A Sort of Christmas

As promised, I've posted a few pics. Two are from Codlea. One from Piatra Neamt. The shot with people is the teachers' lounge after Thursday's Christmas concert. What a spread they put out! Tons of food, and lost of drinks. Yes folks, there was some drinking going on in school. It's just how they do it here. It's strange for an American like myself because a drop of alcohol anywhere near a school in the US is taboo. The shot with the houses is a street scene from Codlea. Magura mountain looms in the background. The other pic is of the old saxon church and fortress in the center of Codlea. 900 years old.

Well, I'm ready to leave for Codlea tomorrow morning. It's been a tough week as I was very sick with some sort of virus that gave me high fevers and really bad diareeha all week. I started feeling better yesterday and am about 80% today. I should be able to start eating normal food tomorrow. Thank god. If I have to look at another bowl of rice mush and plate of plain toast I'm going to lose it. Oh yeah, and I never want to drink mint tea again.

Let me take this opportunity to wish all of you loyal readers a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I know many who read this and I also hope that there are many others who do as well. So, for those of you who are loyal readers but haven't yet told me, please drop me a line. I'd love to hear from you!

2005 has probably been the most challenging year of my life thus far for many reasons. I've experienced so much this year and learned a lot about myself in the process. I guess that this is what I wanted. Two things I have learned: 1) I love my country and will cherish the day I return and 2) The most important thing in life is family and friends. I do think I knew this before, but now I really feel it. When this experience is over, I don't think I'll be able to take these two things for granted ever again. I'm very lucky to be an American and am thankful for all of my family and friends. I love you all.

Naroc si Sanatate si Numai Bine
Craicun Ferecit!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trained Again

Photo: That's a 400 year-old Saxon tower in Sibiu, at the base of which is the restaurant "La Turn" (the tower).

I've now completed my second official Peace Corps training. The "IST" (In Service Training) has passed and, according to the Peace Corps, I will now be a more effective volunteer. We'll see. Sometimes you just need to concentrate on getting by day to day here in wonderful Romania.

I hopped on a train from Sibiu to Codlea this morning and am writing from the Codlea internet cafe. It's snowing pretty hard right now, which should make for some good photos later this weekend. I'll be here until Sunday and will then return to PN for the last week of classes before Christmas break. T-minus 13 days and counting for the arrival of Sarah. I wish I could just push the fast-forward button. My mind's not on anything else at the moment.

Sibiu is a great city. I felt like I was in a time-warp while walking the streets of the old Saxon town this week. The architecture is wonderful, the restaurants are good, there's plenty of cafes and bars to choose from and, hold onto your mouse, the service was good. Yes, I said it here folks, I finally found good service in Romania. Sibiu will be the "Cultural Capital" of Europe in 2007 when Romania (hopefully) accedes To the European Union. Good choice I think. Sibiu will also be the E.U. administrative seat in Romania, not Bucharest. This is a wise choice due to the fact that it is centrally located and not east or south of the Carpathian mountains. Due to its Saxon heritage, many Sibiuans speak German, which is good for business.

Some highlights from the Group 20 IST:

- An 8 1/2 hour bus ride from Piatra Neamt
- Receiving an envelope with 4 million lei upon arrival (I'm rich bitch)
- Drinking lots of beer and wine at "La Turn" as all of my fellow group 20ers trickled in as the night went on
- Vin Fiert (Hot Wine) with cinnamon
- Seeing all of my favorite language teachers and brushing up on some grammar
- Best pizza I've had in Romania
- Attending a lecture given by a journalist who runs Romania's only "media watchdog" organization
- Doing a little improv acting at the "Drama Without Tears" session for teachers
- Free food
- A real shower
- A comfortable bed
- Finding a book called Romania Redux: A view from Harvard at a local bookstore
- Last, but not least, spending a week with my fellow volunteers from Group 20 and enjoying every last minute of it (with a few minor exceptions. you can't like everybody, right?)

I'm in a bit of a daze right now after spending a week in a hotel with a bunch of Americans. Not something that I'm used to. I think that this daze will continue indefinitely, or at least until about the third week of January. I'm going to be on the road quite a bit and then will have to come back and prepare to finish the semester. Oh yeah, and then there's that two weeks of bliss stuck in between. Up and down I go and when it ends I will let you know.

Be sure to stay tuned for a pre-Christmas blog entry, complete with photos.......

Scott

6 months down, 19 to go

FYI - THIS POST WAS MADE ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4TH!

So I just ate what you’re seeing here. Ohhh, the food coma is coming on strong right about now, but I’m going to tough it out and give you this long overdue blog update. I’m writing this on the cpu and will cut and paste it when I get home. Yes, I know, it’s been waaay too long since the last post, and I really don’t have a good excuse. So, loyal readers, scuzati-ma va rog.

What we have here is, arguably, the ultimate in Romanian cuisine. Sarmale (the cabbage rolls stuffed with pork and rice), Mamaliga (the yellow corn meal), chifteluta (a sort of meatball), and some pickled tomatoes and cauliflower. Add to that some palinka (the shot glass) and some Tuborg Christmas Beer and you’ve got yourself one hell of a meal. And to top it all off, it was prepared by, in my humble opinion, the number one chef in Romania, Mama Ica.

I believe I left off last time when I was in Codlea. Well, I’m here again and I’ll get you caught up on the past two weeks. Unfortunately, I must begin with some bad news. My camera was stolen at the bus station on my way back to Piatra Neamt. I have no idea how it happened and I didn’t feel a thing. It was only about three minutes from the time I got out of Victor’s car to the time I entered the bus. Unbelievable. These thieves here are very good at what they do. However, it was my fault. I was in a hurry, and wasn’t paying attention to what was going on around me. That made me an automatic mark. I had the camera bag attached to my backpack and thus it was out of my sight. After about 2 hours on the bus, I moved my backpack and noticed that my camera bag was open. They unzipped the bag and took the camera without me noticing. I still can’t believe it happened and am in awe of their skill. So, I learned my lesson and bought a new camera. Asta e viata (that’s life). Although it’s nowhere near the quality of my old one, it will do the job.

Thanksgiving came and went. I decided not to travel, as I had been “on the road” the past 3 weeks. Gabby and I made dinner on T-giving, drank some wine and watched a DVD (thanks Roz). It was low-key and ok. I spent the remainder of the weekend catching up on schoolwork and talking to people on Skype. My six month anniversary here came and went as well. Hard to believe.

The teachers’ strike finally ended here in Romania last week. I think that I was the only volunteer that didn’t have at least one day off due to the strike. I’ll find out for sure this week when I go to Sibiu for the In Service Training Conference. I think the teachers got an 11 or 12 percent salary increase and got paid for the time they were striking. The bad thing, at least for volunteers, is that the schools have to find a way to make up for lost time. I think some people are either going to be working longer hours during the week or will be working on Saturdays (ouch). In retrospect, I lucked out because my program was not disrupted and my colleagues at least got something out of the deal. However, settlement is only temporary at best. Romania’s education system is in serious need of reform in all areas and I can’t imagine that things are going to get better any time soon. Sorry for the gloomy outlook, but it’s going to take a couple of generations to rid this system of its old commie ways. All theory and no practice makes for an unproductive workforce. Trust me. Even my students know this. They’re fed up with the system.

Last Wednesday, I went to a Rotary event in Piatra. They put on a benefit concert to raise money for a music school for kids in some village in Neamt county. The performers were all kids and they put on a great show. The solo piano performances were particularly good, as these kids exhibited great skill. Classical, Jazz, some ragtime, it was excellent. I went with a couple of my students so they could introduce me to the head of Rotary in Piatra Neamt. I’m going to try to start a Rotary Interact club at school. It’s a good way to get the students involved in volunteer projects and hopefully give some of them an opportunity to apply for scholarships. Many of them want to go to university in the States. We’ll see what happens. Thanks to Sarah’s dad, David, for giving me the idea.

Ica and Victor finished remodeling the front bedroom before I arrived last Thursday. They put in a beautiful fireplace and parquet floor. Ica really wanted to get the room finished before Sarah comes. I really appreciate that. We’re all going to have a great time. It’s so nice to sit in the room and relax and read with a nice fire going. Good stuff. Thanks to their daughter Delia for making it all possible.

I’ve got three days of school this week and will head to Sibiu on Thursday morning. I’m estimating a 7 hour bus ride (depending on the weather). I’ll be in Sibiu for a week with my fellow Group 20ers and we’ll have language and technical training seminars all week. I’m sure there will be plenty of partying going on, as this will be a reunion of sorts. It will be four months since we were all together the last time. I’m really looking forward to seeing everybody, including the staff and language teachers. Sibiu is an old Saxon city with a heavy German influence and will be the cultural capital of Europe in 2007. It will also be the EU administrative center once Romania accedes in a couple of years. I’ve always wanted to visit this city and should have ample opportunity to check it out.

After Sibiu I’ll travel to Codlea for the weekend on my way back to Piatra. Then, four days of school and back to Codlea for Christmas! I’ll be sure to document my Romanian Christmas thoroughly for the benefit of you loyal blog readers, ok? So, that’s the agenda as of right now. I hope that this blog post finds you all in good health and spirits. I also hope that you are all looking forward to Christmas as much as I am. Until next time, Sanatate si Numai Bine.

Scott

Blue Arrow?

This post's photo was taken waaay back in early August on the front steps of Scoala General Nr. 3 in good 'ol Codlea. These are the people, along with our language teachers, that I lived with in Codlea this summer. Many of them are good friends of mine. As it happens, I was fortunate enough to see a few of them this past weekend. Let's get to that now shall we?

