A Christmas Stroll in Brasov/Remember the Revolution

Well, it's that time of the year again and Brasov has done its very best to get into the Christmas spirit. I went to the center of town last Saturday to finish my shopping, drink some boiled wine and take in the sights. Here's a little taste...click on the pics for a larger view.

You may have seen this building before. Or you may have not. Anyway, this is the Council Hall, which is located in Piata Sfatului, or the town square if you like. The Saxons built this baby in the 16th century and it served as kind of a city hall, a meeting place for the merchants and guilds, watchtower, etc. Basically, it was the center of administrative and commercial activity for the medieval fortified city. Nowadays it houses the Brasov History Museum. Ursus beer was kind enough to put up the tree, so I decided to drink one and raise a Christmas toast to them...after I drank my boiled wine with cinnamon and fruit in it, of course. Mmm good.

The Brasov County Prefecture, a building dating from 1902 in the Hapsburg style. This one went up when the Austro-Hungarian Empire was still calling the shots in Transylvania. It is an ornate building and quite stunning this time of year, accented by the Christmas lights. In the foreground we have a large wooden memorial to the '89 Revolution. More on that in a moment. Every county in Romania has a prefect, which is the local representative of the federal government. There are no states in Romania, just counties.

Strada Republicii, or the Street of the Republic, open to pedestrian traffic only, is the main drag that leads tourists in and out of the town square (Piata Sfatului). Cafes, pubs, shops, restaurants and small hotels line the streets, which are rather festive this time of year.

The Brasov Primaria, or City Hall. This is another Hapsburg-era building that has recently undergone a face lift, as the facade has been completely restored. Brasov is going to be absolutely stunning once enough money is available to restore all of the building facades. I give them about 15 years. Nice Christmas lights on this building.

Seventeen years ago, around this time of year, the Revolution against Ceausescu's communist regime began. It started in the western city of Timisoara and spread east to Bucharest, culminating in the death sentence by firing squad of Nicolae and his wife Elena on Christmas Day 1989 by a hastily formed "judiciary". The Romanian Revolution, unlike comparable events in neigboring Eastern Bloc countries, was especially bloody. In short, this was due to the fact that the Revolution was a revolt that erupted in a matter of days, rather than steadily building itself as a protest movement over a number of years such as in Poland or Hungary. The army and secret police panicked, the people panicked, everybody panicked. The most accurate assessment of total deaths that I've come across is about 1,000.

Brasov, along with a handful of other cities in Romania, is considered to be an "Orasul Martir", which means a city of martyrs. Violent protests broke out in the city center in late December '89 after word spread that the revolt was on in Timisoara. Many died, especially students and young adults. The photo above is an eternal flame memorial to the "Luptatorilor Anti-Comunisti", or the Anti-Communist Fighters from 1944-1989, located near the spot where the protests began. Protests before the events of December '89 were few and quickly put down. Vocal opponents of the regime were ostracized or silenced or worse. Brasov unsuccessfully tried its hand at revolution in November 1987, as thousands of workers took to the streets calling for better conditions, salaries, and a few for the end of the dictatorship. The name of the street that I live on, "Str. 15 Noiembire", is dedicated to that particular day. Many in Brasov consider their city to be the "first revolutionary city" because of the events of the 15th of November 1987. However, the mother of the revolution is without a doubt Timisoara.

I think that it is appropriate to end my last blog of 2006 by dedicating it to the spirit of Christmas, as well as to the spirit of revolution in the name of freedom and democracy. Below, you will find a slideshow of images from those revolutionary days of December '89, accompanied by some traditional Romanian music. Click on it to watch and turn up your speakers! Most, if not all of the images are from Timisoara. I visited Timisoara in September. The feeling of respect for those who participated in the Revolution and died fighting to liberate this country is alive and well there. These people are recognized and revered as heroes. That they are. Respect '89!

The Other Side of Things

Sometimes I feel like I don't share enough of the good experiences I have here, especially at school. Admittedly, I complain a lot. I'm going to try to keep things positive here. Since the last post, Thanksgiving has come and gone, I visited the city of Cluj and the drunk teacher has finally been relieved of his duties. Christmas is coming and the kids have been working on a project that has turned out to be pretty cool. They're going to be watching "Polar Express" for the next two class periods, my Christmas gift to them. Here's some photo highlights of the last few weeks:

Yes, that is indeed a turkey! Ica, bless her heart, made me a surprise Thanksgiving dinner. It was her first, and she did an admirable job, stuffing and all. Do you like her presentation? How about the flower sticking out of the top of the neck? Please post a comment if you've seen this before, as it was a first for me...

The Thanksgiving Dinner Family: (From left to right, bottom to top - Roxana, Geanina. Ica, Victor and Tavi Jr.) Ica's nephew and nieces were kind enough to help prepare the dinner and spend Thanksgiving with me. I really appreciated it. It had been 2 years since I'd had turkey and stuffing with mashed potatoes and gravy. Fantastic!

I went to Cluj the next day for a volunteer Thanksgiving extravaganza. This is the only photo I took. Tim and Nancy, married volunteers and colleagues of mine, hosted a Sunday brunch for us before we all went our separate ways. Part of the spread was a tray of assorted meats. I saw something that resembled ham on a serving tray, but its shape led me to believe that it was Spam. I asked, "Is this Spam?", and Nancy said, "No, but would you like some?". Expect the unexpected here in Romania. They had received a care package recently and this can of Spam you see was included. They offered it to me and I eagerly accepted. I won't be so eager next time. I ate it. I can't believe that this stuff is still made. Ica and Victor seemed to like it though. Guess I'm not a Spam kind of guy. Hormel can keep their sodium nitrites and modified potato starch.

*Note* The following are descriptions of photos that have been removed.

This is my classroom. I got lucky. The room I used last year was ghetto fabulous. All of the furniture here is new, I've got a projector, two laptops (if you include mine), a cabinet full of books, posters, DVDs, etc. It is by far the nicest room in the school.

These are two of my 7th grade students, Mihai and Ovidiu, proudly displaying the shipment of books we received from the organization "A Thousand Books" in St. Louis. They do great work, so click here to go to their website. Maybe you'd be so kind as to make a donation? They have doubled the size of our English library and are sending us another shipment in the spring. My English library project is a success thus far, as about 90 users have read close to 200 books in 9 weeks. I've been told that they're reading more books in English than in Romanian! Nice.

