A Romanian law from 1969, originally aimed at imprisoned intellectuals, allowed inmates to have their sentences reduced for writing scientific books. The law was suspended in 2016 after many allegations of ghostwriting and plagiarism. One white-collar prisoner, for example, apparently wrote ten academic books in under two years.

In Romania, you'll find that people often put their handbags, backpacks, and other bags on empty chairs … and since others are often too shy to remove them, they'll end up without seating. Apparently, this habit is based on an old superstition that says that “your money will run away” if you put your bag on the ground.

From my wife's childhood: She and her siblings were asked by their Transylvanian Saxon neighbors if they wanted some candy. Following Romanian customs, they said “no”. So they didn't get any. Days later, the children were still devastated that the neighbors didn't offer them the candy again and again until they finally said “yes”.

While sauces do exist in Romanian cuisine – with mujdei (garlic sauce) being the most common – they are somewhat rare. Main dishes often come without and even fries are often served sauceless (and if you do get a dip, it might be mustard). There's one unexpected (and quite shocking) exception, though: Pizza is always served with ketchup.

Centuries ago, Transylvanian Saxons travelled to Wallachia to buy wine. The Romanian hosts intended to get the Saxons drunk and then sell them low-quality wine for a hefty price … but the Germans had a “Schmecker” (literally: “someone who tastes”) who remained abstinent. Impressed, the Romanians adopted the word, which nowadays means “slick guy”.

The people of Romania love to have a picnic, a BBQ, or do some outdoor yoga. There's only one problem: They are not allowed on the grass! Ancient laws prohibit access to lawns in parks, on university campuses, and in other public places. Thankfully, the situation is gradually changing in major cities. Meanwhile, graffiti suggest to smoke the grass instead.