Want Some Whine With That?

I totally had a reality check. Life isn't so bad even if my "situation" at hand means being 7 months pregnant with a pinched nerve in my ass, my child can't swim in our embassy's pool due to diaper drama, and the frequent power/water outages at our yuppie suburban compound encounters in 100 degree weather. These complaints could probably qualify me to be posted on whitewhine.com and so I am ratting myself out before they do. It can always be worse, and last Sunday was my proverbial reality check. I took my family to a cute town called Urlați, and while totally unknown to travel guides, it's known for a few things: 

1) It's only an hour's drive north of Bucharest, so it's the perfect escape.

2) Gorgeous rolling hills that are smothered in vineyards and orchards. Hello Feteasca Neagra Wine. 

3) Mountain bike and hiking trails here are practically untouched, just begging to be used and abused. You MUST check out Cycling Romania if you are interested in cycling at all, it's a pretty cool company.

I was invited to check out a brand new non-profit organization called Fundatia Bucuria Ajutorului, aka Joy Aid Foundation. It's basically meant for children who need more social and emotional engagement than what they are getting form home, but they welcome everyone. Kind of like an after school headquarters to do homework, play, pray and relax but with the idea of showing these kids how to be the positive change that their community needs. Obviously, most of the children there come from very poor homes or with a significant missing link in their lives. There was a group of seven brothers and sisters, ages 6-12 whose father is in prison and mother is MIA most of the day. The eldest by default gets to take care of the rest.

And back to my botanical obsession.

All this time I thought fruit came from the store...

I went there to do an interview and ended up staying for several hours with Mark and Deets. We were showered with Romanian hospitality: piles of peaches,  mountains of melons, and tons of tomatoes. All of which of course they grew themselves. (They, being Father Manuel, his wife Ligia, and a faithful volunteer named Geta.) This particular Sunday, there were about twenty kids in the yard playing soccer or foosball, on the swing set or playing with blocks. They all got along famously, a rare sighting at many Bucharest parks, and they even took Deets under their wing to play amongst themselves. And some of these kids clearly didn't have access to basic essentials: water, shoes, consistent nutrition.  

I LOVE a Good Stoop.

Deets getting in on the block action.

Ligia told me that although the foundation has been officially open since early 2012, (unofficially since 2010) she has seen grades improve, more team work, and more respect with each other and the adults. Their bigger goal is to ensure the participation of parents and family members because she knows it can't be done alone. I think they will be successful, because folks like these are a rare breed. We parted ways, already talking about the next time we'd get to hang out with them.  It was rather inspiring to break from Schlinky Bucharest life and engage with locals who really have something worth complaining about, but who didn't complain whatsoever. Shut me up, that's for sure.