By Oana Harrison
Published in 2025 Mar/Apr Cityview Magazine
Underestimated. Beautiful. Complicated history. Home. That’s Romania, the beautiful country where I was born and lived until coming to the U.S. mid-90s. For 18 years, I called Knoxville and the Smokies home, while returning to my true home, the Carpathian Mountains, almost every year.
Continue reading “The Heart of Romania-Journeying Home for an Epic Visit”
My hometown Brasov sits in the elbow of the Carpathian Mountains, providing year-round opportunities for nature exploration, while combining small medieval town charm and modern amenities. I attempt yearly visits, and last year I had the added bonus of visiting with my nephew who lives in Switzerland. We explored Tampa mountain and Postavaru peak, we had our fill of traditional Romanian food and wine, and spent time catching up with family.
Continue reading “At Home, in the Carpathian Mountains”
Four years passed without a trip to see my family in Romania, so I was especially pumped up to visit my hometown Brasov once again in the fall of 2022. The other exciting part of my visit this time was a special trip to one of the many wine regions in Romania and touring a few wineries.
Continue reading “Home again: Brasov, Romania and Romanian wines”
We are not having family or big reunions this Christmas, but we are having a good Christmas, albeit quiet. We have our health, thankfully, and a pretty Christmas tree. Two out of three fur babies are still with us and they seem to be enjoying their new “home” in Colorado, taking plenty of naps and snuggling with us.
Continue reading “Christmas 2020 – On a Personal Note”
If I were in my childhood’s Romania, winter and the holidays would be the best time of the year. I remember the anticipation of the first snow and how as soon as we saw the white flakes start falling, our attention would shift from the classroom to the window. Our teachers’ best choice was to let us go outside and enjoy it. The snow would start falling sometime in late fall and keep piling up through the winter, blanketing everything in fluffy and sparkly white coat.
Continue reading “Romanian Christmas Traditions”
