After years of never even thinking of leaving my home country Romania, the thought of settling abroad has visited me, I will admit it. It was however only a short hesitation, and the decision was made. These are some of the things I love about Romania which tie me to this place.

The unspoiled nature.

Yes, you've probably heard it before. Romania does have truly unique places, less beaten paths, amazing landscapes, most of which are little known to the world, and even to many Romanians themselves. It is one of the things which has prevented me from moving abroad – you can always visit beautiful places in other countries, but it is always better to have a great, beautiful spot close to your home, especially if you're among the few who know about it. Take, for example, the amazing Saturday afternoon I spent on the banks of a small river in Giurgiu, near Bucharest, just laying in the grass, or walking barefoot in the stream, just us and nature. Irreplaceable!

The countryside.

The second reason I haven't left Romania. I was born and lived in the countryside until I was 14, and have been counting the years since I moved to Bucharest, always hoping to return to countryside living. Even if the countryside is at times kitsch – new houses built chaotically, not respecting the traditional style of the area – it is still a great place to live, for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of large cities. Basic amenities are available in most Romanian villages, or workaround solutions can be found – running water, even gas connection, cable TV, high speed internet. This is where kids can run free in the yard, enjoy the clear air, and learn all about farm animals. Not to mention the home - made food, with home - grown ingredients. And for those who need modern retail formats to thrive, discounter chains and hypermarkets have a pretty good coverage of large Romanian cities and their neighboring villages, as well as of smaller Romanian cities and their catchment areas.

The only downside is that in order to be flexible, a car is required to move from one place to the other. The car will help you discover your own amazing natural spots around villages – like the forest near our countryside village in the region of Moldova, where we pick berries and where we go during fall just to see the amazing colors.

The traditions. You won't find them everywhere, but seek for them, and you will find them. I enjoy winter traditions in the region of Moldova, where I am from, I love traditional costumes – worn rarely, but still to be found, I am in awe over traditional architecture. Give me a traditional wooden house, add some basic modern amenities – without spoiling its traditional image – and I can live there forever!

The food.

Yes, you've heard about this one too, probably both the good, and the bad (and hopefully tasted it - the good, I mean!). But who can forget the sarmale with mamaliga (minced meat cabbage rolls with polenta), the amazing cozonaci (traditional cake), the bors (sour soup) and ciorba (also a Romanian name for a thicker soup), the mucenici (the special cakes at the beginning of March, shaped like an 8), just to name a few. (mouth - watering!) A lot of Romanians abroad miss their food – and this is valid for anyone who lives abroad, in general, they miss their home food. While sampling traditional foods of other countries, I could never go for too long without something Romanian. Still so much to discover.

I've been traveling around Romania for several years, but not as much as I would have liked to, and there is always something new to find, even if just a small corner of nature. I never run out of ideas when planning Romanian holidays.

Almost endless possibilities.

This applies mostly in business, there are so many new things which can be done here in Romania. It is the reason many foreigners choose to start a business here, the market has not yet reached its full potential. Even if you're not the only one in your niche, there is still room for a successful business. I feel that whatever I chose to do, I stand higher chances in Romania, than in other countries in Europe – there will also be roadblocks, so success is not guaranteed. A lot of work is still required, but there are options.

Exciting and dynamic days – it never gets boring!

Things tend to change fast in Romania, sometimes laws over night, the political front is not as stable as one would want it.This should be a bad feature, something I dislike (and it is indeed), but I also see the bright side. It never gets boring. It keeps you on your toes, to give your best – demanding clients, demanding suppliers, sometimes, new accounting rules, unexpected growth, but also unexpected canceling of contracts. As a business owner, some days are like minefields. But if you've made it here, you'll most likely get by anywhere. This is core training.

The bad roads that take you to amazing places.

This again should probably be on the 'dislike' list. Who likes a bad road, when it ruins the pleasure of the trip, and not to mention damages your car? But wait until you reach that amazing natural, tranquil corner. Our bumpy trip on the bad muddy roads to reach the hills of Buzau was well worth it when we reached the top, and when we found ourselves near a monastery in the middle of the forest, in nobody's land.

The open doors.

It is not hard to reach people in Romania. I've heard it from colleagues and friends working in sales, and tested it myself at times (of course, being a journalist on the lookout for stories opens more doors than for others, so I will discard that). It is not hard to reach decision makers in Romania – shaking hands with the Prime Minister? Yes, it can be easily done if he's at an event you're attending. I bet he'd react as if he knows you, if you play it well (in the end, he must meet tons of people daily). Who's going to be a Prime Minister tomorrow, after you've shaken hand and made a connection? Well, that's a story for another list. The sense of humor.

Whatever comes, Romanians know how to turn it into material for a good laugh. The sitcom Las Fierbinti is a testament to that. The bad and the ugly are being laughed it. It sometimes prevents us from taking a stand and fixing things – instead of laughing at them – but it is highly therapeutic. Hey, we even laugh at death – see the Merry Cemetery in Sapanta! And what's the fix for that?

By Corina Chirileasa, corina@romania-insider.com (photos by Corina Chirileasa, personal archive)