Today was the last day of Viaţa. This was also our last day in Straja. We all had to pack up our things and head down to Lupeni on the telescaun (chair lift.) This morning after breakfast, therefore, the seven of us were buzzing around making sure the place looked halfway decent before we left it. I managed to pack in a somewhat orderly fashion. We were supposed to bring our large stuff down to the parking lot for Daniel to pack into the van. My intention was to have nothing to carrying but my poles and Nalgene on the telescaun.
Our final meeting time with our Viaţa team took quite awhile. I think it felt that way because everything was said in Romanian. Also, Claudius, who lead the whole thing, didn’t seem to have much of an agenda to go by, so he took his time. We were a little ways away from Restaurant Montana and sitting in the sun. Claudius passed out some laminated cards to each of the group members. The cards were a contract, or engagement as Claudius put it, that we were each supposed to hold to after our time at Viaţa. Katalin and Olivia translated a little bit for Anne and me near the end. Claudius eventually asked Anne and I if we had anything to say to the group. Anne thanked everyone once again for their patience. I added by saying that I appreciated working with each of them and wishing them each the best.
It all could’ve been an emotional time for all of us, but I was getting the impression that everyone just wanted to get to lunch. Lunch was actually rather pell-mell. We didn’t have to sit with our groups, so everyone sat where they wanted. During this time the leaders went around giving everyone bracelets. The bracelets were made from some kind of string called “pea cord.” They burned the two ends, wrapped the bracelet around your wrist, and melted the burnt ends together forming the bracelet. Some of us got rings as well.
We said our goodbyes and hopped onto the telescaun. Anne and I went on the same chair and enjoyed just how long it actually took us to get down the mountain. It was a very long ride. I personally found it to be a very enjoyable, and marveled at just how smoothly the whole machine worked. I thought a ride like this would be very bumpy and rickety, but it was surprisingly smooth. At the bottom, when we finally got there, we had to jump quickly of the chair, because the chair wasn’t going to stop. Anne had more difficulty with that, as she had one of her large bags on her lap.
We met up with Daniel, loaded our remaining luggage into the back of the van, and headed over to his and Janelle’s apartment. We each spent a couple hours on the Internet, repacking odds and ends, and finally bringing our luggage over to the IMPACT office. The others were going to be starting their host stays today. As I would be heading to Buchureşti in a couple weeks, my host stay would begin later. This next week I will be staying with Tibi, whom I had met earlier in the week.
We lugged all our stuff over to the IMPACT office, where the IMPACT clubs meet regularly during the school year. While there, Daniel handed us each a manual that would be used for the Experiential Education course the study abroad students would be taking. He gave me one for the sake of taking the course this week, as we would be touching on things for the Retezat trip. Before the others left with their host families, Ilie joined us to give us some final thoughts. We also got a card with contact information on it for Janelle, Daniel, and Ilie.
Janelle and Daniel took Anne and I to Pizza Planet for supper. Anne’s host parents were going to show up later, and I didn’t have to be to Tibi’s until later. Diana was also present with us at Pizza Planet. This time I knew a little better how to read the menu. I ordered a pizza with salami and mushrooms, the first time I’ve ordered anything with mushrooms. It turned out to be really good. We spent some time chatting, enjoying each others company, talking a little about things back home. Janelle and Daniel are only a year older than me and were students at Calvin, so there were some commonalities we were able to draw on for conversation.
After supper we went to Tibi’s flat, which is in one of the blocks in Lupeni. The blocks are poorly constructed apartment complexes that were built during the time of Communism. They’re still standing and still lived in, and Tibi is a resident of one of them. We scaled the steps to his flat, and after knocking on the door he rushed us in to keep the mosquitoes from entering. It was a hot night, so mosquitoes were bound to be out. Sure enough, we didn’t make it inside quickly enough, because a couple came flying in through the open door.
Tibi was described to me as very pious, even strict according to some people. Janelle assured me, though, that I would get along fine with him. I had already had some pretty good encounters with Tibi, so I wasn’t too worried about living with him. Upon our entry, he immediately saw to it we were served with some of his homemade ice cream, which is made with soy. He presented this to us with some pride, which was well placed as the ice cream was delicious. He told us he had been trying to perfect the recipe for some time and was still in the process of doing so. I didn’t know what he was talking about, because the ice cream tasted fine to me.
After the ice cream, the others left me with Tibi and his younger brother Alex, who was in my Viaţa group. Tibi showed me around, helped me get acquainted a little with the place, he even made my bed for me. Following all of this he then presented me with a pillow covered in a yellow pillowcase. This pillow, he explained, was used for killing mosquitoes. He then demonstrated by sneaking up on a mosquito in the room and quickly smothering it with the pillow. As if this wasn’t enough, he then went on to gently lift the dead mosquito from the pillow and meticulously remove its wings before setting it upon the television set in my room. He then repeated this entire process on a couple more mosquitoes before handing the pillow to me and wishing me goodnight. Before he left, he informed me that breakfast would be at eight-thirty.
I have a feeling I’m in for a real treat this week. I have no clue what to expect, but I’m sure whatever I receive will be great. I’m excited about spending time getting to know Tibi and also going around Lupeni. I have language lessons coming up this week and preparation for our backpacking trip in the Retezat. In a couple weeks I’ll leave to go to the city. I'll talk to you later.
Blessings.
Kailen
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