Back to High School

Karen the TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) volunteer in our city invited us (Justin, Heather, and myself) to discuss about who we are and how we grew up to classes in her high school (probably talked to about 6 classes; 3 sessions, 2 classes in each session) .

It was great because it gave us the opportunity to explain how Americans are different and not necessarily just one color and especially the mentality of our parents when they migrated here. They seemed fairly surprised when I talked with a strong American accent and grew up eating hot dogs, hamburgers, and pizza (I know what a terrible diet, but that's what I ate because I wanted to fit in, plus it was hard to explain Filipino foods to other kids at the time - sad I know). Most importantly it gave us the opportunity to start meeting the community (Thanks Karen!).

Justin and I had similar stories to share in growing up which we believe hit home with the Romanian students. We explained how our parents in the 60's/70's did not want to teach us their native language (Filipino for me and Spanish for Justin) in fear that we would not fit in as an American and not assimilate as easily (since at the time there were hardly any asians when I grew up). We said we know more about the Romanian language and about their culture than our parent's culture (which was a little sad). We also shared pictures of our hometown, family, and friends. We expressed Romania's natural beauty as well(can't just brag about our hometowns the whole time especially since we have different problems), which seemed to work and how the word needs to get out about this beautiful country. Seemed to inspire them a bit !

Frankly, being back in high school was pretty therapeutic for me. The only disappointment was not being able to see Justin break a board since he knows karate.

Better Days & Baile Herculane

Better Days
After my Daniel in the Lion’s Den incident occurred, next day was a little better. Still had a group of kids call me ‘Hey China’ but I did the P.C. thing and talked to them for a bit, went well. No guys wearing daisy duke shorts in the gym. Still having an apartment issue. No harassment in the grocery store. I was meeting Justine and Heather to go out and there were three guys sitting on a bench, two girls dressed scantily clad in front of me, who do you think the guys on the bench were staring at? I wish the girls but they were staring at me like I was from another planet. Now I can only think of two reasons why they were staring at me and neither of them are good.

Baile Herculane
Saturday Justine, Heather, and myself took a day trip to Baile Herculane. This is about a little over an hour away north of Severin. Legend has it that Hercules himself bathed in the natural springs that were built by Roman legions following their invasion of Dacia. Pretty soon the story will change to, ‘Legend has it, Heather, Justine, and Steve bathed here’. Wallowing in the ‘Seven Springs’ thermal pool (like a regular pool) was relaxing and a nice break from the city. Hiking back we found a small little nook where we saw a person go down, curious, we followed him and led us to a natural sulfur whirlpool. Ahhh… that hit the spot. We were able to carry a decent conversation with the locals as well and one of the local’s two sons lives in Chicago on Western and Foster. She asked if I knew where that was. I can only smile and wanted to say ‘2400 W & 5200 N and about 15 minutes away from Superdawg’… (in Homer Simpon’s voice) mmm… Super..dawg.

Pictures are of;

• Justine (as Hercules himself) and I in one of the natural spring rivers.
• Couple of dogs waiting with us in Orsova, before they turn into the hounds of hell at night.
• Iron Gate – Hydroelectric power station and on top of the dam is the road that links Romania to Serbia.
• Heather taking a picture with the open doors of the moving train. If you fall off and live, there is no suing anyone or any entity here. You’ll just here them say dumb@!$ and case closed.
• Architecture in one of the old historic bathes.

@*!# dogs ! Close but I live on. Tough day yesterday.

Yesterday was one of those days...

Starts off by looking for an apartment. Thought I found a somewhat decent place but then they wanted 3 months security deposit, which after a long negotiation process was a no-go. Ughh... and the search continues but doing ok...

Go get lunch and have 6/7 boys speaking to me in Chinese, smile and move on. Something I deal with from time to time. Like growing up in Chicago in the early years. Still doing ok...

Working out and a guy at the health club was wearing daisy duke jeans, don't need to say anymore... Still doing ok...

I'm in the grocery store buying some chicken, I'm ordering and the lady asks me where I'm from. I tell her Chicago and out comes three guys dressed in Eminem style clothing yelling, "Chicago is no good, our city is the best and we stay right here!" (using both of their hands pointing down), seemed that they were quite serious. I ask, "You've ever been there?". "No, don't need to, we stay right here" (mind you, just about yelling and attracting attention). Still doing ok...

