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I too am hesitant to go to Eastern Europe, I would love to go to a university in Eastern Europe, Central Europe, or even Northern Europe. Even though my parents' country's "right by blood" law means that I can get citizenship, I only know American English. I do not know any other language, before I learned American English, I was semi-fluent in Romanian but it was so long ago that I completely forgot the language.
I can't think of a country that's NOT Western Europe that would be okay with me only knowing American English. I'm not sure I'd have any good luck finding jobs, housing, or education with only know English......
I too am hesitant to go to Eastern Europe, I would love to go to a university in Eastern Europe, Central Europe, or even Northern Europe. Even though my parents' country's "right by blood" law means that I can get citizenship, I only know American English. I do not know any other language, before I learned American English, I was semi-fluent in Romanian but it was so long ago that I completely forgot the language.
I can't think of a country that's NOT Western Europe that would be okay with me only knowing American English. I'm not sure I'd have any good luck finding jobs, housing, or education with only know English......
I can hardly imagine that. Don't you think once you're surrounded by Romanians it'd all come back to you? I think you'd be "semi fluent" again in less then a year.
You won't experience racism, stop worrying about it, most people don't care about race. Go there, i'm sure you will enjoy it, it's lovely and most of it is off the tourist paths
I too am hesitant to go to Eastern Europe, I would love to go to a university in Eastern Europe, Central Europe, or even Northern Europe. Even though my parents' country's "right by blood" law means that I can get citizenship, I only know American English. I do not know any other language, before I learned American English, I was semi-fluent in Romanian but it was so long ago that I completely forgot the language.
I can't think of a country that's NOT Western Europe that would be okay with me only knowing American English. I'm not sure I'd have any good luck finding jobs, housing, or education with only know English......
According to a Polish dude who temporarily lives in Cluj, there are more people speaking English in this city than in many other European countries:
Impressing is the number of people speaking English language in Cluj, since I traveled a lot around Europe, I must say that, I didn’t meet so many English speakers yet. People selling vegetables, cashiers at shops, waiters or passers on the sidewalk, all of them were possible to communicate in English. I didn’t see it other countries like: Spain, Italy, France, Turkey or Croatia. Maybe it is just specificity of Cluj, I don’t know.
I would agree that going to an unfamiliar country or area is perhaps 'uncomfortable'. But from experience I'd suggest it may be an eye-opening thing and one can be surprised as to how one gets along under the circumstances.
And if one knows language say 'semi-fluent' well that's a plus in picking it up once again. Took me just a few weeks under the circumstances. It comes quick!
So I'd suggest like others go and doing that will certainly take you off the beaten path to the already trekked. There are some great places and people to meet in all of Eastern Europe. And I'd say you gotta 'go with the flow'! That'll make a lot of things interesting.
There are however human rights issues in Belarus and tourism isn't mentioned anywhere in the Wikipedia article for that country: Belarus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Personally, I think it would be wise to avoid that country at the moment. There may be some hostility towards you as an American due to US sanctions imposed on Russia. Belarus declared independence in 1994, but Russian is its main language and the current ruler, Alexander Lukashenko has been criticized by Western governments for his authoritarian style of leadership.
If you meet a creepy german businessman on the train on the way, and you find out your online girlfriend lives in a hostel filled with beautiful women, take the first train out of there.
There are however human rights issues in Belarus and tourism isn't mentioned anywhere in the Wikipedia article for that country: Belarus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Personally, I think it would be wise to avoid that country at the moment. There may be some hostility towards you as an American due to US sanctions imposed on Russia. Belarus declared independence in 1994, but Russian is its main language and the current ruler, Alexander Lukashenko has been criticized by Western governments for his authoritarian style of leadership.
I've never been to Belarus. But I don't think that its human rights issues can affect an average tourist.
Hostility? I think you overstimate this. People there (and here) are not fanatics or something. Just conformists.
Last edited by Muscovite; 03-30-2015 at 04:26 AM..
I've never been to Belarus. But I don't think that its human rights issues can affect an average tourist.
Hostility? I think you overstimate this. People there (and here) are not fanatics or something. Just conformists.
If you are not an active opposition member or candidate for presidency, you will be safe in Belarus. Well, there is always some crime, but a foreigner has no more chances to face it than your average Belarusian. Believe me, compared to many countries Belarus is very safe. It's a quiet place in general.
Hostility in Belarus due to US sanctions on Russia? That's absurd. Many Belarusians even support those sanctions, and the people that live near the Polish border are generally quite anti-Russian and pro-Western. And those who are pro-Russian (which are also many in the country) will not be aggressive to an American for the sanctions against Russia.
Hostility in Belarus due to US sanctions on Russia? That's absurd.
Yes, that's what I tried to explain to Xircal.
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