The Diaspora - An Interview With Bogdan

Bogdan is one of the readers of this blog. Unfortunately for him, he hasn't had much to read lately, but after finishing his exams, he was kind enough to send his answers to some questions about life outside of Romania - thereby fueling the blog with some new material.

1. When did you leave to Scotland?

I arrived in Scotland, in Aberdeen, when I was 5.

2. What are your most vivid memories of Romania?

The experience of the Bucharest's metro system has been imprinted on my memory since I was four or five. The old leather seats of the "Personale" trains and the way train journeys lasted eternities when I was a child. Picking potatoes in the Romanian countryside, and eating as many chips as I can (the Roman in me). Staring at stars, also in the countryside, while drinking hot milk. 

3. Do you visit often, or stay in touch with friends here?

I visit Romania every summer, mostly to visit relatives however. I've just graduated, and I'll be spending a gap year there now, partly teaching economics in Bucharest (voluntarily), partly in the countryside.

4. Are there any similarities between Scotland and Romania -or the Scots and the Romanians?

I wouldn't dwell on the similarities between the Scotland and Romania. The differences are most interesting; Romania's landscapes remind me of Grimm's Fairy Tales, Scotland's remind you of Wuthering Heights. Romanians are old-fashioned conservatives, the Scots are social libertarians. The Scottish are left-leaning relative to the rest of the UK, whereas Romania believes that the government that governs best is the one that governs least...

5. What do you study and what do you consider to be the most striking differences between the education systems?

I study Economics. Romanians are not afraid to use the term stupid. Half or so of a high school cohort in Romania fail their Baccalaureate. This used to be the case in Britain fifty years ago. You have to admire Romanians for not dumbing down their curricula.

6. What perception do Scots -or other students you meet - have about Romania? Do you agree with them?

If you are a reader of "newspapers" like The Sun, then you're likely to believe Romanians have come to claim benefits, or steal jobs from the British working class, (there's also the case of maintaining national identity, but I omit this). But what bothers me is not economic 'debates' with no logical consistency. It's that the British fail to see that Romania is not a grim country somewhere in Eastern Europe. At the very least, it is like Italy, with a countryside that it has inherited from the Middle Ages. Beyond this, you can appreciate it's food, it's openness, it's films, poets like Bacovia.

7. If you were able to find work in Romania after graduation, would you work here?

I would like to have that option. I'd like to get into policy-making, or academic research. Neither happens in Romania, if I may be blunt. 

8. What would you change about Scotland? What about Romania?

In Scotland, the main thing to tackle is gross inequality. British visitors comment sadly on the Communist architecture, for such sensibilities, one might think they'd notice the slums of Britain--the British poor are much "poorer" and socially-excluded than the Romanian "poor". As for Romania. I'd reform education. Reduce bureaucracy, taxation. Things like that. Firstly of course, corruption should properly tackled. For instance, I cannot find a reason why paper money cannot be eliminated and debit cards used for payments, as in Britain. Then regulate the banks to make them monitor all incomes entering the bank accounts of doctors, postmen, policemen, judges, politicians, as well as that of their relatives. Eliot Ness faced off Al Capone with a group of men called the Untouchables. Famously, they could not be bribed. I think an anti-corruption agency should be set up that intentionally bribes other public officials, and dishonest officials should be prosecuted as if their duties had actually been compromised. The thought of accepting a bribe should bring up the image of the golden cup in the center of Târgoviște.
(A little background on that golden cup here: http://vladiiitheimpaler.blogspot.ro/p/vlad-iii-anecdotes.html - matt )

9. In your mind, what are Romania's strengths and weaknesses?

I have a black and white view of Romania's potential. For its natural resources and human capital, Romania should, after many critical reforms, attract international capital and quickly develop into a far, far richer state, as it should be. At the moment, nothing is changing. I have seen many people suffering, living lives they would not had they been born into a different country. I am not callous towards their suffering, but where's the anger? Where are the protests, the riots? When you ask the young Romanian about their political beliefs, and they readily and passionately give you answers, that's when Romania will change. 

