Back in the States

The tiniest member of my welcoming committee.

I've been home for 8 days. It feels like I've been home for weeks, which is good. As much as I am looking forward to going back to Romania, I also want my time at home to go slowly. So far I've had a lot of good, quality time with family and friends. The other night, Raegan and I fell asleep holding hands. I'm pretty sure it doesn't get much better than that.

My journey back to the States was LONG. I took a bus at 8:30 pm from Sighisoara to Bucharest, arriving around 1:30 am at the Bucharest airport. Thankfully, I slept the entire bus ride. Then I waited in the airport until around 4:30 am when I could check-in for my flight. I slept a little bit in the airport...let's just say my neck was hurting by the time I woke up. I slept with my head resting on my two big suitcases. Not ideal, but I was so exhausted. I would have loved to watch myself...I know I looked like a zombie. Anyways, I checked in for my flight and flew from Bucharest to Berlin. This flight was only 2 hours and guess what...I slept! I didn't have a long layover in Berlin so I went straight to my gate and waited to board the plane. This was my least favorite part of the journey. 9 hours is waaaayyyy too long to be on a plane. On my way to Romania, I flew to London, which was only 7 hours I think. I can handle 7 hours. However, AirBerlin was pretty fabulous and I have no complaints about the flight other than the length. I watched 3 movies: Still Alice, Crazy Stupid Love, and Romeo & Juliet. I listened to music and slept as much as I could...but I was pretty well rested at that point. ANYWAYS, we finally landed. I went through customs and finally greeted my welcoming committee, which consisted of my mom, dad, sister and Raegan. Raegan had painted me a sign, and gave me a big hug. She kept staring at me, almost as if she didn't believe I was really standing in front of her. It was so cute. (Side note: I feel like I just completed a Gilmore Girls style rant about traveling and I'm 100% okay with that.)

Once we left the airport, we went to...Chipotle! No surprise for anyone who knows me at all. I LOVE CHIPOTLE. It was delicious, but I could barely finish it. My stomach is still on Romanian capacity and digestion. Does that make any sense? Oh well. One major realization that I've had is that my stomach prefers Romanian food, or rather fresh, non-processed food...everything I've eaten so far has made me sick. Thankfully it's not too severe, but I definitely don't feel good after I eat.

I missed this guy.

I haven't been walking as much as I did when I was in Romania. I've tried to make it a point to walk when I can because I actually really miss it. However, I have also missed driving. Such a simple thing, but I've always enjoyed driving. Whenever there's a road trip or adventure, I'm always willing to drive. The scenery, the tunes, the company of good pals...man, I love driving. Anyway...

Quiet mornings

I've been able to enjoy quite a few quiet mornings, which are one of my favorite things ever. Coffee. Reading. Music. The keys to a perfect morning. One thing I'm not fond of is the fact that my room is A MESS. I'm having a garage sale at the end of the month so I've been going through EVERYTHING I own. It's a disaster zone. The plan for the day/week is to organize a bit because I don't know how much longer I can live like this.

I went to the dentist on Tuesday. I was almost positive I had a cavity or two, but thankfully I passed with flying colors. No cavities for me! Anyways, my dental hygienist asked me a question that I haven't been asked in months..."So what do you do?" I stumbled as I started to answer..."Well I used to be a school social worker, but I quit my job and I've been doing mission work in Romania." Did those words really just come out of my mouth? Sometimes it's still hard to believe that this is my life and not someone else's. Yes, Casey, you did quit your stable, well-paying job and move to another country to work with people. Woah.

Overall, I don't have any complaints. As far as culture shock goes, I feel like things have been going very well. Of course, there have been a few things that I've had to adjust back to (driving, food, the overwhelmingness of shopping, etc), but all things I can handle. I feel like I was pretty aware of the re-entry process before I re-entered so that also helped.

I need to rewind a bit in the next blog post or two and share what I was doing in Romania before I left. The last month was a bit of a whirlwind with VBS (3 different ones), saying goodbyes, a weekend away with some teens, my INCREDIBLE roommate (Hi Beth!), the medieval festival, and more...I've got some writing to do.

Go. Give. Pray.

Details! I have details! I don't know about you, but I love details. Anyways, allow me to share these details with you. 

I have a fundraising goal now! It is just shy of $10,000. 

