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Romania: Houses, property, homes for sale in Romania |
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A ROMANIAN LIFERomania is joining the European Union on January 1, 2007
Capital: Bucharest Romania has experienced rapid growth in recent years. This is primarily evident in the increased number of new construction projects for single-family homes, business parks, and tourist resorts. There has also been an explosion in urban developments, created specifically for middle-income family living. Though most plans are still in the development stages, Romania is becoming popular with expats as an opportunity to get in on the "ground floor" of the country's modernization.
A religious country, the combination of spiritual reverence, history, and elaborate natural landscape intensify the expectant expat's emotion upon seeing Romania for the first time. Romania is made up of a population which is roughly 90% Romanian Orthodox, 5% Roman Catholic, and 4% protestant, with the remaining 1% of differing religious affiliations. Bordering Romania are Serbia, Bulgaria, the Ukraine, Moldavia, and Hungary. The ethnic breakdown within Romania is as follows: Romanian
89.5% The Black Sea, Danube delta, lakes, rivers, plains, and mountains decorate the landscape of a country too often forgotten in a world that focuses on larger, richer countries and their politics. Filled with art, music, literature, and most of all, hope -- this democratic republic holds plenty of secrets for visitors and residents to discover at their leisure.
May through October, the days are generally warm with cool evenings. Romania experiences the changes of seasons in all their glory, and also in their occasional gloom. For example, October brings a display of colorful autumn foliage, but it can also be quite cold and rainy. Most rain falls in the autumn and in the spring. Temperatures in the lower-lying inland areas remain below freezing throughout the winter months, with temperatures ranging from -15 to 20 degrees. In the winter, the air is swept with frosty winds and snow carpets most of the country. Summer supplies abundant sunshine. The hottest months are July and August. In the mountains, temperatures are cooler during the summer and the air stays moist year round as fog, mist, and drizzle are commonplace. Along the coast, summers are pleasant and winters are mild.
By plane Many international airlines and Romania's national airline, TAROM, fly to and from Romania's eight international airports. By train Romania is a member of Inter Rail, which connects the country by track to many of the larger European cities. By road Romania is accessed by roads leading into the country from a variety of starting points. Specific access points are: Berlin, Warsaw, Budapest-Petea E 81; Vienna, Prague, Budapest-Bors E 60 or Nadlac E 64 or Varsaud E 671; Trieste, Belgrade-Moravita E 70 or Portile de Fier E 70; Athens, Tirana, Sofia-Giurgiu E 85; Istambul, Sofia-Vama Veche E 87; Moscow, Kiev, Chernovitz-Siret E 85. All road signs meet international standards. However, road conditions are poor, and bicyclists, horses and vendor carts weave through traffic, making defensive driving skills a must. Eurolines offers a bus service to Bucharest from London.
Romania - Speaking the Language Romanian, a descendant of Latin, is the official language and is spoken by approximately 90% of the general population. One of the romance languages, Romanian has four regional dialects or "graiuri" (grai for singular and graiuri for plural), all of which can be a bit of a challenge to learn. Those who know Spanish or Italian will have the easiest time learning the language, while those who only know English will have to spend some time studying it before attempting to communicate with it. Those attending a private or public Elementary School, Secondary School, or college will find that the language is part of the curriculum. Those not attending school can hire a private tutor to help them learn the language. Another option is to enroll at the Bridge Language Study House, the largest private language school in Romania. It is located in Bucharest. In addition to Romania, the Romanian language is spoken in parts of Moldavia, Hungary, Finland, Italy, Israel, Russia, Germany, and Greece. Hungarian and German are also widely spoken languages within the Romanian borders.
Romania - Currency and Cost of Living The national currency in Romania is the LEU (plural LEI). As of July 1, 2005, four zeros have been dropped from it, i.e. 29,200 (old) Romanian lei (ROL) per U.S. dollar now equal 2.92 (new) lei (RON) to one dollar - two lei (lay) and 92 bani (bah-nee). Both old and new coins and banknotes will be in circulation until December 31, 2006, when the old currency will be withdrawn. New banknotes have been issued in 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 lei denominations, and coins in 1, 5, 10 and 50 bani pieces. Old Romanian Lei Notes are issued in the following amounts: 2,000, 10,000, 50,000, 100,000, 500,000 and 1,000,000 Lei. Coins come in denominations of 1, 100, 500, 1,000 and 5,000 Lei. Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are the only accepted credit cards, with only a limited number of stores willing to accept them. It is best to plan on conducting all business on a cash basis. ATM machines are abundant in both the larger and the smaller towns. Flat fees for the machines are generally low. It is best to change money at one of the private exchange offices - these are found in most towns and cities with some open 24-hours. Banks also change money, but the hours are often not as convenient as those offered by the exchange offices. Neither the exchange offices or the banks charge a commission on money changing transactions. Cost of living examples: Bottle
of water: US $0.40/Lei 14,000
All foreigners must have health insurance in one form or another. Drivers are required to carry a policy that will cover damage caused to other cars. Appropriate insurance is an essential requirement for every expat. Romania - Healthcare and Medical Treatment Quality health care is scarce. There are limited facilities, medical supplies and medication. To get treatment at a well-equipped health center or hospital, one must travel to a county capital hospital. County capital hospitals are also the most likely facilities to have a professional on staff who can speak English and French in addition to the languages of the country. It is standard practice for patients to tip medical personnel to guarantee that sufficient attention is given to their medical conditions. Potential health risks include hepatitis A, polio, typhoid, and rabies -- so immunizations for these are to be considered. Anyone planning to stay in Romania longer than six months should make sure they are up to date on all routine immunizations before arrival. A hepatitis B shot is also recommended. Expatriates with an employment agreement are provided with a social security number. Contributions are then withheld by the employer. However since there are few social security agreements between Romania and other countries, social security contributions may not result in future payment should you decide to leave Romania. Social security contributions are required for income received on the basis of employment contracts or civil agreements registered in Romania. Social security contributions are split between the employer and the employee and are capped at 35 % of three times the gross monthly national average salary. Additional contributions are required: health fund contributions at 7% and unemployment fund contributions at 1%. Romania - Education and Schools Schooling is required until a child reaches secondary school or the age of 18. The majority of 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds are placed in kindergarten or preschool programs. They are then enrolled in the required elementary programs as they come of age. Elementary education normally begins at age 6 and is completed by the age of 16. Grades one through four consist of a standard curriculum. Beginning in the 5th grade, students are allowed more variety in their course work, and can choose to learn a trade, study a foreign language or to explore subjects of personal interest. In the 9th grade, students begin their secondary education after taking an entrance exam. Required to take a least two years of classes beyond the eighth grade, students are presented with three options. They can choose to take classes that will prepare them for college coursework or classes that will provide them with technical training. But the most common path taken is the third option: a two to three year vocational program that will train them in a specific trade.
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