So, my trip to Brasov had a bit of a rocky start, but all in all, I got here safely and with very minimal problems. Right before I got on the plane in NY, I realized that my contact was torn and had to take it out, so I went the whole trip with one contact, and everything was fuzzy and by the end, I was actually a little bit dizzy. Also, I got off the plane and realized that my phone doesn't actually have international access, but that's ok, I'll figure something out. They sent someone to meet me at the airport, and take me to Brasov, and the guy, Leo was really nice and friendly, and told me all about Romania and the various cities and their agricultural economy. The only thing was that he was a chain smoker, which was very odd, since I can't think of anyone right now that smokes like that at home. Anyway, we drove 3 hours to Brasov and Elisabeta, the woman I will be staying with, was standing outside her house and greeted me with a great big hug and called me "daughter", which was really sweet. When I came inside, Kayleigh (my roommate), was also there to greet me, and she gave me a great big hug too! So I unpacked and we had dinner of lettuce soup and cheese pasta, and then relaxed for most of the rest of the night. I woke up the next day (late, because i forgot to change the time on my clock), and my program director, Daniela, came to show me around and get me a map of the area and show me around the hospital where I will be working. The people at the hospital all seem very nice and are very friendly. They gave me my schedule, and I only have to work 3 hours a day! Right now, I'm not sure what I'll do with the rest of my day, but I'm sure I'll figure something out. There are 2 other volunteers that I'll be working with from San Diego, and they've been here for 2 months, so hopefully they'll have some more ideas. After that, Dani and I went out to lunch, back to the "flat" to change my shoes and socks (I made the mistake of wearing shoes with no back to them, so after walking through all the slush and the snow, my feet were thoroughly soaked and my socks were grossly brown).
Anyway, coffee seems to be very big here, and I'm beginning to sense that I may be forced to like coffee afterall. Also, Erin might be interested to know that nearby there are mountains where you can find lots of bear and wolves and wildlife, but perhaps its better not to go seeking them out :). ALSO, every wednesday night, Kyla, one of the projects managers organizes some sort of game night (hurray!!), so that will be a lot of fun. So, there seems like there will be lots to keep me busy and lots to keep me from thinking about how much I miss everyone at home.
Romania's Flag
Map of Romania