Today,we went to the field again to walk the dogs. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, the field is simply huge…and very clean, although lots of people spend their free time relaxing there. No garbage on the grass, no dog poo…just a “green sea”…perfect for fun and relaxation.

And, I was clever enough to bring my phone this time, so here are some pictures.

This is Louise and Noah walking Charlie.

This is the field as viewed from where I was standing (which is about in the middle)

And this is Rusty. (the red stick is used for grabbing and throwing balls, to avoid the drooling. We don’t have that in Romania because we are such a poor country…:d…but,as you can see…it exists!)

Tonight I was home alone. So I figured that being Saturday night, I mind as well go out and have some fun.

I went to a pub first. A lot of people, noise and football. 3 black beers later, I found myself with two fine blondes, going across town to a club called “Que Pasa” (interesting name!). We were dancing crazy Until about 3pm…during which they played Maya’s “Stereo Love” and Inna’s “10 minutes” (first time proud to be Romanian).

So who says English people are boring and don’t know how to have fun? I don’t!

EDIT: *until 3AM…(although…)

Earlier today it was cold as hell (probably not the best comparison) here in Hitchin. People here seem quite used to it, but me…I felt like an Australian surfer teleported next to a fishing eskimo at the North Pole. And as the cold wasn’t enough (which here never is) it started raining…well,isn’t that lovely?

So…while I was performing my freaky trembling routine down in the lounge room…hoping that an angry squirrel will put me out of my misery…the most amazing thing happened.

8yr old Gaia, came to me…and whispered (prepare yourself): “will you come into the pool with me and Tussy?”. Well…any sane person would have said “no” right there and then! But she used the Puppy Eyes technique on me…and I just couldn’t resist.

The water was 16 degrees…and it was still warmer than the outside temperature…because..it was steaming. 

The girls just jumped in the water! I was speechless! I went gently down the stairs…one foot at a time. When I was all the way in the water…all my hair curled…my eyes were looking at each other…my little soldier had died in combat…and all the squirrels that I was waiting to kill me just stood there…laughing at me.

After a few minutes, I realised that in the water was way much better than outside…and everything turned into a very fun experience. 

Swimming while super-cold rain is pouring down. Another thing to cross off my to-do list. 

Tonight everyone insisted I prepared dinner. So, being such a big cook, I did about the only thing I know how to: schnitzels with French fries. But this time, I had to replace the fries with mashed potatoes. Considering the fact that it was the first time I’ve prepared mashed potatoes, the feedback was 100% positive. Which makes me very happy. But the funny story is that, at the table, I sat next to Noah.

Well, Noah is known as a great artist, because he paints quite beautiful. I would have to mention that he uses his face as canvas, and as colors he uses whatever food he finds on the table. But tonight, he felt very inspired, and his face just wasn’t enough. So the normal thing to do…is to search new ways to extend the canvas. And what better way to do that…considering that my left arm was exposed…right there next to him. So a new work-of-art was created…and I was there to witness it first-hand. (See pictures below!)

Now…don’t think that I have just let this happen. Oh,no! The little Picasso couldn’t have got away with it that easy, so…I’ve applied my painting knowledge (which is not that vast!) and I’ve tried a little something of my own! Muahahaha!

The end product!

My first contact with the family was right at the airport exit. And I felt the love almost instantaneous. The girls were waiting with a carton board on which there was written “Bine ai venit, Alex!” (Which means “Welcome,Alex!” in Romanian). And after they saw me, they ran and hugged me. That was amazing and really made me feel welcomed here.

The house is lovely. It’s a one floor house, with a back yard and a pool. And it’s also “equiped” with everything, so that in case of a nuclear attack…we can stay here for ages…:p.

Julian, Louise’s husband, is very funny and communicative, and it’s easily noticeable that both of them are trying really hard to offer me a great time here. Which I appreciate and am very grateful for.

Yesterday I went out with Edit to have a walk through the city. Hitchin is not a very big city, but you can find absolutely everything you need in one of dozens of stores throughout the main city streets. The houses here all have at least one storey, so that really makes me feel like a redneck, knowing that most houses back in Romania have only a ground floor.

It’s also a very relaxing, low-crime city. You can really hear your thoughts walking through one of it’s parks (which, I may add, are very “green” and clean!). I went out with the kids, Louise, Edit and the dogs the other day, onto a field next to the house, to walk the little four-legged creatures. The field was simply huuuge! It was the size of almost 3 soccer fields. And the grass is so green and soft. It’s amazing and relaxing altogether. I guess that maybe if we had one of these fields back home, I might have walked Nemo around. (probably!)

