Happy Holidays

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Dearest Friends,

Happy Holidays to you! We are glad that we have been able to share some of our adventures throughout this year with you through this fantastic medium. While there is much one might reflect on, considering the major changes in our life, thanks to the blog there is less to recap!

Instead, we look forward to what the new year will bring. We are headed to Sicily for the holidays and when we return we will come home to the newest member of the European Union. There are many ups and downs to this as I am sure you may have read in various publications. Everyone seems to have their prediction of doom and/or interview with an angry Romanian farmer.

I would like to express another side, one less heard in the media, perhaps one that sells a fewer copies and perhaps one more in tune with the holiday spirit. There is hope here. Not everyone is excited and certainly not about every aspect of the European Union, but people are not jumping out of windows either. Many see great opportunities mixed in with the challenges. I think their hopes to join and grow as a part of the whole in Europe, even in the face of the major challenges, may be taken as inspirational. We are all facing a rapidly changing world. Romania chose to take the bad with the good and is trying to make the best of it. I find this admirable, if nothing else, they are trying to make their way rather than sitting back and being run over. Maybe not the most gripping or inspirational mantra (I doubt it would make it through the editors at Hallmark) but perhaps one for the everyday. Maybe something to work towards in 2007 - - finding our way through striving to move everyone forward with our own positive choices.

Well, enough of that, it is wonderful to know you are all out there. We appreciate you and wish you all the best. Have a great holiday and may 2007 bring your best year yet,

Chris and Alecia

PS - finally some pictures of our town! And, a couple from Sibiu, next year's cultural capitol of Europe where we spent a week on a Peace Corps training.

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Photos

Playground at night
Note the swings. They have metal bars instead of ropes or chains. Severly limiting on the freedom of expression...

Tamasi Aron High School
This school clocks in at about 400 years old...

A view of central park
That is the culture house in the background where we go occasionally for concerts and saw our first Hungarian play

Blocs
Why come home to a house when you can come home to a bloc?

Ag School
This is the Agricultural college. It sit on the old fort (note walls)

From Sibiu's Lutheran church
A view from the steeple in Sibiu of part of downtown and the Fogoras mountains

rooftop
A traditional Sibiu roof

Comments

[Jen Dieter]

Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays to you both! Where exactly is that Unitarian Church in the picture? We have a sister church in Transylvania (I'm now an official member of the Unitarian fellowship), and I'm guessing that might be the one. In any case, best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and in the new year. I wish Romania the best as well. Much love, Jen

[Rosa]

Feliz Ano Nuevo!
Hey Chris and Alecia, Thank you so much for keeping us updated on your travels and adventures. It is wonderful to hear from both of you and we think of you often here at the office. Take care and Happy Holidays, Rosa