Romanian Music, Vol. 3: Fanfara

"Fanfara" music (based around a brass "fanfare" ensemble) is another genre springing from the rich traditions of Roma ("Gypsy") culture. The make-up of the ensemble is usually really simple: brass and drums. With an often blistering tempo, and enough vitality and syncopation to burn down small towns, "fanfara" bands are usually the life of the party. Just check out the onlooking German band's response! This band is titled "Fanfara Transilvania" in the video.

Romanian Music, Vol. 2: Muzica populara

Romanian "muzica populara" (lit. "popular music") is a really broad category that generally refers to the many styles that make up more traditional, acoustic Romanian music. Usually it's a celebration of the whole "village" experience -- with traditional music, dress, dance, and food. And the instrument section is often comprised of strings, brass, drum(s), accordion, and dulcimer. Here's Ancuţa Anghel's "O data pe septamana" ("Once A Week").

Romanian Music, Vol. 1: Manele

Here's a little taste of "manele", Romanian pop strongly influenced by Roma ("Gypsy") musical traditions. Maybe a little like "reggaeton" music in the US, manele is a highly contentious subject among Romanians -- either you love it or you hate it. Here's Sorin "Copilul de aur" ("The Golden Child") and his "Ca$h Ca$h Full Full" which, as you can see, goes all out! Good luck getting this out of your head...

Foot Races and Stuffed Faces

Well folks, my journalistic talents (or motivation) seem to be on the wain, considering the fact that I've had fewer and fewer photos to show for myself recently -- and have thus been pirating more and more from my friends (case in point: above photo, courtesy of PCV Jesse Lee). Oh well, it must all mean that I'm devoting more and more of myself to the work at hand, immersing myself in the process of international collaboration...or something.

Don't be fooled by the distinct lack of any real photographic proof: November was yet another "luna ocupata" (busy month) around here. Just before Thanksgiving, a group of us volunteers got together in Zalau (northern Transylvania) to help with the running of Special Olympics -- this being the second year that Special Olympics events have taken place in various locations around Romania. The Zalau event was organized by the Romania chapter of the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (where my fellow volunteer Dave Donaldson works) and featured various events, from soccer, to relay races, to table-tennis. Around 100 local children and young-adults with special needs participated, and everyone received medals, certificates, and bag-dinners. The day even ended with a pretty incredible exhibition of local break-dancing skills by some of the kids. All in all, it was a wonderful time for everyone, and I'm glad that Romania's special-needs population can now benefit from the comaraderie and self-esteem that Special Olympics emphasizes. After all, we could all use some positive-reinforcement now and then.

Immediately after the Special Olympics, I headed back south to Arad, where we PC volunteers from western Romania celebrated our second Thanksgiving together, along with various Romanian friends and colleagues. The event was held at the impressive new conference center recently built within the national park where my fellow volunteer John Thompson works, and it didn't disappoint. With the help of the roughly 15 PC volunteers and 35 Romanian guests in attendance, we put together quite a meal -- with rabbit chili, grilled turkey, mashed potatoes, various salads and casseroles, cornbread, and every type of American and Romanian pie imaginable. The heavyweight champ (at least with my host family)?: pecan pie! Anyway, it was a great time, and we Yankees were happy to share just a little more of ourselves and our culture with our Romanian friends. And this being the last Romanian Thanksgiving for most of us volunteers who arrived a year-and-a-half ago, the day had a twinge of bittersweetness to it. Thanksgiving has always been such a wonderful holiday, in my mind, because it is a celebration distilled down to the basic element of "breaking bread together" -- no hypermanic Christmas-gift shopping, no race to outdo your neighbor's decorative, pathological lawn-lighting scheme, no griping that there are no more first-class tickets to Gstad for New Year's. No, Thanksgiving has always been about enjoying each other's company, pure and simple...well, that and stuffing yourself to an extent that would give your cardiologist nightmares.

Because I have no photos for you to feast your eyes on this month, I thought perhaps I'd start a little discussion on the best in Romanian music, since I'm sure this is a subject many of you are curious about. And so the next few postings will be devoted to particular types of Romanian music, all of which embody the culturally rich and diverse terrain of Romania. Enjoy, and do let me know what you think!

Peace, have a terrific December, and I'll check in with everyone around Christmas.

Of Pumpkins, Frost and...Giant Burgers?

As I steam full-speed-ahead into my second (second!) autumn in Romania, I've long since realized that for a Peace Corps volunteer, there's no such thing as a dull day -- with the possible exception of those hours of standing in line to pick up packages at the Customs Office. Which are well worth it, incidentally...

