Final Countdown...

Well, right now, the sun is literally setting on my last day in Lupeni. My bags are packed and, I am not quite ready to go. I am about to set off and go visit my family, then go to a farewell party from the IMPACT clubs, and then to IMPACT. It's kind-of crazy. I will come back from IMPACT, go to bed, get up, and leave the city.
It still hasn't set in. I am going to miss this city quite a lot and all the joys, challenges, etc. that has happened here. OOOoo the water shut off again today - I guess Romania still wants to sat goodbye and make sure will remember. It was a little inconvienient because we had to postpone cleaning and such for awhile...which, I just realized isn't finished.
Ah!
Home in America in 2 1/2 days.
Peace!

December 4: 3 days left.

Living in Romania, I have learned, is not for the high-strung. Some part of everyday could be wrapped up in the phrase, “the only thing that is for certain is that nothing is for certain.” Many things have happened in our time here that has completely changed the look of the day, week, or semester completely. Water turns off regularly, the internet is never trustworthy, things break (a lot), messages don’t always reach everyone, and life sometimes seems to run merely on the basis of change. As an American living in Romania, you become vastly aware of all the conveniences we have in the States. Things are more complicated here and every feat (especially if it requires any sort of paperwork) takes a great deal of time and energy.
Lupeni is a city in paradox. It is a desolate valley surrounded by the most beautiful mountains, it is a city where people are disconnected yet rely on each other when something goes wrong, and it is an apathetic city that is slowly working to bring about change. Experiencing this city has been confusing at times because it seems that nothing can be said about the valley without being qualified. There are many great things at work in the valley and even though we have only been here a few short months, we have witnessed changed. We have been able to see the future of the valley through the vision of the Foundation and in the eyes of the youth. We have been blessed in many ways throughout all of our experiences.
On top of everything, we have got to study and work alongside an organization that is the first of its kind; a profound ministry that is revolutionizing things here in Romania. The youth that we are around in the IMPACT clubs, though they may be a minority, are initiating this transformation. They are participating in a movement larger than themselves; a movement that has started here in the valley and is spreading throughout the country and the world, and we were granted to get a peek into its workings.
The first time I heard about Romania and the Romania program I was told to “be careful because Romania is a place that will stay with you, it will get into heart”. I don’t think I could have found this statement to be truer. After living in this city, meeting the people, and working with the foundation, all of the things that could cause frustrations and annoyances have become funny quirks about Romania that I will miss a great deal because, along with all these frustrations come the great blessings that Romania brings.
“You will never be completely at home again, because a part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place” – Miriam Adeny.

Go Big AND Go Home!

Wow - can you tell that I am spending a lot of time at my computer -- and trying to procrastinate? I feel like I have posted more in the last three days than in the entire semester.

