on the job: the best kind of surprise
This is a story about Edi. He’s one of the beneficiaries at my foundation. Edi is a big guy who walks quickly and with purpose. He smiles beautifully and sometimes I catch him laughing to himself about some secret. But most of the time he looks blank and almost emotionless. He’ll do anything he’s asked, […]
in the community: a sausage anecdote
My colleagues Ciprian and Vasi eat sausages and bread every day for lunch. Well, except for days of their fast. They always offer me some and I politely decline. Today, something Vasi said had me giggling. I don’t remember what, but I thought of how in English we use the phrase “sausage fest” to describe […]
keeping traditions: Valentine’s Day
So the title is a little misleading. I’m not typically one to put much emphasis on Valentine’s Day — it’s overly commercial, too couply and more about gifts than love. But this year in Romania, David and I have been trying to celebrate holidays with a bit more pizazz. As I’ve mentioned, being far from […]
on my mind: love. . .
I printed this out to hang in our apartment this month…. to remind me that this is what it’s all about. Image is a great printable from HoneyBear Lane!
photo: joy
24 January 2011 Radu playing in snow on Ziua Unirea 28 January 2011 Second life of our Christmas Tree Note: We threw our Christmas Tree away late last week and apparently someone found it, liked it, and placed it on an old electrical box on a bloc. I happened to see it today and it […]
on the job: sometimes you feel like a nut. . .
Sometimes you don’t…. And some days I feel like a Peace Corps Volunteers and some days I don’t. I’m counting my blessings because today was a very Peace Corps day. I went to work and on the way, called dear Gretel to vent about something and then later to Tedros who called to check in […]
on the job: the internets and anniversaries
January 24, 2011 was the 20th anniversary of Peace Corps in Romania. In 1991, the Romanian government and the Peace Corps officially signed paperwork to bring Volunteers here. Twenty years later, here we are. . . To celebrate this milestone and the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps worldwide, David and I redesigned Peace Corps Romania’s […]
in the community: animal update — the good news
In the middle of December, one Saturday afternoon, David went out to pick up milk and eggs at the corner store and came back with a kitten — a little ugly black and white kitten covered in gasoline. There wasn’t much to do other than give it a bath, feed it, and try to find […]
in the community: animal update — the bad news
We came back from Istanbul to find a dozen ruffian boys on our bloc steps, talking (and laughing) about the latest happening. Dookie (or Magduta, as I call her) was killed. We don’t know the details as each boy had a different story, but Magduta’s gone to the great countryside in the sky with the […]
