Q&A: Daily Life

Today's is the last post in my Q&A series that I've been writing the past 3 months in response to questions I was asked about Romanian culture while I was in the US this spring. I hope you have enjoyed getting a glimpse into Romanian culture through this series.


Q: What types of homes do people live in?
A: This is a hard question to give a general answer to. There is a wide range of types of homes that the “average” Romanian could live in – from a Communist-era apartment building to a turn of the 20th century traditional house to one which has been newly-built.

In many cities, you will see the typical gray apartment buildings which were constructed during the Communist era:

Some of them have been repainted in recent years in a wide variety of bright colors:

Each region of the country has its own style of house. In the area of Transylvania where I live, this type of house is prevalent, reflecting the German-Saxon influence: 

Almost always, a home (like the one pictured above) will have a gated courtyard.


Q: Where do people shop?
A: It depends where you are and what you want to buy.

Here in Sighisoara, you can go to the open-air market where fresh fruits and vegetables are sold. Although some vendors are there 7 days a week, most are there only on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Those are the days that most Romanians go to the market.

There are also small grocery stores like this one (or smaller) in almost every neighborhood:

There are large 2 supermarkets in Sighisoara.

If you're in a big city, you can go to the mall. There are several malls like this one in Bucharest:

Q: What household chores are different in Romania than in the US?
A: Here are some examples of household chores in Romania.

This is my washing machine. (Unlike washing machines in the US that take about 25 minutes for a load of laundry, this European model takes about 2 hours.)

And this is my dryer. Drying time depends on air temperature and humidity. It's usually dry by the next day.

I personally prefer to vacuum my rugs, but many of my Romanian neighbors insist that the only way to have clean rugs is to take them outside and beat them.

Q: What do people use to heat their homes?

A: Most people use natural gas. Until recently, this was a rather inexpensive way to heat homes. In the past 5 years or so, natural gas prices have greatly increased. Some people choose to heat with wood instead. Even the cost of wood is increasing, meaning that winter is often very difficult for many people to heat their homes.

This is my central heating unit. It provides heating and instant hot water:

I have radiators like this one in each room in my apartment

Before buildings had central heating, many were heated with terracotta stoves like this one. The tiles retain the heat for hours, and they can be configured for use with natural gas or with wood.

It's not very common for homes in Sighisoara to have air conditioning, but in other parts of the country it is getting to be more common. Units like this one provide cooling in the summer, and some also provide heat in the winter.

Q: Is the electricity the same in Romania as in the US?

A: Romania, like most of continental Europe, uses 220 volts (rather than the American standard of 110). The plugs are shaped differently, too. Many electrical devices (like computers) have power supplies manufactured to use 100-240 volts, so they simply need a plug adapter. Other devices, not rated for use with 220, also need a power converter.