10. Finally, would you ever live in Romania? Why/Why not?

No, because the countryside, the mountains, Lugoj, and all the other things I love about the place will be there for me when I visit Romania. To live in Romania implies working there (since, it's too early to speak about retirement), and having to depend on the country's institutions. I suspect I can't do this and keep my sanity. For instance, I refuse to purchase anything when shop-keepers offer me sweets instead of change, or don't give me receipts. 

I'm very thankful to Bogdan for sharing his thoughts with us. I find it fascinating to hear from Romanians who are now in the position I was in only a couple of years ago; still in touch with their Romanian identity yet far from home. Looking for more of your stories, email me anytime!

When Nostalgia Comes To Life

I spent the entire train ride from Blaj to Cluj with my head out the window, marveling at the scenery.

I had a very spacious disabled person's compartment to myself (I didn't even know that CFR had disabled compartments). I could've laid down and napped across the three seats, read an ebook, or done about three hundred push ups (I wish!). But I couldn't tear myself from the window, the wind, and the sun.

If I had to explain it right then, why I love Romania, all I had to do was point out that window. The rolling hills, all painted in different hues of green and gold. The dark, earthy canvas of arable land yet to yield its fruit. Flocks of sheep and their shepherds - both of  the human and canine variety.  Bright yellow fields of canola. And of course, orchards in full bloom. The entire trip was a portrait, or maybe an ode, to Spring in all its splendor. I couldn't get enough.

When I lived in Toronto, all nostalgic thoughts of Romania culminated with an image very similar to the one outside that open window. Images that were non-existent in the raw wilderness of Ontario. Seeing it now, come to life from my mind's eye, it was almost as if it belonged to me. A bit strange to say, but in retrospect, I was looking at a part of me.

The whole thing gave me the perfect perspective into who I am now, and what my bipolar nationality really means. Canada is forever in my heart. Growing up in Toronto molded me into a pretty decent citizen of the world. But Romania is my soul.

The Best of European Stereotypes

Our compartment was full –it shouldn't have been since we had two of the seats. But two kids were sleeping on four of the eight seats. The family shuffled around to make some space for us. After putting our luggage away and playing musical chairs with other people in the compartment, one of the ladies said, “It’s hard travelling with kids.”

“Harder for us than for them” I said, remembering when I rode the train as a kid it was always a bit of an adventure.
Then the guy, who I assumed was the dad, said to the still sleeping boy, “It’s only going to get harder from here, sonny, only going to get harder”

I doubt that the kid heard, or registered it, he was still sleeping. But it got me thinking. This is a far cry from the way people talk to kids in Canada. Where, ‘everything is going to be okay’ all the time. This is a harsh place to grow up; you’re not one of the lucky few to be born into a relatively well-to-do family, it is always going to get harder. Nobody here has reservations about telling it like it is. Doesn't matter if you’re five, fifteen, or fifty, life’s a bitch and you know it. If, for some reason you didn't know it, there’s always somebody to remind you –directly or indirectly, it doesn't matter, no free passes.

This kid is lucky though. It’s unlikely he’ll ever have to live through war, famine, or other any other calamities that many other kids in this world endure. He’ll go to school, have friends, grow up, learn about life his own way, and hopefully he’ll be a decent human being. In the end, his path might not be much different from a Canadian’s. But his dad was right, it’ll be harder.

I remember a friend of mine referring to Eastern Europeans in the UK as ‘moody’. “They’re such moody people,” she’d say, annoyed at her memories of working at a restaurant with some Polish girls, “I don’t think I saw them smile even once!” That is very moody. But let’s take a step back. What about the French? They’re pretty crabby too. The Brits are either snooty or loutish. Spaniards are unapologetic racists with terrorist tendencies. Italians are bragging loudmouths. Germans are some sort of emotionless robots. Eastern Europeans are moody. And so on. 

