The Worrier is Unfortunately Vindicated
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps. I'm not saying this is necessarily a bad thing with the trains, I'm just saying...

I'll say at the beginning that this story has a happy ending...

I spent the weekend in the villiage again. On the whole it was a great weekend. A bunch of volunteers got together. We got to watch a movie and have a knitting night and on Saturday we went to two schools to adjudicate the middle school and high school english monologue contests - watching students perform their original english monologues. It was fun. Then we made tacos. As I said, it was a great weekend, with great food and great company.

Except I left my kitten alone. For the second weekend in a row. Last weekend I was in the villiage coaching the villiage students for the monologue contest and when I came home on sunday after leaving Friday afternoon I found that Bella had done a number on the kitchen. This time I did a better job kitten - proofing the apartment. No dishes in the dishrack, nothing on the stove that could be knocked down, no way to knock over the empty trash can and fresh sticky tape on the kitchen windowsill. Still, it was hard for me to leave her for the second weekend in a row. Circumstances led me to reconsider this decision and I almost at the last minute decided to take her with me but since we would be A) knitting, and B) gone from the villiage all day Saturday and she'd be alone in someone else's apartment anyway I thought Why disturb her with a two hour train ride. This second-guessing though caused me to spend most of the time on the train picturining terrible situations that could occur as a result of my decison to leave her alone. Throughout the weekend I was given to muttering "I hope Bella is ok." My concern was always quickly met with a "She's fine."

Things started to go downhill Sunday when I got on the Personel train. Personel trains are the cheapest and slowest because they stop at all the little villiages. They are a great inexpensive way to get around. Usually. I suddenly discovered that the price of a ticket had more than doubled since my outgoing trip on Friday. Usually the return ticket is just a touch more expensive since I have to purchase it on the train from the Controler and sometimes they try to charge you a tax for not having a ticket or finding the Controler right away and explaining your need to purchase a ticket. This wasn't that. This was three Controlers showing me a chart with kilometers on it and explaining in a very official way that my ticket was more than double the usual price - if I moved to second class because I had accidentally sat in the first class seats on the Personel train. Feeling like I didn't have a let to stand on with an arguement I gave them more than half of my money and insisted I didn't have any more. I did. But I was only 1 leu short of the price they were telling me was the new cost of a ticket.

Then I had to go to the bathroom. It was my goal to never go to the bathroom on the Personel train for as long as I am in Romania. But I had two cups of tea that morning and another hour to go on the train. All I will say is even on the nicer trains if you find soap, water and toliet paper all in the same place at the same time you should take a picture because you won't see it very often. usually people become acustomed to traveling with their own toliet paper but for some reason I've been flirting with irresponsibility lately. All I will say is It wasn't pretty, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Then the nightmare sencario: coming home to a kitten who's been alone for two whole days makes the walk between the station and my apartment forever. I literally can't get there fast enough. Right as I'm turning the last corner who do I run into but my neighbor who immiedately begins telling me "you left your kitchen window open and your cat got out."
"Really? Where is she? I didn't leave the window open. It was closed when I left."
"The window was open and the cat got out"

There followed a lot of shouting and a lot of stuff that I didn't understand. What I grasped was this - my kitchen window, which doesn't have a screen, and doesn't close completely came open. Bella went out on the little landing above the door to the apartment building. I have let her go out there twice and always I'm watching her like a hawk. She can't jump to the ground or to a tree from there - but that doesn't mean she won't try. The worst she could do would be to cross the landing get into someone else's window box and possibly if the window is open - get into their kitchen.
Which is what she did.

I was saying Will you help me? Do you know where she is? No. Is she in that woman's kitchen? No. Apparently after breaking and entering Bella was identified as my cat, turned out into the hallway with chicken and milk and bread provided in front of my door. She went to the bottom of the stairwell and crawled under a big electrical box and when my neighbor urged me to look for her there I called her and she came running. Stupid cat! Moreover - stupid window that I can't close.

My neighbor followed me into my apartment admonishing me for leaving the window open even after I explained that I didnt' and it doesn't stay closed. Theives could break in to your apartment, she said. Why is your backpack so big? What's in it? -Clothes and blankets. -Blankets? Why blankets? You went to Baru Mare? -Yes my collegues there don't have extra beds so I had to sleep on the floor? - You have blankets? - Yes, for sleeping on the floor. At this point my neighbor crossed herself because there is a belief in Romania that walking on the cold floor barefoot or without slippers will make you sterile. Sitting on the floor will make you sterile, and sitting on something cold or washing with cold water will give you an infection.

I don't know if my neighbor is as much as master of non sequiturs as she seems or it's my lack of understanding, but I think she is. She kept talking to me about I don't know what but eventually she left after I gave her a hug. Greatful just to have found my cat again - after fearing the worst.

So now Bella home and fine except that I had to leave my apartment today and she was eyeing the pigeons on the landing this morning. So we'll see.

On the plus side she didn't leave last night when I went to see the movie Stardust that's playing in Deva for the weekend. Maybe it was the culumination of a lot of stress, but you know I'm prone to have big reactions to things when I'm in movie theatres. When Robert DeNiro the gay pirate captain is outed to his crew and they respond by making him tea and saying "We already knew. And you'll always be our captain." I burst into tears.

2007 End of the Year Survey!
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

I've been working on this post for a while and I saved it to my stick so I could post from the office when I actually have internet access - so take the time to read it PULL-EASE!!
Coming soon - Photos of New Years Eve in Deva!

In 2007...
Did you do something you thought you would never do?

I don’t know. I never thought I’d do anything like Carpathian Challenge and I set a goal to do it in summer of 2009. I thought I’d never learn a foreign language and be as good as I am with Romanian. I’m not great but I’m pretty proud of myself because I almost didn’t join the Peace Corps because I didn’t think I could learn another language. I certainly never thought I’d speak on the phone in Romanian or give a speech in Romanian to 75 people.

Did you keep any New Year's Resolutions?

Not New Year’s Resolutions. Last year I think I resolved to play more drinking games and, sadly, I have not honored that once in 2007. I’ve been resolving to keep a better journal for the last four years, but I have kept to my personal goal of doing yoga every morning and training exercises for Carpathian Challenge. Not very intense training exercises but exercises nonetheless.

Did anyone close to you give birth?

No one so close to me I can think of it right now, so no.

Did anyone close to you die?