Now, the interesting thing is that this number should totally freak me out...but it really doesn't. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again...Romania feels like home. I truly believe that I am supposed to be there. I am supposed to continue working in Romania, developing relationships in Romania, learning more about who God is in Romania. Yep. 

As you read in my last post, I'm planning to return at the beginning of September 2015. For this adventure, I will be staying until mid-June 2016, which is the time frame that the $10,000 covers. I do have some funds leftover from the first adventure so they'll rollover, which is fabulous. 


Soooo...the details on how you can support me.

GO: Have you gone? I'd love to hear about your experiences, advice, brainstorm ministry ideas, etc. Call me. Text me. Email me. Facebook me. Comment on this post. 

GIVE: You have some options in the GIVING department...

• I have an online donation webpage this time around, and I'm very excited about it. You can choose to donate a one-time gift or a recurring gift. If you choose a recurring gift, your total amount (based on duration) will be counted towards my goal, which is pretty cool. Click HERE to donate a tax deductible gift through Nazarene missions. 

• Like last time, you can also give money directly to me. This type of donation goes towards my personal funds, and covers things like toiletries, student loans, clothes/shoes (as needed on the mission field), etc. Donations given directly to me are not tax deductible. You can write a check, hand me cash, or give online with PayPal by entering my email address (cjbloom2@gmail.com).

• Buy one of my shirts HERE. I decided to do a fun and simple fundraiser to get things started and the results have been OVERWHELMING, to say the least. Thank you to everyone who has already supported me by purchasing a shirt, or two! They will be on sale until August 3rd. Once the shirts arrive, I would LOVE for you to post a photo of you wearing it! Don't forget to add #CBtakesRomania if you post a photo!

• I am planning to have a garage sale on Friday, August 21st and Saturday, August 22nd. More details to come as far as location and times, but just know that ALL of the proceeds will be going towards my return to Romania. 

PRAY: I strongly believe that one of the reasons I've had that PEACE...you know the peace I'm referring to...is because of the prayers that have been said on my behalf. Thank you to those who have supported me in prayer. I am forever grateful to you. Some prayer ideas for you...

• Peace! Let's just keep it going... 
• My time at home. I want to make the most of my short time at home. Quality time with MY PEOPLE, opportunities to share my experiences with others, rest, preparations for my return, etc. 
• Fundraising...I am not a fan of asking people for money. Who is?! However, I know that some people are meant to give, and I would ask that you pray for those who are considering giving. I want them to have peace and know that this is one way that they can be obedient to God.
• Veritas, my coworkers, the people we serve. 
• Romania. 

Questions? Comments? I'd love to hear from you. I'm planning to make some changes in regards to communication for the next adventure so check back for more information on that in the future. Oh, and thank you. I feel so comfortable sharing my adventure with all of you because I know that I have your unwavering support. Man, you guys are the best. 

The adventure continues...

I made the graphic EXTRA big because this is an EXTRA exciting post. Are you ready? Here we go.

I am "officially" planning to return to Romania in September! 

As many of you know, this 4.5 month trip was not intended to be a one-time/short term adventure. The purpose of this trip was to get my feet wet and see what a long term adventure might look like. Well, here we are, almost at the end of the 4.5 months. I come home in about 2 weeks, which is INSANE! I'm so excited to see my family and friends. I can't even think about that right now! 

You know what's weird though...I'm also extremely excited to return for a longer adventure in the fall. I can't imagine coming home and not knowing if/when I would be returning to Sighisoara. Honestly, I would be devastated. Obviously, I miss my family, friends, home, etc., but this is where I truly feel I'm supposed to be right now. I think I've mentioned this in a blog post or maybe just in conversations with some of my family and friends, but I feel at home here. No, it hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows, but I can honestly say that it's been FABULOUS (I have to keep using this word...it applies to so many situations!). I have experienced so many new things...escaped my super comfy comfort zone...learned how to better serve others...and so much more. Remember when I talked about the peace? THE PEACE. That feeling hasn't come to an end, and I don't think it will. Many of you know that the song "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" spoke to me during the time leading up to my departure. The one line that ALWAYS hits me is, "You've never failed and you won't start now". This is the truth. 

