Why Are You Still Here?
By Alina Popescu on Jul 30, 2007 in This is me complaining, Thoughts I Came across, Uncategorized
Romania is awful. Everything seems to be on halt here. I make too little. I have no future here. I’ll never be able to buy a house here. I really hate it here. Romania sucks. Romanians, I hate those people…
I am so tired of those phrases, I could punch someone just for starting one. Here is the deal folks. If you hate it, what on earth are you still doing it here. Do you think life is greener in another place? Pack your stuff and go. What good would it do to stick around and complain about it everyday?
Some have left and have a good life in another country. Others have left and came back because life here was better for them. But they all tried. If you lack the guts, means or willpower to go, then stop making your life miserable with more complaining. It’s not good for your own health.
I for one am ok with my life right now. But I have this habit to act on my own thoughts. I thought Ploiesti was too small and not good enough for me to study and work there, so I moved to Bucharest. I thought a job was not what I wanted, I changed jobs. I thought I needed more mobility, I invested in a car and laptop, which I am still paying for.
So think long and hard. Decide if what you get someplace else is worth your relocation. Talk to those who have left and like it there and hear out those who have returned and like Romania better. Then decide for yourself. And DO act on it. If you decide on going, start packing. If you decide on staying, stop bitching about your life and country. Not out of love of Romania, but to make your life more pleasant and less miserable.
I for one have decided to concentrate on finishing my education. After that, I would like to have my own business on the side. When I am done with experimenting those, I’ll decide in which country I’ll be living. I can tell you for sure it will not be the US or Canada. Or any extremely cold country 
Popularity: 5% [?]
Romania sux. And that’s the beauty of it
As for relocation, I contemplated moving as far away as possible, but things still keep me here, in Iasi
Radu C | Jul 30, 2007 | Reply
[Safari sux. Here's the full text of what I wrote]
As for relocation, I contemplated moving as far away as possible, but
And still surviving. So I guess that when the time
Life is training me for management, not for the working class. 
Romania sux. And that’s the beauty of it
things still keep me here, in Iasi. This is the guy with a financial
crisis (you don’t want to know the details) going on for the past two
months speaking
comes to move away, to the next level, I’ll do just fine regardless of
what happens. I see it like this: if it weren’t for these problems, I
wouldn’t stand a chance of becoming rich
Radu C | Jul 30, 2007 | Reply
Now, why do people stay? Well, there kind of isn’t
any place for the to go, they knowledge and skills are as scarce as
they can be, their thought power has been cleaned up sqeaky clean by
the communists, and the children inherited it (stupidity is
hereditary). It’s hard to do anything at all when you’re financially
challanged. When you’re not financially challanged, and still don’t
know shit, now then you’re stupid for real.
Now, without knowledge, being financially challanged, measuring your
debt in lifetimes instead of years, nobody willing to hire you unless
you’re young and willing to spread your legs (usually this goes for
girls and young women), how would you say this country is? Forced to be
a slave and not having many choices, because any choice you make costs
you money. Money you don’t have.
Once I’ve heared that Romania has been decapitalized as lot when it
comes to the people. In the west, when you get bored you take a
vacation on a tropical island. If you don’t want that, you go to the
pool, go to the mall, IN YOUR CAR, go watch a movie, hang out with your
friends. If this doesn’t suit you, you sue somebody just for the fun of
it. You even hire a lawyer, even if you know you won’t see your money
back because the law suit is stupid to begin with. Here, there is no
car, there is no time to get bored (you have to work, or search for
work, or kiss the boss’s ass to not fire you and work overtime), there
is no money to throw away on law suits (I’m in the middle of one right
now and if my mom doesn’t win, I think I’ll have another funeral around
here).
Not enough? Imagine queuing at a bank and eavesdropping on the loans
office. There’s an old lady there who wants to take a loan. How big do
you think the loan is? Well, not that big: 20 million old lei, that is
2000 new lei, 800 american dollars at this winter’s exchange rate, or
600 euro. I don’t remember the loan period, but it was at least a year,
if not more.
Now, how could someone like that do anything? I don’t imagine that her
family and friends had anything to spare and because they could help
her that’s why she had to make this loan.
