Stephanie's Saga
These are excerpts taken from Stephanie's e-mails and correspondence from Romania. Ordered chronologically,
they provide a sense of her experiences there to date.
This page will soon be updated with an essay written by Stephanie.
Sun, 07 May 2000
I'm still here in Boulder counting
down
the days until my job is over and I can go home for two weeks and tie
up
loose ends then leave for Romania. I leave June 21 and I realized
today
that for the past 6 months, that's all I have thought about-leaving
Boulder.
Boulder has felt like nothing more than a place to wait for me and I
hate
that I couldn't relax and enjoy just being here more.
Thu, 19 Oct 2000
Ahhh, Romania...I am at an all night internet cafe. So happy that
there is
finally internet connection. It was down for a week. Which isn't so
bad.
My water was turned off for 17 days and my gas for 7. I am tough and
am
coping well. I think. I love teaching. My classes are great. I
teach
5,6,7, and 8 grade English. The students are amazing...so respectful
and
eager to learn. It's every teacher's dream. Also, every teacher's
dream...Fall Break...a nice long week's vacation after Halloween. I
want to
try and head into Moldovia and visit some Monasteries there. And as
for
Halloween, I am going to the world famous Halloween Party in
Bran..Dracula's
Castle. Should be fun, hear it gets a little crazy. Peace Corps
Volunteers
from all over Eastern Europe come to it. Man, I wish I had my own
computer
and internet at home. I am dying in here. Everyone is smoking and the
smoke is so thick I can hardly see the screen, much less breathe.
Mon, 30 Oct 2000
just got into bucharest an hour ago. i had to come to the peace corps
office to take care of odds and ends and it's great to be here where
there
is internet access-fast and free! life is good. it's amazing the
pleasure
such small things can give you.
i am starting a week's vacation. school's are closed for fall break
this
week. i was in bran this past weekend for the eastern european
halloween
party. i don't think i have ever enjoyed halloween so much. i was a
witch-actually had a great costume for a change. no one recognized me.
anyway, the party was a lot of fun and then yesterday i spent the day
at the
castle-dracula's castle-but not really. i am just still thrilled to be
in
bucharest-not only email but mcdonald's-i'm going to go all out today.
yahoooo!!! romania keeps getting better and better. i love my site in
sebes but the real fun is traveling around and seeing new things. and
as of
nov.1 i am really going to buckle down with language study. i seemed
to
have reached a plateau and it feels like i've even been regressing.
Tue, 14 Nov 2000
my patience is wearing thin. real thin. i don't have water or heat. at
least i have internet or this would be hell. i think 5 days is as long
as i
can tolerate going without a shower or bird bath. i have decided to
take a
bus out of town if there isn't water by tomorrow and take a shower at
the
closest pcv's house. arggggghhhhh....my
main
goal is to find a scanner (that works) so i can scan some pictures. it
is
possible to develop film so that is good because i am taking lots of
pictures....my counterpart is sick
so i
have been teaching all of her classes as well as mine and i am about to
get
sick myself. . . things are good here, it's just hard and i am
beginning to
see why they say Peace Corps " the toughest job you'll ever
love"
Wed, 22 Nov 2000
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone,
I am scurrying around getting things together for a Thanksgiving
Party for
my students tomorrow. They are very excited to celebrate. I am looking
forward to heading out of town on Friday to have Thanksgiving Dinner in
Deva
with some of the other Peace Corps Volunteers. Hope all is well with
everyone...We have so much to be thankful for! Stephanie
Fri, 08 Dec 2000
Greetings and Happy Holidays to All,
Hope this finds everyone in the Holiday Spirit. I am preparing for
my
secondary project, a project that will provide Internet Service to
Scoala
Generala #1 Silviu Carpinisianu in Sebes(my school). Last year, 25
computers were donated by the Britich Council of England. The students
love
Computer Class and are learning how to work several programs.
