A Walk through Bucharest

As my time in Bucharest quickly diminishes, I've realized I need to document some of the sights. Here are some photos I took while strolling today!

Changes

"I'm a bit nervous you are coming home a different person." This was a sentence taken from an email one of my closest friends recently sent me. Although only a few words, it made me step back and reflect....

Am I a different person???? Well, I suppose the answer is yes and no!

Yes-
I've had to cut the apron strings a bit, or at least one of them, to strike out in an new country. Don't get me wrong, I still need a weekly dose of parental guidance and affection!

I no longer fear traveling in any capacity. Once you've bribed officials, legally crossing a border seems like small potatoes!

I've learned a new school curriculum, KINDA!! There hasn't been a large amount of training or guidance, but it's stretched me!

I eat more fruit and veggies than before (Who would have thought I'd like zucchini or cauliflower/broccoli casserole???)

I've been a minority.

I've witnessed and been somewhat emerged into a new culture; liking some aspects of it and finding other parts less than appealing.

I crave the adrenaline of traveling a bit more. I can see how it is addictive and do worry I will feel a bit deprived when I come home.

I listen to different types of music, including European techno.

I spell some words differently. Darn that British influence :-)

No-
I still love to bake! Sugar....one of my favorite things.

I miss all of my close friends and family~some things never change.

I prefer my small town setting to the large city.

I love the mountains and having accessibility to them.

I still believe in God, probably more so now.

I hold onto my family values, including marriage, drinking, etc. with a bit of a stronger grasp.

I appear American in my style, sporting sweatshirts, jeans, baseball caps and sandals on occasion.

These were just a few my thoughts, off the cuff. In any capacity, we change regardless of our setting. We adapt and react to what happens to us. This blog entry is a bit more philosophical than usual, but I thought I would just throw it out there................

A Journey to Remember

I've had my last big adventure and oh what an adventure it was! In the British system we have the luxury of a two week holiday in the spring. Naturally I decided to take full advantage of this time off. My friend Karine, the French teacher at our school, is moving to the middle east next year. In order to do so, she needed to take home some important items including rabbits. So, we rented a car and headed across Europe to her home in France.

Our journey there took 30 hours of straight driving and took us through Budapest, Hungary; Vienna, Austria; Munich, Germany and finally into France. We didn't make many stops on this portion of the trip because of our loaded car. We did take the time to go into Vienna and see the grand buildings of the city.

After 17 hours, nourishment was needed!

Upon arriving in France we visited a large amount of people and places. Our first stop was Reims, France, a region where authentic champagne is made. While there we went on a champagne house tour, visited a 1000 year old Basilica and Catherdral which is actually taller than Notre Dame. We then headed South to Karine's hometown which is a small village near Le Mans. It was here than I experienced true French lifestyle including eating two large meals a day complete with apperatif sessions and dessert. In her village there were approximately 800 people and one out of two people all have their own wine cellars! It was during this time that I actually learned a little bit of French as her parents only speak French. After spending a week of eating, shopping and bonding with friends, we began our return journey.

Our roadtrip continued from France to Switzerland, down to Italy, following the coast through Slovenia and down Croatia. We then cut across Bosnia, Serbia, through the tip of Bulgaria and ended in Romania.

The Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps were gorgeous! The drive through them was a real treat and although much of the snow had melted, there were still covered portions. We took about three and a half hours to make it through the mountain range and we landed in Italy. When we finally arrived in Venice, we had to look for parking. This was a challenge and pricey endeavor simply because Venice is a walking city. We ended up finding a garage that charged 22 Euros for 0 to 12 hours. Venice is unique city. There is a plethora of gondolas. When we first entered into the Piazza Roma, the city's charm is not obvious; however, once you find the center you immediately get hooked. It was a place where one could easily get lost, be alone on one street and lost in a crowd in another. The buildings were colourful and closely located together. Once away from the water, it was a struggle to find any landmarks or street signs. It was here that I saw the Rialto bridge and St. Marco's Cathedral.

Our next day was spent driving along the Adriatic Sea Coast in Croatia. The drive was quite curvaceous but incredibly pleasant. Where the first part of our trip was spent with rain, the sun shined for us on this day. It was at the end of our Croatia experience that the exploration really began to get interesting!

We drove through Split, Croatia with the intention of entering Bosnia from a connecting road. After traveling on some rather questionable roads, we finally arrived at the border control. All went well untl we were asked for our green card. The green card is the international proof of insurance which is on a green piece of paper. We were told we would have to go back or wait until 7:00 a.m. the next morning to buy one. We opted for the legal choice of finding an alternate route and headed back down the coast towards Dubrovnik when we were once again stopped by customs and border control. Apparently we had found Bosnia again! As you can imagine we were feeling a bit of trepidation when the man just waved us through, without even asking for passports. At this point we once again changed game plans and took an off-the-beaten-path road that took us throughthe desolate and rocky Bosnian countryside. Deciding we were utterly exhausted we stopped about 25 kilometers from Sarajevo, the Capital of Bosnia, where we slep in a less than glamorous hotel where the heat was lacking and the man at the desk pocketed the money and simply sent us on our way.

