You know you live in Draganesti-Olt, Romania when…
-The flies swarming in your kitchen largely outnumber your team mates.
-Your explanation for why you’re picking up trash on the streets is a jumbled version of…Jesus loves you! Jesus loves Draganesti! Hope Church!
-You feel perfectly normal walking down the streets smiling, waving, and saying, “Buna Zuia!” (Good day) to everyone you pass.
-You rescue an adorable puppy from the streets and let her live in your broken shower and drink the milk for your coffee.
-The key is necessary to lock the door on both sides…which you do the second you come in the house so a random child doesn’t wander in.
-The sounds of a horse and buggy outside your window at all hours of the day brings a smile to your face.
-Your idea of alone time is the few minutes you have to shower in the 1 unbroken shower while the rest of your pack is outside the door brushing their teeth, washing their face, etc.
-You love your pack and can’t imagine doing life without them.
-You know what a pack is.
-Your “family dinners” consist of at least 12 other people sitting around a large table sharing their happies and crappies for the day.
-You don’t know how many people live in a house with you on top of the 13 Americans and 4 Romanians that you know of.
-You have absolutely fallen in love with your missionary contacts and their hearts for the people in Draganesti.
-You cry watching a slideshow of a ministry 8 years in the making with people you’ve only just met, but yet already love so deeply.
-You work out with Shawn T., a few teammates, and an audience every morning.
-You put $0.30 in a machine and out pops a cappuchino (I love this place!).
-Random dance parties are a normal occurence be it in your kitchen or on the side of the road.
-Finding peanut butter is like finding gold.
-You suddenly find yourself in charge of 45+ children for 3 1/2 hours with no translator and no plan.
-Your idea of the “cush life” is wifi and a bunkbed.
-You sit for hours in a Romanian church without understanding a word…and you love every minute of it!
-You worship with English and Romanian speakers along with the melodious chimings of horses, dogs, and chickens out the church window.
-You’re excited for the next 10 months but fear that a huge piece of your heart will be left in Draganesti-Olt.
