I feel like where I am at right now is more of a lifestyle. We live in this house/building by ourselves. We cook and clean for ourselves (occasionally). We have scheduled time to be places like work and such. This is not a bad thing by any means, but it is also not at all what I expected, although before I left I didnt really know what to expect.
Today was fruitful. This morning we went to a preschool orphanage that had about 25 kids around ages 4 and 5. We took a long tram ride to get there and then walked a couple miles through what our staff leaders said was the poorest part of Bucuresti. They were trying to reconstruct this area but there was still lots of garbage, dirt, and dust everywhere. When we got there we went in the back and set up the stuff we brought. The grass was tall and the play ground equipment was rundown. Later we came to find out that because there are only two women that work here, the children barely ever get to go outside. After we had gotten ready all 25 kids come bursting out from around the corner and pile into our laps. This little girl named Elena jumped into mine. After doing some of our planned activities we just had free time where the kids got to run around and play outside which they absolutely loved. They had so much energy. This one little boy just wanted to be held and swung around and bounced non stop. It was tiring but so great.
After this we came back and had lunch with the staff. Then some of the apartment kids met up with us over here. We served them lunch and then just hung out and talked even though none of them spoke english. I dont know how this worked but it really did. Then we all walked to the park. Before leaving they told a couple of the little boys that they had to find someone older whose hand to hold on the way over. These two little boys ran up and jumped on me. I guess in Romanian they were both yelling, "I want her, she is beautiful!" So that kind of made my day, haha. We all went to the park and then played games and such. It was a great time.
Tonight, we had some time off and a couple of us walked a few blocks to go to a pastry shop. We ordered and everything with barely knowing any Romanian, but we made it. I've also learned that though I really have no fears for being here, my biggest fear is going home. After being here just these few days I have started to see Americans in a whole new light, and its not a really positive one. Just things about our lifestyle and the way we deal with certain things. So I'm really hoping that when I return home things wont be too difficult. But I really am not ready to think about going home yet. I still have too much going on in my head and in my thoughts to work out and come to conclusions.
Tomorrow is the weekend but still a big day of work for us. Sunday will be rest day.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
buna!
I am physically exhausted. I'm starting to get off of the jet lag, but we have been walking so much that I am so sore! I have come to realize how lazy Americans can really be. We complain about the smallest things and feel the need to drive EVERYWHERE. I think its about time that we all get over that. I really understand now how Europeans are so skinny.
This morning our team split up into two different groups. My group went to a day care place for children whose parents cant afford care. There were about 12 children ages 4 and 5. We played some games with them and then made fruit loop necklaces. I worked with this beautiful little girl named Denisa. She was 4 years old and had brown haired pig tails and wide bright marble colored eyes. She say next to me and held my hand as I helped her string the fruit loops on to the yarn. They werent supposed to eat them until they were finished but any ones that didnt fit on the string she would look at me giggle and then shove it into her mouth with a big smile. After this activity we all went outside and played with balls and drew with chalk. The kids had some much energy and were so much fun. They loved to be chased and picked up and just loved. There was this girl Georgiana who had the best smile I have ever seen. It is all she would do, just stand there and smile. When you would smile back at her she would just smile even bigger. These children were amazing.
After lunch today we worked with a group of kids ages 13-17 that live in apartments on there own. They had a school project of taking pictures around Bucuresti so we walked with them downtown and got to see some of the city. Everything looks old and beautiful and you can definitely see the affects that communism has had on this country.
So on to other things. Let see. The food is good. Mama Maria cooks lunch and dinner for us and she is amazing. She speaks no english so we try our best to learn things to say to her. So far our diet has consisted mostly of soup and bread. Though it is tasty I feel that this will start to ware after a while.
Another thing is that now when I hear English words they dont always make sense to me. It sounds like everything is just slurred together and fast. We have only been here three days so I wonder what it will feel like after three weeks of this.
Overall I'm doing very well. I'm learning lots. For one that it sucks to have toilet paper that is pretty much crete paper. Ive learned new ways to take showers and that shaving is overrated and really not all that important for how much work it is here. My bunk bed is hard to get into and that probably wont change but thats okay. My favorite time is morning when I wake up and no one else is up yet and I get to go downstairs look outside and see the sun rising and make myself some breakfast while sitting in the quiet.
Tomorrow is another day.
Buna-Hello
Chei fache?-How are you?
Bine-Fine/Good
Multusc-Thank you
muche ca meh-Bite me
frumos-beautiful
si-and
Dah-Yes
Noo-No
Pah-Bye
Unu doi trie ochii la meh- one two three eyes on me
This morning our team split up into two different groups. My group went to a day care place for children whose parents cant afford care. There were about 12 children ages 4 and 5. We played some games with them and then made fruit loop necklaces. I worked with this beautiful little girl named Denisa. She was 4 years old and had brown haired pig tails and wide bright marble colored eyes. She say next to me and held my hand as I helped her string the fruit loops on to the yarn. They werent supposed to eat them until they were finished but any ones that didnt fit on the string she would look at me giggle and then shove it into her mouth with a big smile. After this activity we all went outside and played with balls and drew with chalk. The kids had some much energy and were so much fun. They loved to be chased and picked up and just loved. There was this girl Georgiana who had the best smile I have ever seen. It is all she would do, just stand there and smile. When you would smile back at her she would just smile even bigger. These children were amazing.
After lunch today we worked with a group of kids ages 13-17 that live in apartments on there own. They had a school project of taking pictures around Bucuresti so we walked with them downtown and got to see some of the city. Everything looks old and beautiful and you can definitely see the affects that communism has had on this country.
