Member-only story
I’m Sick of Assumptions About My Country
Show me why yours is perfect, or keep walking
Ever since I was able to think for myself, I knew my place wasn’t in Romania.
At first, it was a gut feeling, which then found a base in the many unpleasant or downright revolting faults that my country has — much like any other. Abroad, Romania is mostly known for corruption, not particularly pleasant immigrants (read pick-pocketers or beggars), Dracula, and that it used to be a Communist country until we shot our dictator on Christmas day.
I mean, make of that what you want. But, unfortunately, Romania’s reputation, particularly in Europe, is primarily compromised to this day. People either know little to no facts about us, or what they know makes them wrinkle their noses in disapproval.
I remember watching foreign news now and again as a teenager, and every time a story from Romania came up, the reportage was brutal. Although I wanted to leave the country, any attack towards it made me sick to my stomach.
This is why one of my greatest goals, when I moved to the UK, was to show the British people that I am Romanian, and I’m nothing like what they’ve heard my people are.
A bit far-fetched, I know, but if I changed at least one person’s mind regarding what they expected a…
