a night out in Cund

Last night, our friend Gheza invited Relu, Dana and myself to head out to the village he grew up in. All I knew was that there would be drinking and jazz...so naturally I was up for it!

So we hopped in the caddy, which no longer has Michigan license plates I might add, and headed off into the countryside. Relu kept asking me why I was so quiet; I was taking in the scenery of all the little, old saxon villages that I love in this area. We kept going and Relu told me a story of a terrorist that had been hiding out in this area a few years ago. He was living in a barn before the locals got suspicious and contacted authorities. I never know if these stories are true, but they are always interesting. Finally we arrived in the village of Cund.

When entering town, I kept seeing signs in German...I had forgotten about the German influence in the area. Daily, I'm surrounded by Romanian and Hungarian influences, but this area also has Saxon roots. Cund is a quintessential Saxon village with a German heritage that runs deep in each of its inhabitants. We pulled the car up along side this beautiful old farmhouse with horses galloping in the pasture behind the main building. I was taken aback by the beautiful woodwork (Carpathian Oak) throughout the entire complex. It may be in the middle of nowhere, but for me this is what Transylvania should be promoting for tourism. It truly has stunning views and an untouched landscape that is so hard to find today. While staying at the guesthouse there are hikes, horseback riding, traditional crafts workshops, carpentry workshops...It's a perfect escape from our busy, complicated, modern lives.

We sat down, and to my surprise we were told that everything was complementary tonight. I loved hearing that! Jonas, the owner, made it clear that he wanted to party and enjoy the multicultural event with guests he had invited. There were German, Romanian, Hungarian, Spanish, American (me), and Swedish guests. We all communicated in English, and for once it was my friends (except for Relu and Dana who speak fluent English) looking to me to make sure they had understood correctly what the other person asked. So we sat down with glasses of champagne and a few beers scattered about on the table. We had a nice chat before Jonas announced the food was ready! I wish I had taken a picture of this, but there was a large buffet with name cards describing the foreign foods Jonas had made to introduce his non-Romanian guests to Romanian cuisine. Sure I love all the Romanian food, but I was excited for the grilled pork chops, pasta salad, german potato salad, and au gratin potatoes I could see and smell! It was all delicious, and I'm realizing more and more how much of my family's cooking is influenced by my German heritage. Anyway, we ate...a lot! Then we all wandered the grounds as the sun was setting behind the rolling hills. As soon as the sun went down, we were directed toward the tent set up in the backyard. For two hours we sat and enjoyed a great jazz band from Berlin. The crickets added a little background music for the band, and it was not lost on me how lucky I am to be experiencing these moments. I mean seriously...here was was sitting outside on a cool, spring evening listening to jazz in a small village nestled in the center of the Transylvanian hills.
Jonas and Ulrieke were wonderful hosts, and I'm grateful to have been given the opportunity to experience more of the quiet, serenity of a small, Transylvanian village.

Check out the website of, Valea Verde, an old Transylvanian farmhouse restored into a guesthouse.

I love being a teacher!

I do not always feel this way, but this week brought back all the reasons why I love it. I had an open lesson for all English teachers in the area. When all was said and done around 20 teachers were sitting in the back of the classroom watching my every move like hawks! It was nerve-racking, but it brought back the excitement I had lost sight of over the past few weeks. I'd forgotten how good it feels to map out every step of a lesson and then toss it into the trash when I wanted to freestyle! I was so excited to show my students progress and to show some of the Romanian teachers how far kindness can go in the classroom! From the feedback they all provided after the lesson, I think most of my goals were met.

My students were feeling nervous. And I won't lie, I was too! They said --Miss Tara! I woke up this morning with a stomach ache. I don't think I can do this. This is scary!

The students were brilliant! Although they were a little quieter than I would like them to be, but it was a success so oh well! Bravo 6C!

In addition to the open lesson, 8C pulled out their formal letter writing skills we learned in 1st semester to write me a letter of invitation to all the end of the school year activities. I wanted to include a copy of it here.

Dear Miss Tara,

On behalf of VIII - C gr. - students from Gimn. Stat "Avram Iancu," which you skillfully and most competently taught, we have the honour to invite you to participate in all the specific activities which are going to be organized at the close of school.
Hopefully you will be with us to share the emotion of these moments.