My Grandma Rogers

Did you visit any countries?

Just Romania.
And the international airport in Frankfurt, Germany but I’d been there before.

What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?

More projects and people willing to work on them with me. More knowledge of how to speak Romanian. Maybe more structured time. More communication with friends from home that I miss.

Will any date from 2007 stay etched in your memory forever?

Maybe the day we were sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers. In May.

What was your biggest achievement of 2007?

I ate a raw onion like an apple. No I didn’t really do that. I just wish I did. I have gotten really good and chopping onions though. These Transylvanian onions used to make me cry all the time and now they barely make me tear up. As I write this, I have just accomplished an entire bottle of wine by myself but that’s not really an achievement. I want to say that at our in-service training conference Mihaela said of the Peace Corps volunteers that the fact that someone would leave their country and come to work in Romania for two years makes her believe that humanity can’t be as bad as she thought it was. This is my biggest accomplishment so far but since I accomplished it just by coming here and by doing nothing else, I will say that at Special Olympics I gave an impromptu speech in Romanian in front of 75 parents. This is the thing I’ll say I’m most proud of.

What was your biggest failure?

Not making more Romanian friends or not speaking Romanian well enough to engage the people who might be my friends. I’m pretty OK alone in my apartment and I’m fantastic in my apartment with my cat, so it hasn’t really hit me that I need to get out more.

Also I could be a lot better and finding out more about what’s going on with my primary organization and what their needs are.

Did you suffer illness or injury?

My worst illness was when I had no symptoms other than my lymph nodes swelling up painfully, becoming hard and making me fear that I had cancer and that I'd get sent home and I'd have to orphan my cat. Other than that I haven’t been any sicker than the cold I got in January when visiting my friends in NYC. My worst injury probably happened at the Habitat for Humanity blitz build. I don’t remember any injuries but I remember bruises.

What was the best thing you bought in '07?

Kwarou my laptop computer, but technically I bought it in December I think and it arrived in January, I’m not sure. I would say my kitten but I didn’t buy her she was given to me, so I’ll say the second best thing was a share of a cow from Heifer International.

Did your behavior change over the year?

Definitely. I think I’m more confident. I’m able to present my opinions, more subtly – or maybe I just think so. I also stopped eating lunch and I’m able to get up at a consistently early time in the morning whether or not I have any plans for the day. I’m better at structuring my time and holding myself responsible for things. I think I’m more positive and maybe a little more inspired. I definitely don’t let things get to me as much.

Where did you spend most of your money?

In the piaţa and the pet supply store. Definitely the piaţa here and in Ploieşti. And the grocery stores.

Are you happier than this time last year?

I don’t know if I’m happier. I’m more fufilled, less expectant. At this time last year I knew I would be doing something like this in 2007. I just didn’t know what it would be like.

What song will remind you of 2007?

It Comes Around by Justin Timberlake. Maybe also Feelin’ Good by Michael Bublé.

What do you wish you would have done more of?

Made plans for vacation or for visits from friends. Now I feel a lot of pressure to have awesome vacations but I can’t really plan them till I know when and if people are coming to visit. And I wish I’d spent more time with my friends before I left but considering I left in February I think I did pretty good. I should also have spent more time studying Romanian.

What do you wish you would have done less of?

I always wish I had done less worrying about money. I wish I spent less time worrying in general. I wish I spent less time discussing weight and clothing or less time listening to other people talking about what they eat and what size they wear because I really don’t care.

What did/will you do for Christmas '07?

I’m visited Micah and his friend and his host family in Ocna Mureş. We baked cookies, ate huge breakfasts and watched movies – most importantly the Muppet Christmas Carol. It was a great time!

Did you fall in love in 2007?

No, not exactly.

Did you get your heart broken in 2007?

No, not exactly.

Favorite TV program of '07?

The West Wing and Jack and Bobby because it was on TV for a while in Romania or else The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, as always.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Yes. I have reawakened a hatred for this guy I went to college with. I don’t remember his name. I think it was Eric? He was president of the campus Republicans in 2000 and he made these comments about Edward James Olmos when he came to speak at our campus. Clearly he couldn’t understand or try to understand the viewpoint of someone who isn’t white. Edward James Olmos for crying out loud! You listen to him and listen good! But that’s not why I hate him. I hate him because he was trying to date my roommate and coming on really strong. He just “decided” that they were going to go on a walk together one day so she got out of the room to be away when he called to make plans because she didn’t like him. But I stayed in the room and he called an woke me up from a nap and he was really rude that my roommate wasn’t there so he couldn’t do whatever he wanted like all things must come to him, Mr. White Male Privilege. What a dick. He didn’t even say sorry for waking me up! Anyway, that-guy-whose-name-I-don’t-remember is a jerk. I just remembered him one day and remembered I have hatred in my heart for him.

What was the best book you read and/or movie you saw?

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and I’ve seen many good movies in 2007 but the number of movies I saw in 2007 that I hadn’t already seen before 2007 is very few. So the best new movies I saw in 2007 were The Simpson’s Movie and the Battlestar Galatica miniseries.

What was your greatest discovery?

Not everyone makes it a goal to watch the entire Lord of the Rings extended edition trilogy once a year and that Americans love to eat and talk about eating Mexican food where ever they are in the world – you introduce two Americans who don’t know each other – they start taking about Mexican food. I also discovered what a huge difference having a pet makes. I lived alone before and didn’t think it was stressful to live just me alone in an apartment and in Romania wasn’t any different. And then I brought home my kitten and it is such a huge change for the better to have someone waiting for you when you get home. I don’t know how I ever got along without her.

What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

The day I turned 27 I watched Lord of the Rings with two friends who came to visit me and found out my computer hard drive didn’t have to be wiped and rebuilt. We ate my favorite homemade pizza and Schwepp’s Bitter Lemon. The next day we visited Hunedoara castle, went out to lunch, watched The Princess Bride with my colleges from work, made another delicious pizza and served it with yellow cake and homemade icing – then stayed up late talking. It was a great birthday!

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Two things that would have made my year immeasurably more satisfying would be 1) a complete and effortless understanding of Romanian language and grammar and 2) on at least two occasions – waterproof boots!!! Oh, I don’t need waterproof boots, huh? Well you walk around in Reşitia for a week with wet socks. Now (although it’s January) the ground is covered with icy slush and guess what? My boots have holes in them! So there’s nowhere I can go without getting freezing cold wet feet!

