Romania / Calinesti / Rad Maria, 58, has been farming her entire life, and not much has changed, no one has really helped her. During communism everyone had jobs, everyone had enough, but now that kind of stability doesn’t exist. Romania’s entrance into the EU is, if anything, going to make their lives more complicated with more laws, regulations, and restrictions. They might no longer be able to sell the cheese they make because it won’t comply with the necessary pasteurization. They feel like there’s no justice, and there never will be. They have received some assistance that came from EU funds in order to purchase pesticide. With all of the young people leaving the country for better opportunities, it’s too hard for them to raise animals, they are too old to do that kind of work themselves.

Romania / Baia Mare / Fiam Iosif, 75, worked in an office as a metallurgic technician. He is now retired and feels that even though there was a regime for many of his working years, at least people had more job security. He said that there used to be a lot more factories, although just because there was more quantity before doesn’t mean the quality was very good. However, there were more jobs. He doesn’t think that Romania’s entrance into the EU will help the common people very much, maybe the elite, but not the blue-collar workers. Personally, he would like to see the salaries and pensions increase, as well as more money for the people and lower market prices.

Maramures/ Romania / A young boy in Maramures on Easter Monday contemplates his future over the next ten years as Romania becomes more and more integrated in the EU. He also dreams of being a famous soccer player.

Romania / Ocna / Costin Nutu, 62, worked in mines for most of his life. He is now retired, and when asked about his opinion on Romania’s entrance into the EU, he says that he and a lot of people in this area feel left behind. He lives down the street from a garbage dump in the middle of the pristine area he lives in, that has existed for many years. It is unsanitary, bothers him, and pollutes the environment. He hopes the EU will help regulate dumps like this one.

Romania / A young Roma boy waking up in his house on the outskirts of Targu Mures.

Romania / Maramures/ Members of the Bohotici family during their Monday second Easter celebration. When asked about Romania’s entrance into the EU, the family had a wide variety of opinions and ideas, the most common being: they hope as an EU member the level of education and materials supplied to schools will increase; they think it is mostly elite and corporate workers receiving EU funds, and would like to see a wider variety of people gain access to this money; they are not pro-communism, but at least during that regime, people had jobs; they would like to see job market and salaries increase, especially for Romania’s youth. Overall, they feel optimistic, but know that change is still in the makings, and that it is going to take many more years.

(left) Romania / Sighisoara / Emilia Butnaru thinks people are prejudiced, which results in a communist grudge. Romania has changed little, maybe it will change in 20 years when all the people in power fall out of power. She would like people to get back their land and houses because communism took it away and they haven’t gotten it back. She thinks Russia is going to become more powerful and this will be bad for Romania, the Russians will take everything, all of their resources. She’s not sure what role the EU will play in any of this. (right) Romania/ Cluj Napoca /Staggered mailboxes at the entrance of an apartment building in Cluj-Napoca.

Romania / Copsa Mica / Comiza Maria, 70, and Irmie Violeta, 69, have never heard of the European Union. In Copsa Mica, the town they’ve lived in their entire lives, they’ve worked in a factory and as a cook/postwoman in the factory. The town was completely black with soot from the nearby factories until about a month ago, when all the buildings were repainted and cleaned.

Romania / Maramures/ Members of the Bohotici family during their Monday second Easter celebration. When asked about Romania’s entrance into the EU, the family had a wide variety of opinions and ideas, the most common being: they hope as an EU member the level of education and materials supplied to schools will increase; they think it is mostly elite and corporate workers receiving EU funds, and would like to see a wider variety of people gain access to this money; they are not pro-communism, but at least during that regime, people had jobs; they would like to see job market and salaries increase, especially for Romania’s youth. Overall, they feel optimistic, but know that change is still in the makings, and that it is going to take many more years.

Romania / Calinesti / These women have been farming their entire lives, and not much has changed, no one has really helped them. During communism everyone had jobs, everyone had enough, but now that kind of stability doesn’t exist. Romania’s entrance into the EU is, if anything, going to make their lives more complicated with more laws, regulations, and restrictions. They might no longer be able to sell the cheese they make because it won’t comply with the necessary pasteurization. They feel like there’s no justice, and there never will be. They have received some assistance that came from EU funds in order to purchase pesticide. With all of the young people leaving the country for better opportunities, it’s too hard for them to raise animals, they are too old to do that kind of work themselves. So now, they grow potatoes mainly for their own sustenance.

Romania / Calinesti / Local farmers walking home from their day's work. Most people in the area farm potatoes and make homemade cheese. New EU regulations may complicate the small farmer's way of life by imposing restrictions and moving towards more wholesale providers.

Romania / Maramures / Locals participating and watching traditional dances the day after Easter Monday in the Maramures region.

Romania / Maramures / Locals participating and watching traditional dances the day after Easter Monday in the Maramures region.

Romania / Maramures / Locals in traditional clothing celebrating second Easter in the Maramures region of Romania.

Romania / Maramures / Locals in traditional clothing celebrating second Easter in the Maramures region of Romania.

Romania / Maramures / Locals in traditional clothing celebrating second Easter in the Maramures region of Romania.

Romania / Maramures / Locals in traditional clothing celebrating second Easter in the Maramures region of Romania.

Romania / This Roma family lives on the outskirts of Targu Mares. The men make their living making metal pipes. They don’t think Romania’s entrance into the EU will stop the trend of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. The parents hope their children will have more opportunities for a better education and good health.

Romania / These two Roma women live in the outskirts of Targu Mares. Their husbands make their living making metal pipes. In general, they don’t think Romania’s entrance into the EU will stop the trend of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. The parents hope their children will have more opportunities for a better education and good health.

Romania / Garbo and his Roma family live on the outskirts of Targu Mares. He works making metal pipes for a living. He and his family don’t think Romania’s entrance into the EU will stop the trend of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. He and his wife hope their children will have more opportunities for a better education and good health.

Romania / Garbo and his Roma family live on the outskirts of Targu Mares. He works making metal pipes for a living. He and his family don’t think Romania’s entrance into the EU will stop the trend of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. He and his wife hope their children will have more opportunities for a better education and good health.

Romania / Garbo and his Roma family live on the outskirts of Targu Mares. He works making metal pipes for a living. He and his family don’t think Romania’s entrance into the EU will stop the trend of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. He and his wife hope their children will have more opportunities for a better education and good health.

Romania / Garbo and his Roma family live on the outskirts of Targu Mares. He is proudly showing off a picture of his children a few years ago. He works making metal pipes for a living. He and his family don’t think Romania’s entrance into the EU will stop the trend of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. He and his wife hope their children will have more opportunities for a better education and good health.

Romania / Garbo and his Roma family live on the outskirts of Targu Mares. He works making metal pipes for a living. He and his family don’t think Romania’s entrance into the EU will stop the trend of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. He and his wife hope their children will have more opportunities for a better education and good health.

Romania / A young Roma girl in front of her house on the outskirts of Targu Mures.

Romania / This young Roma girl lives with her family on the outskirts of Targu Mares. Her father makes his living making metal pipes. Her and her family don’t think Romania’s entrance into the EU will stop the trend of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Her parents hope she will have more opportunities for a better education and good health.