She had heard that the U.S. was an incredible place to live and that it would be like paradise. When she got here she was more than a little disappointed. She said that we live in a beautiful country, yet it wasn't as great as it was made out to be. After a year and a half, they moved to Oregon and have lived here since.
When my interview began, Anca was a little shy at first. She would simply and quickly answer the questions. About half way through she started opening up and sharing with me more than I was asking. One of the first questions I asked (because it is on my mind often), was about the food. In Romania they don't eat in restaraunts as we do in America. She had never been to a sit-down restaurant until she"d been in America for two years. Families eat meals at home. Mothers and daughters prepare and cook meals for everyone while the dads and boys are out working. She said that the food is very similar with the food in America. One thing in particular that they enjoy are cabbage rolls. She has heard lately that Romania is becoming more Americanized with the coming of McDonalds and Taco Bell. .
The houses that they live in are very nice. They are very big and are constructed with bricks. She said that wood houses are inferior because they are not as sturdy as bricks. The houses are on the outskirts of town, where people in the city live mostly in apartments. In a typical Romanian house you will find many family photos. Family ties and relationships with family are held in high esteem. In their spare time, families visit one another. I was very impressed with this value that they hold. I appreciate the fact that their culture puts high value on relationships. This is a big contrast in values to that of America. Many people in America fill there spare time watching T.V., eating out, or worrying about where they can make more money. I wish our culture put more value on relationships like the Romanians do.