A photo from the nationwide essay contest that some of my students participated in. Here we have a couple of 7th graders working hard. Check out the laptop/projector setup...I tried to make things look official so they'd take it seriously...

Here's Daniel, a 6th grader, with his Coat of Arms. He's quite the artist and his design has turned out to be one of the best in his class thus far. I'm doing this "Coat of Arms" project with most of my classes. Every student is designing his or her own personal Coat of Arms. Each design consists of a family crest, a shield with six distinct parts and a motto. After they finish the design phase, they have to write a story (in English) describing the Coat of Arms and explain what each part represents. This activity allows them to be creative and express themselves as individuals. I'm glad to provide them with such an opportunity, as activities such as this are rare for them. We're going to have an exhibition before the end of the semester, so the hallways will be filled with their work...I hope.

The boys (above) and girls of the 5th grade English club enjoying some American reading textbooks with their teacher, Miss Moldovan (above). The good folks at A Thousand Books sent these in their latest shipment to us and the kids really like them. I help out with the club by giving them access to my classroom, setting up the laptop/projector/speakers for them, lending them books from the English library, etc. It's Miss Moldovan's show really, but I think that I'll be getting more directly involved in the near future. Click Here to see them doing their best Coldplay imitation.

So, that's my report for now. I'm leaving on a jet plane in less than a week. The last return ticket...

Come Take a Walk With Me

During the weekends I try to get some exercise. Codlea sits at the foot of a 1300 meter mountain (approx. 4500 ft.) called Magura. Luckily for me, I live near the foothills leading to the mountain itself. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday I try to take a walk to the trailhead leading to the peak of Magura, hike up as fast as I can for 30 minutes and then go back down. It's a good workout and the fresh air can be rejuvinating. This flatlander is going to miss having a mountain, albeit a small one, in his backyard. So, here's a photo narrative of my hike last Saturday...oh yeah, and don't forget to click on a pic if you want to see a larger view.


I live at the top of my street and about 25 yards from an open field that leads up to a large pasture hill. An orthodox cemetary has been placed in this area recently (about a year ago). When I make a left out my front door and turn the corner, I come upon the cemetary. Romanian Orthodox graves have little patches of soil on top in which people plant flowers, plants and grass. Quite frequently I see people tending the gravesites, taking out dead flowers and plants and replacing them with fresh ones. I go to Ica's parents' grave (in a different cemetary) once in awhile and help tend the little garden on top of the grave.



This is the street that I make my left turn on to get to the trailhead. Many streets in Codlea, including mine, are not paved. As you can probably imagine, it can get a little muddy around here. The cemetary is to the right. A horse-drawn wagon or "cartuţa" passed me by on its way back from gathering wood in the forest. Many people in Codlea have caruţas, as they come in handy for hauling stuff around. For some, it is their primary mode of transportation. In the winter sometimes, the tires come off and the sleigh blades are put on. Yes, I've seen the Romanian Santa, as he's sleighed by my house before...reins in one hand and a bottle of god-knows-what in the other.



Hot car right? This is a fine example of the ubiquitous Dacia. They're everywhere. My guess is that this is an early 80's model. It's hard to tell because the body style hardly changed from about 1972 to 1989. My friend Ovidiu has a white one just like this. Her name is Margareta. The Dacia is based on an old Renault body and Renault engineering. Rumor has it that Romanian spies posing as engineers stole technology from the French over a number of years while working at Renault during the late 60's and early 70's. Good work. After the revolution, Renault bought Dacia from the State for about 50 million dollars. That's when the body style changed. Things are going well for Dacia as of late, as the demand for the Logan in Europe (Victor has one, see previous posts) is greater than the supply right now. Forza Dacia!



Continuing down the street we find some neighborhood chickens out for an afternoon walk, just like me...


Some local art adorning the side of...

some blocs. These are nicer than most in Codlea.


Now I've made a turn up an old street and away from the blocs into the neighborhood by the trailhead. This is a good example of an old Transylvanian peasant home. If I made this photo grainy black and white, took the tires off of the caruţa and got rid of the car in the right-hand corner, maybe this photo could pass for late 19th century? Oh, I forgot about the big, nasty industrial smokestack in the background. We'd have to get rid of that too I guess.


A useful sign. A rarity in Romania. If you look closely, you can see that it was put there by a German. Go figure. Where would Codlea be without its Saxon heritage? "Spre" means "towards" and there are three different colored trails leading to three different places. I've only completed the yellow trail, which leads to the "Strand" complex, a large mountain spring-fed swimming pool. It'll get the blood pumping, let me tell ya. I do plan on taking the blue and red next spring to the Black Castle (Cetatea Neagra) and the summit (Vf. Magura), respectively. It's about a 10 minute walk from my door to the trailhead. It's nice. I like.


Up the trail we go. As you can see, it was a bit foggy. However, as I climbed higher....



the sun started to show itself through the trees. As I hiked above the fog the temperature began to rise. I had to take off my winter hat and gloves and un-zip some layers. Higher and higher I went and then the payoff...



A spectacular view. It was sunny and warm up here as I looked down into the cool, foggy valley below. I had this exact same view the day before and brought my camera this time, hoping that the weather conditions and view would be the same. They were, and I got the photo I wanted.



The fog had cleared by the time I made it back down. This is a shot of Codlea from atop a hill near the trailhead. In the background and to the right we have the 15th century clocktower and Saxon fortified church complex. On the right is an old neighborhood, the way Codlea looked before, well, you know. It is so sad to think of all the nice old houses that were destroyed to make way for those ugly monstrosities on the left.

I hope you enjoyed your tour. Come visit me and see it for yourself....

Romanians Angry With Borat

If you've read my previous post, you may have clicked the link to the Borat video. Funny stuff. Well, apparently some Romanians don't think it's so funny. Below is an article from The Mail, a British newspaper:

Borat film 'tricked' poor village actors
By BOJAN PANCEVSKI and CARMIOLA IONESCU, Mail on Sunday

Last updated at 21:25pm on 11th November 2006

When Sacha Baron Cohen wanted a village to represent the impoverished
Kazakh home of his character Borat, he found the perfect place in
Glod: a remote mountain outpost with no sewerage or running water and
where locals eke out meagre livings peddling scrap iron or working
patches of land.

