Hello guys and gals, after quite some while of absence I am going to continue my Romanian diaries. As I actually mentioned in my first post, Romania is a country full of contradictions. One of the most striking contradictions is for sure the development level with regards to agriculture on the one hand and modern industries such as the wide spread internet on the other hand.
I could bore you know with some figures about up to 30% of the Romanian labor force being “employed” in the agricultural sector (contributing some nothing to the local GDP btw and leaving a gap of basic commodities to be filled by imports waaaaaayy higher than domestic production). Those are serious topics and we could and should reflect a lot about them. We could also talk about Romanian’s strong commitment to religion, which in other cities than the capital will manifest itself by phenomena such as people – including emo subculture guys – making their cross at every church they come along (oh, boy, they are plenty!). This might seem strange, if not akward, but no, I have something much better for you. Being internet marketer myself I was very excited about the following email, sent to a friend of mine and owner of one (or actually more) ecommerce-shop(s):
“I am priest Florin, a monk from the city of Iasi (Jassy) and represent an orthodox parish in Jassy. We support several social programs and would like to earn a buck. If possible, we would like to promote your business or to advertise it in Jassy, may it be brochures, magazines, by me, our family or our partners. We can advertise you also in archbishop-ship seats, Parishs, Monasteries, via the Internet using affiliate programs or via email to thousands of friends. We have a tax number, a bank account [not something necessarily common in Romania, in 2008 just 50% of the population maintained relationships with banks; S.H.]. Regarding advertising, we can also display banner ads in our Parishs. We also have the possibility to print brochures and flyers at convenient production prices.”
This sounds like a bargain not to refuse but to make things clear an alternative translation would be like this:
“While my fucking peasant buddies still plow their land using utilities unchanged for some hundreds of years and which might not even be locally produced due to a lack of know-how [scythe imported from Western Europe e.g.] and their horse (or wife – according to possibilities) we, the cool dudes from the church – are way ahead: We offer you display advertising, affiliate and email marketing (high open rate guaranteed) for both popular online and offline channels. At your request we can even be a complete agency with production capabilities at reseller prices. We even do not refrain from sending unsolicited mail aka spam for customer acquisitions, because we know, that in our case, the target population will highly appreciate it. That’s basically why we are able to build one new church after the other even though the whole construction sector is crushed.”
Well then, good to know that technology and century old traditions can live this well together. Not that the loudspeakers transmitting the church service in the very heart of Bucharest wouldn’t have remind me often enough. But it’s really as contradictory as this: while the peasant are cropping their land with century old plows and cutting the grass with scythes, our friends in the monastery might even operate their church bells conveniently by the push o a button and remote: by SMS – they might be even wearing a swarovski powered robe.
I always knew, Romania can do it. Hallelujah.
Bonus for fans: A Romanian Pries blessing a car. No fake. Source unknown, author shall contact me for credits.
Browse Timeline
- Next: » Deine Lakaien – Slowly Comes My Night – Lyrics and Video
- Previous: « Keny Arkana – Je Me Barre
Comments ( 2 )
What can I say, it’s true! You can have your own thing blessed!
Buy whatever you like and then go to a priest to make that thing work! Here, priests have power! If your girlfriend cheated you, go to a priest, he’ll take care of her, with a curse!May God bless Romania!
Dorin
added these pithy words on
Apr 20 12 at
08:15
mai baiete, ce site ti-ai tras tuuu
i like the scene in Transylvania (2006) after the shady exorcism when the priest asks for 150 =) and the guy tells him “i won’t give ya anything, charlatan” =)
another thing is cool, especially when bypassing a church with the tram, even the drunk people wake up from their hangover to make their cross
Steffen
added these pithy words on
Apr 20 12 at
20:10