I woke up at 5:00 am on Saturday to catch a train to Focsani,.......ok, I started this post last night but was too tired to finish. Tonight, I have no time. Tomorrow I'm going to Codlea directly after class, so I'll have no time tomorrow. I will go to the internet cafe in Codlea on Friday and continue. Just wanted to let all you loyal readers that I'm still bloggin'. So, until Friday then, ok? Bye.

It's a snowy Saturday here in Codlea and I'm a day late. I didn't feel very well yesterday. Around 2pm I felt very fatigued and had some nausea. Ica came home from work and, of course, she was very worried. I had a feeling that I was just overtired, but she wasn't taking any chances. She proceeded to: take my blood pressure, take my pulse, rub vinegar all over my hands and forehead (a bit of traditional medicine I guess), place a cold compress on my head and give me mint tea with lemon. After about a 3 hour nap I was ok. We then drove through the snow in the Dacia for a trip to Metro and I was able to buy some sweaters and a scarf. It's starting to get really cold here in Romania, especially since I'm always in a mountainous zone.

So, let's go back in time a bit. As I said before, I went to Focsani last weekend. My friend Jonathon was hosting a birthday get together for another volunteer. His name is Bridger and he also lives in Moldavia in a city called Onesti. You may be wondering at this point what a Blue Arrow is, right? Well, that's the name of the train I took. Romania unveiled these brand new trains this summer and they are the pride of the CFR (Romanian rail system). They were manufactured by Siemens (Germany) this year and are very different from the rest of the fleet, as everything else is a communist era relic. Modern, clean, but not very fast (as the name might lead you to believe). I think this has less to do with the train itself and more to do with the tracks and system as a whole. I'll explain.

I was about an hour late going to Focsani and three hours late going home. Moldavia experienced massive flooding this summer, and, as a result, the tracks are still really messed up. What is frustrating is that CFR won't update their train schedules to account for the delays. They've known that these trains have been running behind schedule for months now, but do nothing to accomodate passengers. That's that good 'ol Romanian customer service for 'ya. As Jonathon and I froze our asses off on the platform last Sunday, an update for the Blue Arrow to Bucharest was announced over the PA system. About a hundred people let out a collective groan after they were told the train would be an hour late. I'm sure there was some cursing as well, but my Romanian is not that polished yet. Maybe next year I'll understand all of the dirty words....

The party in Focsani was really fun. There were about ten of us packed into Jonathon's apartment. We watched a lot of DVD's, drank many litres of homemade white wine (less than a dollar a litre) and caught up on each other's lives. It's really interesting how people can feel so close to one another in a situation like this. In the grand scheme of things we hardly know each other, but many of us have formed a bond and have become fast friends. I guess this experience naturally brings people together. I think that I've made some friendships that will last for a long time. Anyway, Jonathon and I cooked (for 10), everyone had his/her fair share of wine, and we all parted ways on Sunday.

I had mixed results at school this week. Wednesday was good, as I was able to have my first session of "office hours". Florin gave me the keys to the "Modern Languages Lab" (which is simply a nicer classroom for the kids with advanced foreign language abilities. It has a proper heater as well) and I met with four students. I'm writing a letter of recommendation for a girl who wants to attend university in the US and I'm helping three other students prepare for an oral English exam. The conversation I had with the three students was excellent. They are very sophisticated and well-informed for their age and the topics we covered were wide-ranging and complex. The fact that they can have such conversations in English is even more impressive. There's no way I could have such a conversation with three 17 year-old American students. These kids have a thirst for knowledge and information and are willing to work very hard to improve their situation in life. They're hungry and are determined to make something of themselves. Not surprisingly, they're all female. No offense, but males here are a bit lazy and complacent. I hate to stereotype, but that's just my opinion. Girls make better students anyway.

Thursday's bus ride was interesting. The driver decided to blast "Musica Popular" the whole way down to Brasov. It was as if he was piping the Favorit and Etno channels through his PA system, and loud. So much for chilling out with my headphones. Ahhhhhh! For my fellow PCVs, you know what I'm talking about. For everybody else, you'd have to experience this yourself to understand. Luckily, I took a little video (with audio) on the bus, so all you people back home will get a taste when I come back.

Jonathon is here with his lady friend from Sibiu and I think that they're going to come over tonight for dinner. They're staying with Jonathon's gazda here in Codlea. We're gonna eat some Mici and drink some Palinka from Zalau. Palinka is a stronger version of Tuica. Apparently, the best Palinka comes from Zalau, so we've got the good stuff. I had one last night and I enjoyed it. Dangerous though, because it has a lot more alcohol than Tuica and goes down smoother. Limit 2 shots.

I was able to stroll around a bit today and take some pics of Codlea. The snowmakes for some picturesque conditions and I will be sure to post a pic when I get back to Piatra. There's a great soccer game on tonight, Real Madrid vs. Barcelona. Victor and I are pumped. These are two of the best teams in the world and our man Ronaldinho will be in action. Go Barcelona! I'll catch the 3:30 bus tomorrow afternoon. I hope that the weather conditions won't impede my journey. The last thing I want is to get in really late tomorrow evening, as I've got 5 classes in a row on Monday. Well, that's about it for now. I'm actually enjoying the snow because it made me realize how close Christmas is. It also means that Sarah will be here soon! Until next time, Numai Bine.

Greva

First, you may be wondering what a "greva" is? It means strike, as in labor strike. We'll get to that in a moment. Let's talk about the photo, shall we?

Codlea: I was sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast a couple of weeks ago and the doorbell rang. Ica went to answer. I heard "clip-clop, clip-clop", turned to look out the window and saw a horse's head! Of course I immediately went outside and you're now seeing what I saw. Firewood delivery, Romania style. The car is Joel's rental, and Ica is in the foreground. Tavica the dog is with us here as well and, if you look really closely or click to blow up the pic, you'll see that one of the horseys left us a "present". The firewood delivery guys were really nice and Ica treated them to a round of coffee and, that's right folks, Tuica. Nothing like a little plum brandy to get the blood pumping for a hard days' work of wood delivery on the 'ol carutza.

They unloaded all of the trees and Victor then proceeded to chainsaw and chop the hell out of them. The garage was filled with chopped wood for the winter when I went back last weekend. He wields a mean axe. Fuel for the "soba" or wood-burning stove is very important for many Romanians. Gas is expensive and the soba, if built well, is very efficient and will keep a room warm for many hours. It's nice to walk the streets of Codlea on a cold, crisp day and smell the wood smoke coming from the chimneys.

Anyway, back to the Greva. As of this writing, approximately 85% of the public schools in Romania are on strike. However, Hogas is not. We do not have a union representative and are thus not on strike. We are one of only two schools in Neamt County that is not on strike. We made the news. People are not happy. Students, of course, are not happy, but for obviously different reasons (some of them "went on strike" after watching the Monday morning news). Many of the TEFL volunteers are not working right now and nobody knows when all of this will end. Let's hope that President Basescu helps out and gives these people a raise. Union reps are meeting with him in Bucharest this week.

I understand fully why these teachers are on strike. Their salaries are paltry (a colleague of mine, 29 years old, makes the equivalent of about $175 a month), they have to buy their own books, and the system is generally a mess. There was a revolution in Romania, but not in the schools. The system is antiquated, top-heavy and still has one foot stuck in the past. Unfortunately, the kids know this too and the resulting apathy and malaise can be challenging to overcome for a teacher, especially when he/she has to live paycheck to paycheck. Some of my colleagues are upset because they may reap the benefits that may be gained as a result of the sacrifices of the striking teachers, who are not being paid right now. Difficult situation all around.

So, that's the current state of affairs. I'll be heading to a city called Focsani on Saturday to hook up with some fellow group 20 PCVs. There's a birthday to celebrate and apparently some good, cheap wine to drink (Moldavia is known for its wine). It'll be about a 2 hour and 45 minute train ride south. I'll arrive at about 11:30am and leave around 4:30pm on Sunday. That should put me back in Piatra Neamt at about 7:15. Tomorrow and Friday will be devoted to ironing, lesson planning, homework grading and hopefully some reading and DVD watching (thanks again Roz and Joel!). Pa (bye)!

Scott (reporting from the Greva-free zone at Hogas High)

Cold Feet

Words of wisdom for those traveling by bus this time of year in Romania...bring warm socks. I hopped on the bus yesterday at the autogara in Piatra around 1pm for the trip to Brasov. Normally, one would think that if air blows from the floor it would be warm air, right? Also, one would also assume that if the bus was incapable of providing its passengers with heat, there would be no blowing of air at all, just closed vents, right? Wrong folks. This is Romania and the curent can come at you just when you least expect it. "Moldotours" from Targu Neamt provided me with a constant stream of cold air up my left pant leg for 6 hours last night. I can bet you that this bus was running long before Nadia Comaneci won the gold medal in '76. Thank you Moldotours! Luckily, the bus that I will take back to Piatra on Sunday is a lot newer, is quite nice and has heat. Ironically, this company, Patru Trans Plus, charges 100,000 lei less than Transmoldavia for the trip. I don't get it. Really, I don't.

So, I'm back in Codlea for the weekend. Ica and I are going to make a batch of zacusca and I hope to write down some more recipies as well. I made a Romanian omelette this morning with ardei (light green peppers), ciuperci (mushrooms) and fresh telemea cheese. Toast with homemade boysenberry jam was scarfed down as well. Yum. I hope that there will be some mici in my future as well. I'm going to try to get some school work done today and hope to just read and relax for the rest of my time here. I'm not sure if I'll be able to come back again this month, as Ica and Victor will be having a soba (wood burning fireplace/heater) installed in my bedroom. They are also putting in a parquet floor. This should take at least two weeks. Also, Ica will be in Paris the following week with her daughter Delia. So, I might just have to wait until December 1, as I'll have a long weekend due to a holiday.