Yesterday we were driving up a mountain in a van load of people to go skiing/snowboarding for the afternoon in the Transylvanian Alps. We were discussing that fact (the alps) when someone mentioned that this was quite a way to begin my adventures in skiing. Being as it was my first time. Corrina, in the back seat, said "Go big or Go home". I am planning on both. hahaha. I think that is fun.
So.....I have always been looking for that one thing that I am a "natural" at. That thing that as soon as I start, my first try, everything just comes naturally. The feat that I was just made for. As I put on my ski boots I could tell right away that there was no way in heck this was going to be it. My calves are still sore from those silly boots.
Well, I put my boots on and walked up to the cabana with my skis and poles and really got ready to go - though I was not so sure I wanted to still do this. Two things about skiing on straja I feel like I should mention here because, apparently (not that I would really know), these things are different than other places. 1) the ski life wasn't a seat it was this metal disc that you stuck between your legs and pulled you up on a cable like a pulley. 2) The snow we skiied on was about an inch thick...seriously, it was basically Ice. I am told that in the states there are often people working on the snow, fixing this, apparently they even make their own snow. This was not the case yesterday.
So, It only took me about 20 minutes to figure out how to get my ski's on - with the help of two other people. Then, I had to ski about 20 feet down to the ski life. Good Practice. At falling. I moved about two inches before my first fall. I have decided that falling isn't so bad, its the getting up part that hurts the most (maybe thats a metaphor for life...but, I am just thinking about skiing here). I gave up on learning to get up right there because there were many people careening down the slope around me. So, I took of my ski's and walked to the lift. I was quite nervous getting on the lift...there were two guys that helped you on and I already decided I didn't like them. However, when I got there one of the guys wound up being Marian - my host sisters boyfriend/fiance ( I say fiance being as he is building her a house). After laughing with him about how ridiculous I looked and scared I was...he put me on the lift.
Ok- this life felt a lot like I would imagine water skiing to feel like. It just pulls you and you just hold on and try to keep your balance. Well, one of my ski's moved which then made the disc slip to my knees. I was then forced into a bent over position - 90 degrees - thinking I was going to fall flat on my face (nothing new). I decided to try and get the disc back up...but, then realized that everytime you moved your leg the ski moved too. Hmmm...who would of thought? SO, I wound up falling of the lift before the top. When you can't even get the life part right, you know skiing is not your best sport.
Davia was behind me and she stopped, we walked over to the other, flatter side of the mountain and put my ski's back on.
This was just the beginning. There were very many more adventures of me falling - then Marian coming to help me ski - and me falling - and me falling - and me looking at the beautiful scenery (not sure if I have ever seen something so beautiful) and then falling. In the end, I did skii down one of the smaller hills 3 times, pretty successfully...only falling at the end.
I am a little sore today because of all this...
but, it was well worth it!

Pose means Picture!

The drawbridge...of a Castle! Me on a pretty staircase in the courtyard.
The castle from a distance.

Ok - so this is on the top of the castle...you know those things where those peoplpe would stand guard..yea, thats those. This is cool - I would call it a "throne room". guess why.

Biserica Densus - the old church we visited (yes, it is still functioning).
Corrina at the door of the church
At the monastery - Corrina being told that she must wear a skirt.
Rockin the skirt-over-pants. Yes please! The beautiful scenery

Snowflakes and Christmas lights!

Unlike the North America that I am used to, Christmas lights here did NOT go up on November 26th. In all honesty, I missed it quite a bit. I was told by people that the city lights wouldn't proabably even be turned on until mid-december!!! However, I went for a walk with one of the girls on Thursday and we saw a few shops already decorated. It was enchanting. Then, we came across a shop that was decked-out with Christmas decorations and the like, so we bought some lights. We hung them up. It made my week!!!
Higlights of the past week -->
1) took our last class trip to Hunedoara
2) Visited a really old church - it was cool
3) visited a womans monastery that made us wear skirts over our pants! yes!
4) Ran into an elder monk singing in a cave
5) Visited a castle - YES A CASTLE!!!! A real one! annnnddd this castle was used for the filming of the movie....MARTIN LUTHER! nope, no joke.
6) Got to frolic around a castle for the afternoon - yup, pay a small fee (thank you tuition money) and have free range of a castle. yea....
7) Finished one of my two final papers.
8) Am now heading out to go skiing in the transylvanian alps...

....pictures to come!
Peace!

Tipsy the Turkey

Me and a Turkey feather.... Potatoes - we made a lot of potatoes...a lot of potatoes...a lot. Look at the pretty place settings...o so cute. Thanks Brianna!

Not the whole group but, many of us...yay for Thanksgiving and friends!!! I am not sure what is going on here...we are not eating yet...looking at something intensly...hmmm...there is no turkey on the table...I really have no idea

Here are a few things that have been on my mind recently:

1) what in the world??? i am leaving Romania in less than 2 weeks - how did that happen

2) don't want to go - not ready to leave - I miss people already!!!!

3) I am soooo excited to see people again!!! woo!!! 2 weeks!!!

