Tonight for dinner I had pork chops and mashed potatoes with thai hot chilli sauce. Mmmmmm. Regarding my previous post, well, I guess that is what you get with a PCV and a blog. Some days here really suck and every now and then I’m compelled to document my frustration. However, I want to emphasize that it represented a funky moment, and that I’m still here and doing what I need to be doing. Sometimes all you need to get it back together is a little time – just to decompress, do something else. Today was one of those thrilling days where spring was attempting to blow in but being resisted by winter. Most of the snow on the ground is now just water and there is a certain freshness in the air. I’m planning my vacation for April and will join a gym on Monday! I am also in planning stages for a student summer camp that I will run with another PCV. Fear not, WD loyalists, the show, as it must, will go on!

Well, I guess that everything happens for a reason. This morning, I should have woken up at 5:45 AM so as to prepare for my 7:00 AM class. On Mondays I teach six classes, beginning at this early hour, whereas on Wednesdays, only two classes, from 11 – 1. Anyway, point is that somehow I didn’t wake up and for the first time since I arrived here, I just didn’t show up for my job. I do wake up when I hear the phone ringing and my counterpart on the other end wondering where I am. So I quickly dress, find that I’ve left the milk out after cooking last night, and head over to school. Unfortunately I’ve already missed three of my classes – unprofessional. However, nobody seems to be too upset, “eeh, it happens.”

Before my last class a few students approach me and say that they have some friends visiting from the US, and would it be okay if they sat in on the class? Sure I say, and then they suggest that we hold class in the amphitheater. I should have figured then, but I didn’t. Well, I walk into the amphitheater and instead of 3 or 4 guests, there are roughly 20 people. The people, I find out, are from some kind of church affiliated group. Although most of you could probably guess my reaction to such types, I decide not to jump into any judgement and just go on with class.

It turns out that this was one of the best classes yet. Since I didn’t want to cover anything new today, we instead kind of did a general retrospect on the American History we’d studied thus far – what did we not talk enough about , what was cool, etc… Some of the members of this group participated in the class and in a very positive way. We ended up discussing the idea of “hindsight being 20/20” (which was, by the way, a new term for my students,) the importance of perspective, and other such abstractions.

I was a bit nervous at the beginning because I do not know this class so well (for some reason this class is always getting cancelled,) but things really picked up. It was also a bit of a test to be performing in front of a group of Americans (mostly youths but with some older folks as well.) After class a few of them came up and praised my teaching – and that felt great.

The bit about oversleeping was fortuitous because had I gotten up on time, I probably would have been much more tired by the time that last class rolled around… so, there you have it. Another interesting moment here in Romania.

Till next time,

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.

So I received a comment, “Less Bush More Romania!” This is, indeed, understandable. Although I can not keep my mouth shut at the current atrocities that are occurring back home, I will try to include more information about day to day life in RO.

This post is a tribute to having sitemates – i.e. other Peace Corps volunteers who live in the same city. This week has not been good. In addition to the approaching end of the semester (evidenced by the piles upon piles of paper on my couch,) I am having some technical difficulties. So, needless to say, my mood was a little sour the other day when coming home from school. Taking a different route than usual, I happened to run across my sitemate who was herself on the way back from work. I waved and said hi, and she could tell that I needed to talk. Inviting me over to her place, we had tea and soup and vented a bit. It made me feel much better and I think it was more therapeutic than brooding in my apartment. I really should join that gym these days…

The job is chugging along and I find that I am slowly developing some relationships with my colleagues at one of my schools. This is important because it makes me look forward to going to work – I can’t however say the same about the other… perhaps with time. I feel quite busy most of the time, but I am making myself keep up with reading. Currently I’ve read “A House for Mr. Biswas” by V.S. Naipaul – a great and sweeping story of a man. I like Naipaul, and it’s been interesting to read his stuff in reverse chronological order. You see how an author has evolved, perhaps becoming more self conscious.

Minor nuisances continue to occur – as this is Romania. When I went to get a new book at the library, I received some short rude and quickly spoken lecture about how I needed a stamp and that in order to get the proper stamp I had to go downstairs and then come back again. Of course it was agitating, but I held in my annoyance, got the stamp, and then proceeded to be granted the book. On the other hand, I went into a little shop by where I live last night looking for a sponge. I had forgotten the word for sponge, and all I saw was a metal one behind the counter. I point at the metal sponge and say, “dar normal,” “but normal,” and instead of a puzzled look, the lady behind the counter reached down and pulled up a sponge. It was a minor victory for sure, but god, when faced with so many minor annoyances, any victory is sweet.