It's Friday! Another week down almost down, only 6 more till I go home. So crazy. Today was another great one with Iasi Days coming to a close-tomorrow is the last day. Before I get into another Iasi days experience I wanted to share some of my highs and lows of today...
I am really loving working at the orphanage. Everyday brings new challenges and frustrations but it also brings new successes and happy moments. I am really feeling apart of something at the orphanage. While I do enjoy also working at the hospital, I can honestly say that I do prefer working at Section 2. Little moments are what make my day. For instance, when I first walk into my room around 9:00 am I see my kiddos through the glass door that leads into my room. They often see me when the door creaks open. It is a joy to see their faces light up when I walk in or come over and hug my legs. I feel like it shows me they really like me being there. While the workers are sometimes changing I have felt a difference with them as well. While I can't really talk to them very well and can only understand part of what I say we have invented a new language of our own. Ok, not a new language but body language and hand gestures can really help when trying to communicate with each other. Instead of ignoring me the workers will often include me now. They will hand me things so I can help them out, or give me a snack after la masa, or even give me a little freedom to hold the kids. My favorite though is when the workers will give me a look when they see one of our kiddos being silly. Dumpling has this new thing where he scrunches his face into a big smile and squints his eyes. Nobody can resist him when he does it. But the other part is that he knows it! The other day he was going into a room where he wasn't supposed to when one of the workers yelled at him to not go in there and come back. All he did was turn around and give us his chipmunk smile. One of the worker gave me silly look and just rolled her eyes before laughing. It is nice to know I am kind of included in this new world out here.
I am also feeling a little more accepted at the hospital. I really do like the hospital but it is just harder for me to be motivated to go since it is in the afternoon. But I shouldn't have that kind of attitude because for the most part I am really making a big difference there because without us they would have no one. No workers like at the orphanage, only nurses who check on them occasionally. However, that is not always the case because sometime there are wonderful mothers with their own babies who also take care of "our" babies without moms. Today showed me that even the short time we are there makes a different. When I went up to the 5th floor this afternoon the gypsy mom, whose baby is in the same room as my girls, was holding the girl who is from the orphanage. For the sake of the rest of the time we will just her Annie, the girl in the hospital, on the 5th floor, who is from the orphanage in the Isolation room. Just to clarify. So she was holding Annie when they both saw us coming down the hallways. Immediately, Annie started getting a little fussy and reaching out towards me! The mom just smiled knowing Annie wanted me to hold her. It was kind of nice to know that I am making a small difference in making all the kids loved a little more.
So my experience here is continuing to be awesome. Iasi days is wrapping up and today and tomorrow are the best days to buy anything because the vendors are trying to get rid of their merchandise! Elizabeth and I went with Radu and Petru (two of our Romanian friends) to go and try to bargain a little. Elizabeth got a really leather jacked at a good discount today. The price was originally 420 and she got it for 320. Not a bad deal. I also got some good purchases, though I can't post what here for fear of ruining a surprise! But for the most part they are pretty hard set on their prices and they have already lowered many from even the first day it started. And those prices are really good deals....for instance here you can get a nice scarf or a hat for 15-20 lei. Meaning around 5-6 American Dollars. 15-20 dollars is the normal price back in the US. So everything is a really good price by American standards. Of course I have to mention things that are brand name are about the same price, only converted into lei. Like going grocery shopping my most expensive item is whey I buy Honeynut Cheerios.
Well, I am loving everything about my experience here in Romania! Like I mentioned I am trying to do everything new I can. Tonight Elizabeth and I treated our friends to a pizza place near the church after institute (which we attended of course). It was really fun to go inside and just eat the Romanian twist on pizza-same concept of course just different toppings and crust ...that is popular here. It was a good night out and hope to have many more to come.
Mare vis,
Dani
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