But at any rate, October was as rich, active and colorful as ever, filled with those moments large and small that continue to remind me of what a extraordinary gift it is for me to be here, doing this. The common conception of the Peace Corps may abound with heroic images of building schools, walking on water, and stopping speeding bullets with a single, charitable glance (all of which do happen). But I often feel that the true nature of the Peace Corps is often best expressed in a series of subtle, ephemeral, all-too-easily-overlooked moments: a sidewalk conversation with a Romanian neighbor, a stroke of face-paint to a child's face, the sharing of a meal. A few days ago, I stopped along my jogging route to help a local farmer push a loaded wagon out of the road into his driveway. It would have been easy to overlook the moment as meaningless, and only later as I puffed home did I realize that it is often through "meaningless" little moments like this that mutual respect and understanding -- on the personal level and on the global level -- is truly established, even when little is said. One of our primary roles, as volunteers, is to help our home and adopted nations (both of which we love) to understand more about each other, celebrate our differences, and recognize all that we have in common. And this task is accomplished equally well in the line at the grocery store as at the office.

One of this past month's most enjoyable experiences was taking part in the American Festival organized by my friend and fellow volunteer Dan Tirrell and his mayor's office, in the town of Jimbolia (about 1.5 hours from me, on the other side of Timisoara). The roughly 20 of us PC volunteers who showed up were given the job of representing what we feel to be important elements of American culture to local school children, through a series of stations (American sports culture, American and Romanian history in parallel, opportunities for volunteerism in the U.S., etc.). The two-day event was attended by students, the Mayor and representatives of the local town hall, local media, and town residents. Romanians learned about Joe DiMaggio and Kerri Scruggs, a volunteer read from Walt Whitman, and a local food-kiosk owner specially prepared a 75-kg (150 lb.) cheeseburger that blew everyone's minds! In other words, a fun and educational time was had by all.

Following the festival, I returned to my hometown of Recas to accompany my host family and family friend Zeno on a wagon-ride through the hills northeast of my town. The air was crisp, the changing leaves were resplendent, and I came away with a newfound appreciation for work-horses and the people who take care of them. As I've written in the past, horse-drawn wagons (called a "caruţă" in Romanian) are still commonly used by Romanians in rural communities for transportation and load-hauling. And you'll often see them ambling along the shoulders of major roads and highways. Oftentimes, particularly in poorer communities, a horse-drawn wagon is the only affordable mode of transportation, given how expensive even second- or third-hand automobiles are for many families' incomes. When it rains, you and your horse (and whatever you're hauling) get wet! But anyway, a wagon-ride is a wonderful way of enjoying the stunning, traditional Romanian countryside that still blankets the vast, vast majority of this country. Electricity was a promise the Romanian government made (and largely kept) to its large and small communities during Communism, but much otherwise in these rural villages still points to a previous age. Many people, for instance, still go without centralized heating or plumbing, as in my town. When I ask particularly older Romanians about this situation, they will typically just shrug their shoulders and get back to what they were doing. "Modernity will arrive when it arrives." And too many promises have been made and broken in the past for them to get their hopes up.

In conclusion, it has been a terrific Fall thus far, and the coming weeks and months promise much, with the approach of the holidays. Will we treat our Romanian friends to a deep-fried turkey at Thanksgiving, like last year? Will I be singing American gospel music at Christmas with my local church choir (which was sent over by my saintly mom)? Will we organize a town Christmas Festival, as I hope to do with my coworkers?

Stay tuned and find out. In the meantime, enjoy the photos, and don't forget to make the most of those fleeting but beautiful moments that we all experience in our lives -- that reaffirm our commitments to ourselves and to one another. Happy November!

Fire It Up!!

This past weekend ushered in my long-sought, much-dreamed-about BBQ party here at the family house in Recas. For some time now, I had this vision of Romanians, Americans and whoever else is crazy enough to accept one of my invitations, celebrating and grilling together. And considering how beautiful a month September is in western Romania, I jumped at the opportunity. Thus various Peace Corps volunteers from all over the country joined my Romanian family, friends and coworkers for some American-style hamburgers -- with a sprinkling of Romanian dishes (e.g. "sarmale": rice and meat rapped in cabbage leaves) to balance it all out.

Afterall, Romanians love to grill (and shoot the breeze, and dance, and...) as much as Americans do. And so, before the first frost of real autumn arrives, we ate, drank, and enjoyed each other's company, well into the wee-hours...and somehow, managed not to burn my host family's house down (much to the relief of the neighborhood). My friend and fellow volunteer Adam even introduced some lucky Romanians to a new use for Jell-O (ask a college student). The evening was an incredible success, and will be even more so if my host family doesn't kick me out! Be sure to check out the photos on Picasa.