How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2007?

Dru’s hand-me-ups. As she loses weight she passes her clothes on to me. I’ve gotten more than six pairs of pants and some nice skirts – a lot of cool outfits this way and it saves me the trouble of shopping for clothing my size in Romania. Her clothes are all really nice and I appreciate it and everything, but sometimes I feel like I’m dressed like Dru and not like Laura. You know, it would be like (if we were the same size) I gave all my clothes to Sam and that’s all she had to wear. Sam has her own style and it’s not the same as Laura’s style. But most of the time it works out.

Who are you most thankful that you met?

Probably Micah because I have a feeling if we didn’t meet in Peace Corps we would have met some other way since we have so much in common. Probably not literally true that we would have met some other way but it "feels" true. Truthiness.

Who did you wish you did not meet?

That guy in the park in Ploiesti who was masturbating but I didn’t really meet him, he was just standing there looking at me. Other than that, maybe the one rather rude older gentleman but I don’t want to say too much.

Who was your best friend?

My best friends have been Bella the cat and Micah, other than that Andy and Nicole as always.

Who was your enemy?

My enemy was the Dark Lord, He Who Must Not Be Named

Who do you miss?

I miss my family, “The Family” and Harry, Ron and Hermione. Sorry, but it won’t be the same now, after 2007, guys.

Who will you never forget?

I’ll never forget my first gazda Lumi, gazda sister Tina and my second gazda mother Miluta. I’ll never forget Scott Bruner and Jason even though they went home. They’re cool guys I’m glad I met them. And I’ll never forget those who gave their lives in the final battle against the Dark Lord.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007

I learned you can spend a lot of time wishing someone pain and not be happy when they get it – in fact when they get it you can still be utterly miserable for them. Seems self evident but when it happens to you it takes you by surprise.

What will you always remember about 2007

PST in Ploiesti, being sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer, my flight to Romania, meeting my new friends, learning to speak Romanian and my first Christmas without my family. I’m sure there’s plenty of other things that I’ll always remember but I’ve forgotten them right now.

Aspirations for 2008...

What do you want to do in '08 that you couldn't in '07?

Successful projects! Training for Carpathian Challenge ’09! GLOW Camp! I feel like I’m in a position to finally get started. Maybe I could eventually become really busy…but I’ve felt that way before. Either way I’m eager to get going!

Any resolutions?

I’ve resolved not to add honey to my green tea, anymore. Well, this morning I forgot and added it, but I’m trying not to add honey to my green tea. Notice I didn’t say anything about not adding honey to my black tea, my chai tea, my cinnamon apple spice tea, my chamomile tea, or my medicinal teas – because honey is really good for medicinal teas, especially for a cough. In general I think honey is just good for you because it’s a natural sugar, but maybe not with the amount of tea that I drink.

What will be different about 2008 than 2007?

I already have four new friends – two from France and 1 from Belgium and 1 from Argentina, and I feel like I’m finally making the connections for projects to start happening! Let’s hope so!

Anything you want to change about yourself for 2008?

I want to worry less – about money, about what people think, about the future. I want to focus on myself and what I want and do what I need to to make it happen. For now.

Do you want to make more friends in 2008?

Ba Da. As my great role model Chi Chi Rodriguez said “no one is so rich they can afford to throw away a friend.” Chi Chi Rodriguez? Anyone? Anyone?

Almost Perfect Christmas Photos

Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

Here are some pictures from Christmas! For videos see two posts below but here are some pictures of things I didn't get video of - and I didn't get as much video of myself and my friends speaking Romanian because at dinner on Christmas my batteries died.

Micah giving cookies to our carolers.

A shining aray of gift plates - look at all the baking we did!

Micah gets his coat on!

Iulia tastes a chocolate covered pretzel.

Have a drink of tuica!

or palinka (twice distilled plum brandy)

Christmas trees are different in Romania because I don't think they are farmed for Christmas. Also I see many people carrying their tree home under their arm. This is a huge tree for a little Romanian apartment and very beautiful. It was the first year I haven't had a Christmas tree and neither did Micah.

Micah got a Romanian book from his friend and former tutor Iulia.

There was a scarf and a new hat under the tree for me even though I'd met Iulia once before and I'd never met her parents!

Visiting Micah's gazda bunicia (grandmother). We delievered a plate of goodies and caroled and then sampled more Romanian holiday treats.

Plates of tasty treats and a bottle of a sweet cherry juice from the orchard.

Christmas day a strange parade passed by the apartment with people in colorful animal costumes and beating the drums. They walked around the bloc apartments in a loop a couple times.

Another volunteer, Jesse, came over for Christmas day and we had dinner (and cookies) with Micah's host family.

Almost Perfect Christmas (cont'd.)
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

Please go down and watch the videos, in the last post first, Ok? There's an order to this but blogger's only letting me post so many videos at a time.

La Multi Ani! Craciun Fercit! (Many Happy Returns!) Merry Christmas!

Here's the family tradition of singing a Christmas Carol in front of the door before we go into the room to see the presents under the Christmas tree.

Sarmale fara carne is cabage rolls with rice and vegetables, bread and samanta. Samanta is sour cream. What else did I eat for Christmas? Lots of cookies, cakes, Schwepps Bitter Lemon, chocolates and chocolate covered pretzels.

Almost Perfect Chirstmas
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

As promised, here are the videos of my Christmas in Ocna Mures. Here are Micah and I making the Christmas cookies.

Ok, after giving the matter some more thought I no longer think the Star of David and the Christmas Star are the same star.

Some of the neighborhood kids caroling or - colinda. The caroling tradition varies from village to town, and we were also caroled to by a Romanian praise band from a local church, with a guitar and everything - but for a while it was like every kid suddenly had a job. Caroling for change, cookies and mugs of hot tea. However my hot Christmas tea flavored with oranges, sugar, cinnamon and clove too foriegn and was not appreciated by the Romanian kids.

It's beginning to look a lot like...something

Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

This is a post is a combination of thoughts I've had for a while. It took a while for it to look and feel like Christmas here in Romania and I think that's a little strange seeing as how there is no mainstream celebration of Halloween and no Thanksgiving in Romania. Signs of Christmas such as lights and window displays in stores, wreaths and public Christmas trees didn't appear until early December and it was weird forgetting that Christmas was coming - or even weirder knowing Christmas was coming and was being advertised and being celebrated in the U.S. in October and November.

