PAULDING, OH (Sunday morning, October 11, 2009) -- Saying goodbye to Niku and Anca was very hard. We had agreed, no tears, just a "See you later". I never realized how much this country -- and her people -- would touch my heart. My outbound flight on British Air would be leaving at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, the 10th. Andre, from City Shuttle, arrived promptly at 6:00 a.m. to drive me to the airport. There was no traffic and the trip was short. I had to repack everything. I wanted to try to just carry on one bag, so I tried to get everything in one suitcase. Big mistake.
When checking my suitcase, it was pointed out to me that it was too "heavy". I had to open in and remove items that I could carry on. I went from having one carry on to having two - really heavy - bags. My shoulders were aching after the hike of miles and miles (it seemed) before reaching the gate, both in Bucharest and at Heathrow.
The flight from Bucharest to London was uneventful. I had the forward bulkhead seat in Business Class on the British Air 767. The steward sat and talked with me about Romania, the change in the country since the Revolution, and the U.S. in general. He was from the U.K. and upon hearing of my humanitarian trip, commented, "You know, most of us over here do not think of all the good Americans do around the world." He commented about his country's defense budget and how it pales next the American defense budget. Although he did not really agree with the U.S. or his country sending troops to war-torn area, he acknowledged the role both countries have in the world. "We must take care of our own problems in our own countries instead of trying to be involved in other country problems." It was nice having a conversation regarding these issues -- and about the humanitarian missions the U.S. undertakes around the world.
At Heathrow I noticed a "Mind Your Head" warning sign under a low ceiling. This phrase, along with "Mind the Gap" are reminders of this U.K. city. The London flight boarded soon after I arrived at Heathrow. I sat next to a very quiet business man named Matt. He finally warmed up to at least smile when he excused himself. I was on the aisle and had to let him out of our row. A fellow passenger across the aisle decided he wanted to discuss the woes of the U.S., the economy, the Nobel Peace Prize, etc. He had a never ending glass of red wine and seemed to be getting more and more animated in conversation.
I put on my headphones and watched four movies: I Hate Valentine's Day and My Life in Ruins with one of my favorite actresses, Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding); Yes Man with Jim Carrey (hilarious); My Sister's Keeper and finally, Angels & Demons with Tom Hanks. A strong headwind caused the pilot to reroute more north over Iceland and Greenland. We arrived fifty minutes late into Dallas. And, because of this late arrival, many of the passengers (including me), missed our connecting flight.
The American Airlines personnel rerouted me later in the evening on a flight to Indianapolis. I called Fred and he said he would drive down (three hours) and pick me up. The staff was very polite and competent. I was upgraded to First Class for this flight, but it did not matter as I slept off and on during this final leg.
Fred picked me up in Indy and we were on our way by 11:15 p.m. My luggage DID make the connection to Fort Wayne (CORRECTION -- DID NOT make it to Fort Wayne -- just got word) so I made a claim. Apparently it is still in Dallas, but American Airlines is trying to find it. They will deliver it to the house. Fred was patient as I talked non-stop for at least an hour about the trip. It was a trip of a lifetime with a lifetime of memories. My heart is filled with the new friendships I made as well as the promise for an optimistic future for Romania. I will periodically add to this blog as memories come to the surface. Meanwhile this opportunity will be cherished as a special blessing in my life. I will never be the same.
I was thrilled to see a sign in our yard supporting the library levy. I was greeting by a lot of wet dog kisses from Daisy and Molly. The cats seemed indifferent, but still managed to make their presence known. I climbed the staircase and saw the project Fred had been working on all week. The entire computer room was gutted! He was remodeling. The original walls were exposed. Fred piled lots of insulation in the gaps. It will be fun to watch (and help) him finish this beautiful room. I am very grateful to his mom, Donna and brother, Jeff for their help.
So, life goes on -- there are messages in support of the library levy to get out, and many other projects on hold. Each day as my life in Paulding takes over, I will always take time out in my day to think back on some of the most amazing days in my life -- six days in Romania. Ciao!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Final Day – October 9, 2009 – Romanian Art & Medgidia Memories
Checking out in the morning by 9:00 we began our trip to Medgidia. But we were not on the road for even 10 minutes and Niku pulled over. We were at the Constanta Art Museum. Anca and I were surprised to receive a private tour by the museum’s manager. The art was phenomenal. Rare works dating from the 19th and 20th century reflected the history of Romania. From the influences of the Romanian Independence in 1877 to the era of communism and the Revolution of 1989, Romanian artist made an impact with their artistic statements. What seemed like less than a 60-minute tour was actually a two-hour stay. Niku, concerned that we stay on schedule, called Anca to find out our status. We thanked the manager sincerely. She gave a gift of a number of postcards so I could remember the exhibit. There is/was much talent in this country. I am very impressed.
We made the drive to Medgidia within an hour. When we finally pulled up in front of the library, I thought we must be at the wrong location. What are all those people doing here? There were costumed dancers of both traditional Romanian and Muslim dance. The Deputy Mayor, the library director and other citizens were there as well as a television camera. Anca looked at me and smiled. “For you,” she said. I was stunned. Niku opened my door and I stepped out of our van.
The overwhelming feeling of this warm welcome left me speechless. The Deputy Mayor and others gave official greetings. It is a traditional Romanian greeting for a man to kiss the hand of a woman and also give her a kiss on both cheeks. This double kiss is also traditional when leaving a friend or saying goodbye to a host. (I did a lot of sincere cheek kissing.)
I wanted to thank all of the costumed dancers lined up outside. I went to each, shook their hand and thanked them so much for their welcome. The Deputy Mayor then ushered me into an auditorium where there was a small head table and a stage in front. The audience filled the chairs and Anca introduced me. I was asked to give a speech about libraries and my impressions of rural libraries and the future of libraries in Romania. Again, I was at a loss for words – believe it or not – but managed to come up with my heartfelt thoughts.
