Just a taste...

So since I do not have access to Internet at exactly this moment (I will obviously when I post this) I am typing this out ahead of time, looking out my window in my garsonera, in my new town, and listening to some fun country music.
Wow so much has happened since the last time I have posted. It has been so busy finishing up with PST. I have been trying to study, and was preparing for my LPI, and on top of all of that I was trying to spend as much time with my new friends as possible before we all went our separate ways. Now that we all have it is crazy to think that we are just starting on our new journey that will hopefully inspire and change us for life.
Well let’s see here…a recap of the last 2 weeks. So, as stated before I have been studying for my LPI (Language Proficiency Interview) which I took last week. I did alright, but I know I could have done better, but it was enough to pass, but that just inspires me to want to do better on the next one, because we will have at least 3 more while we are in country to see how we improve over time J So in the mean time before my Interview I was trying to spend time with friends and prepare to leave for site. After the LPI we all went out to celebrate being finished. We were able to have a party with all of the Peace Corps staff and it was really a good time. We even got into a leg wrestling competition, Chelsea is a champ at it and it was fun to watch her kick everyone’s butt. She owned everyone, including the guys who you would think would be stronger, but Chelsea had it down to a science and was pretty much undefeatable. I did challenge her and needless to say, I failed miserably, but it was all in good fun.
So we all had a good time at the party which was on Thursday. On Friday, we all swore in. It felt so good to finally be out of limbo, because for the past 11 weeks we had all been working so hard, but we technically were not employed by anybody, because we were still just trainees and not volunteers yet. It was pretty emotional, for several reasons. I think first it was moving because it felt that all my hard work was finally paying off in the end. I had tried my hardest to learn the language, to learn about the culture and to learn about the history. We were in school from 8-5 everyday, and we were all exhausted, but in the end it was right. We worked hard for a goal and achieved it. I also think it was emotional because we have all officially become a part of an American organization that is maintained and support by not only the government but our country. I am officially here representing the United States of America and all that we stand for. It is a very intimidating idea, but I am up for the challenge. I am very glad that I have been blessed with such an amazing opportunity to make a difference in the world…no matter how big or small it will be in the end.
Friday night, we all had a goodbye party and just hung out and had a good time. We were lucky enough to have a place to stay overnight and just chill out and have fun together one more time. Then Saturday came. What an interesting day that was for me. It was the start of my newest journey, and thankfully I did not have to take this journey alone. I was with my friend Deborah, and we left Saturday at around 1:30. We took a maxitaxi to Ploiest which was very hot, but we made it fine. When we got to Ploiest, we needed to get to another volunteers place so we needed a taxi to get there because of all of our luggage, well no taxis were down there, so a man in a car volunteered to take us. We were a little leary, so we called the woman we were meeting and she said if he would charge 5 lei total that would be fine. So since we were together we figured it would be safe, so we loaded up and gave him the address, it wasn’t far but he did not know exactly where it was and took a few wrong turns, but in the end we made it there so that is all that matters. So we got there and then had to get all of our stuff up to the 4th floor. Luckily for us, Susie had an elevator, so with a couple of trips we made it up there. Then we just got the chance to chill out and relax for a little while, which was nice because the last couple of days had been intense and we knew that we would have quite the journey ahead of us since we were taking a night train.
That brings us to the train station. We went a little early to buy our tickets and tried to go the cheap way and take the bus to the station, but it was closed, so we had to find a taxi again. That all went fine, then we got to the station and bought the tickets. I however forgot to ask for a sleeper car, and when we went to ask about it, we found out that they did not have any sleeper cars and we were going to be riding in second class on a midnight train…which for a couple of American women is probably not the safest place to be. We would more than likely be fine, but we wanted to make it to our destination without any problems. So Deborah called her counterpart and spoke with the lady at the ticket booth for us and we worked everything out, we were not in a sleeper car because they were full, but we were on first class so that was better for us. One task done, so we went back to Susie’s to eat dinner and relax a little bit more. Then it came time to leave, so we loaded up yet again and were on our merry way.
So we arrived at the train station a little early to find where we were going. I had to ask where the line was (the same lady was at the ticket booth, and she was irritated with us before, so I am sure she was really happy to see me again J ) so we figured out where to go. Lucky for us we got to hall our brick filled luggage down a flight of stairs and then up another one. It was a blast and a good work out. Then we had to find out where our train would come in, Deborah thought that it would be up a ways, so we waited, well when the train came our adventure truly began. So the train got there and we were by car 5 and needed to be by car 10, I was trying to find it and they were ready to leave. Deborah had gotten on the train, they were blowing the whistle, Deborah was yelling at me to get on and I couldn’t find her, I found her and a man helped me throw my stuff onto the train as it started to move. So I barely made it on the train. So we are in car 5 apparently and need to lug all of our stuff to car 10. So we figure it out and Deborah goes to take some of her stuff to the car, while I wait with the rest of the stuff. While I was waiting for her, a drunk man decides that he wants to talk to me, I got rid of him by telling him that I needed to call a friend, it was just too bad that I couldn’t hear anything on the phone because both of the trains were too loud as we were both on a train at that moment, but the drunk man left so that is all that matters. So I waited for about 30 minutes and Deborah finally returned and we took the rest of our belongings to the car, it was such a long walk and with narrow aisles made it even more interesting, but people were very nice and helped when they could. When we arrived in our car, there were 2 women in there, but they were extremely kind and one spoke English. The one who knew English was actually a Biology teacher in Botosani, which is where Deborah (an environmental volunteer) and my counterpart live. What is interesting however is we all need to make contact while we are here and she said she would be interested in doing projects with either of us. We exchanged contact information and may have just made our first new friend here, which it was such a breech of faith, who would have known that we were going to meet someone that we would instantaneously connect with. I hope to talk with here again and as I figure out my place and my ambitions in Trusesti to utilize the resources and knowledge that she has to make the biggest difference that I can. I am glad we were able to speak in English, because my Romanian was failing me as I was tired, in shock because I almost missed the train, and just overwhelmed from leaving everyone. But I do plan on getting in touch with her again sometime soon, hopefully if Deborah and I get together for lunch or dinner we can invite her and get to know each other better.
So then we arrived at the train station and Deborah and I went our separate ways. Thankfully we both had private rides and did not need to worry about lugging our stuff onto a bus or a maxi taxi. So I got to Trusesti, and went to my directors house for some breakfast, we did not stay there for too long, because then they took me to my new home. Now when I first saw this place on my site visit, I was in shock, I did not understand how anyone would be able to live in it. It was messy, it was under construction it was crazy. When I walked in yesterday, I was floored. It was clean, the walls were painted, the furniture was set up nicely, it was amazing. I am very happy with my new home. So they then left me to unpack a bit, and to clean up and relax a little bit, before we left for a picnic. I was going to say no to the picnic, because over the past 48 hours I maybe got 8 hours of sleep, all of which were not sound sleep, but I thought I should go, I need to get acquainted with my surroundings and I should spend time with some of the people in my town. So around noon we left for what I thought would be a short outing….boy was I wrong.

Since that was really long I left a cliffhanger. I am going to spend the night on the beach tonight with some new friends, so hopefully tomorrow I will continue on with my story!

~Until later
Sarah B.