OK, let’s say that she’s old and she lived her life. But then there are
the young people who barely make a living. They take similar loans for
5 year periods. And that crushes them. They have no opportunity to see
the other sides of life. All they can feel is that they’re fucked no
matter where they turn to. No time or money to learn a foreign
language, no time or money to learn how to drive a car, no money to buy
a car. No money to buy and no time to read books. They’re only escapes
are: alcohol, dancing in discos, meaningless sex, stuff they gets
things off their minds, not on their minds. When all you can think
about is getting things off your mind, how do you think getting another
job scores? Not that big, because the other just would just add to the
stress they already collected as time passed. It’s a lost cause.
Now, if most people had money (that is if there was a strong middle
class - as they call it), Romania wouldn’t suck so much, but they’d
still remain stupid. Now, if the state promoted learning (you already
have the money and the time, so do something usefull with them), like
they did in Japan, now that would be something really cool. But it
won’t happen.
Radu C | Jul 30, 2007 | Reply
Here I go again, blogging in your blog again
Radu C | Jul 30, 2007 | Reply
I am not sure how to take this. It should be
Anyway, I’ll be thinking about this
inspirational, but I find it deeply judgmental, and quite personal.
Perhaps because of our very discussion on the topic, just yesterday..
and with the house quote and all. I guess it was just too brief not to
have time for punching anyway
post. A lot. Peace, C.
C | Jul 30, 2007 | Reply
C, don’t take it personally, it was inspired by
something else: posts, very ugly that I have read (yes, written by
Romanians), and their comments. Judgmental? No, that was not my
intention. It was a strive to get people to see things for what they
are I guess. And besides, you really don’t fit in this category! I have
not heard you bitching about anything but yourself (and you are doing a
great job improving that - improvement from your point of view I mean).
Radu, there are poor people everywhere, trust me. And yes, some have a
harder time than the others. True…But if there is no many for monthly
payments, how come there’s money for alcohol and other such stuff.
People have a bad habit of making their life miserable. I’ve never had
everything out on a plate. Basically, since I moved to Bucharest, if I
wanted something more than paying for where I lived and food, I had to
work. And so I did. I have a car that I will pay for 6 years (Yay, year
1 is over!!!). When there was nothing else we could afford, we went
walking in the park. C. can give you details about dancing in the dorm.
If everything goes bad, find something nice to entertain yourself. And
do something to make your life better. Complaining and envy will take
you nowhere…
Alina Popescu | Jul 30, 2007 | Reply
I don’t think that those guys that say Romania sux
Erm.. this just crossed my mind: “when everything goes bad, find
use their money to buy as much alcohol as their liver can handle.
Actually, those are the guys that think live is good. It only sucks for
them when they run out of money to buy alcohol with, but that doesn’t
last that long and live becomes good again soon enough.
Buying a beer or two a week doesn’t count as “having money to buy
alcohol and other such things”. These guys have to deal with other
stuff:
- rent, so they have a place to stay (if they don’t own the place)
- utilities (water, electricity), so they can live sort of a decent
life
- food, so they can live
- transportation, so they can go to work, the place that pays their
subsistence (with a hard accent on “sub”)
- loan payments for stuff they bought for their homes (if they did and
didn’t spend the money foolishly)
You and I don’t count when it comes to them. We’re “rich” people. We
don’t live in mansions, buy you can and I could pay for a car just
fine. And still have money left. I happen to own my appartment (one of
the few wise choices my elders made), so I’m off the hook on this one.
Life sux because of other reasons.
I’m still here because I don’t want to leave just yet. And because some
close people would probably end up dead because of their own decisions
if I were to leave now. The rest are still here because they can’t
leave. Not that they don’t want to, but they can’t. There is no bridge
for them to cross safely if they did. Some of those who date to cross
without a bridge get lucky and become wealthy. Other become slaves to
their master, their papers taken, their “masters” abusing them, a lot
more hell than what they left at home. This is where being stupid comes
in.
Incidentally, I can only think “Tess of the d’Ubervilles” when it comes
to this matter.
People that make their life miserable usually are hypocrites. They say
life is hard, but they mean that only to the extent of their work-lives
and that they don’t have a big house with lots of servants in it.
Otherwise, life is just great as far as their concerned. They’d just
like not to work and still be able to live a decent life.