I shared that as a librarian I researched Romania before I made the trip. All the guidebooks had said that the Romanian people were very friendly; but I also shared that these guidebooks are not always accurate. However; in this case, the guidebooks were right. I have never met friendlier people anywhere. I shared how my passion for librarianship began when I drove a bookmobile to isolated areas of our county in Alabama. I shared the new concept of free and equal access. I challenged the audience to become library supporters and advocates - because by doing so they would leave a lasting legacy for future generations. The speech was well received and I was able to then sit back with the audience to watch the performances.
I settled down to enjoy what I anticipated would be a wonderful glimpse into the culture and traditions of Romania. What I did not expect was to first listen to a mandolin band of young people. I was stunned and extremely touched when they started playing the Star Spangled Banner. I stood, as did the entire audience. This brought tears to my eyes. I must have been the first American to visit this cultural center. Right after the U.S. national anthem, they played the Romanian national anthem. Everyone remained standing and the audience joined in to sing this song of this proud country. I do not believe there was a dry eye in the house. Niku shared that even he had been moved to tears. After the Romanian national anthem, the young band played "Oh Suzanna!" with mandolins and guitars. Everyone clapped and sang along. You just never know what to expect. I was speechless.
Next, the Romanian costumed dancers took the state with a young soloist. They performed a number of traditional dances, all of them extraordinary and fun to watch. Quick footwork and lively moves made these dances a joy to watch. Then, a group of traditional Muslim group of young women began to dance. Their costumes were beautiful – from the scarves attached to their caps to the flowing satiny inserts in their twirling skirts – the dance team was amazing. Graceful hand gestures, body movements and ceremonial dancing were very unique and looked to be perfectly done. In fact – as I found out later – this group has won many awards at competitions throughout the country.
The young soloist from the first group took the stage again and sang New York, New York. She did an awesome job. She was followed by a ten-year-old boy who I would bet Disney would love to get a hold of. This young man was oozing talent. He was dressed in a colorful Puss ‘N Boots costume – a cat musketeer, so to speak. His song was lively and animated. His voice had a pure and clear quality with beautiful pitch, timing and tone. This precocious young man, Doru Ciutacu, finished his act with another song after which he winked and blew me a kiss. I told his parents later that they needed to watch out. We had a good laugh. Doru gave me two of his books – autographed – an one of his CDs. It was so much fun to experience this young talent.
I met a Canadian man and his wife who ran a local orphanage. His wife wanted me to stay. She was passionate about Medgidia and needed more time for me to see all there was to see. She was a delight.
I was then moved into the county library. The Deputy Mayor had a few more words. Then I was given a tour. The children’s room was upstairs. As I have been in the past, I was impressed to see American authors translated into Romanian. Classics by authors such as Vern and Twain were on display on the “Recommended” shelves.
After touring the closed deposit collection, I was led back to the main area where I was to be interviewed by the local television station. The interview and filming went well. I was surprised to hear that this was this young reporter’s first interview. She had been at the dance ceremony a few minutes earlier and I had noticed her jotting notes. Now she made me feel at ease and did a really good job.
After bidding all a warm farewell, we drove to enjoy a late lunch with our Medgidia colleagues at a local pizzeria. Before lunch we toured the headquarters of the Turkish Democratic Party. I was shown a number of traditional Turkish items by the secretary of this organization. I was once again surprised by this unexpected tour. I found it extremely interesting. We walked next door to the pizzeria and ordered. I treated my hosts to lunch. Niku knew I wanted to try to purchase a couple bottles of a wonderful wine/brandy type drink that was from this area. Anca and I enjoyed a bottle the night before at the seafood restaurant. So, he and one of my library colleagues took off on a mission. I had no clue where they were going, but they returned with the last two bottles they could find. How thoughtful was that?
We bid a final goodbye to the final folks I had met on this trip. It was a two-hour drive back to Bucharest. I was exhausted. Niku always promised me he would return me in one piece. We laughed so much about that – the speed limit on the highway was 85mph. I stopped looking forward and just watched the scenery whiz by. It took us two-hours to get to Bucharest and about an hour to get through Bucharest to my hotel. Traffic was just unbelievable. Niku reminded me that because of our diplomatic plates, we couldn’t drive crazy. What??? If this wasn’t driving crazy, I shudder to think what was.
We pulled over at a currency exchange so I could exchange some of my Lei for American dollars. Niku pulled in to an open spot. “Oh, Niku. Look, a casino. Slots!” He looked up and realized he had parked in front of a small casino. I told him that my husband would be so proud of me for not going in. Tempting, but I was too tired.
We finally arrived at the hotel. Niku declared that he had “gotten me back in one piece, as promised.” How do you say farewell to two new friends? Hugs and kisses and tears. And a “see you later” instead of good-bye. Anca called me later to confirm my car for the morning, and the name and number of the driver. He would pick me up at 6:00 a.m.
I think back upon this week and the events that have led up to this experience. It seems like just yesterday a message was sent out from the American Library Association asking for anyone interested in traveling to Romania to discuss rural libraries to contact them. I since learned that the final selection of who to go was made by the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest. It was Anca and her colleagues who reviewed the final three applications and choose me.
The turn of events in ones life can be viewed as fate. But, I know better. I know that God has prepared me my entire career for this opportunity. Each day I was able to confidently share information about the passion the vision and the imagination needed to be successful in any venture. Each day I was able to talk about the concepts of privacy and intellectual freedom. Each day I learned how to work with an interpreter – about timing – about the fact that a rubber chicken and a funny story translated into any language.
I learned that we in America are so blessed to have a strong public library system. And, I realized how so many of our citizens take their blessings for granted. I wish every one could spend time in Romania – to see how an entire nation is staying hopeful and optimistic after their revolution twenty years ago – even though there continue to be struggles at all levels. They are learning about the possibilities of freedom and are embracing this newfound freedom with gusto.
I leave being optimistic about the future of rural public libraries in Romania. The seed has been planted in so many areas of rural librarianship. Seeds have been planted regarding possible bookmobile service (or bibliobus service) as being a viable option to reach isolated populations. Friendships have been made and lifelong contacts established.
There are no words adequate to express my appreciation to the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest for this opportunity. I will be forever grateful. I pray God continues to be with the good people of Romania. I pray God continues to guide me on my daily journey as I give him all the glory. PaPa for now.