The French, English, Spanish, Italians, and Germans would all be extremely offended by the negative generalizations I just made about them, but Eastern Europeans wouldn't. They’d say, “YES! That’s how we are!” And they would like, share, and thumbs up the story. We’re like the Grumpy Cat of the world. We raise our kids to be just as grumpy, we hope none of us get too far ahead of the other and we take everything, especially good news, with a fistful of salt. The food in this part of the world is often over salted, in fact…

Generalizations and stereotypes aside, I’m more interested in the truth.

The truth is that life is hard. Maybe shielding kids from the reality of life and ‘the way of the world’ is actually a mistake. I look at the differences between friends from Canada and those in Romania and what I see are two types of people. The people I know in Canada aspire for a carefree lifestyle with minimal commitments, and lots of entertainment and variety, while those here are much more grounded in reality; work, family, and the rest of it –all that grown up stuff. In Canada, thirty is the new twenty, in Romania, thirty is old.

On one hand, it’s sad to think that a five year old already knows all about how tough life can be. I find that it’s just as sad that over-privileged thirty-year-olds in another part of the world don’t know it. I have a feeling that if they did, the future wouldn't be as hard for the kid on the train. Then again, it seems much easier to be fulfilled in life when you have a positive attitude than when you're being moody all day.

It's a matter of choice, isn't it?

Your Ticket Out Of Romania (aka. "Cum Sa Scapi Din Romania")

That's it. I've had it.

I keep promoting Romania as a 'Land of Opportunity'. I write about the businesses that can flourish here. I keep saying, "Be the change" and, "Yes it can be done, even in Romania." And, well, I'm not entirely wrong, but I'm more wrong than I'm right.

Opportunity here is limited to an immature and uneducated market. You can have the best idea but once you put it in practice it'll likely come crashing down -you're just too early for this market, bub. You can be the change, but you'll be pretty lonely. Finally, even if you start a new business, it won't flourish.

I know I sound bitter, wanna know why?

I have a friend who's the co-founder of a promising startup. Over the weekend a client messaged him saying their bank was refusing to make transfers to a Romanian bank; too high risk, they said. He now has to scramble to add PayPal support to his product. I asked him what he's planning to do about the situation in the long run. He said that he'd need to look for a 'low risk' country that will allow him to incorporate the business and open a bank account. Anyway, he said, they'd have to eventually do this because once they hit 30,000 Euro in revenue, they'll need to start charging a 25% sales tax (VAT).

Truth is, they will hit that figure sooner or later and this will force them to raise the pricing for their subscription plans if they want enough of a profit to fuel their growth. If they do that, then two things will happen: clients will get pissed off and they won't be competitive anymore. Either of these events can be the kiss of death for a startup, both at once are an execution. I doubt anyone in the Romanian government's ever had a startup though, otherwise they'd realize it's a ludicrous situation, and that it's great for Canada.

In Ontario, the harmonized sales tax (HST) business charge is 13% after $20,000 in revenue. Makes a bit of a difference. But what makes a bigger difference is the policy attitude towards new business, particularly startups. The federal and provincial governments have been making some good progress on this end since about 2010. They're supporting a highly successful Accelator,  created a new Ministry of Research and Innovation, and a couple of weeks ago, they added the cherry on top. Thanks to a couple of Romanians, Canada is the first country to offer a Startup Visa. Canada is now poised to offer over 2,500 startup visas this year. One of those will go to a future Amazon, another to a future Facebook, one to an Apple, and so on. It's not prophecy, it's just a game of numbers, one that Romania's clearly not interested in.

Don't get me wrong, things are happening, but it's Romania so you know it's gonna be backasswards. First, they're going to build the 'entrepreneurship infrastructure'. Apparently a lack of buildings is what's holding our startups back. Then, they're going to invite some really big tech companies to 'anchor' the project. As we all know, massive corporations are the epitome of startup living and can really provide guidance and support to budding entrepreneurs. Finally, every software engineer in Romania is going to be so impressed by the shiny new buildings that they'll rush in to occupy every inch of office space. And then Romania's GDP will increase by 5%.