Note: I've also added some online photos I recently uncovered from a Habitat For Humanity build I took part in with some of my volunteer friends last November (see "November 2007 Cont'd" on my Picasa site). I can never get tired of seeing families in need (and their children) receiving the keys to their newly-built house. And this event was an interesting follow-up to my architectural work in Charlottesville immediately before departing for Romania -- where I was managing a Habitat For Humanity house design for my firm.

The Second Lap

Well, as usual much has happened and little has been said about it since I last wrote. What can I say? I'm not a chatty, pithy, everyday sort of blogger (not that there's anything wrong with that). You'd all probably grow bored with my ramblings anyway, and tune out...well, even more than usual, that is.

The summer has been filled with trips, meetings, and conferences, and August was no exception. In mid-August, my colleagues Andreea, Victor and I traveled to Sighisoara (central Romania) for the "Pro-Etnica" Festival, highlighting the incredible diversity of ethnicities represented in this country: Romanian, Hungarian, Roma (Gypsy), Jewish, Croat, Serb, German, Bulgarian, Turkish...there was even an American-style blues band one night (apparently Americans are now recognized as an ethnic group here, which is great news). Our plan was to learn more about the logistics of running such a festival, since my own town of Recas will be hosting its own local cultural festival next summer. Of course we had fun as well.

Next it was off to the tiny resort hamlet of Venus on the Romanian Black Sea coast, for my Peace Corps class's Mid-Service Training Conference (*the photo above is of all of us Peace Corps volunteers in the Community Economic Development sector in Romania). MID-SERVICE!! Holy sputtering Dacias, it causes me some serious pause to consider that my time here in Eastern Europe is now more than half over. It has been an extraordinary past 16 months: never have I ceased to learn, to grow, to gain confidence in myself and in my fellow humans, and to wonder at the diversity and potential of the world we live in. True, almost every moment is a challenge in some way -- very rarely does my brain stop having to work -- and the hi's and low's can be pretty intense. But I can safely say I've gained a newfound appreciation for even our seemingly most most minor victories. At the end of the day, a step forward is a step forward. Of course I've also gained an appreciation for the fleetness of time. Timpul zboare, as Romanians say ("Time flies.") I'm very much looking forward to the second year of my service, and my enhanced ability (on a good day) for interacting with my community and seeing projects through. And yet I realize it will also be something of a race against the clock. To paraphrase Dickens' Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come, "There is never enough time to do or say all the things that we would wish. The key is to do what we can with the time we have." Amen to that.

In other news, I followed the conference at the beach with a quick trip to my friend Mark's village of Adamclisi in southeastern Romania. Now a quiet little village of 1,500 people, the town is known mainly for the impressive Roman ruins and monument sitting nearby (*see the photos). The ruins trace back to Emperor Trajan's final defeat of the native Dacian tribes on that spot in A.D. 107 or 108. As in other parts of the country, Nicholae Ceasescu rebuilt elements of the original structures for use in national parades and ceremonies during the '70s and '80s.

And finally, I'll be having a big BBQ/campout at my host family's house in Recas in a couple of weeks. It should be an interesting assortment of Peace Corps volunteers, Romanians, and other foreign expats. Hosting such a big inter-cultural shindig at my place (the neighborhood won't know what hit it) has been a dream of mine for a while now. I'll let you hear and see how it all goes. You're all invited, of course, though those plane tickets to Eastern Europe can get pricey.

Just as a further note: as I pass the halfway point and find myself getting just a wee bit sentimental, I'm also curious about how things are for many of you out there who I haven't heard from in a while. I'd love to get a sentence or two from everyone, outlining the who, where, what, how and why of your current lives. It could even just be: "Moe, I'm well. Stop bothering me." We volunteers treat new mail/emails like Christmas presents!

Balkan Odyssey

*Map courtesy of Yale University Library Online

After three terrific weeks on the road, spanning much of the western Balkan Peninsula (and most of former Yugoslavia), I am once again back in Romania -- not necessarily rested, but reinvigorated for my second year of Peace Corps work. More than anything, the trip has underscored for me how far the Balkan countries have come since the revolutions and wars of the late 1980's and 1990's , both physically and psychologically. Though they were dodging snipers and mortar shells on their way to the store less than 15 years ago, Sarajevans are prospering and ready to move on. Though beautiful coastal jewels like Dubrovnik were heavily damaged during the war, Croatians have quickly rebuilt and are flush with the profits of international tourism. And then there is Slovenia, almost indistinguishable from its neighbors to the West and North (Italy and Austria) in its advanced level of development.

