Romance in Romania.

There is a lot about this culture I don't understand. I can't tell if people are generally nice or unpleasant and I can't tell when they are being sweet or cunning. It is still hard for me to distinguish the beggars on the street from some little old lady who approached me to slip a candy into my hand for the boys.

One thing I do see all around, is romance. Everywhere we go there is a couple that stop to kiss. Couples of all ages stop anywhere, in the middle of the store, on the sidewalk down a busy street, in a restaurant and they just kiss.

Some are clearly overdone. Like when the skinny and way too tall woman that walked into the Lebanese restaurant in Brasov (yes there is one there!) She had that ridiculous fake smile that you'd think she was making her way onto a stage instead of into a restaurant. White figure hugging jeans and high heels that made the height difference between her and her 'boyfriend' (we'll assume that what that was about) even more pronounced. Skin colored strapless tube and an undisguised effort to stick out her chest as far as she could. Now when she started what looked from the corner of my eye like rubbing noses with the man she was with and giggling, I thought that was a little over the top. The kind of PDA we don't want to be around, especially with two young impressionable boys.

What I'm talking about is the more sincere affection that two couple quietly exchange, oblivious of the people around them but in no way offending them. Romance, the way it should be- at least in my mind. I just love that it is all around. I haven't yet figured out if it really is because Romanian men are super good at the romance game or what. But I just feel my heart warm up when I see it. Like one day in Sibiu when it started raining and we were parked facing the center. It seems that every couple just pulled out and lovingly shared an umbrella. Clutching one another like they were thrilled at another opportunity for closeness. No one even seemed bothered about the rain!

Moving to Medias with the boys!

It has not been the easiest transition. School was out June 1st and I have been home with my two boys since. Since then, we have moved from Cairo, Egypt to a small town in Romania called Medias. As we try to settle in and find what we need for our home among the small scattered stores in this town and by traveling to bigger cities in the weekend, I am exhausted and realize that even now, two months into it, we are still not done.

Moving means spending weeks at a hotel and eating out every day until we find a place to call home and actually equip it for cooking. Now, the part where I don't have to cook and clean is just fine by me. The part where I'm cooped up in a hotel room with two active boys while hubby is at work - not so fun.

It also means eating out a lot which is where the iPod and an assortment of die cast cars have helped save my sanity.

We spent the first two or so weeks exploring the town (well it's a city but I can't imagine it is anything more than a town) on foot. Then we spent the next while trying to set up the house we chose. The boys liked exploring although they did complain a lot when the walks got too long. Especially Omar. Poor Omar is too big for a stroller now and had to drag his feet during our many hours of walking.

We took the house. A fairly large house with some garden space and an extension where apple, pear and cherry trees grow, as well as grape vines along the fence. It is in what we believe is a nicer part of town and has a lovely view. It's also walking distance to my beloved hotel! We spent three weeks there and all the employees have become chums. It was the most socializing I have had since we moved here.

The language barrier does not help me make friends. That coupled with nowhere to really go out and meet people and a couple of rowdy boys that are my full responsibility until their nursery starts mid September.

I have started a conversational Romanian course through a Pimsleur audio CD packet I purchased. It is quite good but I am only on lesson 3 of 16 because it is not easy to carve out 30 minutes of uninterrupted time while my two wardens are home with me. But so far, I can successfully and politely tell people that I do not understand Romanian. A declaration I have found, just makes them shy away if English betrays them.

So here I am, trying to maintain my sense of humor as I take on the lonely task of starting out a life in a new place, with two young but energetic ones in tow and an untapped world that I must somehow break into. We have definitely stepped off the beaten path and that brings fear but also excitement.

Being in Medias, the best way to verbalize my feelings is through the GPS software's announcement when we enter an underground parking lot "lost satellite reception." So here I am, finding a way to reconnect with the world and bring Medias to life with this humble blog!