We made the drive to Medgidia within an hour. When we finally pulled up in front of the library, I thought we must be at the wrong location. What are all those people doing here? There were costumed dancers of both traditional Romanian and Muslim dance. The Deputy Mayor, the library director and other citizens were there as well as a television camera. Anca looked at me and smiled. “For you,” she said. I was stunned. Niku opened my door and I stepped out of our van.
The overwhelming feeling of this warm welcome left me speechless. The Deputy Mayor and others gave official greetings. It is a traditional Romanian greeting for a man to kiss the hand of a woman and also give her a kiss on both cheeks. This double kiss is also traditional when leaving a friend or saying goodbye to a host. (I did a lot of sincere cheek kissing.)
I wanted to thank all of the costumed dancers lined up outside. I went to each, shook their hand and thanked them so much for their welcome. The Deputy Mayor then ushered me into an auditorium where there was a small head table and a stage in front. The audience filled the chairs and Anca introduced me. I was asked to give a speech about libraries and my impressions of rural libraries and the future of libraries in Romania. Again, I was at a loss for words – believe it or not – but managed to come up with my heartfelt thoughts.
I shared that as a librarian I researched Romania before I made the trip. All the guidebooks had said that the Romanian people were very friendly; but I also shared that these guidebooks are not always accurate. However; in this case, the guidebooks were right. I have never met friendlier people anywhere. I shared how my passion for librarianship began when I drove a bookmobile to isolated areas of our county in Alabama. I shared the new concept of free and equal access. I challenged the audience to become library supporters and advocates - because by doing so they would leave a lasting legacy for future generations. The speech was well received and I was able to then sit back with the audience to watch the performances.
I settled down to enjoy what I anticipated would be a wonderful glimpse into the culture and traditions of Romania. What I did not expect was to first listen to a mandolin band of young people. I was stunned and extremely touched when they started playing the Star Spangled Banner. I stood, as did the entire audience. This brought tears to my eyes. I must have been the first American to visit this cultural center. Right after the U.S. national anthem, they played the Romanian national anthem. Everyone remained standing and the audience joined in to sing this song of this proud country. I do not believe there was a dry eye in the house. Niku shared that even he had been moved to tears. After the Romanian national anthem, the young band played "Oh Suzanna!" with mandolins and guitars. Everyone clapped and sang along. You just never know what to expect. I was speechless.
Next, the Romanian costumed dancers took the state with a young soloist. They performed a number of traditional dances, all of them extraordinary and fun to watch. Quick footwork and lively moves made these dances a joy to watch. Then, a group of traditional Muslim group of young women began to dance. Their costumes were beautiful – from the scarves attached to their caps to the flowing satiny inserts in their twirling skirts – the dance team was amazing. Graceful hand gestures, body movements and ceremonial dancing were very unique and looked to be perfectly done. In fact – as I found out later – this group has won many awards at competitions throughout the country.
The young soloist from the first group took the stage again and sang New York, New York. She did an awesome job. She was followed by a ten-year-old boy who I would bet Disney would love to get a hold of. This young man was oozing talent. He was dressed in a colorful Puss ‘N Boots costume – a cat musketeer, so to speak. His song was lively and animated. His voice had a pure and clear quality with beautiful pitch, timing and tone. This precocious young man, Doru Ciutacu, finished his act with another song after which he winked and blew me a kiss. I told his parents later that they needed to watch out. We had a good laugh. Doru gave me two of his books – autographed – an one of his CDs. It was so much fun to experience this young talent.
I met a Canadian man and his wife who ran a local orphanage. His wife wanted me to stay. She was passionate about Medgidia and needed more time for me to see all there was to see. She was a delight.
I was then moved into the county library. The Deputy Mayor had a few more words. Then I was given a tour. The children’s room was upstairs. As I have been in the past, I was impressed to see American authors translated into Romanian. Classics by authors such as Vern and Twain were on display on the “Recommended” shelves.
After touring the closed deposit collection, I was led back to the main area where I was to be interviewed by the local television station. The interview and filming went well. I was surprised to hear that this was this young reporter’s first interview. She had been at the dance ceremony a few minutes earlier and I had noticed her jotting notes. Now she made me feel at ease and did a really good job.
After bidding all a warm farewell, we drove to enjoy a late lunch with our Medgidia colleagues at a local pizzeria. Before lunch we toured the headquarters of the Turkish Democratic Party. I was shown a number of traditional Turkish items by the secretary of this organization. I was once again surprised by this unexpected tour. I found it extremely interesting. We walked next door to the pizzeria and ordered. I treated my hosts to lunch. Niku knew I wanted to try to purchase a couple bottles of a wonderful wine/brandy type drink that was from this area. Anca and I enjoyed a bottle the night before at the seafood restaurant. So, he and one of my library colleagues took off on a mission. I had no clue where they were going, but they returned with the last two bottles they could find. How thoughtful was that?
We bid a final goodbye to the final folks I had met on this trip. It was a two-hour drive back to Bucharest. I was exhausted. Niku always promised me he would return me in one piece. We laughed so much about that – the speed limit on the highway was 85mph. I stopped looking forward and just watched the scenery whiz by. It took us two-hours to get to Bucharest and about an hour to get through Bucharest to my hotel. Traffic was just unbelievable. Niku reminded me that because of our diplomatic plates, we couldn’t drive crazy. What??? If this wasn’t driving crazy, I shudder to think what was.
We pulled over at a currency exchange so I could exchange some of my Lei for American dollars. Niku pulled in to an open spot. “Oh, Niku. Look, a casino. Slots!” He looked up and realized he had parked in front of a small casino. I told him that my husband would be so proud of me for not going in. Tempting, but I was too tired.
We finally arrived at the hotel. Niku declared that he had “gotten me back in one piece, as promised.” How do you say farewell to two new friends? Hugs and kisses and tears. And a “see you later” instead of good-bye. Anca called me later to confirm my car for the morning, and the name and number of the driver. He would pick me up at 6:00 a.m.
I think back upon this week and the events that have led up to this experience. It seems like just yesterday a message was sent out from the American Library Association asking for anyone interested in traveling to Romania to discuss rural libraries to contact them. I since learned that the final selection of who to go was made by the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest. It was Anca and her colleagues who reviewed the final three applications and choose me.