That's about it for now. La revedere.

Long Time, No Blog

I'm back! Sorry for the hiatus, but it's been a busy time for me lately. First, let's talk about the pictures, shall we? First, we have yours truly with Mrs. Lupu, the Director of Hogas High as we prepare to do our duties as member of the judges' panel at the 5th grade Halloween pageant. What a production! The 11th graders organized and ran the show and the kids were great. They presented themselves as individuals, put on a group play, danced and had a costume contest. The kids here really get into Halloween and make quite a big production out of it. I also went to 3 other parties the following day for 8th, 9th and 10th grade.

Next, that's Ica, Victor and my friend Joel with Codlea in the background. We all went for a walk last Sunday and Joel got the birds-eye view, as well as the tour of the town. The weather was absolutely fabulous!

So yes, Joel made it to Codlea in his trusty Daewoo rental. He got lost a couple of times on the way, but finally made it. We ate a lot (of course), drank Tuica and hung out with Victor and Ica on Friday night. It was my first experience as an interpreter and both Ica and Joel said I did a good job. Whew! Good practice for when Sarah comes!

Saturday we went to Brasov (in the CAR!!!) and we took in the sights and went to the Scottish Pub. It was at the Scottish Pub that I ate a REAL Cheeseburger, not the Romanian version which I'm not sure is actually meat. Anyway, it was big, and it was legit. Had some fries with it and boy was I happy. I couldn't tell you the last time I had a real burger. Two kilts up for the Scottish Pub. I'm going back for sure. The other cool thing about the day in Brasov was that I was able to see some things that I had never seen before.

It was the first time that I was in Brasov strictly as a tourist. We went to the old Saxon Black Church and the newly restored White Tower, both about 500 years old. It was really great to do a little sightseeing and learn more about the history of the city. It used to be a full-fledged garrisoned medieval city with defensive towers, walls and a moat. Brasov is great. I like it more and more everytime I go. I now know why it and its surrounding area is Romania's number 1 tourist attraction. So, for those of you who are planning, or will be planning a trip to Romania(that's right people, you don't have a choice in the matter, you must come here at least once in your life :) ), I must suggest that you start with the Brasov area first.

Sunday afternoon we hopped in the CAR and drive north to Piatra Neamt. Going by car cuts 2 hours off of the trip, 4 1/2 instead of 6 1/2 hours. However, I miscalculated a bit, as we should have left 2 hours earlier. The last two hours of the trip were in the dark and, needless to say, the conditions were a bit difficult. Dark, two lane, potholed highways populated by horse-drawn carts and villagers (no sidewalks) made for quite the adventurous drive. Joel earned his stripes though. Not many Americans can say that they drove through Moldavia at night and lived to tell about it. He, nor I will ever forget that drive.

Monday through Wednesday were spent going to class and having dinner at my top three places here in Piatra: Pizza 66 (pretty damn good pizza), Nefertiti (good, cheap Turkish food), and the Cercul Gospodinelor (or, as I like to call it, the fancy Romanian restaurant on top of the mountain). We also, courtesy of Joel, were able to enjoy some episodes of season 2 of Chappelle's Show. Joel brought me the entire second season on DVD!!!! What a gift!!!! I'm sure that this gift will bring much joy not only to myself, but to many other PCVs in the future. Thanks again buddy.

Joel also spoke to a bunch of classes that have a mathematics/informatics focus and basically told them about himself and what he does for a living. He talked about web design, network engineering and even gave an interesting little lecture on the idea behind the MP3 and IPod. Very interesting stuff and I know that the kids and their teachers (including me) really appreciated it. But alas, he had to go back to civilization sometime, so we parted ways at about 4:50am on Thursday morning. He drove to Bucharest and flew back to Paris. He's probably enjoying his last night in Amsterdam right about now. Quite a vacation, huh?

So, it's Sunday night and I've got to finish creating a homework assignment for my geography class. A little map identification activity. Painless. I'm not trying to break their balls. Week 8 starts tomorrow. Even though time seems to move fast now, I still feel as though I've been here for a lot longer than I have. It's a weird sensation. Sarah will be here in less than 8 weeks, and, after the end of next week, I'll be 25% done with the school year. Amazing. I'm headed to Codlea this weekend again, as I've decided to try to go every two weeks. It's not nearly enough though.....I love my Mama and Tata. La revedere, numai bine si pe curand.

A little bump in the road

Here he is folks, the one, the only, Mr. Moldavia: Stephan cel Mare (Stephen the Great). He presides over the park here in Piatra Neamt and is loved by all. He's got a 500 year old church and clock tower here as well (pics in the future).

Well, I hit a little bump in the road this week. Missed two days of school due to a respiratory tract infection. For those of you who have been loyal readers from the beginning, do you think that the dreaded "curent" got its revenge on me? So, I'm on antibiotics and still trying to shake this thing. I'm trying to avoid a medical trip to Bucharest at all costs. Apparently, Dr. Dan from PC doesn't trust any doctor outside of Bucharest, so if I don't get better it's a 6 hour train ride. Boo.

So, here's what I want to do right about now. At this moment, I'm going to ask Sfantul (Saint), (yes, he is a saint) Stefan cel Mare to cure me tonight and use his saintly powers to remove all of the mucus from my lungs and restore all of my energy. And here's why: 1) I need to go to school tomorrow and teach 5 classes in a row, 2) I need to teach more classes on Tues., Wed., & Thurs. and, most importantly 3) I've got to catch a 7am bus to Brasov on Friday.

This is very important for two reasons: 1) I need to see my mama and tata (Ica & Victor) because I miss them and need to stuff my fat face with Romanian goodness and 2) My first visitor from the US is meeting me in Codlea!

My friend Joel Cote, who I worked with at Skadden, will be flying into Bucharest on Friday from Paris. Joel's going to then rent a car (this is huge) and drive up to Codlea. I should get into Codlea at about 3pm and Joel at about 6:30pm. He's a lucky guy. He gets to stay with Ica and Victor, eat Ica's food, see Brasov and he (we) will not have to rely on public means of transportation (HUGE!!). On Sunday we will drive up to Piatra Neamt and he'll stay with me until Thursday morning. I hope to bring him into my classes so he can talk to the kids. He's going to bring newspapers from New York so that the kids can look at them. I've got a couple of Chicago Sun-Times (thanks Lora and Roz), so maybe we can answer questions about stuff that they see in the paper? We'll see. No matter what it will be cool.

I'm gonna sign off now. I hope Stefan can help me out.......

Orwellian Weekend?

First off, if you don't already know, you can click on pics to make them bigger for maximum viewing pleasure. Second, I guess that I have some explaining to do after posting such a photograph. I'm at a loss for an adjective to describe it. If I had to use two words they would be "slightly disturbing", as that's how I felt when we took the photo. So, we have Domnul Professor J.J., my friend from Codlea, as the hand model, a paperback edition of Orwell's 1984, and a 1984 edition of the Bacau phonebook.

I arrived in Bacau on Friday afternoon after an hour maxi-taxi ride south. It's a big city full of concrete blocs and sits on a plain pretty much smack dab in the middle of Moldavia. Many people were moved there during the communist era as industrial workers. There I met up with my brothers from Codlea group 20 Dave and J.J.. They are both TEFL volunteers like me and have the great fortune of sharing a spacious 2 bedroom apartment in downtown Bacau. The people of Bacau were celebrating "Bacau Days" this weekend, so I thought it would be a good time to pay my friends a visit. Another volunteer from Codlea group 20, Ashley, came up from Targu Jiu in the southwest and Gabby showed up later on Friday night.

After a tour of the city, we all went to the festival, ate mici and kebabs and drank plenty of 15,000 lei draft beer (that's about .50 in case you were wondering). There was also some Tuica in the mix as well....but it definitely wasn't as good as the homemade stuff I get back in Codlea from Domnul Lawrence. Anyway, we all came back to the apartment and hung out.

As J.J. and Dave had just moved into the apartment a week ago, they had not yet explored the contents of many of the numerous cabinets that are built into walls of the living room and hall. The apartment was fully furnished, so the owner conveniently left a lot of stuff there like books, an old non-functioning stereo and lots of other random crap. After I asked if all of the cabinets were empty, J.J. said he didn't know and started opening them up. He then pulled the 1984 phonebook out. We were all amazed at the sight of this communist relic and, as I said before, I was a bit creeped out at the irony of the year. No ads, no photos, a few propagandistic (is that a word?) drawings, and lots of numbers to call with the word "comunist" next to it. All businesses were just listed as what they were and didn't have distinct names (example: Pharmacy nos. 1,2,3,4,5, etc.) You'd have to see this thing to get the full effect. It was a bit surreal. Sitting in that bloc apartment and looking at this everyday item made me shudder a bit as for a brief second I felt as if I got a taste of what it must have been like to live here during the Ceaucescu era. I'll take as few of those feelings as possible, thanks.

So, it's Sunday today and I need to do a little planning for school tomorrow. Might cook some dinner with Gabby over at the vice mayor's house tonight and hang out with her daughter so she can practice her English. I've got one of my program managers from Peace Corps coming to pay me a visit on Thursday. She'll observe one of my classes, we'll meet with the school director and then we'll chat and have some lunch. Next week I get a visit from Dr. Dan from Bucharest, who'll give me a flu shot and ask me a lot of questions about my health and how I'm doing. Well, let's just say I've been better, ok? However, this was to be expected. I knew going into this that my physical health would suffer a bit. It's up to me now to try to get it back. As far as the mental health goes, It's touch and go still. Some days are better than others, some hours are better than others. I wonder if I'll ever truly get used to all of this? I think that by the time I do, it will be time to go. However, I'm not going to complain about that because I've got so much to go back to. And for that I'm very thankful. Much love to you all.

