So today I had my first full day of teaching...needless to say it was interesting.
So it started out kind of early. I decided to go into school early so I could concentrate and make sure that I had my lesson plans ready to go and to prepare for my 4th graders tomorrow, and it is also nice to get out of the house. So I sat around and chilled at school, made my plans and made the necessary preparations for school tomorrow. Then it was time to start teaching...
My first few classes were very rough. We didn't really know how to communicate that well and my lesson plans did not go as planned, I had made them way to complicated. So the first 3 I would say were aweful. As time went on they did get better and by the time I got to the last 2 I was on a role. It was interesting though there was some review vocabulary for the first unit and the kids did not know the words at all, so we just spend the whole hour learning the new words...I definitely have my work cut out for me. This time around it was the students who have more difficulty in English, so they were my harder group of students. At the end of the week I will have my better students...but in time we will get there and I can see that I will quickly learn Romanian...I don't have a choice. It is crazy though, when I was in practicum I tought 5th and 6th graders and I didn't have to use a word of Romanian with them. Today when I was with the 8th graders I had a few translaters, but some of them did not know a word in English. It is amazying how diverse they can be and it is going to be a challenge with the mixture of levels of my students.
I was feeling pretty crappy before I started writing in here...but now that I have written it down I am starting to feel much better. I know that in time things are going to improve and I am usually pretty quick about learning how to communicate with people...I don't have a choice. It is just difficult because some people including the students, have a much stronger accent than other people and they are more difficult to understand and it is hard to get them to understand that they need to speak slowly and clearly for me. In time, that is what everyone keeps saying :)
Other than that it was a pretty good day. I had a teacher come up to me and ask me if I could teach English lessons for the adults/other teachers because he wanted to learn. I am totally up for doing this, which I am sure will be a project I attempt to tackle later :) for now I just have to get used to school, at least I have one secondary project in sights then! :) I am probably going to start working on a Halloween project soon as well, so that should be interesting, apparently it was this big thing last year so they all want to repeat it. I am not sure that I can make it as big as they want it to be, but I will try to bring them something great. I think there is already a teacher who wants to work on it with me, so that should be pretty cool :) We shall see I guess. I hope that I can make it fun for them. They already have an idea of what Halloween is, since they had a prior volunteer here. So I think that we can make it fun and hopefully I will be able to take lots of pictures. Oh and if you want, send me any ideas that you can think of, I am open to anything :)
Other than that things are good. I always have lots to keep my busy and lots to procrastinate on as well :) I really am enjoying myself and I am actually looking forward to teaching the really little kids tomorrow...I have a powerpoint presentation and a game for them to play. I actually think the little ones are easier to teach, believe it or not :) So other than that nothing else much is new. I hope that you are all doing well. I love and miss you very much and think of you everyday. Oh and before I forget, Happy Birthday to Laura and Kyle. I hope you both have a great day!
Love always!
~Until later
Sarah B.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
1st week under my belt
So I have offically completed my first week of teaching. It went pretty well to, but I look forward to getting the kids to myself :)
The first day was interesting, there was a big gathering outside in which the priests came and welcomed everyone. That was definitely something different, since in the public schools in America this never would have happened. I didn't really no what they were saying most of the time, because we were all outside, but I got the general idea that they were welcoming them and blessing them to have a successful school year. I didn't really meet any of the kids the first day, but that changed quickly the next day :)
So day two I got to meet the kids, I meet the 3rd and 4th graders. Unfortunatley do to some changes in staffing and whatnot, I will not be teaching the 3rd graders, but it was still nice to meet them. They were all so excited to learn, it is such a breath of fresh air when you have the opportunity to see the kids who are so excited to learn! I didn't really do much the 1st day it was pretty much watching and listening to my counterpart to see where the kids were and whatnot, but it was nice to be in the classroom.
The second and third day was similar,however I was greeted with a bit of a suprise the 2nd day...my counterpart was running late and was not going to be there for the 1st hour. So I was left to go to the 8th grade classroom all by myself on the very 1st day! I had 20 minutes to prepare something, as I had absolutely nothing to do and did not know what to say or anything. Thank goodness it was an 8th grade class and they knew a lot of English...that made it easier :) So we just talked, I introduced myself and tried to learn their names and we had a question and answer session so I could learn a little bit more about them and they could learn a little bit more about me.
