Your work placement in Romania is a gamble! And it’s a gamble that’s already paid off. You’re going to discover a Latin country – yes, like France, Portugal, Spain and Italy – where you’ll certainly be surprised by the similarities with our culture. So, before you make up your mind, here are a few lines to help you, whether you’re looking at your budget or what you can do in the country. Far from being a cliché or being lumped together with the Roma, the country has a lot to offer, from Bucharest to Timisoara. Romania still suffers from its image as a poor and corrupt country; while the country is not rich, that’s a fact, it is far from the negative image we have of it, often due to a lack of information and clichés. As usual, the team went to the country to check everything out, and I can tell you that we did, because the whole team spent a week there, visiting places, meeting people, trying out activities and checking budgets. Because the most important thing for us is to find you the perfect work placement, in complete safety.
For the anectode
A little before we arrived in Bucharest, we booked a guide to show us around the city, explain the history of the capital and the country, etc. It was a lady, I’d say around 70 years old, who showed us around the city in a fairly informal way. It was a lady, I’d say around 70 years old, who showed us around the city, in a rather… epic way. Well, we started by visiting the Bucharest Opera House. There were about twenty statues in the hall representing Romanian celebrities: she made us stop in front of each bust, explaining the name, profession and date of death and telling us “that’s how he died”, 20 times. I was delighted.
Then we stroll through the streets of Bucharest, from the city centre, where she explains to us that communism was good, that there were no excesses (ah …), and that Germany is a really shitty country: they’ve installed a statute in the middle of a square. It’s worth noting that the country entirely financed the renovation of the square and the buildings … ah ah. End of the visit, we go for a coffee in a good local Starbuck’s – I’ve got the impression that capitalism isn’t so bad after all – and there Tommy (He’d kill me if he read this, but he’s the baby of the team ? ) complains of a headache. She’s not too happy about it: she approaches him with the intention of doing some voodoo techniques; well, she didn’t go all the way when I told her I was going to do an arm lock if she got too close to the kid.
We ended up in the old town, where she explained that usually the cobblestones were strictly aligned, but here … no: it’s capitalism all over again. (I promise you that’s what she told us). Anyway, next time I’ll take a book and do a quick tour, as usual, it’s better ah ah. Fortunately, though, Bucharest is nice; the only very negative point is a five-storey shopping centre, where the last two floors are completely empty, in the very heart of the city, and on the third floor, everything’s turned off but there’s still a small shop selling dolls and doilies: it’s as creepy as can be. On the other hand, you can go and do your best hide-and-seek: and that, of course, is not at all what we did, as responsible adults ?
An epic visit, but unfortunately not very instructive.
The budget for your work placement in Romania
Let’s get back to our sheep for your work placement in Romania, and talk budget. Very cheap! Not expensive at all! In fact, whatever the season, it’s never complicated or expensive to go to Romania. We advise you to plan on a budget of €550 per month to be able to live there, including accommodation, travel and food. Along with Bulgaria – another internship abroad destination at International Horizons – this really is the cheapest country in which to do your international internship. Finding accommodation is fairly straightforward, and prices vary, but you can easily afford to take something in the city centre, or go to an ERASMUS flat-share: there are quite a few! Although the country’s economy has taken a beating, it’s vastly improving, and is banking heavily on the development of its university network, which is renowned for its quality. Admittedly, they are not in the international rankings, but when it comes to international rankings, two criteria are absolutely … laughable: the number of Nobel prizes and other distinctions awarded by the institution, and the number of chairs. How can you expect a recent university or a small university to be in the rankings? It’s completely biased.
Food is very inexpensive: you’ll be able to treat yourself in the restaurants or enjoy Bucharest by night. The old town is a great place to have a drink and meet people – it’s full of bars, full of restaurants and full of people! Prices are really affordable. On a small note, beware of prostitution: there are a lot of young women, and also young men, who prostitute themselves to get by; it’s quite distressing.
As far as travelling was concerned, as there were five of us, we took UBERs all the time: it was cheaper to do it as 3 + 2 in an UBER than to take public transport … to tell you the truth! So all in all, on a tight budget, you can have a lot of fun in Romania, life is really very affordable, and even the train lines to visit the country are not expensive, so it’s a good way to visit the other big cities!
What you need to know
During your work placement in Romania, you’ll notice one thing: you speak a little Romanian. Because, yes, Romania is a Latin country, and we have a lot of words in common with our cousins to the east. It’s also the land of Dracula, the Black Sea, music, cinema… You’re about to discover a surprising country and a rich culture. Romanians are the opposite of the pejorative image that the term unfortunately conjures up in France.
Timisoara, for example, where we previously sent Theo for a week, is a big, vibrant student city: completely snowed under in winter, and very sunny in summer, the scenery is spectacular. From Bucharest, you can also easily go to the Black Sea, to Constanta for example; a very pleasant seaside town to visit, and where you can enjoy a few drinks on the terrace: if you drink alcohol, take a glass of Tuica, an ancestral Romanian recipe distilled from plums.
Another notable fact is that people’s behaviour is quite different, depending on whether you’re in the capital or in the provinces, a bit like Paris and the rest of France. Mind you, I’m not saying that people in Paris aren’t nice, I’m just pointing out that sometimes they don’t have the time to be: and this is coming from a native Parisian.
Romania is also Transylvania, with its mountains and forests full of legends! You can discover some of them by following the link to our blog about them.
Your work placement in Romania
All our placements are tailor-made. And Romania offers a wide range of opportunities for work placements abroad. With its relatively large seafront, its extensive countryside, its industrial cities and its tourist towns: everything is possible for your work placement in Romania, from maritime engineering, to BTS SAM, BTS CI, communication etc etc. I’m not going to list all the courses registered with the R.N.C.P., or I’ll be up all night. And the little extra: no matter where you are, getting around the country isn’t expensive, and you can even go as far as Bulgaria and enjoy the incredible Sofia or Odessa! For more information, we’ve written a blog: I’m in Romania – where can I travel during my work placement abroad?
To apply, contact us with your CV in English. We’ll then work on it to highlight your skills, personal qualities and know-how. With International Horizons, you maximise your chances of finding a rewarding work placement abroad. Don’t forget: an internship abroad is a project that has to reconcile the realities of the country, your personal desires, the educational expectations of your school and your language level.
So you want to do your work placement in Romania and discover Eastern Europe? Get your CV ready, contact us and pack your bags. You’ll soon be heading off to your international placement and benefiting from an exceptional experience!
For more general questions, visit the International Horizons Internships Abroad FAQ.