Scott

Happy Anniversary

This post is a special shout-out to my favorite couple in the whole wide world. That's right, I'm talkin' 'bout the VanTilburgs - Aaron and Carrie! They're celebrating their 1 year anniversary this Sunday and I was fortunate enough to take part in the wedding last year as a groomsman and "unofficial" photographer. So, if you know them, give them a call and wish them a happy 1st anniversary. If you don't, then just admire the picture....sooo romantic....

Love you both,
Scott

October's Here

I love this picture of Ica! She's peering out of the new window that Victor put in recently in the bathroom that he's remodling. The bathroom is accessed from the courtyard/driveway outside and is adjacent to a cellar. Victor's putting in new tile as well. There's no toilet, just a place to bathe. It's nice in the summer, with lots of fresh air to come in.

The weekend in Codlea was good. The wedding was small, but fun and I ate ALOT. Good food and good people. I think that I'll be going back there every two weeks. I really feel at home there and love Ica and Victor so much. Next time there won't be any pre-planned events and I'll be able to cook with Ica and get school work done in a relaxing and comfortable environment. In a perfect world, I'd live with them for the rest of my service. Living alone sucks and I never want to do it again if I can help it.

Week 4 of school has started. I had a bit of a rough day yesterday with one of the classes - they don't know how to keep their mouths shut. Today was ok though. Although I don't want to do it, I'm going to have to drop the hammer on them and make them realize who's boss. I did it this morning in the British History class and I think that it worked. Oh well. Today, tomorrow & Thursday I need to catch up on some school work and then I'm going to visit a couple of friends from group 20 on Friday. They live in Bacau and were 2 of my fellow trainees in Codlea. They share an apartment and I'm looking forward to seeing it and hanging out with them. It's been two months since we all parted ways, so it will be good.

Sarah bought her plane ticket for Romania the other day. She'll be arriving on December 28th and leaving on January 10th. I wish we could have more time together, but schedules will not allow for this. I think that I'm going to give Victor money to rent a car so we can pick her up in Bucharest and take her to Codlea in comfort. The Dacia's in no shape for long trips. We'll stay in Codlea through the new year, use the car to travel around together if we can and leave for Piatra Neamt after about 6 days. We'll spend a few days in Piatra and then leave for a couple days in Bucharest before she leaves on the 10th. I'm counting the days.

Well, that's about it for now. I've got to go buy a few things at the grocery store, wash some dishes, iron some shirts, vaccum, etc. And I've also got plenty of school work to do. Bye for now!

The Double Whammy / Back to Codlea

That's right folks, yours truly is a millionaire - a million lei that is. Right now a million lei is about 35 bucks. It sure is some snazzy currency isn't it? It's similar to Australia's money in that it is synthetic, waterproof and has a little clear window in it. The moustachioed fellow adorning the bill is Mr. Ion luca Caragiale, a prized writer and the pioneer of satiric comedy here in Romania. He's big.

Anyway, my "friend" the math teacher and schedule maker has finally done it. He gave me the double whammy - British History and British Geography at 7am on Tuesdays and Thursdays, respectively. Multumesc domnule. Geo is tomorrow. I'm going to have to do a dance or something to get these kids going at 7. If anyone has any suggestions on how I can incorporate dance into a geography lesson I'd love to hear from you.

Today was weird. I woke up with my head in a haze (maybe it was that double shot of Tuica I had before bed?) and I felt like a zombie all day. As I walked down the street towards the library for Romanian language tutoring, the sound of some pseudo-pop-traditional-I don't know what the hell kind of music became louder and louder. Wondering where it was coming from, I looked across the street and saw a table set up with a big speaker and a few people sitting there. There were posters everywhere and the guy on the mike was enticing people to come buy a CD and get an autograph from the artist, who was sitting at the table trying his best to look Euro-cool (yes, this is a look). Turns out he is some old, washed up pop star (I talked to my tutor). Makes sense because he was hawking his CDs on a street corner in Piatra Neamt. Only in Romania.

After tutoring I walked down to the bus station to get my ticket for tomorrow's trip to Codlea and saw one of my students. I spoke to him briefly (in English) as we crossed the street then parted ways. Next thing I know this smiling drunk guy in a suit is trying to speak to me in English and insists on shaking my hand, a lot. All he could get out was "Hello" so I started speaking Romanian to him. This definitely threw him for a loop as he could hardly speak (Romanian). Could have been because he was piss drunk, but anyway....He starts to tell me that he's a lawyer and whips out his official Romanian lawyer ID book (yes, such a thing exists) and starts asking me if I need help getting home to America (he's a lawyer, so he does things like this all of the time right?). I then explained who I was and what I was doing here and he was, again, flabbergasted (and wasted). I smiled, wrenched my hand away from him and walked briskly away to get my ticket. Only in Romania.

So it's back to Sweet Home Codlea tomorrow for some good times and good food. A welcome respite from the daily grind and lonely feelings here in Moldova.

I need to rant

Why in the hell am I teaching British History to a bunch of Romanian kids at 7:00am? Will somebody please give me a good reason for this? AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Getting Comfortable

As usual, I've posted a picture for your viewing pleasure. This is Peles Castle in Sinaia. It was the summer residence of King Carol I and is now a museum. I visited the castle in July when group 20 wen to out counterpart conference. If you think that the exterior is impressive, well, you should see the interior. I've never seen such beautiful and ornate wood work in my life. Quite impressive and highly recommended for those of you who might one day come to Romania.

Anyway, back to the present. I've got two weeks of school under my belt now and have finally met all of my students. In total, I see about 270 students a week. Unfortunately, this means that I only get 50 min. a week with each kid. At first I thought that this was not enough time for me to be effective. However, I'm starting to change my mind because my classes are so drastically different from everything else that they do. As a result, I think that they will remember their experience with me no matter how much time we have together.

For the most part, these kids are great. Most of them are really eager to learn and I haven't had any problems yet. They really seem to enjoy my presence here. In fact, there has been some controversy due to the fact that some classes (the bilingual ones) are quite upset that they do not have me as a teacher. One class went so far as to file a formal complaint, signed by them and their parents, with the school director! While I'm very flattered by this, the last thing that I want is to be the impetus of tension between students, parents and the administration. I can't see everybody. So, I spoke to them yesterday on my day off and told them that they could talk to me anytime if they see me outside of class. I hope that they calm down a bit and just accept the situation.

I think that I'm starting to "turn the corner" in terms of my comfort level here. I've been in Piatra Neamt for about 6-7 weeks now and am getting used to the situation. Living alone, teaching, etc., it's all so different and I was having a bit of a rough time as recently as last week. But, after a long and productive talk with Sarah, things started to get better for me. Combine that with my comfort level at school, the beginning of formal Romanian language tutoring and just a general feeling of familiarity of my city and I think that I now know why I'm feeling better.

It's a gray and wet Saturday today here in Piatra. I think that last weekend was the end of summer as the weather has been getting progressively cooler here. I think that the fall and winter will be similar to Chicago. I think I'll be able to handle that, even though I may not like it. I'll be doing some shopping today for food and various other items. I also need to go to the autogara to find out bus and maxi-taxi schedules to Brasov. I'll be visiting Ica and Victor next weekend and we'll be going to a wedding. It will be my first Romanian wedding and should be quite the cross-cultural experience. I'd like to leave on Thusday after school, but I'm not sure about the schedules. Ideally, I'd like to take a maxi-taxi south to Bacau, change maxi-taxis and continue southwest to Brasov. I could save about two hours with this method. However, there's always the 7:30am Friday bus to Brasov. However, based on my previous experience, I'd like to avoid that option if possible.

I hope that all is well with you loyal blog readers. Please send me an e-mail or post a comment, as hearing from people back home always makes my day! Pa! (bye)

A Day in the Life

First of all, let's talk about this picture. Do not be fooled, this is par for the course here in Romania. The horse-drawn cart or "Caruţa" (ca-root-za) is frequently seen sharing the road with mechanized vehicles. Many even have license plates! This picture was taken on the road which lies on top of the giant Bicaz dam, part of Romania's hydroelectric power system.

Anyway, a friend of mine asked if I might be able to do a "day in the life" post, however mundane it might be. So, I'll indulge you all. However, remember that I still haven't established a firm routine yet, so this will change. Maybe I'll do another one next month or something. Anyway, here goes:

7:00am - Wake up to the sounds of chattering students and the dreaded school bell that sounds something like a high-pitched version of the typical European police car siren (think of any action movie set in Europe with a car chase). Ouch.

8:30am - Go into school and sign the "condica" in the teachers' room. The condica is this big book that lists every class for the day and who is teaching each class. For each of your classes, you must give a brief description of the day's lesson and sign your name. Also, please note that teachers here don't have their own rooms, so we have one big room with a big table for everybody. Very different.

9:00am - this is usually when I start classes. Let the fun begin!

1:00 or 2:00pm - this is usually when I finish classes. Let the nap begin!

After class, I try to recap what happened in each class and record information in each individual class folder. I also have to record absences, daily grades (participation for Eng. conversation), etc. I also run errands, get some lunch, blah, blah, blah.

In the evening I plan for the next day's classes. If I'm lucky, I'll get to watch a good soccer game before I go to bed. I'm digggin' the Spanish League. Barcelona is my team. Ronaldinho from Brazil is the man.

