Differences in mentality

Differences in mentality between Romanians and Germans

Romania is a thoroughly popular holiday destination. If you do not want to enjoy yourself on a beach, but want to see something of the country, you can definitely try it with a hire car. Especially in the holiday areas and also in the capital Bucharest it should not be a problem to find a hire car dealer. The big companies have branches and the vehicles can already be booked from Germany. It should be noted that drivers must be at least 21 years old. Drivers who are not yet 25 often have to pay an additional so-called young driver fee. Those older than 70 are not allowed to drive a hire car. The road traffic is certainly not like in Germany, but it is also not as chaotic as in other nations. Above all, the mentality of the Romanians does not affect the road traffic as it does in some “hot-blooded” countries not mentioned here. However, the road network is not as well developed in rural areas as some travelers might expect. This is something to keep in mind.

Romanians value tradition. They describe themselves as friendly, affectionate and talkative. They like other people and therefore travelers, because of course tourism is an important source of income for them. Western Europeans and especially Germans consider them to be self-confident, intelligent, competent, strict and disciplined. They believe that they are more modern than they are, but on the other hand they criticize their stiffness. It is indeed the case that Romanians constantly want to shake hands with other people. This is a peculiarity that may shock, or at least irritate, travellers. It is, of course, only a small difference in behavior. After all, the gesture is meant to be friendly. By the way, there seems to be a gap between what tourists want to see in Romania and what Romanians themselves consider valuable. At least, this phenomenon is an issue in Romania itself. Perhaps pride is one reason. Asked in a survey about the weak points that have tarnished the country’s image, Romanians themselves named corruption as their main problem, followed by the economic situation and infrastructure. Because they are proud, Romanians try everything to make their guests feel comfortable. They are helpful. And they want to show them what they think will impress the guests. And that tends not to be the capital, Bucharest, and that tends not to be the government palace overshadowed by a dark past, to name just two examples.

From a cultural point of view, Romanians see themselves as less related to peoples like the neighboring Bulgarians than to Central Europeans. They see themselves as hospitable, warm and loving. On the other hand, they consider Germans, for example, to be rather cold, less affectionate and less hospitable. At least that’s how it turned out according to surveys. The concept of hospitality has long been inculcated in Romanians, along with the idea that Romanians traditionally work hard. They also believe this of Germans and feel a kinship with them for this reason.