But now the villagers of this tiny, close-knit community have angrily
accused the comedian of exploiting them, after discovering his new
blockbuster film portrays them as a backward group of rapists,
abortionists and prostitutes, who happily engage in casual incest.

They claim film-makers lied to them about the true nature of the
project, which they believed would be a documentary about their
hardship, rather than a comedy mocking their poverty and isolation.

Villagers say they were paid just £3 each for this humiliation, for a
film that took around £27million at the worldwide box office in its
first week of release.

Now they are planning to scrape together whatever modest sums they
can muster to sue Baron Cohen and fellow film-makers, claiming they
never gave their consent to be so cruelly misrepresented.

Disabled Nicu Tudorache said: This is disgusting. They conned us into
doing all these things and never told us anything about what was
going on. They made us look like primitives, like uncivilised
savages. Now they,re making millions but have only paid us 15 lei
[around £3].

Cambridge-educated Baron Cohen filmed the opening scenes of the Borat
movie in Glod - a village that is actually in Romania, rather than
Kazakhstan, and whose name literally translates as 'mud', last
summer.

Its 1,000 residents live in dilapidated huts in the shadow of the
Carpathian mountains. Toilets are little more than sheltered holes in
the ground and horses and donkeys are the only source of transport.

Just four villagers have permanent employment in the nearby towns of
Pucioasa or Fieni, while the rest live off what little welfare
benefits they get.

So when a Hollywood film crew descended on a nearby run-down motel
last September, with their flashy cars and expensive equipment,
locals thought their lowly community might finally be getting some of
the investment it so desperately needs.

The crew was led by a man villagers describe as 'nice and friendly,
if a bit weird and ugly', who they later learned was Baron Cohen. It
is thought the producers chose the region because locals more closely
resembled his comic creation than genuine Kazakhs.

The comedian insisted on travelling everywhere with bulky bodyguards,
because, as one local said: 'He seemed to think there were crooks
among us.'

While the rest of the crew based themselves in the motel, Baron Cohen
stayed in a hotel in Sinaia, a nearby ski resort a world away from
Glod's grinding poverty. He would come to the village every morning
to do 'weird things', such as bringing animals inside the run-down
homes, or have the village children filmed holding weapons.

Mr Tudorache, a deeply religious grandfather who lost his arm in an
accident, was one of those who feels most humiliated. For one scene,
a rubber sex toy in the shape of a fist was attached to the stump of
his missing arm - but he had no idea what it was.

Only when The Mail on Sunday visited him did he find out. He said he
was ashamed, confessing that he only agreed to be filmed because he
hoped to top up his £70-a-month salary - although in the end he was
paid just £3.

He invited us into his humble home and brought out the best food and
drink his family had. Visibly disturbed, he said shakily: 'Someone
from the council said these Americans need a man with no arm for some
scenes. I said yes but I never imagined the whole country, or even
the whole world, will see me in the cinemas ridiculed in this way.
This is disgusting.

'Our region is very poor, and everyone is trying hard to get out of
this misery. It is outrageous to exploit people's misfortune like
this to laugh at them.

'We are now coming together and will try to hire a lawyer and take
legal action for being cheated and exploited. We are simple folk and
don't know anything about these things, but I have faith in God and
justice.'

If the village does sue the film-makers, they won't be the first.
Last week, two unnamed college students who were caught on film
drunkenly making racist and sexist comments took legal action,
claiming the production team plied them with alcohol and falsely
promised that the footage would never be seen in America.

Many other unwitting victims of Baron Cohen's pranks have also spoken
out against the way they were conned and - unsurprisingly - the
rulers of Kazakhstan have long taken issue with the image Borat
paints of their vast, oil-rich nation.

The residents of Glod only found out about the true nature of the
film after seeing a Romanian TV report. Some thought it was an art
project, others a documentary.

The Mail on Sunday showed them the cinema trailer - the first footage
they had seen from the film. Many were on the brink of tears as they
saw how they were portrayed.

Claudia Luca, who lives with her extended family in the house next to
the one that served as Borat's home, said: 'We now realise they only
came here because we are poorer than anyone else in this village.
They never told us what they were doing but took advantage of our
misfortune and poverty. They made us look like savages, why would
anyone do that?'

Her brother-in law Gheorghe Luca owns the house that stood in for
Borat's - which the film-makers adorned by bringing a live cow into
his living room.

Luca, who now refers to Baron Cohen as to the 'ugly, tall,
moustachioed American man', even though the 35-year-old comedian is
British, said: 'They paid my family £30 for four full days. They were
nice and friendly, but we could not understand a single word they
were saying.

'It was very uncomfortable at the end and there was animal manure all
over our home. We endured it because we are poor and badly needed the
money, but now we realise we were cheated and taken advantage of in
the worst way.

'All those things they said about us in the film are terribly
humiliating. They said we drink horse urine and sleep with our own
kin. You say it's comedy, but how can someone laugh at that?'

Spirea Ciorobea, who played the 'village mechanic and abortionist' ,
said: 'What I saw looks disgusting. Even if we are uneducated and
poor, it is not fair that someone does this to us.'

He remembered wondering why the crew took an old, broken Dacia car
and turned it into a horse cart. He said: 'We all thought they were a
bit crazy, but now its seems they wanted to show that it is us who
drive around in carts like that.'

Local councillor Nicolae Staicu helped the crew with their shooting,
but he claims he was never told what sort of movie they were making,
and that they failed to get a proper permit for filming.

Staicu, who had never dealt with a film crew before, said: 'I was
happy they came and I thought it would be useful for our country, but
they never bothered to ask for a permit, let alone pay the official
fees.

'I realise I should have taken some legal steps but I was simply
naive enough to believe that they actually wanted to do something
good for the community here.

'They came with bodyguards and expensive cars and just went on with
their job, so we assumed someone official in the capital Bucharest
had let them film.'

Bogdan Moncea of Castel Film, the Bucharest-based production company
that helped the filming in Romania, said the crew donated computers
and TV sets to the local school and the villagers. But the locals
have denied this.

Mr Staicu said: 'The school got some notebooks, but that was it.
People are angry now, they feel cheated.'

It's a feeling Glod is used to. The village, like others in the
Dambovita region of Romania, is populated mainly by gipsies who say
they are discriminated against by the rest of the country.

Indeed, when local vice-mayor Petre Buzea was asked whether the
people felt offended by Baron Cohen's film, he replied: 'They got
paid so I am sure they are happy. These gipsies will even kill their
own father for money.'

