Update

There are a lot of random things happening in my life, and none of them are coming together to form into a connected web of thoughts with one big great idea... so here is my update.

1. I am STILL getting gifts for Mărţişor. It doesn't pay that well, but teaching in Romania is still pretty great :)

2. I have developed a new obsession with a man. His name is Craig, and he has a list. And everyday, he tells me about jobs that I should apply for. And so my friends, I have been taking his suggestions.

3. To that end, I am looking for two types of employment. The first is a summer position. I have a four important factors to consider at this point: location, salary, time-frame, and what effect THIS position will have on number 4. To that end, I have been applying at a lot of places on the East Coast, and I have an interview later this week for a Resident Counselor position in Conneticut. However, there is another opportunity that could be pretty fantastic, with programs available in Madison WI, Boston MA, and... um... LONDON.
Location: Job One... Conneticut. Good for multiple reasons that the world will someday know. Job Two... possibility of LONDON, and the other two would be great as well.
Salary: Job One... room and board included, no idea about salary. Job Two... all expense paid trip to LONDON (maybe), room and board in Madison and Boston, plus something extra.
Time-Frame: Job One... starts after I get home from Romania, which is a plus. However, lasts longer into the summer. Job Two... only about a month in July, which allows for job searching possibilities relating to number 4, which may or may not be necessary.
So that is where I'm at with THAT.

4. The second type of employment I am seeking is a full time job in the fall. I'm looking more and more at charter networks all over the United States, but this of course has me pointed towards the East Coast. In the last two weeks I have submitted my resume or application at 8 individual charter schools, and one huge network in NYC. Last week I heard back from an IDEAL position in Boston, MA and was asked to submit responses to some questions about education. I'm hoping to hear back from them at some point, or anywhere else really. If you don't mind, please do for me whatever you believe in. Pray, send all your good vibes, or just keep your fingers crossed. I would really love to have this figured out before coming home from Romania.

5. For a period of time last week, every member of my family (plus my darling Jane) was out of the country. I am here in Romania, Ean and my father were in Honduras, and my mom was in the Bahamas along with Jane and Christian. I'm struck by a few things, namely how lucky we all are to have these opportunities to see the world. I really do believe that we are shaped by travel experiences, and to experience this growth along with my family is really cool. Secondly, I am so proud of the men my brothers have become. I won't comment on the cruise activities undertaken by Brother #1, but Brother #2 has spent the last 10 days in Honduras, giving his time and strength and energy to those who were dealt a life hand that did not include being born into privilege. He is also taking a year off of traditional school to spend time in Croatia, and I am just immensely proud of him. Plus, it means that if I get a real job and can afford it, I will be going to Croatia for Christmas :)


6. I got together with a very random lunch date last Friday: my old babysitter! M~ is here in Bucharest along with her husband and two youngest children, and we got connected through a very odd meeting she had at a shipping facility back in the States. She used to babysit my brothers and I when I was just a toddler. Regardless, we had a fantastic time at Chocolat, a cafe in Lipscani. I got to meet her boys and they were fantastic (made me miss my brothers even more), and it was so lovely to connect with someone.

7. I am planning a trip in two weeks to a town called Sibiu. It is located in the Transylvania region, and was named a European Union Capital of Culture in 2007. It is about 7 hours from here by train, but I'm looking forward to a weekend away somewhere beautiful. I have other travel plans for the spring: a return trip to Cluj-Napoca, Oradea, Sighişoara, Constanţa, and Iasi if at all possible. I would LOVE to travel to Maramureş, and there is a possibility of doing a weekend with a Roma family near Târgu Mureş. There just isn't enough time!


8. I have had some interesting teaching moments in the last few weeks, but this has to be one of the happiest. Please note the refusal to believe the way I spell my name (written on the board in EVERY class), as well as the devil horns and pitchfork. I still have no idea what I did to this little friend.





9. I saw a movie this past weekend: "The King's Speech." I am so happy that movies here are not dubbed, but subtitled in Romanian. It was a really excellent movie, and my Colin Firth obsession grew a bit stronger. I got all dressed up and went out... it is nice to be on a date every once in a while, even if it is only with myself.

10. Thoughts, comments, ideas, and suggestions are all very much appreciated. Have a wonderful week :)