That piece I wrote before, about the Silicon Valley pipe dream, was rather optimistic in its cynicism. It's not how I feel now. Back then, I imagined our entrepreneurs still living in Romania, still hustlin' and trying to build value here -now I know they're going to be in Canada, raising the GDP by 10%.

Curious to hear from Romanian readers. What do you think about this ticket out of here? What do you think the Romanian government could do in order to halt the eventual wave of departing entrepreneurs?

The Diaspora - An Interview With Andreea F.

Andrea is a very common name for girls in Romania, so it's not surprising that out of a handful of interviews we now have another Andrea sharing her story of emigration and life away from Romania. What is particularly interesting here is that Andrea emigrated as a toddler, so while she didn't grow up in Romania like most of those who emigrated to the West, she still feels the pull of her native homeland and is seriously considering moving back someday. Andrea is currently attending university in Ontario and studying for a degree in  Business Administration.

1. When did your family leave Romania? Where did you move?

My parents left in 1997 (when I was three), and I followed seven months later in 1998. We first lived in Toronto, where we stayed for about five years.

2. Are you in touch with Romanian culture (language, traditions, holidays, etc.)?

I would say "Hell yes" if I thought it was true; unfortunately I have to settle for a boring "I believe so...". This is because no matter how much I may love Romania or do Romanian things -it will never be the same as if I grew up there; I depend on my parents and grandparents to uphold and teach me the traditions. However I do go to Romania every summer (for the entire summer), speak, read, & write, and my grandparents come live with us for six months, every year. So I am aware of much of the culture, and my grandparents have made sure Romania is still a part of our daily life in Canada (Romanian radio, satellite, newspaper, Remi [aka, Rummikub], books, food, stories, pacalici [cards] and so forth). We go to church -especially during the major holidays, watch Eurovision (I love that competition), celebrate ziua martisorului, listen to how Basescu screwed up Romanian civilization on the radio, and so on.

3. Do you visit often? 

Definitely. I have fights with my parents every year around January about how Romania is worth it. They say I don't accomplish anything by going there and there's no point in staying for such a long time, or so often. It's not that they don't appreciate Romania, but they say that my future is here -why do I keep looking back? My answers are never satisfactory -for them or myself. I just feel like Romania recharges me. It's a break from Canada and the technology ( I don't have a computer in Romania) and the society and...everyone really. I love the simplicity, the idea of seeing a horse and buggy in the city, hearing folk music on the radio, having animals in my backyard even when I'm not on a farm etc. I love everything about the environment, the outhouses instead of toilets, the flies inside the house, the beautiful churches everywhere, and the open markets (and lack of malls). The nature is beautiful and a highlight; and though the people may not be to everyone's liking (even to my own sometimes), my entire family and some of my best friends live there. My happiest memories are of my summers in Romania.
On a slightly different topic, I also completed parts of grade 3 and 5 there.

4. What are three differences that strike you most?

The simplicity of life (in the villages anyway). The increased freedom (especially for young people). The lack of happiness; I feel like people complain their lives away -about corruption, low salaries, the standard of living, the declining education system, the lack of jobs, the failing culture etc etc etc -but no one really does anything to change that; even in their own small way. I feel like the Romanian people need to be shaken and empowered.

5. What do you like best about Romania?

Everything? Haha, this is a hard question. I love everything about Romania -except sometimes the downhearted and cynical people. I love the radio, the TV stations, the villages, the nature, the language, the music (though it really is becoming way too sexual), and the food of course. I even like muzica populara -which is not something many young people can say.

