Craciun Fericit si La Mult Ani

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All !!

And what are we all looking at ?

Christmas Carolers at the Emploment Agency
And for your benefit, Christmas songs especially made for you:

Getting Ready for the Holiday Season

Severin is getting ready for the holiday season which means decorating the streets and a holiday party.

The Main Street in Severin - Crisan Snowy Morning in my bloc

The Employment Agency's Christmas Party held at a former house of Ceaucescu (infamous dictator):

Hot Tuica and some appetizers to start with outside

Yes, that is a keyboard-guitar

How hard can a dance be if it's only 2 steps to the right and 2 steps to the left? Pretty difficult for myself.

A small taste of the sound and dancing to 'musica poplular' (traditionally done at all celebrations):

Ramnicu Valcea (Vladesti) - Diversity Day

Diversity Day in Vladesti
Three PC Volunteers (including myself) rotated classrooms to explain to the children (5th - 8th grade) the different perspectives of diversity and respect along with our experiecnces we each had.

Food weekend with friends

Dustin (Carol's friend from Oregon), truly experienced Romania by taking a bite of pigskin (with hair follicles still in tact and what he's currently holding in his hand) and drank tuica (kind of Romanian whiskey) from my bloc neighbors.

Roasting a pig

NOTE: Pictures are really graphic (could've been more graphic)!!

Roasting pork chops (not from the same pig).

MSG with french fries... mmm...

Finally a solid start

Carol and her friend Dustin from Oregon (first time out of the country) came to Severin to see a Roma village. As we were going, the director of the my organization (unemployment agency) told us to meet him at a Roma conference. Meeting him there, I unexpectedly had to speak in front of 25 people... in Romanian. In short, I said that being a volunteer I wanted to help the village if I can and from hearing many stories a small medical office (with showers for hygiene) were gravely needed. After the conference, the Roma Representative for Dudas went with us to the Mayor's office to see if I can obtain the land needed, they said consider it resolved. I stated it will be resolved when I get an official letter (with an honest evaluation of the land) stating it will be donated for the medical office. The mayor and Domnul Robert will say that he will get the letter next week. Can only hope, but it is a great start to get the necessary project on its way. Also for the first time it looks like the unemployment agency is truly backing my efforts in helping the Roma community.

To be continued...

Havoc in Dudas

Anarchy starts to break out in the classroom when I ask if I can take a picture of them. I must say, it's always an awesome feeling to see all the kids in the room 'light up' just from taking a picture, imagine if a park for them can actually be created.

The kids saying 'Goodbye!'. My favorite, notice the girl in the center giving 'two thumbs up', not sure if she was doing that on purpose or fighting her way up so she doesn't get overwhelmed by everybody else.

• This trip to Dudas I followed up with the school director and Lucica (Rom representative) about completing an application to have a Peace Corps volunteer in their town (where I believe we should be focused more). I also asked the kids if they were to have a park what would they like to see in it. Instantly, I'm getting pieces of paper with; computers, bicycles, so I needed to clarify what I was really asking. Next step is to layout the budget/resources, if the community works with me it maybe possible to do (and if we can also get the land very cheap).

Class Exchange

Class Exchange between a class in Southern Illinois and Drobeta-Turnu Severin

And I leave you with an awesome traditional Romanian (pork) dish that I love to eat but would not want to make. Sarmale cu samantana (sour cream).

Miercureaa Ciuc - Return to Dudas

Dudas
I am currently visiting the Roma village of Dudas. I am hoping to do a couple of things.
1. Find funding for a park for the kids, I'm hoping to utilize the land below.
2. For the kids who want to learn but their parents want them to stay in school is to find
them the proper school material so they can try to learn on their own and have people
from the community check on them at least once a week for help and to make sure they
stay encouraged to learn.
3. Hoping to motivate the teenagers in continuing education as opposed to having a goal
just to work in Italy and change their attitude that money makes a person.

Again, these are accomplishments I hope to try and start here.

Miercurea Ciuc

I was also currently in Miercurea Ciuc for a week for a Peace Corps In-Service Training Conference. It is a beautiful little Hungarian town about 50-60,000 people with a Mexican restaurant. I was able to see all the Peace Corps volunteers I have not seen since swearing in. We were together for about six days and then all dispersed back to our sites. Trying to find some pictures of the town.

'Going a-souling' !

now known as

'Trick-or-Treat' !!

BOO !!

BOO !!!

Notice my very bad drawings on the chalkboard. Never claimed i was an artist.

Returned to Devesel for kids 5th grade to 8th grade so they can learn a little about Halloween. Today was definitely tough as I truly believed it would be difficult to be a teacher, taking a whole day of classes drained me and reaffirming my belief that teaching is hard.

After a brief explanation of the history of Halloween and why it is one of the more favorite holidays in America (kids and adults), it was time for them to experience it. I explained the methodology and they were ready. Since each class was pretty short, they made masks and I waited on the other side of the door, they would knock, say 'Twick ow Tweat' (as best they could), and they received candy. Sure it was only one door they got to knock on but they got the gist of it and were ready to go to America and try it for a couple of more hours. It was very hard for them to imagine all the candy they can get as long as they kept knocking on people's doors.

Return to Dudas - Oct.30

I returned to Dudas to go around the community once again without the camera or taking notes. Still remains a sad story walking through the streets. However, they seemed to remember me. This was nice as I went by myself, well, Domnul Mihai's son, Alin, met me. I learned how to get there on my own so I can visit when I have time and I was invited to have dinner with one of the family's which was in a small store which was soo nice of them but sad at the same time since they made a very nice meal (carnati de casa, eggs, salami, bread, snacks, juice and beer), but at the same time I was eating, many of the local kids would come in buying a small piece of candy and looking at the food. Sad as I wanted to give my food to them but felt I would insult the people of the store if I did especially since I was eating with some of the family. Really hoping I will be able to help somehow.

Misc Articles about the Roma Tour (in Romanian)

(Now I really need to get working !! Hope I can do something for this and/or other communities.)




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October 20, 2007

Rom (Gypsy) Tour continued - Day 3 Dirvari/Gemini

2 Rooms 12 kids and number 13 on the way, one of the children below.

Outside kitchen

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Who likes french fries?

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At the end of the tour, one of the reprentatives/host offered us lunch and lessons on how to dance to music popular. Houston we have a problem.