The turn of events in ones life can be viewed as fate. But, I know better. I know that God has prepared me my entire career for this opportunity. Each day I was able to confidently share information about the passion the vision and the imagination needed to be successful in any venture. Each day I was able to talk about the concepts of privacy and intellectual freedom. Each day I learned how to work with an interpreter – about timing – about the fact that a rubber chicken and a funny story translated into any language.
I learned that we in America are so blessed to have a strong public library system. And, I realized how so many of our citizens take their blessings for granted. I wish every one could spend time in Romania – to see how an entire nation is staying hopeful and optimistic after their revolution twenty years ago – even though there continue to be struggles at all levels. They are learning about the possibilities of freedom and are embracing this newfound freedom with gusto.
I leave being optimistic about the future of rural public libraries in Romania. The seed has been planted in so many areas of rural librarianship. Seeds have been planted regarding possible bookmobile service (or bibliobus service) as being a viable option to reach isolated populations. Friendships have been made and lifelong contacts established.
There are no words adequate to express my appreciation to the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest for this opportunity. I will be forever grateful. I pray God continues to be with the good people of Romania. I pray God continues to guide me on my daily journey as I give him all the glory. PaPa for now.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Thursday, Day 4 -- Constanta, Cats & Pork!
Our hotel, the Ibis, is on the Black Sea. I think to myself, “I am having breakfast looking out on the Black Sea”. It just keeps getting better and better. The history of this port city was fascinating – as is the history of the entire region.
After a relaxing breakfast, Niku drove us to the “Ioan N. Roman” County Library located here, in Constanta. The library is located at the base of a “U-shaped complex that includes some sort of higher learning facility like a university. There were people milling around everywhere. Cars were parked wherever they could find a spot. The young people looked like they all stepped out of a fashion magazine. I would have liked to just sit outside and people-watch, but I had to keep to our schedule. I do not know if it is our “diplomat car plates”, or what, but Niku always seems to find a spot next to the entrance of our destination to drop us off.
Anca and I entered this beautiful marbled facility, but it looked like it was closed. The lights were out. A library employee pointed us to a staircase where Corinne, my interpreter for the day, and another library official, met us. They led me to the administration area to wait for the director. Our hosts were apologizing profusely for something – turns out there were a blackout in this area of the city. No electricity. This explains why there were so many people outside.
I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. “A cat!” They have a library cat. Not only one, but two. What fun to see a cat finally after all those dogs! Other library personnel as well as the director, Liliana Lazia, soon greeted us. Joining us soon after was a representative of the city council, Ms. Ana Maria Musteata. She was a very young, vibrant woman – frustrated with what could be described as the corruption of those in higher power and her inability to find an easy path to consensus-building. She explained that she had tried running for office, but did not want to compromise her ideals or values.
Apparently, those who were in power during the Communist regime were still in power. The general feeling I received was that it was hoped that these people could be moved out of the position of power and the common man elected to represent. But, running for office was too expensive, and it was the very rich and influential who were successful. Sound familiar?
In the office we were visited by a very friendly black cat, which proceeded to make herself the center of attention. I did not mind. I picked her up and stroked her very velvety black coat. The name for “cat” in Romanian is pisica, pronounced, “pē-see-ca”. I miss my “pisicas”.
In a few minutes, a representative of Constanta Public Radio came in to conduct a live interview. She interviewed me for a three-minute segment. After that, the power was restored and we moved to the meeting auditorium. There were close to 60 library staff in attendance. They represented mostly the rural and small one-person libraries in the county. Most of them also did not have Internet access or computers at their libraries. I was told that everything they were hearing was a new concept – far more than mere opening and closing the library each day. My presentation was once again – Management, Advocacy and Marketing. Monika, from Biblionet was there also, and was my experienced “slide-advancer” for PowerPoint. She was wonderful, very funny with a great personality. Her English was almost flawless.
The two-hour session went well, with only a few more moments of blackout. A technician was in and out of the room, readjusting the air-conditioning, etc. It was “no problem” as they say here in Romania.
After bidding my colleagues at the Constanta library goodbye, we walked across the street to an outdoor garden restaurant named “Crazy”. It was a beautiful day. I ordered a very rich pasta dish with four cheeses. Anca, Corinne and I enjoyed good conversation and tried not to notice that we all were dropping food to the four cats that seemed to be fixtures at this restaurant. More cats. Still lots of dogs, but now we were seeing many, many cats. Oh, wait a minute. We are on a seaport. Of course there are cats!
Niku picked us up after lunch and after picking up another colleague, Adriana, we traveled to the Constanta American Corners at Ovidius University. An “American Corner” is basically an American deposit library located in different areas of the county. Students and citizens can visit these libraries and browse through American fiction and non-fiction as well as receive information about our country and studying in America. On our trip over, we passed what was a combination “farmer’s market”, festival, and native craftsman fair. It was incredible! But, we did not have time to stop.
The American Corner was located on the third floor of the campus building. There was no elevator and we walked up the marble staircases. There were about thirty in attendance in this smaller meeting room for the digital video conference and also audiences in Baia Mare and Craiova in the south-central and western part of the country. (Constanta is a port on the Black Sea on the Eastern edge of Romania). Because of technology limitations in the American Corner, my technology friend, Emil, from Bucharest was connected and advanced the slides for me. It was really quite amazing. Here we were in Constanta, Emil in Bucharest, and audiences in the far northwest area of the country and the lower central part. Technology is certainly the great connector for the sharing of information.
The presentation on Management, Advocacy and Marketing went very well. All three audiences were very attentive and appreciative. I was sad to acknowledge that this was my final presentation. We had reached 100s of participants during the week with messages of possibilities for their public libraries. Many seeds were sown. In each location, it was suggested sincerely that I return to visit more of Romania. Who knows? I would love to return at a later to see more of the country and what kind of changes may have resulted from this venture.
