The Other Shoe

Shortly after arriving in Romania (which occurred exactly two years ago today), I met a few volunteers who were at the end of their terms. They had just attended their Close of Service conference and were winding down their projects and disentangling themselves from life here. They seemed so knowledgeable back then, so wise. And calm. I couldn't wait to be in those comfy, well worn shoes. I didn't want to steal their plane tickets and go home, I didn't want to magically speed things up, I just hoped that I could make it to that point some day and emanate the same sereneness. Then, two months later, after a blink of the eye, those volunteers were gone. Poof. The end. I'm getting on a train tomorrow afternoon that will take me to the city of Sibiu, where my own Close of Service conference will be held. Then, two months later, I'll be boarding a plane Reno-bound...poof. The end. In many ways, I can't believe I made it. Two years ago, I think I would have pegged myself as the first to go home, but I like the fact that I am capable of surprising myself.

Stages

Tonight, after an enthusiastic session with the drama club and an interesting showing of Hamlet, I walked home with three of the club members and one of the teachers. The five of us chatted about science fiction novels, Harry Potter movies, Star Wars, Shakespeare and baked goods. We discussed the next play for the club and how difficult it is to work with the younger students. We laughed about how my voice gets high-pitched and quiet when I want the students to focus and stop being silly. Finally, as we went our separate ways, we joked about next year and how I won't be here. In the silent space between them and my front door, I pictured this place without me and felt the sliver of soon-to-be sorrow deepen. Another one of life's stages that will be sorely missed.

Erin Papi

I believe I have created a monster. A cookie monster, much like myself (I am indeed eating a cookie AT THIS VERY MOMENT). I like to make cookies and give them to people, so I've been doing that sporadically for my tutor over the past two years. Her son Luca will turn two in April and has taken on the energy and chaos of a tornado. Their apartment has one of those kitchen connecting living room connecting hallway connecting kitchen circles that any child or energetic dog would love to make themselves dizzy with and many times my tutoring session contains at least 5 minutes of watching Miha chase Luca around and around, until he's caught or takes a faulty step and plows full speed into the washer door, making it slam shut. As he's gotten older, he's been allowed to sample my cookie offerings and has developed a strong affinity for the snickerdoodle. So much so that the other day, as he ran his laps and Miha chased him, I pulled out the signature flimsy plastic baggie filled with goodies and he stopped dead in his tracks. "Erin papi?" he asked as he took a tentative step towards me, eyes wide. Papi means snack and the way he says "Erin" pretty much melts my heart. I confirm his hopes, "Da, Erin papi." I hand the bag to Miha and feel a bit dejected as his attention immediately snaps to her. By the time Miha gets the bag open and hands him a (possibly not so) well deserved snickerdoodle, he has said "Erin papi" about twenty times and has stretched to his absolute tallest tippy toes reaching for the bag. She thanks me for the cookies and asks me to please write the recipe down so she can make them. Apparently he asks for "Erin papi" every thirty minutes or so every day. I can't help but feel a small dash of pride at creating another cookie monster. I do not, however, endorse children eating cookies every day. Unless it's an Erin papi.

Lists

It seems to be customary for many volunteers to create some lists right about now, with a little over two months to go. One list to bring back the good memories, one list to bring back the not so good and one list to remind me of why I missed home so much. So, here goes, in no particular order.

List Number One: What I'll miss
1. My tutor Mihaela and her two-year-old son Luca (he was born just before I arrived) greeting me at the door every time I show up for tutoring and bidding me farewell each time I depart.

2. The little crafting adventures Anca, her three-year-old daughter Dodo (short for Theodora) and I embark on whenever we get together - whether it's painting eggs, baking cookies, planting tomatoes, creating Christmas ornaments, making paper stars or pressing juice, it never ceases to be awesome.

3. Hearing the drama club chatting excitedly from our classroom before I enter and getting a small sample of their uninhibited enthusiasm.

4. Letting the English Hour at the EPA slip into a brief gossip in Romanian session.

5. Responding to all of the goodbyes and thank yous after a successful American Corners class.

6. Visiting my favorite little craft shop and chatting with the kindest shop keeper in the world.

7. Going to the post office and picking up packages from the lady who knows me by name now...though I don't know hers.

8. Fresh fruits and veggies from the piata in summer.

9. Trains.

10. The view from my apartment.

11. The sounds of church bells and horse shoe clomps.

12. Wonderful volunteer friends, who I will hopefully see in the states some day.

13. Being able to walk everywhere.

14. Drinking tea and reading in my favorite coffee shop, Tein.

15. Wandering around our nature reserve, Reci.

16. Ease of TRAVEL.

17. Te pups.

18. Romanian and Hungarian.

I'm realizing this list could go on quite a while, so I'll end it here.


List Number Two: Things I Will Not Miss
1. Stray dogs and the poop that goes with them.

2. Knowing that my landlords (who I do actually really like, just not this part) could drop by unexpectedly at any moment to fill up my fridge and freezer with more of their own stuff.

3. The language barrier.

4. The pressure to always be out integrating and being a good, productive, useful volunteer.

5. The crazy corruption and bizarre bureaucracy that exist here.

6. Icy sidewalks that never get salted or shoveled.

7. Smelly, drunk, rude men. Especially on the trains.

8. Touchy train conductors.

9. The bubble-gum way things are often fixed.

10. The mischievous malicious mosquitoes.

11. Discrimination towards minorities, especially the Rroma.

12. Homophobia.

13. Late trains.

14. Grody bathrooms without toilet paper and/or hand soap.

15. The mold growing on some of my walls.

16. Crazy arse drivers.


List Number Three: What I'm Looking Forward To
1. Actually hanging out in person with my family and friends. Hugs.

2. Going for long walks with mom and Ozzie.

3. Meeting all the new babies and puppies and kitties and goats that people have acquired.

4. Kickboxing till I can't move.

5. Bibo and the American coffee culture.

6. Access to English books that I want to read.

7. Swimming in Lake Tahoe till I turn blue!

8. A wide variety of restaurants with a wide variety of food options.

9. Oh man, relearning moonlight sonata and all my other songs.

10. Shopping in stores with sizes and styles that I like.

11. Painting pottery at clay canvas.

12. Going to shows, concerts, plays and movies in a language that I can understand.

13. Weddings.

14. The clear, blue desert sky and the dusty brown hills. Nevada.

15. English.

16. Chocolate chips and all the other baking supplies I've been having shipped over.

17. Cheap contact solution.

18. MINI EGGS!!!

There. My customary lists are complete. There's quite a bit more that I could add to each, but this covers the basics, I think. Time for bed!