No one from the 20th Century Fox studio was available for comment on
the villagers' claims.

But feelings in Glod are running so high that The Mail on Sunday saw
angry villagers brandishing farm implements chase out a local TV
crew, shouting that they had enough of being exploited.

It is small comfort that few, if any, of them will get to see the
Borat film. Not a single villager we spoke to had ever been able to
afford a trip to the nearest cinema, 20 miles away.

Perhaps that's the real reason why film-makers chose Glod in the
first place.

A Window to my World

*Please note that this post refers to a video clip that has been removed

Technology never ceases to amaze me. As I mentioned before, I have recently discovered the wonders of YouTube. For those of you who haven't heard, YouTube allows people to very easily upload their video clips and share them with the rest of the world. Man I wish this stuff was around when I was back in high school. We (you know who you are) would have been famous. I like to thing that we pioneered the show "Jackass" before it even exisisted.

Anyway, my first video installment was taken yesterday at school. As you may remember, I've referred to my school as a "zoo", myself as a "zookeeper" (see comments section, Oct. 8th post) and the students as "animals". Well, click here if you want to see why...

I would like to emphasize that, while the students are aware of the prescence of the camera, this should not lead you to believe that their behavior in the clip is any different from when there is no camera present. It's like this everyday. Seriously. I didn't do anything but walk down the hall with the camera and say "hi" a few times. The whole thing was spontaneous.

You see, there are 10 minute breaks between class periods, officially. However, most of the time these breaks stretch to 15 to 20 minutes because the teachers are busy chatting, smoking, drinking coffee or trying on clothes that some guy brings in at least once a week. Yes, the teachers' room is a flea market sometimes. Teachers in Romania do not have their own classrooms, the kids do. So when the bell rings, the teachers take their sweet ol' time to get up and go to their next class while the children make their way back to their respective classrooms. Unfortunately, this usually results in 10 minutes of lost class time per period, which adds up to a whole class period a week. Add it up and that's 36 class periods lost per school year. But hey, gossip, coffee and cigaretts are surely more important than teaching the children, right?

The kids have to be in the same room with the same classmates every day of every hour (with a few exceptions). They don't even get a lunch break. As a result, they are kind of like caged animals. When the bell rings and the teachers retreat into the Teachers' Room or "Canceliare", anything goes. It's not like America where students have to spend the passing period going to their locker and getting to their next class. Oh no. Every hour on the hour, for 15-20 minutes, chaos ensues. Running, yelling, wrestling, grab-ass, full on fights and brawls, kicking stuff down the hallway, dancing, swearing, you name it. They are completely unsupervised, as there are no teachers monitoring the hallways. Either the teachers don't know, don't want to know or don't care about what goes on. But guess who witnesses it all on a daily basis? That's right. Yours truly.

Of course, you may be asking yourself why? Why am I not in the Canceliare with the rest of my colleagues having a coffee and gossiping. Or why am I not having a smoke outside of the building in plain view of the students, or inside the school for that matter? It is because I spend my breaks in my room talking to students, running my English library, setting up the laptop/projector, preparing for the next class, etc. Sometimes I actually walk the halls and go out into the play yard. I recognize the fact that I am lucky to have my own room and all of its resources. However, even if I didn't, I would rather be amongst the kids, as they are clearly starved for attention. The teachers just don't see this.

Unfortunately, the teacher-student relationship in Romania becomes very cold and impersonal after elementary school (1st through 4th grade). The system is authoritative and is based on rote learning of facts in which the teacher-student exchange is simply call and response. Teachers generally project an intimidating air of authority and don't really communicate with the children on a personal level. This is really a shame, because children, especially young adolescents, need more than just facts and information from their teachers; they need positive social interation as well.

As you saw in the video, I get mobbed when I walk the halls or go outside in the play yard. I'll say it again, they act like that even when I don't have a camera in my hand. And I've come to realize that it's not just because I'm different, the American. It's because I actually talk to them. I show intrerest in them as human beings. I don't treat them like objects. Sadly, they don't get this from many of their own teachers.

When I look back on my school days, I know that my social interaction with my teachers was just as, if not more, important than the information that they presented to me as part of the curriculum. I wish that it could be the same for the students in Romania. Hopefully it will change one day. Maybe I'm part of that process of change? Maybe one day a student of mine will become a teacher and remember the positive social interaction he or she had with me, and will thus do the same for his or her students? I sure hope so.

On a lighter note, many of you may know about the comedian Sasha Baron Cohen, otherwise known as "Borat". He's got a new movie out and it looks hilarous. Can't wait to see it. Anyway, the character Borat is a TV journalist from Kazakstan. However, the scenes from the movie that are supposed to be in Kazakstan are actually filmed in Romania. Click here to see the first four minutes of the movie, filmed in a Romanian village, not Kazakstan.

The language you hear is Romanian. The car is a Dacia. I've been to places like that. It's nice. I like.

Welcome Back Winter

Oh, how I didn't miss you. The weather took a turn for the worse on Friday, as I woke up to find a lot of white stuff outside. Needless to say, I haven't ventured outside too much this weekend save for a trip to Metro and some time spent near the grill last night with Victor. Here are some photos taken yesterday afternoon:

You're looking down my street right now. Visibility not so good. Snowstorms tend to do that. Our house is the first one you see on the right. The big building in the background is the Codlea hospital, a place that I never, ever want to visit.

Doing a 180 from the previous viewpoint and at the top of the street we have some fine examples of the Romanian haystack. Beyond that we have the "dealul" and "padure" (hills and forest). I try to do some hiking up there at least twice a week in order to get some fresh air and exercise. Looks like I may need to go buy some snow shoes.

Victor and the 2006 Dacia Logan, nicely equipped with a roof rack and front bumper icicles. Come join us while we navigate the frozen streets of Codlea...hey, at least we've got enough snow now to fill in the potholes.

For those of you who read my previous post, a rant about how I think PC needs to leave Romania, well, I decided to take it off the blog for now. I wasn't in a very good mood last week and didn't have much else to do while I was home sick from school. Oh yes, did I forget to mention the flu shot that PC gave me? It gave me the flu. Nice. Hey, at least we know that they gave me the right shot. In retrospect, maybe it's just me who needs to leave Romania? It certainly would make my life a hell of a lot more pleasant. Wah.

