Around this time of the year, the Black Friday, pre-Christmas frenzy usually  starts here in Romania. But here at Romania Insider, we choose to focus on something different this year. We’re starting the Romania Appreciation Weeks: We celebrate all we appreciate about Romania, together with you. Together we can help more people learn about Romania. Because Romania and its people deserve it.  What does this mean to you?

In November and December, we put the spotlight even more on what our readers appreciate about this country and on values. We share our own stories of what we love about Romania, and we open more to our community, asking readers to share their stories with us.  Together with foreign and Romanian readers from all over the world, we celebrate all the things we appreciate about Romania and send these messages all across the globe. 

Especially at hard times like this, it is important to remember the good in our lives; and there are plenty  of good things happening in Romania, lots of places worth knowing, plenty of people who make a difference, all of which deserve to get more credit. 

During these two months, Romania Insider will be, more than ever, the messenger of Romania to the world. You will find out what our readers love about Romania as we will share their stories with the world. You will uncover the Romanians who make a difference at home and elsewhere in the world. We believe the country deserves to be better known, and our website, which is read all over the world, is uniquely positioned to send those messages out there.

You can expect us to continue with our regular reporting as ever - rest assured that we won’t cover just the positives all of the sudden, and we continue in our balanced reporting - but we will put more emphasis on the good. You can expect more shared stories from our readers and to get to know better our team of 11. 

How can you, our reader, join our movement and express your appreciation for Romania? 

• Have your story heard! We will select stories from readers: expats in Romania, Romanians abroad, or readers who want to share their thoughts on what they admire about Romania and maybe how Romania has changed their lives. On this page, you can check all the options to send your story to us.  

• Send us a brief video of you, in English, to let us and the world know what you appreciate about Romania. We will publish a selection on our website and on our social media. Email us your videos at love@romania-insider.com. 

• Read the stories about places, things and people to appreciate in Romania. Our team will publish even more such stories during this period.  If you want to suggest a story, email us at newsroom@romania-insider.com 

• Help more people read about and appreciate Romania. By becoming a Romania Insider member, you will be supporting us to create more content to offer for free to readers from all over the world. During the Romania  Appreciation Weeks, you can offer a free Romania Insider membership to a friend, colleague or family member, and they get the same benefits as you. Starting from as little as EUR 3 a month, you and a friend can read the website without seeing any banner ads and receive our premium newsletters. Together you will help us bring more local news to more people all over the world. Here you can start your membership. 

• Use the hashtag #RomaniaAppreciation on social media to share what you like about Romania, a story about how it has changed your life, a Romanian who made a difference, a small gesture that lightened up your day. Spread the good! 

I hope you will join us in our quest for the good, to bring a dose of positive and inspiration at a time when most of us need it most! 

Corina Chirileasa, co-founder, Romania Insider, corina@romania-insider.com