My Home Away From Home

November 10. 2007

It felt really good to be back to my home away from home. It was a little hard to go back to the trash and the murky feeling that hangs over Iasi. But I was still happy to be home. We definitely took most of the day to recoup. Sniff it was so nice to be home.

I decided that i wanted to go to Saturday sports with the branch. It was crazy. It stared to rain. So we ended up playing soccer in the rain. It was really fun but super tiring. I was exhausted but I am glad I went.

Since we missed Mihai's birthday we were going to take him to dinner. We forgot again that Saturdays are impossible to find somewhere to eat. Everything is always booked of weddings. We ended up going to the mall and eating in the food court.

A Blood Sucking Day

November 9, 2007

We got up early this morning to go and visit Bran Castle and the fortress. It was so fun taking a tour and looked at all of the places. What was a little frustrating was that we got like a half hour to go through each place. So we were definitely rushed. I would have liked to spend more time but I guess you take what you can get.

After that I spent the rest of the day and the hotel watching movies. I had to rest my hips and it as really nice to relax. What is funny is that i thought the hostel was going to be completely stressful and horrid but it actually ended up being more relaxing than our hotel. Probably because we weren't as busy.

Our train left tonight at like 11 so I am super tired and it is not a sleeper car. This is going to be really fun:)

The Hostel

November 8, 2007

When we got to the hostel this morning I honestly thought it was a joke that we were staying here. It looked like the armpit of Romania. Honestly I was afraid to touch anything, it looked terrible. I think part of it was how grumpy and tired I was. But it was a little bad. When I woke up I felt much better about my surroundings. Yay!

After some much needed naps we took a short walk around the city and visited the Black church. Brasov is so beautiful it was one of the only cites in Romania to go almost completely untouched by Communism. It is right at the base of a n incredible mountain range just at the right time where all of the leaves are changing. It was so beautiful.

We went to this authentic Romanian restaurant for lunch. It was really good and fun to be able to go and eat different Romanian foods that we have not yet tried. We went back tot he hostel and hing out the rest of the day. It was so nice be able to just sit and relax.

On to Brasov

November 7, 2007

Today was our last day in Hungary:( It was really sad to leave because Budapest is so beautiful and i loved the city so much. But that is okay! On to Brasov!!

For the last few hours before we got on the train we went to the House of Terror. Wow it was really neat. It is this building in Budapest that was the head quarters for the Hungarian Communist Party and the Hungarian Nazi's. It talked a lot about all of the terrible things that went on there. It was really creepy and authentic. It was a little hard to get into it thought because it was all in Hungarian but I still enjoyed it.

We left for the train station two hours early. Only to sit there for a long time and almost miss our train. Our tickets had the wrong information on them so we did not know where we were suppose to get on the train at. Luckily we made it!

However by this point in the trip my hips were killing me. We walked a minimum of 8 miles a day because our hotel was so far from the city center. I honestly could not walk, and lying down I just cried because they just ached. So once we got on the train I took some medicine and just lied there. It was a really long train ride. But I made it and I think I just need to walk as little as possible.

Relaxingish Day

November 6, 2007

Today was our relaxing day. We went to the baths and walked around shopping.

Shopping was really fun. We wen tot this huge warehouse place that they have this giant market. It was really fun to go and interact with the locals and see all other things they buy and sell. Then we headed over to the hotel Gerret. It was so incredible. The building is huge and looks like a castle. The baths are sort of like swimming pools but really beautiful and indoors. The ceilings were at least three stories high and all mosaic tiles. It was so incredible and breath taking. We all got massages. Ha that was an experience. I will never have a European massage again, but I am glad I got the experience. He he he.

Now that I am home I am so unbelievably tired and this was suppose to be our relaxation day.....

Rainy Day

November 5, 2007

Today was a beautiful Monday in Budapest. We spent the day walking around and visiting all of the sites. In the morning we decided to split up the group and visit different areas of interest in the city. Laura, Natasha, and Alie went to visit the Jewish Synagogue. Christina and I were planning on going to this really big beautiful museum but it ended up being closed. So we decided to walk around the city. It was really nice to be able to have a little time alone. It sort of do what we wanted and not be stressed or hurried. It was fun.