As for “complaining and envy will take you nowhere”, I almost learned
that lesson. Just a few more classes to go
something nice to entertain yourself”. “Nice” depends from person to
person. Alcohol is to some people “something nice to entertain
themselves with”. They rarely go for a free walk in the park though.
But the alcohol they drink is cheaper than bread, so I’m not sure that
it really counts.
There are too many angles on this matter to phrase a consistent idea.
Radu C | Jul 31, 2007 | Reply
My thoughts exactly :-)- I wrote a similar post a
while ago, on how “there” seems always to be better- so I will not
write my arguments again, but I do agree with you. I believe it’s about
making a choice and being able to assume it, to live with it.
Zu | Jul 31, 2007 | Reply
Radu, you are right, I might seem rich to some,
But some things I read really make me want to
although I am still quite far from that. Bills exist everywhere. And in
those places, they are usually larger. You described different choices.
And I think choices should be made and accepted. The basic goal of this
post is to show the situation exactly as it is. There are two options
if you hate this country: stay and live with it, or go. Nothing more. I
am not talking about special cases (I know people who took loans to
provide food for their family during the winter). This is about those
complaining the most. And yes they are hypocrites to some extent. And
yes they are unhappy, but not really concerned with day to day
survival. I aim at those people. As for alcohol being cheaper than
bread, I could argue that. But that is really a different story. Zu, I
know, I’ve read it
talk
Alina Popescu | Jul 31, 2007 | Reply
People complain because we were born like that, if
you don’t complain about your country, you complain about your job, and
if you don’t complain about your job you complain about the wheather.
People will always find something to complain about, and you also have
something to complain about. False? Read your posts: taxis, etc etc.
There is always something to complain. Of all the things that you
complain about there are things you can change and things you cannot
change. And it is true, there are lots of persons complaining about
Romania, I was one of them. This is why I am living abroad now. Am I
better now than where I was living in Romania? It’s just different. You
know from my last post how my first year in Spain was, and it was not
good at all. But you see, I complain about being here, and I hate it
most of the time, but now I cannot move to other country because of a
few reasons:
- I don’t know if it will be better
- This first experience was quite dissapointing
- In one month I will have a son
What can I do? Complain, complain, and complain. Because my job sucks,
because people here suck (people I know), because because because.
There is still something I can do, like study in order to get diplomas
that would help me get a better job. Until then, if they ask me, Spain
sucks.
The same applies to Romania, it is hard to leave, while complaining is
free. People sometimes need to feel miserable, in order to get
attention or something, but most of them are really trapt. It is not
easy to leave: you need to arrange lots of papers, you need to find a
place to leave, you need to leave behind your family and friends…
It’s not easy, it’s much easier to complain.
And you will forgive me, I know you will, but your post is a little bit
of a judgement, and there are things that are true and there are things
that are not. I have been there, complaining about Romania and about
life in there, and I know why I did it. I finally left in search for a
better life which I still haven’t found, and for that I still complain.
This is a subject which is too, too complicated to talk about. The next
time I come to Romania we should get a beer and talk about it.
Sim | Jul 31, 2007 | Reply
Sim, you at least tried. Complaining without acting
Yes, true, we are human beings, we feel the need to complain. But why
I know ya love me in the
on it, without trying to change things a little bit, is really
pointless. It just makes you and those around you miserable. Maybe it
is a judgment. But as you say, things suck everywhere. You can try
changing them or just accept them for what they are. Making your own
life bitter is not going to help at all. Now, I am quite sure you won’t
be the kind of mom that passes all her frustrations on her son, or
blame him for your remaining there. I’ve heard you complain, and I know
what I complain. You do it in an amusing manner and you never forget
the good things you have there: your son and that Spanish guy that
swept you off of your feet :)I on the other hand complain to point some
facts. It all has a purpose. And I doubt if you’d meet me or I’d come
meet you there all we’d talk about would be how much our life suck.
You’d talk about your son and how he plays with your organs if I am not
mistaken
not do it in a constructive manner and why on earth should we let it
eat us alive? I have never said staying or living is an easy job. It is
just something you need to decide on and act on it afterwards. And if
you look close enough, you’ll see those complaining are those that at
least theoretically have a lot of options. Should I remind you that the
last time you complained it was so out of the ordinary we were all
shocked by what you were saying? It never made you bitter or changed
who you are. Besides, having flaws and admitting to them never means
leaving it all aside. It means dealing with it and trying to change it.