In the morning we had the pleasure of a Bosnian bus blaring traditional music, waking us at 6:30 a.m. This serenade lasted about an hour! Bosnia is an overtly poor country but it's natural beauty is breathtaking! The majority of our day was spent cruising on winding roads through lush green hills and mountainsides. We were treated to the sight of many Bosnian's picnicking and taking advantage of warm temperatures and the bank holiday. We were also quite suprised by the prominent presence of police officers, which could be found about every thirty minutes or in any new town. Having enjoyed our excursion in Bosnia we were ready to enter Serbia. This was a task easier said than done!

The first border crossing in Serbia was called Bajina Basta where we were denied entry due to our lack of green card. However, this border control officers directed us to another border crossing where we were told we would be able to purchase the required document. Using our fantastic negotiation skills we worked our way back into Bosnia (without the greencard) and headed to the next crossing option. It was here tha we waited almost an hour for our document, approximately 125 Euros, and then were told it couldn't be done due to the May 1st bank holiday. A bit frustrated, we were once again sent to yet another border crossing to try our luck. As we turned around to re-enter Bosnia, we were recognized by the officers. We explained we needed a green card for Serbia and but were unable to obtain it. Somewhere in the course of conversation our absence of a Bosnian greencard became known and a new challenge was present! We were pulled over and very kindly directed and actually lead to a small bar to purchase an illegal Bosnian greencard. The payment was 25 Euros, which was really quite cheap in comparison to our Serbian paper. We took our fake document back to the Bosnian patrol man, who politely looked over them, and headed to our next post.

It took us roughly an hour and half to find our next possibility but were able to travel through some flatter portions of the country. It was here, at our third crossing, that we actually purchased legitimate Serbian car insurance for 125 Euros. It was here that we stopped for some hamburgers which were slightly greasy, sausage tasting and didn't come with a bun. It took us roughly 5 hours of driving to cross Serbia where the roads were less than stellar but fairly flat. It was here that saw the first and only bit of irrigation (since coming to Romania) for crops! Unlike Bosnia, Serbia had what appeared to be a larger agricultural base and many fields present.

Fields in Serbia

Through it all, it must be said that both the Bosnians and Serbians were warm and friendly. We were always greeted with smiles and patience, and they were more than willing to help two lost foreigners!

At around 1 in the morning we finally found the Bulgarian border. It was here that we had to go through 7 stations to get into the country but luckily were only charged nine Euros for the privilege. Our time in Bulgaria as we drove only for about an hour before coming to the Romania border control. Now, it must be said that we figured we would be back in Bucharest by around 6 a.m. These plans took a drastic turn when we realized we had to take a ferry to cross to Romania! We waited in the car until 6:00 a.m. before taking the ferry across and then driving four hours back to home sweet home Bucharest!

On the ferry to Romania

What a trip!

Cluj

It occurred to me that I have failed to share some of the sights of Romania. Bucharest is unlike the remainder of the country and does not present a truly good picture. I had the good fortune of traveling to a town in northern Romania called Cluj. Like many of the other places in Romania, the people are friendly, the architecture beautiful and life a bit more relaxing. The cost of living is also significantly lower. Below you will find some photos from the recent journey I made with a group of friends from the British School of Bucharest. Our adventure included trips to the Botanical Gardens, games of Uno, Bowling and lots of wandering!

Paris

Oh, Paris! I was told by many that Paris was a city not only known for love but one that a person could indeed fall in love with. The archeticture was beautiful and plentiful, museums readily available, coffee shops every three hundred feet and shopping was always an option. That said, I grew very fond of this well-known location but found "love" to be a bit elusive!

It is a popular rumor that the French are often rude and unfriendly with foreigners. I fortunately found this not to be true, on most occassions. Whether this was because I maintained company with French natives or stuck to popular tourist locations, I cannot say. As would be expected the food was fantastic and by no means healthy! I was treated to cheese fondue, bread and cheese for breakfast, croissants, sandwiches on bagettes and an unlikely Mexican meal! All of these lovely experiences came with a cost; Paris is not cheap, and I can see how artists become "starving" if they try to prosper there.

My greatest find in Paris was not in a building or a tasty treat (shocking, I know) but actually in the company I kept. I travelled to France, among a large group, with my friend Karine. She is our French teacher and a native of Southern France. Her sister lives in Paris and has been there for eight years. As would be expected, Karine's return brought out friends from all regions. It was with this group I felt a truly foreign experience occurred!

