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Romania II
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Romania II

(The Intro Below is from Romania I):

I’ve been to Romania once. I was asked, with other photographers, to accompany an exhibition of photography in America, and represent the United States as part of a cultural exchange program with the former USSR.

Before leaving for Romania, I was visited by the FBI to prep me for my trip. I took everything they said with a grain of salt. It was all obviously anti-communist propaganda. They warned me about espionage and blackmail, surveillance, and the terrible things that would go on. 

I thought to myself, This is Romania, not Moscow. It’s more liberal. They’re just hysterical and paranoid.

Sadly, I was way wrong. Ceausescu was in power at the time, and he was a total despot. He was executed 15 years later in the Romanian Revolution.

Our hotel phones were bugged, our rooms were searched and people were arrested for communicating with us. 

It was literally unlawful for Romanians to socialize with foreigners. They did though, and at great risk to themselves. I fell in love with them as a people. Even those I met in the most superficial way.

Despite the military presence everyone we met was warm, friendly and went out of their way to be of assistance to us.

In the countryside, I came across a wedding and was asked to join in and take pictures. 

In Cluj, a small city, we saw a sign that said,(in Romanian) “Welcome to our anniversary, 474 - 1974.” They’ve been around for a while.

They are a homogenous people, darkly handsome, open, warm, curious, amiable, but a bit cautious. They were wary of us as we were of them. 

It puts the lie to the thinking that defines“them” and“ us” as the only possibility.

As always, terrible governments; wonderful people. 

Family and Burlap Bags, Romania
Family and Burlap Bags, Romania
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Woman in Market, Romania
Woman in Market, Romania
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Crowd with Hammer and Sickle, Romania
Crowd with Hammer and Sickle, Romania
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Two Men and Two Horses, Romania
Two Men and Two Horses, Romania
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Kid on Road with Scythe, Romania
Kid on Road with Scythe, Romania
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People at Market, Romania
People at Market, Romania
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Gypsies on Street, Romania
Gypsies on Street, Romania
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Three Military Officers in Park, Romania
Three Military Officers in Park, Romania
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Child, Two Women and Fence, Romania
Child, Two Women and Fence, Romania
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Three Young Girls, Romania
Three Young Girls, Romania
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Kids in Uniforms, Romania
Kids in Uniforms, Romania
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Two Women in Street, Romania
Two Women in Street, Romania
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Street Scene with Kid in Red, Romania
Street Scene with Kid in Red, Romania
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Children in Street, Romania
Children in Street, Romania
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People and Tomatoes, Romania
People and Tomatoes, Romania
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Women at Window, Romania
Women at Window, Romania
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Portrait of Woman in Head Scarf, Romania
Portrait of Woman in Head Scarf, Romania
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Military Family, Romania
Military Family, Romania
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Woman with Tomatoes, Romania
Woman with Tomatoes, Romania
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People in Black in Bus, Romania
People in Black in Bus, Romania
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Landscape with Haystacks, Romania
Landscape with Haystacks, Romania
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Pharmacy Sign, Romania
Pharmacy Sign, Romania
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Woman with Shadow Over Eyes, Romania
Woman with Shadow Over Eyes, Romania
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Woman at Market with Greens, Romania
Woman at Market with Greens, Romania
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Bus Stop People, Romania
Bus Stop People, Romania
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Red Bus with Sunlight, Romania
Red Bus with Sunlight, Romania
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Man Wearing Fedora Behind Foggy Window, Romania
Man Wearing Fedora Behind Foggy Window, Romania
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People in Line, Romania
People in Line, Romania
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Detail of Painting, Romania
Detail of Painting, Romania
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People with Cord, Romania
People with Cord, Romania
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Man in Car, Romania
Man in Car, Romania
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Street Scene in Cluj, Romania
Street Scene in Cluj, Romania
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Geese Crossing Street, Romania
Geese Crossing Street, Romania
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Crowd with Military Officer, Romania
Crowd with Military Officer, Romania
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Empty Bucharest Street, Romania
Empty Bucharest Street, Romania
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End of Part II_romania7Patio8Chairs8and8Arch8Romania
End of Part II_romania7Patio8Chairs8and8Arch8Romania
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