hanging with the fam

I just had a crazy fantastic time at my uncle's 70th birthday party. All of my grandma's 7 kids were there, some traveling from all over the country to visit. My uncle was really surprised and actually cried - really sweet to see. The really excellent part was that I hadn't seen some of them in 8 years or so. A fun time was had by all, laughing and dancing. Laughing is one of the things that my family does best. It's really funny to see these guys in their 50's and 60's interacting with each other. It seems as though the dynamic hasn't changed since they were little kids. I saw and reconnected with some of my cousins around my age who seem like really awesome people. People that I would actually like to hang out with, that I would be friends with if we met on the street.

I kinda feel bad

For the last couple of days, there has been a wake in my building. An old dude one floor down from me died recently. I assume they buried him today as the people and the casket lid that was in the hallway are gone. I see the daughter (?) and she is crying and I don't know what to say. How do I acknowledge her - good morning?

But the real reason why I feel bad is that I threatened him. I am really really sorry now that I did it. But it was two in the morning and he was blasting the manele - imagine hip-hop, techno, and Arabian music mixed. I went down in my pjs and asked them nicely to turn the music down. An hour later it was still blasting. I went down again and this time he touched my hair (the 'fro was in full effect). Now three in the morning, with me trying to get some sleep before I go to work the next day, is not the time to reach out and touch me. He got all hostile after I told him not to touch me and started yelling. I told them (the rest of the family was there) I would call the cops about the music. I left to try and sleep and the music played on and on.

Now, I feel like the daughter gives me the evil eye everytime I see her.

learning to drive

Time is flying and as always, I can only manage to get my butt in gear under pressure. It's amazing how many useful things one finds out when it's too late to be useful. Lots of that going on. Am always like - damn! wish I knew that earlier. But alas, one just has to make do.

As always, I realize how much of my home that I haven't seen while living here. So, I am attempting to get off my duff and prepare for the farewell tour of Romania. There is so much of the country to see that I can't get to by bus or train, so I have started driving lessons. Plus, I finally realized that driving a stick-shift is a good skill to have. This is the one and ONLY time my mother was right. I still refuse to take the rest of her advice.

Driving in Bucharest is scary. There are rules, the driving instructor was attempting to tell me, but they don't make sense. People and cars still seem to come out of nowhere. on my first outing, I was a bit scared that I would hit a pedestrian, but all was well. Though there are lots of things for my incredibly uncoordinated body to remember, I feel like I'm getting the hang of it.

Missing it already

Wow, it's been a while.

Today I went on a school trip to Campina and it was amazing. Easter and this trip have helped me to see parts of Romania that I haven't before and now my heart is breaking a bit. This is such a beautiful country and I have seen lots of it but there is so much more to see and I've so little time left to see it.

We drove to Doftanea Valley and showed the kids the river and how it changes with height, sedimentary rocks and tectonic uplift, and a hydrolectric dam. We then picnicked on the banks of the lake. The kids played in the water, climbed trees, and just had fun. The area is so lovely with traditional architecture and pastoral farming. Heart singingly beautiful.

It was a crazy awesome Saturday.

monsters of grace

I've been listening to Philip Glass alot lately, the old stuff that I have and things I've never heard before. Some of it is crazy amazing. I remember seeing Monsters of Grace way back in 98/99 when he came to G-ville.

Hmmm. I hadn't heard it since that performance and I thought, let me have another listen. Now I realize that sometimes the memory of something is sometimes way better than the experience, especially when it had grown kinda hazy. Listening to it brought it all back.I recall hating the English opera part. I now realize that my observation then was pretty sound. Yeah, some things just don't so sound good when you can understand what they're saying. If it were in another language or if they enunciated a little less carefully, I would never have known the levels of cheese that Philip Glass could plumb. We're talking Poisonesque. Am gonna stick to the stuff without words.

sleep deprived

i came home saturday nite so i could have a day of rest before heading back to work. except i couldnt sleep on saturday so i slept late of sunday so i couldnt sleep sunday nite and got 2 hours of sleep.

i totally oversleep and am a zombie at work. finally the students leave and i have survived the purgatory of the neverending staff meeting. I decide to be good and buy nutritious food for the coming week. only to realize - while packing the groceries - that i left my house keys at work. something i never ever do. me brain no work.

more unbelievable beauty

today i did an organized tour which was pretty good. i mean i had to meet the group crazy early and was the last one to get on the bus.

first stop we went to Siena, home of burnt. It's an old medieval town full of old buildings and hills and stuff - really pretty. An apparently really famous for banking - having the oldest working bank (as in company) in the world. those dudes did something right.

then we went to an organic farm\vineyard for lunch which was really tasty. the farm was located on a hill with the most gorgeous views of the surrounding hills and valleys. I felt like maybe is should become an organic farmer - but then reality stepped in and i realized that I don't really like to work. I think I would just like the farm with the views and someone making that organic olive oil and wine for me.

We went go San Gimignano, a small walled town with absolutely no new buildings in it. I strolled through the streets with some newly made friends.