So on to other things. Let see. The food is good. Mama Maria cooks lunch and dinner for us and she is amazing. She speaks no english so we try our best to learn things to say to her. So far our diet has consisted mostly of soup and bread. Though it is tasty I feel that this will start to ware after a while.
Another thing is that now when I hear English words they dont always make sense to me. It sounds like everything is just slurred together and fast. We have only been here three days so I wonder what it will feel like after three weeks of this.
Overall I'm doing very well. I'm learning lots. For one that it sucks to have toilet paper that is pretty much crete paper. Ive learned new ways to take showers and that shaving is overrated and really not all that important for how much work it is here. My bunk bed is hard to get into and that probably wont change but thats okay. My favorite time is morning when I wake up and no one else is up yet and I get to go downstairs look outside and see the sun rising and make myself some breakfast while sitting in the quiet.
Tomorrow is another day.
Buna-Hello
Chei fache?-How are you?
Bine-Fine/Good
Multusc-Thank you
muche ca meh-Bite me
frumos-beautiful
si-and
Dah-Yes
Noo-No
Pah-Bye
Unu doi trie ochii la meh- one two three eyes on me
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Day One
A long day here in Bucuresti. It all started at three in the morning where pretty much our entire team was awake but just silent and laying in bed. It took me two hours of listening to Sigur Ros until I finally made the effort to stumble down from my stiff upper bunk. I made my way through the kitchen trying to find something to eat even though I had no idea what anything was. A few other girls made it down and we ended up with some toast and blueberry jam. After this, through a rush of energy and a lack of sleep I started to go crazy releasing my energy. For those of you who really know me, you can only imagine.
We had a morning devotional with our team and the rest of the Romanian staff. We had some time to use until leaving for the orphanage so we went on a walk with Victor and Madalina (two staff members) through a sketchy amusement park that eventually led into a green and lake filled beautiful area. While here we asked them how to say thank you in Romanian so that when we returned we could thank Mama Maria (our cook and house keeper) for making lunch. They proceeded to tell us something that sounded somewhat like- mooska mesha (phonetically spelled). We return home and Dani of course walks up to Mama and puts her arm around her and says this... only to find out that the staff had lied to us and she had really said to Mama "Bite me" haha. Of course she understood this joke as I guess it has happened many times before.
After lunch we left for the girls orphanage. We took a bus and a subway and it was exciting because it was my first time on a subway. It was a different experience but I think very much needed. I did get a little motion sick but I hung in there. The orphanage we went to today had about 20 girls between 1st and 4th grade. Some were also mentally disabled. We came into the room and sat down and right away this little girl named Catalina came and sat down next to me and grabbed my hand. She looked about 9 years old and was mentally disabled. She pulled at my wrist to observe my watch which she spent about 20 minutes amused with. She rubbed it, smelled it, stared at it, and even kissed it. She put her head on my shoulder and you could tell that all she needed was a little bit of love and affection. But it was such a beautiful thing.
I would write more but there isnt much else to say for today and I just got called away to go to a debriefing meeting. I am not feeling so well so hopefully I will get over that soon. Just a bad tummy and head ache. I cant wait to go to sleep tonight...
We had a morning devotional with our team and the rest of the Romanian staff. We had some time to use until leaving for the orphanage so we went on a walk with Victor and Madalina (two staff members) through a sketchy amusement park that eventually led into a green and lake filled beautiful area. While here we asked them how to say thank you in Romanian so that when we returned we could thank Mama Maria (our cook and house keeper) for making lunch. They proceeded to tell us something that sounded somewhat like- mooska mesha (phonetically spelled). We return home and Dani of course walks up to Mama and puts her arm around her and says this... only to find out that the staff had lied to us and she had really said to Mama "Bite me" haha. Of course she understood this joke as I guess it has happened many times before.
After lunch we left for the girls orphanage. We took a bus and a subway and it was exciting because it was my first time on a subway. It was a different experience but I think very much needed. I did get a little motion sick but I hung in there. The orphanage we went to today had about 20 girls between 1st and 4th grade. Some were also mentally disabled. We came into the room and sat down and right away this little girl named Catalina came and sat down next to me and grabbed my hand. She looked about 9 years old and was mentally disabled. She pulled at my wrist to observe my watch which she spent about 20 minutes amused with. She rubbed it, smelled it, stared at it, and even kissed it. She put her head on my shoulder and you could tell that all she needed was a little bit of love and affection. But it was such a beautiful thing.
I would write more but there isnt much else to say for today and I just got called away to go to a debriefing meeting. I am not feeling so well so hopefully I will get over that soon. Just a bad tummy and head ache. I cant wait to go to sleep tonight...
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Hello from Bucuresti!
I made it here alive! It is beautiful and I am jet lagged. It turns out that I will have computers here and easy internet access so I will be writing on here every few days. My friend is also keeping a blog while here and I will post that address as soon as I get that if you guys are interested in reading it. I don't have much time now to write because I have to shower and get down to breakfast but I will in the next few days. Promise.
Monday, May 12, 2008
ROMANIA
I'm leaving this morning and I will be back the night of Saturday June 7th so I will talk to you all when I get back!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Baptism, Back of Car, & Brink of Summer
Here is a link to my facebook album of pictures that I just put up that include pretty much what I listed in the heading. For those of you who don't know on Sunday at church I was baptized and it was the most amazing experience of my life. As for back of car, last night my friends jessica, sarah, and i slept in the back of my car in our parking lot. dont ask me why, we just wanted the experience. and brink of summer, well thats pretty self explanatory.
Just kidding, it wont send a link to all of them so ill just post a few on here and if you have facebook (im guessing most of you dont) then check it out.
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