Sociologie Românească / Romanian Sociology Annual English Electronic Edition Issue 2 (2000), pp. 65-92 Original (Romanian) version: Dumitru Sandu: Migraţia circulatorie ca strategie de viaţă Sociologie Românească, 2000, 2, 5-29. English translation by DELCOM Group & Sociologie Românească, with the financial support of the Open Society Institute - the Open Access Journals Program. Sociologie Românească is published by the Romanian Association of Sociology. The issues from the new series (starting 1999) are available on the journal website: www.sociologieromaneasca.ro, as well as the English translations from the Annual English Electronic Edition. CIRCULATORY MIGRATION AS LIFE STRATEGY Dumitru Sandu University of BucharestThe study aims at listing the significant characteristics of the Romanians' provisionalmigration abroad within 2000. The theoretical environment of the herein approach has been set up by means of a reference to the life strategy concepts, to the human capital, to the social capital, to the material capital, to the community related capital andinnovation spreading means. The strategies with respect to the international circulatory migration are more and more relied upon, within the framework of the pauperization, globalization and of the structuring of the international circulatory networks. The provisional external migration is strongly marked by a positive selectivity, by the differentiation between rural-urban concep ts and by the alterat ion of the characteristics in compliance with the 'waves' of the social innovation spreading process which consists of the fulfillment of the life objectives by means of the international circulatory migration. The community oriented social capital, with ethnic and religious origins, plays a significant role within the first stages of the emigration from the community abroad. For the purpose of the analysis, it was a good idea to use the national survey data, community focused studies, multilevel approaches. Why should we call it 'LIFE STRATEGY'? (LS) After 1989, the field of the migration related phenomena on the Romanian territory ororiginated in Romania has been the subject of significant changes, such as: The internal migration dominated by the village-town flow changed into a prevailing reverse migration, from town to village; Commuting from the rural domicile to the urban work place has drastically decreased, almostthree times, during the time period 1989/2000; Although the definite external migration kee ps on having low ratings, the circulatory migration, of the 'come and go' type, from Romania to other countries, for different reasons such as tourism, work or business purposes enjoys a permanent social extent.
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Sociologie Românească / Romanian Sociology - Annual English Electronic Edition - Issue 2 (2000)
have either parents
or children who
work on a temporary
basis in Spain8.
They were from Teleorman.
(Interview with EA, from Crangeni).
Plans, efforts,
accumulation of starting capital
Adventists are
generally great
constructors,
manufacturers,
specialized in
handmade
marchidizes (ready-
mades etc). Many of them still work as
constructors after
they arrived in
Spain.
The people from
the village already
know that if we want
to leave for Spain,
you need almost 40
million lei, a sum
which is extremelylarge under the
circumstances of the
poor conditions in
Crangeni, but you
also need a visa and
some relationships in
Spain.
Some people, but
only a new, prepare
their project by
starting to learn
Spanish before
leaving. Most of
them though, do not
give a second
thought to that and
say that it is more
When you left the country, what was the level of your education?
PA9: I had graduated 10 forms.
EA: I had graduated 8.Did you know any trade?
PA: I had learn to become a tailor, I knew that work very well.
EA: I had taken courses in ready-mades.What about your parents? Did they have any qualification?
PA: Under communism they used to manufacture ready-mades, or to
tailor different clothes.Where did they sell that merchandise?
EA: At the marketplace, in Rosiori de Vede, anywhere.
Did you get any advantage there in Spain from what you knew – the tailoring,
the craftsmanship?
EA: No, it was not an useful.Did you start learning Spanish before leaving the country?
EA: No, I didn’t know anything; I thought that I will learn the
language anyway, once I got there. I tried to listen to some tapes that
my cousin gave me..Let’s pretend that I am not a teacher at the University form Bucharest, that I
am one of your acquaintances from Crangeni and that I want to come to
Spain. What should I do? How much will it actually cost me to come to
Spain?