Anyway, I'm rewriting the essay a bit, trying to take some of the venom out of it and, like Fox News, trying to make it a bit more "fair and balanced". God, I can't believe I just said that. However, I will say that my gut still tells me that my basic argument is informed and fair. Maybe I'll post the new version one of these days. The idea of submitting it to the volunteer newsletter was a bit hasty. Two level-headed individuals whose opinions I greatly respect advised me against it. I'm lucky to have people to rely on that can save me when I want to spit hot fire.

In fact, I think I know why I went on that diatribe last week. See, I'm dealing with this issue at school. The teacher that I share 12 of my 16 hours with is a drunk. He comes to school liquored up. In fact, he was so liquored up a couple of weeks ago that I had to tell the principal about it. I had kids running up to me, telling me that he was drunk. One of my students brought me his jacket after the principal told him to go home. I played dumb and pretended not to know anything. They gave him a week's vacation without pay. Obviously I was upset by this and felt compelled to do something about it. However, what is even more disturbing is that I'm apparently more concerned about it than they are. The school "can't do anything about it".

That's right folks, the Romanians let 50 year-old drunk men come to school and teach their 11-14 year-olds. They all know he's a drunk, but nobody does anything about it. They've known about his drinking for years! He just waltzes into the teachers' lounge half-cocked, red-faced and nobody says anything. "Oh, it's just him the drunk. No big deal, right?" Apparently, it is the fault of the school inspectorate and "the system" that they can't fire him. My school has "tried to to everything they can". Call me crazy, but maybe they need to try a little harder? He would have remained in school that whole day if I hadn't said something to the director. Oh yeah, by the way, she doesn't speak English. Even more frightening is the possibility that the director accepts bribes from him in return for inaction on her part. I'm not being paranoid. This is a real possibility. There is no institution in this country that is immune to corruption.

See, I'm just sick and tired of this "we can't do anything about it" attitude. It is this very attitude that has prevented Romania from developing as a nation, both socially and economically. What kind of a message does their inaction send to the children? The students know that their teacher comes to school drunk and nobody does anything about it. Logically, a child may deduce that this must be socially acceptable. In this situation, I can't, in good conscious, make any excuses for these people. I put my foot down now and say no.

Now, while his presence doesn't necessarily effect my ability to do my job, it is, nonetheless, discouraging to me. My motivation to help these people takes a serious nose-dive when confronted with a situation like this. And while I do realize that my primary obligation is to the children, I'm just one American alone in a sea of Romanians.

I guess I'm just in a bit of a state of shock. The fact that they don't care enough about their children to do something about this angers me. It's really hard for me to look a lot of them in the face these days. I mean, I just don't believe that nothing can be done about this. If the school administration, teachers and parents got together and agressively pursued a resolution to this problem, they could get this guy out. They could go to the media, etc. The school inspectorate would be forced to do something. But, unfortunately, this will never happen. The shame of it is that I am powerless. This is a very sensitive situation that I, as a PCV, cannot do anything about except go to the school director when I suspect that the guy's been drinking. I suspected it the other day, but wasn't convinced. So, like them, I did nothing. I have to make hard compromises here.

I haven't mentioned any of this to PC, as I'm not sure that would accomplish anything anyway. I'm debating on whether or not to confront this guy in private about the situation. One thing I do know is this: If he shows up totally wasted like he did a couple of weeks ago, I'm going to have to go get the other half of the class (we split classes) and pull them out of the room. At that point I'll have to drag his ass down to the director. That will be embarassing for both him and the director. Maybe they'll be shamed into action? Dare to dream.

Look, it's sad that the guy has a drinking problem. I feel sorry for him. It's none of my business what he does during his free time, but the line has to be drawn at the school doors. Period. By allowing this situation to continue, they not only fail their children, but they fail themselves. Somebody has to take a stand on this. Unfortunately it looks like it's going to be me, the lone American.

Again, in the spirit of Fox News (I can't believe I said it again) I feel like I should offer up something that is not all "gloom and doom". Oh, the irony. Anyway, I showed the little darlings "Corpse Bride" and gave them chocolate for Halloween. The name of the brand of the little chocolate bars was, quite appropriately, "Zoo". I got a chuckle out of that, as that's how I feel about the place most days. The kids enjoyed themselves and were wowed by the laptop/projector setup.

I'm working on an English Library/Book Club project. I've got about 50 kids so far reading books. I'm going to try to form a formal club, have them write book reviews and try to get them to make a website that will have all of their reviews posted on it, member photos, etc. I'd also like to try to get a grant for more books. An upcoming in-class project will have them create their own personal "coat of arms". I bought large-sized high-grade drawing paper for them. I hope to have their work posted on the walls of their respective classrooms. I think that they'll get into this because, after all, they live in a former medieval land of castles and warrior kings. Even Codlea has its own coat of arms. Plus, they'll get to flex some creative muscles.

So, that's my report for now. Stay tuned for more of the "Takin' you back" posts, as there are many photos that still needed to be posted from September and October. And be on the lookout for exclusive Fenblog video clips. I've recently discovered the joys of YouTube and hope that it will bring even more excitement to your FenBlog experience...

Test Your Skills

We all know that America is the greatest country in the world, right? Well, how much do you know about our beloved U.S. of A? Here's a chance to find out. The OMI (see previous post) turned me on to the "Great American Civics Quiz". Check it out at:

http://www.bbhq.com/civquiz.htm

I scored a 46, which is considered to be very good. Post your score in the comments section and remember, no cheating!

Takin' you back

Inspired by my friend, colleague and fellow Manele fan, Steve, I've decided to disregard any previous self-imposed obligation to keep this blog going in chronological order. Anything goes now. Sounds so rebellious. Anyway, Steve is an entertaining writer with a quick wit. He also has photos to share. So if you want to see what someone else's life is like here in Romania, check out the "One Man Invasion" at:

http://mangat.blogspot.com/

Steve's also known to comment on various topics ranging from politics to 76ers basketball and he posts some very interesting videos and links now and then. Check it out.

I promise I'm getting nothing out of this from him. However, he is the commissioner of the the PC Romania Fantasy Football Fiesta, so a little sucking up never hurts.

Anyway, we'll being with a mountain theme, as I was on plenty of them during the month of September. Here are some photos of our trip to the summit of Mt. Postavarul in Poiana Brasov. Delia was our fearless leader and guide. She's a good one.


