I’m sitting under a beautiful wooden gazebo with a bowl of fresh fruit: apples, peaches, and plums from the trees behind me. I have a cold glass of water (apa plata!) in front of me and there is a cool breeze carrying me into the evening hours. I’m HERE IN RECAS!! I couldn’t be more comfortable at this moment here in my new home. The weather is gorgeous-a far cry from the sweltering heat I just left in Targoviste. (Literally-I don’t think I’ve ever been so hot in my life as I was the last week. Two to three showers a day was mandatory just to cool down-and yes they were cold showers. I’ve felt hot before, but never felt hot without the luxury of escaping to a room with AC for a few minutes. There was no relief from the heat, not at home, at school, or anywhere. WAIT I take that back-the grocery store had AC and I fully admit that I went to Kaufland once or twice (ok maybe more) just to walk around and enjoy the AC. J ) Anyways, back to Recas…I left Targoviste last night excited, scared, nervous, anxious, relieved, so many emotions running through me. There were tears as I said goodbye to my new family and friends-more like friends who have become family. I’m comforted knowing that a few volunteers are fairly close to me-Brittany is 3 hours north speaking Hungarian with her town, and Katie is only 10 mins by car-we’ll definitely be getting together. Breanna is in Arad, only 40 minutes north of me and there are other volunteers from group 26 (last year’s group) that are close as well.
I arrived in Recas this morning after an all night train ride. For the next few days I will be staying with a host family while my apartment is finished-that’s right, I have my own place! Today they furnished it with a new stove, bed, fridge, TV and best of all- A WASHING MACHINE!!
You have no idea how happy I am to have one-we were told that since we’re all in small towns, we would most likely have to wash our clothes by hand. After being in Guatemala, I know the toll that takes on your clothes, and I wasn’t too excited to do that again, so the masina de spalat is AMAZING. I will hopefully be moving in last this week-but I have to admit that I’m perfectly fine here with this host family. They are so sweet and their house is beautiful!! I’m in a room with my town TV and computer, and in the bathroom is literally a toilet, standing shower, and Jacuzzi tub-nice! Outside is a beautiful garden filled with apple, peach, walnut, and plum trees along with rows of potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, grapes, beans, and cabbage (varza). Varza is a staple here and I have to admit I’ve grown to love it. Anyways I’m sidetracked again-I arrived around 9AM and promptly went to sleep until around 1:30 which was amazing. I awoke to a lunch set up for me in the kitchen. After that I ventured outside and sat under the gazebo enjoying the weather. I met my host’s dog, Daisy, and talked to their son, who will be in 9th grade this year. He speaks amazing English so we discussed music, sports, and life in Romania v. life in America. He gave me some Romanian music to download and we also discussed the awesomeness that is Avatar. Around 6 we ate dinner and then my community mentor, Silvia, came to pick me up. We walked to her parents house and ate a second dinner (did I mention they fed me allll day? I can’t keep eating like this! Haha!) We talked in Romanian, English, and even had some Hungarian thrown in there since Silvia’s family is Hungarian. They complimented me on my Romanian and we were able to discuss the politics in this country now versus during Communist times. Interesting to hear what they think was better then and now.
Speaking of Romanian, I wanted to let you know that on my final language test for Romanian, I tested at the Advanced level! I was truly happy with my score because I want to become fluent by the time I leave, which would be testing at the superior level. I’m only 2 levels away! (I need advanced mid, then advanced high, then superior!) I think it says a lot about the Peace Corps language instructors that after only 3 months here in Romania I can test at that level. Bravo to them-because without the intense training I wouldn’t be speaking like I am now.
Tomorrow I’ll be exploring my town a bit more and hopefully meeting more people and hanging out with Silvia and my host family. They have been more than hospitable and are such great people. I feel like I already have family here. More to come later. Miss you all, love you even more.
“First ponder, then dare.”- Helmuth Von Moltke
shout out!
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