Dear Mikey

Dear Mikey.
On Sundy I went to the circus. I remembered your story about going to the circus in Bolivia and I thought that going to a circus in Romania would be fun and maybe a bit similar. You might say to me "Nikki, the circus in Bolivia is unique. There is no other circus in the world where the headlining act is chickens jumping though a hoop."

Well Mikey, you will be sad to know that your Bolivian circus was not the only one with the main act being chickens jumping through hoops. Only Romanian chickens can also climb ladders.

The other enthralling acts of the circus were: a man rubbing fire all over his body. A man throwing an aligator around, a man playing with a rope. Not doing anything special with the rope, just playing with it. A clown with his pants down, a ballerina in a thong, and a midget that reminded me of Sara-Beth Fava.

I am excited to now share with you a funny story about living life and being entertained in a developing country. I miss you Mikey. I'll see you in two weeks.

Sincerely
NIKKI

P.S. for those of you out there who have never been to a circus in Bolivia or Romania, I strongly urge you to attend any circus in a developing country. It is will worth the 2$ and will entertain you - and your friends, for months!

I had the opportunity to go to the circus yesterday with some friends of mine. I have a lot to say about the circus, but much of it is quite inappropriate because I know that my students and my supporters read my blog. Lets just say that for the hour I spent there I just stared in awe, and shock at the things I was seeing.

I also got to go to Castle Bran on Saturday with my co-worker and friend Aimee. It was FUN going there, the travelling etc etc, but the castle was a slight disappointment. The castle is the major tourist attraction in Romania (because it is the 'Dracula' castle) but it was not all it was cracked up to be. Very disappointing for me mostly because now I can't rub it into Rob J's face that I went there and it was super awesome!

If you are up for some entertainment copy the following link into your address bar. (I don't have time to do the fancy automatic click it will get you there.) NOW you may start watching this video clip and think "what in the world is Nikki making me watch..." But HOLD ON -- KEEP watching. It is a really good clip!!!!!! VERY FUNNY. And I may have teared up at the end of it. LOVE IT.

http://grouper.com/GlobalMedia/MediaDetails.aspx?id=674610

Today was another student-taught short-story presentation lesson. I thought it would be fun if I acted the role of a student while the student acted the role of the teacher complete with the student being called Mr or Mrs so and so, and when the student teaches I allowed them to call me by my first name. The funniest quote of today's lesson:

"Uhhh Excuuuse me Mr. Cox... But I think you are showing favoratism to a certain student..."
"Thats because that certain student is 23 and needs to move up a grade..."

I love my class. They never cease to amaze me or to make me smile.

I'm flattered

The last two weeks my students have been working on creating and teaching a short-story study. They had to choose a story, make two worksheets that covered two skills of their choice (vocabulary, characters, problem solution etc) and plan an activity to do with the class. Then they had to teach the lesson!

The first two students went today. They are great! My favorite part of them teaching the class for 20 minutes each is the way they subtly and not so subtly use 'Miss. Gerrits-isms' as they teach. They way they stand or sit, phrases like "it's always fun" or "We are not talking about that right now" or "Lets stay focused" "We are going to do something fun today" "Lets turn to page 160... no actually 159" "Yep that could be".

It just made me smile. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And I am flattered.

P.S. Flattered? Is that even a word? If it is, it's wierd and I don't like it.

If you were wondering

It's May 23

AND

It's 34 degrees out right now

Gripa Avaria

AKA: The Bird Flu.

Saturday Morning I awoke refreshed and smiling at the blue sky that I could see from my bed. (The sky can only be seen from a horizontal position near the floor, all other views are grey bloc's)

As usual, I dragged myself, a blanket, a book and a bottle of water to the living room couch for my regular Saturday morning ritual of TV, reading and not a whole lot of moving. I turned to the news to see what was happening in the world. Fortunately, or unfortunately, my Romanian has reached the level where I now understand what is happening in the news. My understanding that morning was this: "The Bird Flu has reached the city of Bucharest" The good news was that the Bird Flu has only been found in two sections of the city. Sectors 2 and 4. (There are six sections in the city). The bad news... I live in Sector 4.

As the day progressed I tried to keep up with the news. Around 6:00 I learned that not only was there 21 confirmed cases of the virus in the city, but 31 other suspicious cases. This is A LOT. And because of these numbers.... The government has begun to quarantine areas of the city. As of yesterday morning there were 67 streets in the city under quarantine - meaning no one can go in or out.