Respectfully Yours,
-VIII-C

All this has reminded me of one of my primary goals for my Peace Corps service --To become the best teacher I can possibly be. To put myself in situations that may be beyond my comfort zone... It feels good to see I'm succeeding at some level!

"The true teacher defends his pupils against his own personal influence. He inspires self-distrust. He guides their eyes from himself to the spirit that quickens him. He will have no disciple." -Amos Bronson Alcott

1 year down...

Hello readers!

It's May 18th, 2009 and it has been one year since I hugged my family and said goodbye in Fort Wayne International Airport...and then I got frisked by airport security. It was 5:30 am, and I was saying goodbye for 2 years! Is it a surprise I forgot the change in my pockets or that I had my watch on?? The person that left that day and cried all those tears is a distant memory at this point.

Anyway. ONE YEAR! Holy Cow! I should have seen this coming, but I didn't. I even had a moment last week when I was sitting on a bench in the center of town...I let my mind wander off the book I was reading, You Shall Know My Velocity, and I stared down the street. I could feel the imprint of this memory taking hold, and I felt as if it was the last time I'd be there. In retrospect, I've realized it is the last time I'll see that exact scene since things are always changing, but I don't want to attempt a conversation on metaphysics so we'll leave it at that. I'm not prepared to be having those feelings yet, but I let this one creep up on me! I want to be enjoying every second and being fully present during each moment of my Peace Corps adventure. I want to be spending more time in the Word. I want to be available and energetic for everything that is still yet to happen for me here in Romania. I've changed even more than I expected...and I'm sure there are more changes to come. I can't wait to see what those are, and the person I am a year from now...when I'm preparing to come home and have to say goodbye to all this!

So it's been one year. A lot has happened within the span of my last 365 days. Here's to hoping the next 365 are even better than the last!

A glimpse into some Romanian poetry

A fellow Peace Corps volunteer reminded me of a Romanian poem one of our language teachers introduced us to during training. I love it! I hope you do as well!

Tell me, if I caught you one day
and kissed the sole of your foot,
wouldn't you limp a little then,
afraid to crush my kiss?...
-Nichita Stanescu

TEZA --kind of like ISTEP

Chalk up another missed class due to a lack of communication. I had read all the announcements in the cancelaria and prepared lessons to cover for my counterpart, but no one told me that they had moved the Teza exams to Thursday. They were supposed to be on Tuesday, but because of the Strike (or the strike that was supposed to happen) things have gotten crazier than usual. No harm done! Nobody was terribly upset with me.

I've been mentioning the Teza...basically you can take the ISTEP, subtract all the scantron , and you've got the Teza. The kids dread it, and it's extremely important. For 8th graders, it determines where they will attend high school in Tarnaveni or if they choose in Targu Mures or Cluj.... I stuck around today to see what happened during the Teza. I didn't learn much because all I saw was a bunch of running around, the doors being locked, and then silence during the exams. I never thought I'd say this, but I think I actually prefer the way ISTEP is set up! I'm talking set-up here people; I am not talking about the questions on the test!! I can only take so much "A baloo is a bear, to wuzzle means to mix, a yonker is a young man"

Relu and Dana's Wedding

My first Romanian wedding...where to begin??!

up early in the am; cakes, cookies, and wine; accordians and clarinets; lots of KISSES on my cheeks; more food than I've ever seen in my life; Romanians can literally dance the night away; homemade Transylvanian wine is one of my loves and vices (especially when it's made by Domnul Cornea); my Romanian is improving; did I mention the food or dancing yet??; Whiskey, Cognac, Tuica, Wine, Vișinata, Beer...yeah I did it all-->moderation is key folks! ;)


I had an amazing time! I had heard about all the traditions --the godparents, processions of cars and people in and out of the house/apartment in the morning, the special bottle of tuica to offer to those we pass, kissing portraits of saints on the wall of the cathedral, crowns on the heads of the bride and groom during the ceremony, dancing and drinking...but what I loved most is that I really got to see just how much the people I've grown to love over the past year have come to love me in return! So much of my heart is back in Indiana, but I have no reservations about calling Tarnaveni home as well! The Tara that was scared to strike up conversations in Romanian, to walk up and kiss strangers on both cheeks, to dance and spin in circles...she is gone!