6. What do you dislike about it?

As I've mentioned, I find the people are too rooted in their bitterness and that very few have the will to change things (and if you do, you're often hindered by those who don't). I wish they would be kinder, more truthful  more caring, -and less superficial and dramatic (especially the reality shows). I also wish people would act more civilized -particularly towards the Roma. Though many hate the tigani -and sometimes for good reason, I feel (just like Ghandi) that you need to be the change you want to see in the world. If you're tired of how they act or their actions -then change yours and see how they respond. Overall, I feel like Romanians need a kick in the butt, end their moping, and start forgiving and moving forward.

7. What do you consider to be a root cause for the negative light in which Romania is often portrayed? Do you think it's justified?

I feel like Romanians have given up on their country, their image, and themselves -so why should others uphold a glorified or even positive image of us when we can't do it ourselves? If we showed a willingness to improve I think things would be different. But instead we let our problems go wherever they will -whether that's to France (the influx of Roma people), to China (the fight over Chinese vs. Romanian highway workers), or to all the countries emigrants choose. So I believe the negative light is justified, because I have no respect for those who see a problem yet do not try to fix it. I know I am simplifying the situation shamelessly -but as an overarching problem, I think this is it.

8. Would you like to live in Romania someday? Why/why not?

I say a definitive "Yes". I love it there, and I am happiest there -so I better return there! However, I also know it is very very hard to make a good life for yourself, and there much fewer opportunities; so I plan to make something of myself here, then take my success (in the form of a business most likely) and start applying it in Romania -at least then I can make life better for a few people, even if they are just my employees.

9. Do you ever "promote" Romania where you are? Are you proud of your heritage or do you not mention it?

If you asked my friends this, they would give you an earful. They always hear me say things like, " this reminds me of Romania", "this smells like Romania", "you know, in Romania there are ...yadda yadda yadda.". And when people at university ask where I'm from, I always say Romania first, then my hometown in Canada. Lastly, my biggest pet peeve is when people see me as Canadian now, and Romanian as my past -I will never be Canadian, because I feel no love for Canada. (Wow, that sounds harsh). I am a proud Romanian and always will be -no matter what my parents or anyone else thinks.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Andrea's answers. They provide an outlook that is both hopeful and sobering. Hopeful because she can see that improvement in Romania is within reach, so long as we are active and try to make a change for the better -even a personal one (such as adjusting our attitudes). The sad, sobering, truth is that we still seem to be a long way away from this shift in mentality, and this means we're not that close to any positive change at all.

The Diaspora - An Interview With Paul

Looks like these keep rolling in, and I'm grateful not only because it keeps the blog 'fed' with new material, but mostly because I get a lot of personal enjoyment out of reading the thoughts that my overseas compatriots have about the place I now call home. The strangest part of all this, believe it or not, is to play the part of interviewer. Five years ago, if you told me that I'd end up moving back to Romania, even temporarily, I would've said you're crazy. I had no such plans and if anybody asked me these questions I'd have said things that are very similar to what Eduard, Andrea, and now, Paul, are saying.

Paul and I were teammates on the greatest Romanian indoor soccer team of all time, F.C Carpatini, but the after game Chilli bowls and Romanian banter was just as fun. Soccer unites all of us Romanians, even when we're so far from home, but -as Paul describes below - there's always more to it.

1. What year did you leave Romania and under what circumstances?

My parents and I came to Canada in the spring of 1993, when I was 13 years old and Canada was in a recession. We came with proper paperwork as my dad had worked with Canadians and Brits on the CANDU reactors back home, and had lots of recommendations as he was one of the top engineers in Romania.

2. What was the most striking difference between Romania and your new country?
One of the first things that I noticed was how people threw out perfectly good things on their curbs during garbage day. Couches, stereos, TVs and so on were a common sight. I picked up, fixed and used my first stereo for free for a few years right from the curb. I also found it odd how much food everyone ate and how little kids played outdoors around our apartment building. Once we moved to a more European area, I finally found others to play with, but it still didn't have that same feeling as it did home.