Now comes the part that almost breaks me...

I thought I almost bit the dust last night. I watched a movie at my site-mates place (Justine and Heather), '300' (about the Spartan's war against Persia (not that very good)) but hey, it's a movie so I can't complain. There are no movie theatres here or any American fast food joints for that matter, no real franchise type restaurants (actually pretty nice but once in awhile you crave that All-American bad food). I was walking back around 11:15pm and it's about a 20min walk back to my place. I was crossing a park (nobody is around and it is pitch black) and out comes about 10 dogs, 8 of them barking and growling loud quickly surrounded me (other 2 on the sidelines for support), 'uggghhh', about 4 were the size of dobermans. Didn't freeze, I just had to slowly get out of their turf but they came real close, within arm's length. I just kept yelling 'Gata!' for some reason which means enough in Romanian. I was able to slowly walk away (have to say it was about a minute but felt forever). I just kept thinking, you know, countries that eat dogs aren't that bad. If you can't control them like in the states, control them in another way.

And life goes on...

When it can't be solved by money or can it ?

In the Mehediniti County there are approximately 3000 private active companies and about 2-6 workers in each of these private companies - no large industry and many state companies, but like all state companies, too much work and too little pay (the worker's mentality all over the world). The population is approximately 312,000 people (including children), 120,000 able workers and about 10% unemployment rate (9.4% to be exact of which 80% of this unemployment is in the country and 20% is in the cities in Mehedinti).

Majority of the unemployment comes from:

1. Rromi population. Not motivated to work or be integrated.
2. Overall weak economy. Not much revenue pouring in (not much of a tourist area as well).
3. Not enough enterprises as stated before no large industries and very few small private companies.

So is my (Mehediniti county's) problem, the weak economy or the Rrom population not wanting to integrate, or simply both.

When I say it 'can't be fixed by money', I mean the motivation of people, not necessarily to work but to want to be able to contribute to society as opposed to be a decadent or be happy with just getting by, or even worse, getting by by scamming others. Majority of the people including Rromi are happy with the current state of living/lifestyle on a day to day basis, not motivated to do much else, let alone improve the lifestyle of their kids and generations to come.

Another issue, many Rroma are able to make a lot of money one or two days and not have to work tomorrow, the next or next couple of days. Do some work now (i.e. sing at celebrations make good money) and not worry for awhile. Sound good? Sounds good to the Romanian kids now, why go to school and work hard when I can make money now and not have to worry about the next couple of days. Not exactly setting the right example.

So if you were Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, the President of Romania, President of the United States, Bono, or Steve Manio, how would you motivate people to want to work, contribute to society or more importantly integrate into society so they can slowly start getting rid of these terrible stereotypes. How do you start? with the kids? There are some Rroma families that have huge lavish houses, the best cars, and a lot of money but yet they (same peope that own this) still continue to beg and even sleep outside of the house (in the backyard). How do you fix that with cash if they already have it, or if it is a way of life do you even try to fix it.

I'm looking for different perspectives from anybody. So if you have any ideas or need to correct me, please let me know. Just trying to learn as much as possible. Thanks

Unemployment - Rromi (Gypsies) - Any Ideas?

So working in the unemployment office in Severin is really opening up my eyes to some serious sad stories. Severin has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. The question is how do you inspire a group that the majority just doesn't want to work.

Rromi (Gypsies)
- Readers Digest history:

• 1242(ish)A.D., the Mongols and Tartars (Turks) enslaved people from India.
• 1385 made their way into Romania.
• 1855 slavery was abolished.

I can tell some stories i've been hearing but I really don't want to offend anyone at this point. More looking for ideas of how to help. I can briefly say that a majority of the Rromi kids do not go to school, nor do their parents want them to go to school. I could go on with all the stories I have heard and some of it is very explicit but not at this point. Majority (not just here) work the system, for example,

1. Rromi (as well as others) come into the office and look which jobs are available.
2. They receive papers from the office to go and apply to the employer (papers and stamps are needed for everything for proof).
3. They go to the employer and most of the time come back saying that they did not get the job (did they really want the job?). The employer gives the stamp of denial (or approval).
4. The receive papers to work for the Primarea (county office/mayor's office) and if they work for 7 days (8hr days) they receive 180 Ron ($1 = 2.44 Ron). However, a worker that works 20/22 days a month receives 350 Ron a month. The motiviation to work those extra 13 some days is just not there. (Lower the Primarea pay or Increase the minimum wage - neither of which I have the power to do).
   
