Sun Setting Over Bucharest

The sun setting over the city was beautiful last night. I haven't seen a sunset in many years. I live in New England, land of hills and tall tees. I also live on the ground floor where all you see are the neighboring houses. Here I am 7 floors up which affords me a nice view.

As beautiful as this is, I dread the nights here because I cannot sleep. There is no mattress to sleep on....simply a box spring that digs into my back.  There are also strange noises and smells that serve to remind me that I am in a strange land, away from the comforts of home and hearth. Speaking of strange smells...

Bucharest has a smell to it...not a bad smell, just a...smell.  I think it may be in the water. I've attempted to figure out the origin of this, but find that it is everywhere, and not just in my apartment and in my teacup.

I used to live in Glocester, near the Eastern Connecticut border.  The air was fresh and clean, no car exhaust or smells of any kind.  When I moved back to Warwick (right next to the airport) I thought I would gag.  The exhaust fumes from the planes and the cars in the city were overwhelming. I used to walk for excersise and had to stop. What a stink! Well, I've gotten used to it over the  years and no longer smell anything at home.

We really are products of our environment, aren't we? Humans are very adaptable creatures, and I am sure that with time, I could live here as well and not smell a thing.

Another day....

Today I made my way to the gallery on my own.  I took a wrong turn and added about 15 minutes to the trip, but I made it okay. All the street names look and sound the same. In this area, I think they are named after historical figures (all men) and the names all end in "scu".  This is me and my friend Daniela.  She is busy with her students getting ready for the show.  I am happy to help her but she says her students will do it!  Okay...I can handle that!





Outside the Gallery



Another day in Bucharest

Most people have trouble keeping up with me. I run around like a crazy person, working, doing, rushing...and I never stop until it's time for bed. Well...I can barely keep up with Daniela! She is a little dynamo! Phew! We were all over the place yesterday.  She came by the apartment about 9:30 am and off we went. First, to the school where she teaches, where I met a bunch of her students.  Afterwards we walked to the gallery where we are having the exhibition. After this, we walked, walked, walked, sightseeing, stopping to see a friend's work in a gallery, and then we went to a great place to rest.  It was a tea house/gallery where many poets and artists hang out. There were 100 types of teas! We had a pot of tea and some mini croissants.   There was a great big handmade book on the shelf and it was full of poems by many different writers.  I wrote a poem in the book as well, so I will be preserved in Bucharest...for a little while, anyway.

Parking on the Sidewalk

Street Art

More Street Art

Daniela!

Noah's Art Work

Detail

Am Sosit (I've Arrived) in Bucharest

I made it!  I arrived here yesterday 12:30 pm Romania time.  Waiting for me were Daniela and her daughter, Sonya, Daniel, Sabina, and another student of hers. What a calamity!  We were yelling and hugging and it was a crazy-happy moment for both of us!  I love Daniela...she is totally awesome...we are like sisters!

From the airport, we went first to my apartment, then back to hers for a sumptuous dinner.  It was grand!  Daniela's apartment is only 2 subway stops from me.  Not close enough to walk, but fast by train. Here is the view from my balcony.

Bucharest is a very big and very old city.  Much of it is falling down so there is construction everywhere. Stray dogs roam the streets looking for handouts, and there is poop in the streets!  It reminds me of South Boston. The dogs are so sad.  There are strays kitties too, which really tugs at my heart strings.  The people here seem like the big city folks back home.  No one looks at each other...

Shopping is like...Brooklyn! No big department stores or supermarkets..just small grocery shops, butcher and cheese shops, and lots of pharmacys.  There are Western Unions on every street corner!  The subway cars  are very clean...I have to mention this because I've never been in a clean subway car. Daniela had to go to work today, so I was out exploring most of the day, shopping for food and necessities like soap and matches (to light the gas stove...(still haven't figured that one out.  I can't find where to light the pilot!).
My apartment has cable and internet...thank goodness for Wesern influences!  There are 10 English language stations.  One being all day news from the UK, and the others are broadcast from America.  Cable channels like The National Geographic Channel (I don't even have that one at home!) and MTV, The Discovery Channel and Animal Planet! The English language channels have Romanian Subtitles...what a great way to learn another language! At home I find myself wishing the Spanish channels had English subtitles so I could listen and learn. 

And...speaking of language...I am getting around quite well on my own.  I can't read anything, but I can speak enough to find what I need!  I am really happy I took the time to study the language for the past 18 months! All that time I listened to my language CD's really paid off.  I was pulling words out of the air like a pro!

I need to quit writing now because my back is aching.  I am sleeping on a box spring...no mattress! and the furniture feels like it's made of concrete.  I need to stretch or something.  Soon I will find the pool near here and get into the swim of things again.  La revedere!

Logan Express

The day started out fine...actually, it's still fine.  I got to the airport okay..no traffic, no glitches...nice and quiet until...CELL PHONE WOMAN!!!!!!  ARRR!

When I boarded the bus, the driver mentioned the use of cell phones...just asking everyone to be polite.  Well..everyone was great until we stopped in Foxboro to pick up this lone woman passenger who sat in the seat directly in front of me and open up the cell and away she went.