The sermon in church today was about fulfilling your purpose. We've been working our way through the parables, and Roberta spoke about the fig tree in Luke 13: 6-9. She talked about finding our purpose by doing three things: having fellowship with others, worshipping God (every day...not just at church on Sunday), and...the third thing has completely escaped me. Ugh! That's what I get for not taking notes. BUT, she referenced I Peter 4:10, and I know I've read/heard the verse before, but it really struck me today. It says, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms (NIV)." Before I came, I was a little anxious about how I would serve during my time here. Once I arrived, it became clear that that wasn't going to be an issue. There were/are so many opportunities for me to use my gifts and talents. As someone who hasn't always been the most confident in her abilities, this is kind of a big deal.

In looking I Peter 4:10 up to type it above, I happened to read the verses before and after from The Message, which paraphrases it to say the following in verses 7b through 11: "Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!" Enough said. 

The thought of having to share this EXCITING news via social media (Facebook, blog, etc) makes me cringe. It feels a bit impersonal, and I hate that. However, I did not want to wait until I got home to share the good news. And I know that all of FABULOUS supporters would want to know this information ASAP!

Upon returning, I will be doing a lot of what I've been doing...working with teens, children, people with special needs, etc. I'll continue to work with Veritas and the Church of the Nazarene. There is also a social work student coming in September, and I will also be helping to supervise her as she completes her social work field placement/internship through the Romanian Studies Program. I'm very excited about that opportunity as well! There are so many things I want to do when I come back and so many relationships that I want to continue to build. I realize that I'm smiling to myself as I write this post...It's THE PEACE I tell ya! 

So...what do I need from you? PRAYER. Prayer for continued peace. Prayer for the goodbyes and/or see you soon's that I'll soon be saying. Prayer for safe travels back to America. Prayer for knowing exactly how God wants to use me as I return for a longer period of time. Prayer for financial support to be raised from this point on. Prayer for my family and friends. Prayer for my time at home.

I'm still talking with the folks from Nazarene Mission Corps about the financial piece...which I definitely just typed as "financial peace". Coincidence? I think not. Anyways, I don't know my official total for the year, but I will be sharing that with you as soon as possible. I'm hoping to have some type of fundraising event when I'm home in order to connect with you and share more about my adventure. Yay! Details to come...

In May, I met someone who had served as a volunteer for Veritas a while back for about 5 years (I think). We were talking about our experiences, and raising support. She put people into three categories: those who are meant to GO, those who are meant to GIVE, and those who are meant to PRAY. This struck a chord with me for many reasons. For the longest time, I was in the PRAY category...then I moved into PRAY and GIVE...and now GO. I hope and pray that you will think about which category you fit into...for yourself, but also in how you might be able to support my Romanian adventure.

And of course, I can't end this post without thanking you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. As I wrote in my last post (Insights & Investments), I would not be where I am without all of you. I truly believe that the peace I've felt is, in part, due to your prayers. The financial support has also been unbelievable. Thank you does not even begin to cover it. I look forward to sharing so much more about this adventure during my time at home as another way to thank you. Thank you. 

Insights & Investments

Found here.

Thoughts, thoughts, thoughts. Lots of them. Always. Introvert and over-analyzer alert. These things have been on my mind for awhile now. I think they've always been in the back of my mind, but I process things rather slowly sometimes. It's like these little seeds are planted and then they take time (sometimes weeks, months, years) to grow into full thoughts that I'm able to express. Also, this will probably be another lengthy post. Just a warning.

Found here.

Two Thursdays ago, the English campers were given the opportunity to interview four people about their jobs/careers. Morag (director of camp) asked me to be one of those people. As we know, I do not enjoy speaking in front of others, but I had gotten to know these young people and I was oddly excited to share with them. I know that when I was their age (that makes me sound super old), I was always very interested in hearing other people talk about their careers, why they chose a particular path, and how they got to where they are. Actually, I still greatly enjoy this!

They asked questions like...Why did you choose your job? Do you have job satisfaction? What have been some highs and lows? Do you prefer working in a team or by yourself? How is this job preparing you for the future? Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? I talked about my job as a School Social Worker back home (Hi Dakota folks!), my "job" here as a volunteer, and social work as a career in general.

Found here.

One of the questions that I mentioned above was, "Why did you choose your job?" and when they asked me I really had to think of how to answer it. I've thought about this question before, but I feel the answer is constantly changing and developing as I change, develop, and experience new things. I've always wanted to help people...that's always been the underlying reason, but it's grown into so much more than that. My answer to them on Thursday was that I never want anyone to feel hopeless or helpless, and therefore, I always want to "be there" for others. I want to help people get out of that dark place. I want to be a resource. I want to link them with whatever they need to feel important, valued, useful, hopeful, empowered, educated, etc. This can come in many, many different forms, and I tried to explain that as well. It could be food, employment, self-esteem, education, social skills, etc. 