I was asked a million times how different weddings in the States are from the wedding I'd seen so far in Romania. I gave an arbitrary percentage, but I think it's probably pretty accurate; I said 90% is different. Don't get me wrong! There are similarities, but the big differences really overwhelm the subtle things they have in common. Most of the differences stem from the traditions of the Romanian Orthodox church. They hang on to traditions and culture...this is something I greatly respect because I feel like, in America, we just let go of things sometimes.

The inside of Catedrala "Sfantul Treime" in town was gorgeous, so now not only is it my favorite building in Tarnaveni because of it's exterior but also because of its interior! I loved the traditional dances and the children stealing Dana's shoes so they could get a 25 lei bribe from one of the godfathers. Relu and Dana took dance lessons, and they did a beautiful Viennese Waltz. I've mentioned the food, but I enjoyed every bit of it even if I was completely shocked that they brought out sausages after we had already had cake!

I could literally tell you thousands of things I loved about going to a Romanian wedding...but I'll save those for all the conversations I can't wait to have when I return home!

Check out some of my pictures from the wedding and reception!

Relu & Dana's Wedding Relu & Dana's Reception

Easter Holiday --Adventures in Vienna and Budapest

While living in Eastern Europe I've been gradually making a list of all the places I must go to because of the sheer proximity to my current home. Vienna and Budapest were near the top of the list, so I packed up my backpack and headed to Oradea, Romania to meet up with another volunteer, Kate, and then embark on an Easter adventure.
[Disclaimer: I'm keeping this relatively short...someday I'm sure the stories I've gathered will naturally come up in conversation; therefore, if you have any questions or curiousities feel free to email/Facebook/etc. me]

Oradea -- This is the site of Kate, a PCV who is taking advantage of the Peace Corps' push to recruit 55+ volunteers. She's full of great stories and our trip was a chance for me to get to know her better! Before leaving for Hungary and Austria, Kate and I took a walking tour of her city which is a beautiful amalgamation of Hungarian and Romanian and even a little Turkish influence. My favorite part was visiting the old synagogue along the Crişul Repede River. Unfortunately, it is falling down and there is no money to fund a restoration project. I feel that so many wonderful historic monuments are being lost due to money issues. Anyway, for a small amount of money there is a man who will share the history of the synagogue with you...before WWII there were around 30,000 Jewish people in Oradea, but that number was completely decimated throughout the war. It's always a moving experience to transport your thoughts and emotions to a time and a place where such things happened even though we still have yet to make genocide a permanent thing of the past. [off my soapbox] Kate and I woke up at 3 am the next morning to catch the train to Budapest and then on to Vienna. Budapest is about a 3 1/2 hour train ride from Oradea, and then Budapest and Vienna are only a few hours apart by train so it's not a bad trip.

Vienna -- Vienna takes great pride in it's rich history and culture, as it should! I was overwhelmed at first but quickly found where my interests were best suited within the Austrian capital. I had two favorite things. First, was the Albertina Museum...which is widely celebrated as one of the most significant graphic and fine art houses in the world. I was blown away by the Dutch art exhibit, Gerhard Richter exhibit, and the apartments of the Hapsburgs! After the Albertina, Kate and I enjoyed a wonderful lunch along the Burggarten at The Palmenhaus. It was at this point I had a moment were I felt like a normal tourist instead of a PCV on a tight budget. My second favorite was the Naschmarkt! It was a huge market with exotic spices, foods, and lots of energy! I bought a few things here and then walked over to Karlsplatz to sit in the park listening to music in the shadow of a beautiful Baroque church! The rest of my time in Vienna was spent exploring the beautiful gothic, baroque, and modern architecture; the Staatsoper (Vienna Opera House); the Hofburg; Schönbrunn Palace and the Gloriette in the gardens; Donauinsel (Danube Island); St. Stephen's Cathedral; and then wrapping up the night at a local pub talking with a few locals I met named Biggie, Osborne, and Rollo. One last thing...I can't talk about Vienna and not mention how much I loved the strudel and wienersnitzel!! Delicious! Kate and I woke up early every morning and found a nice cafe with wonderful pastries, cafe melange, and the best free water w/ apples, mint, and lemon...after a couple days in Vienna we went to the cafe to buy some snacks and were off to the train station to head back to Budapest!

