a breakfast for the history books.

So I just had a breakfast that should go down in the history books for me as the strangest one ever. I walk and the sweet lady who makes most of my meals greets me and talk a little in what very little broken english she knows and what little Romanian I know and she tells me it will just a minute til breakfast i say ok. I she her back there as always getting bread out(literally served with every meal) and then i see her slice up some salam and cheese, so i was think awesome meat cheese and bread, its actually one of my favorite breakfasts here. Well then i see her go to the sink and wash something then cut it up, i couldnt really tell what it was. Then she pulls out a can of potted meat and scoops a huge scope of it on my plate... at this point im getting confused. She hands me my food and its Salam, a soft cheese(im not sure what kind it is but it spreads like butter), bread, potted meat, and cut up radishes. So at this point i think I know i have never had radishes before that i could recall that i really liked and the potted meat looked more like refried beans, but if you know me then you know my mentality to food, try everything once and then try it a second time to make sure the first bite wasn't a bad one. Now I will say i wasn't as apprehensive as when i was served boiled liver and creamed spinach by different people here previously, but I still was a little surprised by the presentation. So I stuck with my ways and tried everything on a piece of like a mini-sandwhich and it all tasted good together so i thought now i have to try it all separately, which i already new i was ok with the salam and cheese, the radishes tasted like really fresh water chesnuts, and i like those so i was ok with them. then all that was left was the potted meat staring me in the face, to my surprise it actually tasted and had the consistency of refried beans with out the beans.. so i ate my breakfast i normally would thanked Bueni(the lady who cooks for me) and now im writing about it.

Keep it Classy and Safe,
David

tonight

Well tonight has been really cool. I have experienced alot in just tonight. I met up with Costica and Razven and we went to Antonio's(a local hangout) and we just had a great time. I got to watch Romania play Bosnia in futball(soccer) and they were winning when i left. The people treat futball just like we treat american football. There was so much excitement and celebration when they would score and displeasure when the other team would make attempts to score. All in all i had a great time just hanging out with those guys and getting to really see how romanians hang out and watch sports.. this to me was alot like watching sports back home. It really made me miss home alot. They asked me about american soccer, I laughed and said it sucked, everyone there agreed that European Soccer Clubs are alot better then there american counter parts. To touch on the rest of day, I just lazed about honestly and did nothing and just a great lazy saturday. In the morning I will be going to church where a couple of the locals attend  and hopefully it will be the up lifting experience i need during what has become an unexpected trying time. Although all I cant really complain I have a roof over my head and a warm place to sleep so I am doing better then alot of people in this world. I was told today that my Romanian is getting better, but i still feel like i have barely begin to grasp the language. I have another meeting with Adi and Nikki tomorrow, about which I am really excited. Hope everyone at home is doing well.

Keep it Classy and Safe,
David

Life is one big improvisation.

So my sister and I, ironically on National Goof Off Day, were joking about Improv and i said Life is one big improvisation. We laughed and i kinda just played it off and normal David banter. Anyways i started to think about it and there is truth in it. Life really is one big improvisation. No matter how hard you try to plan out your everyday life there is no real way to account for everything that happens. For example, I wake up in the morning with a basic idea of the places i will be, but i never no who else will be there so therefore i have to just be ready at the spur of the moment to just improv my life. I know its a little crazy sounding but if you think of it as simply as living life, you are basically improving everything you do.... You feel me?

Keep it Classy and Safe,
David

ugh.

So right now to put it nicely, I am in a rather enraged state. A little back info, I came to Romania, which you know if you are reading this, to try to help start an outreach to the poor and homeless of the city I am in, Beius, anyways... The people who are my 'contacts' here met with me today and essentially told me that they had no idea of my intentions while i was here and they criticized they way i tried to do ministry. So when i asked them about different things and honestly challenged them on things they had promised to me, they would either change the subject, or they would say well we have many responsibilities while we are here and basically if you dont approach us with a schedule of deadlines and goals we wont even be able to review or help you in anyway. I really dont want to slander against them, but they are really useless to me at this point.