3. How long did it take you to adjust to the new language and culture?

My father already spoke English very well, but my mother and I had a very basic grasp. My mother being the Romanian language and literature high school teacher thought she'd motivate me to learn faster if we made it a competition. An unfair one at that, since at that age, my brain was a sponge and within half a year I moved out of the ESL class into a regular English one. Moving to high school the very next year was a bit of a shock, but as I started to play every sport I could I made more friends and by grade ten I had a solid social and academic life. Eventually, my accent smoothed out and it became an easier lifestyle all the way through to university.

 4. What do you like most about living there?

Initially, the availability of all kinds of foods, electronics and possibility to make an honest living without cheating and lying, was a relief for my family. But as the first year passed, my university educated parents had a real tough time adjusting and finding work. Wherever my father was interviewed he was told apologetically that "without Canadian experience" he would not get the job, which would be hard to acquire without someone giving him the chance. In the end, he finally broke through the system but not without working for free painting AC units for a year. Hard work and patience did pay off in the end and the system came through for us when we needed it. The welfare, education and health systems are some of the best in the world in Canada, and we were very thankful for that.

5. Did/do you miss Romania? If so what in particular?
I did miss all my family and friends and still do. I did travel home the very next summer though, and was quickly reminded why we moved. The cheat-everyone-everywhere "gypsy" mentality and attitude was enough to send me back to Canada without any regrets every other year I went to visit Romania. It got slightly better every time but not enough for me to change my mind. I loved and still love travelling out of Bucharest where people tend to get more pure and truly Romanian, as they used to be in the Vlad Tepes era. I love going to my grandmother's village, and take in the beauty of the natural environment, fresh fruit, vegetables, water and lots of family love.

6. Do you visit often?
Yes, I usually go back every other year; although since I got married last summer, I missed the opportunity to introduce my new wife to my family, simply due to the wedding and honeymoon taking up all our time and money. I plan on visiting next year and introduce my wife to the good and beautiful parts of my homeland.

7. Would you ever come back to live in Romania? Why/why not?

Maybe at some point during my retirement, when all the dust settles and the current generation of corrupt officials exits the political stage. I would love to buy a mountain villa or build a house on my grandmother's land and live the later days of my life off the land. As of now, I have just started my family here and would like to slowly introduce my French-Canadian wife to the culture and beauty of some of the purest parts of Romania. Once we have kids and take them back, they might all learn to appreciate it and possibly love it enough to want to live there. Never say never.

8. What do you do for a living?

I have enjoyed teaching senior high school math and biology in Toronto for the past eight years.

9. If given the opportunity, would you do the same thing here?

Maybe, although from what I know, teachers don't have it very easy back home. I'm not sure what it would take for me to have my diplomas and experience recognized. I never thought about teaching back home as I only think of coming back as a retiree.

10. Do you ever "promote" Romania where you are? Are you proud of your heritage or do you not mention it?

I have never shied away from telling everyone where I'm from and I never will. Romania made me who I am today and I am very proud of our rich history and heritage. I always take any opportunity I get to remind people that we are not "gypsies" and "orphans" and that Romania is more than just a breeding ground for gymnastics and vampires. We have a beautiful geographic layout, with pristine mountains, beautiful delta, sea and everything in between. Although there's been a huge "brain drain" movement since the 90's, I believe we still have a lot of educated people there to move that country forward. I take every opportunity to shed light on scientists, artists, leaders and innovators that have made a difference to the whole world such as insulin, the pen, the jet engine, cholera vaccine, cybernetics etc. I've always been a proud Romanian and have been part of many local groups that promote our wonderful culture and history, and I will continue to do so until the negative western view of our country and its people changes for the better.

