Apartment found!

Within a week of sending out the last e-mail asking for prayer for an apartment, I found the apartment for me which I like and has all the things I need - 2 bedrooms, nice furniture, cable TV (for language, silly, and only about $5/month!), telephone, nice quiet location close to the bus and other team members, good price, a second bathroom (alright - a luxury!) with a bidette (ask someone!), 2 balconies, a washing machine (a real blessing!) and a garage! I have already started moving things over there, as well as cleaning it to my satisfaction and have started purchasing the things that are needed. Just going to buy the needed things is a language and culture lesson in itself and I sure am glad for the wisdom of others not to have put me through this right after I arrived! Shopping for a sheet made me realize that not only did I not have the word for it, but I did not understand how to buy a sheet based on metric measurements for a single bed opposed to a double! Language lessons everywhere! I'm due to be all moved in and sleeping over there after the 1st of Feb. The new address and phone are at the bottom of this e-mail.

I've already started building good relations with my new neighbors. The first time I went over there by myself, I mistakenly mistook (yes, that is good English!) my downstairs' neighbors' door for my own door and tried to open his door with my key. All of a sudden the door opened and a rather irritated-looking big guy was saying rather angry things to me that I did not understand, I believe implying that I was trying to break into his apartment! The nerve of the man!! I just stood there speechless and open-mouthed and couldn't even squeak out "I'm sorry!". Nothing like trying to make a favorable first impression with the neighbors!!!

Another blessing - the World Vision shipment arrived on the 19th January! Continuing on with language and culture acquisition - in all ways that He sees fit to use - even got to visit another doctor in my short time over here - as the patient! What joy, what rapture!! Another story and adventure, of course, but suffice it to say at least that I am on the mend! PTL! Thanks for the prayers! Please let me know how I can pray for you!

With His Love,

Christmas greetings 2003

It has been a while since writing….Yes, the adventures continue! I wrote just before Thanksgiving, so I will catch you up on things. Succeeded having a Thanksgiving celebration with 11, making my first turkey with stuffing and pumpkin pies over here – seems so long ago already! Shortly afterward the beginning of December was filled with sleeplessness and night sweats (50 years old plus – I’ll let you guess!). Turned out to be caused by a switch in my thyroid medicine. I thought I had to change from my American version to a Romanian version but with such reactions, I am thankful to finally have a source for my American version. (Thank God things are back to normal and I am sleeping wonderfully again!)

Then winter came on rapidly with the combination of ice, and mud from the thawing snows. Since they do not clear off the sidewalks and I do a lot of walking, I have managed to fall down 5 times in the ice and mud! Not a pretty sight! I’ll wear brown from now on! A healthy reverence for ice is turning into a reverent fear of breaking something! So far only my pride has been damaged! Have purchased boots for every occasion to be ready (who says one doesn’t need 4 pairs??!!) Thank God for padding in the right places! I hope they do the trick! Am learning new ways of staying warm in this damp cold which goes right to your bones!

Had a nice Christmas here – spent 3 days in an orphanage with our team and a fabulous Canadian team of 6 who were here for their 5th time and brought 25 hockey bags full of stuff for about 80-100 kids to have a wonderful Christmas. We stayed in apartments which were quite comfortable and available for spending nights at the orphanage. Unfortunately, while there the whole team contracted a stomach virus on Christmas Day, of which I was also a recipient! Oh well, the thrills of sharing Christmas joys!

2004 was ushered in and I am now back to language study four times a week with my tutor, Alina, after a little holiday break. She makes it fun to learn and she is so extroverted and enthusiastic, like me, that she makes it so easy to have conversation with her! Slowly but surely the language is proceeding. I have decided to keep language as my primary thrust for another 3 months and will not attempt to start up anything in the hospital until after a full 6 months of language. Please continue to pray for continued improvement in the language.

I have thoroughly enjoyed living with the Madly family for the last 3 months. In my time here they have grown in size by the births of 3 guinea pigs and 4 collie pups. No, it has not been dull here and they have been very gracious in accepting me as part of the family. But now the time has come for the next step in my life here in Romania - I must start looking for my own apartment. Please join with me in prayer that the Lord will direct me to the apartment He has for me. There are countless things to consider – which section of town, proximity to bus lines and/or hospital, furnished/unfurnished, private or general heating and the list goes on.

A funny story – I went out the other night for a few things at the corner grocery story with Lisa, the family collie, and there was a gypsy selling a rug. Somehow, I allowed a conversation to start (my first mistake - but speaking the language is everything!!). “$50!” “No, thanks!” “$35!” “I don’t want it!” “$25!”, “I don’t need it!” “$20!” and, by then it seemed like a deal, so I bought my first purchase for my apartment. Once they found out I was from “AMERICA!” (why wouldn’t I tell them??!! – but, I’m learning!! I’m learning!!), it was as if others appeared out of nowhere wanting to sell me their wares! So, maybe no more sidewalk purchases! I’m sure they did not see “sucker” emblazoned on my forehead! I hope you agree.

The Lord’s blessings to you in the New Year!

Thanksgiving Msg: Many Firsts - 50th Birthday, too!