On another note, Got the guy who needed the money for his id the rest of it so he can go and get it all taken care of.

Keep it Classy and Safe,
David

today.

Today, went really well. I woke up this morning and walked my mom to the school where she got to teach a spanish and english lesson, which she said went really well but she was rather tired afterwards. So this afternoon, she wanted to rest. So Kathleen and I went out for a little bit of time in town. She had seen the pencil cases that the kids had at school and liked them so of course she wanted one, so we got her one. She got to Kosmin, Buli, Melinda, Joseph and a few other people that i hang out with. Then from there we went to have a soda with Costica and sit and talk with him and just hang out for a bit. Then she wanted to come back to orphanage so she could rest a little and get used to the time change a bit. All in all a good day so far.

Keep it Classy and Safe
David

well, deep subject i know

Well currently I am at about the half way mark of my stay here in Romania. I have to say at the very least it has been an eye opening experience so far. It is alot harder to do the simple things here, that  you take advantage at home. For example, being able to have a car, getting a duplicate ID in a couple of hours, or even being able to find a some kind of part time work while you are out of work... The list goes on and on. Anyways I have learned alot about myself and alot about how to really help people and to change this world we live in. I am always looking for ways here to help people, some ways its easy by just maybe buying someone a meal or sometimes its less simple, like having to explain to someone that just giving them a hand out to pay rent or something is only gonna benefit them short term and that they need to learn what it is to earn a true living instead of relying on a sponsorship. I really have lots of stories to share with everyone some i just would rather share in person then rather on the internet.
Keep it classy and safe
David

today.

Today has been interesting to say the very least. Started out by making my way to Tinca to help Costica to get his ID and ended up having to kill about 3 hours of time. So we went to a pool hall of sorts and played chess and pool with this really cool older gentleman. Found out he has been to Tennessee before because of his grandfather being in prison there some time ago, part of me thought that was cool, but at the same time had to suck to come to the US just to see some one in jail. Anyrate, i lost terribly at chess and billards i faired ok but still did not come out with a win. Costica was extra happy today because he is literally 15 lei(5 dollars) away from having his proper ID and then he will be able to get a job. He was so happy and proud that he has come so far in the process. Then tonight i went down to Antonio's , which a local bar of sort where alot of the people we minister to hang out. To make a really long story short, get there hang out for a while, Costica teaches me some useful Romanian and then there was a fight, over what i am still unsure of but Costica insisted that I leave so I did. From what little i understood it was over something petty and was told that it better that I not get involved, to which i agreed and left. The owners where apologetic that it happened while i was there, i told them it wasnt there fault they cant control what people do sometimes and said that the situation wouldn't deter me from returning. Hope all is well Stateside.

Keep it Classy and Safe,
David

Spring is in the air, everywhere i look around.

Well, havent blog in a few days. All is still well here in wonderful Romania. The temperature and weather are beautiful. The past few days ive been working at the orphanage helping them get thing i guess cleaned up and ready for spring and summer. Finally got everything in order to get a guy his ID so he can get work, this excites me more then you know. I am hoping to get to meet with the mayor and folks so i can start work on the soccer goals that i want to build at the free parks, but it will all come in time.

Hope everyone at home is well

keep it classy and safe,
David

well i was wrong.

Today, 8 March is the real Woman's Day, what we in the states would call Mother's day. So to all you women out there, happy Woman's day. Today is my first day by myself in Beius, my dad I imagine is somewhere over the atlantic somewhere on his way home. I havent done to terribly much, watched a movie, prayed alot, read my bible, just had a real lazy day... well i went to the exchange and to the supermarket.. guys got to eat :D. Anyways really just wanted to say happy womans day and thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.

