Monasteries Galore!

We took a Saturday to take a day trip tour to several Orthodox Monasteries and a Romanian Fortress. It was a great trip and for the first time I felt like a tourist. Living here is a cool experience because we get to experience Romania in a different way than just being a tourist for a few days. It was fun, however, to check out some of the cool historic sights around us!

We are just as amazed with dead rodents outside the Monasteries...

First, we went to Manastirea Neamt. There we met the nicest monk! He spoke really good English and told us about his life and work as a monk. He impressed us with his knowledge of U.S. cities and state names and was just so sweet!

Caught a shot with one of the Monks

American girls take over Romania

Inside the church

Second was Manastirea Secu! Next we went to Manastirea Sihastria which was my favorite Monastery. It was so beautiful and there was so much to see! We see a lot of churches, but they don't seem to get old. It is so cool to see all the similarities and differences between these old Orthodox churches.

Me and our dear friend, Teo

Me and Lexi unintentionally matching

Finally, we hiked up to a 15th century Fortress of Stephen Cel Mar. While we were there, they were preparing for a wedding at the top of the fortress. What an unlikely place to get married!

Stephen Cel Mare Fortress

After an exhausting hike to the fortress!

Just chillin in the church pews

It was a fun day trip with some of our favorite people. The whole BYU group went along with Mario, her daughter, and our good friend, Teo! We love them!

Along with the wonderful hikes and tours, we got to experience something else truly Romanian....the bathrooms! I felt this was blog-worthy so I could share in the joys of European traveling. Those who have used one can understand, but it was definitely a surprise for us first-time travelers!

Yes we took pictures...awkward, but worth it!

Trains, orphans, and summer camp!

This week I took a mini trip to a small city called Barlad. There is a summer camp there for foster kids that a program out of Salt Lake called Bridge of Love supports. It is a really great program that places kids in foster families so they aren't in orphanages their whole life. Families can “sponsor” a kid from Romania meaning they send $50 a month to the foster family to support that child. They also helped to set up a program in Romania that helps to place kids in foster families. The camp is put on each year with the foster families in Bridge of Love. You can visit their sight and learn more here:

http://www.bridgeofloveromania.com/

Anyway, just me Aislynn went up for two days to spend time with these kids and I had a great time! Train rides seem to be a big part of my experience here. I talk about them all the time because they really are an experience. We woke up at 4am to take the 5am train to get to Berlad before the camp started. The countryside is SO beautiful! Like unreal beautiful. I took several pictures, but they just don't do it justice.

 

Miles and miles of green across Romania

What seems different about this picture? This is SO Romanian!

There is a look here that I am getting used to seeing. I call it the "I want to talk to you look" and it goes like this.

1. A group of younger teenagers stare at you
2. They stare at you longer and follow you around a little
3. They get a group of their little friends together and giggle talk amongst themselves about you. You hear little bits of English being practiced
4. One brave soul finally comes up to you and tries out their English on you. It makes me feel pretty cool for a short time

Anyway, a moment like that happened on the train when this little 14 year old boy talked to us in English. He asked where I was from and when I told him he asked if I had pictures. I did! During the winter when I was home, I practiced my panarama picture setting on my phone to take a picture of the whole cow pasture across the street from my house. I pulled up that picture on my phoen to show the boy. Not until I showed him did I realize, as I looked out the window at the beautiful green Romanian countryside, what an ugly image I was giving him of the U.S. Oops! I showed him a beautiful picture of BYU's campus to make up for it though!

Unfortunate picture I chose to impress the Romanians

 Anyway, back to the reason I was there! All the kids that go to the camp were in an orphanage several years ago, but since then and thanks to the work of some wonderful people were placed into families. I had such a great time with these kids and other awesome volunteers!

During craft and music time

Along with some sweet kids, I met some really inspiring people!

Me and Aislynn over-looking the city Barlad

Taking over the See-Saw with Ioana, one of the wonderful interpreters for the camp!