Victor, Ica, Me and Gene atop Mt. Postavarul, Poiana Brasov - 1804 meters



1804 meters? Confirmed. Thats 5919 feet for you folks back home. And just down the road a bit from Codlea. Or should I say up?



A view of Mt. Postavarul from my street taken last winter.



The whole crew, pre-summit.



And on the way back down, dinner at Coliba Haiducilor. Translation: The Outlaws' Hut.



Outlaws eat (and drink) well in Romania. 10 year old tucia, Ursus Premium, Mamaliga and Tochitura Vanatoresc (Hunters' Stew)

Busy or Lazy?

I don't really even know myself. I am still struggling to find the time to keep this blog up to date with photos, stories, etc. Maybe I've been here too long and things just don't seem interesting enough to write about anymore. The extraordinary has become the ordinary in many ways. This is a selfish attitude in a way, because despite my delinquency, I know that many of you continue to have an interest in what is going on with this blog.

I mean, I'm almost 2 months behind. The hole is getting deeper. I was even considering posting a message that the blog would be going on hiatus. But I won't do it dammit!

I just finished week 5 of school. It's not easy. 6th-8th graders have a lot of energy and I have to bring a lot of it myself to keep them interested and engaged. the language barrier is an issue as well. I speak in Romanian half of the time. I'm constantly translating and speaking in two languages. Also, the place is a zoo. Kids running around unsupervised all of the time, screaming, yelling and beating the crap out of each other; and I'm not just talking about the concrete playground/jungle in the back of the school. However, I am fortunate enough to have my own room to teach in, thus they behave themselves, for the most part, when they're with me. Is it because I carry around a wooden pointer stick all of the time? Because I'm 6'4", 220 pounds? Because I yell at them in two languages? You be the judge.

I've got some really good kids, but I've also got some rough and rude ones. This is a neighborhood school, not a magnet school, if you will, like Hogas was. Thus, I deal with a mix of the good and bad. The unfortunate thing is that the "bad" ones are not really bad kids. Many of them are quite intelligent. Unfortunately, the root problem lies at home. Parents separated, divorced, indifferent, poverty, etc. Same story, different country. This is a universal theme. We're all human beings and essentially deal with the same societal problems, just in different contexts. What's the lesson? Pay attention to your kids, make sure that Mom and Dad are both around and educate them at home as well. Teachers are not babysitters or psychologists....but sometimes we have to be. This is the burden we carry. Many of us care too much.

Everything's okay

This is a quick note to those of you that may be wondering why I haven't posted an entry in a while. I just haven't found the time. That's it. Life is just fine here. Relaxing and relatively stress-free (depending how the animals at school are behaving. At least I don't live there...god that sounds weird...I can't beleive that I actually lived inside of a school...aye.). Ica and Victor are well. Novac the dog and the cats are living the good life. Stay tuned for a photo review of the month of September. There's alot to post. Go Bears!

Yes I Am

Your results:
You are Superman

Superman 80% Iron Man 55% Supergirl 52% Robin 50% Batman 50% Wonder Woman 47% Catwoman 40% Hulk 40% Green Lantern 35% Spider-Man 30% The Flash 30%

You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

An early dose of autumn

*This post was finished on Sunday, September 3rd

Thursday, 08/31/06:

Hi. It's pretty cold and rainy here in the Brasov area today. Yesterday was about the same. There's been a drastic temperature change within the past week. Just a week ago I was playing football on the beach, working on my tan. Today I'm wearing long sleeves, pants and my rain jacket. Delia and Gene got here last Friday and are out sightseeing. I decided to take a break today. Good thing because the weather sucks.

Anyway, some comments on the two photos.

1) My dinner at Sura Dacilor restaurant in Poiana Brasov. "Hunters' Stew" with mamaliga, tomato and cucumber salad and a Silva dark beer. Mmm. Hot tuica and ciorba was consumed with much pleasure before the main course. Delia, Ica, Gene and myself hiked from the old city in Brasov up to the ski resort area Poiana Brasov. That meal really hit the spot after a day of sightseeing and hiking.

2) Saint Nicholas Romanian Orthodox Church in the Schei neigborhood of Brasov. The church dates back to the 15th century. I had never been to the Schei area before. Adjacent to the old medieval fortified city, it's tucked into a small valley and contains old houses, narrow streets, etc. You can still picture what it must have been like to live there 100 - 150 years ago.

3) That's me, Gene, Delia and Mihai (nephew of Delia's friend Geta) at Cheile Rasnovului (Rasnov Gorge), a big rock climbing park near Brasov. The photo was taken by Geta. We also went to Bran castle, after which the weather took a turn for the worse.

4) PC Romania Group 20 Fantasy Football Draft 2006, Mangalia. The few, the proud, the GMs of PCRO FFL. By far the best draft I have ever participated in. We were in a conference room at the top of the hotel. A view of the Black Sea, microphones for each participant with audio piped over an intercom system, a hired hand to handle the writing of the picks on poster paper, what more could you want? It was so fun that we all wanted to do it again the next day.

So, a lot has happened this summer. Here's a brief rundown. The teaching practicum in Ploiesti ended in late June. I had a great time there during that two week period and felt like I was able to help the staff make their site placement decisions. I also conducted a safety and security session for the new group. My colleague and friend Mandy helped me out with this. Overall, it was a very effective and rewarding experience for me and I'm glad I did it.

July 2nd to the 23rd was the trip back home. I spent a week in Austin with Sarah and the rest of the time in the Chicago area. Highlights: Mexican food, minor league baseball, buying lots of books at Borders, party in Plainfield. Lowlight: the nasty sinus/respiratory infection I contracted during the last week. It literally took more than 4 weeks before it totally left my system. I could go on and on about how wonderful it was to be back home, be with Sarah and spend time with family and friends, but I don't think that's necessary. Let's just say that, even though my life here has drastically improved and I love Ica and Victor, I can't wait to get back home.

After returning to Codlea, I spent the next two weeks recovering from my illness. I didn't do much, but did make progress getting settled in. I bought a desk, made arrangements to have internet installed at home, organized all of my stuff, etc. I had a lot of reading time as well, which was very nice.