Unfortunately, the Internet is still, if you can believe it, a foreign
concept to most of them. By having Internet Service the students would
be
connected to the rest of the world, be able to create their own
webpages,
and be able to communicate with students like themselves in the U.S.
and
other CoUnTrIeS. I see the Internet as a great link for the students
and it
is my goal to help the school find the resources they need in order to
provide Internet Service to an eager bunch of students in Sebes,
Romania.
Below, you will find an itemized list of the parts necessary to make
this
possible for my students. I am hoping that someone out there will know
a
group, organization, business, company, anything, anyone who would have
interest in assisting in this endeavor. So, if you can email any
contact
information this way....I would be ThRiLLED to get the project up and
running!
THE LIST......
1. NETCARDS ON ISA-NEED 25 @ $13 EACH=$276
2. UTP CABLE, 250-300 METERS @ 0.75 A METER=$250
3. HUBS FOR 25 ENTRIES/ 1 HUB WITH 9 ENTRIES WITH 10MB/S =$45=$135
4. PHONE LINE $60
5. DISCOVER MODEM $150
6. ISP(INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER) $75 A MONTH
The most important parts are 1,2,3. If we can get these items, we will
be
off to a good start. yes? Comments, advise, other information welcome.
Fri, 22 Dec 2000
I am in Bucharest for the day and boy is it nice to have decent
internet
service here at the Peace Corps Office. It's fast, it's free, and it's
not
covered in a cloud of cigarette smoke like the cafe in Sebes. So even
though I was on a freezing, I mean freezing cold train for 8 eight
hours
last night without any sleep, I am in a very good mood to be able to
check
the 25 messages I have waiting for me. Man, two weeks ago when I came
down
to Bucharest, the trains were steaming hot. Last night the fare had
gone up
20,000 lei and there was no heat. By the time I arrived in Bucharest, I
had
on 3 pairs of wool socks, 2 shirts, wool sweater, coat, hat, gloves,
scarf,
and scarf wrapped completely around my face with only my eyes showing.
I
have never been so cold in my entire life but you know, no one
complains, no
ones says anything, that's just how it is here and it only reminds me
how
pampered we are in the US with such luxuries as public toilettes,
heated
buildings, clean water, clean air, a large selection of food, and lots
of
other good stuff....I finally tracked down
a
scanner in my town but it is very old and strange. Still haven't
mastered
scanning pictures that turn out how I want them yet. Well, I have to
run
for now. Christmas is almost here! Can't believe I have been in
Romania
for 6 months, well, sometimes I can.
Fri, 22 Dec 2000
Today I am in Bucharest at the Peace Corps Office and I am about to
head up
to Ploiesti, where I will spend Christmas with my host family. Some
other
volunteers are in town as well so I will meet up with them later on if
I am
not too tired. The all night train ride was not the most relaxing.
Sun, 21 Jan 2001
everything comes to a month long
hault
during the holidays here in romania. christmas is officially 3 days
and new
years is 3 days long with the week before and after observed by no one
working and everything being closed so i am just now able to get back
to the
internet cafe and work on my project plans....i can't tell you how much
i
miss home. everything is better in the u.s. i love romania, but well,
it's
romania and i honestly don't know how people keep going sometimes.
Thu, 01 Feb 2001
I am in Bucharest for the next two days
working
on grants. Well, trying to work on grants but I can't seem to get
caught up
on my emailing.
Fri, 02 Feb 2001
il ninge aice in bucuresti! yes, oh yes, it's snowing here in
bucharest.
it's been a busy, busy week. don't know what happened to the vacation.
i
was in sinaia for language training and then bucharest for two days. i
was
busy but somehow didn't get too much done on my main projects. i am
taking
the night train back to sebes tonight so yet another sleepless night.
went
to an indian restaurant last night and to an irish pub afterwards. it
was
nice to feel like part of the rest of the world for a change.
Tue, 06 Feb 2001
these adolescents in the internet cafe are getting out of
control
and spurting out all of the vulgar English phrases they know. Must
leave.
