MY BIRTHDAY!!!
So it was my birthday Nov. 10 and I was thinking the night before that I couldn’t believe that I was turning 20. When you are in your teens you just can’t wait to get older, but really what is so great about being older? You have so much more responsibilities and people expect so much more from you just because you are older. But a lot of times with most people they can be 50 but act like they are 5 so I don’t really think that the older you get and what number you are on is always the more mature you have to be and act. I mean yeah there is always a time and a place for everything. But I think that no matter how old I get I will want to feel young and I will still act fun and crazy, at least I hope that I will. I don’t ever want to be old and boring!
So as I was thinking that night and being sad and wishing that I was at home for my birthday, my roommates came into my room and said happy birthday! And I said no I am not 20 until tomorrow so you have to wait until then but they said no it’s right now because the sun went down, and I was like whatever… I was having a hard time bc I have never had my birthday away from home and turning 20 just sounded so old and I didn’t want to go there. 19 still sounds good bc you are still a teen but 20 just sounds old, twenty... I know I am not close to old yet but birthdays are different for everyone. Anyhoo so they pulled out a gift bag and yelled Happy Birthday! I was so shocked and I didn’t expect much from anybody. But I guess that these girls do love me. They got me a really nice shirt and sweater, and I was like sweet! And they are both orange and I really like orange.
And I had gone out to the store 2 weeks b4 and gotten a can of whip cream bc I wanted it for my birthday. And so with the girls I opened it and one of the girls asked to put it in my mouth and she not only put it in my mouth but also all over my face. I really didn’t think that she would do that but it was so funny. And I also share whip cream with the other girls that wanted it. And I wasn’t sure on how good the whip cream would be bc I couldn’t understand what the label said. Whip cream has never tasted so good! And it always seems to taste better when it’s on you face ; )
After I had my two classes in the morning I came back to my room to find that my room-mate had decorated my bed and wrote happy birthday everywhere, it was awesome. And she also wrote all of these little cute notes for me, she was so sweet to me.
Also another one of the girls gave me the white and blue adidas sweater that I am wearing, I love it.
Then bc I really wanted to get out of Herghlia my friend Daniela drove me to town. I was so excited to just get out and have some fun on the town. And we sure did. We walked around a lot and went into a lot of cool stores. These pictures are in the center of the square, it’s really pretty.
Then I thought what better place to go eat for your birthday than McDonalds! So yeah, I went to McDonalds for my 20th birthday but I felt like I was turning 8 again. But it was really fun. It has never tasted so good and I totally pigged out. I had more than just a happy meal. I had a cheese burger, fries, chicken nuggets, a raspberry pie and a raspberry sundae. Come on it was my birthday! And it was all yummy and I didn’t feel sick after like I thought that I would. (If you want ketchup you have to pay extra, it was weird. Man, the things that we take for granted lol)
And of course I had to be a little kid and go on the rides that were outside.
So we went back to school and later that evening I had just gotten out of the shower and my room-mate told me that someone wanted to talk to me and that it was important. So I went down stairs to the cafeteria and then the lights turned on and everyone was there and they sang happy birthday to me. I was so surprised! I had a couple people say happy birthday to me during the day but I didn’t think that they were going to do anything special for me but I was wrong. They gave me a card and a plush soccer ball that they had all signed which was the perfect gift for me. And then this couple from Spain sang some songs to me in Spanish and it sounded so beautiful. They came from the Health Center that is beside us just to sing to me, it was really sweet and I felt so loved. I was the only one who was wearing my PJ’s since I had just gotten out of the shower, and I had whip cream on my shirt from the night before, so I felt a little out of place. But whatever right?
So overall my day was pretty good and it’s so great bc even when you are away from home for your birthday, there are people around you who really care about you and make sure that you have a great birthday and I a did. : )
Room life
Ok… so living with 3 girls in a room that is 4m by 4m is pretty hard to do. I was so spoiled at home having my own big room and a half bathroom to myself, I really didn’t realized how good I had it, but now I know. Occasionally I had to fight with Mel for the shower in the other bathroom but having to fight for it with 3 other girls is totally different. And in the morning when you really have to pee you don’t want anyone to stop you.
