The Evolution of Romania’s Orphanages: How NGOs are fighting against a history of institutionalization
March 1990, Cighid Orphanage in Romania. A squeaking wood door opens to a dark room with no source of natural light. Inside, in only a few squared meters of space, a dozen of small children are folded up on rotting bed frames with no mattresses….
‘Collective’ Director Alexander Nanau on Romania’s systemic corruption and what an Oscar would bring to the country
In November 2015, more than 25,000 protesters flooded Bucharest’s streets—the largest demonstration since the fall of communism in 1989. “Corruption kills!” they shouted. “Health for all, not just the rich!” “Reset Romania!” Their words echoed throughout Piața Victoriei, full of pain, grieving for the 27…
The Beginning of the End: A Look at Romania’s COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout
In mid-December, Romanian authorities announced that the country would start its vaccination rollout on the 27th—giving us hope that all the glitchy Zoom classes, Netflix binge marathons, and social distancing would finally come to an end. So far, distribution has been going quite well by…
How AISB Children’s Rights Organizations have been affected by the Pandemic
Before March, many of AISB’s students spent time visiting pediatric hospitals, playing with underprivileged children, and teaching English to Romanian public school students. Unfortunately, these types of volunteer opportunities have become impossible—or at least, very difficult. While we’re unsure if school will reopen mid-January, we…
Coronavirus in Bucharest: How and where to test for it
With the new round of restrictions in place, and COVID numbers climbing, most of us have started to worry about the possibility of getting infected. But, what do we do if we actually start experiencing symptoms? How and where do we get tested in Bucharest?…
It’s LGBTQ History Month. Here’s how Romania has Played a Part
It all started in October 1994, when Professor Rodney Wilson came out to his history class. He was teaching students about the Holocaust, and mentioned that if he had lived in Germany during World War II, he would have likely been imprisoned by the Nazis…
Back to Normal? A Q&A with Romanian public school students about returning to campus
Schools in Romania welcomed students back on the 14th of September — six months after closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With little-to-no use of technology within the framework of Romanian state education, public schools struggled to keep students engaged during this time, and local…
COVID-19’s Toll on Romanian Public Schools
Starting from the 11th of March, nearly 7,200 Romanian public schools were closed due to COVID-19, with a virtually unknown reopening date. Ever since, safety measures have been progressively taken to facilitate students when they’ll return. However, with little-to-no use of technology within the framework…
How the Coronavirus is Affecting the Romanian Economy
COVID-19 has impacted everybody’s lives drastically over the last couple months, and while the social effects are felt by everyone, the economic ones are not so obvious. Small businesses have been forced to close, breaking the economic cycle. The government is trying to combat the…
Romania’s Waste Problem: Why are we importing trash from abroad?
“Romania is drowning in waste and most of the landfills are overflowing.” –BBC Correspondent Nick Thorpe Last October, a BBC documentary revealed that Romania is importing large amounts of trash from abroad, despite reports that only 5% of the country’s waste is being recycled. In…
Coronavirus: the impacts from a human rights perspective
As of April 2nd, the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide has surpassed 950,000, with 40% of the global population living under quarantine. As authorities around the world impose increasingly strict measures to slow the spread of the virus, human rights are at greater risk of…
HIV in Romania: What do we know?
According to UNAIDS 2018 Country Factsheet, there are 18,000 adults and children living with HIV in Romania. Of those, only 67% receive treatment. Despite these surprising numbers, HIV is a neglected issue in the country. In an effort to educate the local community on the…
The First-Ever CEESA-Wide Pride Conference takes place this weekend
On Friday and Saturday, the International School if Prague (ISP) will host the first-ever CEESA-wide Pride conference. We talked to the president and faculty advisor of “Spectrum” (ISP’s LGBTQ+ service group), Oz Erco and Jennifer Michalsky, to discover more about the upcoming conference. Related Article:…
‘There is no Planet B’: A Look into Bucharest’s Climate Strikes
Last Friday, four million people across 180+ countries took to the streets to demand governmental action on climate change. Protestors aimed to provoke response from Heads of State attending the UN Climate Action Summit, which took place three days after the strike. Meanwhile, Bucharest held…
AISB Library hosts its first-ever LGBTQ+ book display for Pride Month
The library looks a little more colorful today, as there’s now an entire bookshelf dedicated to LGBTQ+reading material. The display will stay up until the end of the school year, as a celebration of love, for LGBTQ Pride Month. AISB Librarian Traci Marlowe says, “It’s…
How “Unpatriotism” Has Become Part of Romanian Culture
On May 26th, Romania will hold its European Parliament elections to decide who will represent the country in the European Union for the next five years. While many would see this as an opportunity to bring change and support to the nation– to make more…
All You Need to Know About Easter in Romania
April break is finally here! While some are going on vacations, many are staying at home to spend Easter with their families. Easter is a significant celebration in Romania, with about 81% of the population being Orthodox Christians. For those who are not familiar with…
An X-ray of the Romanian Healthcare System: What’s Really Going On?
For two years in a row, Romania has occupied last place in the European Health Consumer Index (EHCI). The index analyzes national healthcare for 35 countries, looking at variables such as accessibility (waiting time for treatment), treatment outcomes, range of services offered, preventative care and…
AISB Robotics Team Heads to Detroit Next Month- Courtesy of CEESA Victory
On February 8th and 9th, AISB hosted this year’s CEESA robotics competition. On a side note, AISB won. The high school robotics team took home the two most important awards: the first place award for scoring the most points, and the Inspire Award, which enables…
Romanian Week Coming to AISB March 4th
From the 4th to 8th of March, AISB will be hosting a week dedicated to Romanian culture, where some of the country’s most well-known musicians, historians, physicists, politicians, architects and sports professionals will visit the school to deliver presentations and answer questions. AISB Romanian Teacher…
Romania’s LGBTQ+ Community: Why AISB Needs to Lead the Charge on Acceptance
On October 6th and 7th, Romanian voters were presented with a question: Should the constitution be changed to recognize marriage as “a union between a man and a woman?” Or, quite simply, “Should there be legal language put in place to prevent gay marriage in…
Everything You Need to Know About GDPR
Imagine this: You’re outside the Dean of Admission’s office at your dream college, waiting for your interview. Your heart is beating out of your chest and you’re trying to control your shaky hands. The Dean invites you in, you sit down, take a deep breath…
Forecasting Taco Bell’s Success in Romania
October 12th marked Taco Bell’s debut in Eastern Europe, when long lines formed at the new restaurant in Baneasa Shopping City. We all knew it would be popular, but how long will this success last? In an attempt to answer this question, we’ll start by…
Deadly Storms Prompt Government Action
Main image credit: Reuters Two weeks ago, a series of storms swept across Romania, killing eight people and injuring 70. In Alba County, 15 thousand people were left without power. In response, the Romanian government is implementing an emergency warning system through SMS as part…