Vienna Pictures

Budapest --In my humble opinion, Budapest is one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world. One day I hope to share it with someone I love! The Danube River is the heart of Budapest...my favorite things were along the river so I'll tell you about them in the order I experienced them. I didn't know what to do when I first got to Budapest so I went down to the river and walked around the Pest part of the city occasionally stopping for a beer or two. The bridges in Budapest are what first catch your eye. Having just come from Vienna and hearing the story of Empress Sisi, Sisi's Bridge caught my eye. It's the most modern in Budapest even though all of the cities bridges were destroyed and rebuilt after WWII. Sisi's is the only bridge not built in it's original style. Once you look past Sisi's Bridge your eyes are locked upon the massive structures on the other side of the river (the Buda part of the city) as well as the stunning Chain Bridge. First, my eyes were focused on the citadel and liberation statue on the top of Gellert Hill, but that was quickly overshadowed by the beautiful residence of the Hapsburgs, Buda Castle. Although never actually lived in, the castle is a magnificent part of Budapest's architectural history. Once I was up close to the Chain Bridge I was just happy to be alive and have the opportunity to be doing what I am doing. I've always wanted to stand on that bridge for some reason, and I finally got to! I kept walking and kept trying to figure out why I medieval Fisherman's Bastion across the river was architecturally Gothic...I found out about that later on my history/romance night walking tour with Adam. Still walking, I stumbled upon a memorial to those killed by the Arrow Cross Party (Hungary's branch of the Nazi Party). I sat for a while just pondering the memorial before I moved on to the Parliament. It is spectacular with its gothic spires even if it doesn't quite fit with the historical architecture of the city.
I mentioned the night tour a moment ago. Adam was a great tour guide and we also had a couple great college guys named Tim and Ethan from Marquette University with us. I learned so many neat things about Budapest's history...and finished the night with a glass of Tokaji wine. The next morning I was ready to be blown away again! Kate and I went together to the Gellert thermal baths, and then we went our own ways for the day. I immersed myself in the history and did a Hop-on/Hop-off bus tour. I met lots of great people, sat at cafes writing in my notebook, and just wandered around waiting for things to jump out at me. Back to the hostel, I explored the Jewish Quarter of Budapest as well as the 2nd largest synagogue in the world which was a somber reminder of the cities past.

Well I hope you got a little hint at how much I absolutely loved these two cities. They went well together because of their related history and connections to the Habsburgs. There is so so much more, and I'd love to share more with any of you sometime! Check out the pictures when you have a minute...I tried to include some of the historical tidbits I learned!

Budapest Pictures

Hristos a inviat

Walking around town lately since Easter everyone has been greeting me with a "Hristos a inviat (Christ has returned)" and then in return I must respond, "Adeverat a inviat (It is true, he has returned)" in rememberence of Christ's resurrection. When there are hard-boiled eggs involved people will also hit the top of other person's egg with their own egg and say "Hristos a inviat!" Then the other person says "Adeverat a inviat!" I like this! It's kind of fun, and as a Christian it is what I believe!

After 6 weeks, I'm told then I say "Hristos sa inaltat" signifying that Christ has risen.
It makes me think of church and repeating after the pastor..."Christ has risen! He has risen indeed!" Where would I be had he not done this for me?? For you??

From my American perspective, this is very interesting because many people separate their daily lives from their spiritual lives in the States. It reminds me that they really are one and the same and should be treated as such. At home, I try to be open-minded and sensitive to others spiritual beliefs because our population is so diverse, but because such a large population of Romania is Orthodox it's commonplace to greet each other with religious sayings. Sometimes I feel like some cultural, spiritual, etc. traditions are lost because of over-sensitivity...does that make sense?? Perhaps the real sensitivity is just being yourself and trusting others to accept that and vice versa.