If you have nothing good to say about something shut up!

I am Romanian and I get offended when people mock my country! Yes, I take it personally, yes I get upset, yes I think less of you and yes I feel like punching you in the face every time you do that! I need to have this written down somewhere so that people realize it, because I think that many people I know really don't! If they don't start their mocking with "no offense" they most definitely end with "hahaha, I joke". However, it's most of the times an offense and it's rarely a joke. When did people develop such a stupid sense of humor? Cause yes, I admit Romania is much poorer than Western European countries. But how on Earth is it socially acceptable to laugh about a country being poor. What is funny about that? What is funny about villages with no electricity? What is funny about shitty roads and poor people? What is funny about people leaving their families to come to work for almost nothing just to be able to send that nothing home and feed their babies? Let me tell you what! NOTHING! Then why mentioning it? Why saying it to me? That is what truly bugs me! When you say a joke, you say it to an audience! If it's only funny for yourself say it in your mind, you don't need to hear yourself saying it to laugh. Or if you think others might find it funny say it when I am not there!

And it's not the fact that they think it, I really couldn't care less what they think about my country, it's the fact that they say it! To me! In my face! How insensitive can you be? Why would you ever think I would be ok with that? Have I ever given you a reason to assume that I think it is fine for you to make fun of my country in front of me? Especially when you really have never set foot there thus you have no clue about it! And even more, especially since you def do not give a dime on it! Most of the times these jokes are made by people that really don't care about the country, don't know anything about it and don't want to know. I could call these people ignorant, but I will not since I like to look at myself first and I know that I don't know anything about Nicaragua for example and most probably I will never go online to check things out. Because this is how life is, you can't know everything about every country and you can't be interested in everything. So, I should not be offended if others don't care or know stuff about Romania. And I am not! But do I meet a Nicaraguan guy/girl and start making fun of their country? NO! Because it's not fair to make fun of things you don't give a shit about but the one in front of you does!

I love debates, I could talk (let's be honest now, scream rather than talk) pro or against something for hours and I love people that like to do that as well! I could have a debate on Romania with anyone anytime! But I can't stand people that say something derogatory about Romania, laugh it out and move on! And it's not because they don't say the truth! That is the saddest part! Because let's be honest most of the times they are right! YES, YOU ARE RIGHT! BUT I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT FROM YOU!!! I know it as well! And as opposed to you I CARE! I CARE for every Romanian that goes to Italy and steals because I am associated with him even if I never met him in my life and even if I personally would never do it. I care for every road that is shitty in Romania because I am the one that has to drive a whole day for 500 km! I care because my family lives there and has to deal with stuff there everyday! I care because I know that if my grandfather didn't have enough money to treat his cancer outside Romania he most probably wouldn't still be alive! I care because I had to leave my family and friends to study and work at a level I had no chance to do back home! I care because I see my sister going to an exam knowing that no matter how much she studied for it, some professors can fail her anytime if he/she doesn't like her face or she didn't give him/her money! SO FOR ME, THIS IS NOT A JOKE! THIS IS NOT EVEN REMOTELY FUNNY! This is just reminding me about the problems that Romania has that convinced me to leave the country and be here to listen to a stupid ass like you! And that is really depressing!

So know that next time you want to make a joke about Romania in front of me and ZIP IT!

P.S. Next thing I will do right now is read on Wikipedia about Nicaragua :)