Oh yeah, another thing that I'm going to be doing on Tuesday and Thursday nights is teaching English at Gabby's organization. It'll be about 20 adults. I'm going to try to keep it loose and fun, as I don't see how I'll really have any time to devote to planning.

Many changes to come though.....I'll keep you all posted.

Monastery Marathon!

Nice pic huh? That's inside of Secu Monastery near Targu Neamt. I went on a little vacation this weekend with Victor and Ica. It turned out to be more than I bargained for. We started a monastery tour at 7am and didn't get back until 9pm. At least 9 of those 14 hours were spent riding around in a little micro bus with a drunk tour guide (he wasn't driving, he was on the mic) and 17 Romanians. 6 or 7 Monasteries were visited. I'm not sure of the exact number because I was about done after the 3rd one. I slept in the grass outside of number 5 or 6 because I just couldn't take it anymore. The ride was bumpy, the conversation was loud and in Romanian and, for those of you who've been reading the blog since summer, the dreaded "curent" was in full effect.

At about 4pm, after sweating my ass off inside of this bus all day, I finally announced (in Romanian) that the curent is not true, just like Dracula. As a result, the bunica in front of me cracked her window a bit for me so I could get a whiff of fresh air. Immediately thereafter, the woman sitting next to her proceeded to wrap her sweater around her head. It was 80 degrees outside. This curent thing is out of control. 15 minutes later I saw a woman walking down the street with a scarf and wool hat on her head. Crazy.

So, today was the first day of school and my first classes are tomorrow. Wish me luck.....

Cool Hats

If you come to Romania, you too can model fabulous hats! First, we have yours truly modeling what I like to call the "Hungarian Cone", which is featured prominently in Harghita County (the site of the photo) and other predominatly Hungarian areas in Romania. Next, we have Gabby (my site mate) featuring the "Romanian Hunter", a fine cap made from pure animal skin, au natural. These photos were taken a few weeks back when I went on a trip with Gabby's organization to Lacu Rosu (Red Lake) and the Bicaz Gorges, two of Romania's natural tourist attractions and located in a national park. Cool.

Anyway, today is Tuesday and I still haven't done much as far as school is concerned. This system is soooo different than the American system. We've got 5 days to go before the first day and the friggin' schedules aren't even set yet. With the exception of two brand new English teachers, Oana and Brindusa, nobody talks to me or gives me any advice. At this point, the only thing the three of us have done is bitch and moan about the current situation and how there's only one friendly veteran English teacher. My counterpart is always too busy for me, so I guess this is just going to be the way it is. I'm going to do my thing and I hope they approve. If not, then they better actually COMMUNICATE with me. Don't get me wrong, most of the young people are pretty open; it's the older generation that's been conditioned not to talk too much.

Sooo, since nothing is happening here this week and everyone who CAN help me either doesn't talk to me or doesn't have time for me, I'm going to go to see Victor & Ica in Vatra Dornei on Thursday night and do some monastery hopping. A little vacation for me before classes start on Monday. I'm not worried about it too much because the first week's going to be a wash. And maybe the second, third, fourth.....

More pics to come now that I'm all hooked up here in the apt.

Salut,
Mr. Flexible

Fotbal Ceahlaul!

Victor and I went to the soccer game in Piatra Neamt yesterday. The team is called F.C. Ceahlaul (named after the big mountain in the area). F.C. Ceahlaul is in orange and F.C. Botosani is in blue. The mountain you see in the background is Pietricica, which is located in the center of Piatra Neamt (note the big TV antenna/tower). We had a lot of fun! Ica and Victor are visiting me this weekend and will be off to the resort town of Vatra Dornei today. I'll be joining them on Friday for the weekend!

Yesterday, Romania beat Czech Republic 2-0 in a world cup qualifier to keep their hopes alive for a spot in World Cup 2006. It was a very important game and it's all over the news today. The World Cup is in Germany next year and I hope that I'll be able to visit and catch a game.......I'm watching a lot of soccer these days and am enjoying it very much. The fans are so passionate about the game! It's fun to watch games from different countries and learn the different styles of play. Aside from all of the World Cup qualifiers this summer, I've seen games from the Spanish league, the English league, and of course, the Romanian league. Tonight is Brazil vs. Chile. I'm definitely going to check that out....

September is Here

Hello all. Sorry I've been so incommunicado lately. Just trying to get my life in order. So I showed up to school today for day one all primed and ready to go. Not surprisingly, nothing really happened. Aside from meeting a couple English teachers, I did nothing but sit at a table in the teacher's room (it's kind of like a big boardroom), make notes to myself and read PC materials on teaching. After about an hour and a half Florin (my professional counterpart and Vice Director of the school) came in and told me I should go becuse there's nothing going on today. Okay then. So, I wait. Fine with me. I'm friggin' Mr. Flexibilty at this point. When I come back home you're all going to call me Gumby.

After I left school I responded to some emails, including Ica's, which takes a long time because I need to translate and then respond in Romanian. Ica and Victor are going to come visit me tomorrow. Their daughter Delia (my new sister) was kind enough to send them some money from NYC for a vacation. This will be Ica & Victor's first time in Moldova. I believe that, aside from visiting Piatra Neamt with me, they will go to the painted monasteries and visit a resort with hot springs or something. I think its called Vatra Dornei.

I just got back from the gym (yes, I have a gym to go to) and fixed myself the usual lunch of a piece of fruit, bread, telemea cheese (it's kind of like feta but not as salty), and piept de pui (chicken lunchmeat). Now I have to clean the apartment and continue proofreading Florin's son's doctoral dissertation on postmodern Canadian literature. That's not a joke by the way. Big favor for Florin. Big favor.

My Friend John Helm

A week ago I found out that a good friend of mine passed away. His name was John Helm. He had an acute cancerous brain tumor that had gone undetected. He died suddenly and did not suffer, thank god. He was just about to turn 29 years old. Needless to say, I was shocked and upset to hear the news. I cried a lot. I called my Dad and Sarah. I called John's wife Jessica. I felt helpless. I was thousands of miles away and couldn't do anything about it. What a terrible feeling it was.

Last Monday I recieved an email from Jessica informing me of his death on July 29. She felt bad that I had to find out this way, but she did not know how to contact me earlier. Initially, I felt so guilty that I wasn't at the funeral to pay my respects. I felt so bad that I wasn't able to be there and offer my support to Jessica. I felt awol. Talking to Jessica helped a lot, as much of my initial anxiety was rooted in concern for her. She informed me that she was taking things one day at a time and was very happy that John's organs were donated. Apparently, his liver and heart went to two people; I assume this generous act saved their lives. Amazing stuff.

I met Helm in Wright Hall at ISU when I was a sophomore. He lived on the infamous 5th floor with his roommate and best friend from Decatur, Eric Veech. A lot of the guys from the football team who were my friends were living on 5, so naturally I got to know Helm & Veech. Initially, our relationship consisted of sharing information and talking about all of the crazy footballers on the 5th floor, especially Scramuzzo. We didn't really hang out too much until a couple of years later when Marc Hirschman, a friend of mine from Bolingbrook befriended Helm and became his roomate at the house on Kingsley Street, across from Spanky's in Normal.

Some of my fondest memories from college involve that house, and of course, Mr. Helm (as I liked to call him). We partied, bands would play in the basement, we'd hang out and listen to music, etc. Helm always made feel like an honorary member of the Kingsley St. house and I would go over there any chance I would get. The summer of 1997 (my only summer at ISU) was particulary fun and there was always a barbeque or something going on. It was during this time that I got to know his girlfriend and future wife, Jessica.

Other memories include going to Pub II when Helm was bartending, making crazy films with his video camera, and his graduation party at Rosie's (I think that's what the bar was called) in Bloomington. After he graduated, we saw each other every so often. He and Jessica would come up to Chicago for the Buddy Guy shows. It was great fun. I remember their engagement party at Alive One in Chicago, going to visit them in Aurora after Helm got his first job with Boise, helping them move into their first home, drinking the fine ale from Walter Payton's out of the kegerator in the garage, etc.

Helm and Jessica's wedding and the time leading up to it was especially joyous. I took a bunch of photos of them as a couple before the wedding, one of which was used in the gigantic picture frame that everyone signed at the wedding. They looked hot I must say. I'm proud of that pic! I also put together a jazz program for the dinner hour at the reception. Their wedding was special because so many friends got involved in one way or another to make it the perfect wedding. I remember unveiling the Buddy Guy photo I had blown up and framed for them as a wedding gift. Helm loved it. I'll never forget the look on his face. Priceless stuff. Their wedding will always be clear in my mind and makes me feel so good when I think about it.

Shortly after their wedding, Helm and Jessica moved to St. Louis. Sarah and I visited them in September of 2003. We went to a Cardinals game, grilled out, had beers, etc. It was a great time. That was the last time I saw him in person. We'd email and speak on the phone every now and then in the following months. I remember thinking how much I wanted to keep the friendship going and hoped that I could see more of him in the future. He sent me an email 5 days before he passed away and told me how much he enjoyed reading my blog. I'm glad I had this contact with him. It makes me feel closer to him now.

John Helm was one of the best people I have ever known. He was always smiling, always positive and upbeat. I never heard him complain about anything. I never heard him say anything negative about anyone. He had a magnetic personality and people, including myself, loved to be around him. I think of him often now and always see that smiling face and hear that distinctive Helm laugh.

Although I never considered myself part of his inner circle of friends (he had many), I always considered him to be a good friend of mine. I believe that he considered me to be one as well. As I write this tribute to him from a place very far away from home, I take solace in the fact that he is at peace now. He was a special person and I will never forget him. He's gone now, but his soul will live on inside all of us who loved him and cherished his friendship. We love you Helm.