So that brings us to the 4th day. I actually was able to do some teaching today which was fabulous. I never thought I would enjoy teaching...but I really do, it is so much fun to work with them. It was difficult with my counterpart there, because I felt like if I made a mistake it would be really bad, but I know it will be better when I am on my own, because then I will have to rely soley on my abilities in Romanian and I will probably learn Romanian as they are learning English. I am really looking forward to it and I hope that it goes well! I think they are going to see a teaching style that they have never seen before and hopefully I can bring a little bit of America to them as they teach me more about Romania :)
So other than that it was not much of an eventful week. I really like to talk to all of the teachers at school and they are all really patient with me in my limited ability in Romanian, so that is nice...but we shall see how it goes and I am sure that I will continue to learn more and more as time goes on. I am just not so used to the lifestyle around here and my American tendancy tend to get in the way. For example people in Romania are not afraid to interupt others and they will start talking while others are in the middle of a conversation. That is very odd to me, and often leads me to be frustrated because I have to concentrate so hard on what I am saying and what other people are saying that it is not easy for me to switch subjects so quickly or to get back on track after I have been interupted. I know they are not trying to be rude...but sometimes it feels like what I am sayig does not matter to them. Oh well I will get used to it I guess. They are really kind to me for the most part and are always concerned about how I am doing. I constantly get asked if I like it in Romania and Trusesti, how school is going, and if I hate to live alone. It is interesting...it seems that the concept of living alone is a strange one....most people here do not like to be alone, I like it from time to time however, it is nice to be able to relax alone after a long day of trying to communicate in a language that is not your native tongue! :)
Well I think that is all for today, I am going to go off and relax some more, but I will try to keep updating and I will let you know how my first day teaching the kids alone goes. I hope you are all doing well and I miss and love you all very much! Always know that I am well and that I am loving this blessed experience. Take care!
~Until later
Sarah B.
The first day was interesting, there was a big gathering outside in which the priests came and welcomed everyone. That was definitely something different, since in the public schools in America this never would have happened. I didn't really no what they were saying most of the time, because we were all outside, but I got the general idea that they were welcoming them and blessing them to have a successful school year. I didn't really meet any of the kids the first day, but that changed quickly the next day :)
So day two I got to meet the kids, I meet the 3rd and 4th graders. Unfortunatley do to some changes in staffing and whatnot, I will not be teaching the 3rd graders, but it was still nice to meet them. They were all so excited to learn, it is such a breath of fresh air when you have the opportunity to see the kids who are so excited to learn! I didn't really do much the 1st day it was pretty much watching and listening to my counterpart to see where the kids were and whatnot, but it was nice to be in the classroom.
The second and third day was similar,however I was greeted with a bit of a suprise the 2nd day...my counterpart was running late and was not going to be there for the 1st hour. So I was left to go to the 8th grade classroom all by myself on the very 1st day! I had 20 minutes to prepare something, as I had absolutely nothing to do and did not know what to say or anything. Thank goodness it was an 8th grade class and they knew a lot of English...that made it easier :) So we just talked, I introduced myself and tried to learn their names and we had a question and answer session so I could learn a little bit more about them and they could learn a little bit more about me.
So that brings us to the 4th day. I actually was able to do some teaching today which was fabulous. I never thought I would enjoy teaching...but I really do, it is so much fun to work with them. It was difficult with my counterpart there, because I felt like if I made a mistake it would be really bad, but I know it will be better when I am on my own, because then I will have to rely soley on my abilities in Romanian and I will probably learn Romanian as they are learning English. I am really looking forward to it and I hope that it goes well! I think they are going to see a teaching style that they have never seen before and hopefully I can bring a little bit of America to them as they teach me more about Romania :)
So other than that it was not much of an eventful week. I really like to talk to all of the teachers at school and they are all really patient with me in my limited ability in Romanian, so that is nice...but we shall see how it goes and I am sure that I will continue to learn more and more as time goes on. I am just not so used to the lifestyle around here and my American tendancy tend to get in the way. For example people in Romania are not afraid to interupt others and they will start talking while others are in the middle of a conversation. That is very odd to me, and often leads me to be frustrated because I have to concentrate so hard on what I am saying and what other people are saying that it is not easy for me to switch subjects so quickly or to get back on track after I have been interupted. I know they are not trying to be rude...but sometimes it feels like what I am sayig does not matter to them. Oh well I will get used to it I guess. They are really kind to me for the most part and are always concerned about how I am doing. I constantly get asked if I like it in Romania and Trusesti, how school is going, and if I hate to live alone. It is interesting...it seems that the concept of living alone is a strange one....most people here do not like to be alone, I like it from time to time however, it is nice to be able to relax alone after a long day of trying to communicate in a language that is not your native tongue! :)
Well I think that is all for today, I am going to go off and relax some more, but I will try to keep updating and I will let you know how my first day teaching the kids alone goes. I hope you are all doing well and I miss and love you all very much! Always know that I am well and that I am loving this blessed experience. Take care!