   I'm trying to talk to other areas to learn why unemployment is so low there, more on their system and if it is similar not so much as is there work available more on the motivation of people.

So anyone have any ideas on how to motivate a certain culture that does everything not work, doesn't want to work, and doesn't want their kids to go to school? Oh here is one more curve, I'm not fluent yet so trying to speak to them would pose a small issue. Any ideas I'd be more than happy to take in, I really don't have a group where I can brainstorm, and even if I did, not sure how large of a rock I'd be able to move, but I know a majority that are reading this are very intelligent and I'm willing to give anything a go.

If you want to hear some of the stories, e-mail me, I have something prewritten and can send but note, it is pretty explicit.

Drobeta Turnu Severin

Well, I'm finally here (Severin, south west Romania, on the Danube and borders Serbia (I see Serbia across the way) and working with the unemployment agency, this is where I will be located for the next two years. Little difficult now (in the agency) since majority of the documents and people are/speak in Romanian, I'm getting about 40% (fast speakers).

The mosquitoes are feasting on me. First time they get to feast on a Filipino. I swear I saw one try to put sweat-and-sour sauce on me before trying to take a large bite. I find myself whacking myself pretty hard at night. Peace Corps issued us a mosquito net but my room is pretty bare so I really don't have much to hook it to, I need to buy some hooks or some coat racks to use. All the raid and candles and stuff don't work, I hear faint laughter from the mosquitoes when I try to use them. I actually had to put the mosquito net over the dining room table a couple of times and sleep under the table. Worked pretty well and slept pretty good (assuming there are no bugs on the floor). Other than that, it's been great, getting acclimated and meeting new people (at work). Pretty safe to assume that there isn't much diversity here. I think I maybe the majority but I did hear there is a shop owned by a Chinese person. I personally have not seen any other color here.

Pop (dad), if your reading this, I want to say I feel a little of what you went through when you came to the U.S. and trying to get established here in the 60's. I have had my share of Dr Pugh stories (inside family story). However, whereever I go and even though I don't understand fully I smile and wade my way through somehow.

Sworn in as a volunteer

Friday afternoon May 4th we were sworn in as volunteers marking the completion of training (whew!). We were sworn in by the US Ambassador to Romania. Everyone is leaving Ploiesti as of today (Saturday May 5th), I will be in Ploiesti for a little longer (last one here) because they are still finding a second family for me to stay with in Severin.

I also received an acknowledgment from the teachers for learning street slang and using it.

I included some pictures of the US Ambassador, friends from the South Side (we live on the other end of the tracks, furthest from everyone).

Go Time

Well, I passed my language test and it looks like I will be in Romania for two years (assuming I can hack it). We will be sworn in as volunteers Friday, May 4th at 11am. The U.S. Ambassador to Romania will be swearing us in so we are all looking forward to it. 10 weeks with intense language training, some humiliation, a mini-project all comes down to this.

I will be in Ploiesti probably until May 8 or May 9 and I will be in Drobeta Turnu Severin for two years. I will be living with a Gazda for one month and then will have an apt (can't wait).

Quick culture note on what Romanians do not like (some of us may have run into these in our own cultures):

• No Whistling in-doors (means you are in an empty house).
• No walking barefoot on the floors (women will not become pregnant, males may get sick).
• Curant, can't have certain windows open at the same time (drafts the body, may get sick such as arthritis).
• Can't go out with your hair wet regardless of weather (will get sick).

Marea Negra - Black Sea mini-vacation

updated 5/3/07:

The fish I ate (really good) is called Hamsie, you can eat the whole fish but I was eating the body without the head. Some of my all time favorites is Frigarui de pui si porc (barbecued chicken and pork).

The Black Sea is pretty close to spending spring break in Florida. Still a little cold but will definitely fill up fast in summer. In the afternoon, there were a ton of people on the beach and all the places to eat and drink were filled. Great place to visit as are almost all the places I have visited.