Taking some see-saw time at the orphanage

I was able to talk to and get to know Ioana, among many others, and what they've done for the children in Romania. Inspiring stories and strong people!

It was just a couple days but it was great to see what other things are being done for the kids in Romania. There are a lot of people aware and full of love for this children! It made me even more grateful for my work and the opportunity I have to have such direct contact with the kids here. 

Miss Black sees the Black Sea

Like Inception is a dream within a dream, this past week I look a vacation within a trip. Living in Iasi for 3 months can’t be considered a “vacation” because I am working hard every day, but we were able to have 4 days of bliss along the coast of the Black Sea this weekend. The small price we had to pay was the most terrible 9 hour train ride of my life. Sounds dramatic, but on a seemingly never ending train through the middle of the night, I was pretty convinced.  

On a positive note, it only got better from there! In fact, I was blessed with a Romanian angel at about 4am. As I was dosing after several hours of feeling very sick, I felt a hand from the lady next to me move my head to her shoulder. She offered it to me earlier, but I politely declined. As I woke up confused why I was sleeping on a woman I didn't know I moved my head back up just to feel her place it gently back on her shoulder. No words were said except a small attempt to thank her, but she was a silent comfort and blessing to me.

The whole group getting ready to board the train

After a long night, we were so relieved to finally get off!!

 Mamaia is a beach resort in Constanta, Romania, that is very popular to the locals. I really do feel like I am living the true Romanian life because Mamaia is THE place Romanians to travel to if they want to see the beach. Apart from the abundant amounts of topless people, naked kids, and unnecessary speedos, the Black Sea isn’t much different than beaches you’d see in the States. The people we met there were really nice and we loved our hotel! 

Fresh off the train and happy to see the coast!

There was live music and dancing at the outdoor pool and restaurant right outside and it was only 50 meters from the beach! Perfect location and we loved everything about it!  

Yay for Taxi men who take pictures for us!

One of the days, we decided to explore the city of Constanta a little. Our adventures brought us to a scenic self-powered tour around a beautiful park in the city. Bike rentals were so cheap so we had to take advantage of it! Some stares, giggles, and a little off roading didn’t stop is from having a blast our 5-man powered bike! Along the way we saw some cool things like a beautiful Orthodox church!

Some intense pedaling action from the back row!

We concluded the last night with some mocktails and live music.  Perfect ending! On Sunday we found the Constanta branch and were able to go to church before the long train ride back home. The members were so gracious and welcoming of us into the Branch. 

Mocktails with Caroline!

The group met back together at the Branch on Sunday

To make up for my rather negative comment about the previous train ride, I am pleased to report the ride back home was far more enjoyable. If you need 9 hours to kill, all you need is endless pretzels and mind games. It worked for us! :)

Me and Mel on the train

It was a wonderful week get-a-way, but I was very anxious to get back to work to see my little boys! I may have not gotten tan, but after my return one of the kids pointed to my arms and went on to tell me how many “boobah’s (boo-boos/owies..etc) I had. I guess he’s never seen freckles before ;) If nothing else, this is one way to prove that an all-American red head got some sun!

Jumps and cheers for the Black Sea and a wonderful trip!

And then I became a mother of 5..

Many of you want to hear about the kids and I don't blame you! They are why I am here and they take up most of my time every day! I am not allowed to take pictures of the kids at the orphanage or the hospital otherwise this blog would be FULL of them!

These kids are so easy to love! They have the hardest lives, yet they are some of the happiest kids I know. I work specifically with 5 young boys. They are all very different and have different challenges. Like the title suggests, I feel like a young mother who has adopted these kids. Shout out to my mom who is the best mom I know! I am getting a small glimpse of what motherhood is like and it is not easy! But so worth it.

