2/5*

Hello all, it has been about a week since my last entry. First I want to say happy 1 yr and 5 months to Junior.. haha.. and on another side note- thank junior for the pictures on this blog (he is so computer savvy... unlike myself) :)
Anyways... it the past week or so has been very busy and interesting. Last week I was able to go on my first home visit to see one of the pre-schoolers and his family. I was able to see the home they lived in and the boys overall environment. It is interesting how in Romania there is no "standard" way of living- just like in America. Some peoplehave large, luxurious houses, and others have small one bedroom apartments for 3 people. The home I visited looked like this... visualize with me, if you can.. *you walk into a doorway that is covered by a blanket to keep the small amount of heat in. After passing through the blanket you see a small sink (maybe the size of a standard bathroom sink in the US) that the family uses for their everyday kitchen sink.Touching corners with the sink is a television on top of a small shelf which is directly touching a full size bed that is used for both sleeping purposes and daily use as a couch. To the left of the bed is a table for four with only 2 chairs in sight. Across the room from the table is a small refridgerator about the size of the one I use in my dormroom attached to the stove/oven that has boiling soup cooking. There is a small door that leads to a very small cramped bathroom, and there is a matress leaned against the wall to put on the floor at night for the two children to sleep on. There are four people living in this house, and its not really a house... its a room. A room that is about the size of my familys living room @ our house in Quincy. ... not very big... I think about all the space that my family has and lives in, and I am being humbled more and more by the people I am with everyday. This family has nothing- and yet, with the 3 or 4 lei they did have (money) they went and ran to the store to get juice to serve us so that we didnt have to drink water. This homevisit was an amazing and humbling experience for me, and it is only the beginning.
After a very long and busy week... and a romanian test! :) We took a day trip to Sibiu and the Paltanise mountains (sp) Sibiu was lovely and last year was named the Cultural capital of the world.. or something like that! :) We visited some shops and went to the Orthodox church in teh big plaza, as well as one of the last Lutheran churches in Sibiu. Both were so amazing. I love visiting the old churches, and looking at the architecture. The Orthodox church was built during the baroque period- which I have come to realize, that I am not a fan of the Baroque style... its a bit too flashy for me... The Lutheran church on teh other hand is a Gothic style church. I loved it, despite the creepy cherubs everywhere! :) After visiting the city we went to the moutnains and ate a sack lunch at a lodge that Veritas frequently uses for retreats... all I have to say is WOW... GOd is good!! The mountains of Romania are unlike antying I have ever seen! The picturesI took do not do it any justice! The mountians are just ... amazing! AFter lunch we went sledding at one of the smaller "rolling hills" at the top of the Large mountain. It was a beautiful but tiring day! I am all out of things to say at the moment... I will try to write more later tonight or througout the week as it comes to me... thanks for all the prayers...

la revedere!