The first words that might come to mind when hearing the word ‘Romania’ are Count Dracula and Transylvania. The Bran Castle stands as a reminder of Bram Stoker’s literary legacy. This story seems to cast a dark image on the country, but in fact, the Transylvanian region is one of the most beautiful areas of the country, with its breath taking mountain scenery, as well as its multi-ethnic population. In Romania, the medieval castles, monasteries and villages are a must see, as well as witnessing ancient traditions that are still actively practiced in the country. It is not unusual to see traditional farming methods and horse drawn carts, as well as agrarian crafts commonly still being used in rural communities. There is also a strong folk culture of superstition. There are many folk stories still actively told of fairies, witches and ghosts. Romanian music is also another area that is both unique and mesmerising for Romanians and visitors alike.

Bucharest, the capital, is not as attractive as other parts of Romania. Even the Romanians are not keen on the architectural landscape that was unfortunately redesigned by Ceausescu during the communist era. Despite its appearance, however, Bucharest has a lively student and cultural scene with Romanians visiting the theatre and opera, as well as film festivals. There are also well kept parks in the city. There is an excellent transport system from Bucharest, which allows you to explore the beautiful natural landscape of Romania. 

Romania’s 245Km Black Sea coastline is a natural border and tourist attraction. Beach resorts stretch along the Black Sea from the Danube Delta in the north to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast in the south. The main city in this region is Constanta. Constanta is the oldest continuously inhabited city and now the fifth most populous city in Romania. Surrounding mineral springs and 13 kilometers of beach attract many visitors in the summer.

Cluj-Napoca is the second largest city in Romania and is home to the country’s largest university. A young and modern city in Transylvania, it’s one of Romania's arts and cultural hubs. It’s home the National Museum of Art, the museum is considered one of Romania's most important museums and holds over 12,000 pieces of art.  Be sure to visit the 14th century Gothic-style St. Michael’s church, which has the tallest church tower in Transylvania.  Climb up the 76-meter tower to get a full view of the center of Cluj-Napoca.

Teaching Opportunities

Having joined the EU in 2007, there has been large foreign investment in the country.  There is also a general enthusiasm to learn English, but currently the EFL market is underdeveloped. Many state schools struggle to pay native speaker teachers. In the private sector, the main opportunities are located in the language schools of Bucharest, particularly for business English. Most job opportunities are not advertised on online forums, so teachers need to go to Romania to find paid work. This will mean that you will need to have 4-6 weeks of savings and also money to pay for your flight to Romania.  Being a native speaker is enough for some available positions, but for the better schools a 120 hour TEFL certificate can be a bonus to get you a higher paid job.  It is also important that you check out the reliability of the school (for example paying your salary) before agreeing to a job.  A reputable source to vet schools is the British Council in Bucharest. Salaries offered in Romania are not huge, and might need to be supplemented with private classes. Another option to decide whether you would like to work in Romania is to work as a volunteer teacher in the summer months on one of the English Camps.