By Cristina Sandu
Let me tell you a secret. I don’t tell people where I am from when I meet them. I keep that detail for later conversations, preferably face-to-face ones. This way, I can see their subtle facial expressions, which often change weirdly.
I’m a journalism student from Romania who’s studying in the UK. I’ve read the headlines about my country, and I want to say that we live in a world where stereotypes are widespread.
Many people in the UK hold negative views about Romanians and Romania, which leads to a high probability of negative attitudes towards us. I don’t like what I usually hear in the news, when Romanians are portrayed as troublemakers, incapable of contributing positively to society.
Because of these attitudes, I have avoided saying where I am from since coming to the UK for my studies. Not because I’m ashamed of my country but because how I think people will respond. I have seen those reactions, even when people have tried to hide them.
There is a Romanian proverb that says there’s ‘no forest without dry areas’, which reflects a universal truth: everywhere in the world, there are good and bad individuals within every society who choose different paths in life. Why should someone else’s life choices affect the direction of my own path? Instead of judging someone based on their nationality, shouldn’t we take the time to understand a person’s perspective before creating our opinions?
Many people can answer these questions politely and respectfully, and their voices are essential and should be louder so everyone can hear their positive thoughts. When you have something nice to say about someone, speak louder and make others refrain from unfairly judging someone just because some of their fellow citizens do disappointing things.
What do you think of when you picture Romania? Well, my hometown is the ancient city of Constanta and I’m proud of it. It is one of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, and the fourth largest in Romania, and stretches along the Black Sea coast, making the city the principal maritime port.
Also, with a significant presence of Turkish and Greek people, Constanta has a multicultural character, which reminds us of the importance of respecting our cultural and religious differences. This is an important lesson from which many people could learn something, especially in diverse urban environments.