Karine always says that my American roots shine through not only in my dress, food preferences and looks but also in my mannerisms, values and life views. I never really understood this assessment until this weekend! Below you will find a table comparing my Americanism with those of my French counterparts:

Me

• Eat cereal, eggs, bacon, pancakes for breakfast
• Discuss sex with close friends
• Values marriage
• Takes about an hour to eat
• Concerned with maintaining a schedule
• Considers bossiness rude
• Does not worry about being with a group
• Uses deodorant sticks
• Uses curling irons
• Most speak only English
• Modest with nudity
• Waves and smiles at different people
• Shakes hands when introduced

French

• Eat bread and cheese for breakfast
• Discusses sex with anyone at anytime
• Sees marriage as unecessary
• Takes at least 2 and a half hours to eat
• Often late and unconcerned about time
• Considers giving orders "fair enough"
• Sprays perfume under arms to prevent odor
• Uses blowdryer and round brush, if anything, to fix hair
• most speak English plus their native tongue
• Could run around naked without a care
• Keeps distance until formally introduced
• Kisses cheeks when introduced
• Group oriented
  
  The most interesting differnce I found was with social behavior. What I found unacceptable such as being late and telling at native Parisan where to go was not considered appauling in any capcity by the French. Rather leaving a group dinner early, failing to add to a conversation or being inflexible with time was considered inexcusable.
  
  In any capacity, I found the French refreshingly honest and pleasant to be with. I will return to France and my newly made friends in about three weeks. I very much look forward to this!

Another New Experience

Romania, specifically Bucharest, has offered a large number of new experience opportunities. On Friday, I not only had the opportunity, but also the reality, of taking part in my first car accident. It should be noted I had a clean record, 10 years worth, without a ticket or collision before my most recent learning experience.

Allow me to first set the scene: I was wearing gym clothes after attempting to maintain some small degree of health by sweating for a few minutes at my gym club. I had dropped off friends and was driving the usual path home. As I was in the car alone, I started the music and was enjoying the classic Time After Time.

I arrived at a chaotic square about called Piata Dorobanti. This square has three incoming traffic roads and two outgoing paths. I had stopped, at my yield sign and allowed about five cars to go. It was at this time I noticed the green lights ahead of me as well as the cars going forward. I decided this was my chance to venture on...I was only about three mintues from home! Unfortunately as I ventured forward, so did a black Mitsubishi which was driving perpendicular to me. As you have probably predicted, I smushed her driver's side door.

God's amazing grace was with me and my friend, Johnathon, happened to walk by. He immediately hopped into the car and accompanied for the remainder of the journey!

This incident was really the least painful of all. After a winding trip, about thirty minutes long, we finally arrived at a police station. It was then I realized I couldn't find my driver's license and urgently took a taxi home to retrieve it. I returned to the station to find my poor counterparts sitting at a table, with two forms awaiting completion, and a number 165. It was then they told me we were on number 133. "Oh my" was my only thought!

After a four and a half hour wait, which by Romanian standards is quite short, we were called into a separate room. By this time my friends, Lyndsey and Simon, had arrived. Simon, a native of Romania, acted as translator which was needed for all paperwork and police communication.

In the end, I was fined 60 American dollars and received a two month license suspension. Apparently license suspension, especially with foreigners, is not uncommon. They granted me a fifteen day driving permit until the suspension takes place. The suspension included the physical possession of my license which I will be able to pick up in two months from another unknown building.

As my mother said, "This is just another Romanian experience!"

Martisor and Woman's Day

March is a fabulous month to be a woman in Romania. There are two specific holidays, one week apart, which honor women.

Before continuing to read, I must make a confession. I attempted to type my own explanation of Martisor and realized it was lacking. So, being the teacher that I am, I decided to use my resources and google it! The following is an explanation of Martisor, one which is better than I could have ever conjured up.....

Mărţişor (Romanian: little March) is the traditional celebration of the beginning of the spring (and until 1701 of the New Year) in Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria on 1 March.

The day's name is the diminutive of March (in Romanian Martie), and thus means something like "little" or "dear March". Nowadays, men offer women a talisman object also called Mărţişor, consisting of a jewel or a small decoration like a flower, an animal or a heart, tied to a red and white string. However, giving a little nickel tied to a red and white string is an old custom and was originally designated for both men and women. It was believed that the one who wears the red and white string will be powerful and healthy for the year to come.

The decoration is a symbol of the coming spring. A woman wears it pinned to her blouse on this day and up to two weeks after. Occasionally, women also give such gifts to men. In some parts of Romania such as Moldova or Bukovina the symbol of spring was a gold or silver medal which was worn around the neck. After wearing the coin for twelve days, they bought sweet cheese with the medal, because it was believed that their faces would remain beautiful and white the entire year.

The other day, which is more widely known, is Woman's Day! This takes place on March 8th. This is like the Mother's Day of the world. Once again, women reap the rewards of carrying the xy chromosone. On this day, I received flowers as did many others! Could it really get any better????