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!
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Saturday, July 23, 2005
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!
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.....
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.....
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
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..............
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..............
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Yes, I'm still alive
It's been a hectic last 10 days, but I survived. I'll post the details later....stay tuned.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
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!
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!
Sunday, July 03, 2005
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!
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!
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