Forget Valentine's Day! Did You Know that Romanians Have Their Own Love Celebration?

        

      

      Don't worry, I found out late myself! That is, I was already in my early 20s, around 2004, and I found out from a former workmate who was an expert in Romanian folklore. :) Therefore, today, the 24th of February, we celebrate the Dragobete, the traditional Romanian celebration of love and youth. A celebration from generations way-way past. And yet, all my childhood and adolescence I didn't even know it existed. Wonder why... Most probably, as it was the period of time which immediately followed the Revolution, and characterized by a somehow 'anti-nationalist' cultural trend, my generation was rather concerned with adopting the Valentine's Day from the western world. And the interest and love for the national traditions only arrived later.  

      So, who is Dragobete and what are the customs associated with this celebration? I read some stories and anecdotes about Dragobete, all with the atmosphere of times past. It is said that Dragobete was the son of a wicked old lady, a handsome and romantic young man, who, as legend tells, was joining animals in marriage, and later he extended to humans. On the 24th of February, as spring is almost here, the village's young couples were getting engaged in order for their love to be blessed and to last, other youngsters were joining themselves in symbolic brotherhoods, or were going to pick snowdrops, the flower that symbolizes spring's arrival, or were casting spells in order to attract love in their lives. It was also told that Dragobete was protecting those who celebrated him from illness, and so much more! 
            

       Being a celebration that we rediscovered rather recently, I would like to see it gain popularity, and I think it's getting there. Of course, it is more popular in the country side rather than the city, but here as well, we have lots of themed fairs and events. On the other hand, I don't know if I'd like Dragobete to fall into the other extreme, that of the 'commercial' and cheesy pinky-lovey-dovey associated with V Day. But for the time being, we're enjoying it, whether we are coupled up or not,  and we're happy that it's ours and nobody else's. 

The Culture of Protest and the New Romanians

      

    

As many of you might already know, Romania has been living on the edge in the past almost two weeks. The information has been all around the international press, that hundreds of thousands of people have been protesting accross the country against a decree proposed by the new government, which would have absolved a fair number of politicians who are convicted of corruption and other similar allegations.

       But of course, I'm not exactly here to talk about politics. You might also remember that I often raised the topic of active citizenship, saying that our country is at its first steps in the field, and also that, unfortunately, for older generations, it is something that reminds us of communism.

                     

        However, look at us: we`re learning! We`re al the thrid major event of this kind in less than three years. We had the suspicious organization of the presidential elections in November 2014, the tragedy of the fire of the Colectiv club in November 2015 (which was also the consequence of a chain of events including corrputions and negligence), and now this. And we learned to protest in a peaceful and civil way, and even get creative while at it. Some banners are funnier than others (some of them even naughty, rude or vulgar, but our politicians damn well deserve it :P ). Heck, protesters even danced in the streets. All media accross the world are giving our example, and for something good this time.

          I was there too. And it was worth it. Because it feels like you are fighting for something constructive, together with a huge number of people who think exactly like you. Because it gives you a certain feeling to strutt accross the crowd with a big national flag. Because you can chat up with random people (and yes, I also used to complain that Romanians are not as friendly as I would like), and bump into friends and aquaintances you haven't seen in ages. And so much more!

         I don't like what happened on the political scene, and I hope that thing will work out in favour of honesty and transparency. But what I like is that it looks like we have a generation of new Romanians, and that in the future we will stay this united. Ah, and of course, that we will also be this active when we go voting, in order not to repeat similar episodes in the future! ;)