The Day of my Birth (September 10th)

Oh this special occasion, alas, I did Not feel the normal urging need to take lots of pictures since most of the day was spent riding cars. However, it was still an eventful Day =)

The day before, I had celebrated my birthday in the village by handing out candy to little kids I saw and I brought a large package of cookies to the Mayor's office and shared it with my co-workers (as is traditional on one's birthday here).

On the actual day, it started with Emily and I waking up and taking a bus ride to meet our Program Manager (the boss of our sector). Oana had visited my site the day before, for about 2 hours. She talked to my counterpart, my neighbor and made sure that any problems I was having or that the organization was having was addressed. She told me she was happy with me and my site and our relationships. I have a Crazy Strong American-Romanian accent, but I was able to understand what was being said around me generally and I was able to communicate back in Romanian. *hangs head* I don't like my thick accent, but Oana said she likes accents...I said as long as I have an "Irish-American or European-American" kind of accent and not an "Middle Eastern or Chinese-American" accent then I'm okay. Unfortunately....I think I have the latter =(

The night before we all went out to dinner to celebrate my b-day. 4 volunteers and a staff member of Peace Corps at a Romanian restaurant next to the Danube. Here we were taking a coffee break before we went our separate ways. Time with other volunteers and staff are very often very short lived.

I spent the majority of my day in a car, which was Great because it was a FREE ride and I had good company on my ride.

I was dropped off at a train station (in Ro it's called a Gara [Gah-Rah] and I took a SKETCHY train to my next stop. Trains here are ranked from P ->A ->R ->IC normally, and there's a 1st class and a 2nd class. Due to the timing, I took a P 2nd class, the ticket being about $2 equivalent for a 1 1/2 hour ride (not bad at all in US standards), but I had to cling to my stuff, and I was super paranoid: sit with old people, never alone, hold on to all items.

I sat with old people, who later begged me for money, and asked what I had in each of my bags and compartments of my bags. BUT I wasn't molested! (I've heard too many horror stories about cheap train rides)

Despite all my traveling, I got to the site with the Red Cross too late to travel to two more cities. So the Red Cross let me sleep in their building overnight. They had internet!!! It all worked out for the best.

I wasn't left totally alone.

For some reason...I was never ever scared on any bit of this trip, or worried. *shrug*

Since I was ill prepared for camping things in Ro, Emily let me borrow her Pumpkin. It's cute, and I want my own (not sure a Romanian or an American breed).


Birthday dinner:
It may look like a sad meal, but it's actually special cause every item was special.
The Beef Jerky was from cousin Irene, the Oreos were from Mom and Amelia, the Africana chocolate bar was a birthday gift from Emily and Nils, the Cheese sticks were from Oana in case I got hungry on the road, and the rest I gave as a gift to myself. I did get all my food groups.

I thenforth spent the rest of the night snacking and being online. THANKS FOR ALL THE BIRTHDAY WISHES!! On the whole, that's my favorite part of my birthday, all sorts of people, family, long lost friends, and aquaintances, and bosses remembering you and taking the time to say "happy birthday."


And for the ones who are really close, them making the extra effort to doing something a little more special =)
Let's see: I got attempts at text messages from best friend, attempts at phone calls from mom, a DNA molecular kit...and assortment from college buddies, clothes from the godmother, and a sweet card from my sis with US family pictures and me cropped into them, and perfume and candy from Em and Nils.

I'm loved =)

Cosmina's 18th Birthday Dinner

I was at work while (I interrupt this blog to post this message: I GOT A VIDEO TO WORK!!! ON MY MP4 PLAYER DAD GOT ME FROM ASIA!!! I'VE BEEN USING IT FOR MUSIC, but I knew it played movies, and nothing worked!! Until I researched and found that I AMV's would work, but no!!! not any AMV'S *muahahha that would be too easy!!! After many-a programs later, and may trial runs made from differently formatted files HA!! AVI --> AMV MUST BE DONE!! I GOT THE ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES TO PLAY!!! I can watch a movie!! All I have to do, is download things, reformat things, download it into my 1 1/2 inch by 2 inch mp4 player to watch it *happy dance jiggle*) Maybe I could have boughten a dvd player, maybe there was an and obvious solution: something worked!)

Okay, so was teaching kids during Cosmina's day festivities, but I got home at about 5-6, I was sat down to a very late lunch of (think it was chicken or turkey) and mamaliga, then I ran into the house to get ready. Neighbors didn't get ready and I was confused.
We were driven to the city, and we ran into a jewelery store: Cosmina, Yulla, I and Aunt, and we bought Cosmina her birthday necklace. Apparently we can trade in our old gold jewelery for 1/2 price of it's worth (they weight it) and that's what we did for Cosmina.
p.s. I've noticed it's very very popular for women to have gold necklaces, bracelets and many rings, and for both guys and girls to have earrings. For guys two or one earring, but the earring has to be on the left ear (how 80's and 90's!) I remember that generation style!

Girls got ready at Aunt's house. Don't they look cute! Yulla is 15 and Cosmina 18. They are my neighbors and include me in whatever they do these days.

I didn't realize I wasn't wearing enough mascara until I saw this picture. Gar....I always always have to look my best (and more!) cause everyone else looks too good!

We had a dinner for Cosmina. She said it's normal for people's 18th to be a giant party (not like an Indian party, but I guess like in the US, people's sweet 16), but they're moarning for someone right now and they didn't want too big of a celebration. Doesn't this look just like parties in the US?
(p.s. Okay, That girl across from me doesn't drink too cause she doesn't like it. That's like th 10th person who's said that to me, and I didn't say I didn't drink first, however, I've noticed all of them have been female). I though ppl drank a lot more commonly in Europe, but *shrug*

Me with Yulla, and then with Cosmina. As I promised: more pictures of me =)

We with other neighbor who's 23 and I just met really, and her name is Yulla too.
Happy B-DAY to the Birthday girl!!!
In Romania, we say: La Multi Ani!! [lah muhl-zee ahn]
I noticed I have a very different taste in photos from everyone there. I thought this pictures of Cosmina was wayyyy cute! But no once else did =/

I got a video of us all singing the song =) I was kinda mumbling along at first, but them I stopped because my horrible singing would be recorded louder than the rest (yes you may thank me through comments on the blog). Practice Practice my friends (in Romanian) my b-day is in September. Though, for me this year, it's kinda an ewie age, a lot less fun that 18 for sure.

Here's the pretty b-day girl. She wanted to be a Princess, and I think she looked the part. She's kinda like my sis Amelia, in the way that she's hot and got a talent for style and taste (I admit it, I think my sis Amelia is hot, hotter than me for sure).

After the party, the 3 of us girls (we are becoming closer because I eat with them at least once a week, and I am welcomed to hang out in their house, I've been to their grandparents' homes, and their aunts, and quiet a few of their family events) all went to the aunts and spent the night (there was no where else for me to go anyway in the city). I didn't know I was spending the night, cause when I asked Cosmina said not to worry because it's her birthday....=/ So I didn't ask. 3 very hot (as in it was probably 90's at night) girls in a bed too close to one another, in our underwares: how cute.
(I was a dancer, and on a swim team, so I am a lot less conservative than most, and a lot less conservative than the normal Asian for sure!) We turn our backs and close our doors when we dress in my Asian family, but here in Europe I've seen topless people I've met that same day!
So that was my Wednesday.