~Until later
Sarah B.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Cloudy Tuesday
So these past few days have proved to be interesting. This is the week before school actually begins, so I have decided to sit down and start to try to make lesson plans. I don't know if I will actually be using them, as I am team teaching for the first week...but I figure it is good to get into the habit. So yesterday I started...and I am a little rough around the edges, but I know with time and practice it will get easier to make them. They take me quite a bit of time to make, but that is just because I want to think outside of the book. There are so many other cool ways to make a lesson interesting...and who wants to go with just what is in the book, that is just plain boring...I want to show these kids something they have never seen before and introduce a new style of teaching to them. Plus I think they may be expecting it as I am the second volunteer in this site, so they may already be accustomed to the American way of teaching!
While after school I spent some time with my community mentor. I have decided that I truly enjoy her company. She is very nice and very patient with me and we have developed a rather efficient way of communicating with one another. I went over there for lunch at noon and returned home at around 7 in the evening. It was a much longer lunch than I expected...but I didn't want to be rude and eat and leave, plus it was good practice for Romanian, as we had no choice but to speak in Romanian! Let me tell you after 6 hours of Romanian, my brain was exhausted!
While I was there I actually tried brain! It wasn't actually that bad...once I got over the fact that I was eating brain. It was in a pate form, so it was like a meat spread that was served on bread. It just tasted like any other meat. I don't know if I will opt to eat it again...but I can't say that I have never eaten brain now! I have also tried liver since being here, it is also in a pate form, and I actually really like it. It is something different, and it is cheaper and more healthy than buying meat from the store. So that is one way that I get my protein :)
So after that I returned home to chill and prepare for the next day. Today I had every intention of making some more lessons at school...but since it was a bit of a holiday...that didn't happen. Today is Saint Marian day. In Romania, everybody has 2 days to celebrate. One is of course your birthday and the second is your name day. Well today was the name day for anybody associated with the name Maria, so Marie, Mary, Mariana, Marian, etc., it is the name day for all of those folks...so since my middle name is Marie...it was my name day as well. So anyway, back to the story, they had a bit of a celebration. They brought in a ton of food, tuica, wine, and other non-alcoholic beverages were served and everybody gathered in the teachers lounge to talk and eat. I didn't understand half of what they were talking about, because many people were talking at the same time and everybody was talking loudly, but I stayed and they tried to include me when they could, which was nice :)
So then I returned home, and chilled out for the afternoon. It was cloudy and chilly today, if I had hot chocolate I am pretty sure I would have made it and curled up with a good book :) Or if I had eggs I would have made cookies. That is another interesting thing about my village, there generally is not eggs in the store. I think that I am going to be getting them from a private party, at least I think that is what I discussed with my community mentor...if she brings any eggs to me in the next week I think I will have my answer! I hope so...because I want to make more goodies for people...but it is difficult to do so without eggs. That is one thing that I do miss about the states. Is the constant access to anything that I could possibly want. If I wanted to buy something to cook Tacos, or Chinese food, I could go to just about any supermarket and get what I needed. I do not have that option here. The choices are much more limited in Trusesti, but I do make due with what I have and I am definitely not starving, but I do appreciate the option of choice a lot more now. Even for something as simple as eggs or milk (which is often spoiled is purchased from a store!).
Well that is all for now. I hope you are all doing well, and again if you would like my address please let me know and I will get it to you. Love and miss you bunches!!
~Until later
Sarah B.
While after school I spent some time with my community mentor. I have decided that I truly enjoy her company. She is very nice and very patient with me and we have developed a rather efficient way of communicating with one another. I went over there for lunch at noon and returned home at around 7 in the evening. It was a much longer lunch than I expected...but I didn't want to be rude and eat and leave, plus it was good practice for Romanian, as we had no choice but to speak in Romanian! Let me tell you after 6 hours of Romanian, my brain was exhausted!