You may be wondering how a city of nearly 3 million can have a 'live animal' disease within its boarders. It's actually quite interesting. Cities in Eastern Europe are not like cities in Canada. If you live in a house between the many bloc's you most likely have a number of chickens. Some even have mini-chicken farms in their backyard - in the middle of the city! The neighbors behind the school here have a number of chickens clucking around their yard and it is not unusual for my class to be disrupted by the crowing of a cock. Basically there are chickens ALL OVER this city.

Now don't be worried. You can not get the Avian Flu from EATING chicken or eggs. You only catch it from prolonged exposure with chickens that have the disease and so far only 2 human cases have been reported. Also, there is no evidence to support that it is transferred human to human. I do not spend time with a lot of chickens, nor do I have much contact with them although I see them around regularly. I also am taking precautions recommended by the Embassy here including:Washing eggs in hot soapy water, avoiding back-yard farms, avoiding out-door poultry markets etc. AND I am not eating chicken anymore just to be on the safe side. (Especially since a whole pile were recalled by the factories the other day...)

Deborah and I also have a contingency plan incase our area does get quarantined. We live right on the line of Sectors 4 and 3, so if Sector 4 does get fully quarantined, we are just going to swim across the Dumbovita River (which is the boarder) into sector 3. We will be away from the Avian Flu, but we'll most definitly have a number of other incurable diseases from the River/Ditch.

Don't worry. I'm registered at the Embassy, it's their job to save me from the chickens.

Things you should Know

1. In exactly 15 days I will be flying over Canadian airspace

2. I saw people from Clinton two days ago. Brad, Elena and Tyler Morgan were in the city. They brought me presents, made me laugh and took a bag back to Canada for me. They are great!

3. School was cancelled today for the first time this year.

4. I went to the baby hospital for the fist time in a long time.

5. I miss Huron County.

Purchasing

I wanted to share with you today a little bit about what it is like to make purchases here in Romania. In North America, if you have money, you can purchase something. Often times in Romania, if you have money, you still can not purchase things.

Case In Point: My friend Kari wanted a haircut yesterday. They would not give her the haircut she wanted because her hair was curly yesterday (it's normally straight, but the rain yesterday made it curly). They would not give her the style she wanted because the style was for straight hair. We had to convince them that she straightened her hair every day anyways so it didn't matter. She had the money, they wouldn't give her what she wanted.

Case #2. Deborah needs somewhere to live next year. She wants to live with Kari, who has an extra bedroom in her apartment. The landlord will not rent it to Deborah because he has some 'stuff' in the room. Apparently he doesn't care that she will add an extra 200 euros to his income by just moving a few boxes. She has the money, they wont give her what she wants.

Case #3 I want to take a taxi ride to school because it is pouring rain outside. I have the money, but the taxi will not take me to the school because it is too close. (Its a 20min walk) I would have given him the money, and a tip, but they will refuse to take you if they don't want to.

My friend David said it has to do with communism. Often people had money, there was just nothing to buy.

Purchasing issue number 2. No Customer Service.

The days of the 'greeeter' never existed in this country, as well as the days of 'the customer is always right' and the days of 'helping the customer' or 'providing a service' are also non-existent. Having change at the cash-register is a new concept so it is not unusual for your change to be given to you in single pieces of gum or packets of sugar.

One time I ordered a piece of pizza and they gave me the wrong kind, when I pointed it out, they just shrugged their shoulders and walked away. Don't bother asking questions or for help. One in 15 times you may get the help you need. Once again, this is the effect of Communism. Businesses never knew what tomorrow was going to bring, or even if they would have a business so they didn't need to care if customers came back. I regularly purchase eggs from the same old lady because she is friendly to me. I never go to the egg lady besider her or the one around the corner. SHE gets my business not because she is cheaper, or easier to get to, but simply because she has a smile, talks to me and is nice.

Things like this make shopping a drag, and yet .. .. I still enjoy it!

Feeling Good - Feeling Bad

I'm feeling good

Only three more flips in my lesson plan book

I'm feeling bad

Two nights ago my good Romanian friend got mugged and beat up realy bad (in the hospital for a few days bad) by some punks. I hate people who do mean things to good people. David is a really good person. Think of the 'goodest' person you have ever known and make a Romanian version of it. I questioned why God wasn't there with David. But then I knew that God was there.

How Should I

This is from the 'Talent' Show the school hosted a number of weeks back. A couple of my single girl-friend teachers and I sang this song and dressed appropriately. Here is the picture, the lyrics follow.



(To the tune of El Shaddai)
CHORUS:
How should I? How should I?
Ever find myself a guy?
Age to age it's still the same
I will keep the same last name

How should I? How should I?
Ever find myself a guy?
I'll be single till I die
How should I?