Suffice it to say, I had to move my seat.  For those of you who know how I feel about cell phones and rude people, you would be proud.  I didn't say a word to her. Not one word.

45 Minutes and Counting....

Soon I will begin my long journey to Romania. My ride will be here in 45 minutes to take me to bus terminal in Providence. From there the "Logan Express" will take me to Logan Airport in Boston.  It will drop me at Terminal 5, I'll check in to British Airways, and promptly run into the girls room to vomit.

I'm kidding, sorta...

Did I mention?  I hate to fly.  Detest it.  Fear it.  Abhor it! Thank goodness my physician is a good man.  He listens to me, respects me, even.  That kind man wrote me a prescription so I can sleep the whole way to Bucharest.

Dear Dr...I and my fellow passengers are indebted to you.

The Results are In!

Well, fellow travelers...my invitation was in my hands on Friday and I have been invited to teach English in Ukraine!  I'm so happy to have been invited and now that my original nomination has been honored it's cause to celebrate!

I also want to share something with my fellow applicants, in case you didn't already know....when you are invited, be prepared to write yet one more essay...and a new resume.  You heard me right.  More brain popping compositions! Actually, they are necessary things because how else would the people of your chosen country know you, or what gifts you are bringing? I only say "brain-popping" because I am on my way to Romania in 12 hours and haven't finished up the lecture I am supposed to be writing for that visit yet! 
I'll be out of the country for 5 weeks and have no time to do anything. The essay and resume I just finished and sent off...that needed to be done now because they only give you 10 days from your acceptance to send it, and who knows where I will be in 10 days?  I also have to do some crazy stuff with my passport...they want me to send it right off to them...but seeing as I need it, I have to visit the American Embassy in Bucharest to have my passport signed and all the papers stamped for that and for the Visa and send everything from there to Washington.  It's nuts! I don't know why they need everything ASAP...I'm not leaving until March...

So, my fellow nominees.....here are the questions you need to answer in your new "Aspiration Statement"
(Many of the topics are addressed in the Volunteer Assignment Description pamphlet you will receive, but you will need to add you own spin) I hope this helps!

A. The professional attributes that you plan to use, and what aspirations you hope you fulfill, during your PC service.

B. Your strategies for working effectively with host country partners to meet expressed needs.

C.  Your strategies for adapting to a new culture with respect to your own cultural background.

D. The skills and knowledge you hope to gain during pre-service training to best serve your future community and project.

E. How you think PC service will influence your personal and professional aspirations after your service ends.

Now...I am an educational volunteer.  I imagine all the questions are the same for all of us, but just in case, I need to mention this.

Good luck!

Waiting game?

Does anyone know how much time it takes from being officially invited to being placed?  I have not heard back from my PO since I answered all the placement questions.

Pe la Bucuresti ! (On to Bucharest !)

The next installment of "West meets East" A cultural book exchange will be happening Nov. 1 at the National University of Art in Bucharest Romania! I'll be leaving on Monday and won't be back until December.  If you're up for the task, follow my adventures in Romania and beyond!  I haven't made any plans beyond taking care of "Art" business, which will keep me very busy through the first week, but I am decidedly traveling through other parts of Eastern Europe to get a feel for region.

I'm In!

I received an e-mail this morning from the Peace Corps...
"Congratulations! You have been invited to become a Peace Corps Volunteer"

I never expected things to move this fast!  It's been less than a week since I was medically cleared.  Now I must wait to hear from my Placement Officer up in Boston.  I hope I hear from her before I leave for Romania.  I'll be gone for 5 weeks and don't know how often I'll be able to get to check my e-mail. The apartment I am renting is supposed have wi-fi, but I can't be sure about that until I get there.

Medically Cleared...and other stuff...

This is it...a BIG day for me.  I have been medically cleared for the Peace Corps!!  I have already heard from my Placement Officer in Boston...I need to answer some questions regarding placement. 

I was nominated to teach English in Eastern Europe..and have been teaching 2 ESL classes every week since June.  Yesterday I received an e-mail from the officer asking me how I felt about serving in Ghana teaching art to deaf students.  Now...this is a huge dilemma for me.  I have been teaching art for years but since I have been teaching English, I found that I love the challenge of teaching outside of my expertise.  Plus the fact that there are many more career opportunities in the English teaching field.  Does anyone out there have any suggestions for me?  I am also not too keen on going to Africa...how can I tell her I want to stick with the original plan without sounding...inflexible?

One more thing...I have to have a yearly Mammogram and this may exclude Ghana anyway....am I losing sleep over nothing?

Medical Update!

I just received word on my toolkit that my medical is finished...I have been told to look for the decision in the mail. I feel really good about this. After having survived cancer  I honestly thought there would be so many "re-checks", but go figure.  I had to re-do the urinalysis and it was fine, so I got off REALLY lucky.  I have read so many blogs from other applicants who are run through the ringer because of little things....

Now I settle in and wait.....

Dental...CLEARED!

At long last...the dreaded dental part of the PC is all finished and cleared.  I have also heard from the medical people...something minor regarding the urinalysis, so I went and took a new test and it was all clear.  Now...if everything ELSE is cleared, I'm practically home free!