While I was there I actually tried brain! It wasn't actually that bad...once I got over the fact that I was eating brain. It was in a pate form, so it was like a meat spread that was served on bread. It just tasted like any other meat. I don't know if I will opt to eat it again...but I can't say that I have never eaten brain now! I have also tried liver since being here, it is also in a pate form, and I actually really like it. It is something different, and it is cheaper and more healthy than buying meat from the store. So that is one way that I get my protein :)
So after that I returned home to chill and prepare for the next day. Today I had every intention of making some more lessons at school...but since it was a bit of a holiday...that didn't happen. Today is Saint Marian day. In Romania, everybody has 2 days to celebrate. One is of course your birthday and the second is your name day. Well today was the name day for anybody associated with the name Maria, so Marie, Mary, Mariana, Marian, etc., it is the name day for all of those folks...so since my middle name is Marie...it was my name day as well. So anyway, back to the story, they had a bit of a celebration. They brought in a ton of food, tuica, wine, and other non-alcoholic beverages were served and everybody gathered in the teachers lounge to talk and eat. I didn't understand half of what they were talking about, because many people were talking at the same time and everybody was talking loudly, but I stayed and they tried to include me when they could, which was nice :)
So then I returned home, and chilled out for the afternoon. It was cloudy and chilly today, if I had hot chocolate I am pretty sure I would have made it and curled up with a good book :) Or if I had eggs I would have made cookies. That is another interesting thing about my village, there generally is not eggs in the store. I think that I am going to be getting them from a private party, at least I think that is what I discussed with my community mentor...if she brings any eggs to me in the next week I think I will have my answer! I hope so...because I want to make more goodies for people...but it is difficult to do so without eggs. That is one thing that I do miss about the states. Is the constant access to anything that I could possibly want. If I wanted to buy something to cook Tacos, or Chinese food, I could go to just about any supermarket and get what I needed. I do not have that option here. The choices are much more limited in Trusesti, but I do make due with what I have and I am definitely not starving, but I do appreciate the option of choice a lot more now. Even for something as simple as eggs or milk (which is often spoiled is purchased from a store!).
Well that is all for now. I hope you are all doing well, and again if you would like my address please let me know and I will get it to you. Love and miss you bunches!!
~Until later
Sarah B.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Lazy Sunday
So it is a custom in Romania, that Sundays are the day of rest...so I am taking advantage of this and just taking a day to chill out. Next week I am going to start to try to plan some lessons...since it is a bit boring to go straight from the book! I want to keep these kids entertained and wanting to learn!
So let's see what happened this week. So as of my last post, I had my first day under my belt. Well now I have my first week under my belt. I didn't really do a whole lot this week, a lot of the time was spent sitting around in the teachers lounge...trying to understand what the other teachers were saying! That was difficult, but I have started to understand a little bit more, especially when they talk slowly, clearly, and simply. I have a saying now "In limba romana, am cinci ani" Which means "In romanian, I am 5 years old" so I can understand what a 5 year old understands :) They generally think that it is pretty funny when I say this, but most are really understanding and want me to understand, so they talk nice and slowly for me :)
So let's see, on Tuesday I was able to meet with my community mentor. Her name is Gheorgeta and she is very nice. We went to the market, and had lunch together, we even had the chance to talk for a while, and as normal for the great people of Romania, she was very patient with me. The rest of the week was pretty quite, just went to school and then returned home. On Friday I went to the piata (something similar to a flee market), and it was interesting...to say the least. These things have everything that you could ever imagine. Ranging from car parts, towels, and kitchen ware to live pigs. Yes that is right, I said live pigs. I was walking around, wondering what that noise was I was hearing and where it was coming from, when I saw a woman carrying a pig, pretty sure that that is going to be the Easter pig, if not for this year, for next year! Poor thing...
So I originally went to the piata to find a pan, I wanted to make some sweets for my neighbors. I did not find one there, but I did find one at another store, after I ran into another teacher from town, who showed me where I could buy one :) Then I went to the market into the center of town to buy my fresh vegetables. Oh yes, I can get fresh vegetables every day for extremely cheap. I can usually get a 2 or 3 days supply of fresh, organic vegetables for 5 lei, which is the equivalent of about $1.60! I love it! There is a lady there that likes to laugh at me because I will buy like 3 tomoatoes and an eggplant, and maybe some carrots. I tell her I don't need much because I live alone. She just giggles, it is fun though :) So that brought me to the end of my shopping trip, because my bags were heavy and I needed to go home.
It was a hot day, so I didn't want to bake quite yet, so I decided to go and try to find my director. Which I did, by asking where she was. I tried to go to her house...but her evil dog was guarding the door. Let's just say that dog knows I am terrified of it...he already almost bit me once. He is a very peculiar dog, he is fine inside, but if he is outside the door, he is not friendly. Well he barked at me and tried to chace me so a neighbor helped me out...but my director wasn't home. So I found her at the school instead. So we talked for a while, not for long since my Romanian is very limited, but she is very patient with me as well. I actually ran into her son while we were there and he invited me to his Dad's house to make tuica (plum brandy). Unfortunately we didn't get to make the brandy...which was a bummer because I really want to see how it is made, but I did go home with a lot of fresh organic fruit! So no tuica making on Friday...so I decided it would be a good night to bake brownies!
