Our Man in Bucharest

Hi Everyone,

Well you certainly have been having the snow in the UK haven't you. The worst winter for 20 years! And as often happens, Romania seems to get the exact opposite to you in Western Europe. It should be below freezing and a fair bit of snow. But while you've been shivering in England spring has almost arrived here. At one point last week it was 16c in Bucharest. And although I like the snow, I've got used to this warmer weather so please keep your winter and we'll hang on to Spring here!

The financial crisis might be hitting Romania but it's quite difficult to tell. There is such hysteria about it, you don't know if there is a real crisis or a media manufactured one here. The National Bank of Romania seems to review it's economic forecasts every day. Before Christmas growth in Romania in 2009 was going to be only about 4%. After Christmas the forecast was 2.8%. Mid January they said 1.6%. By the beginning of February the economy might shrink by 0.5%. Now they think it will be 0%. In other words, no-one really knows.

In all this uncertainty I must admit I'm pleased to have the job at the Embassy. It is a safe job and they seem to be very happy with my work. In fact so happy that they have expanded my work. I am still the PA to the Ambassador, but I am also the Justice and Home Affairs Attache. Sounds good doesn't it?! Now I really am "Your man in Bucharest". One of the first commitments I had as the Attache was to go to a "Justice Dinner" at the Ambassador's residence. There were 12 of us including the Romanian Minister of Justice, the Secretary of State for Justice, a couple of UK judges who were visiting to look at the Romanian Judicial system, a couple of state prosecutors and a few other hangers on like me.

Thankfully I did not manage to do anything monumentally embarrassing (which I know will disappoint most of you who love to hear my mega faux pas). The food was delicious - celeriac soup, followed by traditional roast lamb and all the trimmings and then a summer berry mousse. Wine was served with each course and the second your glass looked slightly not full they refilled it, so I made sure I kept a close eye on how much I was drinking.

Anyway when the Ambassador's wife managed to stop me dancing on the table and shouting to the Justice minister, "Come on, I've been a bad boy, bang me up" they decided I had consumed enough wine and sent me home. But I think they understood that I was just having a laugh. Does anyone know what "You are being deported" is in Romanian, as I've received a document from the Justice Minister and I think that's what it says!!

Doing both the PA and the Attache job is going to be difficult, but we will review it in a couple of months to check I'm not either so stressed out I can't breathe or I'm never leaving the office because I'm premanently working. Needless to say this extra work comes with no extra pay or anything like that. "It's good development for you Andrew" - mmmm.

Well that's all for now. A short one for a change (and much to your relief I'm sure!)

Hope you are all ok and keeping warm.

Take care.

Andrew xx