Oliebollen in Romania

Well, I would just like to say that I am pretty darn good at making Oliebollen! Another Gerrits tradition continues while I am in Romania. I even timed the dough rising process to parts one and two of "The Sound of Music". Why nobody snached me up while at Redeener is beyond me! Its the Dutch metropolis of Canada - and here I am a nice girl - who can make Oliebollen - from scratch. None of this packaged pre-made dough stuff for a Gerrits Girl!

Everyone needs a Karmyn

In honor of my dear friend Sara-Beth I am very lounly listening to "Since you been gone" by Kelly Clarkson. Oh if only Cheyenne were here! (Cheyenne being my car which has been forlornly sitting in Uncle Henry's barn for the past four months)

The holiday's are going well for me - better than expected. I spent a few days visiting a friend in Kiev which was really great. Every once in a while I just need to be NOT IN BUCHAREST. You get worn down living in a culture and environment that is consistently difficult to live in. After I came back from Ukraine I spent the holidays with a few other young missionaries and we visited the mountains just north of Bucharest. This was my second time visiting the mountains and each time my first reaction is "WOW! Romania has trees and grass!!!!! I forgot!"

As for homesickness (because you all want to know how I'm doing with it) I'm O.K. Not fantastic, but managing. My first major holiday homesickness was opening presents that my parents and sisters sent me. I was doing fine until I opened a package of 'Bits and Bites" which my mom had made and sent me. Then I cried. (Seriously I cried over pretzels and cheerio's) It just reminded me of all the traditions we have and also reaffirmed for me that my family has not forgotten me and that they love me. My second holiday homesickness was last night after I got home from the mountains. I arrived back to a lonely (slightly messy) apartment and just missed my family and friends and people that 'really' know me. I prayed so so so hard for a friend to call me and two hours later Karmyn called me. I cried for most of the conversation but I got to talk alot about things that have been running through my brain. Everyone needs a Karmyn in their life.

Please keep praying for me.

A big mountain

Question: Hey Nikki, whats the most random thing you have done this week?

Answer: Well, I fell about 300 yards down the side of a mountain. It was pretty amazing. I did some great flips and somersaults.

You may be wondering how this came about. WELL let me tell you! For a couple of days over the holidays some friends and I decided it was getting to the point where we needed to leave the city. A favourite destination is the Carpathian Mountains about 3 hours north of Bucharest. We went to one of the highest peaks for a few days, stayed in a lodge and had some fun tobogganing. Thats where I went wrong. You'd THINK that after all the trouble and surgery and pain my ankle has given me over the last 8 years after breaking it tobogganing, I'd stay away from that activity. But Nooooooo I just have to keep doing it.

I really did have alot of fun. Then I fell off the side of the mountain. Don't worry, I didn't get hurt - much. Other than some stiffness in my neck and back I am doing fine and it makes me laugh alot. I just wish that my fall was on video. It belongs on America's Funniest Home Video's.

Dear Ukranian Orthodox Church

Dear Ukranian Orthodox Church.

My name is Nikki Gerrits and I am currently a missionary in Bucharest Romania. For the last few days I have been visiting your fair city and have noticed that you have a plethora of churches. I have also noticed that on each of you 800 million churches you have at least 19 gold topped domes. They are beautiful, slightly impractical and yet beautiful.

I'm writing to you because I have a proposition. I feel that the wealth squandered on these gold roofs (seriously... birds just poop on them) could be put to better use.... such as supporting me. If you would be willing to donate just ONE of your domes to the mission field I would be able to work and live serving God in Romania for at least six years. If you are willing to donate 400 golden domes I will be able to pay off my OSAP loan.

If you feel called to support me in working in Romania please feel free to make a tax-deductable 'dome-nation' to:

The Clinton Christian Reformed Chuch (NIKKI GERRITS)
243 Princess Street East
Clinton Ontario
NOM 1LO
CANADA

(P.S: That is a real tax-deductible mailing address to support Christs work through me in Romania)

The Perfect(ed) look.

Today I realized that after three days in Kiev Ukraine I have perfected the 'Deer in Headlights' look. I'm wandering around alone - in a country that doesn't speak ANY of the four languages I am familiar with and in addition to this - their alphabet is different so I can't even figure out where I am or where I am supposed to be!
Question 1: When do you get the 'Deer in Headlights (DIH)" look?
The DIHlook comes at various times.
1. When people try to talk to me
2. When I try to figure out where I am
3. When I look at signs
4. When I see people I dont recognize (uh.. that would be everyone)
5. When people try to sell me things
6. When people look at me
7. When I dont know where I am (uhh.. that would be constantly)
Question 2: What does the DIH look - look like?
1. Make one eyebrow higher than the other
2. Scrunch up your nose
3. Roll your eyes up so only the white parts see and open them wide
4. Tip your head to the left
Question 3: What is the cure for the DIH look?
Leave Ukraine or learn Russian.

