Comments on: Vasile Mariaş http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/ Dispatches from an American in Romania (was Transylvania) Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:44:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: dori http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/comment-page-1/#comment-126029 dori Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:18:26 +0000 http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/#comment-126029 How delightful. Your other posts of endearing (sometimes sarcastic to elicit humour) insights are so fresh. Interspersed with the local language to make it more authentic. Another visitor to our country looking for that elusive something else. Somehow, you manage to make it so patronizing. Your pictures of the gritty and grimy life, the comical characters, their idiosynchranies, and the upside down world they live in. It's lovely isnt't? But not like others, who come here out of pity, with their altruistic plans of sick children, rroma, street dogs, and everythign in between. No, yours is about the comical aspects of romanian life, as seen by your western eyes, to show the world our innovative ways. You just offer face value snapshots of daily life. These stories are so similar to other foreigners experience, that they lose their flavour and became insipid, much like your tocanita de cartofi. Fyi, our cuisine is a mixture of so many flavours, that if you researched the different areas you would find a diversity that surpasses the humble potato. "In a world where they are normally discarded as worthless by the people living around them, today they felt… human" What a grand statement, you should be proud of yourself. How delightful. Your other posts of endearing (sometimes sarcastic to elicit humour) insights are so fresh. Interspersed with the local language to make it more authentic. Another visitor to our country looking for that elusive something else. Somehow, you manage to make it so patronizing. Your pictures of the gritty and grimy life, the comical characters, their idiosynchranies, and the upside down world they live in. It’s lovely isnt’t? But not like others, who come here out of pity, with their altruistic plans of sick children, rroma, street dogs, and everythign in between. No, yours is about the comical aspects of romanian life, as seen by your western eyes, to show the world our innovative ways.
You just offer face value snapshots of daily life. These stories are so similar to other foreigners experience, that they lose their flavour and became insipid, much like your tocanita de cartofi. Fyi, our cuisine is a mixture of so many flavours, that if you researched the different areas you would find a diversity that surpasses the humble potato.
“In a world where they are normally discarded as worthless by the people living around them, today they felt… human”
What a grand statement, you should be proud of yourself.

]]> By: Misu http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/comment-page-1/#comment-115588 Misu Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:31:37 +0000 http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/#comment-115588 Hi! Can you please contact me on my email. I would like to talk to you. Thanks Hi! Can you please contact me on my email. I would like to talk to you. Thanks

]]> By: jeane http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/comment-page-1/#comment-95222 jeane Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:08:56 +0000 http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/#comment-95222 what`s up dreamer? you got out of jail and go on with your naive stories? what`s up dreamer? you got out of jail and go on with your naive stories?

]]> By: FRS http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/comment-page-1/#comment-61258 FRS Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:56:28 +0000 http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/#comment-61258 In your earlier blogs you mentioned that you were looking for work as a liaison from time to time, saying that you were an "IT-savvy American who lives in Romania (you know, someone kind of like me!) in order to bridge cultural gaps and solidify business trust issues. In any event, there are smart, eager, capable folks throughout Romania." Well, I'm in the market for an IT savvy translator/liaison regarding the publishing world over there and media publicity for a book due to come out in Romania in the Spring. Got any ideas who can help me? In your earlier blogs you mentioned that you were looking for work as a liaison from time to time, saying that you were an “IT-savvy American who lives in Romania (you know, someone kind of like me!) in order to bridge cultural gaps and solidify business trust issues. In any event, there are smart, eager, capable folks throughout Romania.” Well, I’m in the market for an IT savvy translator/liaison regarding the publishing world over there and media publicity for a book due to come out in Romania in the Spring. Got any ideas who can help me?

]]> By: tara http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/comment-page-1/#comment-46121 tara Tue, 21 Aug 2007 21:50:28 +0000 http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/#comment-46121 the story appears to be all about you.. the story appears to be all about you..

]]> By: Dominic http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/comment-page-1/#comment-41196 Dominic Fri, 29 Jun 2007 21:54:51 +0000 http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/#comment-41196 I like this story because it reminds me of what I used to go through 15 years ago in Bucharest. I used to take black and white photos using Azomures film in my SLR camera, especially of gypsies and tsarani in the marketplace. For a while I lived on Soseaua Colentina near the Obor market in Bucharest and the people there would always ask me to come back with copies of the photos. I had a darkroom in my bathroom so the first couple of times I dutifully made copies of the black and white pictures and brought them back to Bucur Obor. When people recognized me they would come running over to get their pictures but at the first sight of the photos their smiles would drop off their faces with disappointment. I quickly realized that they were totally unimpressed with black and white.. that's what pictures used to look like in Nicolae and Elena's time! So I got into the habit of going to the market with two cameras: my big SLR with the Azomures film and a little point and shoot camera with Kodak color film. I'd take two photos of everybody, one for me and one for them, and from that time on, I was a big hit at Bucur Obor. I like this story because it reminds me of what I used to go through 15 years ago in Bucharest. I used to take black and white photos using Azomures film in my SLR camera, especially of gypsies and tsarani in the marketplace. For a while I lived on Soseaua Colentina near the Obor market in Bucharest and the people there would always ask me to come back with copies of the photos. I had a darkroom in my bathroom so the first couple of times I dutifully made copies of the black and white pictures and brought them back to Bucur Obor. When people recognized me they would come running over to get their pictures but at the first sight of the photos their smiles would drop off their faces with disappointment. I quickly realized that they were totally unimpressed with black and white.. that’s what pictures used to look like in Nicolae and Elena’s time! So I got into the habit of going to the market with two cameras: my big SLR with the Azomures film and a little point and shoot camera with Kodak color film. I’d take two photos of everybody, one for me and one for them, and from that time on, I was a big hit at Bucur Obor.