August 5th -11th was the trip to Germany. Waaay to short. I could spend weeks in that country zipping around on trains. I stayed with my friends Ovidiu and Brindusa (they're with me in the first pic in the last blog post) in Wurzburg and made day trips to Bamberg and Nuremberg. Highlights: Wurzburg wine, smoked "Rauchbier" from Bamberg, Bratwurst, former Nazi Party rally grounds and museum in Nuremburg, beautiful medieval cathedrals and castles, clean streets, seeing Ovidiu and Brindusa. Lowlight: Weather (it was cold and rainy much of the time) and leaving (I really liked Germany).

I then returned to Codlea for 10 days. Again, I continued to get settled in, organized, etc. The internet got installed, finally. I met with the former volunteer at school #2 as well as the vice director and an English teacher. We discussed the situation, expecations, etc. After that, my friend Stephen came to stay with us for a couple of days before we left for the PC mid service training conference in Mangalia, a city on the Black Sea coast and just north of the border with Bulgaria.

We arrived in Mangalia after a 12 1/2 hour train trip and proceeded immediately to the bar to get reaquainted with out collagues. The 3 days in Mangalia were a lot of fun. Highlights: two games of flag football on the beach, fantasy football draft, hotel room parties, swimming everyday, sun, seeing everyone together again, a session on corruption with the economic advisor from the U.S. Embassy. Lowlights: not enough sleep, forgetting my phone in the hotel room (I got it back the other day ), and again, leaving. It was way too short. A week on the beach would have been nice.

I returned to Codlea on Thursday night the 24th. Delia and Gene arrived the following day. I drove to the airport with Tavi that day to pick them up. They'll be here until the 10th. It's been really nice to spend time with them and get to know "my sister". She calls me "brother". It's cool. Unfortunately, I'm not able to go on any hiking trips with them. I've got to get ready for school.

Sunday, September 3:

So, that brings us to the present. I'll go to school tomorrow and meet the director and any teachers who happen to be around. I'm not exactly sure what will happen after that. Probably nothing much. After that, I have to take a bunch of documents to the police station in Piatra Neamt so they can issue me a document confirming that I don't live there anymore. After that, I have to take all of the documents to the police station in Brasov so they can issue me another document that acknowledges the address change. This document will act as a sort of addendum to my ID card. Having to go all the way back to Piatra Neamt to do this is a pain in the rear. However, it will be nice to see Oana, Radu and Brindusa. Ovidiu will still be in Germany.

School officially starts on the 15th, which is a Friday. I won't have much to do that day, as there will be an "opening ceremony" but no classes. Classes start on Monday, September 18th. I think I'll spend the first week observing classes while they get the schedule worked out. The schedule is never set before school starts. I'll be lucky if it's set after week one.

Today I'm going to take Novac the dog on a walk up the hill and into the forest. After that I'll iron some shirts, watch Brazil vs. Argentina with Victor and do an English lesson with Ica. I guess you could say that today is the last day of vacation for me. It's a strange feeling to have to go back to work after all of this time off. We'll see how it goes. Wish me luck.

Until next time,
Scott

Hooray!

I've got internet at home! So, to celebrate, I've posted some photos that are representative of the past 6 weeks of my life. The photos appear in reverse order. And remember, you can click on a photo to enlarge it if you'd like. Enjoy!

Catching up

Whew! I'm busy. I still haven't found enough time to write about my travels this summer. Soon enough. I got back from Germany last Saturday and now I'm off to the Black Sea coast for a PC conference next week. I'll take a night train late Sunday and arrive in the city of Mangalia around 8am. I'll be so close to Bulgaria (less than 15 miles). I wish I could go. Oh well, I hope to get there eventually. Anyway, my country director asked me to write a welcome letter for the 2 new groups of volunteers that will be arriving here in 2007. It will be included, amongst others, in the "Welcome Book" that all accepted applicants receive before they report to the staging event and depart for Romania. I'm glad to have the opportunity to write such a letter. Here it is:

This is an exciting time to be a PC Volunteer in Romania! Welcome! At this point you're probably wondering what material items to bring. Follow the suggestions in this book and you'll be just fine (especially if you bring a laptop). More important than material things however are patience and open-mindedness. These essential "items" will help you to be a successful and HAPPY volunteer.

Your eyes (and ears) can deceive you here in Romania. On the surface, many things will seem familiar to you. Most people under the age of 30 will want to and be able to speak English with you. You may have cable TV and high-speed internet in your apartment. Your host family may own a new European import car. Many people will dress like you. You'll ride on a modern train from time to time. On occasion, you may even have pizza delivered to your place. However, as volunteers, most of our challenges here exist below the surface. During your staging event, the PC staff will introduce to you the "Iceberg" concept. Pay close attention to this. The cultural differences between Romania and the U.S. are vast.

As I write this letter, Romania is poised to become a full-fledged member of the European Union. However, less than 20 years ago this country was enduring its fifth decade of one of the most oppressive communist dictatorships that has ever existed. Before that, Romania was mostly a land of rural peasants to whom democracy was a foreign concept. This is a society in transition.

In my opinion, our biggest challenge as PC volunteers here in Romania is to not let the cultural impediments that exist because of the past prevent us from doing our job, which is to help the Romanian people build a better future. It's not easy, but hey, it's the PC. I encourage you to learn as much as you possibly can about Romania's history and culture both before and during your service. Read, talk to Romanians, travel, etc. These things, combined with a concerted effort to learn the Romanian language, will undoubtedly help you to assimilate and have both a pleasant and productive life here in Romania.

Challenges aside, Romania is a country rich in cultural and geographical diversity. Mountains, beaches, medieval towns and castles, Roman ruins, festivals all year round; Romania is a major European tourist destination just waiting to happen! You're going to have a lot of fun here, I guarantee it. Oh yeah, and did I mention all of the great friends you're going to make here, both fellow volunteers and host country nationals? You're going to get so much out of this experience, both personally and professionally. I wish you all the best! Noroc!

Scott Fenwick
TEFL, Group 20

Indoor Plumbing....Or Lack Thereof

Hi folks. I'm dirty. I haven't bathed in almost 48 hours. Codlea hasn't had running water since Monday morning. Flyers were posted around town saying that the water would be turned off from 9am to 9pm Monday. Ha. I knew better than that. I have to dump a bucket of water down the toilet to get my turds to go down. Nice, huh? I also have to go to Bucharest tomorrow for my annual physical. I bet Dr. Dan would love to examine me after 3 days without a bath. And did I mention the 90+ degree heat? My PCV friend Andrew arrived last night for a visit with his American girlfriend. I really enjoyed saying, "Hi, nice to meet you. By the way, we have no running water. We've got a brand new car, big television set, etc., but no running water. Here's a bucket. You'll know what to do." Such is life here in Romania - "land of contrasts"....