Each Balkan country is having to chart modernization on its own terms, and define its own priorities in this age of rapid growth. All have unique potentials and problems, and yes, the pace of development contrasts starkly between the various countries -- but this is a testament to independence: each nation is charged with making its own way, assisted by external aid but unfettered by external control. This is truly an exciting time to be living and working in the Balkans, and this trip has revealed to me many of the best-kept-secrets of Eastern Europe that are only now beginning to attract international tourists. Following are some quick notes about the various stopping-points on our trip (*be sure to checkout the photos as well, at the link to the right):

Belgrade, Serbia:
I've described Belgrade once before, back in early Spring, and so perhaps will let you look back on that posting for a fuller picture of the city (I didn't take many photos this time either). Suffice to say, however, that Belgrade is an even more beautiful and wonderful city in the height of Summer. It's strikingly tall, gorgeous Serbian residents stroll through the parks and along the Danube, sit at sidewalk cafes, and wile the night away at the floating bars that line the river's edge. Romania and Serbia share a border and, at least from my brief observations, a similar contrast in infrastructure and development between urban and rural areas. Like Timisoara here in Romania, Belgrade is a city working feverishly to pull itself out of its recent torpor -- and succeeding pretty handily on that count. I haven't traveled yet to Kosovo, the heavily-contested region in southern Serbia, and have received varying reports about the safety of doing so. But if there is unquestionably one place one must visit while in Serbia, it is this terrific city, which has managed to happily surprise everyone I know who has visited.

Novi Sad, Serbia:
I've been told that Novi Sad, in the north of the country, is Serbia's second largest city after Belgrade. It is, however, a much quieter, more relaxed urban center, without the bustle you'd expect from a major city. Sitting serenely between the mountains and the Sava River, Novi Sad seems content with keeping a low profile, and revealing its charms in an understated way.

This being said, Novi Sad recently hosted the EXIT Festival, one of Eastern Europe's largest "Lollapalooza"-type music festival, drawing performers and camping concert-goers from all over Europe. Some fellow volunteers attended, and said it was a lot of fun. Overall, Novi Sad would make a great day trip if you find yourself with time to kill in Belgrade, but I wouldn't call it a Serbian "must-see".

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Looking back at photographs from the 1984 Winter Olympics, Sarajevo was truly one of the world's most stunning cities, surrounded by immaculate, fir-treed mountains on all sides. It is perhaps a testament not only to this latent beauty but to how far Sarajevo has come in recent years, that even after 4 years of constant siege during the 1991-95 war (with up to 300 shells and sniper bullets pummeling the city each day), Sarajevo is still stunning - even with its ubiquitous shrapnel pock-marks and the empty hulks of firebombed buildings. Since medieval Ottoman rule, the city has been a model of cultural diversity and harmony, with Orthodox Bosnian Serbs, Catholic Croats, Jews, and Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) living tightly together. This did not change during with war, with all of the above groups contributing to the defense of the city against the besieging Bosnian Serb militias (there were Bosnian Serbs fighting on both sides). The new graveyards established to accommodate the casualties of that war attest to the diversity of those who were fighting together.

It's humbling to walk down streets where, only 12 years ago, a trip to buy bread at the store might get you killed from sniper fire; or to stand in the surrounding hills and experience the same jaw-dropping vistas the Bosnian Serb army saw as they fired shells into the city below. It's also a testament, thankfully, to how quickly things can change. Rather than fearing for their lives, Sarajevans now concern themselves with catering to the ever-growing hordes of travelers. Sarajevo always seems to find itself at the crossroads of war (WW I, the Balkan War, etc.). I can only hope it's next chapter in history is a more peaceful one.

Dubrovnik, Croatia:
Jutting out on a spit of land into the impossibly blue, impossibly clear Adriatic Sea separating the Balkans from Italy, Dubrovnik could easily be mistaken (in all but price) for the Riviera -- like much of the Balkan Adriatic coast. And judging from its idyllic setting and strategic positioning, it's easy to see why Dubrovnik (Ragusa until WW I) was coveted by so many empires: Slavs, Venetians, Ottomans, Napoleon, and the Habsburgs. The walled old-town section is a striking Renaissance jewel: almost completely surrounded by water; defended on all sides by formidable battlements; constructed from head to toe (including streets) of the immaculate white travertine marble that is abundant throughout the region.

