Halfway down the Danube

Bucharest: Real Post Report

I recently wrote a Real Post Report for Bucharest.

A Real Post Report is something you find at a site called talesmag.com. Talesmag collects reports from expats around the world about what it's *really* like to live in a place. It was founded a few years back by some US State Department employees (anonymously, of course). It now includes reports from all sorts of people, but it still is pretty oriented towards the State Department.

I'm not a State Department employee, BTW.

Anyway, the idea is pretty simple... they just ask you to answer a list of questions honestly, and then they post the answers on their site. They've got over 100 countries covered. So if you're vaguely thinking of moving to, say, Botswana, there's probably a recent report telling you what it's like to live there.

My report is below the flip. (Oh, and we have an older report on Belgrade from when we lived there, too. 2+ years old, but still there under "Serbia".)

September 2005
By Douglas Muir

Travel time and best routes to this city from Europe or the US: Bucharest has regular daily flights to all major European cities, including London, Paris, and Frankfurt. Travel times are 2-3 hours. From there, you catch a transatlantic flight (another 8-10 hours) to the US East Coast or Midwest. Low-cost budget airlines have just started service here; there's one going twice weekly from Romania to Madrid.

Pollution index? Moderate to Unhealthy. Leaded gas and a lot of dirty diesel trucks and buses foul the air. On the other hand, for a city of 2 million, especially in Eastern Europe, it's not that bad.

Security concerns? We felt very safe on the streets. Petty theft is an issue, as are packs of stray dogs. There are allegedly a lot of scams, but we never had a problem with these—possibly they're more targeted at tourists. Take reasonable urban precautions and you should be fine.

Housing: Decent housing is widely available, but prices can be surprisingly high. I walk to work, but this is not typical. Many expats live in villa-style housing developments north of the city, about a 20-minute commute from the center.

International schools: There are at least half a dozen international schools, from the British School to the Montessori. We sent our son to the International School, and it was excellent. We've had a very good experience with this school. However, it's a bit pricey, and there's a waiting list. So contact them well in advance. Generally, none of the expat families seem to have a problem finding a good school.

Preschool/daycare available: Expats usually use babysitters or nannies instead of daycare.

Is this a good city for families/singles/couples? Yes, yes and yes. It's generally thought to be particularly good for single men, less good for single women. While it isn't as child-friendly as some American cities, there are lots of parks with playgrounds, and you're a reasonable drive from beaches and mountains. If you look around a bit, there's everything from paintball to pony rides.

Is it a good city for gay/lesbian expats? There's a gay scene here, but it's discreet. Romania is an Orthodox country and in some ways rather conservative.

Are there problems with racial, religious or gender prejudices? Some, not serious. Dark-skinned expats may occasionally be mistaken for Gypsies.

What difficulties would someone with physical disabilities have living in this city? Bucharest is not a handicapped-friendly city.

Interesting/fun things to do: Bucharest is a vibrant city; if you can't find something interesting to do here, you're not easily pleased. There's a very active nightclub scene, opera, and classical music concerts nightly at the Athenaeum. There are lots of pop music concerts, although mostly by second-string or has-been acts from the West or local bands you've never heard of. There are twenty or more movie theaters, with most major English-language movies opening a few weeks after the US. You'll find thousands of bars and cafes and hundreds of restaurants with every cuisine and price range. You're just a couple of hours away from the mountains to the north and the beaches to the east.

What fast food and decent restaurants are available? The city has several McDonald's, a couple of KFCs and some Pizza Huts. You can order out for pizza (variable) and Chinese (usually bad). Restaurants include Italian, Hungarian, French, German, Indian, Greek, Swiss, Fusion, and Japanese; and that's just for starters. The restaurants are one of the high points of living here.

What is the availability (and the relative cost) of groceries and household supplies? Bucharest has everything but IKEA. A dozen or so European megastores, like Praktiker and Carrefour ring the outskirts of the city. (For American readers, these are the European equivalents of WalMart and Price CostCo.) Supermarkets big and small are everywhere.

