Monday, April 30, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
"Katie- WE' RE THE AWKWARD FOREIGN KIDS"
This past weekend I attended a national IMPACT leaders' retreat. About 40 leaders from all over Romania and 18 different clubs meet up in Straja Mt for the retreat. Each area gave a presentation on their club and what their kids were doing. It was a great time, an inspirational weekend. It is exciting to be part of community development on a grassroots level. Also it was just great fun to hang out with leaders from all over the country!
On Saturday night we had free time. I was trying to teach Charity how to play backgammon, which is a board game popular in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. We were sitting in the main room off to one corner playing when a few Romanians put on some music and started to dance in the center of the room. Two things about Romanians, they are REALLY good dancers and they love parties. So soon more and more people joined the dance floor, and it becomes an all out dance party. Charity and I are still playing backgammon, but are more becoming more amused by the spectacle of all the Romanians dancing and singing. They seem to be doing some traditional dances and having a blast. And I say to Charity.
"Charity, I feel like the nerds at the party. Everyone is dancing and we are playing backgammon- in the corner."
"Reality check, we ARE nerds. Number ONE we are playing backgammon. Number TWO we don't know what’s going on. Number THREE we don't understand the language. Katie- WE'RE THE AWKWARD FOREIGN KIDS."
I just about lost it laughing at Charity's comment. She was right. My experience in Romania has taught me being a foreign is being most of the time confused and a lot of the time put in awkward situations. So much communication and understanding is handicapped, but you realize you have to roll with the punches and jump into things any way. So after our game, our roommate Diane, dragged us onto the dance floor. It ended up being such a fun night! Romanians know how to have fun! They also loved that the American girls were joining the party!
On Saturday night we had free time. I was trying to teach Charity how to play backgammon, which is a board game popular in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. We were sitting in the main room off to one corner playing when a few Romanians put on some music and started to dance in the center of the room. Two things about Romanians, they are REALLY good dancers and they love parties. So soon more and more people joined the dance floor, and it becomes an all out dance party. Charity and I are still playing backgammon, but are more becoming more amused by the spectacle of all the Romanians dancing and singing. They seem to be doing some traditional dances and having a blast. And I say to Charity.
"Charity, I feel like the nerds at the party. Everyone is dancing and we are playing backgammon- in the corner."
"Reality check, we ARE nerds. Number ONE we are playing backgammon. Number TWO we don't know what’s going on. Number THREE we don't understand the language. Katie- WE'RE THE AWKWARD FOREIGN KIDS."
I just about lost it laughing at Charity's comment. She was right. My experience in Romania has taught me being a foreign is being most of the time confused and a lot of the time put in awkward situations. So much communication and understanding is handicapped, but you realize you have to roll with the punches and jump into things any way. So after our game, our roommate Diane, dragged us onto the dance floor. It ended up being such a fun night! Romanians know how to have fun! They also loved that the American girls were joining the party!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Things that are hard to confront in Romania: the diabolic nature of communism and its affect on the Romanian culture resulting in apathy and corruption, not having water some days, and the reality that I am relatively rich compared to the rest of the world.
Things I love about Romania: buying fresh fruit and veggies on the corner, the bread, Romanian humor, the mountains all around me, beautiful hikes right at my doorstep, mountain flowers, a simpler way of life, sheep everywhere, my co-workers, and people's patiences with me trying to speak the language.
Things I love about Romania: buying fresh fruit and veggies on the corner, the bread, Romanian humor, the mountains all around me, beautiful hikes right at my doorstep, mountain flowers, a simpler way of life, sheep everywhere, my co-workers, and people's patiences with me trying to speak the language.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Paste Fericit!
Paste Fericit, Romanian for Happy Easter!
During this Easter week people in the valley greet each other, "He has risen" "He has risen, indeed". They play this egg-taping game with colorful Easter eggs when they meet. Another tradtion of the Jui Valley is for young men to perfume ladies, in exchange we are suppose to give the men a cookie or an easter egg. Right now, I smell like really bad perfume...I feel like the men have the better end of this deal:)!
Today, a club in the valley had an Easter feast for a local orphange. They invited us to come too. It was great, including some pizza, some games and skits, and some awkard middle dancing!! Yesterday (Easter day) we went to a co-workers for a late lunch of lamb, salad, mash potatoes and fried pork and I decided I am not a big fan of lamb or lamb liver for that matter. For Good Friday, the community has a percession up the mountain road carrying a HUGE cross. Most of town comes out and walks up the mountain, too. They start at an orthodox church in the valley and end at a church on the mountain. The stations of the cross are on the way up the mountain, the procession stops at each one. Here we are men, women, kids of all ages, old grandmas, orthodox priest- everyone in the community hiking up to Straja Mt (8 miles one way), it was quite an event.... Alex, one of our co-worker's little brothers, met up with us and translated for us :) (Hope to post pictures)
Although I missed being home for holidays, my Easter was good and kept me busy :).
During this Easter week people in the valley greet each other, "He has risen" "He has risen, indeed". They play this egg-taping game with colorful Easter eggs when they meet. Another tradtion of the Jui Valley is for young men to perfume ladies, in exchange we are suppose to give the men a cookie or an easter egg. Right now, I smell like really bad perfume...I feel like the men have the better end of this deal:)!
Today, a club in the valley had an Easter feast for a local orphange. They invited us to come too. It was great, including some pizza, some games and skits, and some awkard middle dancing!! Yesterday (Easter day) we went to a co-workers for a late lunch of lamb, salad, mash potatoes and fried pork and I decided I am not a big fan of lamb or lamb liver for that matter. For Good Friday, the community has a percession up the mountain road carrying a HUGE cross. Most of town comes out and walks up the mountain, too. They start at an orthodox church in the valley and end at a church on the mountain. The stations of the cross are on the way up the mountain, the procession stops at each one. Here we are men, women, kids of all ages, old grandmas, orthodox priest- everyone in the community hiking up to Straja Mt (8 miles one way), it was quite an event.... Alex, one of our co-worker's little brothers, met up with us and translated for us :) (Hope to post pictures)
Although I missed being home for holidays, my Easter was good and kept me busy :).
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Pictures!
Hey! Check out pictures from my first month in Romania. Click on the 'flicker badge' on the right of screen. Enjoy :) Happy Easter Love Katie
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