And already the laughs begin…

Sarbatori fericite, fraţi. This Craciun, what should you buy for the loved one who already has everything? Why, the implausible, of course.

Because everyone should want their, umm… piersica… to smell like peaches.

Parfum de piersici pentru piersica dumnevoastra.

Fabricat in Romania. Vă mulţumim mult, Comceh!

The Romer!can cometh.

Well, well, kids. The world gets crazier all the time. I need to reach out and ask some of you for some advice here. If there’s any to be had, that is.

The recent news has caused me to change plans rather suddenly. Previously, I had been arranging to stay 6 months or 12 months along Black Sea. Now, I’ve cause to shorten the duration significantly.

No, I am not pregnant.

Normally, I’d work through an imobiliare to snag an apartment since that’s how it works in Romania. However, that only applies to normal rental terms of 6+ months. It’s for your typical apartment, owned by a typical Romanian landlord who seeks to abuse the typical tenant. Relationships often start out with false airs of respect, then devolve to general suspicion, and when it’s time to part the fighting begins.

On the other end of the spectrum, you’ve got your overpriced tourist apartments. Here, the greed is honestly established at the outset. Short term rentals are based on daily pricing at rates lower than hotels, which is great if you’re staying 3-7 days. But renting for 1 to 3 months? You can expect to pay the same. Instead of lowering prices slightly in exchange for guaranteed occupancy, it is far less work to simply demand outrageous rates and spurn anyone who balks.

In other countries, like Bulgaria or Czech, the real estate markets often seem to be a bit more refined. The long-term rates for normal folks making yearly contracts are reasonable. Short stays for tourists spending a couple weeks or a few days are reasonable, given the hotel rates. And in the middle ground, there is decent pricing for a person spending two or three months: higher than standard rates, lower than weekly rates.

(Not to mention apartments in those places are better designed, better furnished, and in better condition when compared head-to-head on rates. Frankly, I have no idea how Romanians get away with charging the real estate prices they do.)

It seems not to be the case in Romania. Unless I’m missing something — and believe me I’d be happy to learn — renting an apartment for a couple months in Bucureşti is likely to set you lighten your wallet by upwards of $2500 USD each month.

So, help me out, friends. What’s a person to do? Suck it up and take your lumps?

I’m just a handful of days from moving back, arrangements already made and all… but tonight I received news that may upset the whole thing. Bear with me. The situation is a little topsy turvy. The world may turn upside down.

I’m a little excited to confirm it. I am moving back to the region. Soon.