Anecdotes from Africa

October 9, 2010

Today I got some good progress on my cultural proofs and I was able to complete the write-ups on two of them. My goal is to get all caught up with the write-ups this next week so that I can start getting some new ones done. We had to clean the church today – that was a fiasco. It doesn’t matter where you are at, nobody likes to do the old cleaning the church duty.

We went to an American restaurant tonight called Little Texas and I ordered a chimichanga. Hunger + Chimichanga = Satisfied. It was no Café Rio, but it was the next closest thing. I didn’t realize how much I crave Mexican food. I just want some tortillas to make some tacos. Even tonight, our burritos and chimichangas were made out of the egg roll shell. Nonetheless, it wasn’t food from the Moldova Mall that would make me sick. Anything is better than the Moldova Mall food. I’ve made a goal that I will only eat out once a week here. Back at home, I never ate out that much. However, it’s much easier here to grab something, rather than have to cook it on the gas stove when you have 3 other roommates cooking dinner the same time and only one frying pan and two pots. It makes it a bit difficult.

It’s been pouring rain here all day, which means that on the broken sidewalks and crooked cobblestones, puddles are everywhere! There is a giant festival here every October called Iasi Days – people from all over come to celebrate. They have music, dancing, tents all around the city with things to buy, carnival games…it’s huge. You could compare it to the crazy 4^th of July in Provo. You don’t miss Iasi days! They have started setting it up just down the street. I’m thinking it probably has officially already started, but the weather has put a damper on things. Hopefully Monday we can check it out.

October 10, 2010

Thank goodness for missionaries. Every week, Sacrament meeting, Sunday school and Relief Society has to be translated for us because it is all in Romanian. Even though I know a lot is lost in translation, it’s amazing how much of a difference it is to be able to know what the speakers are saying. I have played the piano in sacrament meeting and RS the past few weeks. I have to have one of the missionaries give me a nod when I am supposed to play otherwise I have no idea when they announce that we are singing! I can’t imagine how frustrating and difficult it must be for them to be patient with us. Although it was a bit ironic - today in our Sunday school class, there were us 7 girls, 2 elders and 2 sisters and only one investigator. Out of all of us, there was only the one investigator and the teacher who just spoke Romanian. Everyone else spoke English. I feel bad having people translate and also speaking to some of the Romanians who only speak a little bit of English. It should be the other way around – I should be trying to communicate in Romanian. I am doing better though.

Today, we walked home with one of the investigators. He was speaking a little bit of English, but I tried as hard as I could to speak in Romanian. I used to think it strange when speaking to people who weren’t fluent in English when they would get self-conscious and hesitant about speaking English. I would always think – just try and I promise I won’t laugh at you for trying. Now, I am one of those people. When anyone speaks English a little bit, I resort to speaking English with them because I am afraid they won’t understand my Romanian or that I will say something completely wrong and be embarrassed because of it. I am trying to get over that. Today for example, I was trying to say “Did you go…” and I know what the word for “Go” is, but I couldn’t remember how to conjugage it correctly, and he wasn’t understanding what I was saying. One of the simplest words  - and I couldn’t even communicate that! This language thing is probably the most challenging for me.

 Although I was proud of myself – the other day we had to take a taxi to a restaurant across town. I got in the taxi and told the driver in Romanian where we needed to go. He didn’t know where it was, so I was able to explain to him the way and the address. Then later I told him he could keep the change. Not too bad! It’s amazing how much we take communication for granted.

Another positive for the day – I was able to straighten my hair. It was so fantastic, even if it did start to poof and curl the second I got outside. Maybe not a big deal to some, but I have never gone this long without blow-drying or straightening. And, the fact that my hair is now super long, it’s just looking scraggly. Mom, when I get off the plane, don’t confuse me with the orphans! Here, getting ready and doing your hair, putting make up on and wearing a nice outfit is not to get the guys attention, not to put on a show, but merely because it makes me feel better. If that’s the only thing required for my sanity – then so be it!

Today at church, I had an interesting experience. The branch president was speaking and announced that they will be getting a better location for church (right now we are on the 2^nd floor of a house). He asked the members to pray hard and have faith that they would be able to find the right place for the church. I looked around and saw the members looking at each other ,smiling with great anticipation and excitement of the news.  Even having a location for church is something that they have to worry about. I can’t complain at all that church at home is a block away.