First, I want to apologize for not blogging all summer. Tabara Viata is over, and it was full of challenges, surprises, inspiring moments and lots of laughs, I will miss being up in the mountains. As Viata just ended, another exciting time for the FNO just began. On Monday August 27, 7 students from Northwestern University (in Iowa, not Chicago) arrived for a 3 month study aboard program. This is the first (of hopefully many) fall study aboard programs the foundation hopes to host. Alot of ground work has gone into this fall, but lots more is still need so my last months with the FNO will be busy. Luckily we have a great staff, I especially appreciate the three other N. American volunteers-Davia, Janelle and Daniel, we all compliment each other well with our skills. The students all seem great, flexible and eager to learn! So I have a feeling these last months will busy, but fun! My main contribution to the fall will be with the experiential education class, we are in the midst of finishing plans for a 7 day backpack in Retezat National Park! I feel so torn about leaving in October, I am so happy to be able to go home for to see family and I have some close friends getting married around that time. But I will be leaving half way through the semester, which makes it hard for me to really try and invest in the students. Leaving Romania will be so bittersweet. I struggled alot here, but through all the struggling I have found a community, a "Ro-family" as Davia and I call it, that I deeply appreciate. Romania has taught be so much. I hope that I will be able to come back someday.