The Awesomeness of Eurovision 2010

With my time in Romania coming to a close, I've been reflecting on the things I'll miss most.  Eurovision is definitely something I'll miss, but it's impossible to forget the awesomeness that was Eurovision 2010.

Back in the States we have parties for all kinds of sporting events, tv shows, and awards ceremonies...but none of those quite compare to the Eurovision parties I've experienced here in Romania.  It's craziness with lots of singing, dancing, laughing...I can't nearly explain it in words.  So here's a little video to give you an idea of what Eurovision is all about.

2 years ago I left

Something occurred to me on my walk today; 2 years ago, today, I was scared out of my mind and couldn't even enjoy a Philly cheesesteak during Peace Corps staging (few days of preparation before departure).  I'm not exaggerating about this!  I broke down crying while talking to my best friend when I was standing across from Independence Hall.  That moment has stuck with me.  I can still feel the fear, and it took all the strength I could muster to not hop a plane back to Fort Wayne, Indiana.  I went back to my hotel room to recover and a quote from Donald Miller's Through Painted Deserts popped into my head.

It might be time for you to go. It might be time to change, to shine out.

I want to repeat one word for you:
Leave.

Roll the word around on your tongue for a bit. It is a beautiful word, isn't it? So strong and forceful, the way you have always wanted to be. And you will not be alone. You have never been alone. Don't worry. Everything will still be here when you get back. It is you who will have changed.

I'm glad I left.  I have such an appreciation for where I come from now.  If you ask any of my fellow PCV's they will tell you that I'm crazy about Indiana!  That quote was right, and I have changed; that's what I'm afraid of...

Now that my time in Peace Corps is nearly up, I have to prepare myself for the next adventure God has in store for me.  One thing I know for sure...my experience in Romania is coming with me, and I wouldn't have traded it for anything!

For my Mom! Happy Mother's Day!

I couldn't spend the day with my own mom this Mother's Day so I spent the day cooking for one of my Romanian "mothers".  Explaining what we typically do for Mother's Day in America, or at least in my family, and sharing stories about my mom got me thinking.  In the past few weeks 3 of my best friends have either had a baby or announced that they're preggers.  They'll make great mothers...I know this because I have a great one to serve as an example!  Happy Mother's Day to all mothers!



This post is for my mom, Tracey Ulmer.  If that's not you then you can stop reading this if you'd like, but I don't mind if you read on and learn about how much I love my mother.

Mom,

Talking about you today with one of my Romanian families brought about a flood of little moments I'd let fade into my memory.  I'd forgotten about...you trying to play baseball with us in the yard at the old, gray house; the time you volunteered to be a scorekeeper at a golf tournament without knowing a thing about golf; you freaking out after I ate a poisonous berry from one of the bushes in the yard; you laughing at me when one of the cows licked me in the barn...  

All these little memories make up a story of a mother that was pretty darn great.  I'm sure you had no clue where life would take you when I entered the world, but I'm super proud of who you are at this moment.  I can tell you, without a doubt, that without you there is no way I would have had the courage to join the Peace Corps.  I wouldn't have done a lot of things without your support...you had my back Mom and for me that has made all the difference.

I wish this message were a hug instead, but since I'm thousands of miles away this little note will have to suffice for now.

Nobody loves you like I do.

Tara

May 1st

A few of my high school friends invited me out to the forest in a neighboring village for the weekend.  May 1st is a big deal in Romania.  It's officially recognized as International Worker's Day here (Ziua Muncii), and it is what we know as May Day. 

After school on Friday we gathered the necessities for our weekend and hopped the bus to take us near Dâmbău.   After getting off the bus we had a little hike ahead of us through the hills.  We walked for a few kilometers and finally arrived at the farm and cabana where we were staying.  It was nice to get away and really enjoy the scenery in my little part of Transylvania.  We grilled a lot of food, we drank homemade wine, we wandered through the woods (or the Shire as I like to call it), and I taught them how to roast marshmallows around the fire.

It was a relaxing weekend that I desperately needed.  However, it brought with it the realization that I have TWO months left here in Romania, and I don't know how I'm going to say goodbye.