“To the people from abroad who have the chance to read this article I send them the following message: if you want to come to study in Romania or do business here, don’t hesitate another second! My advice is to build a plan, document yourself on the journey you have to make, and I assure you that everything will come to fruition afterwards. Ignore the stories about Romania’s past, things have changed”. The statement belongs to a young student who left West Africa, from the Republic of Guinea, and came to our country to pursue his dream of developing a career in engineering.
Diallo Abdoulaye is 22 years old and is studying civil engineering at the Technical University of Construction Bucharest.
I met him through the Francophone University Agency (AUF), an international association that brings together 944 institutions of higher education and research from 116 countries on five continents.
He is an ordinary student, like many others, who divides his time between college courses, work (he delivers food at the clients’ home to supplement his income) and the moments spent with the friends made in our country.
The decision to come to Bucharest was made after a discussion with one of his friends, who had proposed to follow a master program in the Romanian capital. Meanwhile, his friend’s plans changed, but in Diallo’s mind remained the possibility of choosing such an alternative for further education.
“So I started to get interested in Romania, to ask the people who knew this country. I watched videos on YouTube, I read a lot. With the necessary information, I decided to come and continue my studies in Bucharest”, says the young man.
He adapted quickly to the life in Bucharest, being helped by the fact that he was accommodated on the campus of the University, where both students from Romania and young people from abroad, who are learning in our country, live. This diversity allowed him to discover the habits of the locals, but at the same time gave him examples from other foreigners’ experiences.
Five places in Bucharest that he recommends us
When he first arrived in the city he was impressed by the religiosity of the people, who make the sign of the cross every time they pass a church, even when they are in public transport. In the meantime, he learned that this custom is related to the Orthodox cult, which is in majority in Romania.
Not only this aspect fascinated him at the place of adoption. He is also impressed by the architecture of the city. Moreover, when he is not in college or at work, he likes to go “downtown”. Also, he let himself be stolen by the mall bustle.
Another very dear place to him is the French Institute in Bucharest, where he goes most of the time to read.
The time spent in Bucharest allowed him to know many of the sights of the Romanian capital. Without even the slightest hesitation, he made us five recommendations. First on the list is the National Museum of Romanian History, followed by the National Art Museum of Romania. He also recommends the Parliament Palace and the Old Center. From his point of view, tourists should not miss the malls.
„Bucharest is a friendly city with foreigners. I felt comfortable here from the first moment. Sometimes, on the weekend, my Romanian friends invite me to football games, to have meal. Honestly, I did not encounter any problems in the integration into the student world in Bucharest. The university where I study is an open one, where the French is also spoken and where the administrative staff helps you with everything you need”, mentions the young man.
Diallo Abdoulaye says that Bucharest, in fact Romania, must be on the international tourism map. “It is a country with a fascinating history, with many stories and places to visit. Special tourist attractions are found both in Bucharest and in other cities, such as Brasov or Constanța. The university education in the capital of Romania is a quality one and has a high level. It is true that in order to be among the best you need to work hard, but teachers are open and always available to students who need guidance. But as one proverb in my country says: „la meilleure façon de connaitre une personne c’est de voyager avec lui (c’est à dire de lui cotoyer) (the best way to know a person is to travel with that person (meaning to meet that person)”. So you can know Bucharest better by coming here”, concludes Diallo Abdoulaye.
