained unclear, as his only official statement in this regard was: “I will do what’s best for Romania”.
Travel spending increased by 46% against January 2006, when Romanian tourists spent 50 million euros on trips abroad. The increase witnessed in the first month of 2007 was double the level posted in January 2005, when Romanian tourists had spent more than 37 million euros. Romanians spent 73 million euros in January 2007 on holidays abroad, according to data provided by the NBR (National Bank of Romania).
According to travel agencies and tour operators, most Romanians traveling abroad in January choose winter sports, with the most sought after destinations being Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, and, lately, Bulgaria and Slovakia.
Second in preference were chartered flights to destinations such as the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, Greece, Tunisia, and Morocco, while exotic holidays to the Seychelles, the Maldives and to Thailand were less popular, but much more profitable.
"For ski trips, 90% of tourists chose Austria. Trips to exotic locations were fewer in number, with just 3,000 tourists going for these destinations. However, the gains they bring are much bigger than, for example, trips to European cities," says Traian Badulescu, the spokesperson for the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT).
I guess Romanian sky resorts can finally realize that they have a strong competition to face. If we keep going abroad and foreigners keep choosing other destinations, will there be anyone left? Will there be any real demand? I surely hope not! Not until some things finally change.
NimbleX is a Linuxdistribution developed by a Romanian student, Bogdan Radulescu. Based on a better known distribution, namely Slackware, NimbleX requires no prior Linux knowledge and can be used for text processing, to listen to your favorite music or to say hi to your friends on IM and brag about having a Linux distro installed on your PC. Moreover, NimbleX comes with an interface in Romanian, and I have to wonder how many people would actually want to use that. Q: how did they translate "pipe"?
The NimbleX package takes very little space: 200 MB and its first version has been launched in 2005. The current version was launched on December 25th, 2006. "A gift for the users' community," as Radulescu has stated. I bet they had quite a Christmas.
A few thoughts about Bogdan Radulescu, open mindedness when it comes to open source and writing the EVZ article here (RO only).
"The Romanian popular tradition and the Orthodox religion are celebrating today The Day of the 40 Holy Martyrs of Sebastia, one of the most beloved holidays nationwide. This holiday of a very old origin used to celebrate the beginning of the Agrarian Year, which marked the official conclusion of winter and the beginning of spring. As an agrarian holiday dedicated to earth, homemakers are preparing eight-shaped bagels symbolising the season cycles. These bagels known as “mucenici” are brought by women to Church in the morning to be hallowed by the priest.
The “mucenici” are then given to the faithful together with a candle lit for the souls of the deceased. There is the belief that on this day the souls of the dead are released on Earth to join their loved ones who are alive to enjoy this holiday together. This is also the day when, as tradition goes, people should drink 40 or 44 glasses of red wine, which will turn into blood during the year, making the drinker strong and healthy. Everybody is supposed to drink the wine, and those who don’t should at least have a taste of it or let themselves sprinkled with wine. Although the number of wineglasses that should be drunk corresponds to the 40 Holy Martyrs of Sebasteia, the custom goes back to ancient Bachian holidays celebrated on the day of the spring equinox."
I have to tell you that, besides the beagles, there is also some other flour backed little 8-shaped pasta that's boiled in water and server with cinnamon and nuts. It is delicious! Both types of "mucenici" are! As they are made only once a year, I've been quite anxious to get them starting February all my life. So I just can't wait to get at my mom's tomorrow and just enjoy!
The World Economic Forum has launched its first-ever Travel & Tourism report analysing the drivers of competitiveness in travel and tourism of 124 countries around the world. Switzerland’s safety record and high-quality industry staff contributed to its topping the index. Hong Kong was the highest-ranked Asian country and the United Arab Emirates was the most competitive Middle Eastern country with an impressive ranking of 18th place.
As explained by Wall Street, the index took into account 13 categories for each country. For a visual impression of the index, check this map. Place your mouse over the country you are interested in and see the results.