It was so fun to bake and it was the first time that I have made brownies completely from scratch! Oh no, you cannot buy box mixes for brownies here, and actually I think these brownies turned out better than any brownies I have ever made before...and I had tons of limitations. First off...no measuring cups...so I had to guestimate, and second, no temperature gauge on the oven! Oh no, here you can't just push a button to make your oven 400 degrees, you have to monitor your things very closely and guess what shou.d be the right temperature. I found that it is always better to go lower and cook for longer...and it was a success. So I made these brownies because I wanted to try and meet my neighbors...but they weren't home on Saturday...oh well just have to try again on Sunday (which I did) :)
That brings us to Saturday. I recieved a lovely call from Gheorghetta, an invitation for lunch :) As per call we as PCV's never turn down an invitation (which was not difficult, because Gheorghetta is awesome!) so I went to her house for lunch. The ciorba (soup) here is amazing, they make this really great ciorba radutianne (I don't know what that translates to) but it is basically a cream based soup with chicken and carrots and whatever other vegetables that you like. It is really good, that is all that I have to say. I even ate mamaliga yesterday to, which with other food such as cheese or eggs is not so bad. I am sure I will resort to eating it in the winter when I can't buy much else, or am running low on money :) So anyway, I had a lovely afternoon with Gherghetta and her family, her husband and daughter were in from Botosani, and her daughter spoke a lot of English, though I tried my hardest to speak in Romanian, and she would help me as much as she could. I also really liked it that instead of instantly translating for me, she would tell her parents to speak slowly and clearly to me, that I could understand! I really like that she gave me a chance. So after that I went with Ioana (Gheorghettas daughter) to her boyfriend's parent's house in a neighboring village. His parents are in the process of building a house out there, and it is absolutely beautiful! They have a bunch of land as well with dogs, chickens, ducks, and even a few turkeys! Maybe I will be able to buy a turkey from someone for a Thanksgiving dinner! We shall see. So I had more of a chance to speak in Romanian, and htey were all super nice. His mom was hilarious, so it was fun. If her son would go off speaking Romanian very fast and complex, which he would then ask if I understood...of course the answer was no, she would say "She understood like 2 words" then provide examples and tell him to slow down. It was so funny!
So that was my Saturday, day. When I got home that evening I got to Skype with Lizz!!! I miss my Lizz, it was so good to see her! I love Skype, P.S. if you want to see me and talk to me live for free download it and let me know and we will figure something out :) After that, I relaxed a little bit more, and then went to the Discoteca or dance club. Oh my word, that is all that I have to say. There were so many people crowded in there that you couldn't even move! I have never seen anything like it before. Such an interesting experience and it was so hot in there that when I came back in after being outside...my glasses fogged up! As we all know I am not much of a dancer, but that really didn't matter, because I couldn't move anyway...lol.
So that brings us to Sunday, the day of rest and relaxation. I met one of my neighbors today...though she couldn't talk because she was visiting with her husband who is only home on the weekends. It is rather common here that people will work in other cities and only return home on the weekends, because there just aren't the jobs in the villages and it is too expensive to live in the cities. So, it was okay that she didn't have time to talk, I was just so nervous about even introducing myself. She really seemed to like the idea that I brought her some sweets though, so I hope that she thinks they are tasty! I am bringing a little bit of American culture wherever I go :) So now that I have given you all a book to read...I am going to return to my lazy Sunday. I hope you all are doing well, I think of you everyday and miss you all. Know though, that I am very happy to be in the PC and to have this wonderful experience. I love you all! Take care!
~Until later
Sarah B.
So let's see what happened this week. So as of my last post, I had my first day under my belt. Well now I have my first week under my belt. I didn't really do a whole lot this week, a lot of the time was spent sitting around in the teachers lounge...trying to understand what the other teachers were saying! That was difficult, but I have started to understand a little bit more, especially when they talk slowly, clearly, and simply. I have a saying now "In limba romana, am cinci ani" Which means "In romanian, I am 5 years old" so I can understand what a 5 year old understands :) They generally think that it is pretty funny when I say this, but most are really understanding and want me to understand, so they talk nice and slowly for me :)
So let's see, on Tuesday I was able to meet with my community mentor. Her name is Gheorgeta and she is very nice. We went to the market, and had lunch together, we even had the chance to talk for a while, and as normal for the great people of Romania, she was very patient with me. The rest of the week was pretty quite, just went to school and then returned home. On Friday I went to the piata (something similar to a flee market), and it was interesting...to say the least. These things have everything that you could ever imagine. Ranging from car parts, towels, and kitchen ware to live pigs. Yes that is right, I said live pigs. I was walking around, wondering what that noise was I was hearing and where it was coming from, when I saw a woman carrying a pig, pretty sure that that is going to be the Easter pig, if not for this year, for next year! Poor thing...