I remember thinking that the first late November sign of Christmas I saw was a car going around town with a speaker attached to its roof playing music. It was a song I recognized and I assumed it was a Christmas song but then I actually stopped and paid attention and realized that was Ode To Joy. Turns out the car was driving around encouraging political support for a candidate in the upcoming election.

But with St. Nicholas day the chocolates, the holly, the evergreen and the real live mistletoe started showing up in stores. The city put up lights and a couple of Christmas trees and I've noticed that I distinctly hear American Christmas carols played on the PA when I'm grocery shopping. Maybe because I don't watch the American tv being subtitled in Romanian - but I haven't noticed if there are Christmas movies, or tv Christmas specials or those heartwarming Seasons Greetings commercials about Peace on Earth goodwill to man brought to you by coca cola. Sarbatori Fericite by the way is Happy Holidays in Romanian.

There are no huge sales, no Black Friday, no shoppers bustling every where with over loaded shopping bags and fewer kids out of their minds with Christmas excitement that I've noticed.
I think it's because, as I said, many kids get their presents on St. Nicholas day and Christmas is a time for food, family, carols and church. I'm looking forward to celebrating with my friend's host family. I've also gotten the idea that like most things Romanians will celebrate Christmas when they get around to it. It will come. No need to rush.

It's interesting because I knew Christmas was a capitalist holiday but I kind of assumed it was everywhere - including Europe, but I'm beginning to learn that few other countries have the emphasis on gifts that you see in the U.S. Romania also has its National Day on December 1st, and today December 22 is the anniversary of the revolution in 1989. At least I'm pretty sure as most cities I've been to have a strada 22 decembrie and in Deva strada 22 decembrie turns into strada primul decembrie. Romanians have that history added on to their celebration of Christmas. Ceaucescu was executed on Christmas morning 1989 and it was widely thought of as a new beginning for the country.

We'll see how this history informs the celebration of Christmas with the Romanian family I'll be visiting. I'm mostly excited for the excuse to celebrate (i.e. feast, song and movie marathon) with friends and to get out of town for a little while. I'm interested and grateful to be welcomed into a Romanian family's celebration of the holiday. But, this being my first Christmas in my entire life I'm away from my family it's also an opportunity for me to step back and look at what Christmas really means to me.

I guess it means the Muppet Christmas Carol. No seriously, I didn't bring this movie with me to Romania and it was only recently (Thursday) I was able to secure a copy to watch on Christmas Day. Until I knew for sure I was going to have it I was anxious and kind of depressed. I remember when this movie came out on video we watched it at my birthday party in 7th grade. The Muppet Christmas Carol has been part of my Christmas tradition since 1992 and keeping this tradition alive was very important to me. Somehow watching the Muppet Christmas Carol makes it more like Christmas - even though in recent years my brother and I, I'm sorry to say invented a Muppet Christmas Carol drinking game. I think we thought we should try to ruin everything good and pure in the world.

It's funny because since I grew up and went to college I wasn't that in to how we carried out family Christmas traditions. I didn't care if we went to church or stayed home and watched Fight Club, if I cooked a turkey or made vegetarian lasagna and samosas, if I was sick or well; not much phased me. Because it was Christmas and I was home where I belonged with my friends and family around me. Now that I'm far away these traditions take on so much more importance.

Like my newly founded tradition of watching the Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Trilogy every year about this time whether it be on Christmas day or New Year's. I finally got to watch the Trilogy again (- it had been far too long) and completed it on my birthday. Again - I was anxious and unhappy at the approach of the holiday until I knew that I could watch these movies again snuggled up with someone I love. Who "gets" it. It seemed right and good because it reminded me of the first time watched extended edition ROTK which was released on my 24th birthday which I watched with The Family all gathered at Andy's apartment in Stevens Point - crying our eyes out so that Chris had to get up and had everyone tissues. Natalie and Brent were even there! This year taking the ring to the Mountain with some different friends was still good because I got to remember past trips to the mountain and that's what makes me feel closer to all those I miss. And until this moment I don't think I've even felt properly grateful I have the opportunity to take part in the film trilogy with a new close friend I didn't know a year ago.

So if you want to call between Christmas and New Year, I might be on a Journey - but I'll be happy to pick up the phone. Or I might be watching the Muppet Christmas Carol once a day for several days straight and I guarantee I'll be singing along!

Speaking of other holiday traditions, though, I "magically acquired" a Christmas album I used to love as a kid. Willie Nelson's Christmas album Pretty Paper. It was the only country album I ever listened to growing up but for some reason when Willie sang it it meant Christmas to me in a way that Bing Crosby or anyone else never did. Listening to this album again now just makes me depressed though and I realize I haven't listened to it - or any country for that matter - since Brokeback Mountain came out. That twangy guitar sound now means something to me that can not be undone and listening to Willie now is like pain itself singing you a lullaby. Very weird.

With all that in mind - tomorrow Bella and I are off to visit a friend for a few days while we celebrate with good friends, good fun and a lot of movies and food! I plan to make little videos on my camera of Christmas 07 in Romania and post them here so you all can feel closer to me if you've not got access to the muppets or 9.9 hours to spare watching Lord of the Rings.

Hyper-sensitive or How I experience culture shock

Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps

I've been thinking lately about how crabby I am at some people's comments about culture. I think I've come to realize this has something to do with my experience of culture shock.

They told us in Peace Corps training we would experience culture shock but no one could really explain what that would look like. Some said it would be the day you broke down and cried in the post office because the woman behind the desk was rude to you (or more rude than usual) or a day you were so homesick you couldn't get out bed. A friend of mine who spent three months in Costa Rica said he experienced a culture shock that made him hate Costa Rica because of all the problems in that country and the stress things he saw as "wrong" with the country caused him. (I'm paraphrasing here because he told me this more than four months ago and said he hadn't experienced anything like it in Romania.)

I haven't had any days where I hated Romania. In fact every time I'm asked "Do you like it here in Romania?" I'm able to respond with a heartfelt yes, I like Romania. I think Romania is a country with problems - like every country, but in a lot of ways it is refreshing to get some distance from the USA and all of its problems. I like Romania. So I thought I hadn't really experienced any culture shock. I noticed things that were different, and have always done my best to "roll with it." I have been heard to earnestly exclaim "we're Peace Corps volunteers, we're flexible!" and have mostly given up my American notions of getting things done in a hurry.