How did Romania do? Well, we are placed somewhere in the third quartile, getting the 76th place with a score of 3.91 out of 7. If you check the country profile, you will see the list of competitive disadvantages is three times longer than that of competitive advantages. What is interesting though, and also makes my day brighter, is the fact that most of these disadvantages can be worked on. Sure, it will take a lot of hard work, but at least we are not hopeless.
So, we should start by changing our rules and legislation, especially in what environmental laws are concerned, then continue by polluting less, changing our attitude towards tourists, then we could try to ensure a safer and healthier environment, to improve our air transport infrastructure, to have our government spend more on travel and tourism. Oh, yeah, and render marketing efficient for this industry.
Mărţişor is the traditional celebration of the beginning of the spring in Romania and Moldova, on 1 March. The day's name is the diminutive of March (in Romanian Martie), and thus means something like "little" or "dear March". Nowadays, men offer women a talisman object also called Mărţişor, consisting of a jewel or a small decoration like a flower, an animal, etc., tied to a red and white string.
Mărţişor is the symbol of spring and also a celebration on the first of March. Its beginnings are still a mystery, but it is usually said that it originated in Rome, because New Year's Eve was celebrated on the 1st of March, the month of the god Mars. He was the god of agriculture and signified the rebirth of nature. For the Thracians, Marsyas-Silen, whose cult was related to the vegetation and the land, had the same attributes. The flower and nature celebrations were consecrated to him.
It is said that the Mărţişor originated from the Ancient Roman culture, where March (Martius) was the month of the war god Mars with a double role: both protector of agriculture and of war. This duality of symbols is kept in the colours of the Mărţişor: white and red, meaning peace and war (it might also symbolize winter and spring). This custom can be found in all areas where Romanians live. Bulgarians also have an almost identical tradition on the 1 March, called "Martenitsa".
I received quite a few Mărţişoare today. From my colleagues. I can't stop smiling, as the sun is trying hard to defeat the clouds. Spring is finally here! Time to celebrate it!
Update Virtual Martisoare received today from Ryan and Bart. Update 2 This one is from Sim.
There are plenty of those in Bucharest. More than you can imagine. However, that does not mean all of them have a clear idea that they make money from the commissions their customers pay. So rudely hanging up on a potential customer is not such a big deal for them. After all, who cares?
This attitude might shock you at first. But after you think for a few minutes, it is all quite clear. The demand for apartments (to rent or to buy) is almost inelastic. People need a place to live in and the prices are always growing. As living in the North Station or at a hotel are really not viable alternatives, customers depend on agencies to find an apartment for them. Or to find buyers or tenants.
For such an agency, both the owner and the buyer/future tenant have to pay a commission. The issue is that returning customers are a factor to consider. So, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll act nice. Tenants don’t stay forever, so you may gain customers that always come to you when they need to move. Maximize your profit, that’s the idea! Yes, customers are pretty much everywhere, but what if some other company manages to turn most of them into return customers?
Now, some more complaining: I hate calling hundreds of people for hundreds of ads! I hate that the ads are already obsolete on the day the ad paper is published, that very morning, not later in the day. OK, now I feel better. Back to my search!
"Smoking is a growing menace in Romania, as some 30% of Romania’s population smokes. World Health Organization estimates that there will be 10 million deaths occurring due to smoking , by 2030.
Most Romanians smoke because their friends smoke and because it is allowed everywhere. In the last years Romania witnessed an alarming growth in the number of smokers and most of them never consider the health hazards they expose themselves at." More details here.
I did smoke for quite a few years (with some breaks due to random decisions of quitting), and I must admit I did it because it was and interesting social gesture. Going out and meeting friends, smoking with them, it was something we shared. I then got over it and quit. About 2 and a half years ago.