VERSE 1
Through the years I"ve had this fear
That no one would call me dear
Every time that I say Hi
They just stare and walk on by

I've been praying on my knees
Hoping he would notice me
Till my life on earth is done
All I ask for is just one

CHORUS

VERSE 2
Just to pry a jar of Jam
I need someone elses man
I can watch a football game
But all the players look the same

I fix my car, I mow my lawn
The perfect blend of brains and brawn
Oh why can't the fellows see
What a catch I've grown to be?

A reading from Bible Class this morning as we discuss God's wrath and how he punishes the sins of the father to the third and fourth generation.

"The whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free. 9 I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah. 10 As for Jezebel, dogs will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no one will bury her." (2Kings 9:8-10)

A Comment from Bible Class as we discuss the reading

"They probably sent Jezebel to Romania"

All is Well with the World

1. After 7 long, frustrating weeks. I finally fixed my watch. Thats right I FIXED it, by myself. I found a battery after a long and tedious search all around Bucharest.

2. What? What? WHAT? Really? I found a pair of flip flops!

3. Its been a draining 8 weeks. No Peanut Butter has been found within the borders of Romania since before spring break. Yesterday, found all alone, hidden behind some pickled hot-dogs, One single jar of Peanut Butter was found. And all the peasents rejoice.

4. I have a meeting with the president of Romania today. And by that I mean I am going to his house. FOR REAL!

5. I like Tom Cruise. I don't care what other people say - or that Oprah episode either. MI3 is a good movie. Oh Tommy.

All is not so well: I didn't ration my brown sugar well enough and I ran out 4 weeks early! GAHHH. And the peasents revolt.

10 Random things to let you kno

1. Last night while being bored I heard a wonderful sound coming from the street below my living room window. Nothing sounds better to a homesick girl than the sounds of heavily accented Romanians singing what they believe is the Canadian national anthem. It went something like this "HEY NIKKI! - - Oh Canada.. na na na.. Nature land" It was all they knew, but it touched my heart. I like my Romanian friends.

2. I think pre-foamed soap is retarded. I hate it.

3. I need a haircut. BADLY.

4. I need a tan. BADLY

5. I am 'THIS" close to having my flight to Ontario booked.

6. I am "This...................." close to having my drive back to BC planned.

7. My parents moved into their new house.

8. I have math lessons planned for the next 4 weeks (I'm awesome!)

9. Next week I am busy. Field-trip, worship night, history fair (like a science fair - planned by yours truely), Prom.

10. In 2 weeks people from Huron County are coming to visit me. (Hayley and Justin's parents) I'm EXCITED to see and spend time with people that are semi-familiar.

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time there was a missionary named NJ. Every morning NJ would wake up to the sound of her alarm - a pack of wild street dogs fighting in the street, groan a little, and slowly adjust her eyes to the bright light coming through her window. NJ was not a morning person. NJ was a night person and although she was responsible about going to bed at a decent hour she still resented waking up in the morning. The only thing that made her get out of bed was the thought of letters and e-mails from her friends and family across the world. Thinking about who would write her and what they would say always brought a smile to her face and made her excited for the opportunity to go to work to check her various mailboxes. NJ would hike to school thinkinging about the possibilities they day would hold. As she walked she thought of her students, her friends and the e-mails and letters that would be awaiting her. With a twinkle in her eye, and a bounce to her step NJ climbed the stairs to school and logged onto her computer only to find that for the first time ever she had an empty in-box. And she cried. All day.

The moral of the story: NJ (Nicole Janette aka ME) is delighted by correspondence and today I got none so I was sad.

The Fresh Princess of Bucharest

Now this is the story all about how,
My life got flipped, turned upside down,
And I’d like to take a minute, just sit have a nice rest,
I’ll tell you how I became the princess of a town called Bucharest.

In bright Huron County, born and raised
On the playground is where I spent most of my days
Chilling out maxin’ relaxing all cool
I was swimming blind at the local pool

When a couple of teachers who were up to some good
Started changing my views about the local ‘hood
I heard a voice inside me say “Its time to go”
So I left my friends and family to go all solo.

I hopped on a plane, and when it came near
I got bumped up to first class, ‘fresh’, in a Lear.
They flight was long I really needed a rest,
But I thought “Nah forget it, “yo take me to Bucharest”

I pulled into the city about seven or eight
And I yelled to my driver ‘Yo homes, smell ya later’
Looked at my kingdom, puffed out my chest
I was finally there – in Bucharest.