Lately I have come to realize that my reaction to other peoples comments about culture is disproportionate to the offense given by the remark. I am hyper-sensitive. It started back in training when friends from home whom I haven't been in touch with for a while made innocent jokes about Romania on my facebook page I became furiously angry at their ignorance*. I know these comments were intended to be funny and that a lot of people in US just don't know anything about Romania-I didn't really know anything about Romania a year ago. I tried to respond in a similarly humorous tone, while setting them straight, but I was still angry. *except for vampire jokes. I don't like the vampire stereotype, but I think vampire jokes are funny.

It even got to the point where I was irritated with people from home who displayed an ignorance about how Peace Corps works. I don't know how I could expect you guys at home to know about that stuff but be assured that if you made an erroneous statement about PC instead of asking a question, I was probably a little irritated with you.

I had a similar experience to this when I was in Mississippi and well meaning friends and family members would congratulate me on volunteering in New Orleans and a fiery venom would burst fourth from my lungs proclaiming I'M NOT IN NEW ORLEANS. I'M IN MISSISSIPPI! GOD! DON'T YOU KNOW THAT MORE THAN NEW ORLEANS WAS HIT BY THE HURRICANE?!!!!

What was that about?

Then I became aware that I am feeling immensely crabby at comments made by other volunteers about Romania. Every time I hear "it's even good by US standards" or "almost as good as in the US" it lights a little flame of anger in my soul. Little things like "fresh honey is one of the best things about Romania" elicits an undeserved response of "Way to reduce an entire culture down to fresh honey!"** in my head. **If you said this, I'm not angry at you, it was just a recent example.

Rarely do I tell other volunteers about their tiny offenses that irk me - unless it's something major that seriously needs to be addressed. And so far I'm glad I haven't brought it up because there are so many little things it seems petty - but maybe if I had I would have realized sooner that my anger is a little intense; that I'm spending an increasing about of time peeved with everyone.

Assumptions that everything is naturally better in the US make me furious. But I don't think the volunteers who make these statements of assumption or bad people, nor are they trying to say the USA is better at everything than Romania. It's just what comes out of your mouth. I guess it's kind of natural with the way we Americans were socialized. I know they don't mean to sound like jerks. I don't even think Romanians think we're as jerky as I do. I'm just tired of comparisons.

It's hard to realize that you're going through culture shock though. It's one of those things that appears to you - perfectly rational and justified. It's kind of like experiencing PMS or being drunk and angry - you think the way you're reacting is totally reasonable. Until you realize it isn't.

I know I'm not innocent of this either. But it's always easier to be upset about what's wrong with everyone else. This weekend I just said to my Romanian co-worker "I don't have one of those round pizza cutters. I should get my mom to send me one" and she said "you know we have those here, in Romania."

And I've been feeling like a jerk for two days. Surely that's not normal. Surely this has something to do with culture shock.

Or maybe I'm just a bitch.

Gender and Development Romania Calendars!

Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

There is still time to order your 2008 Romania GAD calendar and have it delivered to your door before the New Year! We have only 70 calendars left to sell out a record-breaking printing of 500! You can help us move the last calendars by buying one for yourself or one for your friends or family members. It makes a great Christmas gift for under $20!

Each calendar is $12 US plus $2 shipping from Romania (Just $14!). It features 13 A4 size black and white photographs taken by Peace Corps volunteers in Romania. This year's theme is Tradition in Transition. I have seen this year's calendar and purchased a few myself. They are convieniently sized, professionally printed and have a nail hole to be hung on a wall. They also include the days of the week in English, Romanian and Hungarian!

Proceeds from the calendar sale benefit the Gender and Devlopment committee, a committee of Peace Corps volunteers and Romanians working together on gender equity projects. This year the printing was donated - so 100% of your $12 (because $2 is shipping) will go to help fund projects such as youth development camps, anti-human trafficking projects, domestic voilence awareness campaigns and seminars on women in the media.

How to order? Just send me an email (theonlylunchbox@hotmail.com) including the number of calendars you'd like and who you'd like them sent to (we deliver to friends and neighbors for the same price as to your door!) You can even order six calendars and have 3 sent to your best friend and three to yourself for just $2 shipping per order from Romania! Or if my checking my email 45 times an hour isn't reliable enough for you, you can send an email directly to Monica (Monica.Gadkari@gmail.com) with the same information.

How to pay? When you send me an email I will click reply and send you a convieneint address in the USA to which you can mail a check. It's that simple!

Don't have any money? I believe we'll continue selling the calendars until we run out so (don't tell anyone I told you this) but I think if you don't put your check in the mail until early January it'd be OK. You can also check in with me in late Jan, early Feb when you break down and realize your 2007 calendar isn't going to get you through 2008, or just keep us in mind for next year!

Hanukkah
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

I woke up this morning to a dark gray sky and little light in my room although it was almost nine o'clock. I thought, Oh if it's going to be this dark out all day why even get out of bed? But I did, and now I have a pale blue sky and some sunlight coming in through the windows. Enough that I don't yet have to turn the lights on. When evening comes I'll probably turn on the lights and light the candles I bought yesterday. Winter is the time of year when I enjoy having some candles going. It's cheering.

While feeling thankful for the sunlight I remembered my dream last night. I dreamt I was back in high school choir and the director was passing out the music for the holiday concert and I was begging him to sing the Hanukkah song we sang in fourth grade. I still remember that song though i don't remember any other specific song from that concert n fourth grade - we probably sang Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas but I can't be sure. I just remember the Hanukkah song was my favorite song that year, but I didn't know until my dream the other night that I remembered all the words.

It's a beautiful song about remembering and honoring, and about a miracle and tradition. It's probably not a traditional song - someone probably wrote it so fourth graders could sing it at holiday concerts, but it made an impression on me all the same. (I considered posting the words here but this is too long so if you want to know them you should email me.)

Two years ago I was introduced to the notion that Hanukkah is part of Christian tradition because the early Christians were Jewish. Old testament traditions are part of Christian history and heritage. I really liked that idea of emphasizing the connection between the old traditions and the new, of honoring the ancestors. It's much more appealing that the us vs. them take on it and people (please!) feeling persecuted by the phrase "Happy Holidays" - which by the way includes Thanksgiving and New Year.

