Friendship Day

I received a text message from a friend in India Sunday morning that said, "Happy Friendship Day!"  I'm so lucky to have such thoughtful friends in different parts of the world.  Thanks, Siva, for your message.  I spread the message to my new friends here in Romania.

This morning, a group of us went to Adam (pronounced ah-DAHM) Forest, just a short drive from Barlad.  Our group was Daniel (middle school principal) and three teachers --Donna (Science), Simona (Religion) and Corinna (Kindergarten).

Our first stop was the local farmer's market.  We bought cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, bananas, peaches, and a watermelon.  Here are some pics from the market.

Countryside surrounding Adam Monastery

We visited Adam Monastery in the forest.  OMG!  The scenery there was breathtaking!  I know my pictures don't do it justice.  It just might be the most tranquil place I have ever visited.  Corinna grew up in a village near Adam.  This was her church.  It was a bit of a homecoming for her as she lives in the city now.  She took me inside the church which was ornately painted like the other monasteries I have seen.  There was a beautiful icon of the Virgin Mary that is believed to have worked miracles.  Sorry, no pictures allowed inside.

At Adam Monastery

Adam Monastery

Church Bell at Adam Monastery

Outside the church, I snapped a picture of children enjoying coliva.  Coliva is made of boiled wheat, raisins, and sweet ingredients like honey, sugar, or chocolate (the recipe varies region to region).  The coliva is blessed in the church and offered to people as they leave.

Enjoying coliva after church service

I heard the story of how the church bell is rung when a storm is approaching.  I thought it might be used as a warning to the farmers, but was told that the villagers believe it will keep the storm away.  Donna, the science teacher, explained there is some basis in physics for this in that the bell's vibration can dissipate storm clouds.  But the villagers are mostly uneducated, and will continue to believe in the supernatural power of the bell.

Also within Adam Forest is one of Ceausescu's hunting houses.  He loved to hunt bears and wild pigs.  He had 2,000 such houses throughout Romania.  The one we saw is now a grandiose, vacant property, in the middle of nowhere, as I suspect most of the rest of them are too.

Ceausescu's hunting house in Adam

Simona couldn't resis climbing the 500 year old tree on the property and dared the rest of us to join her.

We found a nice spot in the forest to spread out our blanket and enjoy our lunch.  I worked on my Romanian a bit, and they worked on their English.  We spent several hours relaxing, chatting, eating, and just enjoying the scenery and each other's company.  As is always the case among friends, the language barrier was no real obstacle to communication.  The teachers made me feel very welcome and accepted into their group.  I can't think of a better way to have spent Friendship Day.

Simona, me, Daniel, Corinna

Saturday in Northern Romania

Leaving Putna behind, we set out for Day 2 in northern Romania.  As usual, I have no idea where we are going.  I've come to accept that.

We stopped at two castles. The first, Castle Suceava, was undergoing extensive renovation so we didn't stay long.  But Castle Neamt, built in the 14th century, was a big hit with the kids.  To reach the castle, we climbed up a long, steep hill.  Each time I thought we reached the top, the path turned and there was yet another climb ahead.  The Turks invaded this castle in the 14th century, the Hungarians in the 15th century, and the Poles in the 17th century.  I doubt their leaders were very popular with the troops.

Christina, a volunteer mom on the trip

My camera is broken, so I've reverted to my iPad.  The kids were fascinated by it.

                     

What is it?

We stopped at an unusual roadside monument.  It's a big hand.  I was told it was erected to honor the workers who built the road we were traveling on.  I can't figure out what the hand is holding.  Any ideas?

Another stop was the Ion Creanga house and museum.  Creanga was a famous writer from Moldova of children's books.  It looked like something out of Mother Goose, so I am assuming that the museum was a recreation of some of his stories. While we were there, another group, dressed in traditional Romanian outfits, arrived.  I thought they were part of the entertainment, but they were just visitors too.  We stole a few pictures with them.

Ion Creanga Museum

Our last stop was the nature preserve.  This was a rather small "zoo", but a nice opportunity for  kids to run around and see animals they don't usually see. There was only one path (uphill again) and 5-6 animal exhibits -- brown bear, peacock, bull, bison, reindeer, some variety of a chicken and what I think was ibex.  They were quite surprised when I told them that deer are very common in Ohio (in fact, actually a nuisance).