So I originally went to the piata to find a pan, I wanted to make some sweets for my neighbors. I did not find one there, but I did find one at another store, after I ran into another teacher from town, who showed me where I could buy one :) Then I went to the market into the center of town to buy my fresh vegetables. Oh yes, I can get fresh vegetables every day for extremely cheap. I can usually get a 2 or 3 days supply of fresh, organic vegetables for 5 lei, which is the equivalent of about $1.60! I love it! There is a lady there that likes to laugh at me because I will buy like 3 tomoatoes and an eggplant, and maybe some carrots. I tell her I don't need much because I live alone. She just giggles, it is fun though :) So that brought me to the end of my shopping trip, because my bags were heavy and I needed to go home.
It was a hot day, so I didn't want to bake quite yet, so I decided to go and try to find my director. Which I did, by asking where she was. I tried to go to her house...but her evil dog was guarding the door. Let's just say that dog knows I am terrified of it...he already almost bit me once. He is a very peculiar dog, he is fine inside, but if he is outside the door, he is not friendly. Well he barked at me and tried to chace me so a neighbor helped me out...but my director wasn't home. So I found her at the school instead. So we talked for a while, not for long since my Romanian is very limited, but she is very patient with me as well. I actually ran into her son while we were there and he invited me to his Dad's house to make tuica (plum brandy). Unfortunately we didn't get to make the brandy...which was a bummer because I really want to see how it is made, but I did go home with a lot of fresh organic fruit! So no tuica making on Friday...so I decided it would be a good night to bake brownies!
It was so fun to bake and it was the first time that I have made brownies completely from scratch! Oh no, you cannot buy box mixes for brownies here, and actually I think these brownies turned out better than any brownies I have ever made before...and I had tons of limitations. First off...no measuring cups...so I had to guestimate, and second, no temperature gauge on the oven! Oh no, here you can't just push a button to make your oven 400 degrees, you have to monitor your things very closely and guess what shou.d be the right temperature. I found that it is always better to go lower and cook for longer...and it was a success. So I made these brownies because I wanted to try and meet my neighbors...but they weren't home on Saturday...oh well just have to try again on Sunday (which I did) :)
That brings us to Saturday. I recieved a lovely call from Gheorghetta, an invitation for lunch :) As per call we as PCV's never turn down an invitation (which was not difficult, because Gheorghetta is awesome!) so I went to her house for lunch. The ciorba (soup) here is amazing, they make this really great ciorba radutianne (I don't know what that translates to) but it is basically a cream based soup with chicken and carrots and whatever other vegetables that you like. It is really good, that is all that I have to say. I even ate mamaliga yesterday to, which with other food such as cheese or eggs is not so bad. I am sure I will resort to eating it in the winter when I can't buy much else, or am running low on money :) So anyway, I had a lovely afternoon with Gherghetta and her family, her husband and daughter were in from Botosani, and her daughter spoke a lot of English, though I tried my hardest to speak in Romanian, and she would help me as much as she could. I also really liked it that instead of instantly translating for me, she would tell her parents to speak slowly and clearly to me, that I could understand! I really like that she gave me a chance. So after that I went with Ioana (Gheorghettas daughter) to her boyfriend's parent's house in a neighboring village. His parents are in the process of building a house out there, and it is absolutely beautiful! They have a bunch of land as well with dogs, chickens, ducks, and even a few turkeys! Maybe I will be able to buy a turkey from someone for a Thanksgiving dinner! We shall see. So I had more of a chance to speak in Romanian, and htey were all super nice. His mom was hilarious, so it was fun. If her son would go off speaking Romanian very fast and complex, which he would then ask if I understood...of course the answer was no, she would say "She understood like 2 words" then provide examples and tell him to slow down. It was so funny!
So that was my Saturday, day. When I got home that evening I got to Skype with Lizz!!! I miss my Lizz, it was so good to see her! I love Skype, P.S. if you want to see me and talk to me live for free download it and let me know and we will figure something out :) After that, I relaxed a little bit more, and then went to the Discoteca or dance club. Oh my word, that is all that I have to say. There were so many people crowded in there that you couldn't even move! I have never seen anything like it before. Such an interesting experience and it was so hot in there that when I came back in after being outside...my glasses fogged up! As we all know I am not much of a dancer, but that really didn't matter, because I couldn't move anyway...lol.
