You
do? That’s great. We’re actually in Romania.
do? That’s great. We’re actually in Romania.
About
seven hours before our scheduled departure from Coleraine, we had an
emergency meeting in the midst of the packing and cleaning kerfuffle.
Turns out our contact in Moldova fell through, so Petra and JOHOLO
were totally unsure of what we’d be doing this month. We boarded the
plane with only the information that a bus would be picking us up
from the airport in Bucharest. It was probably the most exciting
thing ever for me, because I finally felt like we were getting a
genuine World Race experience. That, and the fact that there was a
certain degree of super-secret spy mission in the whole being whisked
away to some unknown location bit. We arrived in Ville Tecii at 10
am on Wednesday morning after leaving Coleraine at 8 am on Tuesday
morning. Travel day of twenty-six hours. Note to self: make sure
the sleeping pills are in the carry-on bag next time.
seven hours before our scheduled departure from Coleraine, we had an
emergency meeting in the midst of the packing and cleaning kerfuffle.
Turns out our contact in Moldova fell through, so Petra and JOHOLO
were totally unsure of what we’d be doing this month. We boarded the
plane with only the information that a bus would be picking us up
from the airport in Bucharest. It was probably the most exciting
thing ever for me, because I finally felt like we were getting a
genuine World Race experience. That, and the fact that there was a
certain degree of super-secret spy mission in the whole being whisked
away to some unknown location bit. We arrived in Ville Tecii at 10
am on Wednesday morning after leaving Coleraine at 8 am on Tuesday
morning. Travel day of twenty-six hours. Note to self: make sure
the sleeping pills are in the carry-on bag next time.
Both
teams are staying with the same host family in Viile Tecii. Our
Romania parents, Abi and Lili, have four children, daughters Andreea
(age seventeen) and Alexandra (thirteen), and sons Adi (age
twenty-one) and Adi (about four). Lili’s mother, Camilla, also lives
with them. They have all been so amazingly loving and caring and
welcoming to us. I don’t want to speak for everyone, but I think
it’s safe to say we’re all pretty much obsessed with them. We’re
here until September 20, caring for the gypsy community here and
sharing God’s love with them, serving them however we can.
teams are staying with the same host family in Viile Tecii. Our
Romania parents, Abi and Lili, have four children, daughters Andreea
(age seventeen) and Alexandra (thirteen), and sons Adi (age
twenty-one) and Adi (about four). Lili’s mother, Camilla, also lives
with them. They have all been so amazingly loving and caring and
welcoming to us. I don’t want to speak for everyone, but I think
it’s safe to say we’re all pretty much obsessed with them. We’re
here until September 20, caring for the gypsy community here and
sharing God’s love with them, serving them however we can.
The
guys spent our first Thursday morning helping Abi build a bread oven, while the
girls split themselves over three different households. Drea, Erin,
and Danielle went to see Anutsa, an old gypsy woman who befriended
another Racer, and spent time with her doing chores around her house.
Lauren, Martha, and I spent the morning chopping vegetables with
Lili for lunch, and teaching English words to her and Camilla while
they taught us Romanian. Once lunch was in the soup pot and cooking,
Camilla brought out a gypsy skirt, and motioned for Lauren to try it
on. We spent about the next fifteen minutes dressing up and dancing
around the kitchen.
guys spent our first Thursday morning helping Abi build a bread oven, while the
girls split themselves over three different households. Drea, Erin,
and Danielle went to see Anutsa, an old gypsy woman who befriended
another Racer, and spent time with her doing chores around her house.
Lauren, Martha, and I spent the morning chopping vegetables with
Lili for lunch, and teaching English words to her and Camilla while
they taught us Romanian. Once lunch was in the soup pot and cooking,
Camilla brought out a gypsy skirt, and motioned for Lauren to try it
on. We spent about the next fifteen minutes dressing up and dancing
around the kitchen.
Right
now, Andreea is in our room with me, April, Julia, and Lauren, making
hemp bracelets with April. It’s been so amazing to have Andreea and
Alex around to teach English to, and to teach us Romanian and
translate. April has been writing down Romanian words and phrases,
and Mama Lili taught us how to respond when someone sneezes:
senetate!
now, Andreea is in our room with me, April, Julia, and Lauren, making
hemp bracelets with April. It’s been so amazing to have Andreea and
Alex around to teach English to, and to teach us Romanian and
translate. April has been writing down Romanian words and phrases,
and Mama Lili taught us how to respond when someone sneezes:
senetate!
The
gypsy people are universally despised in Romania, but they are so
welcoming and loving, and they have been nothing but kind to us.
It’s really interesting to see the generosity of their spirits,
because when I was in Italy, the first thing our on-site program
director told us was not to interact with the gypsies on the street
at all: don’t talk to them, don’t look at them, keep a hand on your
bag at all times, and definitely don’t under any circumstances give
them any money. We’ve been here about thirty hours, and I’m awed at
the love we’ve received so far, and the stories that I’ve heard from
the other Racers here already.
gypsy people are universally despised in Romania, but they are so
welcoming and loving, and they have been nothing but kind to us.
It’s really interesting to see the generosity of their spirits,
because when I was in Italy, the first thing our on-site program
director told us was not to interact with the gypsies on the street
at all: don’t talk to them, don’t look at them, keep a hand on your
bag at all times, and definitely don’t under any circumstances give
them any money. We’ve been here about thirty hours, and I’m awed at
the love we’ve received so far, and the stories that I’ve heard from
the other Racers here already.
Who
needs Moldova anyway?
needs Moldova anyway?
