What do you know about Romania?

So I just met a Romanian who lives on the floor above mine. After he went out for a smoke he comes back in and asks me and the other Americans present what we know about Romania.

You should have seen the looks on our faces. Or heard the buzzing sounds of four brains thinking as hard as they could to be educated, striving toward that bit of knowledge they once heard a teacher mumble in a 10th grade classroom but have since forgotten. I tried frantically to remember even what the capital is. I couldn't even muster the first letter.

A noble effort indeed. About 15 seconds post-silence, he interrupted and explained the three usual answers he gets from Americans: Dracula (we all laugh and nod in agreement), Transylvania (more nods, maybe even an 'Oh Yeah!') and Ceauşescu (it takes about a second, but it finally clicks).

I've never felt more American and dumb. Not that Americans are dumb. Just the combination of the two feelings ripped away my confidence as a so-called European history major. What the hell kind of answer is Dracula? Even though he's a fictional character and the Rocky Horror Picture Show is more believable, I still couldn't even come up with Dracula. Really?

You'll be glad to hear I will now delve into the depths of Wikipedia to find out every last detail about Romanian history. If you can't answer the title of this blog with enough to write an elementary-school style five paragraph essay, I suggest you do the same. Then we'll all feel a little better about ourselves and the world will be slightly more educated, even if by .000001%. That way if a Romanian ever prompts you with the same question, you can say 'Oh yes, I find the Wallachian uprising of 1821  absolutely fascinating'.