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..............