I try to make a difference. When I am in a situation with no way out,
that I have no power over, I’ll try my best to make it appear better
than it actually is. Making your life more beautiful is indeed an art.
We should all try to learn it. Because the ugly truth is there’s no one
else more interested in cutting us some slack…
P.S. Of course I forgive you for anything
end
Alina Popescu | Jul 31, 2007 | Reply
What a beautiful entry, Alina. I love it when you
make a point, so clear and concise. I live in a foreign country,
although it was never my intention to leave Romania. I had a great job
back home. I was famous, had my own apartment, had enough money to be
able to go out each weekend Fridays and Saturdays and buy the nicest
clothes (if these things really matter!). So… I didn’t plan to leave.
It just happened. But I have news for those who believe life here is
better. It is not. The work is harder. Finding a job, as a foreigner,
is harder (unless you want to risk it and work black or you have a
brilliant mind and you master the language). Life is more expensive.
Health insurance is around 250-300
Mihaela Lica | Aug 1, 2007 | Reply
Hi Mig, thanks for your input, I was hoping you’d comment on this specific post.
But I hate to tell you that that rent sounds quite interesting right now…:(
Alina Popescu | Aug 1, 2007 | Reply
Romania sucks?! What’s wrong with you people?!
), or just take a really
as I’ve done my share of starvation
This country doesn’t suck at all, on the contrary. But some of it’s
inhabitants… And as people always do, they generalized the whole
thing to an entire society.
Life in another country is easier? Tell that to the foreigners I know
that have moved TO Romania.
But I do have to agree with what’s already been said: it’s easier to
complain and do nothing. Why’s that? Simple: It’s hard being a
foreigner. If you have the mind and strength to bear it all, you’ll
make it. If not, you’re better off staying home, bitching about
everything around you. And sometimes it’s enough to make just minor
changes in your life (compared to emigrating): get new friends (the old
ones got tired of your constant whining anyway), change your job, your
home, move to another city (I know I am
long vacation to clear your thought and pinpoint what is it that
bothers you and how can you change that, as I guarantee not all of
Romania sucks.
(this is ME complaining
(literally) in my little time on this little blue pearl and will be
doing some more in a while, but I’ll be damned if you’ll hear me
complaining about it - it’s my choice and a consequence of my trying to
improve my life)
Ryan | Aug 4, 2007 | Reply
Rent is probably not the most expensive thing. But
add all the other costs to it (light, water, gas, telephone, internet,
home insurance, helath insurance, car insurance) and TAX you’ll end up
with almost nothing. Pretty much the same as it happens in Romania.
Mihaela Lica | Aug 9, 2007 | Reply
Ryan, you are absolutely right. But what you and I
promote is quite hard to accomplish. Mig, you are right, it is pretty
much the same. Still, salaries are still worse in Romania. not by far,
true, but they are. I am waiting for this last bit to change
Alina Popescu | Aug 9, 2007 | Reply
What’s wrong, besides what you see on the news, with the USA? And Canada? Curious.
Frank | Nov 6, 2007 | Reply
Well, US and Canada are countries I’d visit, but
Although
Blame Karl May for that 
I’m just kidding. The truth is, I’d never move that far and if it looks
And other far away
Maybe when I’ll have that company
would never move there. I’ve talked to a lot of people moving to
Canada, remaining there or deciding to come back to Romania, and based
on their experience, there is little change for me going there. As for
the US, I don’t know, I met wonderful people from there, but it just
does not feel like the type of country I’d be attracted to…Plus, you
can add to that the “wonderful” experience of working as a tech support
engineer and having a lot of pissed off callers from the US
when I was a little kid, my dream was to go there and be Winnetou’s
wife
like getting colder than here, I am outta there :P. I have my mom here
and I can’t afford to come visit her twice a year
countries are an even worse idea: South America seems too dangerous,
Asia…too far, Africa…slightly closer, but it would guilt me out (I
feel guilty seeing beggars in Romania, it would kill me to see starving
and sick children too often). The perfect arrangement for me would be
to travel a lot, around the world
of my own that will happen
Alina Popescu | Nov 7, 2007 | Reply