10 Things We Love about Romania:

1. Fresh tomatoes and cucumbers - the vegetables there are amazing! Organic is the norm; we're hoping the small farmers will survive the mass production revolution.

2. telemea - fresh sheep or goat cheese that melts in your mouth.

3. kindness of strangers -

4. generosity of friends -

5. haystacks - they dot the countryside, giving the place a fairy tale feeling.

6. folk art - traditional costumes and houses are beautifully decorated, even functional, ordinary everyday items are richly decorated.

7. patience with bad romanian language - Romanians are pleasantly surprised when a foreigner speaks their language.

8. the Carpahtians - the mountains are beautiful and for the most part undeveloped and wild.

9. hitchiking - this is an effective and inexpensive way of transportation in some parts of the country.

10. young, smart people with lots of ideas and curiosity about the world around them