Coffee break for the chaperones

We were all pretty tired when the buses reached the school.  The kids were in high spirits as they met their parents.  A teacher told me that one of her students said it had been the greatest trip of his life.  I'm glad I was part of this special experience for them.

A note aout the Romanian educational system.  A primary school teacher here teaches the same students for grades 1-4, teaching 1st grade, then 2nd grade, etc.  So, the bonds between the students and the teachers are very strong.  Primary school teachers do not need to have college degrees (although some do).  However, they do need to pass a qualifying exam each year.  Alternatively, they can take a much more difficult exam to receive a lifetime qualification.  Some of the teachers I've met are in the midst of these exams now.  Students who did not pass their grade at the end of the school year are also in the midst of exams. They have a second chance to pass and move up a grade before school starts in September.

When I visited some of the schools, I saw very large ledger books in which all student exam scores for all subjects are maintained, as well as their attendance record.  It's all done by hand, nothing on computer.  I thought some of you might like to see (or remember) pre-computerized databases.

Medieval Monasteries

Friday, 7:00 am.  I have checked out of the hotel and arrive at the bus pickup point with my luggage.  Students and teachers are already aboard waiting for me. The bus driver looks at me with dismay. I'm on time.  What did I do wrong already?  He opens the back bus doors and the problem is immediately obvious.  There was no way even one piece of luggage would fit in this bus.  So I quickly open my suitcase and pull out what I think I will need for one night, throw it in my backpack and get on board.

I understand we have a four hour trip north into the mountains to see the medieval painted monasteries.  45 minutes into the trip, we pull over.  One little girl throws up on the side of the road.  A few boys decide to head into the woods to relieve themselves.  Next thing I know, everyone topples out of the buses and heads into the woods (excluding me, I'm not that desperate yet).  Half an hour later, we're back on the road.  

I overhear someone say the trip is 12 hours.  What?  Where are we going? I don't understand what's going on.  

Humor Monastery

At 10:00, we stop for "lunch".  Sitting at picnic tables at a gas station, everyone pulls out their picnic lunches.  Oops.  No one told me to bring my own food.   Luckily, my friends here are generous with tomatoes, cheese,  bread and hummus.  I contribute some crackers I buy at rhe mini-mart inside.

From Humor Monastery lookout tower

Back on the road.  A while later, we stop at what I think is a souvenir stand, but turns out to be the entrance to Humor Monastery.  Huh?  I thought it was a 12 hour trip.  I'm so confused.   The monastery is quite beautiful, and even more so when we climb to the top of the lookout tower and take in the view of the countryside.  

Back on the bus.  I have a conversation with one of the more fluent English-speaking teachers and find out we will be stopping at 5 monasteries on our way north, and staying overnight at the 5th.  Now I get it.

I'm so impressed by these medieval monasteries.  They date back to the 15th and 16th centuries.  The exteriors are painted with frescoes of Bible scenes.  Every square inch of the interior is painted with more religious scenes, and portraits of saints, monks, and always the family of the monastery's founders.

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This nun authored and autographed my book about Voronet Monastery.  
Marga (one of the teachers) on the right. 

Voronet monastery is noted for the disrinctive blue color in its frescoes, which has remained remarkably vibrant through the centuries.  This particular shade is known throughout the world as "voronet blue".   Check your crayola box.

Voronet Monastery

For me, Sucevita Monastery seemed the most beautiful. Oddly, one exterior wall of this monastery is not painted. Legend has it that the artist painting that wall fell off the scaffolding and died. After that, no other artist was brave enough to finish it.

Sucevita Monastery

Tiny house on Putna Monastery "campground"

We arrive at Putna Monastery where we plan to spend the night.  We walk through a campground dotted with tiny two-person "houses".  I wonder if we will be sleeping in those, but I'll have to wait to find out.  The monks are at Mass, and no one is available to show us our rooms.  We decide to have dinner while we are waiting.

Seated outside at long trestle tables, we are served vegetable soup and bread, followed by what i would call "German" potato salad.  it turns out the monks are fasting until Aug 15, and will nit eat or serve any meat, fish, eggs, cheese, or milk -- only vegetables and bread.

Dinner at Putna Monastery

Our rooms are in the main building.  I'm not sure, but I think they were former monk cells.  My roommates take out their soap and towels and head for the shower down the hall.  Soap and towels?  We were supposed to bring those?  Sigh.  One of the teachers makes an offering from a roll of paper towels, and another shares her soap.  So I survive.