4) No time to do anything with finals - like say goodbye

5) How do you say goodbye?

6) Did I really get a Turkey drunk?

7) Yes, I did. Is it bad to put pictures of Thanksgiving on here?

8) I think no...pretty sure my Turkey lived happier and died more humanely than any of yours :)

9) however, upon further thought -- that could possibly cause problems with some people

10) Here, then, are some semi-more-boring pictures of thanksgiving in Romania

I Am Midwestern -

On our way back from Cluj, We stopped at a beautiful city in Romania Called Sibiu. This year it is the cultural capital of Europe and is def. my favorite city in Romania, aside of course from Lupeni. Pictures can't caputre the beauty but, at least it is a glimpse. This one is of Bri and I...just being us.This one is of the Orthodox Church in Sibiu - 2nd largest in Romania.Inside of the Church - Gigantic stain-glass picture of Rublev's Icon of the Trinity - you can see how big it is in the above picture --> it is the big semi-circle dome at the front of the church.ME! doesn't this look like I am in another country or something?? The little window/eye looking thing is again, something leftover from communism. They are called the "eyes of Sibiu" (though I imagine they are in other places as well) Basically, it was just to get even more into the minds of people - making them think the government was literally watching them all the time. I think, they might have actually been used for that purpose at one point but, am not positive there.

So, not sure why but, There were all these statues of men throughout the town (all of different proffesions; baker, smith, etc...) so, of course, I took pictures with many of them.Alright, excuse my failing of turning the pictures again but - this is still cool. It is the actual mechanism that makes the clock on the clock tower tick. It went tick, tick...and you could watch it...We were standing directly behind the clock at this time. Yup, no joke...it was sweet.Here is a view from the clock tower of the city - I think it is really pretty. But, if you look closely, yu can see the block apartments (brought in by communism...) in the back.Picture from the clock tower - of another clock tower :) and a square, and pretty architecture, ect....Me on the steps going up to the clock tower...they were pretty scary steps, not gonna lie.

How does one escape consumerism?

So here are some thoughts that really have nothing special to do with my stay in Romania. It is just something that just happened and I find a little annoying, though, I suppose, some may find it comforting, so I will share.

Two years ago for Christmas my wonderful, wonderful mother got me this really sweet Cafe Latte machine that was perfect for my dorm room and worked like a dream. Or, at least it did until something broke withing 2 weeks. This left me devastated but, my mother told me that we would return it and get a new one. When we went to do this, they were gone, and have been gone for 2 years. I am not kidding, I look everywhere - especially during the Christmas season. They disappeared. Last night, I tracked one down. I hunted and hunted - it actually did not take me very long - found it and then searched for it on ebay where I found a new one for an even better price. Go Me!!!! So, I ordered it off ebay and was so excited that it would be waiting for me when I got home that I told everyone here and wrote my mom quite the lengthy e-mail about it.

Tonight, I checked my e-mail and had three rather surprising e-mails from e-bay. Basically, in a nut shell, they cancelled my order and locked down my account because they thought there might be some "suspicious activity". In all honesty, I think it is quite kind of e-bay to be watching my account so closely, really, way to go for them. However, the "suspicious activity" they were watching was the fact that I ordered something from a Romanian network. Yup, I ordered something and I was out of the country and they cancelled my order and I may not get it right away when I get back. I feel like complaining--- now , I think, "have I not learned anything this semester"

Mi Ya Hi

(CLUJ AT NIGHT!! I was really excited about the xmas lights)





I am going to try to keep this post mainly about the week in Cluj but, there may be some other things thrown in as well.





We left for Cluj last Friday morning, early. Cluj is a large city in Transylvania and I am really glad we went. The only other large city I we have been to in Romania so far was Bucharest, I was not too thrilled there, Cluj has a much safer, unique, and historical feeling - in my opinion. I really enjoyed our week in Cluj.





