I have been wanting to get back into blogging and have been making up all kinds of excuses as to why I can't. Mostly I feel embarrassed because it's been so long since I've posted anything that I don't know where to pick up.

I am now motivated to write because I need to share what has happened lately.

Things have been really tough for us financially. My husband works as a freelance translator and the jobs have been few an far between.  I recently have been looking in desperation for some "Shoe Goo", something I need to fix my poor abused Birkenstocks. I posted on Facebook that I was desperate to find some and a high school classmate and Facebook friend offered to pick some up from her local hardware store in Michigan. It turns out that she was unable to mail the Shoe Goo because apparently it is flammable  What happened next has me totally floored  She offered to buy me new shoes and mail them to me here in Romania.! I was left positive speechless and could feel the tears flow down my face as I followed the conversation in the Facebook chat window  Facebook friends have gotten us out of more than one bind before but this is something else!

I have noticed since I have been here that kindness comes from the least expected sources ---which greatly redeems my faith in humanity. We have had a lot of problems in the past few years which have led me to abandon the blog but now I feel that maybe there is something left to say.  Having said that I will leave this for the night because that is the end of my inspiration for the moment.

Lettuce soup?

One of the neighbors brought by a huge bowl of lettuce from her garden. My MIL walks in and says we can make Ciorba de Salata. I thought to myself, lettuce soup? Yuck! Well I found a recipe (in Romanian, which I'm pleased to be able to follow) and additional ingredients include bacon, scrambled egg and sour cream. Well with bacon and sour cream it can't be too bad I'm guessing. We'll see how it turns out!

Not the best blogger

I have stumbled upon some other expat blogs which have put me to shame. I really have to blog more instead of whining to myself about not knowing anyone in Deva. I have been here almost two years now and am finding it hard to meet people locally. There are so many Americans in Romania but the only ones I have found in Deva are the Mormons. I really wouldn't mind talking to them if they could keep the conversation limited to life in Romania etc.

Nevertheless I am starting to feel more or less Romanian in many ways. When I see images of the US on the news it seems familiar yet foreign. I know---it's a contradiction in terms. In one year from now I will be eligible to apply for citizenship here so I need to get my act together and improve my Romanian grammar. I can speak fairly well now, but I still stumble over verb conjugations.( I have learned some interesting expressions, however, from listening to my mother-in-law yell at her cats) I would also like to find someone that has taken the citizenship exam to find out exactly what sort of knowledge is required.

It's March and here in Deva we has some snow the other day, it was very beautiful, fluffy stuff. I'm looking forward to spring though since we have celebrated March 1st, Martisor day!

Rugby World Cup Qualifyer...

We went to Bucharest after Thanksgiving to watch the Rugby World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay. It was wonderful to see so many supporters from all over the country. It remains a hope for this country which really needs a win. Especially after this weekend's fiasco at the Women's Handball Semi-Finals.

We are getting buried in snow. Being the Michigander that I am, I absolutely love this weather. However it is difficult to really enjoy it as we are currently watching the Romanian Women's Handball tea in the semi-finals of the world cup. C'mon girls.!