Given the lack of Romanian workers, more and more employers are turning to those from poor countries such as Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
Because they are very hardworking, Nepalese are mainly employed in tourism. So don’t be surprised if you find them in hotels and restaurants. In their countries they are facing the same phenomenon that Romania went through 15-20 years ago, when our people left the country en masse for Spain, Italy, England or Germany, for a better life.
Hardworking and always with a smile on their face. This is how colleagues describe Nepali workers. Sange Sherpa is 36 years old and is a kitchen assistant. He left his wife and three children in the country. For him, Romania means the chance to guarantee his loved ones a better life.
He came to a country with a culture that was completely different from his own, but he got used to it.
Sange Sherpa: “The food is different. I like my food.”
Iosif Stefanescu, master chef: “For me, in ’97, I went through this. I went to Germany for a better life, my little girl was 6 weeks old at the time. I enjoyed this experience, so I taught them a little. I showed them where to live, the means of public transport.”
On his free days, Sanghe visits the city of Bucharest. He doesn’t shop because he sends home almost all the money he earns.
Sanghe has two friends who work at a restaurant in a shopping center. Maesh is 33 years old, married and has two children. He has already learned a few words in Romanian.
“I like sarmale. We make burgers. We have salad, cucumbers, tomatoes. I put bread”, he says”
His brother has the day off and welcomed us to his room where they both live here in Romania.
“This is my bed, this is my brother’s bed. Here is the kitchen”, describes the house”
Three other Nepalis arrived in Romania two days ago. They will cook for a supermarket chain in Bucharest.
“I got married, before coming here, I have family in Nepal. My wife, sister, parents, grandparents. They all live in the same house,” says the man. ”
“It’s better than I expected. She is my wife. We came here together.”, says another Nepali.
The above people earn around 200 dollars per month in Nepal. In Romania, your salary is 3-4 times higher. The state forces employers to offer the average wage in the economy to unskilled workers. Employers are willing to give them, in some cases, higher salaries than Romanians, because in the last two years it has been difficult for them to find serious employees.
