An Afternoon in Bucharest

Yesterday I had a very eventful afternoon. I'm going to take you with me around the city.

3:08 I leave school early in order to pick up a package. I know that it takes over an hour to reach the post office.
3:10 I turn back to the school because I need to know the Romanian word for Butter so I can buy some later on.
3:16 I meet up with Mr. and Mrs. Cox walking to the school to pick up their three children - one of which is in my class.
3:30 I catch Bus 133 heading to Hala Trian where I will catch a tram. The bus is fairly crowded but I elbow my way through and make it off at the correct stop.
3:33 I am waiting at the tram stop and I realize that I don't remember what number to take. When Tram #5 comes I ask a lady near me (in Romanian I was so proud of myself) "Is it the tram for Pantilimon?" She says yes but after we get on the tram she starts talking to me and telling me she doesn't know what part of Pantilimon the tram is going to. I decide to risk it.
4:20 I arrive at the correct stop, disembark and begin my walk to the post office. On my way I stop and buy a phone card and I look for some butter. I also buy some food and give it to a 3yr old gypsy beggar child while I walk.
4:40 I arrive at the post office and push my way in line. A man asks me if I am standing in the line to collect packages (there are about 6 different lines for different things) I told him NO because I didn't understand until later what he wanted. He stood back and after I handed in my passport and package slip I realized I totally budded infront of this other girl.
4:45 I see my passport and a package and know it is for me. The ladies have problems saying my name so I just walk into the sorting area and tell them it is me. I sign, pay and take my package. (THANK YOU CHIEF!)
4:55 I see a KODAK film store - I can never find Kodak film here so it was a surprise. I purchased some film.
5:00 I see a store and find some butter. I pronounced the word wrong and they didn't know what I wanted but with some creative pointing I got my butter. I am now debating if I want to go home and relax or continue my search for some things. I see a 'maxi-taxi' (a 15 passenger van/taxi) that has a sign on it saying it goes directly to the market I want to go to. I decide to continue my search for things.
5:20 I arrive at "Piata Obor" and I realize that OBOR - the Market I love so much - is twice as big as I originally thought. I figured it was about 1km square full of shops and booths and kiosks. But it is bigger. After wandering around not knowing where I was I finally found the outside air and figured out where I was. I looked for a purse that I saw there once that I liked but it was gone. I also found some embroidery floss.
6:00 I am trying for the first time here in Romania to buy material. I grab a bolt and move it to compare it with another bolt and the woman screams at me. Apparently there is no comparing or moving bolts of cloth. After waiting to be served for about 25 minutes I finally purchase my ONE METER of black cloth that I came for.
6:20 I am starving and on my way home so I purchase for a whopping 15 cents a traditional Romanian doughnut because this market has the best ones in the city.
6:35 I arrive at the metro station and catch myself a ride home. I need to transfer at Dristor Station and those of you who know me, know that I am directionally handicapped and I did get on the metro going the wrong way. I eventually make it home.

Finially!!! Some pictures from the Middle School Valentines Banquet that I was honored to chaperone.


Abby, Me, Rebekah and Daniela at the middle school's valentines banquet




Jonathan, Dean, Joel, Shinsuke, Brandon = some of the middle school boys posing for a photo before the girls arrived.

I have friends

I just thought you all would like to know that I have some friends here in Romania. Here they are:

SCHOOL FRIENDS

Deborah: My roomate. I like her uh-lot. She is a recent graduate of Wheaton College and comes from a family of 9 in Chicago. She teaches highschool English and yearbook.

Amy: Amy hails from northern California and the only reason I am her friend is beacuse she is my only connection to Canada, having attended Trinity Western University in BC. Just kidding. I really do like her. She teaches Art and first/second grade.

Other friends to mention: Whitney (Luke her boyfriend who doesn't work at the school but fits in this category), David, Jen H.

NON-SCHOOL
(unless stated they are Romanian)

Anka: 30-yr old Romanian woman from church who is super super cool. She invites us over, talks with us and is really nice.

Maggie: Anka's 13 year old surrogate daughter. She speaks perfect English and is very friendly. We spend alot of time with Anka and Maggie.

Costin: Runs the Sunday-school program at church. Is very friendly, kind and an all around good guy. Was 'adopted' buy American missionaries as a child.

Dan: The official 'greeter' at church. Always friendly and good to laugh with.

Marian: Runs the sound and youth group at church. He just reminds me of my friend boys at home. Ridiculous and funny and great to hang out with. We pick on eachother alot and it's hilarious.

(Dan, Costi and Marian know eachother through the orphanage they grew up in together)

Josh: American missionary working with Children to Love. From California and consistently makes fun of my accent.

Chip: Nice guy who has a crush on Deborah. He always tries to involve us in whatever activites are going on in the church.

Ana: Our Romanian pastors wife. Always takes time to say hello and see how my week is going.

Rebekah: American missionary from California working with street kids. She lives near me and we chat about how work is going.

Jules: Works with Rebekah and the street kids. She also is an amazing guitar player and worship leader. I think she was my first Romanian friend. I like her alot.

Carrie: American missionary working with ROCK ministries - in the orphanages. Same age as me and easy to get along with.

Teklah: The coolest Romanian person I have ever seen or met. Very punky, very fun, very godly, humble and friendly.

Yesterday was quite a depressing morning for me.
While travelling to church by myself on Sunday morning I saw a number of 'regular' things in Bucharest that I just can't get over. While waiting for the subway I saw two guys, about my age, who were clearly street people. They were on the platform on the other side of the tracks and instead of walking around they simply jumped the five feet down onto the tracks and walked across. When the climbed up infront of me it was clear that they were 'altered'. They sat down on the same bench as me and proceeded to huff from the bags of paint they had with them. It was sad.

They got on the same metro car as me and two stops later a beggar woman came on board begging for money. THIS is not an unusual sight. I would say on avearage only 1 out of 10 metro rides does NOT have a beggar on it. But this is a woman I see regularly and she really makes me sad because she has no shoes - or even clothes. She just wraps a sweater around her waist as a skirt.

It's so depressing. What can I do? I can barely communicate the language and if I give them money generally it goes to their 'boss' The street kids and the beggars are part of an underground mafia? I give money and food sometimes - mostly to old people, but I still feel useless. I know change starts with one person, but I dont know what to do.