The main part of the week was spent in lectures. Now, so far this semester our classes have been amazing and helpful for understanding the culture but, these lectures were very academic and interesting in the way that they covered things we have yet to study about Romania. Most of the Professors had their doctorates and, I doubt that many of them were yet thirty years old. It was amazing, we heard about Civil society in Romania, Democracy and Religion dynamics, Laws, the governement, etc... I should've probably mentioned that they were all from the political science department.





We also got to visit some small villages situated around Cluj. The dynamics in the two places (Cluj and the villages) were almost polar opposites. The drive through the country side was gorgeus and really makes someone fall in with the landscape of Romania. At one point, we had a short traffic jam with some shepards, their sheep, and some of their donkeys. It was great. It was amazing to see how close the villages and city were to each other and yet, how different they felt.









In one of the villages we visited a Reformed pastor. He showed us the church (which was beautiful and really reminded me of some very old churches back home) and took us inside his home for coffee, tea, and a really amazing story about a town called Bezidu Noa. Sometime, I will explain this story but, that would make this post uber long.




















On Sunday we visited an Orthodox monastery and were blessed with the opportunity to witness an Orthodox baptism. It was dramatic, to say the least. There were three babies being baptized that day and when the actualy baptism part came around they were taken - stark naked- by the monk and completley immersed ( 3 times) into a large copper basin. I am surprised that the monk was able to hold on to them - they seemed slippery to me. That part was the most dramatic part of the ceremony - they rest was quite interesting and steeped in symbolism, something that drives at the heart of the Orthodox faith and something that I have really begun to appreciate.
















On our way back from Cluj we stopped and spent a day in Sibiu. Sibiu is another city in Romania and it is also the official cultural capital of Europe this year. It, so far, has become my favorite city in Romania besides Lupeni. It was beautiful and the architecture was what I would picture as classic Eurpean. We visited a few churches and muesums and then just wandered around the beautiful town - I definently went a little snap-happy with my camera in that city.





Last night, driving into Lupeni really felt like I was coming home. Leaving this city and these people is going to be very difficult and I am constantly shocked at how quickly time is flying by here.

o sa mers....

FYI - we are going to Cluj on Friday and will be gone for a week so, don't expect any updates because I don't think I will be able to do them and if you do expect them then you will be disapointed and then that would be sad...
don't be sad.
:)
Peace!

Baby, it's cold outside

It snowed this morning!
Last night I was walking with my host sister to church and it was really cold. I started to sing "Baby, it's cold outside" which, she didn't know. So guess what I did?!? I translated it! I obviously couldn't translate it all because I do not even know all the English words but, I translated it and it even worked with the melody. I was so proud of myself!
It was really cold. Which, was also really exciting because I learned the other week how to make this awesome and amazing hot chocolate mix (That is already halfway gone and we probably had over a gallon of this powder that I made) so, I was walking outside in the brisk evening and thinking about the hot chocolate. It was a wonderful evening.
THEN! I woke up this morning and it was snowing. The good snow too - where the large, light flakes gently drift down to the ground in no hurry what-so-ever. Made-for-a-picture type of snow. Now, it looks only like it rained this morning because it has all melted already. Still, it makes me really, really excited for the upcoming season.
Today marks the official "one month left" mark. Not sure how prepared I was for this. As in, not a whole lot. I got an e-mail from my aunt about thanksgiving plans, which, obviously, I will not be there for. It made me really excited about the holidays though. I LOVE the holidays. So great. Wonderful. yay! I also made myself note this morning that it has not ever been nearly as windy here as it is in Iowa. This may have something to do with the fact that we are blocked by mountains on either side - it's pretty great, not gonna lie ;).
I hope it is just as beautiful where you all are!

Again!

It is Sunday here - 12:17pm to be exact.

the water is off again.