Scott

Want to see my new apartment?

go to my yahoo photo album at:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/rsfenwick/album?.dir=/3478&.src=ph&.tok=phq_EiDB7qLC2wQB

Copy and paste the address into your address bar & hit enter for maximum viewing pleasure.......

Me and Mama Ica

Hey! It's me and Gazda Mama Ica outside the "Casa Cultural" on Swear-in day, Aug. 5th.

Laundry Day

I'm doing my first batch of laundry today. Killing some time in the tavernet cafe right now waiting to switch to spin! Man, I feel so lucky to have a washing machine. I'd be sucking right now if I had to hand wash everything. I know, I know, it's the Peace Corps, right? I should be sucking right now, right? Well hey, sucking sucks. It's hard enough just being here. I'll take any creature comforts I can get. However, I do have a big plastic wash tub I can use if I start to feel guilty.....Ha! Let's just hope the washer doesn't break down on me. And it's not like I have a dryer anyway.

It's been awhile since the last real post. As Sarah, the Barr Family, my Dad and Mindy know, I was having a tough time at the end of last week. I was ready to ET and come home. Luckily, after many conversations and sleeping on it, I changed my mind. I guess I just kind of freaked out, albeit a little early. I think that this happens at some point or another to all PCVs. I think that I'll feel better once school starts, at which point I won't have so much time to sit around and think about how much I miss home and everybody there, especiallly Sarah.

Anyway, I'm running out of time. More later.

Love,
Scott

My new address

This is my permanent address:

R.S. Fenwick
Colegiul National "Calistrat Hogas"
Str. Alexandru cel Bun, Nr. 19
Cod 610120
Piatra Neamt
Romania

Let the care package sending begin! :)

Buna Piatra Neamt part 2

I've only got 10 minutes left at the internet cafe so I'll make this short:

Tuesday: Found a nice place to get some exercise. It's a cobblestone path up a big hill. There's two restaurants and a bar up there in case you get hungry or thirsty :) Walked around town a bit with Gabby and had dinner with her and a colleague of hers. Her colleague's sister, husband and daughter were there as well, so it was a good opportunity for a language exercise.

Wednesday: More hiking up the hill and walking around town. Gabby and I went to a Turkish restaurant for lunch (SCORE) and did some shopping at the main Piata. I bought some bread, fruit & veggies. We also stopped by the foreign languages library and had a shot of Tuica for Cristina's birthday. I met Cristina on my site visit in July. She introduced me to her colleague Nicolae, who will be taking over for her as she takes her two year (that's correct, two year) state mandated maternity leave. I hope that I will be able to see her again though. She's very nice. Got home and watched some fotbal with gazda bro Stephan. It was Steaua Bucharest (Stefan's fav team) vs. Rosenborg (Norway) in the 3rd round (I think) of the UEFA Champions Cup. It wound up being a 1-1 tie, so needless to say, Stephan was not a happy camper.

Today: I'll tell you tomorrow.....

Buna Piatra Neamt!

I boarded the bus at the station in Brasov yesterday morning at 7:30, fighting back tears as I had to say goodbye to Ica & Victor. It was an emotional moment for me, sitting on that bus all alone and watching them wave goodbye. Seriously, it hurts just thinking about it. I think that's understanbable at this point though, given the fact that I've only been in town for just over 24 hours.

It was a cloudy and rainy day yesterday as the bus headed north out of Brasov. We passed through Harghita County, which is the Hungarian zone bordering the Eastern Carpathians. I saw the towns of Sfantu Gheorghe, Miercurea Ciuc and Gheorgeni, all of which are nothing to write home about. The ride ot interesting when we began to climb in elevation and made the trip into Moldavia. After many a switchback, the bus headed through the awesome Bicaz Gorge and past the intimidating Ceahlau Massif, which is one big, bad looking mountain.

The sun came out as I entered Piatra and my counterpart Florin was there to greet me in his spiffy outfit, equipped with a euro man-purse. We got into his Passat (quite a change from the Dacia) and headed to my new gazda. I unloaded all of my crap and had a nice lunch with Georgiana and her son Stephan. Georgiana is a 36 year-old overworked, underpaid doctor and her son is a 14 year-old hunchback computer geek. Stephan's never had a dad, doesn't get out much and hardly sees his mom. It's kind of sad acutally. Grandpa George (retired physics teacher) and Grandma Rodica (retired dentist) live there too, but they'll be leaving for Canada to stay with their other daughter in a week. They'll be gone for 2-3 months, so I'll be in my apt. by the time they return. So, it's going to be the three of us for most of the stay. Oy.

I'm running out of time here at the Tavernet internet cafe in beautiful downtown Piatra Neamt, so I'll have to cut this short. More later.

I'm official now and I have to go....

Hello there. Well, last Friday PC group 20 took the oath to defend the constitution and all that good stuff. As a result, the charge d' affairs from the US embassy bestowed upon all 66 of us the title of PC Volunteer (PCV). That has a nice ring to it I must say. Being a trainee kind of sucks. It's like being in boot camp, I think.

The ceremony was held in the "Casa de Cultura" in Brasov and was attended by quite a few people. Many gazda families showed up, the mayor of Brasov, the media, etc. A couple of my friends were on the Friday night news. A paper in Brasov also published an article about us. Good stuff. After all of the hand-shaking at the buffet, quite a few of us headed out to the bars for some beers. It wasn't really goodbye because we're all going to see each other in December for an in-service training seminar to be held for a few days at a location TBD. Although, you never know who'll Early Terminate (ET) or be medivac'd. I hope that's not the case for anyone in Group 20. The average ET rate for PC Romania is about 6%, compared to the 12% PC worldwide average. I have no idea what the medivac rate is. I'd venture to say that it's pretty low as well.

Soooo, it's my last day in Codlea. Pretty sad stuff as my family and I really don't want to part. Most of the other PCVs agree that I won the "Gazda Lottery", i.e., I've had the best home stay experience. I couldn't agree more. Ica and Victor treat me like the son they never had and I've been truly touched by their kindness and generosity. I will be visiting them often.

I finished packing this morning and we'll be having a barbeque tonight. A few of my friends are still in town, so it'll be nice to hang out with them once more before we part ways. Ica and Victor are going to drive me to the bus station in Brasov tomorrow morning. I'll be leaving at 8 and should arrive in Piatra Neamt around 3. Time to start all over again......

BTW -

Roz: I'll get back to you on the amt. of capital needed for the cotton balls.....
Also, you'll be pleased to know that I'm in an FFL league for PCVs! The Soldiers are coming out of retirement for some international competition....

Rob: Please accept my belated congrats to you and Sandy! Nice work on the links! I'm glad that you got a chance to read the blog. Please keep logging on and stay in touch.

BTW part 2:

The following is an article on the Peace Corps and the Military that you may find interesting......

Peace Corps Option for Military Recruits Sparks Concerns

By Alan Cooperman
Washington Post
August 2, 2005

The U.S. military, struggling to fill its voluntary ranks, is offering
to
allow recruits to meet part of their military obligations by serving in
the
Peace Corps, which has resisted any ties to the Defense Department or
U.S.
intelligence agencies since its founding in 1961.

The recruitment program has sparked debate and rising opposition among
current and former Peace Corps officials. Some welcome it as a way to
expand
the cadre of idealistic volunteers created by President John F.
Kennedy. But
many say it could lead to suspicions abroad that the Peace Corps, which
has
7,733 workers in 73 countries, is working together with the U.S. armed
forces.

"Does this raise red flags for the Peace Corps community? I'd say yes
--
emphatically so," said Kevin Quigley, president of the National Peace
Corps
Association, an organization of returned volunteers, staff and
supporters.
"We think a real or perceived linkage between the Peace Corps and
military
service could damage the Peace Corps and potentially put the safety of
Peace
Corps volunteers at risk."

Congress authorized the recruitment program three years ago in
legislation
that drew little attention at the time but is stirring controversy now,
for
two reasons: The military has begun to promote it, and the day is
drawing
closer when the first batch of about 4,300 recruits will be eligible to
apply to the Peace Corps, after having spent 3 1/2 years in the armed
forces. That could happen as early as 2007.

Two longtime proponents of national service programs, Sens. John McCain
(R-Ariz.) and Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), devised the legislation "to provide
Americans with more opportunities to serve their country," said Bayh's
spokeswoman, Meghan Keck. When it stalled as a separate bill, aides to
the
senators said, they folded it into a 306-page defense budget bill,
where it
did not attract opposition.

Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez, who was appointed in 2002 by
President Bush, said in a recent interview that the Peace Corps was
unaware
of the provision until after it became law. Vasquez declined to say
whether
he would have opposed the legislation, had he known about it in time.

"There might have been a discussion, there could have been some
dialogue on
this, but obviously that didn't happen," he said.

Several former Peace Corps leaders said they hope that Congress and the
Bush
administration will reverse course and scuttle the program. They
include
former senator Harris Wofford (D-Pa.), who helped found the Peace Corps
as a
young aide in the Kennedy White House; Carol Bellamy, the former New
York
City Council president who headed the Peace Corps from 1993 to 1995;
and
Mark L. Schneider, who was a volunteer in El Salvador in the late 1960s
and
headed the Peace Corps during the last two years of the Clinton
administration.

"Democratic and Republican administrations alike have kept a bright
line
separating the Peace Corps from short-term foreign and security
policies,"
Schneider said. "Blurring that sharp line is a bad idea, particularly
now,
given the unfortunate rise in anti-American sentiment following the
Iraq
war."

