B.B.’S MONTHLY FROM BUCHAREST
ISSUE #1 (Part two)
August/September 2006
SURPRISE -- I was able to post four pictures.
I took this picture of the back yard from my balcony. The left side with the sculptures is my half of the yard. The suclpter is a young woman who lives in the basement apartment with her husband.


My weekends are filled with exploring new places with different teachers. Yesterday my driver took four of us to town about one hour away (I have not figured out if we are going east, west, south or north yet, not that I every have know which direction I am going). Bucharest is not as easy as Portland, as far as knowing if you are going east or west. I miss the river and the mounts (my compass). In the small town we went to there is a glass factory, where they hand blow vases, plates, and lots of balls. I bought several balls that I will hang in one of my windows. They will be my currents. I also got a beautiful 3.5’ tall skinny vase. Lauren, I kept hearing your voice, reminding me to remember my goal of saving and to watch my money. I am a bit disappointed in the cost of things here. We all are. According to the “old” staff prices have increased in just the last two years. Many of the food stuffs cost the same and often more than in the U.S. Clothes are mainly in smaller sizes and cost more. All the teachers say they buy in the U.S. or Asia. I regret not bringing more kitchen supplies. I have to buy everything. The school is giving me through October to return the items they supplied me with in the kitchen.
I am beginning by third week of not internet at home, which is part of learning to live in a developing country. Costumer service does not exist here, or at least it is very different from what we have in the U.S. The schools repsentative from the internet company has been on a two week vacation, which means our service has been almost nonexistent. Two service men came out two days after my service stopped and spent two hours trying to reconnect me. They said it is a problem within the phone line and that I needed to pay more for more speed. That was the last I heard. It is difficult for me to find the time to write and send messages more than two to three sentences from school. I really have missed not having access to SKYPE. The technical department at school will not let us use it. I really have missed talking with you all. I hope to have everything up and running again by next weekend.
Ginny asked me tell what I see when I look out my window. I remember describing the back yard and trees to her as we talked on the phone, the second or third day I was here. Now, (three weeks later) and after walking around the neighborhood, and having time to sit in my back yard, my view has changed and/or expanded. Behind my house are tall apartment buildings and a restaurant.There does not seem to be any zoning laws here. Unfortunately for me the restaurant is on the top flow of the building and is a popular place for wedding parties. People get married on Sunday’s here and party until 5 and 6 a.m. Sunday nights I often do not get much sleep. They play their music very loud and set off fireworks through out the night. L. Morton would love it.
It is my hope that many of you come for a visit. It is really beautiful here. There is a new airline planning to fly out of Bucharest starting in January 2007. They have a special on right now. Go to Wizz.com (I think) and check them out. They are selling tickets for $1.00. I hope to go visit Berlin over New Year’s. During my October break I plan to travel in Romania. Many of the teachers have already set they travel plans for the breaks. I am not as together as they seem to be. It is all still so new to have so much to choose from.
I think I may be having a delayed culture shock reaction. One of the teachers told me that it can take up to three months before it sets in. So far all that I have noticed is that it took me about a week to catch up with my sleep after getting here. I feel very lucky to have such a supportive school community to be working in. There is a lot for me to learn about being in an “ex-patriot” community. I am just beginning to learn about other schools and how one gets around within the international community.
It feels as if I may have written too long of a news letter this time. Please send me questions you would like me to answer in my newsletters. I hope to send them once a month. I am still learning how to insert pictures. I hope everyone is able to open this newsletter and read it. I will close with a picture taken at an out door restaurant. It was Friday night after our first week of school. I am finding that part of teaching teaching internationally is a lot of parting and dinners out.
I hope this letter finds each of you in good health and happy. I miss and love you all.
Brook
P.S.I need email address for Carolyn Lunday & Bear and Khadim. Please forward this to them and ask them to write me so I can get them on the list. Thank youI have added one more photo from Bucharest and some from my going away party below.
This letter had 12+ pictures attached to it. I am having a diffictult time inserting them into the blog. I am going to try one more time here.
The pictures above were taken my first night in Europe. We had a layover in Warsaw. After landing at 3pm in the afternoon we all went out for dinner at 6pm. The couple in the picture to the right are Rick and Carolyn Nelson. She is our high school art teacher and he is the activities and PE director. They taught in Warsaw for 6 years, and lucky for us they offered to be our tour guides. They picked a great resturant for us to eat dinner. The picturee on the left was taken by a waitress. the couple in the lower right corner are Matha and Chuck Dorsey. It was her brother who delivered the Port-o-Potty to my going away party. I talked with Chuck on the telephone in Portland four days before we meet each other at the airport. They had been teaching in Arizona for the past two years. Matha is from Portland and they own a house there. At AISB Chuck is teaching thrid grade and Matha is teaching 2nd grade. Sitting next to me is Nancy -- She is teaching high school english and TOK (theory of knowledge). Next to Nancy is Dani -- she is a middle school science teacher. Dani just returned from 15 months at the South Pole. Her goal is live on every contient. Next to Dani is Vicki. She is a second grade teacher who just finished two years in Vietnam.
Well that is all for this months news. I will write more at the end of the month and beginning of October. Hopefully I will have writting blogs down a bit better by then.