Lost in Iaşi

I got lost in this city today, literally and figuratively :). It snowed all day, and look how beautiful!


Life continues to be an adventure here in Iasi! We've all been pretty laid back so far this week, just basically wandering the streets when we want to and working on homework at the apartment when we're not too restless. Basically we're all waiting for confirmations to begin working in our respective areas (St. Andrew's orphanage for me). I should hopefully begin work there by Friday! Cross your fingers. Until then I'm enjoying a lot of freedom in my days and the chance to get a lot of things checked off of my to do list!

I have learned an important thing about myself, I am definitely a morning person! Yesterday was a good day, but it took a long time to become one. Want to know why? I woke up at about ten thirty! I hate that! It doesn't matter how late I get to bed (which was too late on Sunday, my bad) I still need my morning time, especially when I'm constantly with 5 other girls in tight quarters. So for much of yesterday I was inexplicably quiet and felt sorta grumpy. It was frustrating for me. I think it's the idea that half of my day is now gone, just wasted. With this realization so many things now make sense! Long story short, this morning when I woke up at 6:30 and had a couple of marvelous hours of "me time" and a fresh start I finally understood just how important that time is for me. Guess that's what having a morning paper route for seven years does to you :)

So back to current events, yesterday we spent most of the day with the missionaries as they went shopping for their p-day. They showed us how to use the tramvai (basically like trax) and we had lunch at an Italian restaurant. It was lot's of fun!
You have to punch your ticket every time you climb on, that's what Abby is doing on the left.

Mmm... Ravioli. I love the girls I'm living with, but three of them are only veggie girls and I am definitely not...yup definitely not. There was beef in my ravioli and I was happy :)


It was sad to say goodbye to Sora Olsen, just right as we've had the chance to bond. She's on her way to Bucharest now so we'll see who replaces her. She and Sora Jones came and said goodbye today and after a lot of chatting and picture exchanging we took a few more goodbye pictures. Here's just a couple for ya. I love the sisters :)



I love how Kasey is looking at Sora Olsen in this one. She's the one in the back in the middle. Awesome... :)

Today Ally and I ventured out on our own, and it was a blizzard pretty much all day. We searched for a random place to buy lunch and found this adorable little shop. I can feel myself overcoming my barrier with the language, which is exciting! No, I haven't magically learned to speak fluently, I just think I've been humbled enough now that I'm not really afraid to say what I can and smile and say "nu inteleg" when I don't know what people are asking. Oh yes, and I thought I'd grown out of my clutzy stage but I may have reverted back. Sigh...On Sunday I slipped and obtained a few impressive bruises from the ice, I disjointed my pinky finger that night too. I do not want to be known as the clutz like I was as a teenager (hey I'm in my 20th year). I fell a few times today though too, I'll be careful. Ally and I laughed our heads off telling each other "ai grijja!" (be careful) as we wandered. Today as a whole has been wonderful, and cold! The high for tomorrow is 19 degrees F. That's not including the wind chill...mi-e foarte frig! I love it though, and I love the city (me? Love a big city?! That's such good news!). It was our first day out on our own without any assistance though, and I felt so empowered doing everything on my own, even if Ally and I did get a bit lost and I lost my camera case and extra battery...nuts. Worse things have happened though. Well, that's about all I have! Or at least, I just need to go to bed. Noapte buna :)

Cu drag!