We then met up with the other girls and went to St. Stevens Basillica. It was absolutely beautiful. In it is St. Stevens hand. It was a little gross but that is okay. We then bought our tickets for the dinner cruise and decided to go home and get ready.

We hurried and got ready and decided to take the metro to the Fisherman's Warf before the dinner. However things went a little haywire. It stared pouring rain and we never were able to get on the metro because of how crowded it was. It took us two hours to walk in the rain to the dinner cruise. We were soaked, it was really fun though. Laura got the bus splash, it was hilarious she was drenched head to toe.

We finally got to the dinner cruise. It was beautiful. The dinner was authentic Hungarian and so good. It was so nice cruising along the Danube and eating a wonderful dinner. It was so relaxing and romantic. Too bad i had no one to be romantic with....maybe someday soon:)

We then went back to the hotel, I am so exhausted. I am going to bed!

Budapest, Hungry

November 4, 2007

We are here! We made it! It is so fun and exciting to be some where new. Hungry is so different than Romania and it is fun to notice the differences for good and bad.

The more and more I am put in situations that could possibly end up bad, the more I am starting to recognize how much the Lord watches over me and the other girls. We so often could have been taken advantage of, hurt or scared but always the Lord has put people in our paths who could help us or protect us. I am learning more and more how much the Lord's hands are in all things. He has blessed my life so greatly by having me come here. No matter the struggles he is there by my side leading me a long the way.

We walked around the city for a few hours today. It is such a beautiful city. The history and architecture set this city apart. It is so beautiful and old. I loved walking down the streets and thinking about the many millions of people who have walked here before. I love thinking and learning about my past and my history. It is especially interesting to be able to learn of the past of these countries and to see how far they have come. It can be so amazing.

I am super tired. I am not really sure why since I slept fairly well last night.

Saturday

November 3, 2007

SO today was a day on the train. It actually went by super fast. I read Ella Enchanted.

I love that book so much. It is so romantic and I honestly see it in a different light every time I read it. I am learning from the contents with each phase of life. I am really enjoying it a lot. Sniff I don't care if Adrian doesn't like it HMPH!

There was a drunk man today on the train. He tried to get into our cabin but Laura help the door shut. He started pounding on the glass and was yelling profanities at us until a man can and pushed him away. It was actually pretty scary but for some reason I started to laugh. I tend to laugh at the most inopportune times. I am definitely going to be working on that.

The sleeper car was not that bad. It was actually really fun and I slept pretty well. I would take a sleeper car any day of the week.

Friday

November 2, 2007

I cant believe that we are leaving in a matter of hours for Budapest! I am so excited. Now I have been totally stressed about everything but still I am really excited and hopefully all of that stress will leave once I get gone.

I had a normal day at the orphanage and hospital. I was a little anxious to leave but at the same time it was sad to think that i would not see my kids for a week. I think going back might be a lttle bit discouraging because of that fact that there will be minor set backs. Hopefully they will jump right back though and we can continue working.

The Elder's came over for dinner. It was really fun. We cooked Fajitas and they brought Carrot Cake for dessert. It was amazing. Honestly i had no idea that elders could cook that well. It was really really really good. Maybe it is just my lack of food-well good food lately that has brought me to thinking that everything that is edible is good. Hopefully it will wear off when I get home and I will actually get my taste buds back.

I helped Elder Loveland fix his Ipod. Hopefully I did it right....who knows. I am still trying to get everything packed. I am super tired but I need to finish up. See ya!

Thursday

November 1, 2007

I cant believe that it is already November 1^st. In some ways it has seemed like everything has flow by but in other day to day time everything is at a crawl. I am really excited to go to Budapest on Saturday. I am definitely ready for the much needed break. I can tell that i am starting ot get emotional and super tired. Hopefully Budapest will rejuvenated me enough to finished strongly.

Mihaiella was an angel today at the apartments. She was honestly entertained by the bubbles the entire time. It was nice to be able to spend some time with the other kids with out Mihaiella freaking out.

I have been sort of stressed out lately about my class schedule and finding a job when I get home and finding somewhere to live. I mean I know it will all work out and everything will fall in to place I just get worried when I cannot see the end from the beginning. I definitely need to place more trust in the Lord.