Furthermore, I shared that I am firm believer in empowerment and education. There is a Chinese proverb that says, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Giving isn't always helpful. We need to stop, look and listen...before we cross the street but also...to find out what the needs are. Then, we can try to educate and empower people to make changes on their own...while encouraging and helping as needed of course. Shameless plug...This is one of the MANY reasons I love working with Veritas. They do this by providing holistic care to their clients. Also, I'm not saying any of this is easy, but it's so insanely important. Okay, I'll get off of my soap box now, but I HAD to share that. 

Back to the interview, I shared (in response to the question of how this job prepares me for the future) that I feel as if I've been preparing for this job my entire life, while also being constantly prepared for each day and the future. Woah. Run-on and potentially confusing sentence! Let me try to explain. In my opinion, being a Christian and a social worker are very similar. As a Christian, my goal is to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and to live out Matthew 25: 34-45, every single day. As a social worker, my goal is "to improve the quality of life and subjective well-being of individuals, families, couples, groups, and communities through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, crisis intervention, and teaching for the benefit of those affected by social disadvantages such as poverty, mental and physical illness or disability, and social injustice, including violations of their civil liberties and human rights. The profession is dedicated to the pursuit of social justice and the well-being of oppressed and marginalized individuals and communities." (Thank you, Wikipedia.) I see some major similarities, and therefore, my faith and my career influence each other, as well as my past, present and future. I didn't go into all of that detail with the teens, but it all just flowed out of my fingers right now!

One of my favorite quotes ever. Found here.

Anyways, I've distracted myself. If you were in my head, you'd understand how I got sidetracked, but never mind that. The main point...that I definitely haven't made clear...INVEST IN PEOPLE. Invest in someone. A young person, an old person, just someone. One. But seriously, we need other people. And young people REALLY need other people. Please read the black and white quote to the left. Literally one of my favorite quotes ever. They have art prints and mugs and t-shirts with this quote and I want them ALL. 

I'll finally try to connect all of the pieces for you...I truly believe that I am where I am today (not just my physical location, but also mentally, spiritually, emotionally, etc.) because people invested in me when I was young. Technically, I am still "young", but that's beside the point. Being young can be very difficult at times. You often feel alone and like nobody understands or even cares (back to those hopeless and helpless feelings I mentioned earlier). 



I will go the grave saying that I have been surrounded by some of the BEST PEOPLE EVER. Seriously, the best. Family, friends, church family, mentors, etc. I just can't say it enough. I know I haven't done a very good job of thanking these people, but that's not why did it in the first place. That's not an excuse, but I think I can safely assume that they did it because someone invested in them. At the time, I don't think I realized that these people were investing in me, but OH MY GOODNESS...I look back and it is so clear now. They were investing, educating and empowering me. My family always encouraged me to be who I am. They educated me about the importance of strong values, education, being a good person, helping others, etc. My friends always listened and encouraged...and by doing so they taught me how to be a better listener and encourager and how to be a loyal friend. I think it's safe to say that some of them taught me how to be more adventurous and spontaneous too, which I so greatly appreciate as the oldest sibling and someone with a naturally Type A personality. My church family educated, prayed, etc. I could make a list of how specific people invested in me, but I think you get the point. 

Anyways, back to making the connection...Helping at English Camp (among other programs I've been working with in Romania like It Takes Courage, for example) reminds me of how AMAZING young people are. They are so full of life and possibilities and courage and hope and so much more. They are so valuable...and need to be reminded of that sometimes. Sooooo...INVEST IN SOMEONE. The end. 

English Camp!

Treasure Hunt in Sighisoara with my team of campers. We tied for 1st place by the way :) 

This past week, I helped with English Camp at Veritas. I have a lot of thoughts (all good ones) about the week, but more on that in a separate post. For now, I'll give you some general information about English Camp. This camp is for high school students in the area who already speak some English. The obvious purpose of the camp is to encourage the campers to speak and improve their English, but it's so much more than that.