Is there anything stopping someone who is not of Christian faith from finding the Hallieujah Chorus beautiful? Or even from singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" with vigor if Christmas isn't something they themselves celbrate? No. And there's nothing stopping Christians from seeing the beauty of Hanukkah, the Celebration of Lights. But more than that in this dark time of the year I want to join in the celebration and remember and honor the traditions of long ago before Jesus was born. Thinking about the world Jesus was born into, thinking about light in a time of darkness, thinking about miracles and traditons all comes together in what the holiday season really means: hope.

Recently a friend of mine said on her blog that Mitt Romney made a speech where he said only someone who believes in Jesus is qualified to be President. I, of course, know nothing of this because with no Daily Show, I get no news.(The Daily show itself could be back on for weeks before I'd even know about it) But maybe what Romney should have said only someone who follows the teachings of Jesus is qualified to be President regardless of what he or she believes.

Is Benjamin Franklin a less valued statesman in American history because he once wrote "As to Jesus of Nazareth, I think the system of morals and his religion as he left them to us are the best the world ever saw or is likely to see, but I have some doubts as to his divinity." ?

In the discussion of a Religious Test one might have to pass to be a contender to the office of the Presidency, I would refer you to the West Wing on this matter, but my friend more rightly linked to her blog President Kennedy making an address in Houston in 1960 when the issue of whether or not a Catholic could govern as President was raised during that election. I would urge you to watch Kennedy's speech as he makes the point that if a good statesman can not be elected because he is Protestant or Catholic or Jewish, than the loss belongs to the entire country; because it is a country of Jews and Catholics an Protestents who expect equal and fair treatment from their government, the government of a free country which allows all the freedom to choose their faith or choose not to have faith.

I think when we talk about freedom people are too quick to become selfish about MY freedom. MY FREEDOM to hear people say Merry Christmas when I go to Wal-Mart and not to have to hear something else. MY FREEDOM to celebrate Christmas. But the freedom to celebrate Christmas or not celebrate it is also the freedom to hear songs about other faiths and recognize their beauty. Because you have the FREEDOM to choose your own faith and decide for yourself. You have the FREEDOM not to be censored in your thoughts or in your appreciations of the music, art and poetry of other faiths.

MY FREEDOM allows me wish you all a Happy Hanukkah whether you celebrate it or not without fear that the religious police will come after me for saying something that doesn't fit with the majority status quo - and what you do with my earnest good wishes for miracles and tradition and light in your life - is up to you.

I wish you all light in this season of the year. I wish you hope and success in the new year. I wish you love and happiness and family and friends to celebrate life with - however you choose to celebrate it. And I wish you the continued freedom to find faith and beauty where ever you find it.

And my hope is that in 2008 more people will be willing to freely come together as brothers and sisters of many faiths and celebrate light.

Pictures from the train window continued: Calan
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.


I took this video out the window of the train and you're just going to have to read what I have to say about this video because originally it was 185 MG of countryside between the train station and the factory with explanation and Romanians speaking in the background.I had to edit it down to 99 because 100 is all blogger and youtube can handle. And apparently blogger can't handle it.


This is video of the factory in the town of Calan. When I visit my friends south of me in Baru Mare or in Petrosani this is the train I take and it goes through the abandoned factory. The factory is on both sides of the tracks. I've also been in a car that drove through Calan and let me tell you the abandoned factory on both sides of the road is an experience. I must say looking out train windows in Romania you see an abandoned factory like this every so often but this is the biggest one I've seen. It also extends back away from the tracks quite a bit.


I don't know what used to be made in this factory. I don't know how many people live in Calan, but these are things that I'm going to try to learn. I don't know if anything is being done with this abandoned factory but I have a feeling it's beyond any Peace Corps volunteer to do a project about it.

Happy St. Nicholas day!

Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

Today is St. Nicholas day. The day when Romanian children wake up, run to their shoes and open their presents, and then go to school. I imagine however, since it's not a National holiday and people still go to school and work, that the school day is probably mostly St. Nicholas day parties.

As I understand it Christmas eve and Christmas day in Romania are more about feasting, drinking, singing and going to church with your family and the majority of gift giving happens on St. Nicholas day.

I decided to celebrate St.Nicholas Day (why not) by buying myself some chocolate. And oranges. When I was a kid we always got oranges and Hersheys kisses and sometimes dimes in our shoes. I think we celebrated this holiday to calm us down in the run up to Christmas - the time when everyone under 10 is out of their mind with excitement. I'm not out of my mind with excitement about Christmas, but there are things I'm looking foward to and I thought it would be nice to treat myself today.

Well a little treat turned quite extravagant because I don't usually eat lunch. But I decided to celebrate my birthday a little early and buy myself my new favorite cheese spread which is a little like cream cheese with garlic and herbs and dark bread.

I got up early to go to the piata to buy oranges and collect a package of treats sent to me from Hawaii! Better than anything I could find in my shoe, I get the taste of something new, reminders of loved ones far away and favorite tea! On the way I ran into my neighbor and wished her a happy St. Nicholas day. On the way I home I decided I would give her half my oranges later. Then I went to the store for chocolate and Schwepp's Bitter lemon (my new addiction) and stopped by my office to share the experience of Stash Chai Tea. There was only one person at the office but St. Nicholas had left little gift bags for everyone with chocolate Santas. Interestingly, he left a little bag of chocolate for me there, too!

Then I came home to light a big stick of cinnamon incense and induldge in cheese, bread, an orange and a banana, chocolate, Schwepps and tea. All for me! It's nice to have a special treat for yourself every once in a while. Thank you St. Nicholas!

Oh, an my neighbor thought oranges on St.Nicholas day was strange until I told her it's what I always found in my shoe. She responded by knocking on my door and presenting me with - more chocolate!

Pictures from the train window
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

Here are two different journeys, one I've taken twice now and maybe not again, the other I take every time I visit three friends to the south of me. First here are the pictures of the beautiful Transylvanian scenery between me and Miercurea Cuic to the northeast of me. It's a seven hour train ride one way. Miercurea Cuic is supposed to be the coldest city in Romania and when I was there in the begining of November it was cold and snowing, but now that I went again on Nov.30 it's not so cold. In between here an Miercrea Cuic is a scenic country side with lots of quaint houses set beautifully against the snow covered hills and my photography out of the train window doesn't do it justice.

: ((

Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and so do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps. Like totally!

