Foreign Fridays Fact: Romania

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri 24/02/12

As part of Foreign Fridays, we explore a different country each week through its most unusual, amusing and odd facts. If you want your country to appear, then simply get in contact with us either in the comments below or through Facebook or Twitter.

This week it is the turn of the Romania:

On February 24th in Romania during the holiday of Dragobete, if you step over your partner's foot it is believed you will have a dominant role in the relationship!

Recently, you may have had some romance as well as your fair share of pancakes, this foreign fridays fact has a hint of love and spring intertwined in the holiday of 'Dragobete'.

You can sense it in the air, it's that time of the year when the birds start to chirp and life once again begins to be reinvigorated by the early signs of spring, in Romania, this period is welcomed by celebrating life and love.

The mythological figure of Dragobete can be likened unto Eros or Cupid, although in this instance, Dragobete's handsome looks caused him to have quite a mild temperament when approaching the topic of love.

For Romanians, anyone who celebrates festivities in his name, will benefit from good health and well-being for the rest of the year.

In parts of Romania it is commonly believed that on this day if your step over your partner's foot (as you do), you will be making a literal and symbolic gesture of dominance in the relationship.

Hopefully this won't lead to too many arguments on Dragobete's Day, which for the most part is a happy and joyful time.

You can see all the previous Foreign Friday blog posts here and the main Foreign Fridays page here.