What comments can you make about using credit cards and ATMs? ATMs are everywhere. Both the local bank and your home bank will nail you for a service charge, so each withdrawal will probably cost around $4-5. Economize by withdrawing the maximum amount each time -- typically 2,000 New Lei (about US$700).

Local banks are mostly bad. Oh, your money is safe, but they have no tradition of customer service and will hit you with lots of niggling little charges.

You can use credit cards all over the place, but think carefully first: credit card fraud is a problem here. Don't use your credit card unless you're in a reputable place (like a major hotel chain) and check your billing. If you use PayPal, make sure you notify them that you're traveling to Romania. Otherwise, they may freeze your account! Romania does not yet formally allow PayPal transactions, so PayPal doesn't allow them to originate from Romanian ISPs.

Are local trains, buses, and taxis safe? Affordable? Trains are good if you take the highest categories.

Items you would ship if you could do it again? High-end child care items, like good strollers and child beds, are very expensive here. Ship them. Bring books; there are a few English-language book stores, but if you're a reader, you'll quickly exhaust them.

Availability and cost of domestic help: Domestic help is cheap and very good, but you have to shop around a little. Everyone will claim to have lots of experience, to speak perfect English, etc., whether they do or not. Get and check references. If you're with the US Embassy, ask about the Dacian Dispatch, a weekly newsletter that includes ads for nannies and housekeepers. All of our domestic helpers have been pleasant, hard-working, and very affectionate to our two boys. The biggest problem seems to be reliability: everything from getting to work on time, to consistently doing the job that's asked instead of the one that the maid thinks needs doing. Again, check references. Also be aware that there can be cross-culture communication issues, something Americans in particular can be surprised by (because Romanians "look like us").

How much of the local language do you need to know for daily living? You can get around Bucharest with English, but out in the country it's a lot harder. A bit of basic Romanian (please, thank you, numbers and directions) goes a long way. Romanians are very proud of their language, so learning even a little will get a very positive reaction.

English-language religious services available? Denominations? There is a Catholic church with services in English and French. Several Protestant denominations are present but I don't know about the languages. There are small Jewish and Muslim communities.

English-language newspapers and TV available? Cost? There are two English-language newspapers. Cable will get you CNN, BBC, MTV and Euronews.

Internet access cost and quality: Internet access is everywhere, both dialup and cable. Go with cable if possible. Not only is it faster, but dialup has you paying for the local call.

Size of expat community: At least several thousand.

Morale among expats: Good. Bucharest has its problems, but it's a perfectly decent post. And if you get bored it's very easy to hop on a plane or train and go somewhere else.

Are there decent job opportunities for expats on the local economy? No. Romanian pay scales are far below American and Western European wages. You might get lucky and find a job that needs a trained expat, but don't count on it.

Entertaining/social life: Very active. It's easy to meet people. Romanians love to entertain, and the expat scene is pretty good, too.

Dress code at work and in public: American/European standard. Shorts on men are considered a bit odd.

Any health concerns? What is the quality of medical care available? No major health concerns, but the quality of medical care is an issue. Romania's public health care system is a mess. There are good private clinics. Ask around.

You can leave behind your: Bicycles; Bucharest is not bike-friendly. There are no bike paths, and drivers, who are horrible to begin with, don't understand why a child's toy is trying to take up their road space.

But don't forget your: warm clothes for winter, sun block for summer, and books if you're a reader.

If you're a vegetarian, be ready to cook for yourself. You might want to bring a vegetarian cookbook. Romania is a country of carnivores, and it is very hard to find veggie dishes on restaurant menus. Also, don't forget your patience, especially for dealing with Romanian bureaucracy.

Weather patterns? The country has a continental climate, similar to the American Midwest. Summers are hot and humid, winters cold and dark. Spring and (especially) autumn are very nice.

Can you save money? Yes.

What can you spend it on? Traveling and eating out.

Knowing what you now know, would you still go there? Absolutely.

Any other comments: We've had a very good time here. Bucharest has had an unfairly bad reputation. Our experience has been that an expat can live comfortably here and also have a very interesting time. We recommend it.

Posted by douglas at September 24, 2005 06:03 PM