Here's to hoping you can retire early, Paul ;)

The Illusion of Corruption

Why is Romania the way it is? Why does Eastern Europe, in general, suffer from the same negative stereotypes for the last twenty years? This part of the world emits a strange sort of war-torn vibe to North Americans. A world of crumbling commie blocks where danger lurks around every corner in the form of gypsy pickpockets, mafiosos in black leather jackets, cold blooded femme fatales, disenfranchised youth itching to pick fights, and, of course, cops that are more criminal than the criminals. All of these shady characters lack any humour, chain smoke, and seemingly exist only to rip-off innocent tourists and burden their fellow citizens -who, by the way,  if they aren't of the former variety, are seen as some sort of victimized paupers incapable of rising above their circumstances. Only the truly adventurous dare to travel here. The mavericks.

Call me a maverick. Call every Romanian, Bulgarian, Serb, and fellow Balkanite a maverick. We don't just travel here, we live here! Imagine that, millions of people who live their day to day lives in this part of the world. People who work nine to five, go shopping, enjoy family dinners, and take camping trips on weekends. Commie blocks are getting makeovers (paint mostly), entrepreneurs are starting companies, music producers are creating world renowned hits (for better or worse), foreign companies are setting up shop, we are winning top prizes in math competitions, but still, Romania has a terrible international image. 

According to 99% of all media outlets inside and outside Romania, the people who visit here, political observers, and pretty much every citizen of this country (including the politicians), this is why: Romania is one of the EU's most corrupt countries.

Bullshit. 

It's about time somebody calls bullshit on this self-propagating lie. The damage it causes can't be measured in the impact of lost investment opportunities or low tourism revenue. It does something far worse; it distracts us from solving the real problem. By accepting that Romania's big problem is corruption, we are focused on fixing an unfixable problem. Before you call me a cynic think about it this way: Is there no corruption in the US government (Haliburton, oil and gas lobby, 2004 elections...)? Are British politicians and officials pristine examples of ethical behaviour? Is nepotism not a fact of Japanese governance? Wasn't the current Conservative Canadian government accused of suppressing voters in opposition ridings during the 2011 elections? The list goes on and on with every government and political party in the world playing a part somewhere, so please, spare me the "most corrupt" bullshit. 

Granted, this corruption stigma might actually be doing our politicians a favour. "Yes, let's stamp out corruption. It's the only reason Romania's being kept out of the Schengen zone!" they cry. Then they spend the next five years pointing fingers at each other while trying to "stamp out corruption". As they've been doing for the past twenty. 

Incompetence. That's the problem. Corruption is just the by-product. If Romanian politicians were competent law-makers, they wouldn't pass laws that encourage graft. If they were competent economists they would know that they should spend tax money on health and education and they would encourage innovation and private enterprise. They would not sell steelworks, oil refineries, and other state companies for pennies and destroy entire sectors and kill off thousands of jobs in the process. If our politicians and top officials were capable managers, we'd be better off, and corruption wouldn't be the problem. If, if, if. If, at least, they were better at being corrupt. But they're too incompetent to hide what they're doing so corruption just looks like the obvious culprit. But it's not. We need to start taking the emphasis off corruption and onto the real issue. 

The only way we can do this in Romania is by calling bullshit on every bad customer service experience, every jobsworth functionary, every useless bureaucrat, and all the incompetent politicians who supposedly represent us. We can be polite about it, but we don't need to stand by idly, shrug our shoulders, and say 'that's Romania'. These people don't represent me, do they represent you? 

Edit:
I omitted a very important detail when comparing corruption in Romania to corruption in Western countries, and this is why I'm saying that corruption itself is not the main issue (not that it isn't an issue or that it doesn't exist). The corrupt Western politician is not incompetent. Their corrupt acts are well hidden, harder to prove, and they tend to do two things very well: 
1. Their job - with a certain degree of liability in front of their constituents. 
2. They have the integrity (ironically enough) to resign if/when they're caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Both of these concepts are foreign to Romanian politicians , thus, I can only surmise that the corrupt mentality is a natural symptom of endemic mismanagement and incompetence at all levels of governance. We fix that and we stand a better chance of stamping our petty corruption than by focusing on stamping out corruption without addressing the shortcomings of our leaders as managers, administrators, and...well, as leaders.