Idea Collecting

I've had a rough couple of days, despite the amazing amount of time I have spent talking with people I love. This is, of course, better than not talking. But it does sometimes make me more homesick than I would have been otherwise. Not more lonely, just more homesick.

Because of this, I've found it particularly important to start making plans for time spent here in Romania. I've discussed this a lot with people, and I don't want to just waste these next 8 months, nor do I want to wish them away. However, I think that having things to look forward to will help me get through the days and weeks of nothing but school.

A good amount of these plans involve travel. I've already made plans to go back to Timisoara for the Thanksgiving weekend, but there are other parts of Romania I want to explore as well. Currently on the list: Brasov, Arad, Baia Mare, Iasi, Suceave, Sibiu, Braila, Cluj-Napoca, Targu Mures, and Constanta... I'm looking at a trip to Brasov this coming weekend, hoping it can work out.

I would also like to go back to Oradea at some point, the town I was in the first time I came to Romania.

Mostly though, I am wondering what I should do for Christmas. I have nearly 2 weeks off of school and no one to spend the holidays with. It would be easy to stay here in Bucharest and just take some time to rest- but before I knew it the entire break would be gone and I would be disappointed in myself. I really should use this time for traveling. There are so many places in Eastern Europe I want to go: Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Istanbul, Sofia. However, would it be wise to travel out-of-country during Christmas, or should I save all of that for another time? Looking at all the places in Romania I want to visit, it feels silly to leave when I have two weeks to explore them all.

When my dad comes at the end of January, we are probably going to drive to Budapest, stopping in Timisoara on the way. This will also be a chance to see more of Romania, and in a car we can go more quickly and do whatever we want to.

I have a week off at spring break as well that could be used for traveling. It is just tricky to figure out this stuff alone...

Regardless. I have plans.