PTPI Blog

Learn more about customs and cultures all over the world, from your fellow members of PTPI.

We believe that greater understanding between individuals and peoples, worldwide, reveals universal values and aspirations. We believe that if people can better understand other cultures, they are more tolerant and accepting of differences.

Name: Diana Lapusneanu

Country of Residence: Romania

1. Describe your favorite cultural tradition:

My favorite tradition, and maybe the one loved by all Romanian children, takes place on the 6th of December and is called Saint Nicolas. On the 5th of December you are supposed to polish your shoes and make them look shiny, nice, and clean. This way, on the 5th of December, all of the children are working hard to get Saint Nicolas’ attention. If you manage to impress him, he will fill your shoes with gifts. If the 6th of December comes and your shoes are completely lost or dirty, you will get a stick and the tag of being a bad child. If this tradition is loved by children, I will add that parents are even more happy to see their children working hard and being good as gold to get something they really want.

2. In your opinion, what is the most significant issue facing your country in the present day?

At the beginning of 2009 Romania was hit by the financial crisis and this is still the most significant issue facing my country. The financial crisis in Romania once again shows how fragile the market situation is in Eastern Europe and that the road to prosperity will be long and winding, as in the Beatles song. The conclusions of the most important economic experts of Romania were clear: the crisis is not over but has entered into a more difficult phase that will affect financial and banking systems and economic fundamentals. The crisis will continue until 2015…so that is indeed a big issue.

3. What do you consider to be the most important holiday in your country and how is it celebrated?

When talking about tradition and culture in our country, the most important holiday is in winter. On the other hand, if we are talking about free time, having fun, trips, and leisure activities, I will have to say that summer holiday is also important. In winter we celebrate Christmas and this is one of the most important feasts for our souls and for spending time with family and friends. Every Romanian heart lives a moment of joy when it is Christmas…the family is close, Santa is coming, everyone is singing carols, and outside it is snowing big and fluffy snowflakes. Maybe there is no description for this atmosphere, which can only be seen in dreams during the rest of the year, but imagine how it feels when peace is floating on Earth – that’s how we feel when it is Christmas.

A church in Roman, Romania, Diana's hometown. Photo by Diana Lapusneanu.

4. Who would you say is your country’s most significant historical figure?

As you know, before the unification, Romania was divided into three parts: Moldova (Moldavia), Transilvania (Transylvania) and Tara Romaneasca (Wallachia). So, Alexandru Ioan Cuza (Alexander John Cuza) is considered one of the most significant historical figures because he was the one that managed to unite these three parts into a country called Romania, on the 24th of January, 1859. He made a smart move: he was chosen ruler in Bucharest (in Wallachia) and then in Iasi (in Moldavia) so the Great Powers were obligated to recognize Romania as a country with a single ruler. (And of course Transylvania joined the team, hahaha.) Alexandru Ioan Cuza was a good person. He loved and helped people and people loved him. He was the man that managed to unite a country!

5. What is the customary form of greeting in your country?

We meet people every day and the greeting is very important. It’s the first action that you make when you meet a stranger so if you want his or her opinion about you to be good, you have to behave well. In our country, when two men meet they shake hands and when two women meet, they kiss each other on the cheek. It depends on age, sex, and so on. For example, if you live in the countryside and go for a walk, you have to say hello to every person you meet even though you may not know him or her. That’s a rule in villages! Also, as a child, if you meet an old man you have to be polite and the first to say hello. All you have to do is be polite – it’s the most important thing!

A view of Roman, Romania. Photo by Stefan Tataru.

6. What is your favorite traditional meal and how do you make it?

My favorite traditional food is sarmale, which is known in English as stuffed cabbage rolls. We use this recipe in our country for Christmas (a Romanian tradition) and whenever we need some comfort food. We serve it with polenta and top each plate with two generous spoonfuls of sour cream. So, how is it made? Like this:

Remove the core from a cabbage. Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the cabbage and bring the water to boil. Add two tablespoons of salt and 1/4 cup of vinegar to the boiling water, then immerse the cabbage in the water. Cover and cook over medium heat for five to seven minutes. With a fork or tongs, gently remove cabbage leaves as they become tender. Drain well and let the cabbage cool.

Trim the main vein of the leaf so that it is flat like the rest of the cabbage leaves. In a large frying pan over medium heat add oil, onions, celery, bacon, salt, pepper, paprika, and parsley leaves. Saute until light golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool for 1/2 hour. Add ground pork, rice and sauteed onions to 1/2 cup water and mix well. This is the meat filling. Then, lace one to two tablespoons of the meet filling in the center of a cabbage leaf and make a nice, neat roll. Repeat. In a pot, place the cabbage rolls loosely touching each other and layered on top of one another. Spread tomato sauce and tomato juice over the rolls, and place one bay leaf (and an optional dill sprig) on top when the pot is full. Then fill the pot with enough water to cover only the rolls. Cover the pot, bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for about two hours.

Sounds good, doesn’t it?

7. Do you have a favorite quote or words that you live by?

There are many quotes that deserve attention but like I said in my post from the European Youth Forum, “We have to enjoy the moment as much as possible because nothing lasts forever.” Maybe we never get this sentence right but there are moments in life when our eyes see clear and our heart feels these words. I believe that you always understand when you are actually involved in a situation because then your mind and heart are awake. Life is short. We should never let a moment pass like it never happened. Only a memory can bring it back, but not with the same essence and of course not so perceptible or palpable. You should love every single day that comes and you should be be so happy when you see a sunrise. I tell you! You will never be able to see a sunrise like that! Tomorrow will be different, and think – maybe there is a human being that is blind and will never see that beauty. Be happy that God gave you the gift of live, love, and beautiful humans. LIVE!!

In the woods near Roman, Romania. Photo by Diana Lapusneanu.

8. Where in the world would you most like to visit?

I think there is no place on Earth that doesn’t have its own magic, its own charm; its beauty, curiosity, miracles. It would perfect to manage to visit every single place that God created and give it to people as a gift so frankly, I can’t choose. Anyway, maybe a metropolis like Paris, London or Boston but on the other hand I’m a dreamer and a part of nature would be more appropriate for me, like the Grand Canyon, the Sahara Desert or Mount Kilimanjaro. Right in this moment I would like to visit London and have a quiet and happy life there. I don’t know why but that place has an attraction for me. Maybe my wish will come true sooner or later…

9. What is a typical school day like for you?

That’s a good question because school is about to begin and sincerely, I can’t wait! Although I have to wake up early, I like school. It’s a part of my life and I’m glad that I have it. Every morning I wake up at 7:00 am, get ready and leave home. The classes start at 8:00 am and between them we usually have a 10 minute break. At 11:00 am we have the big break that lasts 20 minutes, when we can have our snack and breather. We spend anywhere from five to seven hours at school a day, it depends. Sometimes we have student council meetings where we discuss school-related problems. These meetings are supposed to have a leader from every class for better communication. A typical day of school always finishes with our thoughts related to what we learned, what we should work for the next day and how good or bad we were when talking about yesterday’s lesson.

10. What is your favorite word? What is your least favorite word?

Maybe it will sound too simple but the perfect words for this description are ‘bad’ and ‘good’ because through these words you can see ‘heaven’ and ‘hell’, ‘beauty’ and ‘ugliness’, ‘love’ and ‘hate’, or ‘peace’ and ‘war’. A good thing will always make one happy, and show you the beauty inside a person while a bad thing turns everything upside down. The little things always mean a lot. When you talk to someone and use beautiful words, you will be paid with the same coin and vice-versa. So, watch your language. We can build a better world if we take care of every detail.

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