This is the emotocon for crying. Those of you who know me know there's only two tv shows I care about since The West Wing was canceled (and TV is dead to me), The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. I'm sorry I don't have anything to say about the Broadway stagehands strike, but Broadway and I aren't really speaking. I will say this though, being far away from home I really enjoyed watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report online four days a week.

The writers' strike is killing me.

I have cried real tears over this.*

But I think the whole situation is best summed up by another fan, and if you still need more explaination go to youtube and watch Not the Daily Show. Bless John Oliver for being a Brit and showing up in that video.

Here you go. It's short but you may as well pop the popcorn. There's no other reason to anymore.



* not while I was awake but I dreamed I did.

I MISS THE DAILY SHOW AND COLBERT! WAAAAAAAAAH WAAAH! (sob!)

Vecina mea

Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

The above phrase in Romanian means "my neighbor." My neighbor is a real character. A cranky old woman quite insistant on her way who always seems to have a mouth full of cracker crumbs which she spits on me when she talks. She's nice when I offer her extra food I won't be able to finish or free groceries I got from the Red Cross that I don't think I deserve. She has a habit of telling me in Romanian that I don't speak Romanian well, the other American who lived here before spoke Romanian better. She also insists that Phil's name was Paul and that he promised her his pots and pans when he left so I should give them to her when I leave and when am I leaving Romania again?

She's also someone who hasn't gotten that if someone doesn't understand the language you're speaking, repeating yourself louder doesn't help. She's nosey and sometimes annoying and grabby. She offers unwanted advice, and helps her self to whatever food I have out on the counter when she comes over and when she doesn't like what I'm saying to her in Romanian such as "don't put your frozen meat in my freezer. My freezer is full and I don't want to keep your meat frozen for you," she pretends she doesn't understand me. However, I believe that deep down she is a sweet lady.

Sunday I was home for four hours before I had to catch another train to take me two hours south to pick up my cat. My neighbor came over to give me some little apple cakes and thank me once again for the free groceries I gave her in October. She brought over the apple cakes on a plate so she could come into my apartment and set them on one of my plates - just because she wanted to come in. Usually entrance into my kitchen is an opportunity for her to ask me for my pots and pans, but this time I figured, why not ask her advice on something. My notices form the post office that indicate I have something to pick up have been arriving without specifiying which post office to go to - or maybe they do but the handwriting is unintelligable. I asked my neighbor about the noticed (she also, unasked, keeps an eye on my mailbox for me) and she offered to go with me to the post office.

I unwillingly accepted her offer as she was very excited to hear about the prospect of me getting a package from the U.S. I think she just wanted to see what was in a package from the U.S. I knew I couldn't get a package unless it was Tuesday or Thursday so we made plans to go this morning.

I woke up this morning to huge snowflakes falling down beautifully and coating all the trees and fences and cars. It was goregous. My neighbor was knocking on my door at 9 o'clock even though we agreed to go at 9 thirty because she wanted to remind me to pay my water bill. After I dressed and had my morning cup of tea we headed out together, bundled up warmly in the still falling snow. As we passed my mailbox I noticed I had another slip, this one for a letter, I suspected from a different post office than where one usually picks up international packages, but I did recently get an envelope with two books in it sent to me there, so I was even more confused. I took the notice and once on the main street my neighbor began dragging me to the telephone office. I tried to explain I'd never been to this office before, but she insisted the people in the Romtelcom office would tell us which post office we could pick up a package from the USA. It seems she had a bill to pay there, but as I expected the clerk behind the desk didn't know where to pick up my package, but another person in line directed us to the Vama - international post office for packages. I've been there several times.

My neighbor has never been there and didn't know where it was. Thus began the ensuing arguement. She wanted to go to the post office at the train station and ask there if they had my package. I wanted to go directly to the vama but she didn't beleive it existed or that I knew where it was. The wet snow was falling a lot lighter now, but the sidewalks were covered with a slippery layer of slush and mud. I worried about her falling. When she took my arm I was glad and I half wondered if she had brought other bills to pay and just wanted someone to walk with her. Walking to all the different offices to pay your bills can take most of a day and probably longer when your old, slow and in serious danger of falling down in the slush. For the first time I thought about how hard it is to get around if you're slow and elderly. Especially in the weather.

She produced no more bills, but we did continue slowly. She wanted to stop walking every time a car passed us and like a little kid, wouldn't cross the street unless there were no cars on the road at all. Apparently she hasn't learned the habit of drivers in her country that if you get into the middle of the road they will stop for you. I guess unlike me, she didn't trust her ability to leap out of the road if a car came up too fast, and she seemed deathly afraid of a car splashing us as it drove past. She lectured me on not wearing a hat, even though my scarf doubles as one and explained to me after six months of living in this city that you cross at the green light and wait at the red.

I explained I thought we were supposed to go the vama and that I knew where it was - between the train station and the market. We headed in that direction and usually she'd let me lead for about 1 street before she'd inisist I didn't know where I was going and pull me down a side street in another direction. We walked like this for about an hour. She stopped to ask for directions twice after I did my best to tell her where we were going - once when I was in sight of the post office. See! I know! was all I could say at this point - my frustration was high. We walked in. She seemed impressed that is was indeed a post office. My neighbor was determined to do all my speaking for me - snatched the slips out of my hand and told the lady behind the desk. "This is an American. She has two packages here. She doesn't speak Romanian." The lady wanted to know when I got the slip in my mailbox. I told her I didn't know because I wasn't home for over the end of last week when it arrived. Even though I said this in Romanian my neighbor felt the need to repeat to the lady She doesn't know. She wasn't home. She left for Miecurea Cuic! Well, I was Miercurea Cuic two weeks ago, but whatever.

It turns out there was no package. The slip I just got in my mailbox was for a package I picked up last week without a slip when I inquired at the Vama whether they had more than one package for me. I guess that didn't prevent them from delivering the slip anyway. I was showed the form I signed for the package. I thanked the lady and left with my confused neighbor and tried to explain the situation. I think she got it but was upset not to see a package from the US so she just said "I don't understand."

As we were walking along a young lady walking on the other side of us slipped and fell. My neighbor shouted Let us help you! and pulled the lady to her feet. I picked up her dropped purse and asked a couple of times if she was ok - never recieving a response because this caused my neighbor to launch into a torrent of Romanain. I have no idea what she was saying - if she was lecturing the young lady on how to walk down the street - or telling a story - but I know I heard the words "this is an American. She's my neighbor." I rolled my eyes and never learned if my neighbor knew this woman or not.