It was once again, difficult to say goodbye to my new friends at the American Corner. Our hostess and technology liaison were so very friendly. Niku is always there, waiting with doors open to swoosh us off to our next destination. I could tell he was sharing some sort of secret to Anca because she was smiling, nodding her head and saying, “Da, Da” (yes, yes). To my delight, we stopped at the street festival. Now, try to imagine every type of fruit and vegetable known to man – imagine the largest size – piles of grapes, mounds of meats of all types, fish on ice, etc. etc. etc. Now, imagine the smell of roasted pork, of popcorn of spices… I cannot even tell you the many sights, colors, smells, sounds I was experiencing. It was overwhelming my senses. I looked at Anca with joy and said, “It just keeps getting better and better," – I did not think it possible.
I took as many photos as my weakening camera battery would allow. I tasted the thick, rich first-squeezing of the juice of grapes before it finishes the wine making process. I walked by the pig on the open spit, being carved by a butcher for those waiting in line for pork (this might have made me turn vegetarian if not for the wonderful smell).
Anca led me to the rows of tents were Romanian craftsmen and artists from all over the county were selling their wares. Corinne talked to a friend of hers who worked at the National Art Museum. The woman shared that these were authentic Romanian artists and encouraged us to support them. How could one choose? There was so much to offer. The pottery caught my eye. Beautiful hand-painted ceramics for 3 lei (about $1.50 American!) I managed to select a few items among the thousands to choose. Perhaps my greatest treasure was a hand-hammered silver necklace engraved with symbols of sorts detailing the history of the Gypsies. There were Gypsies set up with many tents of colorful clothing; scarves, handmade copper, silver and aluminum cook ware. Anca talked to this Gypsy about the price after my eye immediately drew me to this beautiful piece. The price was about $250 American. I am sure it was worth it, but I could not afford that much. We started to walk away, and of course the price came down. I think I ended up getting it for less than half that amount as well as a matching earring set. My “Gypsy Princess” as I would like to refer to her, also gave me a beautiful silver and black bracelet as a gift.
I had all my Romanian friends there and they assured me it was authentic. I even watched this woman’s husband making the silver jewelry with all his tools. Well, I was convinced, but even if it was not authentic, I had never seen anything like it before. I’m thrilled!
We strolled back to the car to the accordion music piped through the air. Niku drove us back to the hotel, dropping Corinne and Adriana off at the library. Another surprise – Niku pulled over at the archaeological museum. It was open! We walked through the beautiful excavation from 4th century A.D. of a Roman market place and warehouses on the Black Sea. The floor was a beautiful mosaic with symbols of nature made from local marble pieces. Apparently, during the construction of the building of flats (apartments) in front of the museum in 1962, workers discovered these ruins. They stopped immediately and the site was preserved. Awesome.
The evening included a walk along the Black Sea, delicious salmon, a walk through old town, more sites, much laughter, dozens of cats and dogs and a bonding friendship. I am running late this morning and have to close as I do not want Niku knocking on my door. I will try to write more details about the wonderful evening later – and don’t let me forget to mention the wine! PaPa for now!
After a relaxing breakfast, Niku drove us to the “Ioan N. Roman” County Library located here, in Constanta. The library is located at the base of a “U-shaped complex that includes some sort of higher learning facility like a university. There were people milling around everywhere. Cars were parked wherever they could find a spot. The young people looked like they all stepped out of a fashion magazine. I would have liked to just sit outside and people-watch, but I had to keep to our schedule. I do not know if it is our “diplomat car plates”, or what, but Niku always seems to find a spot next to the entrance of our destination to drop us off.
Anca and I entered this beautiful marbled facility, but it looked like it was closed. The lights were out. A library employee pointed us to a staircase where Corinne, my interpreter for the day, and another library official, met us. They led me to the administration area to wait for the director. Our hosts were apologizing profusely for something – turns out there were a blackout in this area of the city. No electricity. This explains why there were so many people outside.
I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. “A cat!” They have a library cat. Not only one, but two. What fun to see a cat finally after all those dogs! Other library personnel as well as the director, Liliana Lazia, soon greeted us. Joining us soon after was a representative of the city council, Ms. Ana Maria Musteata. She was a very young, vibrant woman – frustrated with what could be described as the corruption of those in higher power and her inability to find an easy path to consensus-building. She explained that she had tried running for office, but did not want to compromise her ideals or values.
Apparently, those who were in power during the Communist regime were still in power. The general feeling I received was that it was hoped that these people could be moved out of the position of power and the common man elected to represent. But, running for office was too expensive, and it was the very rich and influential who were successful. Sound familiar?
In the office we were visited by a very friendly black cat, which proceeded to make herself the center of attention. I did not mind. I picked her up and stroked her very velvety black coat. The name for “cat” in Romanian is pisica, pronounced, “pē-see-ca”. I miss my “pisicas”.
In a few minutes, a representative of Constanta Public Radio came in to conduct a live interview. She interviewed me for a three-minute segment. After that, the power was restored and we moved to the meeting auditorium. There were close to 60 library staff in attendance. They represented mostly the rural and small one-person libraries in the county. Most of them also did not have Internet access or computers at their libraries. I was told that everything they were hearing was a new concept – far more than mere opening and closing the library each day. My presentation was once again – Management, Advocacy and Marketing. Monika, from Biblionet was there also, and was my experienced “slide-advancer” for PowerPoint. She was wonderful, very funny with a great personality. Her English was almost flawless.
The two-hour session went well, with only a few more moments of blackout. A technician was in and out of the room, readjusting the air-conditioning, etc. It was “no problem” as they say here in Romania.
After bidding my colleagues at the Constanta library goodbye, we walked across the street to an outdoor garden restaurant named “Crazy”. It was a beautiful day. I ordered a very rich pasta dish with four cheeses. Anca, Corinne and I enjoyed good conversation and tried not to notice that we all were dropping food to the four cats that seemed to be fixtures at this restaurant. More cats. Still lots of dogs, but now we were seeing many, many cats. Oh, wait a minute. We are on a seaport. Of course there are cats!
Niku picked us up after lunch and after picking up another colleague, Adriana, we traveled to the Constanta American Corners at Ovidius University. An “American Corner” is basically an American deposit library located in different areas of the county. Students and citizens can visit these libraries and browse through American fiction and non-fiction as well as receive information about our country and studying in America. On our trip over, we passed what was a combination “farmer’s market”, festival, and native craftsman fair. It was incredible! But, we did not have time to stop.
