Culture Shock

I had an interesting experience at the grocery store today. Wandering up an aisle, I overheard a married couple with their two boys discussing pasta options: package A versus package B, versus packages C-Z. They seemed plagued with indecision over the multiple choices, hissing to each other "I can't read what that says, it's in Romanian" Thinking they might be new expats to the country and remembering the first day I attempted to grocery shop while overstimulated and totally jet lagged, I offered to help.

Me: Hi there, are you guys new to the country?

Couple: No no, we've been here a while. We are originally from the U.S. (as he points to his FSU jersey.) We live here as missionaries but we don't speak Romanian.

Me: Oh okay well, can I help you pick something out?

Couple: Nope. I think we're good.  We are just trying to pick out gluten free pasta and send them to our friend in Thailand. But we are just going to tell her the pasta is gluten free since we don't actually know. Ya know, make it really easy on everyone.

[Waving me off]
Me: Ooookay then. Good luck to you!

Couple: God bless! Take care now!

This left me dumbfounded for several reasons:

1. Do they think their friend is stupid?
2. If their friend really is stupid and has a serious gluten allergy, are they aware of potential health consequences?
3. What kind of person would choose lying to a friend over finding a simple solution? 
4. Were they aware the packages they picked out were labeled in English, German, Italian AND Romanian?
5. Why would you be a missionary and not bother to learn the language? Why would you live anywhere and not learn the language? Even if it's just a few grocery items?
6. What kind of example are they setting for their children? 
7. Isn't this slightly if not outright hypocritical and pretty indecent to do to anyone? 

Wow. Just wow.

How's your day been?

Peace Corps Romania

As if we needed another reason to celebrate all the unique qualities the Schlink name carries, Mark's name now sits with one thousand two hundred five other volunteers from as young as 19 and old as 82 on a commemorative Peace Corps Romania display at the Embassy. Herding out the last of the volunteers last month, Peace Corps' time in Romania comes to a close this month and they celebrated in style with champagne, fruit and fancy cheese.

Thoughtfully and creatively designed by
a genius graphic designing mastermind.  DI. NA!

I'm so glad they spelled it correctly.

The volunteers did some innovative stuff here since 1991, the year when Bryan Adam’s “Everything I Do, I Do It For You” topped Billboard’s Year-End Hot Singles. That year the Gulf War ended and fashionable parachute pants for men began. Peace Corps Romania also hit the scene and would remain there for the next twenty two years in over 230 communities around the country. 

Volunteers spearheaded a ton of cool projects, such as bringing Model U.N. to Iasi, Romania. They worked with Romania's Environmental Protection Agency creating educational eco-related databases to spur recycling and green initiatives. They taught English, built houses, and worked to bring communities together.  Volunteers also inspired world-wide leadership movements particularly among young women with a project called Girls Leading Our World (GLOW), that encouraged girls to address sensitive subjects head on: self-esteem and body image, gender and health issues. The popularity and success of GLOW took off and today, over sixty Peace Corps postings run around the world. 

Enjoying this momentous occasion, Mark wasted no time re-telling stories of yore: the countless times he hitch hiked all over the map (often getting into hijinks with his buddy John Vivalo); the time his apartment ran out of water requiring him to rinse with a cold bottle of sparkling water; the time he arrived to his assigned town and realizing they town spoke Hungarian, not Romanian. It was quite literally one of his greatest experiences in life, besides meeting me of course.

Congratulations Babe!