The vama had sent us to post office #1 for the second slip - where I had picked up my evelope with the two books. I had it in my mind this might be a smaller packet I'm expecting from Hawaii, possibly a large envelope. I didn't know why it went to the much hated post office #1 where the person behind the desk has been rude to me. There are several lines to get in. I always pick one, start at the end and when i get to the front try to polietly ask where I can go about the business that brings me to post office #1. My neighbor cut to the front of the line, leaned over the desk and demanded to know where an American would pick up a letter. She thanked the woman, then cut to the front of the appropriate line, grabbed the notice out of my hand leaned over the counter and again said, "My neighbor doesn't speak Romanian. She has a letter here." The woman at the desk looked briefly at my notice and said that I didn't have a letter there. My neighbor insisted "We've already been to the vama and they told us to come here." It was at this point that I by myself might have given up, my pushy neighbor persisted. I was questioned whether my packet was mailed inside Romania or from the US. I shrugged my shoulders. What do I know? Last time I got a packet here from Kansas. Now they were telling me no letter from outside Romania come through post office #1. I pulled out my Romanian ID card after hearing it called a "Buliten" a new word for it I've never heard before. My neighbor snatched it away to look at it, insisiting "this is your American ID." "It has a big picture of Romania on it." I responded. She looked at me and laughed. I realized that my lack of fluency in the Romanian language must be just as annoying to her as her slowness and failing eye sight must be to me. We were a pair of characters stumbling around all morning in the slush, fighting about which way to go. She, trying to help me, and me unwilling to listen because I was sure she was going to take me somewhere I didn't need to go.

Finally the lady produced a gray envelope mailed within Romania that contained some DVDs I ordered for a friend. A four part series on learning English that she was going to show to the kids at the orphanage where she works.

Humbled, I thanked the post office lady and put them in my bag. I forgot all my morning dreams of drinking my favorite tea, or eating salsa sent from the U.S. Disapointed the packet wasn't from the US, my neighbor questioned me about the DVDs and I explained what they were for. English lessons on TV?! She sounded just as excited, and I was reminded it wasn't all about me. Even though our language barrier caused us to annoy each other, it was nice of her to offer to take me to the post office, and to see me through to the second post office when there was no package at the first.

Back on the side walk, I appologized again for the confusion. She asked "You already got two packages from the U.S." "yes," I said. "Last week." "What was in it?" She wanted to know. I returned to thoughts I had earlier - that even though my neighbor is sometimes annoying, I should invite her over more. If I have a New Year's party, maybe I'll invite her for breakfast so she can try some American foods like cakes, chocolate chip cookies, and pancakes. As I described the contents of my packages I realized we were walking down the sidewalk together with no clear goal in mind. I told her I needed to buy cat food and milk and butter and she didn't have to come with me, I could go home by myself, and thanked her for walking with me. She agreed I could probably make it home by myself and let me go.

So I came home to post this blog entry and relax a little before heading back out into the melted snow to the Red Cross office today. At the top, by the way is the picture of my kitten in an envelope she crawled into.

A lot to be thankful for
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

I try to always remember that I have a lot in my life to be thankful for, but as I have been thinking on my last eight months in Romania, I'd like to share a few things that I now have a new appreciation for. Things I once took for granted:

Microwaves for reheating food
Washing machines and dryers
Hot water whenever you want it
And running water whenever you want it
Heated homes
Going to the grocery store and buying whatever you want - whether it's in season or shipped in from Italy.
Vacuum cleaners
Television programs and movies in my native language because there are enough people with money who produce television shows who speak my language.
Doctors and hospitals where their mission is to make you well
Traffic lights and pedestrian walkways
Good roads
Getting a ride in a car from a friend with a car, or having a car available to leave my bag in so I don't have to carry my bag around all day.
Credit cards and checking accounts (Debit cards too)
Buying things online (with a credit card - or being allowed to)
Bike Paths
Having the option of conveinence foods when I don't feel like cooking - especially having the
option of healthy organic convienence foods
Thinking that maybe I should replace the plumbing if it's 60 years old and it leaks
Learning other than by rote
Animal shelters, shelter workers and people who respect animals
spices in my food
Sauce under the cheese on a pizza

These are just a few of the many things I realize I've taken for granted in my life, and there are in no particular order. I'm sure there are many more that could be listed, but I'm tired and don't want to bore you with a long list.

I'm Feeling Good...
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

I'm in a ridiculously good mood. Most things have turned up. My computer is working faithfully, except for the DVD player, I've made my peace with the huge inconvience of having to travel out of my way in order to attend a conference, celebrate Thanksgiving and have my cat cat-sat for over the weekend.

I caught myself singing "My Favorite Things" this morning. I have that warm emotional, yet satisfied feeling you get at the end of watching Fellowship of the Ring when May It Be is done playing in the credits and the Shire Theme Song starts (that sone is actually called There and Back Again.)

I have a package from home to pick up tomorrow so I'm looking forward to my favorite tea and some surprises. My kitten is purring in my lap, and best of all is I do get to celebrate Thanksgiving with some friends in their villiage with some Romanian neighbors. This makes a huge difference to me because when I thought I was going to be too busy this weekend and not be able to leave my site city for the holiday during the week I was pretty upset. But not any more.

I made a pumpkin pie over the weekend out of a whole pumpkin. It actually turned out well but the texture is not what we-who-are-used-to-our-pie-pumpkin-from-a-can expect. The Romanian pumpkins aren't as sweet as "sugar pumpkins" grown in the USA. Some of them are pumkin zucchini combinations - hence that green "pumpkin" you saw in the Halloween picture with Bella. I don't know if I told you this, but squash, zucchini and pumpkin are one word in Romanian - so it can be a bit confusing.

One of my friends brought pumpkin seeds from the USA and planted them and I got one of his pumpkins - brought it back from Miercrea Cuic with me and baked it and made into a pie - with no evaporated milk, premade frozen pie crusts or food processor, beater or meat grinder - just a potato masher. It actually turned out like pumpkin pie too, but I think that's partly because I had access to ground ginger and brown sugar.

Pumpkin pie from scratch

I've come to embrace the idea that pumpkin pie is more about sweetness and spices than it is about pumpkin.

Anyway, I'm feeling good. And I can't stop watching this video on Youtube which sums up everything that I'm feeling about this holiday season!