The campers are encouraged to ponder two questions: "Who am I? and Where am I going?" throughout the week. How do we do that? We talk about our personal characteristics, friendship, honesty, values, goals, future plans (jobs/careers), etc. The topics are introduced to the group as a whole, but we always split into small groups and/or pairs to dive a little deeper. The campers are encouraged to work through these topics to help develop their own values and goals. It's actually quite moving. Oh and we also have fun. Duh. I mean, I consider those discussions to be fun, but we also have various activities for the campers in the evenings.

Who loves small group discussions?! These two boys!

The camp is broken up into two parts. During the morning/early afternoon, we introduce those topics and have discussions. The campers are also required to keep a diary of the week to visually capture what we do each day. Prizes are awarded for best diaries at the end of the week! There is a break in the afternoon, and the campers return in the evenings for various activities. On Monday, the campers CREATE! They are able to make various crafts: paint mugs, make jewelry, paint wooden objects, make cards, etc. On Tuesday, they participate in a Treasure Hunt around town. I must mention (again) that my team tied for 1st place. Go Yellow Team! Then, on Wednesday, they are able to finish any crafts they started from Monday, but they also learn some Scottish dancing! I forgot to mention that the director of camp is a lady from Scotland named Morag. She comes to Romania once a year for at least three months, and I have found her to be one of the most enjoyable people. She is EXTREMELY organized, and if you know me at all, then you understand why I love her. She also happens to be extremely kind, and just a lovely person overall. Two of her close friends, Anne and Allen, also come from Scotland to help for the week. Anyways, back to the evening activities...On Thursday, we watch a film called "A Place for Annie", which goes into some of the topics we discussed throughout the week. During the film, the leaders work on prize-giving and plan for Friday.

Morag and the mug painting crew.

On Friday morning/early afternoon, the campers work on creating a CV (resume) for an interview. They are able to choose from three potential positions as an au pair/nanny, restaurant server, and tour guide, and spend the day preparing for an "interview". I had the privilege of interviewing the campers interested in being an au pair. It was kind of fun. In case you were wondering, I live with my husband and our three children (ages 2, 6 and 8) in London. None of these positions actually exist, but it's to get them thinking about how to present themselves in an interview and to prepare for the future.

In the evening, the campers are encouraged to invite their parents, relatives, and/or friends to come and see what they've been doing all week. We display all of their crafty creations from the week, as well as worksheets, games, and other activities. The guests are invited to sit and watch a slideshow of photos from the week while Morag shares with them. Then, the campers are presented with their diplomas, as well as prizes, and we close the night by showing off the campers' Scottish dancing skills. All of this makes for a lovely end to English Camp.

Scottish dancing at English Camp in Romania. Always so much culture :) 

And the fun doesn't end there...tomorrow begins the second week of English Camp! I can't tell you how excited I am. We do it all over again, but with different campers. And sadly, Morag will not be directing camp this week, as she will be traveling back home. Instead, Adela and Svetlana (two of my coworkers from Veritas...who I greatly enjoy) will be in charge, along with myself. I will be the only native speaker this week...the pressure is on! I think I can handle it though since I've been speaking English for 27 years now. Oh and a fun fact, some of the campers thought I was their age...NOPE! Try adding 10+ years!

As I mentioned in the second sentence of this post, I have a lot of thoughts related to English Camp, but also just in general. Nice and vague, right? To be a little more specific, I have a lot of thoughts about young people, and the idea of investing in them. However, we all know I'm very wordy and this post is already long enough. I'll save those thoughts for another post so to be continued...

Currently: Romanian Edition Part II

Reading in the garden...in my backyard!!!

I think it's been long enough since my last Romanian edition of Currently so here's part two...enjoy.

Reading: Soooo I'm still reading Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker...and it's blowing my mind. It's not one of those books that you can just devour in one sitting, but one that takes time to digest. I've been reading it for months, which is abnormal for me...especially since it's SOOOO GOOD. (I recently read a rather lengthy book on a Friday afternoon/evening/night because I just couldn't stop. I apologize for that humblebrag. And if you know what I mean by that then we should be best friends.) Anyways, back to Interrupted...I underline at least one sentence on every single page. The subtitle of the book is as follows, When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity...so there's that. I've copied Amazon's description of the book down below. I highly recommend this book, but don't say I didn't warn you. Here are just a few of the things I underlined today...

On following God's call to leave..."Leaving is hard, even when a great adventure awaits you...Sometimes following God is the worst. I can say with some confidence: if you go wherever God says and when, expect to be misunderstood. And go anyway." Those last three words got a double underline. 

