Good-Bye Month 1 in Moldova, Hello Month 2 in Romania!
We are officially done with our first month of ministry on the World Race. Woot Woot! Let me give you a recap of our travel days (that's where the blog title came from).
Monday: We left Cornesti at around 5:30 pm and went to Ungheni to catch a train that would take us across the border into Romania to a town called Iasi (pronounced Yash). We had looked online and saw there was a train at around 7:30 pm. Obviously we looked on the wrong site or something because one left at 5:40 and the next wasn't until 9:10. So we waited at the train station. We couldn't buy tickets until 8pm so when that rolled around Katie and I went up to get them for everyone. Well in case you didn't know, neither Romanian nor Russian is a language I speak. So this lady starts spouting stuff and then points to the booth across from her so we go over there. Through sign language and a piece of paper, we confirm the price and time of the train but we don't understand why she won't sell the tickets to us. Finally, this beautiful stranger behind us asks if we need help. And the angels sing Hallelujah. She goes back to other booth with us and translates that the computer is down and we have to wait about 10 min more. She also tells us which side the train is on and to go through customs at 8:50. The poor ticket lady had to do EVERYTHING by hand so it takes half an hour (also I had to run back and get all 6 passports after we had started the ticket process). Seriously has to be the hardest thing I've ever done.
So at 8:45 she comes to get us to go through customs. I walk in we all my bags and the guy looks at me a little apprehensively. THEN, he looks behind me and his eyes bulge. We all walk in and the 3 customs guys look like they don't know where to start. One thing Veronica taught us is Yev Shoy-key! It means I'm shocked in Russian. So we say that and they decide to let us go through customs without unpacking everything. It was Awesome. We were on the train ride for about 3 hours, 1.5 hours spent stopped at the border. We finally get to Iasi and the train station is totally sketch. It reeked of urine and homeless people (because it looks like that is where they sleep). But, we see the sweetest sight we have seen in a month: Golden Arches. We ended up sleeping on the outside patio of the McDonald’s. Four of the girls actually walked through the drive through after they locked the lobby. It was interesting. I think I maybe got 20 min of sleep.
Tuesday: We go to the train station at 5 am to buy tickets and they go to find our train. We get on the train and all pile into a room that fits 8 people. We have our stuff everywhere. We've had to take attachments off our packs to make them fit better, everything. We've been on the train for 3 hours when this family gets on and tells us we are in their room. We have to move everything 2 rooms down to a room with 2 very stoic ladies in it. Only one speaks English. They have big bags too. It was a mess. We ended up with 3 packs in the floor with our legs over them and 3 or 4 day packs in laps or shoved under seats. It was so cramped. Then it got HOT. As I mentioned in one of my other blogs, Moldovans don't like cross breezes. So if we had the door open, the window had to be closed, and vice versa. It was like a sauna. And the bathroom was a bit unbearable so I went almost 24 hours without using the bathroom.
Anyway, we finally get off the train and our contact sends someone to pick us up. We went to the grocery store. It is bigger than a super Wal-mart. It has two levels and at least 10 smaller stores inside it. It was awesome. So after an hour of shopping, we head to our “hotel”. I know I said I was working with an orphanage, but that doesn't really explain it right. I am working in a compound. It has the orphanage, cows, houses, the hotel, etc. It's beautiful. I'll get pics up as soon as I can. We got to see some of the teens and I am so excited. Also, there is a french group here! Yay for language practice! Ok, so we get inside and WOW! It is beautiful too. Full kitchen, full den and dining room area; our room is great, we have 2 bathrooms with a shower in each, AC in our room, comfy beds, Wi-Fi, running, drinkable water. We love it. We can't wait for Team Wonder to get here on Thursday. We are “taking it easy” this weekend and then starting construction on Monday. I am looking forward to it I think. It's not gardening. I loathe gardening. Anywho, that catches you up to date on my adventures. More to come soon!
Also: favorite Moldovan memory: we learned to make Placinta (pla-chin-tay). It looks like a crunchwrap supreme from taco bell and you can put whatever you want in it. I'll post about it later.