The American Corner was located on the third floor of the campus building. There was no elevator and we walked up the marble staircases. There were about thirty in attendance in this smaller meeting room for the digital video conference and also audiences in Baia Mare and Craiova in the south-central and western part of the country. (Constanta is a port on the Black Sea on the Eastern edge of Romania). Because of technology limitations in the American Corner, my technology friend, Emil, from Bucharest was connected and advanced the slides for me. It was really quite amazing. Here we were in Constanta, Emil in Bucharest, and audiences in the far northwest area of the country and the lower central part. Technology is certainly the great connector for the sharing of information.
The presentation on Management, Advocacy and Marketing went very well. All three audiences were very attentive and appreciative. I was sad to acknowledge that this was my final presentation. We had reached 100s of participants during the week with messages of possibilities for their public libraries. Many seeds were sown. In each location, it was suggested sincerely that I return to visit more of Romania. Who knows? I would love to return at a later to see more of the country and what kind of changes may have resulted from this venture.
It was once again, difficult to say goodbye to my new friends at the American Corner. Our hostess and technology liaison were so very friendly. Niku is always there, waiting with doors open to swoosh us off to our next destination. I could tell he was sharing some sort of secret to Anca because she was smiling, nodding her head and saying, “Da, Da” (yes, yes). To my delight, we stopped at the street festival. Now, try to imagine every type of fruit and vegetable known to man – imagine the largest size – piles of grapes, mounds of meats of all types, fish on ice, etc. etc. etc. Now, imagine the smell of roasted pork, of popcorn of spices… I cannot even tell you the many sights, colors, smells, sounds I was experiencing. It was overwhelming my senses. I looked at Anca with joy and said, “It just keeps getting better and better," – I did not think it possible.
I took as many photos as my weakening camera battery would allow. I tasted the thick, rich first-squeezing of the juice of grapes before it finishes the wine making process. I walked by the pig on the open spit, being carved by a butcher for those waiting in line for pork (this might have made me turn vegetarian if not for the wonderful smell).
Anca led me to the rows of tents were Romanian craftsmen and artists from all over the county were selling their wares. Corinne talked to a friend of hers who worked at the National Art Museum. The woman shared that these were authentic Romanian artists and encouraged us to support them. How could one choose? There was so much to offer. The pottery caught my eye. Beautiful hand-painted ceramics for 3 lei (about $1.50 American!) I managed to select a few items among the thousands to choose. Perhaps my greatest treasure was a hand-hammered silver necklace engraved with symbols of sorts detailing the history of the Gypsies. There were Gypsies set up with many tents of colorful clothing; scarves, handmade copper, silver and aluminum cook ware. Anca talked to this Gypsy about the price after my eye immediately drew me to this beautiful piece. The price was about $250 American. I am sure it was worth it, but I could not afford that much. We started to walk away, and of course the price came down. I think I ended up getting it for less than half that amount as well as a matching earring set. My “Gypsy Princess” as I would like to refer to her, also gave me a beautiful silver and black bracelet as a gift.
I had all my Romanian friends there and they assured me it was authentic. I even watched this woman’s husband making the silver jewelry with all his tools. Well, I was convinced, but even if it was not authentic, I had never seen anything like it before. I’m thrilled!
We strolled back to the car to the accordion music piped through the air. Niku drove us back to the hotel, dropping Corinne and Adriana off at the library. Another surprise – Niku pulled over at the archaeological museum. It was open! We walked through the beautiful excavation from 4th century A.D. of a Roman market place and warehouses on the Black Sea. The floor was a beautiful mosaic with symbols of nature made from local marble pieces. Apparently, during the construction of the building of flats (apartments) in front of the museum in 1962, workers discovered these ruins. They stopped immediately and the site was preserved. Awesome.
The evening included a walk along the Black Sea, delicious salmon, a walk through old town, more sites, much laughter, dozens of cats and dogs and a bonding friendship. I am running late this morning and have to close as I do not want Niku knocking on my door. I will try to write more details about the wonderful evening later – and don’t let me forget to mention the wine! PaPa for now!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Day 3 – Braila, Lunch and Drive to Constanta
Wednesday morning dawned beautifully over the Danube. Anca and I met for breakfast in the restaurant overlooking the river. River traffic was getting busy with tankers and other smaller ships passing by. I learned that the big ships could make it as far as Braila before they have to turn around due to river depths.
At 9:00 a.m. Director Ilie Zanfir met us at the Galati County Library along with members of his administrative team and my interpreter (I called her “Joan”). To be quite honest, today I had a bit of the feeling that a celebrity might feel. On the front announcement easel was a poster advertising my presentation. There had been newspaper articles and much preparation for my visit. Director Zanfir walked me through the library, providing a brief tour of an incredible facility. His pride in his facility was matched by his exuberant passion and enthusiasm. He was a very well respected individual in the city and what we would call in the States, a “mover and shaker” – a very powerful man.
The library was so beautiful it was difficult to describe. Climbing stairways of solid marble we toured each level. On the third level we were moved into the executive office, filled with antiquities and flowers. It was here that I received a briefing on the founding of the library, the benefactor from the 19th century and the legacy this man had left. It occurred to me then that from what I have seen, it seems that Romania went through some sort of cultural renaissance in the mid-late 19th century. Kings established public libraries and wealthy benefactors donated thousands of books and probably the equivalent of millions of dollars to build palaces for the advancement of culture and education.
When I was seated at the conference table, I was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers wrapped in delicate mesh netting and tied with silk ribbon. The flowers were beautiful purple long-stemmed mums with white tips and a yellow center. Just lovely. Anca was presented with bouquet of white mums. We felt like queens for the day. We were joined by a number of city dignitaries including Mr. Nicolae Dobrovici Bacalbasa, President of the Culture Commission of the County Council and another top-level official of the county government.
Director Zanfir shared with me older titles he had in his personal library as well as a large guest book that had been keep for over forty years and signed by visiting authors, dignitaries, poets and special guests. I was asked to sign this book and write a special message – which I did at the end of the visit.