Along the same lines as following God's call..."God may be leading you away without a clear final destination yet.  As maddening as that is, could it be that He needs you to release what was before you can appropriately grasp what will be? Could it be that you might accidentally squash the lovely vision if you obtain it too soon? There is a horrid beauty in following God slightly blind. The victory later is sweeter, the prize more valuable than breath. Obviously, we are Americans; we like a plan, we like assurances. But the ways of faith exist so far outside of our tidy boundaries, it is a wonder we can ever receive it's mysteries at all...When the "how" eclipses the "why" too soon, we create a positional shift to defend and execute rather than listen and receive." Those last two sentences are just too much. 

In reference to the church..."It's about putting hands and feet to the gospel - our hands and our feet. It's about building bridges with those who won't come to us on Sunday, not as a project but because Jesus loves them and told us to. It's a dangerous journey that requires honesty and vulnerability. It's about the kingdom breaking through in all of our lives. It's about creating a place to belong before people are expected to behave or even believe." (This quote is technically from her husband.)

From Amazon: "Interrupted follows the author’s messy journey through life and church and into living on mission. Snatching Jen from the grip of her consumer life, God began asking her questions like, “What is really the point of My Church? What have I really asked of you?” She was far too busy doing church than being church, even as a pastor’s wife, an author of five Christian books, and a committed believer for 26 years. She discovered she had missed the point. Christ brought Jen and her family to a place of living on mission by asking them tough questions, leading them through Scripture, and walking together with them on the path. Interrupted invites readers to take a similar journey."

Obviously, I could have done an entire post on this book, and maybe I will when I'm done (Good idea, self!). I give you permission to skim or completely skip that one if/when it's posted ;)

Eating: Chili. Lots of chili. Living alone equals cooking for one, which I don't really know how to do...and therefore, I end up with LOTS of leftovers. I made chili in the crockpot last week and immediately put half of it in the freezer. I then proceeded to eat chili all week, but I'm not complaining! It was actually pretty tasty if I do say so myself! 

As far as eating Romanian food...I don't know that I've encountered anything new lately. Veritas (where I work) has a large garden so a lot of the veggies we eat for lunch are fresh from the garden. They have been serving salad (I think the lettuce is Romaine?? Or something similar?) with lunches recently. It's covered in a homemade dressing and it's so fresh and tasty. Yum...I'm hungry. 

Thinking about: Same answer as last time...many things. Always many things. I'm a chronic over-analyzer...shout out to all of my best pals who are nodding their heads in agreement with that last statement. Love you guys! In regards to the immediate future, I've been thinking about the Kids Club at Veritas. The social worker with this program just had her last day on Friday...after TEN YEARS!!! How amazing is that?! I cannot begin to tell you how much I learned from her in this short period of time. I look forward to still seeing her around and brainstorming with her in the future. I know this is not the end of that relationship. Obviously though, there is a spot to fill in the program. Maybe this would be a good opportunity to ask for prayers for this program...that God would bring in the right person...and that the in-between time will still be fruitful. 

I've also been thinking about, and getting excited for, English Camp, which will be starting on June 22nd. There are two weeks of English Camp, and I'll be helping at both as a "native speaker". Sounds so official! These camps take place through Veritas at the House on the Rock, and are provided for local high school students. While the students focus on improving their English, topics like identity, values, and life choices are also explored in depth. I have found that I really enjoy working with teens on such topics...evidenced by my enjoyment of camp and my work with another program I'm working with called It Takes Courage. I think I've mentioned this program before, but here is the link. 

Listening: Continuing to listen to the Romanian language. Thankfully, I can understand so much more these days. On Friday, during staff devotions, I didn't have anyone translate for me and I was able to understand the majority of the discussion. There were a few things I asked for help with here and there, but I was pretty proud of myself. I will add that some days are better than others though...at times, I can't understand a simple sentence, but it's a work in progress. 

And speaking is another story. I have had a much harder time speaking Romanian...a MUCH harder time. I don't speak a lot (of English) as it is so that doesn't help. And I don't consider myself to be the most eloquent of speakers (of English) or possess the ability to always put my thoughts and feelings into words...all of these things make speaking a foreign language much more difficult. Can I insert another prayer request here? For the courage to speak more Romanian...and the clarity to say what I want/need to say. 

