So I have a little time between my morning and afternoon classes yesterday. I decide to go grab a bite at the “Greek” gyro place that’s off a little side street of the main square. The food’s great, I finish up, and begin to head back to school. Then I see this car. Let me back up a little bit at this point. Here in Romania, license places are in the following format: [Two Letters – indicating region of country] [A bunch of numbers – random] [Three Letters – can be chosen by owner.] As you might imagine, car owners try to be cute with these last three letters, and I’ve taken to spotting interesting ones. For instance, I’ve seen XXX, BLO (on a Hummer) FAT, and other such things. So, back to this car.

I notice that its letters are: HAL. Now, being the geek I am, I think HAL from 2001. But, upon closer inspection of the car, I notice a bumper sticker (something almost unheard of here,) which reads Halliburton. Of course at this point my blood begins to boil. And once I notice that there is a man sitting in the driver’s seat looking over some papers, I wonder what, if anything, I should do. My first impulse is to tap on the window, and say something along the lines of, “So what the fuck are you pillaging from this lovely town?” I decide against that. Instead I just take a look at the guy – nondescript – and continue to my class. In hindsight, I think that I really ought to have said something (if not that.)

So this has all got me wondering and thinking big picture thoughts. I was concerned about two things. 1) So what IS Halliburton doing in Romania? and 2) Isn’t it interesting that our paths (this company and a Peace Corps volunteer) are crossing? So, to answer the first question, I turned to my new and wonderful friend the internet! I found an interesting article HERE, called “The Politics of Oil: The privatization of Romania’s oil industry has enriched the well-connected—and corrupt.” This report is by a group called, “The Center for Public Integrity,” which seems legit. If you want a peep into the grossly corrupt business/govt. culture here, and the ambitions of NATO/Halliburton/the like to get a piece of the privatization pie, read this article. What I can get from it is that Halliburton has some important role in the privatization of Romania’s oil industry – the specifics, of course, are not so clear. So now I’m really kicking myself for not saying anything… imagine the possibilities! My point number 2, about our paths crossing, is also troubling.

Let’s back up and look at my Peace Corps experience so far. First I’m sent to Uzbekistan, a country which until recently has been sponsored by the US. The post-9/11 alliance forged between the two countries, sold in the name of “fighting the global war on terror,” emboldened a brutal dictator and encouraged torturous treatment of suspected militants. Human rights abuses became more gross, and the quality of life continued to decline in that former Soviet republic. Of course, the real issue here is oil interests, and the premise seems to have been that with Uzbekistan, the US would have a strong base from which to pursue its oil-hungry regional campaigns. Unfortunately with a failed popular protest, Washington was forced to condemn the regime (to save some face,) and thereby lost the favor of Karimov. Currently, Uzbekistan is just another Muslim country in the “Loss” category of the neo-con agenda.

After this, I find myself in Romania… of all places. And recently, the news from here is eerily similar. Secret torture camps in the former land of Vlad the Impaler? Maybe. Future NATO bases, surely. PCRO sent out a message stating that, “In an effort to ensure that Peace Corps and the US Military maintain completely separate identities in Romania, PCRO is considering various Volunteer placement options once US military bases are established here. One of the options under consideration is to discontinue placing PCVs in locations where there will be US military facilities.” Sigh! Did you know that in Uzbekistan I was just about 45 minutes away from K2, the Karshi-Khanabad military base? And now, bases in Romania? Is there no escape from our Military empire? And with this Halliburton crap, the same goes for the neo-con business oligarchy? Simply, this is all starting to stink.

I’m now able to listen to my favorite liberal talk show host, Mike Malloy (link.) If you are a liberal/progressive who is fed up with the amount of crap that passes for our foreign policy these days, I recommend you give this guy a listen. I loved him from the beginning when I first heard him refer to the Bush family as “The Bush Crime Family.” I feel so upset about all of this, so I’ve decided to let it all go in terms of my classes. Today with a very good group of 12th graders, we talked about 9/11, oil, Iraq, and all those great and fun and happy topics. Although I’ve griped about my work here previously, I was quite impressed with the kids’ responses and what seemed to be some genuine interest and opinions regarding this issue. Isn’t it just grand that your tax dollars are going to Halliburton AND me at the same time in pretty much the same place?

But I’m worried, because of the “missionary principle.” The principle goes as such: the missionaries who come to Romania try to weasel into the schools under the guise of offering “free English lessons.” So, they do that, and then, casually, begin talking about Jesus. Then they say, “hey, if you’re interested, why not come down for a discussion at McDonalds after school?” These missionary organizations have the funds to offer such bribes, thereby recruiting kids into the program. And it doesn’t end with McDonalds – that’s just the beginning of the perks. Now as a Peace Corps volunteer, I have no such funds to lavish on students in such a manner. And although these missionary types are not allowed at the schools I work at (good ones,) I can see the less selective schools jumping at the opportunity for a free English teacher.

And this is my dilemma with these Halliburton folks as well. Since there is no middle class in Romania, you either have or have not. Since my students are among the best in the country, they do not lack the potential to join the former group. What I fear, though, is that the dirty ways (both of this country’s past, and our country’s present,) will be that great McDonalds coupon to a better life; if the alternative is having not, I wonder what they’d be willing to let go so as to not get passed by. Have faith, yet!

I’ll be gone for a week at a conference with the other volunteers in my group, and I’ll report back after then.

Till then,