Eric and Latshia
Even in Hungary we had heard to be careful of the gypsies and in Romania we were reminded often. Obviously all of the warnings had made us curious and we always asked the people who mentioned them if they knew any gypsies or had a particular bad experience, they always said no but had grown up being told not to talk to gypsies. In Stanciova, through Theo, we actually met a lovely Roma woman. Roma is the politically correct way to say Gypsy. Here she is with Eric. She runs a community shelter for Roma kids and invited to come a party to meet the children.
The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted the new name of Romania. The country gained recognitio... ... read more 