I enjoyed learning about the library’s legacy and listening to the many outstanding projects and events the library sponsored. The library is also a publishing house and puts out quarterly magazines. This year they sponsored the 1st Annual Book Festival on the banks of the Danube. Publishers from all over came and set up shop along the river walk in tiny wooden huts. Tens of thousands of patrons visited the vendors and met with authors, purchased books, witnessed book launches and were immersed in current literature. It was an event that our host was extremely proud of and with good reason. I was very impressed.
At 10:00 a.m. we descended the flights of marble steps to the public meeting room. There were approximately 100 librarians waiting for the presentation. My new friend Monika, part of the Biblionet team sat at the computer and advanced my slides as I progressed through the presentation. My interpreter had been given a “heads up” by Dragos, the Director of the Braila County Library, that she would have to hustle to keep up with my speech. (Am I that difficult to interpret? I think I must be. My passion overtakes me and perhaps that is difficult to translate – but, all turned out great in the end.) The Director gave a lengthy introduction about my life and me. I even heard the name “Fred”. What in the world had he said??? I would find out later.
This was such an important occasion for the city that the city officials were seated with me at the head table. They had to be excused about 30 minutes into my presentation because the local newspaper was donating over $50,000 dollars to the library. The library has an impeccable reputation in the city and is extremely well respected and supported at all levels.
I shared the message of Management, Advocacy and Marketing. Most of the audience were from the rural county libraries and most were the only staff member. Many libraries had no public computer. Many were not automated. However, at least a dozen were chosen for the first stage of Biblionet… the national online library computer project still in its infancy. This program will change the lives in the small communities. I could tell that the branch managers did not know what to expect. These programs last about two hours. I give the participants a brief break to stretch their legs, but they all laugh when I start counting down to the beginning of the next session… 10 – 9 – 8 – 7 - … We have a lot of fun.
The beginning of each message I share the three key ingredients for success in any venture: Passion, Vision and Imagination. The message of the importance of what they do in their communities – the service they provide – and the fact that this is more of a career than a job is the foundation of the entire presentation. I cannot express enough the importance of intellectual freedom – a new concept – for this new democracy. I provide specific scenarios of parents and special groups wanting to censor titles, children not being allowed to check out certain books, etc. Trying to explain the concepts of freedom of access and privacy are best taught through examples of potential scenarios. You can tell when the audience “gets it”. A collective light bulb shines bright. I am confident that although they may all feel overwhelmed, they leave with a new confidence and enlarged sense of value for both what they do and their libraries.
As we were leaving the library for lunch, we watched a long line of staff and even security personnel lined up in an assembly line of sorts along the driveway. They were unloading a large truck of books, passing bound bundles to one another. These books – thousands of copies – were donated from a publisher. The publishers always donate books to this library. The library in turn distributes copies to the rural county libraries. I thought it would be easier with some sort of book cart or even hand dolly, but there was something ceremonial about the way the books were being hand carried from the truck into the library – a sign of respect for the gift and the books in general perhaps?
Niku drove Director Zanfir, Anca, my interpreter Joan, and me to “La Neacsu” restaurant in another area of Galati. As we entered, Zanfir happened to see the owner of the restaurant stting outside. We were introduced and then preceded up three flights of solid white marble stairs to the top floor of the establishment. This was a typical Romania restaurant with native dishes. The walls were adorned with wild boar skins, traditional Romanian plates and décor. One wall was a solid woodcarving depicting a rural scene.
The server surmised I was American and brought me a menu with photographs of the dishes. That was very helpful – especially with Anca explaining what each dish was. I chose a crock of white chicken pieces, ham pieces with boiled potatoes in a heavy cream and butter sauce topped with grated cheeses and seared under the broiler to a golden brown. Oh, yum – very rich and delicious. The owner sent up some appetizers and we also toasted with a shot of a traditional Romanian liqueur. Whew… if this was the mild stuff, I shutter to think what the more potent staff was like. We enjoyed hearty conversation and lots of laughs. The Director was interested in everything from budgets of large city libraries in America, to salary ranges, benefits, and retirement pensions. We laughed about so much. He said, "I could make your Fred jeolous by taking you to a romantic dinner." I answered that my Fred was a strong man and he (Zanfir) better be careful! We all laughed. I wonder if Fred's ears were burning? Director Zanfir, when he introduced me, had mentioned cats, dogs, farm, Fred... he had a lot of information about me in his introduction.
We bid each other a fond goodbye. The Director had a car dispatched to transport Joan and him back to the library. We traveled on to Constanta with Monika from Biblionet following in her car.
After that filling lunch, I was ready to nap in the back seat, but tried to keep my eyes open. I did not want to miss a thing. This would be a 3-4 hour drive through the countryside, an old mountain range and on to the Black Sea city of Constanta.
I had been wondering if there was a bridge over the Danube, since I knew we had to cross at some point. My question was answered as we drove onto a ferry. Oh, my. This is different. We backed up into our spot and watched as other vehicals drove on board for the 4:00 p.m. launch across the river. I saw a huge semi truck fully loaded. “He’s not bringing that truck on here, is he?” I thought. Then another truck drove on, “That truck won’t fit, will it?” I wondered. Then, a large, fully loaded tour bus squeezed on. At least I knew how to swim. I got out of the van and planned my escape route in case the unsinkable – I mean unthinkable happened. Anca, Monica and me stood on the side of the main cabin next to the railing. We chatted and laughed and before we new it we were docking on the other side.
The trucks barely made it off, but as cattle funneling through a small opening, we all drove off, single file, and continued on with the journey. Anca and Niku shared that they had never been in this part of the country before. It was quite an adventure. The road was a two-lane country road with many bumps, but still paved and lined. A row of trees were planted on each side, lining the road in a picturesque way. Niku explained that the trees were planted after the 1st World War so airplanes could not land on the roads. Very interesting. That made sense.
