Well we’re spending not one, but 2 months here. No longer going to Ukraine. Right now we’re in Targu Mures and next month we’ll be with the entire squad in Bucharest.
Romanians have the most interesting style of anywhere we’ve been so far. Some very fashionable, some with such mismatched clothing and odd combinations…like wearing 3 distinct patterns. And I’m usually not one to notice styles. Also seen many men with short shorts…oh and did you know that Gypsies- the men wear hat as symbols of wealth. So if a man is wearing a big hat, he’s wealthy. The bigger the hat, the wealthier the man. Or at least so I’ve been told. I wonder how much money you need to have a hat. And how big are the increments…how much more money do you need to have a bigger hat?
Believe it or not, it is usually hotter here than it was in Nicaragua…there was a constant wind and frequent rain in Nicaragua…not so much here.
Things are almost the same prices here as they are in the states…
Yesterday I was trapped in an elevator with Damaris…actually we were pretty scared from the moment the elevator started to descend…because it was going down extremely slowly…like a few inches in a minute…then all the lights went out and we sank to the lowest floor. Despite repeated use of the alarm which sounded like a dying exotic bird, Damaris forced open the doors and we were free!
Most people are Hungarian or Romanian…and there are also quite a few who speak English…its just a matter of finding them.
Hannah and I talked to this lady…she sat near a scale…you’d have to pay her to step on it. Both of us sensed God telling us to talk with her..so we did. Getting yourself weighed is a good way to break the ice. (my weight = 66 kgs) She didn’t speak any English so it was difficult to know what to do. She kept pointing to her chair…and showed us it was the height of her knee, the metal leg and compared it to the little sign…very confusing…as best as we could understand she wanted us to go get her other chair…she even gave us directions to her house (maybe? Who knows what she wrote on the paper) We gave her a Romanian new testament and invitation to church. And prayed.
We’ve been eating a ton of bread. Which I like. Oh, and the tomatoes here are amazing. Seriously much better tasting than in the US.
I recently came to the conclusion that conflict will be part of life on the race. I knew that and expected conflict when I applied for the race, but feeling ok with the difficult emotions that prevail when conflict is brought up- realizing its going to be difficult even if it is the best thing to do, even if it makes others mad, is extremely uncomfortable etc. Just accepting the uncomfortable moments that will inevitably occur as normal and even healthy.
Oh the toilets here are different…the tank where the water is stored for flushing is separated from the seat…its usually much further up the wall…maybe 6 inches below the ceiling is the top of the toilet tank.
Yesterday we got in trouble with the police. Twice. The first was for sitting on the grass in the park. The second was for sitting on the concrete. We just wanted to be in the shade. It was great how she asked us in English if we spoke Romanian. We said no. So she continued scolding us in Romanian. Very effective. Apparently benches are the only place you’re allowed to sit in the park. 5 of us squeezed onto a bench in the shade and Kaleb sat on the curb, risking the wrath of the Romanian police.
Hitch-hiking. I had never done this prior to being in Romania…I’ve done it 4 times now. Its just a faster way to get into town, really. Don’t worry Mom, its pretty normal and safe thing to do around here. Otherwise, who knows how long you’ll have to wait for a bus. Some drivers will also charge for the service. The first driver to pick us up refused any payment but insisted on getting a US penny. Not a dime, not a nickel, a penny. Fortunately I had coins from 5 different currencies floating around in my purse…although it took a full minute to find.
