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 :).