Back to listening...In regards to music, I have been rotating through various playlists on Spotify. This morning, I came across a "Coffee & Relaxation" playlist and IT. WAS. PERFECTION. while I sat drinking my coffee and relaxing. See what I did there...?! A few songs from the playlist...I Can Feel a Hot One by Manchester Orchestra, Do You Remember by Jarryd James, Hot Gates by Mumford & Sons, Waltz #2 by Elliott Smith, We Are Nowhere & It's Now by Bright Eyes, The One by Kodaline, Caroline by Jon Foreman, and so on and so forth. Sorry that was a lot, but I couldn't stop. They're all soooo dang good. 

Watching: Okay so I'm sorry to bore you, but as previously stated...Let it be known that the answer to the question, "What are you/have you been watching?" will ALWAYS be Gilmore Girls. Like always. I finished the series for the 4,286th time. I just cannot NOT watch it. When I finish it, I miss them and then I start again. So guess what...I started again. I can't help it. There was a recent reunion of the cast for a television festival in Austin, Texas and I OBSESSIVELY followed every detail. I have a problem.

But I've also been watching TV! In Romanian! Or in English with Romanian subtitles, which I've found to be very helpful. I'm a visual learner and seeing the words is crucial. Funny story...there are quite a few American movies on from time to time so I find myself watching them to help practice my language skills...and just to watch them, duh. One day, A Cinderella Story was on, but there weren't any subtitles. I decided to still try to watch it, but found myself not understanding anything at all! Needless to say, I was a bit discouraged...until I heard someone say "egan" which means "yes" in Hungarian. I FELT SO MUCH BETTER. I hadn't lost all of my Romanian language skills after all. 

Loving: Hmmm...is it weird that it's hard to pinpoint one thing because I'm loving so many things? I love spending my Mondays with the individuals with special needs followed by Monday Night Supper. I'm loving my Tuesdays and Wednesdays with Kids Club. I love planning for and leading It Takes Courage for the teens on Thursdays with Adela. I love sitting around the table with my coworkers on Monday and Friday mornings for devotions, discussions, prayer, etc. I'm just loving. That is all. 


I first saw the "Currently" feature on Sometimes Sweet, which is one my absolute favorite blogs. Just giving credit where credit is due. 

Joyous chaos

High school graduates parading down the main street

On Thursday, May 28th I experienced the most joyous chaos at a parade for the high school graduates. I believe the official term is "defilare promotia", but I could be wrong. The graduates parade through town with flower crowns and balloons, making their way from the citadel to each of the four high schools scattered throughout town. Originally, I thought this was something that happened all over Romania, but my understanding is that it's specific to Sighisoara. It's quite the spectacle. It felt like EVERYONE in the entire town came to the center for this event. I think it felt that way because everyone in the entire town was present.  

As you can kind of see, here is EVERYONE...and their mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle, cousin, best friend, best friend's mom, best friend's dad, etc. You get the idea. Chaos, joyous chaos. 

This picture isn't the best, but it makes me laugh. These people had the best seats in town. I would have loved to get an overview of the parade, but I can't complain since I was in the midst of the chaos. Allow me to explain...As a graduate, you pass out a type of graduation announcement card to your family and friends. There's a Romanian word for this card, as graduation announcement isn't very accurate, but that's an easy comparison for the purpose of explaining. Anyways, if you are a recipient of one of these cards, you must bring a flower to that graduate and give it to them during the parade. Here's where it starts to get complicated...in a good way.

I went to the parade with my coworker and friend, Adela. She works for Veritas as the coordinator of educational programs, as well being very involved in her church. Basically, she knows a lot of people. Whenever I walk through town with her, she's always saying hello to someone. It's fun. Anyways, she received 12 of the graduation announcements, which meant that she needed to bring 12 flowers and pass them out during the parade. The graduates stop in front of each of the 4 schools and then the chaos ensues. People run INTO the parade to find the graduate(s) they need to present a flower to. It was madness, but amazing madness. Adela and I were maneuvering through the crowds of people trying to find all 12 of the graduates. I wish I had recorded this because it would be entertaining. Once you find the graduate, you congratulate him/her and present the flower...and on to find the next one! A photo I wish I could have taken, the graduates walking around with their arms FULL of flowers at the end. I am not exaggerating when I say that some of them probably had 30+ flowers. Such a fun event to attend. 

A FRACTION of the parade/graduates