Then we had a beautiful drive up and own the hills to get to Pisa. I saw the tower and I took some wonky pictures but this time the wonkiness isn't my fault. apparently everything tilts there. that's what you get building on sandy soil without proper foundations - wonky pictures.

Fiesole

I got out of Florence today and headed into one of those little towns in the surrounding hills. It was a mostly sunny and kinda warm day. I have to say that it is absolutely freaking beautiful out there. The whole walking up hills and then trying to descending them without going ass over kettle was a bit dicey but the views were absolutely worth it. The day was a bit misty but you could see for miles and miles, other towns, and the entirety of Florence laid out below. So I hung out, reading, soaking up the peace for a few hours.

I returned to Florence to go to the Academy of art to see the real Michelangelo's David. But nooooooooo. These people decided to close 2 hours (that's right 2!) to have a staff meeting. em . . these things should happen at a time when they don't interrupt my schedule. Like, I think someone forgot to tell them this. I will how have to get there at 8.15 on the morning that I leave to try and see it. It may not happen.

ashes and other stuff

Today, i walked my poor feet something ragged. I had booked my ticket to the Uffizi gallery online so I wouldn't have to wait in line. Sadly, I didn't quite make the booking as I kept on getting lost. But the guy was nice and gave me my ticket. I think that it would have been a different story in the peak season. I spent quite a bit of time there and it was pretty good. Lots of Renaissance stuff by the masters and less well known. One of the purposes of these trips is to see the stuff that I studied in class in real life. Usually it gains something in the live viewing.

Afterwards, I just strolled along side streets, avoiding the main roads with no goal in mind, experiencing the city. I wound up in Piazza San Croce. Sitting on a bench, looking at the church, I made a friend - Priscilla. We wound up hanging out for the rest of the day.

We went to the Palazzo Pitti (being a bit tired of palaces and renaissance art) we skipped it and walked the the attached gardens. The the word garden doesn't cover it. Its a huge park with hills and trees and you cannot see the whole landscape but there are little surprises with grottoes and sculptures when you break through the trees. It was a gorgeous day out - sunny and warm - one totally perfect for spending in the sun

Then we went to the Piazzale di Michelangelo which is located on a hill (vomited up a lung walking up all those steps) across the river from the main city. It has the most magnificent views of the city.

Afterwards, I went to a tiny church for Ash Wednesday services. I, of course, understood nothing. The church was small but with vaulted ceilings so it was freezing inside. They don't even burn real candles anymore. Service was pleasant and I got my ashes. He sprinkled them on the crown of the head rather than a cross on the forehead. Who knows how long it will take for the ashes to work their way through the fro. We also all went up to wish him peace near the end of the service. I had never done that before either.

now my feet are killing me and my stomach is complaining that it's been more than 8 hours since lunch.

sideshow me

i stayed up all night before my flight getting done the stupid things i needed to do before leaving town.so i get to the airport and am waiting for my flight to be called. i rest my eyes only to wake up when i realize that there is this woman sitting next to me. i was so bleeping angry. she sat down next to me and POSED (WTF!?) while 4 (FOUR!) of her friends were taking pictures of us.

how does this seem even remotely kosher? I'm guessing that she has never been this close to a black person before but to objectify me like that? and then to take my picture without my permission. When i yelled at her, she and her idiot friends said "it's okay, it's okay" but am pretty sure that they did not delete the picture (they did take the pic as i was staring at their cameras as the flashes went off).

I am at the freaking airport not a sideshow carnival and at least ask for permission. when people ask, i usually say okay but erg.... It makes me wonder how many times they did it before I woke up.

you say drill, i say torture

today we had an earquake (we get those in romania) and fire drill. It happened at the end of a lesson that my students were taking a test. I held them back a few minutes (that's right, health and safety first!) to try and finish the test. I don't think that went too well since that annoying bell was ringing the whole time.

but the fun part is that we were standing outside for 20 minutes in the not warmest weather, watching the firemen. It was a training exercise for us and them. I think it's great that the firemen people learn how to put out fires well - in the off chance that I will be trapped in a burning building here. But dear lord! it was freezing (literally) and I had no jacket on and neither did most of the kids - though they seemed not to be feeling it. The fire department brought out the trucks (5!), connected the hose , turned on the water and put out imaginary fires. They also had that cool ladder thing that extends like 5 storeys. They put on some demos for the kids and let them play with the equipment.

Remember when we were in school and the police would come in with the suitcases full of drugs behind glass so we could see what they look like. I think it was to show us drugs were bad or something, but really it felt like a class on how to accurately identify the drugs to make sure your dealer doesn't rip you off by. Fond memories. i kinda looked forward to those visits every year and was a little disappointed when they stopped having them. This kinda felt like that except not so much fun for me cause I was cold and they wouldnt let me play with the stuff.

Ohio

the other day, i was at the post office trying to send some work back to a university in iowa where i've been doing some work. so am sending it registered mail, cause things sometimes get lost at the post office here. I had to try and read the entire address back to her to input it in the computer. sounds easy right? except that romanian is a phonetic language so people dont spell things to much. there arent names for the letters, just sounds. while i can speak (sort of) its hard making sounds that are pretty meaningless to me (and just trying to get my brain to not say 'aye' but 'ahhh').