Since then I've experienced some occasional mishaps, where I smoked a couple of cigarettes when going out, but mostly I kept it to a few cigarettes a year. I am convinced giving up smoking is not that hard. Then again, for some reason I was not addicted to the cigarette in itself, but to the habit of smoking when going out or meeting a friend at his/her place or mine. When I was alone, I hardly ever smoked.
Quitting is a good idea. And if health is not a good enough reason, others can be found. Experts can help and there are drugs that have some effect at least on a few. Trying is the first step and I am convinced more people should do it.
I look forward to smoking being banned in more areas and the law being strictly enforced. When it gets inconvenient, irritating instead of relaxing, I am sure smoking no longer seems so appealing. I wish my parents could quit. But as they said several times, the longer you smoke, the harder it gets to quit.
One in ten Bucharest citizens believe foreigners come to Romania for its beautiful women
"Citizens of Romanian capital Bucharest believe that Romania is attractive for foreign citizens due to its possibility to invest (35.3%), beautiful landscapes (15.9%), culture and traditions (10%) and the beautiful women here (9.7%), a new study shows. Men named investment opportunities and the riches of the country in a larger proportion than women, while the latter leaned more to the quality of the Romanian people. 60% of those who named the beauty of Romanian women were male." Full story here.
Interesting findings, I might say. Beautiful landscapes and culture & traditions amount to about 25%. Maybe this will be a trigger, something to bring new ideas in what tourism is concerned. If Romanians are aware of the potential their country has, maybe they will also think of better ways to exploit it.
Every once in a while I amaze myself with how much I don’t know about my country. What is even more amazing is that some truly appealing travel destinations are never promoted. Thus, lots of Romanians don’t know about them. So it took a visit to CNN’s Travel Section to see this:
“There is only one count in this remote Transylvanian village of 512 souls nestled in the wilds of the Carpathian Mountains -- and it isn't Count Dracula.
Meet Count Tibor Kalnoky, a dashing 40-year-old entrepreneur and son of Transylvania descended from a noble family which settled in these misty lands in the 13th century and lived there until communism forced the family to flee.
Kalnoky's manor, which opened in 2001, lies deep in southern Transylvania, an area where myth and reality are loosely entwined. But you'll hardly hear a word here about Dracula, the Romanian warlord Vlad the Impaler or Bram Stoker's novels.
Instead Kalnoky lures guests with the old world of Transylvanian customs.
Many visitors come from Britain and the United States to feast on tasty fare of pork or chicken stew, mashed potato tinged pink by paprika pepper, home-baked cakes served by women dressed in traditional costume.
Dinner is washed down with red Romanian wine and guests are warmed by a roaring log fire in the wine cellar before snuggling into decades-old goose eiderdowns in rooms decorated faithfully in the style of the Szeklers -- the ethnic Hungarian minority to which Kalnoky belongs.
Take a hike in the hills and you may come across bears and wolves. Bird lovers can look out for eagles, black storks and woodpeckers. You can also travel in a horse and cart for a mountain picnic, cycle to nearby Transylvanian towns or visit the Kalnoky family hunting lodge. Just north of Miclosoara, there is the cave where the legendary Pied Piper lured the children of Hamelin.
When visitors return to the manor at sundown for dinner they are serenaded by Szekler music in the soft green drawing room, with antique furniture and dark wooden floors. It's low-key and relaxing.”
Iwanted to learn more about Miclosoara and the manor, so I did a little research. Not much to find on Romanian sites though. But I did find this presentation of the Kalnoky hotel. Take a peak, it’s all fascinating. And a 49 Euro price for bed and breakfast is really cheap by Romanian standards, given there is no real competition in the area.
So, my immediate plan is to get there sometime soon. And then keep recommending it to Romanian and foreign tourists.
Update The CNN article is also mentioned on Core Target.
Name: Alina Home: Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania About Me: "This is my church. This is where I heal my hurts". It's also where I feel free and my preferred means of expression. See my complete profile
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