Keep it Classy and Safe,
David

happy mother's day.

well in romania today was mother's  day.
This morning had breakfast and ran out the door to church., which i might add was awesome :D. The spirit was moving and just had a great time even though i understood very little of what was being said, still trying to get a handle on this language which is rather difficult to learn... any rate have just had a lazy sunday and tonight i am going to a really big youth worship service here in beius, i have heard it is awesome i am rather excited. Well just wanted to give everyone a short recap of the day so far and thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.

Keep it classy and safe,
David

Wonderful day and night.

Well today was absolutely amazing. This morning had a breakfast that just made the day start properly, salam eggs and cheese, followed by chopping the wood as they call(splitting firewood) then an afternoon with Cristina seeing beius from the point of a local... it was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!! Tried some interesting sandwich, cant remember the name but it was close to a panini. Then we just drove around and talked and saw beius. From their i made my way back to the coffee house for our second 'soup' kitchen night. We served pizza which was a crowd favorite. 45 people who really are in need came and ate and fellowshipped it was beautiful. I will post pics when I get un lazy. Santa(pronounced Shanta) gave us a gift of some fantastic wine and now i am writing while eating a slice of pizza myself and tasting some fine wine.

As always Stay classy and safe,
David

Something something something else.

well i just spent the last four hours... thats right 4 hours talking with Cristina at the coffee house. We talked about how we both came to know God, about what are callings are, we literally talked about anything and everything and her english was better then she let on lol. She is truely an awesome women of God and im truely blessed to know her. We talked about the soup kitchen only briefly lol, which was the premise for our conversation, but whatever im not complaining it was nice to meet someone who can/will talk as much as i do and understands their true calling. Now i did learn that they do a couple different 'menu' options which i thought was cool... I am learning that making American style food for the out reach i am wanting to do hear probably wouldnt go over so well... but im hoping to find out how to make some traditional romanian dishes that might be inexpensive and still provide all the necessary nutrients. Anyrate, tonight we are going to one of the ladies who works at the coffee house  house for dinner tonight which excites me cause the more and more of this culture i experience i love it more and more.

Keep it classy and safe,
David

Something something something

I really had nothing better to title this, so something seemed fitting. This morning I was supposed to go to the market on the other side of town and then to another guy's house, but i decided to take my time getting ready and so my dad went ahead of me. I was under the impression i remembered how to get to these places, but quickly released when i started walking I had no clue where i was going and ended giving myself the self guided not so sure where you are tour of Beius. I really wish i would have taken the camera i had the opportunity to take so many pictures of so many things, but alas i didnt. now i am sitting in the coffee house waiting to meet with a girl named Cristina, who speaks English(thank God) and we are gonna talk about the soup kitchen her church does, and also im gonna pick her brain about the local community and culture.

Keep it Classy and Safe,
David

so the past few days.

The past few days have been a little bit of a blur. I will recap them for you.
Monday Went to Casa Iosif, the girls orphanage, and helped our friend Feri as he says chop the wood for the week. That entailed splitting all the logs for the heating system, my dad and feri handled that as i was not interested in splitting the big wood lol. I ended splitting enough wood for cooking for like 2.5 weeks, after which i was told to stop because if u split to much they will use it all. I still have lots to learn about this culture.
Tuesday- We went and toured three orphanages in a town called Tinca, these orphanages were for Mentally handicapped kids. We found out that they are government ran and that the government will be pulling funding for a lot of the maintenance and up keep. So they asked if we could help, we said we would do our best to try. we then went to basically an institution for mentally handicapped and handicapped adults... it sadden me to see some of them there because that institution will take most of the budgets cuts when the EU takes away money.
Today-  dad went to a different city to meet one of our friends mother, who is sick and dying, to pray with her. He is gonna be gone most of the day so that left me in Beius by myself. So this morning i went to the orphanage and helped Feri work on some landscaping and had lunch. now im just relaxing in the coffee shop :D Tonight i am going to a different pentecostal church for some special service.

Keep it Classy and Safe,
David