But things are not always as they seem here in Romania. Look at this photo taken just over a week ago. Look like spring to you? Three days later, on March 1st, everyone was running around here giving each other little flowers to celebrate "Martisor", or the beginning of spring. Right now, we're buried in snow with no end in sight for the week. Forgive me if I sound bitter. I'm just sick and tired of this weather here. It was about 50 degrees fahrenheit and sunny in Codlea on Sunday. Monday morning it was like Siberia here in Piatra Neamt. Ok, enough of my whining. The photo is of some houses in the middle of lake Izvorul Muntelui, Romania's largest man-made lake. It's the result of the Bistrita river being dammed up and produces hydropower for the area. It also lies just to the east of Ceahlau Mountain, which is one of Romania's great natural wonders. Looks a little cold out there in those houses yeah? A little early for boating season I think.
I celebrated birthday number 31 in Codlea this weekend. It was a grand 'ol time as usual. We had a little party on Saturday night. Ica's brother Tavi and his wife Vali came, as well as another Vali and one of my Romanian teachers from last summer, Iza. Iza lives in a small village near Codlea called Vulcan. We ate lots of pork and mici, drank our share of beer and tuica and looked at photos on Ica and Victor's brand new TV via the brand new DVD player. Ica and Victor have now gone hi-tech thanks to their daughter Delia. We went to the Metro the night before, strapped that big TV on top of the Dacia and made off slowly (very slowly) into the cold Transylanian night. Their living room is now complete and it's a great place to hang out.
On a sad note (I feel compelled to mention this), a man that I met this summer in Codlea died last week. He drank a bottle of anti-freeze. It may have been a suicide, but no one knows for sure. His wife is a friend of Ica's. I forgot his name, but that's not what's important. What's important is that this guy was a revolutionary. He was part of the anti-communist uprising here in 1987 that was brutally supressed by the state. He protested, marched and voiced his opinion against the Ceaucescu regime. As a result, he was imprisoned and tortured. I won't get into the details, but what he had to endure was horrifying. He suffered quite a bit after that experience, both physically and psychologically. He was never compensated by the state and his family probably never will be compensated for his death, which was most likely caused by the pain inflicted upon him by the security apparatus. Many, if not most, of the people who were responsible for such cruelty suffered no consequences after the revolution in 1989 and are free men. These people just melted back into society and they walk among us here in Romania today.
This guy was a hero and, despite the fact that he may have took his own life, I hope people remember him as such.
You know, when you walk the streets here, it's easy to see the visible scars left from totalitarianism. Communist blocs, bad roads, ugly monolithic industrial parks, even the looks on people's faces. But it's a whole different ballgame when you know that there's this undercurrent of pain and psychological damage that exists in the minds and souls of many Romanians, and that most of the people who are responsible for this are walking the street (or probably driving expensive automobiles). You see, here in Romania many former Securitate (secret police) operatives became quite wealthy after the revolution. They were the only people who had access to information from the outside world. They had the overseas contacts. And they were the ones who got the jump on defrauding the Romanian people of their right to funds from the sale of state assets. It is estimated that 1 in 10 Romanians worked for the Securitate. I've met many wealthy businessmen and some politicians since I've been here. I live in the county seat, right near all of the administration buildings, so I see these guys driving their fancy cars all of the time. I wonder what lurks in their past?
Sometimes I walk the streets, look around and wonder what it must have been like before 1989. It's chilling. I've read a lot about the subject. I've spoken to many people. I've even seen a few film clips or two. But I'll never be able to feel it, and I'm lucky for this. All of us in America are lucky that we've never had to feel it, and hopefully never will. This is why I talk to my students about Romania's past. This is why I have them read Orwell. Because I don't want them to ever feel it either. Don't ever take your human rights for granted and do whatever you can to protect them.
Until next time, take care.
Scott
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