It's all about "curent"

Romanian's have this, let's call it a superstition about curent. Curent means wind. Wind or Curent is created by keeping both the door and window open. In your house if the door faces the window and both are open you are creating curent. In the states, that is considered a nice breeze or maybe even ventilation. In Romania curent is what gives you a cold. Curent is how you contract TB. And so curent is bad, curent is to be avoided. So windows or doors must be closed. No breeze may be created. No curent must get through. Imagine this if you will. Twenty people shoved in a van otherwise known as a "maxi taxi" on the way to Ploiesti. People are shoved in everywhere, sitting, standing, smoking, but no the window can't be open because curent. That was my experience yesterday going into the city. I had to laugh.
well, i can't believe that it has been two weeks already. Crazy how the time flies. I hope that I am adjusting okay. My stomach has been taking a few turns from the milk but other than that i seem to be physically okay. only tired. Yesterday monica and I went into Ploiesti and there was a big concert going on in the center of town. Romanian folk music. It sounds a bit like arabic music to me. the place was jammed with kids everywhere. Then we went to her school and I saw where she works. She is a high school Romanian teacher. She has read every book on the planet. She especially likes Marquez which is neat because I do too. After visiting her school, we went to have a beer ( bere) and relaxed for awhile. The beer here is ten times as strong and ten times as large.

I miss the other members of my group and can't wait till monday when we all get together for class. It kinda sucks to be split apart. It can be rather isolating in Plopeni. There is nothing to do. But, I guess you make do. I went to the market yesterday morning and they were actually selling baby chicks. To conclude I just want to tell everyone to count your blessings ( sorry to get all preachy on ya all but it's so true). We are so lucky! monica told me yesterday that she makes the equivalent of 100 dollars a month. The standard of living is low but not that low. She is college educated and she can't afford even to move out of her parents house. She can't afford a car. And she rarely can go to the movies. Life is humbling ( is that a word?) here. So yeah, I feel lucky. have a good week all! I hope I will be able to write soon!

"I am alive"

Plopeni is small but I have hot water!!! The most joyful exciting thing in the world. No water pressure but, yes hot (Cald in Romanian) water. I am learning some romanian bit by bit but they still yet to teach us the verbs. Unfortunately most verbs in Romanian are irregular. Lucky me. I miss you all. I have been so tired and napping left and right. The food has been an adventure. Nothing is pastuerized, everything is in the raw. There are cows just kicking it on the street and the shower does not have a curtain. These are just random thoughts that come to mind. (For you Sara). Anyhow, i hve no time left....soon more...
PA PA ( Bye Bye)

"Cum se spune...?"


(How do you say this?) How do you say that? I am an infant once again. I once explained learning a new language as a kind of half living. You are not totally awake. Life moves around you and you can only grasp about 10 percent. And that 10 percent consists of conversations you have with yourself in your own head. Tomorrow I am to enter this state of half life. Today we were assigned our homestays. I have been placed in a city 15 kilometers outside of Ploiesti. My family consists of two parents and a 26 year old sister named Monica. She is a teacher as well. i am not sure if she actually lives in the house with us. But I know for sure that none of the three speak english. I will also be living in a bloc style soviet apartment. In the interest of time, today must be short and sweet. All i can say is here goes nothing. there will be a lot of smiling and nodding. Here I go!