So that brings us to Sunday, the day of rest and relaxation. I met one of my neighbors today...though she couldn't talk because she was visiting with her husband who is only home on the weekends. It is rather common here that people will work in other cities and only return home on the weekends, because there just aren't the jobs in the villages and it is too expensive to live in the cities. So, it was okay that she didn't have time to talk, I was just so nervous about even introducing myself. She really seemed to like the idea that I brought her some sweets though, so I hope that she thinks they are tasty! I am bringing a little bit of American culture wherever I go :) So now that I have given you all a book to read...I am going to return to my lazy Sunday. I hope you all are doing well, I think of you everyday and miss you all. Know though, that I am very happy to be in the PC and to have this wonderful experience. I love you all! Take care!
~Until later
Sarah B.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
First Day for Teachers...Under my Belt
So I know it has been a few days since I have posted...but my last ones were so long, I am sure you all needed a bit of a break...as did I, my fingers were tired from all the typing! So.....since I last posted I took a couple of trips into Botosani, which is where my counterpart. My counterpart (Mona) is the English teacher at my school and she will be watching over and guiding me in my next two years hear in Trusesti. I was able to spend some time with her and get to know her a little bit and see her town, which was nice. On my way home I had a bit of an interesting experience. I forgot to pay when I first got on the bus (I paid when I got off, no worries) because I wasn't sure exatcly how this particular bus worked. So when I was going to my seat a man started to talk to me...I thought maybe he was the man who took the money...but then realized he wasn't. I am sure that he was harmless...but he didn't have any teeth, and it is hard enough for me to understand the Romanian in this part of Romania with the accent...but at no teeth onto that and it becomes even harder! I can hardly understand when people speak English with no teeth much less Romanian! It was funny though, because the lady in front of him told him to leave me alone...so that was interesting.
So I returned home for a day or so...and then made my way to Botosani again, for a Beer Festival. I didn't actually spend much time there, I just hung out with some other volunteers in Botosani, which was nice. When I was at the festival however it was absolutely crazy! There were people everywhere, tons of food, tons of beer, live music and rides. If we could have managed to walk in a straight line without having to weave in and out of people I am sure we would have stayed for longer and looked around more, but it was super crowded. I am sure I will go again next year though, and I will know more Romanian then...so it shouldn't be as difficult. Also when I was in Botosani I was able to hang out with one of the other volunteers from my group...it was good to spend the day with her. However, the best part of my trip there was making tacos! Yes, that's right...I said TACOS! A volunteer from group 25 is there (actually there are 2 from group 25) and she had some seasoning packets for tacos, I got to cook, made homemade tortillas and some great tacos...it was so good! Maybe the best meal I have had since I was hear in Romania...just because it was nice to have American food again. Well actually Mexican food...but very popular food in America :)
So then I returned home for a day of relaxation before I had to begin going to school. My first day, yesterday, was kind of tough. It was hard for me to understand anything...I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do, and it was generally a bit negative yesterday. The two schools in my town (The high school and the elementary/general school) are combining, so this means that some people will be out of a job, mainly a director. So I am not sure who my director is going to be yet...since they haven't made a decision as of yet. So there was a lot of stress with that, and apparently there is going to be a meeting during the 1st 10 days of class so the teachers will lose out on 10 days of pay...more to add to the stress. I also felt really nervous since my Romanian is not that good yet, so I was scared to speak. So I just felt a little low yesterday, today however was much better!
I went to school again, even though I did not have to, I wanted to get myself out there. I am glad that I did, because I met my community mentor today. She is the woman who is going to help me out in town, show me around town, answer any questions I may have, just be a general help to me. She is super nice as well, so I was able to practice my Romanian with her today. I even helped her set up her classroom, which was fun. Then after school, we went to the market and I went to her house for lunch and we chatted some more. I still have a long way to go in terms of the language...but with practice I will get it and she was very patient with me...which was nice :)
After that I came home to study a little bit, catch up on some e-mails, talk with some other volunteers, and relax. Now I am here writing my update.