AND I would just like to point out that I know ONE word in Russian - Chavartek - which means THURSDAY. Not exactly a handy word - but I remember it from when we had our Child from Chernobyl living with us 4 summers ago. BAH!

Try This.

Try This. Its an amazing movie quiz. It gives you the pictures - minus the people - only their clothes, and you have to guess the movie. I only got 16 out of 60 correct.

I'll have a blue blue Christmas

I was just sitting at my 'teacher' desk opening a small stack of christmas cards that had been sent to me. Stupid me, I get so excited about mail that I have to open it right away. Sometimes I even open it in the post office! Anyways the stupid part is that I opened all these nice Christmas cards from people and then I got homesick and had to hold myself back from sobbing.

I realized that this will be a hard christmas. Not only am I here in Romania away from my family, but it will be my first Christmas 'alone'. That will be hard. So you all can send up a little prayer for me. I'm already depressed about it and Christmas is still a week away.

On a positive note yesterday I invited my class over to my house for a Christmas party and we had a BLAST! We played a million games, painted cookies (as is a tradition in the Gerrits family) had a popcorn stringing contest and I gave my students some presents. It was alot of fun I love teaching!

Christmas Chapel

Last week my class worked diligently preparing a chapel service for the elementary grades at BCA. Here are a few photo's.

Joel and Cameron

The class hearing and acting out the story of the birth of Jesus

Shepherds and Angels

Sandra as Mary the mother of Jesus

My Animal Personality

Your Animal Personality

Your Power Animal: Eagle Animal You Were in a Past Life: Whale You are active, a challenger, and optimistic. Hard-working, you are always working towards a set goal.

The Animal Personality Test

Christmas Wish List

Things I would like for Christmas
1. To see my family
2. To see my friends
3. Swiss Chalet
4. Tim Hortons
5. Unlimited brown sugar
6. Unlimited peanut butter
7. Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman seasons 1-6
8. To drive Cheyenne (my car)
9. New clothes
10. A CD player
11. A White Christmas
12. Croquettes
13. Olibollen (I will make some here on New Years, fear not my Dutch friends)
14. A Christmas tree.
15. Mom's Bits and Bites
16. Trivial Pursuit
17. Jepardy
18 . A Santa Claus Parade
19. A Subscription to McCleans Magazine
20. To watch White Christmas. (I need some Bing in my life)

Rocks and Raisins

This one time, at school, I was eating a cookie, with raisins, that I had made. And there was a hard raisin in it, and it was a rock.

Apparently you need to sift through raisins, rice and walnuts to look for rocks before you cook or eat them.

Only in a Teachers Dream World

You know what I like?
I like 4 hour prep periods. FOUR HOURs. Unreal. Only in a teachers dream world.

Why was my prep 4 hours long today? Because of the blessing of an all afternoon Christmas Concert rehersal.

Tonight is the concert and I am SO excited to see the students perform. Actually... to be honest I think I am mostly excited because I get to wear my 'Christmas outfit.' Which is an outfit that can only be pulled off at Christmas. Just imagine me, a primary teacher... and what my 'Christmas outfit' is. Think sweater, Christmas trees, glitter, three dimensional Christmas balls, and get this.... real live twinkle lights built into it that run on a battery!!! And of course, big dangly snowman earings made of felt balls! I'm the best teacher ever!!!!

Ok, that was a joke. I do NOT have a sweater like that. Secretly I kinda wish I did. Think of how FUNNY that would be. OH MAN I'm just giggling thinking about it. My students cant handle it if I wear hoop earings. ("Miss. Gerrits, you know why I like you? Because you don't wear those big hoop earings. Those things are craaaazy" - that is a direct quote)

A shout out to my Redeemer friends - good luck on your exams. I could rub it in that many of us are done that part of our lives and make you jealous, but I wont, because seriously - you get quality Redeemer care packages and I would do anything for licorice, pringles, macaroons and some lame toy like bubbles (I'm 23 why the heck are you giving me bubbles? or a Santa Claus hat?)

That shout also goes out to my sister Esth-ah/Chester/Fester/Hester whom I no longer have to compete with for the best marks - or the bed for that matter. (Interesting Gerrits fact of the day: We had one spare bedroom in our house and the rule between Esther and I was that whoever got home first from college for the holiday's or the weekend got the bed. The looser got the floor)

Lots of random things today, 4 hour preps, christmas sweaters, exams, and competitions.