After the law went into effect in 2003, the Defense Department was slow
to
promote the option of combining military and Peace Corps service, but
it is
now energetically flogging the "National Call to Service" program,
recruiters said. The Army, which began a pilot project in 10 of its 41
recruiting districts in October 2003, expanded it into a nationwide
effort
this year. The Air Force, Navy and Marines offer identical programs,
said
Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokeswoman.

In all of the services, recruits are eligible for a $5,000 cash bonus
or
repayment of $18,000 in student loans if they agree to spend three
months in
boot camp, 15 months on active duty and two years in the Reserves or
National Guard.

After that, they can fulfill the remainder of their eight-year military
obligation in the Individual Ready Reserves -- available for call-up,
but
without regular drilling duties -- or by serving in the Peace Corps or
Americorps, the domestic national service program created in 1993.

Vasquez emphasized that recruits have no guarantee that they will be
accepted into the Peace Corps. Once they complete their active duty and
Reserve or National Guard service, they can apply to the Corps. But
they
will not receive any preferential treatment, and the Peace Corps is not
changing its admission standards, he said.

"Ultimately, the impact to Peace Corps in terms of how we recruit, who
we
accept into service, remains very much intact and consistent with what
we've
done for 40-plus years," the Peace Corps director said. "I am an
individual
who embraces a very important facet of Peace Corps, and that is the
Peace
Corps' independence as an agency within the executive branch."

Wofford, who worked in the White House with Sargent Shriver, the
Kennedy
brother-in-law who became the Peace Corps' first director, said the
Corps
historically has shown "passionate determination" to maintain that
independence. At the outset in 1961, Shriver appealed to Kennedy to
keep the
Peace Corps from being placed under the Agency for International
Development. Later, the Corps fought to uphold rules barring
intelligence
officers from joining the Peace Corps and prohibiting former Peace
Corps
volunteers from working for U.S. intelligence agencies.

Several current Peace Corps volunteers said they opposed the military
recruitment option but were reluctant to speak out publicly, because
the
Peace Corps forbids volunteers from talking to the media without
permission.

"We are already accused on a daily basis of being CIA agents so I don't
see
how this [link to the U.S. military] could help," a volunteer in
Burkina
Faso said by e-mail.

"It is hard enough trying to integrate yourself into a completely
different
culture, convincing people that . . . Americans are not these
gun-toting sex
maniacs . . . without having a connection to the U.S. military,"
another
volunteer in Africa wrote.

Former volunteers expressed a variety of reservations. Pat Reilly, a
former
chairwoman of the National Peace Corps Association who served in
Liberia
from 1972 to 1975 and spent several years as a full-time Peace Corps
recruiter, said she worries about the motivation of people who enter
the
Peace Corps to fulfill a military service obligation.

"The magic that makes the Peace Corps work is motivation, and when you
tinker with that, then it won't work for the applicant and it won't
work for
the people it serves," she said.

John Coyne, who served in Ethiopia during the 1960s and was a regional
director in the Corps' New York office from 1996 to 2001, said numerous
military veterans have joined the Peace Corps and been superb
volunteers.
But he said there has always been a "clear separation" between the two
kinds
of service. The new recruitment program "eats away at the purity of the
Peace Corps as designed by Kennedy, which is that it was not going to
be
military," he said.

So far, the number of enlistees is tiny compared with the 1.4 million
men
and women serving in the military, but large compared with the Peace
Corps,
which receives about 12,000 applications to fill about 4,000 openings
each
year.

In 2004 and the first five months of this year, 4,301 people entered
the
armed services under the National Call to Service program. Of those,
2,935
enlisted in the Navy, 614 in the Air Force, 444 in the Army and 308 in
the
Marines. Pentagon and Peace Corps officials said they have no way of
knowing
how many will apply to the Peace Corps when they become eligible to do
so in
2007 or 2008.

In his 2002 State of the Union address, Bush called for doubling the
size of
the Peace Corps, from 7,000 to 14,000 volunteers, within five years.
That
same year, the administration named a career Navy officer with 12 years
of
experience in military recruiting to head the Peace Corps' recruitment
and
selection office.

Since then, however, the Corps has grown by little more than 10
percent.
Barbara Daly, a spokeswoman for the Corps, said that tight budgets --
rather
than a shortage of qualified candidates -- were the reason.

"The president has been very supportive of the Peace Corps and has
requested
budget increases each fiscal year that would allow for this" gradual
doubling, she said. "Congress has not approved our budget at the levels
requested by the president."

The PST Daily Grind

It seems as if the days are getting longer. We're all dragging a bit now, as our minds are set on our sites and jobs. Everyone's just simply ready to go. Lethargic is the perfect word to describe the atmosphere nowadays. People are starting to skip sessions, leave early, show up late, etc. The technical training sessions are beginning to become tiresome and repetitive.

However, on a positive note, we had the political officer from the embassy some in and talk to us for about 90 minutes yesterday during HUB training in Brasov. He gave about a 45 minute talk and then opened it up for questions. I think that we all found this particular session quite valuable.

A few of us sat in the piata in Brasov yesterday during our lunch break, ate gigantic schnitzel sandwiches and did some people watching. We saw a camera crew following around some family, an old lady with blue hair, Korean tourists, and lots of skin. It was a hot one in Brasov. It's amazing the pictures you can get just by sitting in a public place for awhile. I'll be posting some of them one of these days.

After training, a bunch of us piled into the maxi-taxi for the ride home to Codlea. We had a bit of a run-in with some older people on the MT who insisted on keeping the windows closed due to fear of the dreaded "curent". We tried to negotiate with them as we stewed in our own juices, but could not convince them that a bit of fresh air would not cause them bodily harm.

At this point you may be wondering just what in the hell "curent" is? In a nutshell, the older generation in Romania believes that a breeze of any sort will make you ill, give you a toothache, etc. There's also some superstition about evil spirits in the air or something. As a result, and particularly during summer, any mode of public transport inevitably turns into a trip to the hot box. Ocassionaly, you may get lucky and not have any crazy bunicas on the bus/maxi-taxi, thus gaining a reprieve from the madness. It doesn't happen very often though, as public transport is dominated by pensioners.

The "curent" can also come into the home, so you'd better not leave the windows open godforbid. Quite frequently you'll see people walking the streets with cotton balls in their ears, most of them being bunicas. My friend joked that he was going to have an orthodox priest bless bags of cotton balls, sell them on the street and make tons of bani (cash). Sounds like an ideal economic development project to me! :)

Although one may encounter the ocassional exception, most people under 30 do not buy into the "curent" phenomenon. So, like many things in Romania, the "curent" will pass in a couple of generations. Until then however, we'll have to keep fighting the myth while we sweat our balls off.......



Yesterday was Victor's birthday. He turned 49 and we all wished him La Multi Ani while chowing down on grilled pork, mici and Polish Sausage. The concept of grilled Polish is new to them, as they usually boil it. After some hard lobbying by yours truly, Ica and Victor tried it and found out that grilled beats boiled any day of the week. After the consumption of mult (a lot) tuica and beer, Victor revealed his hidden talent for singing. He was belting out traditional Romanian favorites for about an hour! Ica and I enjoyed the serenade!

My response to Dan's questions...

Please refer to the previous post before reading this......

Great to hear from you! Sorry that the blog updates are a bit infrequent. I'll have easier and faster acess to the internet once I get to my site in the second week of August. In fact, when I move into my apartment in October, I'll have a cable internet hook-up. So, the blog updates will be more frequent, I'll be able to post more pics, and you can contact me for free via Skype if you want.

You're right, the gamut of emotions runs quite frequently, especially lately. We've only got three weeks of training left and we're all gearing up to go to our respective sites. I've made a lot of frends in these past two months and it's going to be hard to say goodbye to many of them. We've all grown accustomed to seeing each other almost everyday, training together, partying together, and confiding in one another. August 5th will be a bittersweet day when we get sworn in as volunteers in Bucharest.

How am I feeling? My mental state is extremely fluid. The highs are high and the lows are low. Some days I wake up (like today) feeling discombobulated, lonely and upset and I don't really know why. The language barrier has something to do with it I think. It is tiring to be in a place where you hardly understand what people are saying all of the time. It's even more difficult when you actually have to open your mouth and talk to them. However, don't let me give you the impression that it's always like this. Some days really are quite good.

What do I enjoy the most? The food is great. The beer is cheap. The landscape is stunning. I enjoy having conversations with my gazda family, neighbors, etc.; which can be quite tiring mentally but gives me a great deal of satisfaction. I like Brasov very much. Walking around and taking photos here is quite enjoyable. If you come to Romania, I'll take you there. I think that you'd like it because it's like a little Prague. I also LOVE my gazda mama and dad and will be visiting them quite frequently.

What am I enjoying least? Missing Sarah, Chicago, my friends. Language barrier, pessimistic Romanians, pollution, trash everywhere, chauvenistic & pig-headed Romanian men, hearing about the rampant corruption in all facets of Romanian society, racism, ignorance, Boring PC training sessions designed for people with zero common sense, bad weather, funky smelling maxi-taxis, long lines and the people who cut into them, etc., etc, etc. However, don't let this deter you from wanting to visit. This place will blow your mind out and you will have a great time if you come!

Changing perspectives? I can tell you this: I love America. You don't know what you've got until it's gone my friend. It's the little things man. It's one thing to visit a place like this, but to actually live there is an entirely different issue. Let me say it again. I love America and I can't wait to come back. This experience has solidified my love for my country and my desire to make it a better place. We have all of the tools, we just need some perspective. PC punches you in the face with perspective, then kicks you in the stomach with it for good measure. I don't have the words to explain PC. It's just something one has to experience.

