Comments on: Ulterior motives http://killingbatteries.com/2006/12/ulterior-motives/ Leif Pettersen's battery-powered rise to the zenith of travel writing rapture Tue, 15 May 2012 14:03:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John http://killingbatteries.com/2006/12/ulterior-motives/comment-page-1/#comment-64974 John Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:48:30 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/?p=99#comment-64974 To start: I'm Romanian and I leave in Canada and work in the US. I also lived for 3 years in Germany, and have seen France,Italy, Holland, Britain and other countries (etc.). I'm puzzled by your article: because you seem to have a slight superficial opinion of Romania however for whatever reason you are stuck to your opinion of a couple negative experiences you've had. To my surprise coming as a visitor to my native land after 6 years I found services with people that although don't show you the fake plastic smile from US and Canada, they don't show you the Arian nation despise from Germany or Austria either when you talk German with a bit of an accent. Instead in Romania they just help you out without fake smiles or pretending anything else and you may find this unusual. Of course you may have other experiences that that but this can happen anywhere. "The best defense against prejudice is travel" - I think Mark Twain said something along these lines. Romania is more close to France and Italy - but if you come from a culture where the "fake smile" is the norm, then when people are not pretending you may feel uneasy. As for your trip - I don't know. Have you been to San Francisco or Montreal? You will find there many of the characters that you think are typical Romanian. Anyway, congrats that at least that you tried to know the country. It is one of the most beautiful on earth, and the people are tons more friendly and culturally rich than others. One just needs to change the glasses that they use to see the world, and you may be luckier and know a more beautiful lady than the one you described (she sounds like one from the stereotypical jokes involving blondes). Good luck in your attempts to open up to the world that you are not familiar with :) Your friend, Dracula To start: I’m Romanian and I leave in Canada and work in the US. I also lived for 3 years in Germany, and have seen France,Italy, Holland, Britain and other countries (etc.). I’m puzzled by your article: because you seem to have a slight superficial opinion of Romania however for whatever reason you are stuck to your opinion of a couple negative experiences you’ve had.
To my surprise coming as a visitor to my native land after 6 years I found services with people that although don’t show you the fake plastic smile from US and Canada, they don’t show you the Arian nation despise from Germany or Austria either when you talk German with a bit of an accent. Instead in Romania they just help you out without fake smiles or pretending anything else and you may find this unusual. Of course you may have other experiences that that but this can happen anywhere. “The best defense against prejudice is travel” – I think Mark Twain said something along these lines.
Romania is more close to France and Italy – but if you come from a culture where the “fake smile” is the norm, then when people are not pretending you may feel uneasy. As for your trip – I don’t know. Have you been to San Francisco or Montreal? You will find there many of the characters that you think are typical Romanian.
Anyway, congrats that at least that you tried to know the country. It is one of the most beautiful on earth, and the people are tons more friendly and culturally rich than others. One just needs to change the glasses that they use to see the world, and you may be luckier and know a more beautiful lady than the one you described (she sounds like one from the stereotypical jokes involving blondes).
Good luck in your attempts to open up to the world that you are not familiar with :)
Your friend, Dracula

]]> By: leif http://killingbatteries.com/2006/12/ulterior-motives/comment-page-1/#comment-1542 leif Wed, 03 Jan 2007 14:53:45 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/?p=99#comment-1542 Hey all, Thanks for the comments. Romania is treating me very well. Even the weather hasn't been all that bad. Yet more proof that when you don't live and work here, Romania is quite a nice place to be (in small doses). Hope being back at work isn't too painful. Hey all,

Thanks for the comments. Romania is treating me very well. Even the weather hasn’t been all that bad. Yet more proof that when you don’t live and work here, Romania is quite a nice place to be (in small doses).

Hope being back at work isn’t too painful.

]]> By: kirk http://killingbatteries.com/2006/12/ulterior-motives/comment-page-1/#comment-1544 kirk Tue, 02 Jan 2007 06:04:34 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/?p=99#comment-1544 aaahhhh... achingly pretty Swedish girls at least you have THAT! I have never touhed a swedish breast ... nice! happy new year!!! aaahhhh… achingly pretty Swedish girls at least you have THAT!
I have never touhed a swedish breast … nice!
happy new year!!!

]]> By: Shannon http://killingbatteries.com/2006/12/ulterior-motives/comment-page-1/#comment-1543 Shannon Mon, 01 Jan 2007 06:25:00 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/?p=99#comment-1543 happy new year Leif! happy new year Leif!

]]> By: sue http://killingbatteries.com/2006/12/ulterior-motives/comment-page-1/#comment-1541 sue Sun, 31 Dec 2006 20:02:57 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/?p=99#comment-1541 Hi Leif, Loved the latest update on your blog. The train ride sounds awfully depressing! Wish I could send you some chocolate chip cookies that I just pulled out of the oven. Have a great New Year's Eve! Hi Leif,

Loved the latest update on your blog. The train ride sounds awfully depressing! Wish I could send you some chocolate chip cookies that I just pulled out of the oven. Have a great New Year’s Eve!

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