Us right after Catalin received his visa from the US Embassy, Bucharest. I created this blog a few months before moving to Romania in 2011. Euroviv I jokingly told my friends is the newer, more sophisticated version of myself. I was making light of the fact that I'd be 'Europeanized' over here, that this move to Romania would change me a bit. What do you know, that is exactly what happened. I now put a premium on having fresh...

I'm in the middle of packing so this will be quick. One of the best souvenirs to bring back from Europe is....WINE. You can find great wine at any price point. A taste of Europe ya? But wait, that wine bottle needs to go in your luggage. Will it make the trip? Glass+Liquid+Int'l Flight= Anxiety. Last time I went to Texas I was adamant on bringing four bottles for my parents. This time I've got wine and some beautiful Romanian...

One of the first things I did after arriving in Romania was buy a cell phone package that included international minutes. My family is very close-knit so the ability to call them was important to me. Unfortunately I quickly found out those international minutes run out fast. I had 'phone card syndrome' where the pleasure of speaking to someone is spoiled by thoughts of 'am I going to run out of minutes?' Plus my family...

Going to visit Ravasel, the small village where Viorica grew up, has been on my to-do list for a while. It is only an hour's drive away from Medias and is so tiny it is not counted as its own place on the map. A google map search for Ravasel will bring up Mihaileni, Romania–it is the core of a cluster of villages within the area. I think you've got the idea of its size now let me tell you why this place is so interesting....

September was an eventful month for me. The weather changed from scorching hot everyday to beautifully warm with cool nights. Perfect weather for long walks and running errands. Each time I stepped past the entrance gate into Viorica's garden I was greeted with the sweet smell of ripening grapes on the vine. If you're trying to imagine this from home, just stick your nose in a Welch's grape juice bottle, it is the same...

In the past I've visited Cluj on business but this weekend was all pleasure. Cata and I hopped into our classy ride (an old school dacia) and spent a few days roaming the city where he once attended university. If you're visiting from Bucharest I think you'll definitely notice how clean the streets are in Cluj. It is a nice looking city that has old world charm plus new world fun (hello shopping mall). Going to the movies and...

The joy of homemade gem or dulceata was first made known to me after Viorica gave me a jar of her homemade strawberry jam almost two years ago. Everyone's mother or grandmother makes sweet batches of fruit preserve annually; it is a common practice here. The fun part comes in tasting variations in recipes from different households. Some add vanilla, others add lemon, all taste good to me (except for quince). Until today I...

 Everyone is preparing for the coming winter here in Medias. That means lots of cooking and canning in the kitchen. Viorica is making tomato sauce right now but before that was zacusca –a vegetable spread. As usual this is all new to me, the foreigner! I've never in my life seen people prepare for winter. In Texas there is no need really. To join in on the preparations I decided to try making my own pickles...

We went to Remet this weekend for Viorica's 66th birthday. It is about a two hour drive from Medias into the mountains. You'll find lots of little cabins in the area, hikers, and camp grounds. The hike was beautiful but this pile of trash along the path was not. Littering is a big problem in Romania. Walk, ride or drive through the country's cities and you'll see piles of trash along the roadway, along train tracks, and...

After doing a few calculations to see if it was even possible, Cata and I decided to swap Bucharest for Medias this summer. We've been here for a month so far and I don't regret that decision one bit. Home cooking, cool summer evenings, grilled everything, and family-  It sure is nice to be home. All we are missing is a visit from our dear Bucharest friends, hai la noi! Grillin...

Don Lothrop is described by the interviewer as "not a businessman but firstly a civic minded person". Lothrop has visited Romania 58 times since his first trip in 2003, in fact his American friends jokingly call him "The Romanian". He has some great insights on the biggest problems facing Romania today and what the future may hold. He touches on the following topics: illegal logging, economic fairness,...

I did a bad bad bad thing (cue music). One afternoon we visited the Antipa Museum of Natural History and upon seeing their displays I kind of broke their no photo policy...a lot. Trust me I don't make a habit of breaking museum rules especially at art museums but I couldn't fight the urge to document and share the crazy things inside this museum. The set ups are pretty cool to look at and in some cases (see wild-eyed...

Every now and then I receive an email from someone who wants to move to Romania or is at least considering the idea. They often have the same questions I had before moving. I remember searching the web for any kind of first-hand information to no avail back in 2010 before I moved. So below are the top five questions I receive from readers and their answers. I must preface this with the reminder that...

...

Grand staircase of the former royal palace (now the National Art Museum) about 4am. Photo by Catalin Abag...

I did it! Took the 1 hour drive to Ruse, Bulgaria. These are a few outtakes from the days photos, to see more visit my photography blog vivianphoto. ...