Picking up a Package

How to pick up a package in Clinton Ontario.
1. Go to your mailbox. There will be a slip in it saying you have a package.
2. Walk 12 feet to the counter say "Hello Mr. So and so, I have a package" Give him the slip
3. Mr. So and so replies "Yes, you do! Gerrits right?" He leaves for 30 seconds, returns with your package and gives it to you.
THE END

How to pick up a package in Bucharest Romania
1. Go to your mailbox. There will be a slip in it saying you have a package. The slip tells you what post office to pick it up at. Usually the one farthest away from where you are.
2. Take 45 minutes out of your day to get to the post office. Go in the door.
3. Wait in line 10 minutes. Find out you need to find the 'package' area. Which has moved to the other side of the block.
4. Walk 10 minutes around the apartment building. Find the package area.
5. Wait in line in a 3x6 hallway with 15 other people. A nice Romanian who speaks english explains to you that you need to go to the door and give them your package slip and then they will call your name. You do that.
6. Come back. The nice man reminds you that you have to leave ID with the package slip. You fight your way through the mob again.
7. The Post office ladies call your name 20 minutes later. You go to them. They ask for your ID. You explain in broken Romanian that the piece they are holding in their hands is your ID. The post office lady rips it in half to express to you that your ID is not good enough at their post office. They ask to see other ID. All you have is your old Redeemer student card, a bank card, your health insurance card and for some reason your Canadian Blood Services Donor Card. You pull out your bank card and student card hoping that will work.
8. A new problem arises. All your documents and ID say NICOLE GERRITS. The package waiting for you says NIKKI GERRITS.
9. Continue arguing with the post office ladies - by now three have gathered until finally THEY get frustrated and say ok.
10. Wait in line for 30 more minutes. They call your name (Nee- khol-ah guh-reeats.)
11. Get your package. Its big. Its from your mom. The post office ladies cut it open to look at the contents.
12. Luckily they see its Christmas presents and they do not make me open them all infront of them. (Which they do make people do sometimes)
13. They charge me 20,000 lei.
14. Take your package and go home. Put the presents under your 3ocm high Christmas tree.

What I miss today

Bar-B-Q sauce. Original flavor, extra thick.
oh yeah,
and my mom.

There will be an answer, let it be

Yesterday was a rare - and yet overwhelming- "I suck" day. I think we all have them, some more than others, but yesterday was one of mine. A day when I can only think bad bad things about myself. About my sin, my outlook on life, my work, my attitude, my heart, mind, thoughts, feelings, desires and weaknesses.

Despite the fact that at church yesterday the message was about how we are worthy in Gods eyes and about how much Jesus loves us, I left the service feeling depressed, lonely and a terrible person. The thoughts continued throughout the day culminating in a good cry around 6pm.

Spending half a day focussing on your sins and shortcomings, comparing your desires for you life with the place you actually at, and worring about the future are taxing. But ultimately it led to a good prayer time, a good cry and a new look at myself and my life. I didn't have a life changing epiphany but I realized that I just need to let things be. I don't know if I am strong enough to just leave things because I am a planner, do-er and achiever, but I am going to try to tame down my overactive imagination and spend more time in real prayer instead of daydreaming and planning things that are not in my control. In the words of the Beatles: There will be an answer, let it be.

What can I buy with THIS

As a kid did you ever have a handful of change and just throw it on the counter of the local variety store and say "What can I buy with THIS?"
Heres a list of what you can buy with one Canadian dollar

• 6 loaves of bread
• 2.5 bus/tram tickets
• 3.5 subway tickets
• a chocolate bar
• a boquet of wild flowers
• a litre of milk. (o.5%, 1.5%, 2.7%, 5.6%)
• 5 baggies of animal crackers
• 3 big bags of pretzels
• 300 grams of fornetti (tasty pastry= yummy yummy)
• A pair of socks
• Panties
• 10 pencils

Ok, thats enough for now. I will update more later.

Poczta

I have a package waiting for me at the post office. I dont know who it is from. I think its from my sister Esther - but I'm fairly certain that my birthday present, which she has promised to send to me, is still sitting in her car (my birthday was in August).

The interesting part about getting a package her in Romania is that the Post Office is a government building that is still 'semi' communist. I say this because in order for me to get my package, I have to go there, and PAY to have them release the package to me!

I like mail. People should send it to me more often.

Egg-selent

My Romanian Egg lady friend raised the price of eggs. Now instead of the 30,000 I previously paid for 10 eggs, I have to pay 45,000!!! Thats a 50% increase in the cost of 10 eggs!

Interesting Facts about Romanian Eggs
1. You buy them in multiples of 10
2. They dont have egg cartons so they are sold to you in a plastic baggie.
3. White eggs cost more than brown eggs.
4. They dont wash the eggs. They are fresh from the chicken bum.
5. Shells are thicker here than in Canada and much harder to break.

Calvin and Hobbes

For all of you "Calvin and Hobbes" Fans out there, I just want to let you know, that if you send your children to BCA they will have the opportunity to take a short one day class on Cartoons and Calvin and Hobbes. I was shocked, but when I looked through the Literature Curriculum for this year I found Calvin and Hobbes. Hip Hip Horay!