I have had some sweet experiences with the kids so far. Here are just a few:

The ICU has several babies without moms there. One day this past week there were 3 brand new babies placed in the ICU. Two of them were only 12 days old, the other was a month old, and they were all tiny and adorable! The birth certificates above their cribs had the name of the mother who had given birth to them, but then abandoned them at the children's hospital. I sat with each baby, holding them in my arms, asking how someone could give up something so perfect. I had been in Romania longer than they have even been alive! Although I have nieces and nephews, I have never held a baby so young before.  It was such a cool experience looking at these helpless little humans who were the closest thing to perfection I have probably been around. After that day, the ICU nurses wouldn't let any of the interns in to see or hold the babies for whatever reason. I was very glad I was able to spend that time with them, and really hope in the future that we are allowed in.

While we go room to room to the kids without moms, we meet a lot of people in the hospital. Whether they are Gypsy families, sick kids, or mother's staying overnight with their children, I have met many different types of people and had some great conversations. Several of the hospital rooms have big windows so you can see into the other rooms as well. One day while I was in one of the hospital rooms, I saw a family close by that was visiting their baby. There was a mom, dad, some kids, and another adult. It was the first time I have seen a whole family together there.. Great sight.

Today I decided to go into hospital for a little bit to visit some of the kids. When me and Caroline walked into the room with 4 orphans in it, 2 of the toddlers jumped right up with a huge grin on their face and starting screaming with joy! We spent the next hour and a half playing and holding these kids. It didn't take much, just attention to make their day. And their excitement as we walked in the door easily made mine!

Kids are smart. I am quickly learning that this is both a good and hard thing sometimes! One of the most rewarding things, however, is when you know a child understood and demonstrate what you are trying to teach them. My little boys in the orphanage LOVE music. It is the first and last thing they ask for when we come in. We have really been working to use their love for music in more intentional ways like learning new songs, games with songs, and making rules with the music so they don't just stare at the iPod for hours on end. It is hard, but they are responding well and maybe by the end of the summer they will finally get it. I am learning patience, but the little look in my 6 year old's eyes when he puts one hand behind his back and the other palm straight out, looking up at me waiting for his turn for the music is pretty endearing. Much better than the riot that is usually caused with "sharing" the iPod.

Some of my favorite moments are created when we get to take the kids outside. One of these moments happened last week at the park. I spun around and around (and around...) all morning on a carousel with a laughing boy on my lap, 3 more smiling faces filling the other seats, and another screaming at me from the swings. It may not be much, but it was a precious sight of 5 happy boys.

My favorite part of the morning is walking into the door to lots of huge smiles, snotty noses, voices yelling "buna, buna!", and arms reached out to me! It never gets old!

The work I am doing here is made up of a lot of small stories. These moments combine to create an experience I couldn't have asked for anywhere else. Learning how to do something worthwhile without immediate recognition or gratitude handed over is one of the best things I think we can learn in this life. No baby starts thanking me for my service, their mothers have no idea we are here, and sometimes we get pushed away by nurses, but we continue anyway. I have gained a greater appreciation for the Atonement through this experience.  Like these babies, we are each children of our Heavenly Father. Christ suffered and performed the ultimate sacrifice of the Atonement for each one of us. We often don't thank Him for all we have been given, we can't completely comprehend what Christ did for us, and yet, sometimes we push away his helping hand. As much as these children are suffering, Christ felt their pain and knows each one of them personally. He has blessed in us the desire to serve and help those who cannot help themselves. I am so grateful every day for this opportunity to serve my younger brothers and sisters here in Romania.

This is a quote from a talk Elder Dallin H. Oaks, one of the apostles of the church, gave last Oct conference called "Protect the Children".  You can read the full talk here:

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/protect-the-children?lang=eng

"I have spoken for children—children everywhere. Some may reject some of these examples, but none should resist the plea that we unite to increase our concern for the welfare and future of our children—the rising generation...We are speaking of the children of God, and with His powerful help, we can do more to help them." -Elder Dallin H. Oaks

“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven”  - Matthew 18:3-4

I am continually grateful for this experience and to the immense support so many people have shown me!