When we got to the state part, IA didnt translate for her, so i said,"Iowa." She responds with "Ohio?" back and forth we go with iowa and ohio. i said to her that it is a state in the US she again responds with ohio. then am all having to give a mini geography lesson - there are 50 states in the US. Ohio is one and Iowa is another - before she would put the state on there.

how random is it that Ohio is familiar to her. Thank goodness i wasnt all trying to Idaho.

okay. . . back to rehab

am not doing so well with this procrastination thing. am a lazy procrastination addict. every so often, i think about what i could accomplish if i actually did things on time. i sigh and go back to doing nothing.

have found this website www.stickk.com which helps you by charging you for not meeting your goals. but i keep procrastinating on registering.

this is vicious.

new love

gorganzola.

i have changed my mind about the stinky cheeses. okay, only that one. am still reserving judgement about the rest.

interesting (maybe not) conversation

My niece, Zana, is attending the inauguration. She was invited to attend before the candidates started stumping and now she gets to be part of something that I am sure she will remember for the rest of her life. Her keynote speakers are Collin Powell and Al Gore. Pretty freakin' amazing. Am pretty sure I didn't do anything this awesome when I was 13 (though state Latin competition ranks up there).

The inauguration precipitated a conversation today with a coworker - (I don’t know why people insist on speaking with me when I've my headphones on. ITS A SIGN PEOPLE!!! I don't want to speak with you.) She asked me if I was very excited about the whole thing (inauguration). I responded by saying that am a little removed from the whole situation and excitement since I was not there. Then she said something along the lines its about time considering how racist the country is and how badly it had treated its black population.

I get comments like this all the time. I also hate the concept that he was elected because it’s time, as if it's some sort of vindication for past wrongs. It denigrates the whole process and assumes that his primary qualification is the color of his skin. I personally hate to be seen as a one dimensional person and as if any one of my characteristics is the sum of who/what I am.

The other thing that annoys me about all of this is that it often comes from people completely blind to the racism imbedded in their societies. Also, dude when was the last time you lived in the US let alone were a black person in the US to judge. I stated that racism is something that can be found in every country and not just in the US against blacks. I mentioned that I've experienced it here in Romania. She counters with I like you and I would hug you and blah blah blah. I mention that the Turkish students and other kids have told me what they encounter in the streets. She counters with it's what they do not because they are darker and/or look foreign. I say what about the Gypsy population. She counters with they are really bad people and pretty much commit all the crime in Romania though she doesn't want them all dead. Trying to end this conversation so I can go do my grocery shopping, I say maybe as an outsider, I may not understand all the nuance of the Gypsy situation. She says that that's true.

But, alas, she is able to discuss racism in the US though there is NO racism in Romania (except against those who deserve it of course)

getting back in my brov

aint happening yet. dont know what it is but i really dont want to be back here. or its rough getting used to bucharest again. and am pretty over my job. not for any one reason but just am done. am still teaching, organizing things, and still really like the kids but the joy of teaching is gone. now its a job and once it gets to that point, i think i gotta get out. luckily i only have to worry about feeding cats and they can eat almost anything (if they get hungry enough) .

i guess i had such a great time over the holidays. it was way too short. plus there was the flight and luggage fiasco. Air France took a week to get my luggage to me. its not like its a long flight from paris to bucharest or that there arent a few flights a day. then i got crazy sick. on saturday i pulled something in my back and had to spend the weekend on the couch twinging everything i breathed.

yikes. also its the three year thing. i almost can't hack a place after a certain length of time. i think bucharest is almost past its best by date.

next post will be more positive

finallly . ..

feeling better. as added punishement for leaving my family, i had a horrible flu. fever, lung-hacking cough, and what felt like hammer blows to the head whenever i coughed, stood up, etc. on top of that fun, i was also dizzy whenever my head rose from my pillow.

sadness because there was no one to take care of me. it really sucks that cats dont have opposable thumbs and dont take direction well. i poured the tea down my throat but then it all had to come out and i swear i got up every 5 minutes to pee.

hadnt been this ill in a while. i had some trippy fever dreams. count yourselves lucky i wasnt so good with the phone dialling thing at this time.

but am ready to post. promised nancy that i would start now and go back through the year with the things that i meant to post but didnt. it begins soon.

hellaciousness

i want to say hella-hellaciousness

had a marvelous visit at home with friends, family, and shopping. i return to bucharest. or i tried and the airline gods were punishing me. there were delays in boston. bad enough ay? no, the airline, though on my ticket confirmed vegetarian food, had nothing to offer me so i starved on the flight. then there were delays in paris. then when i finally got to bucharest, they lost my luggage.

i did meet a nice dude though at the airport whose luggage was also lost and we shared a taxi. but i dont think that makes up for the 32 hours of travel. most of which was spent in the airport watching the delay time be pushed further and further back.

but am home with kitties. they greeted me at the door.