I’ll have to admit that prices are a bit high, but manageable. The people are very welcoming and easy to talk to. You can approach someone on the street and they won’t feel deranged by that. On the contrary, they feel happy to communicate with every opportunity that appears…and are really hospitable.

So far, I have nothing but good words to say about the country and city I’m in and I really hope it will continue in the same matter…or even better!

Earlier this evening, the girls asked me if I could play a game with them. Stepping not so carefully into the unknown, I’ve agreed. A few minutes later, when it was to late to back-down, they told me we will play a make-over game with a vampire theme (because the girls really love “Twilight”).

So, basically, I’ll be staying on a chair in the middle of the room, while they were transforming me into a vampire. After they were finished with me, I had a can of talcum powder in my hair, very black eyes, and a lot of “scars” on my face. I’m sorry I have not pictures to show you, but I’m glad the girls had fun. I think I liked it too, because at some point I tagged along, and pored another can of talcum powder in their hair too…:)…

The room was now all white, and…when Tussy smacked Gaia on the head…there was a big cloud of talcum powder rising in the air.

At about 6 AM, we’ve arrived at Baneasa International Airport in Bucharest. From here I would board the plane that would take me to the UK (eventually!).

This would be my first flight…so, understandably, I was a bit terrified. And it was not the crashes or terrorist hijacks…but the simple lift-off and landing. The feelings I would experience going through this.

Entering the small crowded airport, I could not avoid noticing the extremely large amount of people there…ready to leave our “Motherland”. And to those, I tip my hat. Good decision, my fellow emigrants.

Anyway, before I boarded the plane, I had to go through the Check-In process, where they check the papers and the luggage. No problems there. After that, I had to say goodbye to my family…to go through the next “processing” area. I would have to admit, that the goodbye moment was kind of sad (as expected). And I think a broke a tear, because I realized that this is for real and that I’m going for it full-speed. And it’s no going back from this point.

Going towards the metal and handbag search area…I kept looking back…to keep the moment alive…to see what exactly I was leaving behind. But at some point…they disappeared…and I was all alone…to face a new life on my own.

The waiting area was so small and full with people. Some people where sleeping on the floor, some on their luggage. It was a little past 6 and I was there…about to wait for 2 hours in that small space. Surprisingly, I have found a coffee shop where smoking was allowed, and of course everyone was barging in there because it was, I guess, the only place where they could smoke. Oh,joy…oh,happiness!

After I paid 8 RON’s for a small espresso (which, for you who don’t know how much is that, it’s A LOT…it’s like buying coffee in the UK for £8-9, so…), I found a comfy place to stay, met a really nice person to talk to…and the time “flew” by (get it?).

At 20 to 8, they announced the boarding. The carrot up my “bottom” was getting in deeper and deeper. They put us in buses to go from the terminal to the airplane, and while I was approaching the plane, I saw my luggage (because it was a really eye-catching purple girly color) being placed…in ANOTHER airplane! Oh, dear God…this can’t really happen to me right now. But I imagined that that plane is also heading to Luton, so I tried to take my mind of this situation. Climbing the stairs up to the plane, I realized that this was the last time I stepped on Romanian soil for a relatively long time. Great!

I salute the guy who came up with the idea of  placing really, really fine women to greet us while we, the people with carrots up our asses, get on the plane. That helps…A LOT!

The plane was Read the rest of this entry »

It’s almost 1 o’clock…the sand in the hourglass went all the way down. The time is closing in on me…and I start to realize what is really going on…In one hour I’ll be in the car to the airport. I’m leaving home…for good. I’m leaving everyone behind. Is this really a selfish act? Or it’s a natural human thing?

Things happened that led me here…a whole cycle of events that started with a mistake. And I don’t know if I should feel guilty or not. It got me to this point…but with what cost?

What strikes me as amazing is…that today I felt a lot of love…from people that were sad to see me leaving. I have never seen our relationship this way. My leaving impacts other’s lives…I knew that when I saw tears. Tears for me? What did I ever do to deserve that?

Well…I guess this is it. The luggage is packed, the papers are in order…who loved me and cared about me said their goodbyes. It’s time to turn off the light…and…go…