on the road: Erik’s here
Just a quick note to placate my dearest mom who noted I haven’t updated the blog in a few weeks….. I just saw my brother in Romania! Woot! He’s been here for a week or so, helping out a few volunteers on the ‘westside.’ We’ve rendez-vous-ed here in Predeal as it’s in the middle of […]
on the job: the rollercoaster
This is a graph of the rollercoaster I’m on, according to Peace Corps research. We’re getting close to month 6 at which point, we should start feeling more adjusted to life here. Like we have integrated. Like we know what we’re doing. The integration part, I’m feeling good about. Language acquisition is bopping along just […]
in the kitchen: Our first Romanian Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is important to me. My family doesn’t have any real iron-clad traditions surrounding the day, but we do have family recipes that we pull out for the occasion. And I have great memories of being in the kitchen with my grandparents, my mom, my family pulling together a Herbert family feast. Being so far […]
blast from the past: an anniversary of sorts
Over four years ago, I did something completely unlike myself — I got a short sassy haircut, decided I was date-able, and signed up for a match.com account. I was inspired by my hairdresser (a beautifully curvy gal). She was raving about this guy she had met on match.com. So I plunged in. There were […]
in the news: music and communism
With this year marking the 20th anniversary of both the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Revolution in Romania, all of you stateside are more likely to hear stories about Romania. Here’s an article from the New York Times about musicians from Eastern Europe. Definitely worth a read and if you happen to be […]
on the job: momentarily looking “sus”
Three weeks ago was a good week at my organization: I was busy, I felt useful, I did some administrative stuff (read translating), but I spent a good bit of time with the beneficiaries, there was planning and spontaneity. I can’t say that anyone other than me noticed any of this, but I’m calling it […]
in the kitchen: my mom’s granola
Veronica’s Mom’s Granola (granola mamei Veronicai) DRY INGREDIENTS 3 cups uncooked old fashioned oatmeal (fulgi de ovaz); not quick cooking! 1 cup untoasted wheat germ (t?râ?e de grâu is wheat bran; haven’t found wheat germ in Romania) 1 cup unsweetened coconut (nuc? de cocos) (optional, if omitted, add 1 additional cup of oatmeal) 2 Tbsp. […]
in the news: Biden and PCRO
Just a quick shout-out… Joe Biden was here in Romania… and met with PC colleagues. Word. http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.media.press.view&news_id=1497 text AND picture!
in the kitchen: happenings
So a few updates on happenings in our Romanian Kitchen… Apple Butter: I tried this recipe with mixed results. Of course, I didn’t have frozen apple concentrate or apple brandy, so I substituted apple juice. It ended up soupier than we wanted, but that became a mixed blessing. After putting it through a strainer, we […]