As you will see from the photos, the Croatian coast is an exceedingly dry landscape, comprised mainly of rock and low scrub brush (northern Mexico also comes to mind). The rocky shoreline is starkly beautiful, but won't be a welcome sight to anyone looking for sandy beaches (they've imported a few, here and there, for tourists). The thousands of islands that line the coast mean that one could spend weeks hopping from one to the next, via ferry, kayak, sailboat, etc. I got the sense that there would never be enough time to truly get to know the thousands of miles of serrated Croatian coastline. We did take a boat-trip one afternoon between a few of the smaller islands (many of which have one or more small villages of their own), and we spent one night on Korcula Island which, along with Hvar and Mljet, are perhaps the most visited islands in souther Croatia.

Plitvice National Park, central Croatia:
The elaborate series of natural terraces, pools, and waterfalls you see in Plitvice (which descend several hundred meters in elevation) are the product of the mineral travertine, which produces travertine marble as its sediments collect. Without getting too geeky-scientific here, travertine sediments in the park's flowing waters have built-up over millions of years, forming natural dams that, in turn, have created various levels of terraced pools. The high mineral content also lends the water an extraordinary clear, blue brilliance that easily comes through in the photos. Nothing here is fake!: all is exactly as it looks in real life. The uniqueness of this spectacular landscape has won for it protected status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Any trip to Croatia should include a stop in this magnificent park.

Rovinj, Croatia:
Sitting on the western coast of the Istrian Peninsula, near Croatia's northern border with Slovenia, Rovinj is only 100km or so from Italy and Venice - and with its brightly-colored, closely-packed buildings skirting the water's edge, you can feel that proximity. Like Dubrovnik, old Rovinj (Rovigno in Italian) is perched out on a spit of land surrounded by water, like Dubrovnik it was vied for by a succession of different empires, and like Dubrovnik the town is a living postcard image. Because most (non-Italian) tourists had traditionally headed further south to Croatia's Dalmation Coast to vacation, the Istrian Peninsula was known for being a somewhat quieter and more relaxed region than its Croatian neighbors. Due to more recent coverage in the NY Times and elsewhere however, this is quickly changing. While still not as bustling as Dubrovnik or Split, towns like Rovinj are getting noticed, and with good reason: they have all of the beauty of the Mediterranean further west, while being much cheaper...well, for anyone other than a Peace Corps Volunteer!

Pula, Croatia:
Our terrific week-long amble through Croatia ended in this pretty, medium-size town on the southern tip of the Istrian Peninsula, before crossing the border into Slovenia. Pula's establishment as a Roman settlement is still evidenced by a variety of Roman ruins scattered around town: a coliseum (pictured to right), a triumphal arch, an open-air amphitheatre, a temple, and a variety of odds and ends (there's literally a heap of Roman stone artifacts next to the amphitheatre). Due to the major shipyard in town, and to the fact that the guidebook wasn't overly enthralled with the place, we weren't expecting much out of our visit to Pula -- and were pleasantly surprised: Nice pedestrian streets, cafes, restaurants, and then of course that incredible blue sea nearby. The reality is that, when you visit Croatia, you are immediately confronted with a dilemma as to which if the countless beautiful coastal towns and cities to visit (in and out of the guidebooks). Sometimes it's nice to get off the beaten path a little bit, to towns like Pula that, although not necessarily raved about in the travel books, offer quite a lot.

Note: My Romanian friends reading this will have already noticed that Pula shares its name with the Romanian term for, uhh, a crucial part of the male anatomy.

Ljubljana, Slovenia:
Slovenia is a country that, to my mind, demonstrates the absolute diversity of countries categorized as "Balkan". Although they (marginally) share the South Slavic language group, and although they were once both part of Yugoslavia, Slovenia and Serbia (for example) look and feel like completely different cultures. While Serbia has the unquestionable feel of a Slavic country and peoples, Slovenia could just as easily be Austria or northern Italy. The point has been made that, among Yugoslavian countries, Slovenia maintained the closest connection to Western European ideals and culture, throughout Communism. And today it's clear that, whatever advantages it may have had over it's Balkan neighbors, it has capitalized on them. Much the same as with Croatia, foreign money and involvement have put Slovenian infrastructure on the fast-track to "first world" standards.

As for Ljubljana itself (it's close enough to say "Loob-yanna"), the Slovenian capitol is a calm but urbane center of culture, only 2-3 hours from Vienna. It is bordered on the north by the dramatic Julian Alps, a region of intense fighting during the Second World War. You could probably spend all day (and all night) hopping between the cafes bordering the winding Ljubljanica River on both banks. And since we weren't particularly in a museum state-of-mind, this is more or less what we did! Although we were constantly awed by the jutting Julian Alps looming in the distance, we didn't have the chance to take a trip into the mountains this time. It's amazing how quickly 3 weeks can go.

