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The enthralling simplicity In 2018 I had a chance to live in Romania for half a year. Before arriving I made grandiose plans about all the travels I’ll make and the places I’ll see. Upon arrival I immediately understood that it is not the vastness of Romania that interests me, but the people in the little town of Cristuru Secuiesc that was my home for six months. Complicated history Cristuru Secuiesc (or Székelykeresztúr, as it is called in Hungarian) is a small town of barely 9000 people, located in Harghita county. It is a part of an area called Szeklerland, which is inhabited by a Hungarian minority called Szecklers. The town itself lays in a valley between small hills, surrounded by huge aspen forests, wild dogs and bears. Daily life here goes on almost exclusively in Hungarian. The only places you encounter any Romanian is in the post office and local Lidl supermarket. Szeklerland and its inhabitants have had a rough history. A disputed territory for both Romania and Hungary, it has switched hands several times in the past and now Szecklers are a minority in a country where many despise them. Sweets and drink Upon arrival it was quite obvious that locals are a bit distrustful of newcomers. They are not hostile, but cautious. People in these parts are quiet, proud of their heritage, they love nature and know how to handle their liquor. I felt like home. During local festival I tried the famous Kurtosh Kalacs or Kürtőskalács (the Hungarian names are near unpronounceable) . A spit cake covered in chocolate or cinnamon. After getting my hands on one, it took me a second to figure out how to eat this sweet, almost half a meter long monstrosity without making a fool out of myself. Their local fruit brandy Pálinka is also popular. If you are in Szeklerland, look for a brew made in one of the local villages. As a dinner host laughingly said to me: “If it’s under 70% percent it is not Pálinka, but water.” The enduring tradition The nature in Szeklerland is gorgeous. The landscape is covered with green forests and hills making curved silhouettes against the horizon. The sad part is that often times the lovely view is spoiled by piles of trash and furniture - an inescapable sign of the 21st century. Other than that, free time is well spent hiking through the forested hills and biking through many villages dotting the map. Some noteworthy destinations for someone looking to discover local crafts traditions are: the village of Crișeni - the home of the local straw hat making tradition and also a straw hat so big it will swallow you whole if you put it on, Corund for its unique pottery craftsmen and Sovata, a lovely resort town with its famous Bear salt lake if you are looking to relax after a day of hiking. Every bit of way surrounded by hills, easygoing rural life, bit of trash and wild animals. Near Crișeni is the village of Bezid. The eerie sights of a village flooded by a dam built during the communist regime, where only ghostly church tops remain above the water's surface will linger in memory for a long time. Unexpected connection I had the pleasure to visit other well known places in Romania. I saw Sibiu - medieval German town that, with its bright yellow houses and cobblestone squares felt more Bavarian than Romanian. The beautifully pompous Peleș castle - the summer residence of king Carol I. Or Timișoara whose building still have bullet holes which like wounds remind Romanians of their fight for freedom. And of course, the capital - Bucharest, which, juxtaposed with Art nouveau buildings, bleak post - soviet depression and hedonistic modernity, can not be fully explored in just a day or two. But in the end it was the Szeklerland that I fell in love with. Joy fills me when I remember my days working the fields of lavender or rosebush between hills sunbathing in the midday Sun, exploring the vast aspen forests or biking through the asphalt serpentines. The overall joy of rural life, that the Szeklers introduced me to which is largely ignored by the rest of the world.