Always a Stranger

I know it has been awhile. So I have some exciting news since two easters ago! I survived my senior year, strangely enough. I am now a high school graduate!

Now I am on my way to London for university! I cannot believe that only a year ago I was saying goodbye to all of my friends in Romania, and saying hello to my friends in America. Now I am saying goodbye to America and going to London! My excitement cannot be expressed in words, however, this time is different. I was excited to go to Romania, but I knew I had to return to the states. Now I don’t know who I will ever see again. There are people that I have become closely acquainted with that I may I never see again. I don’t know when I will see anybody again, and I have made so many good friends. I leave in 28 days. I only have 28 days to say goodbye. Wish me luck.

Paste Fericit

Hello to everybody again. Well this is the third day of Easter in Romania. This was probably my favorite holiday here. First we went to the church the night before, and we listened to the ceremony and lit the candles. The "high" priest of valcea was there, he is 96 years old. I was really surprised to see him. Also about 200-300 romanians there and it was so interesting and amazing to see.

This is the church I went to for Easter

This is the second high priest of valcea

In Romania they play this "choc" game where you get two dyed eggs, and one cracks it against the other. The person whose egg doesn't crack wins! I have actually lost, a lot! Oh well. This is my second week of break and I am loving it. Although the weather isn't exactly lovely, it is nice to have a break. Also my father comes in two weeks! I am excited to see him.

Making brownies with Martha

My Easter Eggs

The second day of Easter, Monday. I went to my host parents house and we ate more food. So much food!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj_26QOE8K4&feature=g-upl&context=G28f64e5AUAAAAAAABAA

Christ is alive!

Well this is the week before Easter, and lets just say Romania had been very busy. Today is Good Friday, but the Romanians call it Big Friday. Well it has been an interesting week. The week starts out with Flower day or Palm Sunday. First off, on Palm/Flower Sunday anybody with the name that has to do with Flowers is celebrated, including Floryn. That is the only name I know that has to do with flowers. Also we got to see the priests of Ramnicu Valcea "march" or "parade" however you would call it around to all of the different churches

The guy with a crown on his
 head is the Main priest of Valcea

Other than that though I didn't get to see much of the church services offered throughout the week. I also went to a Catholic celebration of Easter. I didn't get any pictures of that, but hey it's the same as in the states, however there were the cutest cats outside the Church. 

My God those are the times when I want to steal one and bring it back to the states :D

Also, this week, I have a lot of times to hang out with my friends here which is awesome. Yesterday, I got to make brownies with one of my friends Martha.

Yummyyyy. They turned out great! I did this with no measuring cups and not all of the ingredients. I am so proud of myself. This week has been pretty great actually. Everything is going normally, and Valcea is as pretty as ever. Tomorrow I begin the Easter cooking, which I am excited for! Although all of the cakes have already been started. I know traditional Romanian food for Easter is sarmale, mamaliga, and lamb. Sarmale (which I love) is meat cabbage roles. Mamaliga is polenta and is usually served with some sort of cheese/sour cream mixture. For Easter it is tradition to sacrifice a lamb, however not all families do this. They sure do love to eat it though! Wish me luck with this weekend I might be so fat, I cannot get on the plane.

Having the Time of My Life!

Well it is exactly three months until I leave today. The weeks are going by faster and faster. Each passing day I want another to stay. Everything has been great lately. Making new friends, eating, and school nothing to much. This week in Romania they have a "different week of school." This is where the students plan a week of fun with their teachers. Granted most of the time we're just confused, it has been fun.

Spring is Here!

Since I haven't given an update since I switched host families, I would like to say that I love them very much! They are a very kind understanding family. They have two kids which are in America and in Switzerland now.

The week of fun
boys playing football

Another weird fact is that in the United States I know all of you are enjoying your time with break. Well here Easter is exactly a week later. I am very excited for Easter. The biggest religion in Romania is Eastern Orthodox. For Easter the people go to churches and light candles. I am excited, but I don't know the details. Another little thing I have picked up on is that they love to eat lamb... not too excited about that.

Also on the last day of March it was Earth Day! It was very fun because from the hours 8:30 - 9:30 they turned the lights off in Valcea. A lot of the youth gathered in the main square to light candles. Interact and the Europe Direct put this on and there were some entertainment. It was all great fun :)

Springtime is here

Well Spring is in the air, and I love it! Though sadly, this is the week I  switch host families. I can not believe that 2/3 of my exchange are completely gone! Everyday I spend here I wish I could have five more. Well lately not too much has been happening just living normal life. I went to a party on Saturday set up by Interact called, "Step Up," Was a dance contest in which a ton of talented performers danced mostly hip hop. I had so much fun there! I'm always impressed by the things that they do at these dance competitions!

Spring is in the air and there are puppies everywhere!!!!!
It makes me soooooo happy. They are so darn adorable, here is picture of some that live by my old host families house!


Other than that life has been quite boring. Lexi and I even went prom dress shopping. Well Lexi did all the trying on and I took the pictures it was still so much fun.

And Valcea is just as wonderful as it has been. Pretty and everybody is doing great!

Lexi trying Schweppes haha funny

just Valcea!

Dragobete

Sorry for the confusion of switching urls I swear this blog still exists.

Photobombing Level: Lexi

After a very crappy month, things are starting seem brighter and brighter. The snow is melting and people are generally happier. Valentines day was about a week or two ago, but Romanians don't celebrate Valentine's Day they celebrate Dragobete. It's the same idea except celebrated on the 24th. The exchange students and me went to a Rotary party for Dragobete. It was very interesting except we paid 10 lei for water O_O Water is usually like 1 lei haha oh well. There was a live band playing eighties music and there were plenty of people there. I can say we all had a good night....I think haha. Who couldn't have fun watching drunk Rotarians dance around to Jump haha. Also only on Dragobete can one get married for a single day! The mayor came by our party and married a bunch of the people there, it was soooooo sweet.

Also now in the center of town there is a market for Martisor. Martisor is a Romanian celebration where boys give girls these cute little pins in honor of spring coming! It also has a lot of cute valentines day stuff there. It was nice to see people out and about again, after being frozen in the snow!

That is my Valentine's Day Tree

One of the cutest puppies in Valcea

"I'd like to fly. Then I wouldn't have to wait in airport security lines," Jim Morris

"I'd like to fly. Then I wouldn't have to wait in airport security lines," Jim Morrison

I actually strangely enough love airports, I don't know if it is the exciting feeling that comes with them or just the fact that you can people watch people from all over the world. I just recently got my tickets for my return flight to Durango and lets just say I am excited. I leave on July 4th and arrive in Durango July 5th, so I'll just barely miss my countries independence day!

I leave Bucharest July 4th at 6:20 am and will arrive in Frankfurt at 7:55 am. 

I leave Frankfurt at 12:45 pm and arrive in Chicago at 2:40 pm.

I leave Chicago at 5:00 pm and arrive in Denver at 6:38 pm.

I leave Denver, July 5th, at 8:20 am and arrive in beautiful Durango 9:30

Now this isn't set in stone but I think I will keep it like this or try. If I do then there is a fairly good chance that I will be flying with my good friend Lexi all the way to Chicago! Also I can meet up with one of the mexicans, Marco, in Frankfurt. 

I calculate my entire travel time though and it will be about 36 hours O_O

As long as I can find either a Tacos place or bagel I will be fine.....

P.S. Tacos and Bagels I miss you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH! I AM SO STOPPING AT STARBUCKS when I find one... hey I have three four airports I'm sure there is one