All pictures were taken in the Transyvania region of Romania on a research trip by children's author Eugene Orlando to gather information for the juvenile novel, "To Be A Gypsy", the first-in-a-series novel for "The Heart of the Romani" series.

This woman was standing all alone on a corner in Reghin. Her headscarf indicates that she is married.

These children were begging outside a delicatessen in Targu Mures. They were fed by the Hearts of Faith Missions to Romania.

This woman was found picking half-eaten ears of corn from the garbage at the Days of Bistrita Festival in Bistrita. She lost everything in the winter floods of 2005-06.

Snapped at a flea market in Teaca, who knows what this woman’s story is.

A vendor in the flea market in Teaca.

This man stopped author Eugene Orlando and asked to have his picture taken.

Two women gossiping … or just catching up on the local news?

Wear and tear in a hard life can take a toll. You've heard of the face that could launch a thousand ships--well, this is one that could tell a thousand stories.

Want to get a Gypsy to pose? Just point a camera at her.

Author Eugene Orlando asked this girl for her picture. She posed under a tree.

The pride of the Gypsies are their children. This one’s so cute, you just want to reach in and hug her.

With so little in life, Gypsies are a happy people nonetheless. They are the friendliest people the author ever met.

Most Gypsies in Romania are not traveling Gypsies.