2 weeks in one post

Oh my am I ever late on my post. I was going to try and post in the middle of the week, but I forgot...so then it became closer and closer to the weekend...so I decided to just wait until Sunday. I didn't forget to post last week Sunday, I was actually out of town. Not to much happened last week anyway, so that post would have been uninteresting anyway :)

So this past weekend I was out of town. As I mentioned in my earlier posts I am a member of peer support. Peer support is an organization in which individuals within the Peace Corps can call to talk about problems, minor or major, without having to go directly to the Peace Corps themselves. So we are the middle ground sometimes, and sometimes people just need to have someone to talk to, so that is what we are there for! :) So we had a little meeting/get together, just basically a fun weekend to hang out and chill together. It was a long trip...11 hours by bus, but it was good. For the most part, I lucked out in terms of transportation. I was lucky enough to find an early bus to Brasov, which was about 2 hours from Sibiu. The really nice thing was there was hardly anyone on the bus the whole time, so I was able to just chill out and relax without having any strange individuals attempt to chat with me. While I don't mind talking with new people...sometimes it gets a little overwhelming. So then I get to Brasov and at the exact bus station that I am dropped off in there is a bus going to Sibiu in a half hour! Luck was on my side, as I was super tired already from the traveling, not having to search for another bus was nice...but there was a small delay along the way. We unfortunatley got stuck behind an accident. We were only delayed for about a half hour, but I was worried it was going to be longer and I had already been on the road for 10 hours so I really wanted to be at my destination. While we finally got going, and I made it to Sibiu safe and sound. It was really nice just to chill out and be with some Peace Corps people again. Sometimes I am just craving to speak in English as it is super difficult and challenging to speak in Romanian...though it is slowly improving. So as for the weekend it was just basically a weekend of relaxation and hanging out with friends...which was nice. And we had the occasional drink...or more. The volunteer we stayed with in Sibiu actually gives historical tours of the city, so we got out own private tour...which was really cool. Sibiu is very beautiful and has an absolutley amazing church in the center of town. We even climbed up the tour, about 180 stairs...just when we thought we were to the top....we realized that we were only halfway up! However the view from the top was worth it in the end. You could see the whole city and the beautiful mountains in the background. It was absolutely fantastic, words can actually not describe the beauty. I was actually super happy that we had the peer support party in Sibiu because it is near the mountains, the mountains of Romania are beautiful and sometime I hope to go climb in them....or at least attempt to :) So after the church we continued to walk around and continued to enjoy the natural beauty of the city. I hope to be able to go back there again because it is absolutely fabulous and I hope to explore it more in the future. Oh and I almost forgot we got some free entertainment while we were there. Zach (the volunteer that we went to visit) has an interesting man outside of his apartment. There is a drunk man that tends to go binges and then walks up and down the streets yelling, talking, singing, harassing people...but it was quite entertaining to watch him. I guess he has yelled at people, interrupted kids soccer games, he asked us for batteries, and I think he may have given flowers to someone, oh and he serenaded my friend Justin while we were walking back to the apartment...it was extremely entertaining and another interesting Romanian experience.
So then I had to take my trip home...a night bus that went straight from Sibiu to Botosani! Again luck was in my favor! Yes! So I just had to stay on the bus until it stopped, I love it when things work out that way. Then we even arrived in Botosani 45 minutes early! So I walked over to the bus station and what do you know a bus that is going through my town! Yay more luck, and it left about 5 minutes after I got there! Yay again! Luck was on my side, I got home around 6 and was able to take a nice nap before class so I wasn't to extremely tired, which was nice. Actually for the first time while I was in Botosani walking the 100 yards to the bus station, someone offered me a car (a cheap car). I found that odd, but it was interesting because I had just talked to my parents about a show they had watched featuring Romania (I think it was Anthony Bordain's: No Reservations) and my dad said that they had bought a car from somebody. I had never seen this before and didn't think it was very common....but then someone offered me a car. I don't think even if I could drive in Romania I would make the decision to drive here...everyone drives so fast it scares the crap out of me!
So thus started the week, my Monday was pretty good....but I did have a run-in with one of my students. However it ended well. So I had to boys in one of my 6th grade classes that were fighting the whole time. So continually I told them to stop and it did not work, they continued to argue and disrupt class. I think a lot of the kids are used to this...but I am not and I find it very difficult to concentrate when kids are talking, especially since it is in a different language. So finally I said, "What is the problem," and they said something that I didn't understand...but it was to the effect that one boy said something that was not nice...essentially making fun of the other boy. So then I asked them if they had respect for me and the rest of their class...and they continued on fighting. So finally I brought out my grade book. I give my kids a grade for everyday, if they try hard and participate, they get a good grade like an 8,9, or 10. However if they don't participate, and if they don't try, and if they are disruptive...they get grades like 3, 4, 5. So I pulled it out and asked them what grade they thought they deserved. Having them say a low grade was difficult for them...and actually one of the boys came up after and apologized for his behavior. I said that if he has problems in the future to come talk to me or Mona, and if we can't solve it before class, to leave the problems outside of the classroom and we will figure it out later. I know he is a good kid, and I am pretty sure that he was being egged on...but they were both being disruptive so I hope in the future that they are better...and just the fact that the one apologized was a huge step in the right direction.
Let's see other than that not to much has been going on. I am trying to get back in the habbit of exercise again so I walked about 2 miles today and yesterday...so let's hope I can keep it up. I just needed to get out of the house and wanted to feel healthier and get some fresh air and it was worth it....so now I just need to find the energy to continue it because it is so much better for me and I know that I will be able to concentrate so much better if I maintain the exercise...so we shall see! I do like to be healthy and I have not been so great about that lately...I haven't gained weight...but I haven't been eating as healthy as I should be yet...so give it time and I will get better with it :) I do like to be healthy though it is great!
Well I think that is about it, I will post next weekend...I will be going to a Thanksgiving dinner with some other volunteers so that should be nice :) I am looking forward to seeing some friends again and spending some quality volunteer time with some good ole American food!
I hope everyone is healthy and happy! I miss you all everday! Take care!

Mai vorbim!
Te iubesc!
~Pana mai tarziu
Sarah B.