While many young Romanians dream of moving across the Atlantic, an American couple from Seattle, Jill and Richard, did exactly the opposite, giving up eight years ago the lure of the "American dream" - a large house, two cars and a motorcycle - for a quieter life on the edge of Sibiu's largest park, Sub Arini.
Their story was shared by the Sibiu County Council on its social media page as part of the "#People and places with a story" campaign.
Jill and Richard say they chose Romania for its quality of life and the atmosphere of the local community.
"People are kind, the scenery is beautiful, the air is clean, the tap water is drinkable and the food is wonderful. Romania is a country in the European Union where one can live decently," Richard says.
In the United States, Richard worked as a chef, while Jill is a software engineer specialising in the aerospace industry. The two say that although they had a home in America and travelled frequently, they felt they lacked the peace and balance they eventually found in Sibiu.
"We had a house, two cars, a motorcycle, a dog and we travelled a lot. What we were missing was exactly what we found here in Sibiu: peace and quiet, warm people, cultural richness and unspoilt nature," they recalled.
According to them, the high cost of living in the United States, particularly housing and health insurance, makes the "American dream" increasingly difficult for young people to achieve.
Jill and Richard explained that although they do not have children, they have remained close to many young people they supported over the years while working with an organisation that helped foreign students studying at the University of Seattle.
"Some of them stayed temporarily in our home. Over the years, those ties grew stronger and we even ended up attending their weddings in different parts of the world," they remember.
The two Americans say they also chose Sibiu because of its vibrant cultural life.
"We travel a lot, so it is important that the city has an airport. In addition, the cultural life is extraordinary: concerts, theatre and film festivals, a philharmonic orchestra, ballet. The open-air museum in the Dumbrava Forest is wonderful. Anywhere in the county you can go on a nature trip and eat well. Here, tomatoes, cheese or meat actually have taste," they said.
After visiting around 85 countries, the two say they will continue to travel, but they are convinced that the place they will always return to is Sibiu County.
"We loved Turkey for its impressive ancient remains. In America you only read about such things, you cannot really see them. Then there is the politeness of the Japanese and their respect for the elderly, which is remarkable. There are few places where you still see a young person opening a door or offering a seat to an older woman. For example, in Romania we enjoy it when a stranger greets you simply because you crossed paths on the street," said the American couple who settled in Sibiu.
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