EA: The visa is the most important thing to get.How can I obtain it?
EA: By going on a trip or by buying it from the black market (1200-
1300$).Let’s suppose I have already got the visa. How do I get to Spain?
EA: By plane or by bus.How much is a plane ticket from Bucharest to Madrid?
EA: 400$.So, I have the visa, I also have the plane ticket...what else do I need?
EA: You need a connection in Spain.So I need almost 1700-2000$ to get to Spain.
EA: Yes. It’s better to come by bus…but it is very difficult.
………………………………………………………………..What did you teach the boy?
DP 10: He learned a little bit in this construction field. I built a house
for him, two years ago, I finished the house which was located in a
9 PA: EA’s brother; they both came to Crangeni, from Spain, to visit their parents. Interview realized by DS.10 DP – is one of the leaders of the Adventist community from the village of Crangeni (Presbiterian). As most
Adventists, he is a constructor and specialist in ready-mades. He owns a firm and he is entitle to perform these
Sociologie Românească / Romanian Sociology - Annual English Electronic Edition - Issue 2 (2000)
important to get
there, and then they
‘will manage’, and
learn the language
on the spot.
special area, so he got a lot to learn from there.. We also fitted the
house with floors and stoves …we hope he will stay.
The topic of the
international
migration is a
controversial one,
that brings conflict
in the relationship
between children
and their parents.
The economicadvantages are very
persuasive only for
the young people;
the old generation is
still reluctant.
Is he married, your son?
DP: No, he is 21 years old.
To many more! How did he decide to go to Spain?
DP: It was very easy. He had been insisting on leaving for Spain for three years and we had found all kinds of reasons to prevent him from doing that.The car that we have today is a new one, actually we bought it three yearsago. We bought the car on his name and I told him’ Look, i bought this car
for you (we already had one), I will build a house for you, but stay here, donot leave the country’ – he could find his way with our help, he could
succeed. But that is the tendency of all young people today. And we never tried to interfere with his plans. We showed him how things were going, what
our position was, but he was the one to take the final decision, always. Sincehe insisted on this leaving abroad, we didn’t want to help him with moneyuntil the last moment. He decided to borrow some money, with interest, from
some Gypsies from Draganestii de Olt, but on the very last day, the Gypsies phoned him and told him that they cannot lend him the money – as weexpected, because we have our faith, and we have been through someexperiences when we saw God’s work. He was supposed to take from thoseGypsies 15 million lei, with a 5 million lei per month interest. I saw himlaying in bed and tossing, because he already had the papers and he was
supposed to go to the embassy. He left by means of our family association,and that cost him some 16 million lei, which is not much as compared towhat other people had to pay – some 30 million lei. That was the price at the
time, now it a way over 40 million lei.What do you get for these 40 million lei?
DP: There are some people who deal with this transaction. They havetheir connections there. So only the visa costs 40 million lei. I have a nephewwho left after my son, who had to pay 35 million lei last autumn. You just
find somebody who has some connections there.. They say ‘ Look, you givethis money and in one week I get you the visa’. But he went there in person;he obtained all the necessary documents from Alexandria, then he went tothe embassy himself, he paid for the legal documents only and he got thevisa. He didn’t have to pay any other …… I told him: ‘ You get dressed and we go to Rosiori and I will give you the money you need’ and then he said ‘
Where do you have that money from ?’. I went to the bank in Rosiori, I took the money out of my account, I give it to him, and in one week he left.
………………………………………………………………………………..The declaration of an unmarried young woman from Stejaru – a village
that belongs to the commune of Crangeni, who helps the post man in
activities. Many of the concrete fences in the village have been executed by him ,before 1989. the ready-mades that he
manufactures are sold at the fairs. The entire family – when the children were at home as well - takes part in the process
of manufacturing and selling of the products. His boy has left for Spain for an year. The other two daughters are
married and live ‘at their house’ . The interview was realized by DS, in July 2001.
