If you have forgotten (or never knew!) I will be teaching English at the Lauder Reut Educational Complex. This is a private Jewish school in the city - I'll be teaching mainly kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade. I am looking forward to this new challenge! It should be a lot more work than teaching in the Peace Corps, as we only had about 20 hours of teaching a week then. Now I'll be on a normal 40 hour work schedule (hopefully not teaching the whole time!) I was able to do some "practice" lessons at the school before I left and the kids are great and the teachers very nice/helpful - it should be a good year!
One thing that must get done before I can teach, however, is my work permit! What a hassle this has been. I won't bore you with all the details, but suffice it to say that it is quite an ordeal to go through! I met with the Director of the school the afternoon I flew in, again the next day, and I will have to go back again Monday morning...hopefully to complete whatever else needs to be done! Once I have the actual work permit I can sign my contract. Once I have that I have to apply for a "long-stay visa"...don't want to get kicked out of the country or anything, right?!
I have a lovely flat to live in for the next year! The school supplies it for me and it is quite spacious and nice! Pretty typical with a kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom (actually, 2 bedrooms, but one is locked with school uniforms inside!). Here's the totally exciting part: There is a gas line in the kitchen - no more dealing with gas tanks under the sink!!! I have two, yes, two air conditioners - one in the living room and one in the bedroom! And, most exciting...I have a washing machine!!!!! No more laundry by hand!!! I can't tell you how thrilling that is! Here are some pictures...they aren't the best - took them through my computer. Note, the walls are a bit bare - things will look a little more lived in when my belongings arrive from Severin!
So, today (Saturday) I had the little adventure of finding an internet stick to use until I can get wireless at my flat (must have that darn work contract before I can get it!) I started off by looking for some free wifi near my flat...to no avail. Seriously, there isn't even a little cafe anywhere nearby, which is a bummer for many reasons! I then took the metro to Piața Uniri and set up shop at the McDonald's. Afterwards I went to the nearby Vodafone store to see about buying the stick! No go...they didn't have any. "Try Piața Română." So, I get back on the metro and head there. No go...they also didn't have any. "Try the Obor stop." So, back on the metro...no go! At least this time they decided to try to find a place that may have some. After a few phone calls I was informed there was one store - on the completely other side of town - that had one which they would hold for me. I decided a taxi was in order! They were not kidding when they said the other side of town. I felt like we were driving to Bulgaria! But, luckily, the ride only cost me 20lei! I found out that if you catch a taxi ANYWHERE other than Piața Uniri, they will actually NOT screw you over! How nice to find that out! Internet stick purchased...now have internet at home...life can get back to normal! How crazy that I was literally going crazy after only two days without internet!! What have we become?! :)
On my hot and tiring walk around town today I saw two interesting things...one sort of gross actually, and one wonderful!
What was the gross thing, you ask?? Well...right next door to my flat, in the middle of the sidewalk, was a big, dead, flattened and decaying rat! Seriously! It looked like it had been lying there for weeks! I was like, what, no one can even kick the thing out of the middle of the sidewalk? Of course, I didn't kick it anywhere, cause it was gross...guess that's pretty much what everyone is thinking! I wonder how long it will stay there? :)
Okay, here's the wonderful thing! I'm walking down a busy street - no clue what street - and a little, somewhat old, women steps out in front of me. She looks like she could have possibly been homeless, or at least very poor. She had on old, tattered sneakers, a long, dirty skirt and an equally dirty, ratty shirt, annnnnnd...wait for it...a big, white, fluffy, bridal veil! Seriously! It was awesome! At first I was snickering a bit to myself, but as I slowed my pace to walk behind her I saw the little, jaunty style she had to her step. She obviously felt like a million bucks! Shoulders back, cruising down the street, feeling good! Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all walk down the street like that?! Wearing whatever makes us happy? Maybe a tutu, a clown outfit, a wedding dress, or a silly hat! I don't know, but just to have the confidence to be ourselves! I watched the people walking toward us to see their reactions. Some did a double take, some smiled a little big, and others completely ignored her. I wondered...were they just taking her in stride or, sadly, were they completely oblivious to their surroundings and the people around them?? Eventually, I had to pass her up and be on my way. I so wish I had my camera with me...would have loved to capture that moment!!
So, that's it for now. I promise I will bring my camera next time I'm out and get some shots of my new neighborhood. The next few weeks will be spent here, back in Severin and then at the Black Sea with some good friends. School starts up Sept. 1st for the teachers and then the fun begins!
Thanks again to those of you I was lucky enough to see on my visit home. For those of you I wasn't able to visit with, I am sorry and I promise next summer we'll get together! Love to all!!