Mon, 12 Feb 2001
man, i can't tell you how long it has taken me to get online.
sometimes i
feel like nothing in this country works. o.k. so hopefully after i
type
this up there will be a connection this time and i can send it. we'll
see.
i'll keep it short just in case. still feeling stressed from not being
able
to send the message i typed up earlier....other news, i went to a romanian wedding saturday. it started at 3pm
saturday and lasted until 8am sunday morning. interesting but a bit
long
for me. it was a village wedding so most of the guests walked 2-3
hours
down the mountains to get there and so they were in no hurry to get
back
home before daybreak. it was insane but i feel i lost a day somewhere.
maybe it's just monday.... happy valentines day
Fri, 16 Feb 2001
i am going to aiud
this
weekend to stay with a friend's family there and visit another peace
corps
volunteer who lives there. supposedly the highlight of the town is an
old
prison so i am looking forward to checking that out. meanwhile, all is
well.
the kids had a blast valentines day. we had a party afterschool and
they
danced and danced and danced. romanians love to dance. i sat back and
enjoyed my valentines gift to myself-a real snickers bar. the last for
awhile. i'm trying to lose 10 unnecessary pounds that i gained from
eating
bread, pork, and too many potatoes. i am working toward being a
vegetarian.
i think it will be easier in the summer when i can even buy
vegetables.
Wed, 21 Feb 2001
the server has been down for 5 days and now that it's
up, the water is off. asta este aici in romania. so
the server is up and slower than all get out so i am
reading messages on hotmail and sending on yahoo...i am sick as a dog and am fearing mad cow disease. i
know it's just a virus but with all of the news about
mad cow i keep obsessing that perhaps
mcdonalds-romania bought some of that french
meat-cheap, cheap and while i was in bucharest
enjoying my happy meal-i contracted mad cow. let's
hope not. i am fasting now. no meat. no bread. until
easter and then hopefully i will be back to my light
bouncy self.... we are in the
process of getting new desks and chairs for the
computer classroom. i am writing a peace corps grant
to replace the old delapidated furniture that's in
there now.
Sat, 24 Feb 2001
yes, i had tonsillitis, a fever, and some sort of infections. i am
better
now but am supposed to be in bed for the next 4 days-easier said than
done.
now i have to sneak back to my apartment with out any of my students
seeing
me. this is a real "no no" going against doctor's orders. they
already
have insane superstitions about why i got sick in the first place...i
left
the door open on monday, i don't wear romanian winter shoes, and i had
on a
t-shirt in my apartment on tuesday when two students came by to visit.
whatever. feeling stubborn....just had bad news, jim rosapepe, the ambassador is leaving. i
really
liked him. i guess with the new bush administration, ambassador's are
being
replaced around the world? well,
i must sneak home now.
Sun, 25 Feb 2001
It's Saturday afternoon, I think. I was sick this past week and am now trying to get caught up on projects, lesson plans, and correspondence. I always imagined I would have lots of free time in the Peace Corps but I think I'm busier here than I ever was at home, but I love it! I am hoping to save up enough of my living allowance to take a weekend trip to Budapest next month. It's only 8 hours away. Turkey is only 20 hours away by train and bus. I'm getting the "traveling fever". Maybe I just want to look for spring. It's colder here now than it ever was in December and I am beginning to think it really will snow on Easter. It's snowing in the mountains but I live in the valley. No snow for me. Maybe next year.... Anyplace with sun sounds good to me right now. Eastern Europe is where I wanted to be but winter here is quite bleak.... I'm making spinach soup today so I can take it to school with me this week in my thermos. Such a nice treat to having something hot for lunch.
Tue, 27 Feb 2001
i talked to
bogdan this morning. all is well here, except me. i
can't seem to get over tonsilitus but i am still
running around. maybe i should take it easy. anyway,
this keyboard is messed up so i will go for now.
Fri, 2 Mar 2001
yesterday was
martisor, the holiday that marks the beginning of
spring and surprisingly, it seems that after weeks of
cold dreary weather, spring may really be here. the
first sunny day i have seen in forever. i just want
to stay outside and bask in the sun.
i haven't been able to kick being ill. i have strep
throat now and an inner ear infection. i am on
antibiotics and hoping to be back to my normal self
soon. we'll see. yes, they have the same thing
here-the superstition of drinking cold drinks. maybe
that's why nothing is refrigerated? or maybe the
superstition is a cover up so they don't have to spend
the electricity to refrigerate? hmmmm..