Damn, I miss baseball. I saw all-star game highlights the other day on BBC World and lost it. I said, "Baseball! Omigod, baseball highlights!" It was a bit sad really given that it was just the all-star game. Screw those guys who bombed London. These people will never accomplish anything with violence. As far as the care packages go, I'll have to wait until October. Thanks for the offer and I'll let you know when the time is right!

Doua saptaman apoi gata

Two more weeks of training to go as of yesterday. Last time I mentioned that we will not be going to Bucharest for swear-in. It turns out that this is a good thing for a few reasons: 1) PC was not going to pay for an overnight stay, 2) Our gazdas are now invited to the ceremony in Brasov and 3) It's hot as hell in Bucharest. So, the charge d'affairs from the embassy will come up here and swear us in on Friday, August 5th. We don't have an ambassador in Romania at the moment, so the the cda will preside over the ceremony.

I scored an "intermediate high" on my oral language exam. It was a simulation, thus the result is not official. However, my skills can only improve over the next ten days, so I'm confident that I'll at least get the same score. The next level is advanced low. I'm going to try to shoot for that. I was a bit concerned with my progess a few weeks ago, but lately thing have been clicking and I'm feeling more comfortable with the language. Eu sunt ferecit cu aceasta (I'm happy with this)!

A volunteer from group 17 is having a party at the apartment in Brasov tonight. I'm not going because I'm not to keen on being in a bloc apt. with 30-50 volunteers and random Romanians. It's going to be hot, sweaty and crowded; not my idea of a good time. So, I think that Victor's going to chop up some wood and fire up the 'ol gratar (grill) tonight and we'll have some pui (chicken), porc (pork), and mici (salty sausage). I'm going to buy the beer tonight because I'm not too fond of Victor's beer of choice - Ciucas Brasov. It's cheap and it stinks. I prefer Bergenbier, Ursus, Ciuc, or Timisoareana.

I'll be leaving Codlea on Monday, August 8th for site. It's about a 6-7 hour bus ride to Piatra Neamt from Brasov. Teachers report to school on September 1st and students report on the 15th. I'm hoping that I'll be able to start planning asap upon arrival. I've got some ideas for thematic plans and it will be interesting to see how receptive my counterpart is to them. During the first few weeks at site I'll be wakling around a lot and trying to get to know people in my city. I also hope to do a bit of sight-seeing in the area and get together with volunteers in the area. I'm also planning on returning to Codlea a couple of weeks after I go to site. This will be a nice opportunity to see Victor and Ica and pick up the printer I bought.

That's about it for now. For those of you who actually read this thing, let me know if you have any questions. I'd be happy to answer them. In fact, it helps me understand my own situation better when I answer people's questions. I'd like to post my responses on the blog. In fact, I think I'll do just that with the next post. Durkin sent me an e-mail recently with some questions that I was glad to answer, so I think that I'll post the e-mail.....

The future is now

Well, we're in the middle of week 8 of training and things are starting to move fast. I just finished a language test simulation with my teacher and am waiting for a few friends to finish while I type away here at the internet cafe. We're going to have a couple beers and discuss group 20s state of affairs. The latest news is that we won't be traveling to Bucharest for swear-in. Apparently, there's some "administrative issue" that is preventing us from having the ceremony at the ambassador's residence. PC - tops on the U.S. Govt's priority list.

Anyway, I know that a huge gap in time currently exists in this here blog. Let me try to get you all caught up.

About 2 weeks ago group 20 traveled to the ski resort town of Sinaia for our Counterpart Conference. It is here that we met our professional counterparts and found out where we'll be living and working. Oh yeah, so you probably would like to know that information, yes?

On or about August 8th, I'll be traveling for 7 hours by bus to beautiful Piatra Neamt in Moldavia. Piatra is a city of approximately 110,000 and is located at the foothills of the eastern Carpathian Mountains. It is a very green and clean city and reminds me of the Pacific Northwest.

I will be teaching 9-12th graders at Calistrat Hogas National Arts and Sciences High School. Hogas is recognized as one of the top two high schools in Neamt county and requires its students to be bilingual. Most of the students' second language is English and I'm pretty sure that I'll be teaching them content most of the time, if not exclusively. So, I got what I wanted; I think. Due to the fact that the school has a lot of money and resources, I was initially a bit puzzled as to why they requested a volunteer. However, I've had some time to think about it and believe that I can do a lot with these students. Most, if not all of them will go to university and I think that a have an opportunity to tackle some important issues with them. I'm looking forward to it.

While I was on my site visit in Piatra I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of days with my predecessor. His name is Mike Richard and he'll be leaving Romania a a couple of weeks. Mike's a really sharp guy and he apparently did a great job at Hogas. I've got big shoes to fill. I'll be inheriting his apartment and was able to buy most of his possessions second hand. All I need is a vacuum cleaner and an iron and I'm set. I've got a washing machine (a huge luxury in Romania), cable TV, microwave, cable internet, etc. The apartment is newly remodeled and is in a separate building on the campus of the school. No commute for this guy. Foarte fine!

The only thing that kind of sucks is that I have to live with a second gazda family for 8 weeks. I stayed with them for a couple of days and I'm not very thrilled with the situation. They're nice people, but the fact that I have a fully furnished, fully equipped apartment just sitting there waiting for me is going to be a hard pill to swallow. PC policy dictates that we have a second gazda, but I'm going to try to see if my counterpart and I can "work something out" with regards to the, let me say it again for emphasis, fully-furnished & fully-equipped apartment. My counterpart, Florin Irimia, is vice-director of the school, so he's got the keys.

So, pretty soon, eu sunt din Moldova..............

Yes, I'm still alive

It's been a hectic last 10 days, but I survived. I'll post the details later....stay tuned.

Pic of Me in Brasov

Hope this works....go to:

http://photos.yahoo.com/rsfenwick

4th of July - PC Romania Style

Dueling national anthems? Guitar amps hooked up to car batteries? Gazda kareoke? Chicken and mustard? Dodging horse and cow poop while plaing catch with a real baseball and glove? Gazdas getting down to sweet American soul music? Hamburgers and Mici? Yes, you guessed it, a 4th of July party like no other!

We all went up in the foothills with our gazdas and partied hard man. The gazdas are still talking about it! We proved that we could hang with them on their turf! The was a price to pay however. Let's just say that I think I'm still a bit hungover. This American can only tolerate so much tuica.

After it got dark, everybody came back to my house for the after-party. One by one, drunk Americans piled into my gazda's small kitchen. I was a bit nervous at first, but apparently Victor and Ica love to party! Other than a couple broken glasses and somebody taking a dump in my toilet during water shut-off hours, all went well!

Halfway There

It's a cold, cloudy and rainy day in Codlea. We were supposed to have a big barbecue with our gazda families today to celebrate the 4th of July (a little cross-cultural exchange), but that has now been postponed. The weather here at the moment is quite shitty, as it's been raining since Friday night. Speaking of the 4th, one of the volunteers, who will remain nameless, went so far as to write a letter to the Country Director and circulate a petition demanding that we be allowed to have the 4th off. I declined to sign. I don't understand this guy's logic. Does this guy plan on working during Romanian holidays? I doubt it. The CD wrote a form letter to all of us explaining, in a very diplomatic fashion, why we can't have Monday off. I agree with his logic. Quite frankly, I found the whole thing to be a bit embarrassing.

So, I'm through week five (feels like month five) of training and now have five more to go. We finished our teaching practicum last Friday with a raucous session of kickball. It was all a bit confusing at first, but the students eventually got the hang of it. After playing for two hours, we took a break and headed to the teachers room while the older kids looked after the little ones. Awaiting us was champagne and certificates to sign! After quaffing a couple of warm cups of champagne, we all headed out to the playlot and handed out certificates to the kids and took pictures. Very Romanian. It really was a good day.

I'll be traveling to south to Sinaia for the counterpart conference this Thursday afternoon. We'll be there until Sunday, at which point we will depart for our site preview on Sunday with our counterpart. Speaking of site placement, some people know more than others. It depends on how much information was revealed during last week's site placement interview. I can tell you what I know about my potential situation:

1) I'll be teaching bilingual high school students.
2) I'll be teaching content courses about half of the time.
3) The school is a "teoretic" high school, which means that it sits at the top of the academic ladder in the Romanian system. Students must demonstrate an ability to excel academically to be admitted to a "teoretic" school.
4) I'll be working with an NGO on secondary projects.
5) There are three relatively new apartments on the campus of the school that were built specifically to house "visiting professors". I would live in one of these apartments.

Now, keep in mind that none of this is set in stone. I won't know anything for sure until Friday. We're all floating in limbo right now.

Everything else is going as well as it can. I kind of suck at Romanian right now. I had to tune the language lessons out during practicum. Many of us are in the same boat. I'll catch up eventually. I've got plenty of time to learn. On the street, I'm not bad; the classroom is a different story altogether. We've got language test simulations on Tuesday at the HUB in Brasov. That should be interesting. There's going to be a lot of body language in my session. :)

Sundays are a bit depressing for some reason. I miss home the most on this day. I'm trying not to drink and eat my depression away, as it's very tempting to do so. I'm not really depressed, I just get a little sad and lonely sometimes. This experience has been quite the emotional roller coaster thus far and there's really no end in sight for the next six months. It's tough. But, I think that I should be settled in nicely after the first semester of school.

For those of you hungry for pics, fear not. I predict that, aside from the one I just posted from the internet, there will be pics by the end of this month. Things move a bit slower here in Transylvania, so please bear with me. Thanks so much to those of you that have sent e-mails. I really do appreciate them and truly look forward to checking my e-mail (when I can). For those of you who haven't, please do! I'm always thinking about all of you and wondering how everyone's doing. That's about it for now. I've got to go read and catch up on my language study.

Salut!