I actually slept fine, with icons of saints I didn't recognize watching over me.  Wake up call at 6:45.  Roommate Corinna reads my mind and offers a cup of coffee.  Funny, I don't smell any coffee brewing, but "Yes!  I would love some". That much anticipated first sip was a a shocker.  Stone cold.  She had brought it in a thermos from home the day before.  I'm told that many Romanians drink their coffee cold.  Who knew?

Back at the trestle tables, we enjoy a delicious breakfast of bread with toppings (roasted eggplant, hummus, or jam), tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and boiled potatoes and carrots.  Everyone, including the children, wash it all down with big pitchers of HOT mint tea, while the monks chant "Hosanna!" at morning prayers in the background.

Ready for breakfast

Freshly fortified, we explore Putna Monastery.  It is not one of the painted monasteries, but is well known as the burial place of Stephen the Great, the 15th century Prince of Moldavia who fought against the invasion by the Ottoman Empire.  He is a national "super-hero".  He was canonized as a Romanian Orthodox saint for saving Christianity from being overrun by Muslim Turks.   Europe would be a very different place today had he not been successful.

Putna Monastery

Some of the gang at Putna

We leave Putna to head off for more sightseeing on the trip back to Barlad.  I'll save those adventures for the next post.

Iunica's Journal

Hello.  My name is Iunica.   We found out that the volunteers read their journal about us at breakfast every day, so we decided to keep a journal of our own.  As the oldest of the children in our little community, I was nominated to write today's entry.

My name is Iunica

We had some ups and downs with the volunteers today, but mostly ups.   They seem to be getting the hang of this.  Our breakfast bottles arrived on time, and believe me, we were ready for them!  All the volunteers knew what to do.  Samy was happy that his milk wasn't too hot or too cold, so he didn't have to throw any bottles on the floor to make his point.  Gaby was poised and ready for any leftovers, and the volunteers knew to give them to her quickly.  The mid morning yogurt was strawberry again (really, can't they mix it up a bit?).  That new volunteer, Mary, made a complete mess of it with Luca.  I thought she had experience?  Well, at least she cleaned up her own mess.

That volunteer with the blond, curly hair (I think her name is Denise), was an angel with Luciana today.  Luciana hates that IV in her foot, but loves that pacifier in her mouth.  Denise played airplane games with the pacifier and Luciana loved it.  Luciana just needed some TLC today and she got plenty of it.

Luciana, running a fever today

Curly head Emma

That volunteer with the slight Texas twang, Lynn is her name, seemed to be everywhere.  I saw her playing with Samy, walking with Luca, reading to Emma, dancing with Alina ... How does she manage to spend time with everyone?  She's amazing!

The temperature has cooled a bit (thank goodness), and everyone was having a perfectly pleasant morning, when suddenly disaster struck.  That BIG guy brought out the hair clippers.  Most of us ran away quick, but Gaby, always curious, wanted to see what was INSIDE the hair clipper box and she became the first victim.  She got off easy though with only her bangs trimmed. 

Emma pretended to be absorbed in that new Peek-a-Boo book, but that didn't save her.  That BIG guy sat her in a chair while that new girl tried to hold her still.  Really? Two against one?  Was that necessary?  Poor Emma didn't have a chance.  As Emma's curls fell to the floor, her tears fell down her chubby little cheeks.  The rest of us were silent.  When it was all over, Coca gave her a nice, cool bath and a shampoo.  Emma was happy then, and more content than I've seen her in a long time.  We were all a little bit jealous.

Samy

Samy cracked us up today.  You know that trick he does where he sits with his foot in his armpit?  Well, he pulled that on the volunteers all day.  They fall for it every time.  They take out their cameras and click away, and talk about how their physical therapist friends and yoga teachers back home won't believe it. 

After her manicure today, Alina was insufferable.  What a show-off she can be with all that singing, dancing, climbing, spinning, flipping, and jumping.  And to make matters worse, Denise and Mary have taught her more tricks like standing on one foot.  She looks like a pelican, for Pete's sake!  Honestly, she just loves being the center of attention.

Well, time to wrap it up for tonight.  I heard the younger kids whispering before they fell asleep about what tricks they want to play on the volunteers tomorrow.  We all can't wait to see them.  It's going to be a GREAT day!