Sat, 10 Mar 2001
sometimes it takes 4-5 weeks for people to get my
letters if they get them at all. i think if they look
remotely interesting, the posta romana takes the home.
so it easier and a lot cheaper for me to email....
Thu, 15 Mar 2001
wow, what a day! i came in on the night train last to
bucharest last night. i have been putting the final
touches on my grant since 6 am this morning. the disk
i had been using didn't want to cooperate with me here
in bucharest so basically i had to retype a lot of
stuff and in romanian and english. it's been 10 hours
of fast typing and one big headache but i managed to
turn it in-so now, i think i will treat myself to
mcdonald's. yes, oh yes!!!
Fri, 16 Mar 2001
I have been in
Bucharest
for the past two days working on a grant proposal. It's been too nice
to
stay inside working and I am ready to get outside in the city before I
have
to leave. Time is passing quickly. I can hardly believe I have been
here
almost a year now.
Fri, 23 Mar 2001
It's going to be a lazy weekend here. I am
going to watch a disney movie with my sixth graders
and then go running with the eighth graders on
saturday and sunday, aside from going to the market
tomorrow morning, that's pretty much my weekend.
Tue, 10 Apr 2001
i am in budapest and have been for the
past 4
days. i am heading back to sebes tonight on the night train and will be
happy to get back home. budapest has been cold and rainy. not quite
the
spring excursion i thought it would be. i went to the turkish baths,
walked
across the danube river, ate goulash and at mcdonald's, so all in all
it was
a good get away from village life in romania....i only had 15 minutes of free internet here at
the
goethe institute-what a lucky find.
Wed, 11 Apr 2001
I've been in Budapest for 4 days and now that I have adjusted to the luxuries of the Western World -- I'm leaving. I feel like I am a million miles away from the village life back in Sebes. I can't imagine what it will be like going back to the U.S.... I didn't bring my camera to Hungary but I hope to scan some pictures of Easter in Romania... Must take more pictures now that spring has arrived.... Happy Easter.
Thu, 19 Apr 2001
i am working on no sleep. i took the night train into bucuresti this morning and didn't sleep a wink. don't know what's wrong with me-must be anxiety. or maybe the cold. it feels more like christmastime than springtime.
Sun, 6 May 2001
i spent the weekend in timisoara. what a great city~
can't believe i haven't made my way over there before
now. it's only 5 hours by train but a world away.
i have started a hiking club with my students. i am
taking small groups of them into the hills after
school. it's a great walk now that the weather is
warm and sunny. i went by myself on thursday and got
a ride back with some farmers on the back of their
horse drawn cart. lots of fun.
Wed, 9 May 2001
i can hardly believe i have almost been here an entire
year! there are only 5 more weeks of school left. so
crazy.
i will be in the u.s. from june 9-july 5. i am going
to a committment ceremony in idaho and out to
colorado. it's going to be a quick trip but it will be
good to be home nevertheless....so far, i will be working at a camp in buzau from july
9-july 24. i will be teaching pst in ploiesti from
august 3-15. then, i will be at midservice training
from august 22-sept. 3....? school starts sept. 15.
Mon, 14 May 2001
i can hardly wait
to go home, i can't even tell you! i paid $600 for a
roundtrip ticket but i was able to get it before high
season when the prices doubled. lucky me.
all is well, busy, busy, way too busy. i took some
more pictures that i will try to scan in the next
couple of weeks.
Mon, 18 May 2001
i have two friends coming for the weekend. 15 hours by
train from the south of romania. i was up all night
making cookies. this morning i went to the market and
bought all kinds of good fresh stuff-strawberries,
cherries, radishes, a bag full of lettuce, and
rhubarb-with which i will attempt to make a pie with
this afternoon. we'll see.