Interested to find out what life was like at the borders of the EU, I began to trace it’s border, beginning with Romania.
Collaborating with my Romanian friend and de facto fixer, Ema we photographed the landscape and talked to those we encountered on our journey.
Feelings were mixed about the changes that the country had experienced by becoming a member. EU funding and ease of trade has been transformative to the nation but there we were often told that this had come at a cost, at least along the borders we visited.
Nearly all those we spoke to, or family members, had left to work abroad for an extended period of time. Rising costs at home and a lack of secure jobs meant that small holding farms that had sustained previous generations were no longer viable. Through working abroad many Romanians were sending money back to build new homes though we witnessed many that had seemingly just stopped.
Many, particularly the older generations, told us that they preferred life under communism where homes and jobs were guaranteed.
I continued this story, next visiting Hungary but the Covid pandemic ended this work. It may not continue.