Sociologie Românească / Romanian Sociology - Annual English Electronic Edition - Issue 2 (2000)
EA: It is easier to find a work place. Now there are more people there,more connections, you have more chances to find someone to help you.
Before, when we used to hire apartments, there were many of us who lived inthem together. Now, the average is six persons in one apartment.
Choosing a
destination that is
friendly to
immigrants
How much does the semi-legalization process cost, since full legalization is a
long way to go..
EA: Initially it was more difficult to have your papers put right. Now, theyhave passed some really advantageous laws for foreigners. Since Januarythe 1st 1999, they gave work permits to everybody, no matter whether they
had contracts.. It didn’t matter. Since January 23rd
2001, a foreigner
needs a Spanish identity card and a pre-contract.
Where do the inhabitants of Teleorman preferably go: to Madrid or to
the south?
EA: There are a lot of people in Andaluzia, but only a few in Barcelona.There are more racists, there are inhabitants from Catalonia, it's another
region, they speak a different language. It is even more difficult with theofficial papers. As for Barcelona, they even had troubles in the government.They issued only a few papers, even if the law was the same.
'Connections home' How do the people in the village feel this connection with Spain? Do they
receive money or parcels?
DP: We received three times 7 million lei. We told him that he shouldn't have done that because we can manage. Then he sent us parcels with sweets,chocolate.
How do these parcels arrive here? By the post office?
DP: There are a lot of trafficants, like the taxi drivers on the route
Rosiori -Crangeni. They do the same things on the route Madrid- Crangeni.They load their car with parcels from all over the country. They came amonth and a half ago, and they have a list of the numbers on the parcels.
Mister DP… your parcel number..
And how comes that they do not have any troubles at the customs? They have
the status of a company or something…
DP: I don't know how they manage to get away, but the parcels are sealed when they arrive here, and the money and the things are safe. Themoney arrive by Moneygram
Is this system , Moneygram, working here in Rosiori?
DP: It is working in Alexandria. He called me and he said: 'I sent you the
money, make sure you go to Alexandria and pick it up. Two and a half months ago he sent wo parcels with electronic devices: a sports color TV set,a video player.
…………………………………………………………………………………...
Consequences back
home
Let's go back to Crangeni. In your opinion, what are the effects of that
community in Spain, made out of Romanians originated in Crangeni on the
people over here?
EA: My parents didn't actually need the parcels that I sent, they could manage, on their own. I helped them to carry out the agricultural work, two
springs in a row. It is more difficult during spring.
You have a nice house. Did you help them build it?
Sociologie Românească / Romanian Sociology - Annual English Electronic Edition - Issue 2 (2000)
EA: NO, I didn't.
What about the other Romanians from Crangeni. Do they send more home
from Spain than you did?
EA: Yes. There is a boy, Viorel, who sent his father money to buy a Gloria- a tractor.
So, there are tractors and houses that were bought and built by means of
money from Spain?
EA: Yes. That's true. What about the other people that do not have a houselhold like yours with
everything you need….do their children send more? Do they send money to
help them build their houses or to buy tractors?
DP: They help them. For example, there are two families who have theboys there, and they sent them money. Thus, the family could buy a car, to fixtheir households. It is obvious that what somebody can achieve with themoney from Spain, one could never get here in years. Within the first threemonths he insisted on my coming there, but he knew where I stood in this
respect. I told him that ' It's no use spending your money on these phonecalls, trying to persuade me'. Maybe, if he succeeds in obtaining theresidence rights, I will visit him next year (!).
…………………….
What about the Adventists? Are they working more as carpenters or joiners?
TR12: yes, they do both works. They bought their own cars, if they could.One of them spent two years in Spain. I also have a nephew in Spain. He hasbeen there for one year, together with his wife. They want to achieve
something, to earn money, to work, not to suffer from anything.
What was your nephew's qualification?
