10 things i wish i knew before slapping paint on bucharest walls
so you’re thinking of moving to bucharest. sweet. i did it two years ago with a backpack full of spray cans and zero romanian. thought i’d be painting masterpieces on every communist-era bloc. didn’t exactly pan out. here’s the messy truth they don’t put on the instagram feeds.
first, the rent thing. everyone says it’s cheap, and yeah, compared to berlin it is. but you get what you pay for. i paid 350 euros for a shoebox in ferentari-perfect for my art, terrible for my lungs (mold, you beautiful gremlin). a decent studio in drieacha or the old town? 500-700 easy. and landlords? they still cash rent in cash, no contracts half the time. *'semneaza un contract' is your new mantra. say it. demand it.
safety’s a weird dance here. by day, i’ve painted in the middle of piata unirii with zero issues. by night, you learn to scan the corners near gara de nord. pickpockets are sharp, but violent crime’s low if you’re not flashing phones. still, don’t wander down dark lanes in hipster areas after 2am-the stray dogs get louder than the creeps.
> "if they offer you a 'special price' for your art, walk away. they smell foreign and cheap."
> - mihai, graffitist who’s been here since '92
the weather’s a liar. october will hit you with that first cold, wet slap and you’ll think, this is it, i hate it. then june rolls around and the sun bleaches every bad memory. humidity in summer is no joke-your acrylics will sweat. invest in a dehumidifier or watch your canvases warp like old romanian propaganda posters.
job market? if you’re not in tech or an english teacher, brace. i make cash from commissioned murals (hit up the cafes in植事) and selling stickers to tourists near the guild steps. it’s inconsistent. 'cine vrea o foaie?' (who wants a sheet?) is how you hustle. but the scene’s alive-check out la subsol for underground shows, and the old town’s alleys change every week.
neighbors are a flight away, not a drive. you can be in istanbul in an hour, belgrade in two. but within romania? cluj is the cooler kid, and transylvania’s mountains are your escape when the city grit gets old. trains are cheap but slower than your hungover sunday.
> "don’t paint the palace of the parliament. they have cameras everywhere and a guard with a grudge against 'decorating' communism."
> - overheard at nomad hostel, 3am
the bureaucracy is a horror story. getting a residency permit means running between offices with copies of copies of copies. bring patience, romanian朋友, and bribes are still a thing (just buy the official guy a coffee, seriously).
grocery prices: cheap as hell at mega image or profi. but imported stuff? ouch. learn to love mămăligă and cheap local wine. your liver will thank you.
coffee’s a religion here, but the good stuff’s hidden. skip the chained places. find the tiny holes-in-the-wall near piața romană that roast their own beans. tip in lei, not euros.
last thing: bucharest doesn’t love you back immediately. it’s grimy, loud, and the tram system is held together by hope and rust. but at 3am when you’re finishing a piece under a flickering streetlight and some old guy offers you țuică* from his flask… you get it. you’re home.
read the real talk on r/bucharest-they’ll roast you for asking dumb questions. check out this map of legal walls from a local legend. and if you need furniture that doesn’t suck, olx.ro is your chaotic flea market best friend. for the love of god, read the expat.com forums before signing a lease-they’ve got horror stories that’ll save your wallet.
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