Is there anyone on the forum from Romania/living there? I'm considering the country as they don't have vaxx mandates for children and another plus is that they're largely Orthodox.
I've never been there so would appreciate your thoughts on safety, economy and the acceptance of new blood arriving.
Would love to hear your feedback.
My wife is Romanian, and I stay there a little less than half the year most years. Let me know whatever specific questions you might have. I've travelled extensively through other Orthodox countries and may be able to point you in another direction, depending on what you're looking for. If you do move to Romania, I highly recommend moving to the northern part of the country (near Suceava, Botosani, Neamt, Iasi, etc). It's the most traditional and most hospitable part.
As a quick overview:
Safety: except for some gypsy dominated areas (eg, Braila) and some gypsy neighborhoods in Bucharest, the country is super safe. Even in these gypsy areas the crime/violence is a tiny fraction of what you would see in a typical American city.
Economy: it depends on what you do and where you are. Romania, like almost every country in the world in our modern times, is suffering from many of the same ills that anywhere else is suffering from. For example, it was relatively easy for older generations to buy a house, but today it's an almost impossible dream for most young people. In previous generations, it wasn't hard for people to stay in their village. Now, most people have to move to the city to find opportunities. One thing to keep in mind is that income taxes are extremely high (like over 45% when social security tax is factored in). There's ways to dodge this by having your own business though.
Acceptance: again, it's going to depend on the area and who you are. Some parts of the country are more hospitable than others. Bucharest is like any other capital in Europe (but with a lot of beautiful Orthodox churches) as far as acceptance goes. In general, Romanians tend to be kind and humble, but also quite distant with outsiders. If you get in with a good community (a good parish, a monastery, a gym, etc), however, this could completely change that landscape for you. Even more so once you learn Romanian. If you are able to make friends in America due to being socially adapted, then it probably won't be hard to make friends in Romania. If you can't make friends in America, then moving to another country is likely not going to solve this issue for you.