A Whirlwind

It's kinda crazy to think this (being that I am not a spur of the moment type person at all), but being as though I will shortly not be able to see two of my closest friends (as they will be going to New Zealand to start a new life over there), I have purchased my ticket to see them this weekend. Now like I said I am not a spur of the moment type of person, so there are a lot of things that I am having to do in a very short period of time. And truth be told...it's kinda exciting. I mean, as long as I am not sleeping on the street, this should be a wonderful trip. Oh yeah, I'm going to Ireland (which is the other best part).

Korea is going to be revisited, as a group of former strangers, who had a chance encounter in Korea, meet up again in a foreign land. And this time we have a mascot. So, look out Emerald Isle.

Count Dracula

I have taken a break from my usual humdrummery, to go on a bit of a trip. Scott was going to a conference in a different part of the country and asked if I would be interested in going to see a city called Sighişoara. This is a really interesting place, because it happens to lie in the county that Vlad Tepeş was the ruler of.

If you don't know who that is let me give you a little background. Vlad Tepeş (aka Vlad the Impaler) happens to be the prime material a man named Bram Stoker used to base his very famous book, "Dracula" on.

The house I am staying in, is run by two very lovely ladies (Dorthy and Roberta), who are Nazarene Missionaries. Their house is actually located in The Citadel, which is to say that it is within the walls of what used to be the stronghold of the city. It's really quite remarkable. From the window of the room I am staying in, I can see the highest point of the hill (the fortified church), along with 2 of the 16 spiers (various people had a spier i.e. the blacksmith), and a view of the city from high up. I was also, given the opportunity to meet some college students doing practicum work here in Romania (two from Mount Vernon Nazarene, yes it's a small small world). Just when I think that I'm getting used to things, I have the opportunity to experience something new, and remind me how amazing this all is.

I think Dracula is out to get me...or the mosquitos.

My Quarters...

Imagine if Heathcliff's artists and Garfield's artists got into a contest to see who would paint a room the fastest, and those are the colors of my apartment. I am literally living in what used to be a Communist block apartment. A prefabricated apartment that was is identical to every other one that was stacked either above or below it. I have always been afraid that one day I would end up living in a housing development where all the other people had the exact same house as me (ultimately adding up to one of my neighbors knowing every square foot of my place and robbing me out of house and home), but it's not that bad.

My apartment is comfortable for right now, but hopefully in a little while it'll be more like home. I'll get some wall decorations (some kind of art), some plants, and some kitch and I'll be good to go. Pictures to come later.