Yes, it is unbelievable! A wise guy, George Glover, said many years ago that we wanted to get me over here before my 50th! Well, we accomplished it, George! At least, the Lord did! PTL! The 25th is the big day and we made it by 8 weeks! Just squeaked in to make it!

So, what’s happening??? I have experienced many “firsts” since I wrote last. Got my first sickness over here – was laid low for a while with a sinus infection. Had to visit the doc and get some antibiotics. No prescription is even needed for them in the pharmacies! Different! Am feeling much better and have my energy back. Had my first visit from the States of Mike Webb and his daughter, Rachel – it was great to see them, to catch up on things and to have them here for awhile. Of course, he brought some goodies with him. Thanks, Mike! Received my first package in the mail – a lovely gift of some long underwear – and the postal service wanted to know if it was for personal use. Hello! I even had to write them a letter stating that – “this underwear is for personal use”!! What else do you do with it?? Go figure!! Made my first batch of American cornbread and my first Romanian prajitura (cake). Don’t worry, folks – it has no lapte (milk) or faina (wheat)! The recipe is in Romanian (language, language, language!) and I’ll have to share it with you sometime! First vocabulary words to master always need to be foods! Remember that! May even make my first turkey over here to celebrate an American Thanksgiving. We will see!

Progress is being made with the language. PTL! I am so thankful to have a private tutor. Alina is terrific and she even understands me when I string all those words together! So, I understand more each day and it is coming along and for that I am eternally grateful. There’s a long way to go, but at least I sense progress. Regarding ministry in the hospital, I have no plans of doing anything there until after the New Year. I want to have a solid 3 months of language under my belt before starting anything and hope to continue the tutoring even after that. I heard from World Vision that the equipment will be arriving in Romania on December 17th, so that’s just perfect and will be real Christmas gift!

So, Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Thanks for all your love and prayers.

Language, language, language!

Here I am – it has been a month since I came here. What am I doing? Language, language, language. I have private lessons for 1 ½ hours four times a week and conversation for 2 hours 5 days a week and the rest of the time I spend studying, reviewing the words and going on new adventures every day which means I just go out the door. As you may imagine in another country EVERYTHING can be used for language and culture learning and EVERYTHING becomes an adventure - like going into a pastry shop and ordering something on my own (“Yes, pastries are very important for language!”), asking for the bathroom in the university library (“Hey??!! How come I don’t understand your answer!!”), trying to exchange some money into dollars (“You won’t let me have dollars?? Hey, I’m American, those are MY dollars!”), or buying a Walkman on my own (I got my point across!) or buying a placinta (Romanian filled doughnut) at the same place everyday (OK!, maybe not everyday!) so that they get used to me (“O placinta, va rog, cu varza. 8000 Lei? Da! Multzumesc!”). Yes, eating the different foods is very important for language development! Then, explaining my adventures afterwards in conversation. Well, there you have it….where life imitates art or is it the other way around?

My tutor complimented me on the number of new words I invent every day trying to remember the real ones! One needs to keep the tongue wagging!!! I also received two (yes, two!) other wonderful compliments since being here. Two people, on separate occasions, actually walked up to me (Yes, me!) and asked ME for directions!! They must think I am a Romanian! What do you think of that?? I was thrilled and you can be impressed!

It got cold this week. 20’s during the night and 30’s during the day. I don’t know if that says anything about what the winter will be like. We will see! Layers, girl, layers! Got a down jacket to help things out!

Mike Webb will be here this week for 2 weeks. It will be fun to have him here. He made this journey with his wife and 4 kids 10 years ago and things were VERY different back then which I can’t even imagine. I don’t think they had e-mail. Perish the thought!

The rooster? Still at it every morning!! “Koo-kur-ee-goo” is his way of saying “Bu-na Dim-ne-ah-tza” or “Good morning!”

Thanks for all your love and prayers.

Arrival in Romania!

13th day in Romania! Yes, I made it here and I am still alive! Took me at least 10 days to accept that I was really here and wasn’t going to be flying out of here any time soon! It is beginning to feel familiar, I’m settling in and thanking the Lord for bringing me here. I am able to keep my e-mail address of Compuserve so I am finally writing you all with my new address and phone numbers (yes, I now have a cell phone!) I’ve started language lessons – had 4 lessons last week already. I have a fantastic tutor who explains things in a way that makes sense to me and is memorable. Loads of work still ahead.

Had an experience with the police already – got a ticket and a fine for not stamping my bus ticket (I misunderstood how a transfer worked and paid 200,000 lei (about $6)). A monthly pass was quickly purchased the next day so that won't happen again!

Moved in with a family who has a large house with loads of activity from a 5, 7 and 9 year old and 3 university students living upstairs. 4 languages spoken here! I am definitely in Europe! So, what we can't say in English, we can say in German. One of these days I’ll say it in Romanian. Had fun on Saturday taking Naomi, the 5 year, with me into the city for a little shopping and sight-seeing.

Thanks for the prayers in getting me over here! Please don’t stop now! The language learning is going to take much brain-breaking and tongue twisting work. Pray that I have His patience for the process which can be very humbling!

Oh, guess what treat I have here in the morning?? A rooster!! He’s Romanian and says “Koo-kur-ee-goo” over here! Isn’t that fun!