Since I was the second girl to arrive in my room I got to choose the other bottom bunk. What is not so cool is that the bunks are not super sturdy and made of wood, and when my roommate goes up the ladder and moves around in her bed it shakes the whole bed and makes noise. It’s not fun when she gets up early to study bc when she wakes up I also wake up. I do really love the three girls in my room, just not during the night and in the morning lol.
It’s great though bc the 4 of us get along pretty well and we are really comfortable with each other. The best times are when it’s late at night and all of us are so tired and we just start acting crazy. I love those times the best. It almost feels like home.
The snow fell and so did I!
So 2 weeks ago we got our first snow. I remember when I saw it I went outside and I quickly stuck my hand in the snow and then quickly took it out bc I forgot how cold the snow is. It’s been awhile, and snow hasn't usually been that cold. It made me really happy and snow has never really made me so happy. I guess just being away from home, some things start to be more special for you.
So I was coming out of the the class room and I went outside and bc I was so happy I let out a scream and as soon as I took my first step down the first stair, I totally fell on my bum before my foot was fully on the step. I slid down on the the five stairs and quite a few people that were behind me all saw it and laughed like crazy. It was so funny and it’s great when you fall and you can get up right after and laugh about it bc it didn’t hurt at all, it’s a good thing that I have padding on my bum.
So the snow fell all day and we got about a foot of snow. It was so great to play in it. I felt like I was a kid again. Everyone else didn’t like it that much bc it was cold but I was just so happy and it really wasn’t cold only like -5.
This is my class-mate Tafadzwa who is From Zimbabwe, Africa. He was one of the people who the snow and the cold surprised the most to bc that was the first time that he had ever seen snow. When I heard that I couldn’t believe it. I know that it doesn’t snow in Africa but to hear that someone has never seen snow is just really weird. He is not looking forward to the cold and more snow but I will make him love it. (Can’t wait to throw him in the snow ;)
Do Cows Chase People?
So this isn't the cow but this is sort of what they looked like.
Ok so I have a really funny story. I wish that I could tell you guys in person.
All of us students are put into different projects and me and Ulia are together working with a team that is in a village that is 2 hours away. (yeah I know village sounds really weird, Romania is full of a bunch of villages) We went there for 3 days to help them start the project. The main idea is they want to travel around to different villages asking people what their needs are and providing medical care and medical info if they want it, so to improve their lives. So I went with two of the team members and we went to many different houses and talked to people and they told us if they needed anything or not. Since I only understand a lil of what the people are saying it was really hard for me to pay attention. While we were at one of the houses I was just looking around in the street and then I heard a cow and it came up over the hill to the middle of the village. It was pretty weird to see and then a whole bunch of other cows came walking down behind it. I thought that they were bulls bc they all had huge horns but I guess female Romanian cows have huge horns too. I started to think it would really suck if all of these cows started running at me. I was totally thinking of the commercial with the guy running from the bulls and also like in the Lion King when Simba was getting chase by the wilder beast. All of the houses on either side of the street had gates into their yard and all of the gates are closed so the only place to run would be straight ahead down the road. So bc I am not paying attention my team-mates went on to the next house and went through the gate. This one cow I was looking at was getting closer and closer to me and I am starting to get really scared. I mean this is a huge cow and it’s horns are more than a foot long, each! So I starting to walk away and this cow is still following me. I thought that my team mates were right behind me but of course they weren’t bc they had moved on. Then there was this man and he knew that I was with them so he pointed at the gate where they went in. So I kept looking behind me and the cow was still walking behind me and so I started walking faster and I am now getting really scared. Remember, this is s huge cow with horns! As I run inside the gate I see that the cow is coming in the gate also so I quickly try to shut the door behind me and I keep running in. Then I hear this man yelling at me and I am wondering why? And also my 2 team mates just gave me this funny look. So I then found out that the man was yelling at me bc I slammed the gate in his cows face! Yeah so I am scared as can be bc this cow is chasing me but really it was just being a good cow and coming back home. Now how the heck was I supposed to know! My team mates at this point were laughing at me so hard and they couldn’t stop. I was so embarrassed but come on, I’m a Canadian city girl! At home we don’t have cows walking around in the streets just taking a leisurely stroll back from being up on the hills all day. The next morning when we were having breakfast together the windows face the road and all of the cows were going up to the hills and everyone started to laugh and whenever anyone sees cows and I am with them they really don’t let me forget it. It was really funny though so I’m glad that I could give everyone a good laugh. I hope that I made you laugh too.
