First off let me apologize for this massive lapse in updates. Since everyone in Romania knows it, I might as well just spill. Unfortunately, one day while I was listening to some music on my laptop, the thing just shut itself down. When I went to turn it back on… nothing. Really, nothing, not even the fan. So began a very long process which still continues to this day regarding the replacement of the machine’s motherboard. The difficulty is compounded by the fact that according to my computer’s manufacturer, the big D, Romania does not exist – at least as far as service is concerned. So for the past four weeks I’ve had no computer.

Negatives: Unable to download daily dose of Mike Malloy – Unable to chat at leisure – Forced to use public computers which are always lacking something (if it has Microsoft Office it has Windows 98, and if it has XP it has Open Office… and so on.)

Positives: Have read a large number of books and actually began to study for the GRE – Cleaned apartment – talk to other people – catch up on old Mythbusters shows on Discovery channel.

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The 2nd semester of school began today. Of course things did not begin without a hitch. One of my schools decided to change the schedule entirely as of tomorrow, thereby giving one of my classes an “excuse” to leave early. But really, it’s to be expected. I am in fact looking forward to this 2nd semester if only for the reason that I am now going to teach more of what I want to do. Of course I had this freedom from the beginning, but I didn’t know what to do with it. Although I still am not sure what I’ll do with all my damn conversation classes, I’m going to worry less about activities and more about content.

Also, I intend to go into things absolutely clear with my students regarding grading. In fact, just today I distributed to a class my detailed requirements and hints for essay writing. I took some time coming up with this document, and it is quite clear. I hope that this proactive measure will forestall such events as mass whining or crying come grade time. I know I am more difficult than the other English teachers, but honestly, these students must do better – and they can.

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I guess that the routine of life here has slowly but surely taken hold. Think about routine events that you do in your life – stopping by the drugstore or shopping at the corner market. You probably don’t put much, if any, effort into such activities. Part of the challenge of the Peace Corps is having such events present themselves as major tasks. Only having been a newcomer now in two very different societies can I appreciate the difficulty of this task. But now that I’m over a year in the Peace Corps and longer here in Romania than Uzbekistan, I finally feel like I am settling down into my little existence. It is comforting. Like I said in a lecture to my students last semester, any good essay has a strong thesis, or foundation. You don’t build without a foundation, and you must make sure the foundation is strong and can support what may come next. No, the hassles are not gone, but I feel that my concrete is pretty solid and ready to be tested. This is going to be it, and what will come is largely up to me.

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On the way to school today I took the long route, looping through the center of town. On the sidewalk by the large abandoned hotel (The Grand) I saw a man. I first noticed him taking a quick look in the garbage can. As he resumed walking toward me, I noticed his face. It was scraggly, covered with lines and furrows, and a white fuzz protruded from its lower half. His jacket was dark green and dirty. In his hand, a tan leather case – larger than a briefcase but smaller than a suitcase. We didn’t really make any eye contact, the snow being too bothersome, or perhaps a larger and mutual indifference, but as I continued toward the bakeries, cell phone stores and the McDonalds, I wondered about that man. What happened? Who is he? There is a lot of tragedy here and sometimes it takes a face to perfectly display it, if only for a moment.