Budapest, Hungary:
Budapest is another city I've covered in past postings, and since I was only really able to stop over for the night here (I had a wedding to get back for), my latest experiences wouldn't add much to what I've said about it. It should go without saying that Budapest is a terrific place whose level of development and infrastructure, like Ljubljana's, rivals any in Western Europe. As with just about any other city in Europe, I would recommend visiting in Spring or Fall, when the weather is cool and pleasant, the prices are cheaper, and crowds of tourists aren't trampling you on their way to the next tour stop. Frankly, I haven't visited many places that wouldn't be even nicer in September than in July.

Just as a conclusion to what I've said here (and in the past), I can't emphasize enough how strongly I recommend Eastern Europe as a travel destination...whether you see it while I'm here or not! And sooner rather than later. The Balkans, like so many other developing parts of the world, is changing at almost unfathomable pace -- and at this moment you have the opportunity to see the colliding of the "old" order with the new, and the positive and negative ramifications of this process. Eastern Europe is, in the minds of many Westerners, essentially a dirty word, saddled with various stigmas about Communism, corruption, and crime. And while elements of this darker side certainly persist, there is much about the Balkans that is as unknown to the outside world as it is wonderful. For every example like Croatia, there are myriad other "hidden jewels" in this region that await exposure. Yes, one must be willing to be an adventurous, flexible, and patient traveler in the Balkans: transportation, toilet facilities, and pricing charts always keep you on your toes, without a doubt. But once you have surmounted these issues, the world they open you up to is one worth the effort.

And don't believe all the rumors. After a year, I have yet to run into a black market gunrunner (though we're pretty sure they were smuggling tablecloths on the train to Serbia).

Enjoy the rest of the Summer, wherever it takes you...

Forward Ho

Hello everyone,

Well, after yet another needlessly long pause, here I am. And as usual, much has transpired since I last wrote. As those of you who've seen the latest photos will know, life in western Romania continues to demonstrate just how diverse, joyful, and wholly unpredictable it can be.

Our park renovation project continues to progress, if sometimes in fits and starts. June 1st was especially busy with park-related activities: my colleagues Victor, Andreea, Silvia and I started the day by taking part in the celebration of Romania's "Day of the Child" at Recas's local school for children with special needs. We held a drawing competition as part of the festivities, intended to get the kids thinking about what they would want in a town park -- and they happily threw back at us a horde of great ideas and beautiful drawings, for which we happily awarded lots of prizes and candy in response. Activities for children are, aside from being important in general, a great first step in approaching a broader issue in the community. Kids can be a formidable motivating force in any community!

The second important event of the day was our first major public meeting regarding the park (see photos). Not exactly a fully public meeting, we intended this forum as a meeting of specific community representatives, and so we sent out about 25 personal invitations to the Fire Department, the Police Department, various local churches and community groups, local business owners, and other sectors of the population. Though we received only about a 50% attendance rate, we still had to view it as a success: it was, after all, an opportunity to gather together a body of local citizens to discuss issues important to the community. Organized as a public "workshop", the meeting sought to answer a variety of our questions about what people do and don't want in their park, and what they would personally be willing to do (donations, labor, maintenance, etc.) to make it happen. One group even put their design ideas to paper, and began to visualize various possibilities for the park layout. My colleagues and I really envisioned this meeting as the first (rough) template for a series of public meetings in the future about any number of topics, and we were extremely pleased even that it took place at all. Now we can move forward with the project knowing we have the public on-board.

Another important event in June was a trip I took to Odorheiu Secuiesc to consult with fellow volunteers about a future conference center two of them want to build. Nestled in the Carpathian foothills of Transylvania, Odorheiu sits in the heart of Hungarian culture in Romania -- like the Banat region in which I live, Transylvania was only transfered from Hungarian to Romanian control after World War I. In fact, many in this part of the country still consider themselves Hungarian rather than Romanian, making for an interesting political situation. In any event, the organizations with whom two friends of mine volunteer want to build a small barn structure to house a center for conferences, art openings, a community library, and various community events. And they had gathered a few of us PC volunteers with design experience to brainstorm design options with them. Sitting on a hillside overlooking a beautiful agrarian village just outside town, the building site is spectacular and will one day accommodate a terrific community resource (we hope). Do take a look at the pictures, and I'll let you all know how this project progresses.