TR: He was a house painter. His father in law has been living there for ten years. His entire family is there, together with all the children. When hecomes here, he comes as if he visits his relatives. His fortune is there, though,his work as well. He got really far with the money they pay you there. Thisnephew sent money home, so that we managed with the field works: the
seeding and the ploughing.
How much money does your nephew send back home?
TR: he sent 10 million lei, even 20 million lei, for furniture, so that theycould furnish the house. He also helped another brother, who is a preacher with the Adventists. He has another brother who is an engineer in Brasov,who has a nice life over there.
The future seen from'there' and from
'here'.
When somebody
leaves the country,
he thinks: 'I go there,
I make some money,
and then I come
What about your future plans? How do you see life for the future? EA: It is really hard here. When we arrived home - it has been eight years
since we last came- we were in a car… I don't remember the towns…but until we got to Sibiu…all the children run after you if they see you own a foreigncar. They show you their stomach, implying that they are dying of hunger…It makes you cry…you don't cry because you missed your country, but becauseof what you see. The blocks of flats are not painted…it feels as if there was awar.
DP: It is all in ruins. Everything is black, nothing is painted or clean, to
12 TR: an old man, a widower, from the village of Crangeni. He lives at the borders of the village, together with one of
his children, who is handicapped. The other two children live in Bucharest (his daughter) and in Rosiori, respectively
(his son). The interview was realized by DS, in July 2001.
Sociologie Românească / Romanian Sociology - Annual English Electronic Edition - Issue 2 (2000)
that have been
investigated. On the
contrary, the
inhabitants of
Rosiori consider that
the key of success
consists of
connections and
ambition.
Crangeni is
though a strongly
traditional
community, where
making business and
working abroad is
low rated. It is true
that he have spokento those who still
lived in the village.
The ones with a
more modern
mentality, with more
mobility seem to
have already left
Crangeni. The
village of Dobrotesti,
due to its modernism
and rich community, provides an
increased mobility
and favors more the
ideology of external
migration.
What of the following is
the most important for
being successful in
Romania?
Dobrotesti Crangeni Rosiori de
Vede
Being honest 24 45 15
Hard working 22 20 17
Having rich relatives 8 8 5
Having connections 8 4 26
Being ambitious 2 4 21
High education level 12 4 6
Working abroad for a while 8 2 5
Opening a business 2 0 3
No answer/ I don't know 14 14 2
Total % 100 100 100
N 50 51 197
The number of persons who would like to
emigrate, out of a total community sample
from
'Within the next year,
do you intend to leave
Romania for a foreign
country? Dobrotesti Crangeni Rosiori de
Vede
For tourism 8 2 8
For provisional working
abroad12 4 11
To improve your education
or qualification4 0 6
I would emigrate and live
there6 0 7
A favorable
circumstance
concerning the
migration to Spain:
the Adventist
religion, the decline
of the construction
filed in Romania, the
demand of
constructors in Spain
and the Spanish
tolerance.
ID13: The phenomenon has a different connotation than people usuallythink. During communism, the Adventist persons had a really hard life tolive. But why? Because they rested on Saturdays, while all the other peoplerested on Sundays.
ID: And especially because Saturdays were working days at that time, sothey had to adjust their work.. they needed jobs that could allow them not toactually work on Saturdays...how can I put this…For example, theintellectuals. There were a few engineers, it was more difficult...but thedoctors could manage to schedule their duty, their shifts as they wanted. Sothey could manage this way. I am talking on behalf of the community now,the community's life turned around this rest day and they had to find those
jobs that could allow them a proper living. So they became tailors, furriers,brick layers, they went on the site, they worked on Sundays, but they didn't work on Saturdays. You see, they never joined CFR - The Romanian rail
13 ID: He is an engineer, a counselor at the mayor's office in the city of Rosiori and he is also an Adventist. The
interview was realized by Manuela Stanculescu, in July 2001