Ya...Skirts!
So as only some of you know I came here knowing that I would have to wear skirts during the day to classes but I could wear pants for working and during free time, so I was thinking ok, I think that I can handle that. But being here a week I quickly found out that what I had read was wrong info and that skirts are a all day, having to do everything in them kind of thing. Some of you might be asking why the skirts? It’s a conservative school and it’s in romania… Yeah, so you can totally imagine what my face looked like when I found out and I wanted to run to the hills! (It’s funny bc I actually am surrounded by a lot of hills…) You all know that I am a totally sporty girl and I live in my shorts and sweat pants as much as I can. I mean I love to dress up when there is an occasion to but everyday all day is not my style. Soooo, after 2 months I thought that I would learn to like them but the time hasn’t come for that yet and I don’t think that it will. A lot of the girls bet that by the end I will start to love skirts and I won’t go back to pants, but I told them that they don’t know me at all and that won’t happen, but I guess that only time will tell right? So it would be great if you guys could pray for my skirt issue. I know I can get through it, it’s just hard. Wearing skirts makes your legs get pretty cold so I always wear shorts and pants underneath and everyone can usually see my pants but since when do I care what I look like? Lol And since I am in a skirt I should sit with my legs together or crossed right? Well even though I may be in a skirt I still sit with my legs apart like I would in my sweats. What!? I am wearing pants underneath so it’s not like they can see up my skirt. It’s so uncomfortable to sit like a proper lady. I may be a lady but proper has never been in my vocabulary.
The rest... of the beginning...
Finally! We drove up the hill to Herghelia and I was very curious about how my home was going to be for the next 11 months. Being so exhausted all I wanted was to know which room I had and which bed I could crash in. Dropped my stuff on my bed and then joined one of the guys to eat. I think that we had some noodles salad and bread. We prayed standing up and I am not use to that, but that is very European and most everyone here does before they eat. I asked if there was butter… ok, wrong question to ask when the food that I will be eating for almost a year is going to be Vegan. My mind wasn’t thinking. Yeah I know it’s crazy! I mean I could be a vegetarian easily if I had to be but vegan… now that’s a whole new level of eating…
So I went to my room and found out that there was more than one bathroom for all of the girls to share. The girl I guess was just talking about in her room so I was very relieved. So instead of sharing with 13 girls I would be sharing with 3 which is hard enough. I unpacked and wasn’t sure what I would find since Melanie packed my stuff but I soon found out that I didn’t have the things that thought I did have but I survived. It would be great if I could of brought my room with me, but I guess being a missionary is using the little that you have and tuffing it out. I met Olesea, my only roommate that was there at the time and found out a little bit about her from the English that I could understand. And she told me that she had to go back home and she would be gone for a week. And my thought was sweet, I hope my other roommates don’t come for at least a couple days so I can have the room to myself, and my wish came true. I had the room to myself for a week and it was a great week I really needed that time to be alone and to just think. And man did I ever…
The second night everything really hit me and I just bawled like I have never bawled before. I missed home, Mom, Mel and everyone else soooo much. I really needed a hug from someone who loved me but I had to settle for the only stuffed animal I brought which is my soccer bear. And he did the best he could... lol
I think that everyone needs a good cry now and then to just unload anything and everything. I felt a lot better after and fell asleep quickly. The next couple of days did get a little better though. I started to get to know the girls in the other rooms and they opened up to me with love, hugs, and kisses and that’s really what I needed.
There is only one other girl (sylvia) that is here from North America and she is from California. I am happy that we got to share a little bit through the couple of e-mails that we sent before coming here. It was nice to finally see what she looked like and how she was. Having her here brings me a little bit of home. Even though she is American it’s the closet to home that there can be. Without her here it would be a lot more difficult than it already is. It’s nice to look at each other and laugh when hear something that is very foreign to us, which does happen a lot. There are 28 of us students in the program and most of them are from Romania. For non-Romanians there is us two North Americans, 1 African boy 3 guys from Bulgaria and a guy and a girl from Ukraine. I thought there would be a lot more people from all over Europe but I guess that only so many people find out about this school and it is mostly advertised in Romania.