The other big news of the moment is my upcoming trip through the western Balkans, for which I leave in a few days (and with the other John Moore, among others). A few of us plan to travel through Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary, before swinging back into Romania from the north. All will be seen by land (bus, train, etc.) and none will be reserved ahead of time, so keep your fingers crossed and wish us luck...we may be getting to know park benches rather well! I have to say: Much has been written recently about the benefits of "slow" travel (i.e. by some means other than flight) and I fully agree: after a year of traveling on Romanian trains and buses, I have come to appreciate the rich, experiential nature of traveling overland -- wherein all of the delays, complications and hangups really ultimately make for a fuller, deeper understanding of a country and its people. When you have the time and flexibility, I highly recommend going by train, bus, ferry, bike, wagon (though not possible everywhere), or horse. Your sore backside will continue to remind you that you are truly alive! But more about all that when I return.

Perhaps I'll end with a kind of a proverb (which I love to dole out, not always follow):

My continuing work and experiences here with the Peace Corps only serve to further reinforce the belief that a little patience and flexibility will take you a long way in life. I, like everyone else, love to impose my own rules on a situation, my own time-frame, my own understanding about what needs to happen and why -- only to be disappointed when those standards prove to be insufficient or irrelevant. While we all should continue to harbor a core of belief within ourselves about what is possible (in ourselves, in others, and beyond), we should also be willing to accept the fact that the mutable world in which we all live doesn't read our rulebooks. We are constantly modifying our expectations of time and place, and this is not a bad thing, as the destination at which we ultimately find ourselves is often far more wonderful than we ever could have imagined before, on our own, with our old expectations. This lesson reaffirms itself everyday for me.

Hope everyone is well.

Small Victories

I'm back, after a lengthy hiatus. In the time since I last wrote, green has returned in full force, along with summer-like heat (32C today, or roughly 90F). The outdoor cafes (terasas) are back in business, pedestrians once again crowd streets and sidewalks, birds are singing, schoolchildren dream of the end of the schoolyear (as everywhere on earth), Romanians find themselves in a flurry of activity to plant their gardens so as to have fruits and vegetables all summer, and canned-goods all winter...and I too begin to recognize all that I'm hoping to get done before the weather turns cold again next autumn.

I'm happy to say we had our first major meeting involving the park renovation project: this one with teachers at the local highschool. We are trying to emphasize the importance of public involvement in this project, young and old alike -- a renewed sense of public ownership of open spaces. To this end we will be: coordinating student projects and contests with the school; holding workshops for local citizens and coworkers at the town hall; and eventually getting everyone to pitch in their sweat and toil during the construction phase this fall. The general concept is that this project will be not only an improvement of an important public space, but a motivating precedent for future public actions. Of course, this is all just "waxing philosophic" until the shovel hits the dirt!

In other news, I had the chance to visit Budapest with friends several weekends ago (see photo link at right). I find Hungary to be an interesting case-study to set against Romania's own situation: both overthrew Communism and the Warsaw Pact at roughly the same time (1989) and began moving towards democratization and liberalization; both eventually joined NATO (Hungary in 1999, Romania in 2004) and then the European Union (Hungary in '04, Romania in '07); and both have seen dramatic improvements in living standards and infrastructure in the past 18 years. There is little questions, though, that Hungary's ascendancy to "1st world" status is far more advanced, at this point. Budapest, to any visiting foreigner, resembles any of Europe's other major tourist cities, with the level of polish and sophistication that that implies: public spaces are clean and well-maintained, transportation is efficient and safe...and prices are as expensive as those in, say, Berlin.

The debate over why Hungary seems to have (outwardly) surpassed Romania in these and other areas is a complicated one, and I'm no political scientist. But I think Hungary's physical proximity and deep cultural ties to Western Europe (the Habsburg legacy, etc.) have played a large role in development assistance. And in any case, regardless of the specifics, Hungary represents for me a model of all that is possible here in Romania -- given an internal will to improve, and a generous helping hand from the outside world. As with various other Balkan nations, the stigmas of Romania's political legacy are difficult to shed (inside and outside of Romania). Luckily more and more internationals and international businesses are stepping up to the plate.

Well, I guess some of my postings have to be serious! Enjoy the photos, and be in touch...

Spring In Romania

Well, it seems the thaw has finally arrived here in the central Balkans: the trees and flowers are in bloom, the sun is shining more often...and people are actually going outside!

