Day of the Dead

The Day of the Dead is a celebration in Romania around the same time as Halloween.

Held on November 1st and 2nd, it is a celebration or remembrance of the loved ones who have

passed before us. Also known as All Saints Day, people gather at the graves of the departed

with candles, flowers, sweets to give away, and usually tuica. They light the candles and

place them along with the flowers on top of or around the grave of their lost ones. Then it is

customary to share the sweets and tuica with the people (usually whom they know) who pass

by and to the poor people. The whole time they tell stories about the things they

remember doing or happening with their loved one.

They celebrate the life that person had and that they are free from the misery of this

world. But it is not always happy; sometime you may come across someone who is crying or

sad. This year there was a young couple standing by a tiny grave –that was probably their

baby. It would be horrible for anyone to have their child die, but remembering is part of the

Romanian grieving process. This is what they believe is proper. As I walked into the cemetery

I was struck with the beauty of lights. The cemetery was glimmering in celebration of this

occasion. I remember thinking that on this night; the lights on the ground mirrored those in

the sky. People moved along the path, some solemn while others were laughing and joking. I

loved it. As I walked with another girl, who is also studying here, I could not help but remember

a conversation I had earlier in the day.

Studying abroad makes it very difficult to communicate with family and friends back

home, but not impossible. Yet, I have found that trying to explain what is happening here

exceedingly challenging. It really hurts me when I am trying to explain something cultural and I

hear someone comment, “That’s weird”. I get defensive, because they are attacking something

that I find beautiful. Their judging something they do not really know anything about. But

then, I think about how I would react if I was not here in the midst of everything. I probably

would have said the same thing. I think that this experience has taught me to be more

culturally aware and to see beauty in all the customs of the Romanian people. Understanding

this does not necessarily make it easier to hear their responses, but it does help me to react to

everyone in a more loving way.
-Renee