Apartement Living

I have officially been living in an Apartement with 5 girls for a week. Yup, 5 girls, one apartement. It has been quite the adventure. Basically, because the water has been turned off twice, the internet is sketchy, the light in the bathrooms keep burning out, and there is no hot water in the kitchen so, watching dishes is great fun.
Other than that, it is basically just life as normal here in Lupeni, I can't believe I am down to 4 weeks until we go home. I really actually, don't like thinking about it. Right now, I want to go home for Christmas and then come back next semester. I know that is not possible, I have to graduate or something.....but, the thought of not coming back is a little too much to handle right now. In fact, I am trying not to think about it at all because I am still here and I want to really be here my last few weeks.
Next week, we go to Cluj for a week - it is a really pretty city in Romania. Then, on the way back, we are going to stop in Sibiu. Another town in Romania that has been named the cultural center of Europe this year. woot!

A few pictures from Rome

Hey all! ok, finally, here are some pictures from our time in Rome. However, I am not a pro at uploading these yet so, they go in reverse chronological order so...close your eyes and scroll to the bottom before you start looking :)



This was the dome of the Pantheon..my all time favorite place in Rome...mmhmm
A "sacred area" that we stumbled upon in the middle of rome - there were four temples built here in (approx) 6oo b.c....it was really cool...if you look close you can kind-of see the steps to two of the temples
Ok, I don't know how to rotate pictures...grr...but this is a really pretty picture all the same...just tilt your head
This is the main street in Trastevere - the are in which we stayed
Lindsay and I in our room

The outside of the Pantheon....isn't it wonderful...pictures don't quite do it justice but, you can see where the years have worn at it!
Lindsay and I outside the Pantheon...ah! ok, What I really like about this picture is that you can kind-of see how the city is around it Inside of the Pantheon - the walls are made of marble of all different colors, they are so vibrant. Not sure if this marble is the original or if it was put in after the Christians took it over but, either way, it is still brilliant.

Me! inside the Pantheon! I love it!
Picture from inside the Pantheon out! Yup, definently my favorite thing we saw...yes yes yes!

Spanish steps...these were cool but, kind-of a let down in a few ways.
Spanish steps.
Trevi fountain again, hard to get a picture of the whole thing...
Me and Trevi fountain...it was cool...literally...there was a chill rising from the water.
Me and a really pretty building (there were lots but, I really liked this one)

This is Castel Sant' Angelo (I think I spelt all those correctly) anyway, we were told it is where the Pope goes when they're under seige but, I think this is all a lie they tell the public and really he goes to France or somewhere...by way of chariots and underground tunnels, of course :)
St.Peter's from the street
Inside St.Peters...
OOOOO....ok, this is my favorite sculptor at the Vatican and St.Peter's...and yes, it is the original by Michaelangelo!
This is St.Peter's Square from the steps of St.Peter's...that white stage thing to the left is where the Pope stands on Wednesdays to talk to people.

Inside the Coliseum again...it was cool, and really big. A lot bigger than we thought. It held 80,000 people! AND they could fill it in 15 minutes...yea, take that modern day efficiency systems...pshh...
On top of Palatine hill...and, o yea, that's the Coliseum. What!?!
Lindsay and I on top of Palatine hill
Circus Maximus...uhh...yea
Me! and the Roman Forum...for real. One of the roads there (not sure if you can see it) is the road where we get the phrase "All roads lead to Rome" its...that road!!

Monument to Victor Emanuel II...also, those guards there...where the wreaths are, they are guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier. They carried real guns and pointed them at the people...it was really intimidating.
Really cool statue at the monument of Victor Emanuel II...this statue was HUGE, really, it was really big AND so life-like...especially for being carved out of rock.
Lindsay and I at the top of the monument to Victor Emanuel II...you can see the Coliseum in the background!
Me and Trajans column...ok, I can't figure out how to rotate pictures so...sorry if it annoys you to tilt your head at some pictures...oops. ;)
This is Ashlea inside the Coliseum..yes it is...and it isn't even photo-shopped or anything...its real!