-Iunica

Reunited with the Children

Monday

I've been looking forward to today ever since I left Romania seven months ago :-)

I met my teammates, Denise (from Boston)  and Lynn (from Austin, TX), at breakfast this morning, then we set out for the hospital.  I swallowed a big lump in my throat when I saw Gaby, Alina, Emma, Luciana, and Andrei. 

The children have changed a bit since I last saw them.  Alina is quieter;  she didn't walk up my legs and flip around even once.  I only coaxed one "ooo la la" out of her, and not much talking or singing at all.   I'm a little concerned about her.

Alina accessorizing with new beads, bracelets, and a bow

Emma is thinner.  I heard she lost some weight from a serious infection.  She was taken to a hospital in Iasu for treatment a few weeks ago.  But she is healthy and smiling a lot now.  She has started to babble and has learned to clap her hands.  

Sweet little Emma

Gabriella (Gaby) likes purple

Luciana seems a wee bit bigger.  Last time I saw her, we were teaching her to roll over and crawl;  now she is learning to walk.  Gaby is a little taller.  She is still trying to see through any object she holds, and she still loves anything that lights up or makes noises.  

Our special angel, Andrei

Andrei pulls at my heart strings as much as ever.  I was happy to see him eating better;  I fed him his breakfast bottle and he drank the whole thing.  He also ate some mashed banana.  He didn't cry and he doesn't seem to be uncomfortable.  When I first walked in the room, I couldn't help but be reminded of precious Cleo when I saw him on the bed in the same spot that Cleo used to occupy.  

Delia is at the Placement Center right now, so I haven't seen her yet.  I hope I get to see her before I leave.

I met some new children today -- Luca, Samy, and Ionica.  I don't know them very well yet.  Samy made a name for himself today by breaking not one, not two, not three, but four glass bottles.  (Don't ask why they don't use plastic bottles;  I have no idea).  Our fault entirely.  If we were all experienced Mommies, we would make sure they were out of his reach, right?

Luca

Trying out a pediatric arm sling

We unpacked all the medical supplies I brought from Medwish International.  The nurses were very grateful, and snapped up a few things that they needed right away.  Cora, the first thing they did was put batteries in the pulse oximeters and tested them out on themselves.  They were delighted to have them!

Grateful Nurses

In the afternoon, Mihaela unpacked the clothes I had sent ahead.  It was fun picking out new outfits for the children and trying them on.  I think there will be something that fits everybody.  

What else can I say besides "I'm happy to be back in Barlad"?






Tuesday

We spent the morning at the hospital again today.  Unfortunately, the children were exposed to measles last week, and so they are under quarrantine.  We can't take them outside to play, or even down the hall.  We are confined to three un-air conditioned hospital rooms.  It's hot and stuffy.  The children (and us) are uncomfortable, but we are making the best of it.  Today, Dan did get the fan to work (so we had air movement, but not a/c).  None of the children has shown any sign of measles, but we're not out of the clear yet.

I spent some one-on-one time with Alina.  I played the picture card "Memory" game that I had taught her in December.  She remembered it, but didn't seem to want to play very long.  Denise and I had some fun teaching trying to teach her to skip.  She mastered standing on one foot, and hopping with both feet, but skipping was a bit too complicated for today.

Gaby had a blast with the new toys I bought.  She jumped and down and laughed and screamed when she saw them light up with blinking lights.   I'm also pleased to report that she doesn't drink from a bottle anymore at all.  She doesn't feed herself yet, but she does eat with a spoon.  

Coca (the nurse) went through all the new clothes, and a few of the girls tried things on for a little fashion show.  Coca and the other nurses just loved everything we picked out (thanks Peggy and Mary 2).  That pink polka dot top in the picture was an especially big hit.

Nurse Coca with Luciana, Gaby, and Alina trying on new clothes

We all went to the high school this afternoon to teach English.  I was asked to take a small group of advanced students to challenge them a bit more.  We used some of the conversation cards I had brought to talk about "Good Habits/Bad Habits" and about "Food".  Then, we played a game called "Word Snap" which is very similar to Scattergories.  They were really pretty good at it.  I'll go back for another session with them on Thursday.

Dinner tonight was at an Italian restaurant ..... who knew that Romanians could make such good Italian food?  

I've found that if I walk down one floor, and sit on the couch in the stairway, I get pretty good internet reception.  The only problem is that the lights are on a motion sensor, so I have to keep waving my hands to turn them back on.  Oh well, at least I'm able to send pictures and post to my blog now.