Two or three weekends ago, I had the opportunity to take a long-weekend trip with friends just across the border to Belgrade, Serbia. Belgrade is only about 100km from where I am in Romania, but when you take the train, you have hour-long customs stops on BOTH sides of the border, turning it into a 4-hour journey. It was worth it though: Despite the fact that less than 10 years ago parts of the city were being bombed by NATO forces during the Kosovo war, Belgrade is a gorgeous and friendly city (as are Serbians themselves, who are among the consistently tallest people I've ever seen!). Like so many European cities, Belgrade was founded around a fortress, perched on a spot overlooking the joining of the Sava and Danube Rivers. It is a city easily navigated on foot, and welcoming to tourists -- so for anyone who comes to Eastern Europe, I highly recommend a visit. In my opinion, there seemed to be little evidence of bitterness or animosity about recent events. Serbians seem to want to just move forward into the future and are, like Romanians, quite knowledgeable about the world, current events, and foreign languages.

In other (minor) news, I have transferred all of my online photos over to Picasa (the link on the right now directs you there), which I think will be a better, more user-friendly way for people to see my pictures...with full captions! You can access my web photo albums anytime at http://picasaweb.google.com/jonathan.c.moore.

This was a short post, I know, but I promise to write more soon. I hope everyone is well, and ready for warmer weather!

Holy Raining Books, Batman!

I'm getting the feeling some of you have grown weary of looking at that fake Christmas tree in the previous posting -- wishing desperately for that update that will make your lives complete. I was about to say that nothing much has happened in the past month and a half...but that just wouldn't be true, now that I think about it. So as not to make myself a liar:

Some of the biggest news is directed toward all those of you who generously contributed (or are still in the process) to my book donation project for the local highschool, in coordination with the US non-profit organization A Thousand Books. About two weeks ago, the first 8 big boxes of books arrived (see photos), including textbooks, storybooks, young-adult fiction, classic literature, songbooks, National Geographics (a whole box...wow!), teaching materials, some adult fiction and -- I thank you personally for this -- a box with a few American food items wedged here and there!: hot sauce, peanut butter, brownie mix, mac and cheese, chocolate chips, pizza kits, and even chili mix. Yes, this past weekend, I treated my host family to their first bonafide American chili cook-up (ok, maybe I made it a tad spicy for first-timers)! Anyway, back to the books: my friend Valentin and I have begun cataloging and sorting everythin, with the aim of creating an all English-language section in the school library. Some of the more advanced fiction will probably even go to the town library, for all to enjoy.

The official word is that there are another 6-8 boxes of books already on their way, and this doesn't even count all of you who are doing book drives of your own back home. The folks at A Thousand Books wanted me to let you all know that you have been a "freakishly" generous group of donors. Thanks for pitching in, you latter-day saints. You all have my deepest gratitude. I will definitely get some photos up of the kids and the school soon.

Well, if you're still reading at this point -- and not pacing the room, gloating in your saintliness -- I guess I should go on reporting:

In work related news, some major projects have really taken off and some have, for various reasons, been mothballed for the time being. Even though the project to renovate the town farmers' market space has unfortunately been put on hold, our project to renovate the town's central park is full steam ahead. I am in the design and paper-work phase at the moment, with construction hopefully starting this summer (more pictures to come). The basic concept will be to replace and expand the existing system of walkways; replace all benches and park furniture; replace all park lighting; and add new trees, plants, grass and flowers. In terms of overall work, it won't be anything gigantic, but I think a prettier, more usable park will have a broad effect on the town center as a whole. Anyone with a craving to pass through Romania this summer or fall and spend a weekend volunteering and getting dirty...you've got the job. My degree isn't in landscape architecture, but like Kinky Friedman said during his campaign for the governership of Texas: "How Hard Can It Be?!"

Another major project well underway right now is our push to officially name all of Recaş's streets. Due to the fact that some streets are known by three names, and others by none (don't even try to ask for driving directions to my house! What, "#884" isn't clear enough for ya?), this town is something of a Bermuda Triangle of lost delivery-people looking for addresses. Thusly, it's time for new street names and signs. Because of my insistence that the public have some sort of say in the process, we sent out ballots in the last edition of the newspaper, asking people to vote on their own street's name (see above photos). After some deliberation, we divided the town into three naming "zones": Romanian historical figures, Romanian plants/flowers, and Romanian wines (this being a wine-making area). I think many people found the ballot-concept somewhat odd and foreign, but I wanted them to have the option, at least. And hey, although having 40 ballots submitted out of 5,000 sent-out may seem like a slim turnout...but heck, it means 40 people did vote! Maybe next time, it'll be 80. There's still much work to do yet on this project (I don't even want to think about the address renumbering process), but I find it enormously exciting and satisfying. And no, just in case you're wondering, there's not going to be any "Jonathan Moore Boulevard" or "Moe Lane".

Ok, gotta go. Keep the home-fires burning...