So, my first week schedule was pretty relaxed bc they knew that I would be very tired since it is 9 hours ahead. And wow I have never been so tired in my life. I slept as much as I could but I could only sleep so much bc people are always everywhere talking and making some noise and since the kitchen is right below my room I hear the blender or pots banging, it really sucks! I love my sleep so much ! They said that it takes about a week to get use to the time difference but for me I wasn’t feeling normal till the third week. The first 2-3 weeks we had different speakers come from the States and tell us about their mission schools and/or experiences but I couldn’t stay awake so I don’t know what all they did talk about… what, I was tired!
After the speakers left we started a normal schedule , and boy it’s such a long, packed day. It’s 5:00am (that when they like us to get up but only few people do to study) until 9:30pm, yeah it’s insane! But if any of you know me you know that I love my sleep and of course I don’t get up at 5:00am, it’s so dark and the stars are still shinning! I usually get up at 6:30am and that is hard enough for me. So a typical day for me is: 6:30 wake up, Breakfast 7-8pm, Bible class 8-9, Romanian class 9-10, health study 10-11, work 11-1, lunch 1-2, more work 2-4, bible study 4:30-5:30, massage class 5:30-6:30, Supper 6:30-7, free/study time 7-9, and 9:30 lights out go to bed. It’s so weird bc I have never in my life gone to bed so early but since we start our days so early and they are so busy by 7pm I already want to crash, and even sometimes by lunch I wish I could be done for the day.
I really can’t believe that I have been here for almost 2 months, it has seemed like so much longer and so much has happened. More info and adventures coming soon.
I miss and love you all.
So we sat on a bench and waited for our ride and just my luck I sat on gum. And not just once but twice. How does that happen? I don’t know. They were just laughing at me but I didn’t think that it was very funny… Why do people have to stick their gum on benches? There are garbage cans everywhere! Come on!…
Once we arrived at their house I wanted a bed real bad. We ate homemade fries and they were good. We watched TV which was nice bc I knew that that would be the last time I would get to watch it for a very long time. Then I crashed and was out like a light. Couple hours later got in a couple games of Dutch Blitz! Oh yeah… then it was back to bed for the night. This is me here fighting with my suitcase that was so stuffed with everything that after each time I open it I would have to fight to zip it close.
Woke up very early, again… and said my goodbyes to Loretta and Roberta. It was very hard bc they were the last Canadian friends that I would see for almost a year. Their cousin drove me to the train, bought my ticket, put my suitcase in the booth and waved at me as the train started moving.
And then it was back to me, myself and I. It was really strange being in a train since it was my first time. There were four other people in my booth and luckily one guy spoke English. It was a very long 5 hours for me. I thought trains would be cool and a lot more fun but I am sure that it would be if I had someone to travel with. The view was really beautiful and it was still really hard to believe that I was in Romania! I was really scared and sad and was wishing that I didn’t have to travel by myself. That was the most alone that I have felt in my life. I realized no one can help me, I am on my own, and have to take care of myself. And so I turned to God to help me and I have never prayed so much. It helped a lot and I felt a lot better.
Finally I arrived at Targu Mures and was really hoping that someone from the school was there and luckily they were. I met four of the students and two of them spoke English. We went to the bank to exchange money and then went shopping at Metro. It was cool bc it is a big wholesale store almost like Costco so I felt a little at home. Did a little shopping but it was super hard bc I wasn’t sure what all that I would need. And the one girl Aly was getting a bunch of bathroom stuff and I asked her what I should get and she said “don’t worry about it bc we can all share”. I said we all share one bathroom!? And she said yes and in my mind I was like “oh that’s not gonna be fun…” We bought the stuff and then we were off and I was almost close to my final destination and I was getting really excited bc I didn’t know what it would be like. The road up to the school was so crazy. It was like a bad ride that any minute you felt lie you were going to throw up. They really need to slow down on the big bumps…