So I always talk about what I do everyday, and I try to include how I am feeling. Generally I am feel pretty good here, some days are more dificult than others, but you find that everywhere. The people in Romania are generally very kind and hospitable. I am enjoying my time here very much. I have learned a lot already without even realizing it. For example, we are very luck to have stoves which we don't have to light with a match, they light themselves. We are also very lucky to have water that runs all the time. I don't have running water during the day here, and while I have learned to live with it, and it is fine, we are still lucky to not have to worry about it. I know that we also complain about the gas prices a lot, but we are very fortunate to be able to have cars of our own, and though it may cost a lot of money to keep our cars, we always find a way. Here many people have to get around with the use of carts and horses...not because of their lifestyle choice...that just is the way that it is. I am not complaining about anything, in terms of the PC lifestyle...I am extremely fortunate. I never thought that I would be sitting in my apartament, with electricity, updating my blog on the Internet. I always imagined myself in a hut in the middle of Africa, fighting off bugs and maybe other creatures. Just goes to show you how different life can be. No matter where life takes you, we always need to remember to count our blessings, we will always be watched over and we need to be thankful for what we do have...not always wishing for what we could have. I know I am thankful for everything that I have had, and for what I have now...I am truely blest...always :)
Well as for my adventures...that is all for now....hopefully I will have some more to post soon, but we shall see. Oh and I have an address now, so if you would like it please let me know and I will get that right to you :) I love and miss you all. You all are in my thoughts and prayers, and please keep me in yours :)
~Until later
Sarah B.
So I returned home for a day or so...and then made my way to Botosani again, for a Beer Festival. I didn't actually spend much time there, I just hung out with some other volunteers in Botosani, which was nice. When I was at the festival however it was absolutely crazy! There were people everywhere, tons of food, tons of beer, live music and rides. If we could have managed to walk in a straight line without having to weave in and out of people I am sure we would have stayed for longer and looked around more, but it was super crowded. I am sure I will go again next year though, and I will know more Romanian then...so it shouldn't be as difficult. Also when I was in Botosani I was able to hang out with one of the other volunteers from my group...it was good to spend the day with her. However, the best part of my trip there was making tacos! Yes, that's right...I said TACOS! A volunteer from group 25 is there (actually there are 2 from group 25) and she had some seasoning packets for tacos, I got to cook, made homemade tortillas and some great tacos...it was so good! Maybe the best meal I have had since I was hear in Romania...just because it was nice to have American food again. Well actually Mexican food...but very popular food in America :)
So then I returned home for a day of relaxation before I had to begin going to school. My first day, yesterday, was kind of tough. It was hard for me to understand anything...I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do, and it was generally a bit negative yesterday. The two schools in my town (The high school and the elementary/general school) are combining, so this means that some people will be out of a job, mainly a director. So I am not sure who my director is going to be yet...since they haven't made a decision as of yet. So there was a lot of stress with that, and apparently there is going to be a meeting during the 1st 10 days of class so the teachers will lose out on 10 days of pay...more to add to the stress. I also felt really nervous since my Romanian is not that good yet, so I was scared to speak. So I just felt a little low yesterday, today however was much better!
I went to school again, even though I did not have to, I wanted to get myself out there. I am glad that I did, because I met my community mentor today. She is the woman who is going to help me out in town, show me around town, answer any questions I may have, just be a general help to me. She is super nice as well, so I was able to practice my Romanian with her today. I even helped her set up her classroom, which was fun. Then after school, we went to the market and I went to her house for lunch and we chatted some more. I still have a long way to go in terms of the language...but with practice I will get it and she was very patient with me...which was nice :)
After that I came home to study a little bit, catch up on some e-mails, talk with some other volunteers, and relax. Now I am here writing my update.
So I always talk about what I do everyday, and I try to include how I am feeling. Generally I am feel pretty good here, some days are more dificult than others, but you find that everywhere. The people in Romania are generally very kind and hospitable. I am enjoying my time here very much. I have learned a lot already without even realizing it. For example, we are very luck to have stoves which we don't have to light with a match, they light themselves. We are also very lucky to have water that runs all the time. I don't have running water during the day here, and while I have learned to live with it, and it is fine, we are still lucky to not have to worry about it. I know that we also complain about the gas prices a lot, but we are very fortunate to be able to have cars of our own, and though it may cost a lot of money to keep our cars, we always find a way. Here many people have to get around with the use of carts and horses...not because of their lifestyle choice...that just is the way that it is. I am not complaining about anything, in terms of the PC lifestyle...I am extremely fortunate. I never thought that I would be sitting in my apartament, with electricity, updating my blog on the Internet. I always imagined myself in a hut in the middle of Africa, fighting off bugs and maybe other creatures. Just goes to show you how different life can be. No matter where life takes you, we always need to remember to count our blessings, we will always be watched over and we need to be thankful for what we do have...not always wishing for what we could have. I know I am thankful for everything that I have had, and for what I have now...I am truely blest...always :)
Well as for my adventures...that is all for now....hopefully I will have some more to post soon, but we shall see. Oh and I have an address now, so if you would like it please let me know and I will get that right to you :) I love and miss you all. You all are in my thoughts and prayers, and please keep me in yours :)
~Until later
Sarah B.
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