I just returned from a 2 night stay in Brownsville, Texas. It is the place where I finished growing up, graduated high school and met my best friends. I've known them since I was twelve. These days, half of us don't even live in the same state but we get together whenever possible. I knew I had to make the 4.5 hour drive to see them because it will be a while before we reunite again.

It was great, until I had to say goodbye. I don't like that part. It makes me wonder how things will be the day I fly out to Romania and say goodbye to my family. I'm not scared about what I'll be encountering over there as much as I am scared about what I will be missing here.

Fears and tears, what good are they to anyone? :) The move happens in 12 days!

Christmas and New Years Ever are around the corner. Usually around this time I am focused on shopping and checking off the gift list. Instead, I've given my two weeks notice, employment ends for me on Dec 17, and compiled a list of things to do before leaving the country. One thing that makes it tough for me to leave is the fact that I'll be putting my student loans on hold. The process is pretty easy I hear; its my inner voice that pesters me," you should be responsible and pay those off asap". There is also the thought that that some of the loans will be accruing interest. Eeek. Addressing the loans situation is the first priority this week, along with cooking for an office party and shopping for each coworker's gift (budget blown).

Enough serious stuff, on to the funny bits in life.

Catalin has been living in Bucharest since August. He's got a cozy little apartment which I've seen from the comfort of my video chat window (google's vchat). One day during one such chat, I asked him if he had a microwave in the apartment. He said no, but that we could get one because microwaves are not that expensive. I then began a thought process that led me to the realization that I had never known a life without a microwave. Literally everyday of my life I've used or seen one used when things needed to be warmed. Kind of bizarre no? Cata grew up without one. So I asked him not to buy one. I want to try not having one for a while, just to see what it is like. Let's see how long I can last.

p.s. Romania's "inexpensive" microwaves start at $100 USD, while in the US they start at $40

****UPDATE: The loan stuff was really easy to handle. Thank goodness

Often, after telling someone that I am moving to Romania I get the impression that they don't know what the heck I'm talking about. Romania? Where is that? I can't judge anyone for not knowing much about the country as I, admittedly, had not heard of it before going to Mizzou (and meeting my future husband).

Since then I've learned some things about Romania that might be of interest (I am by no means an expert though). I can say without a doubt that the Romanian language has similarities with the Spanish language. These are both romance languages, a trait that has helped me greatly as I try to learn Romanian. Another bonus for me is that many Romanians speak English, especially in the capital city of Bucharest; where I will be living. So although I'm going to a completely foreign place, there is hope that I will be able to communicate with others effectively in one language or another!

As you can see from the map above, Romania is far from my hometown of San Antonio, Texas. It shares borders with Serbia, Bulgaria, Hungary and the Black Sea. Although Romania was under communist rule until the late 1980's it is now a democracy. It is also a part of the European Union. I'm looking forward to seeing the remnants of Romania's rich history in person, such as the castles built by Romanian kings and cities older than my own country.

Well that is it for this post. I hope those who were wondering now have a better idea of my future home. If you're still curious, visit the Wikipedia Page for Romania