I'm Back

It's been a long time, and there's a lot to put down here. Unfortunately, I don't have the time right now. I'll try to post a summary of everthing that's happened during the past month soon.

I arrived in Codlea last Sunday night after 24 hours of travel. I got a sinus infection during my last week in the US and it has now morphed into bronchitis as well. The Dr. I saw in the US prescribed the wrong medication. So, now I've got some new drugs and I'm supposed to go to Bucharest next Wednesday for my annual physical. I'm going to Germany next Saturday for a week, so I need to be healthy.

I'm in the process of trying to get internet installed at home. I'm not sure how long that will take. In the meantime, I'll use the internet cafe here in Codlea.

A short note before I go. To all of my friends and family I saw during my vacation at home: I love you all and want to thank you for taking the time to see me, no matter the duration. It really meant a lot to me, especially all of you who came out to Plainfield for the party. That was so great! I'm just sorry that I didn't have more time to speak with everyone individually. In good time I guess.

Training Again

But this time i'm the other side of things. So I made it down to Ploiesti last Sunday after moving the rest of my stuff to Codlea. Radu and Oana stayed in Codlea with us on Saturday and left on Sunday. I'm staying in a true two-star Romanian hotel, the Hotel Nord, in a not so interesting part of town (I'm being very politically correct here). Romania's petroleum industry is primarily located in Ploiesti, and the first oil well in the world was started here. Walking around town, I had to wonder where all the oil money had gone....

After I arrived, I took a stroll down an avenue of neverending blocs and found the center of the city, which has a population of about 300,000. There I had some McDonalds (mmm) and then headed back home for the evening. My fellow volunteer and friend Mandy picked me up at the hotel Monday morning and we went to the school to start day one of 10 of our teaching practicum observations. Man, it was like looking in the mirror. I remember how clueles and nervous we all were last summer. However, by the end of the week I saw some substantial progress and improvement on their part.

All in all, in was a fun and productive week. I was able to meet a lot of the new volunteers, got the hang of evaluating them, hung out with some of my old language teachers and fellow group members, etc. I'm looking forward to next week, although it will be busier as I have to submit individual reports for each TEFL trainee, participate in a site placement meeting, and conduct a safety and security technical session with the entire group of trainees. That last task should be interesting. I'm sure they'll all be riveted. I'll try to keep it short. Normally, our Safety and Security Director would conduct such a session, but he asked me to do him a favor because he couldn't be there. Also, I'm a new member of the Safety and Security Committee, but I'm not sure if this makes me qualified or not. So, I'll just show a power point presentation and use the notes he provided me.

Ploiesti kind of grew on me. I like it there. Lots of beer gardens. Although I'm not sure how I'd feel if there weren't a bunch of Americans and PC staff around all of the time. Next Friday should be fun, as the TEFL trainees will probably all be ready to party after they finish the teaching practicum. I'll take a train to Bucharest next Saturday afternoon and stay at a pensiune near the airport. I've got to be at the airport at 4am next Sunday. I think that I'm scheduled to land in Houston around 2pm CST.

I'm in Codlea right now. I got here last night around 6:15. Got up this morning and realized I left my speakers and MP3 player at the hotel. Nice. Luckily, I called and they found the items and will hold them until I return tomorrow night. Very surprising, as I thought for sure the items would be in some bazaar by now. I tried to do some laundry this morning in preparation for next week and the trip home, but alas, the whole town is without water right now. I hope that it's working when I go back the house. I really need to get my laundry done before I leave tomorrow afternoon. Hard to believe that I'll be in the U.S. in 8 days. It's kind of freaking me out a bit, as I've got a lot of traveling and things to do in a short period of time.

Year One - Mission Accomplished

You know, teaching generally is a thankless job. As a PC Volunteer and first-time teacher it's especially hard to measure whether you've done your job or not. I've had moments where I've thought, "Yeah, good job on that one", but for the most part you don't really know. You just have to have faith that one day some of these kids will remember you and think, "Oh yeah, I remember that the American taught me this, that, etc.". I think that you get the picture.

The process of leaving Hogas High hasn't been easy. Yesterday I kept asking myself if I had succeeded, dealing with bouts of uncertainty and wondering if it was all worth it. Well, today I got my validation. The class pictured above, 10D (11D after tomorrow) gave me a letter today. It reads:


The 13th of June, 2006
Piatra Neamt

Dear Scott,

In these moments a good letter beginning is not enough, but we want to show you, by this letter, that this year we learned a lot from you. Many times, as teenagers, we wanted to have a teacher like you. Someone with who we could talk to not only about school, but also about our "problematic" life and about our position in Romania. You made us understand that above all we learn at Hogas, we have the power to change the future - by will and by voluntary actions.

You see, we're telling you this because we're really sorry you have to leave. If there's one thing we won't forget about our classes together, it's your understanding. Because, as you know, many of our teachers sometimes ask too much from us (no wonder some of them are envious that we like your method better). We are glad to have met you and we're not saying this only because it was the first year that an American teacher taught us, but because we had a great experience.

We honestly regret not having the opportunity to spend more time with you but, as you say, we must always look ahead; although, we won't forget you and we hope we can stay in touch and inform you about our new "ways" in school and to keep in mind both old and new advices.

If we've ever upset you, please accept our apologies, as we never intended to . We also hope that you will remember all the times we were insecure, but also the moments when we started to talk, sometimes for more than an hour!

There are many other things that need to be said, but, unfortunately, we must end this letter. You know, sometimes silence is worth more than anything, if there are true feelings hidden behind it.

If sometimes you will see clouds that seem to be pointing at you from the sky, they're us, traveling by thought, searching for guidance.

Thoughts,
Class 10D


I'm sorry that I have to leave too. But I do. There's a saying, "Each One, Teach One". I've always believed in this concept, thinking that if we all could just teach and reach one person, the world would be a better place. I can now say that I truly have done my part. Even though I'm leaving this school prematurely, I can hold my head high. And I've still got another year and a whole new set of kids in Codlea to teach. Whatever happens next, I'll never forget these kids, class 10D.

Bye for now.

Scott