It's Friday again and I have time to do something other than study, walk, and/or eat. Plus, my gazda is gone this evening and I have the house (internet included) to myself. First time that's happened. Today is my gazda's birthday and I bought her some flowers and candies, but she went to Bucharest to celebrate with her son and granddaughter and won't be back until tomorrow evening. Somehow, we communicated that through a painful two minute conversation via cell phone earlier today. Communicating with a person who speaks a different language than you is difficult enough when you're sitting right in front of them, add 4 miles distance and poor reception and it just gets amusing in a migraine initiating way. But it all worked out.
A group of people is going to Sibiu tomorrow and the train leaves at 7:45, meaning I'll have to leave the house at about 6:15 to get there in time, meaning I'll have to get up around 5:30 if I want to take a semi-shower and as cool as Sibiu sounds, nothing sounds better right now than sleeping in and being lazy. Yes, lazy. PJ's, Romanian television, internet surfing, munching on cookies, doing laundry, practicing Romanian verbs. Something typical and boring. But the pressure to get out and do as much as possible is pretty thick, which I don't mind, but I'm feeling very indecisive right now. During the week, our days are so structured and there's no time to even think about free time that when I actually have an option in what I do, I can't handle it. I want to do nothing. Plus, I went somewhere last weekend with my gazda so I don't feel like I need to get out of Ploiesti quite as much as everyone else, the majority of whom haven't been out since we got here. Last weekend, by the way, was awesome. I can confidently say that I saw some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen and as soon as I can figure out how to do the whole picture thing, I'll do it (might be after training, in 8 weeks). We went to Bran (aka Dracula's) castle and Rasnov castle. Two friends of my gazda came along, both of whom speak english pretty well, and one asked me what the castles in America were like. I hope that some day they can visit America and see just how beautiful and unique their own country is. America doesn't have castles. Not really, not like the castles here. They were shocked when I told them that and it's been on my mind since...castles in America.
On Tuesday, all of us trainees got on a bus and headed towards Bucharest, where we visited the official Peace Corps Romania headquarters and met with an organization that applies to our sector (environmental for me) to chat. Three other trainees and myself went to the Regional Environmental Center and talked a bit about how Romania's accession to the EU has changed their environmental policies and methods for funding projects. I had some kind of cold earlier this week, and the worst was on Tuesday and Wednesday, so Bucharest was kind of a blur and very exhausting. All I can say is that it's a huge city and, though I was only there for a few hours, I don't have a huge desire to go back any time soon.
I know this is another two years down the line, but something I'm looking forward to is coming back to the US and looking at it in a way that I am now looking at Romania - with curiosity of the unknown. With eyes that are used to a different world. It'll just be neat. What's strange and foreign to me now will be old hat and what I was used to in the states will be new and different. We'll see.
Language is frickin' tough, but I'm not going to give up. I can't. I'm hoping to dedicate the majority of Sunday to studying Romanian and preparing a few things for our practicum, which will basically be me and a colleague giving a presentation (in English) about the importance of a healthy environment to few English clubs. We're going to say a lil something about a native species from our home and compare them to a native species in Romania. I, of course, chose the desert tortoise. Because they rock. I'll probably also talk about water conservation and other desert-y goodness. I typically hate giving presentations, but I think this'll be fun and I'm looking forward to it.
Well, guess I should get to bed since I need to be up at like 5 or something...hope everyone is doing great! Week two down!
10 comments:
It is grand that Romania is beautiful. When your schedule isn't so hectic I bet you will go for long walks. Enjoy your newest adventure even if it is 5am in the morning. We switch to daylight savings time Sunday morning will your time change too? I'm hoping to hit golf balls soon but the weather on the weekend is not cooperating. Ozzie is doing fine. We both miss you! Hugs and Hugs Love, Mom
Bună ziua! Hope you are having a great weekend...I can't believe how much you've accomplished already...a telephone conversation? Wow!
My parents have some beautiful pictures of Bran castle. I'm jealous that you got to see it.
p.s. I was thinking of you as I was buying my first Cadbury Mini Eggs for this Easter...I bet those are some of the little things that you will miss about being in America, so you can expect a package full of Mini Eggs once we are allowed to send you things :-) Mike and I will hit the after-Easter sales and stock up so we can send you some!
thanks for your post
it gives me a glimpse as to what you are doing over there in Romania
...speaking of coming back to the US-
in the late 80's i went to Guatamala and i just can remember coming back and sitting on the stoop of my apartment building and realizing that all of the stuff i had in my apartment - was as much as a family of seven there. Also the excess and consumerism here...anyway
be safe
peace
your cousin
Leigh
It is so much fun reading about your latest adventures Erin! I taught my first kickboxing class on Thursday night and thought of you!
You make an ordinary life seem rather ho- hum-ish. I admire your adventures! Don't forget to breathe in once in a while..
You make an ordinary life seem rather ho- hum-ish. I admire your adventures! Don't forget to breathe in once in a while..
Actually, long walks are incorporated into my day. it's great. i have a twenty minute walk to the bus stop where i meet up with a couple people, then, instead of getting on the bus, we walk another 25 minutes to our language school. at lunch we usually have to walk to the hub, which is twenty minutes away, then i do it all in reverse to get home. so i get in at least an hour of walking every day. it's pretty much all i get exercise wise for right now. i really miss kickboxing and i wish i could take a lynsey-taught class :)
speaking of exercise...i bought my first (and potentially last) bag of mini eggs in philly during training and tried to stretch them out as long as possible, but they are now gone and i have it in mind to enthusiastically accept any and all mini egg shipments. i crave them like i crave oxygen. milk chocolate only, please :) (though i'll pretty much accept anything sugar related)
And i was wrong about last weekend. we went to Sinaia, not Sibiu. Sinaia was lovely and entirely worth the early wake up call. so far, sinaia wins the best-cappacino-in-romania contest. i have it in mind to go back this weekend JUST for the cappacino. peles castle is also there and it totally outshone the bran and rasnov castles only in interior decorations. the place was built in the late 1800s and was loaded with modern day comforts, like central heating. i can't begin to describe the detail of the decor. amazing. unfortunately, no pictures were allowed...so...you'll have to come visit to truly understand.
anyways, just thought i'd drop a quick note here...only hard core blog readers who check the comments will catch this one :) y'all rule, by the way. i love this blog right now mainly because it's a gateway back home.
I'm Hard core-I caught it and all the others-just don't comment that often. Do send pictures when possible.
Love, Dad!
We spent a week in Monterey. There were no castles. There were no monarchs (butterflies or otherwise). Lots of nice greenery and ocean views though.
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