]]> By: Gizmo http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/comment-page-1/#comment-27920 Gizmo Fri, 13 Apr 2007 16:28:41 +0000 http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/#comment-27920 Dude, printing that image in the closest photo booth would have taken roughly 10 times less than you invested in writing this Dude, printing that image in the closest photo booth would have taken roughly 10 times less than you invested in writing this

]]> By: Radu http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/comment-page-1/#comment-19841 Radu Tue, 20 Feb 2007 09:20:57 +0000 http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/#comment-19841 Hi, I am crawling through your stories and I am quite impressed of their deep insight. You could make me change my opinion on American culture. Joking :) I have been an expat myself for many years in Japan and we returned recently to Romania to settle down. As my work is IT related I made a framework for the foreigners in Romania. There are many guide portals or independent projects like yours but not really a dedicated site for such a comunity. Would be great to have people like you to exchange articles and opinions for the benefit of the entire comunity. If you think this being a nice idea please check the site http://www.expatromania.ro and contact us. Otherwise please just ignore this and keep up the good writing! Spor, Radu. Hi,

I am crawling through your stories and I am quite impressed of their deep insight. You could make me change my opinion on American culture. Joking :)

I have been an expat myself for many years in Japan and we returned recently to Romania to settle down. As my work is IT related I made a framework for the foreigners in Romania. There are many guide portals or independent projects like yours but not really a dedicated site for such a comunity.

Would be great to have people like you to exchange articles and opinions for the benefit of the entire comunity. If you think this being a nice idea please check the site http://www.expatromania.ro and contact us. Otherwise please just ignore this and keep up the good writing!

Spor,
Radu.

]]> By: Jonathan http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/comment-page-1/#comment-7539 Jonathan Wed, 22 Nov 2006 22:30:59 +0000 http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/#comment-7539 Nice story. Not for the fact that you really fixed a situation with that family but because you put into words the inherent prejudices that so many feel. Actually your reaction seems a little short-sighted to me as the family is probably doing that job to receive their social assistance which is practically nothing (about 600,000 lei for the first family member and drops after that) and they probably have little education (74-80% of Roma in Romania don't reach the 9th grade). So they not only likely can't afford to go into the internet cafe but they probably don't have a clue what to do when they get in there, even their son. With the 30,000 lei it eventually takes to get online and print out that picture they can feed a whole family for one meal (beans and bread). On second thought maybe they will scrounge some money up and find someone to help them get to that picture online. Marginalized groups often tend to misappropriate their resources because they lack the capacity to long term plan. This obviously comes from living ones entire life trying to figure out how to survive the respective day. So they get their picture and maybe miss a meal the next week when money's a little tighter. Not a huge deal but it would've been nicer if little adriana could concentrate a little better at school that day. But it's likely that she'll be dropping out soon anyways to help the family in the short term. I don't want to sound critical here but I appreciate this article for two reasons: 1. Because it brings to light prejudices that are in a lot of us. 2. Because it unintentionally demonstrates the general ignorance of what Roma poverty and marginalization means in this country. But anyways, keep up the good writing. I liked the one about the Stefan Cel Mare Vodka. toate bune, Jonathan Nice story. Not for the fact that you really fixed a situation with that family but because you put into words the inherent prejudices that so many feel. Actually your reaction seems a little short-sighted to me as the family is probably doing that job to receive their social assistance which is practically nothing (about 600,000 lei for the first family member and drops after that) and they probably have little education (74-80% of Roma in Romania don’t reach the 9th grade). So they not only likely can’t afford to go into the internet cafe but they probably don’t have a clue what to do when they get in there, even their son. With the 30,000 lei it eventually takes to get online and print out that picture they can feed a whole family for one meal (beans and bread). On second thought maybe they will scrounge some money up and find someone to help them get to that picture online. Marginalized groups often tend to misappropriate their resources because they lack the capacity to long term plan. This obviously comes from living ones entire life trying to figure out how to survive the respective day. So they get their picture and maybe miss a meal the next week when money’s a little tighter. Not a huge deal but it would’ve been nicer if little adriana could concentrate a little better at school that day. But it’s likely that she’ll be dropping out soon anyways to help the family in the short term. I don’t want to sound critical here but I appreciate this article for two reasons: 1. Because it brings to light prejudices that are in a lot of us. 2. Because it unintentionally demonstrates the general ignorance of what Roma poverty and marginalization means in this country. But anyways, keep up the good writing. I liked the one about the Stefan Cel Mare Vodka.
toate bune,
Jonathan

]]> By: American Friend http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/comment-page-1/#comment-691 American Friend Thu, 15 Jun 2006 03:05:49 +0000 http://romerican.com/2006/05/28/vasile-marias/#comment-691 What a great story! Very Heart-Warming... And, I loved the style of writing! What a great story! Very Heart-Warming… And, I loved the style of writing!

]]>