We continued to pass more horse wagons, very primitive villages and fields of harvested crops. The mountains in the distance got closer and closer. I learned later, that the homes and/or gates that were painted a bright blue identified the family as Russian in these villages. The blue paint was a distinct mixture and very difficult to duplicate. The local residents were going about their late-afternoon business, many older folks were sitting on benches and just visiting.
As the sun dropped lower and lower in the west, we passed through miles and miles of open land with the mountains rising up to our east. We passed farmers with their wagons and a number of mud huts. Many times there were goat and sheep herds next to the highway. Always there was the lone shepherd or goat herder with his walking stick and his donkey, keeping watch over his flock.
As with the case on the way to Braila, every now and then I saw a huge nest on top of a telephone pole… perched very precariously. “What in the world?” I thought. It was as large, if not larger, than an eagle’s nest and perched on a pole that was like a toothpick. What was this? It was a stork nest. Many of the locals actually help the stork by reinforcing his nest with sticks and wood. I am constantly surprised by what is around the corner. I really want to close my eyes and sleep, but I force them to stay open.
As we get closer to the city, we notice the first modern windmill. And soon we pass what is most definitely a wind farm. Dozens of mills already constructed and others in various stage of construction stand as sentinels on the western hills. The modern world is quickly integrating itself into the rural countryside.
We arrive in the big port city of Constanta at dusk, four hours after we left Galati. The city is bustling. We drive all the way through to the Black Sea, where Niku parks the car and lets us get out and breathe in the sea air before we go to our hotel. Far away we can see the lights of many large ships waiting to come into port.
Our hotel is the French chain, Ibis. An economy hotel that offers value, the Ibis is very modern with not a lot of fluff, but comfortable beds, free Internet, big bath area and large working desk. The air-conditioning works, but I also cracked open my window to smell the sea air. I hear dogs barking… the ever present dogs – that were everywhere along the road to this city. I must have seen thousands of stray dogs so far.
A quick sandwich brought to my room and I fell to sleep almost immediately. Up early now at 2:00 a.m. It is 3:44 now so I will close and post this and go back to bed. I have an early wake-up at 6:00 a.m. More meetings and another digital video conference this morning. PaPa! (Bye, bye)
At 9:00 a.m. Director Ilie Zanfir met us at the Galati County Library along with members of his administrative team and my interpreter (I called her “Joan”). To be quite honest, today I had a bit of the feeling that a celebrity might feel. On the front announcement easel was a poster advertising my presentation. There had been newspaper articles and much preparation for my visit. Director Zanfir walked me through the library, providing a brief tour of an incredible facility. His pride in his facility was matched by his exuberant passion and enthusiasm. He was a very well respected individual in the city and what we would call in the States, a “mover and shaker” – a very powerful man.
The library was so beautiful it was difficult to describe. Climbing stairways of solid marble we toured each level. On the third level we were moved into the executive office, filled with antiquities and flowers. It was here that I received a briefing on the founding of the library, the benefactor from the 19th century and the legacy this man had left. It occurred to me then that from what I have seen, it seems that Romania went through some sort of cultural renaissance in the mid-late 19th century. Kings established public libraries and wealthy benefactors donated thousands of books and probably the equivalent of millions of dollars to build palaces for the advancement of culture and education.
When I was seated at the conference table, I was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers wrapped in delicate mesh netting and tied with silk ribbon. The flowers were beautiful purple long-stemmed mums with white tips and a yellow center. Just lovely. Anca was presented with bouquet of white mums. We felt like queens for the day. We were joined by a number of city dignitaries including Mr. Nicolae Dobrovici Bacalbasa, President of the Culture Commission of the County Council and another top-level official of the county government.
Director Zanfir shared with me older titles he had in his personal library as well as a large guest book that had been keep for over forty years and signed by visiting authors, dignitaries, poets and special guests. I was asked to sign this book and write a special message – which I did at the end of the visit.
I enjoyed learning about the library’s legacy and listening to the many outstanding projects and events the library sponsored. The library is also a publishing house and puts out quarterly magazines. This year they sponsored the 1st Annual Book Festival on the banks of the Danube. Publishers from all over came and set up shop along the river walk in tiny wooden huts. Tens of thousands of patrons visited the vendors and met with authors, purchased books, witnessed book launches and were immersed in current literature. It was an event that our host was extremely proud of and with good reason. I was very impressed.
At 10:00 a.m. we descended the flights of marble steps to the public meeting room. There were approximately 100 librarians waiting for the presentation. My new friend Monika, part of the Biblionet team sat at the computer and advanced my slides as I progressed through the presentation. My interpreter had been given a “heads up” by Dragos, the Director of the Braila County Library, that she would have to hustle to keep up with my speech. (Am I that difficult to interpret? I think I must be. My passion overtakes me and perhaps that is difficult to translate – but, all turned out great in the end.) The Director gave a lengthy introduction about my life and me. I even heard the name “Fred”. What in the world had he said??? I would find out later.
This was such an important occasion for the city that the city officials were seated with me at the head table. They had to be excused about 30 minutes into my presentation because the local newspaper was donating over $50,000 dollars to the library. The library has an impeccable reputation in the city and is extremely well respected and supported at all levels.
I shared the message of Management, Advocacy and Marketing. Most of the audience were from the rural county libraries and most were the only staff member. Many libraries had no public computer. Many were not automated. However, at least a dozen were chosen for the first stage of Biblionet… the national online library computer project still in its infancy. This program will change the lives in the small communities. I could tell that the branch managers did not know what to expect. These programs last about two hours. I give the participants a brief break to stretch their legs, but they all laugh when I start counting down to the beginning of the next session… 10 – 9 – 8 – 7 - … We have a lot of fun.
The beginning of each message I share the three key ingredients for success in any venture: Passion, Vision and Imagination. The message of the importance of what they do in their communities – the service they provide – and the fact that this is more of a career than a job is the foundation of the entire presentation. I cannot express enough the importance of intellectual freedom – a new concept – for this new democracy. I provide specific scenarios of parents and special groups wanting to censor titles, children not being allowed to check out certain books, etc. Trying to explain the concepts of freedom of access and privacy are best taught through examples of potential scenarios. You can tell when the audience “gets it”. A collective light bulb shines bright. I am confident that although they may all feel overwhelmed, they leave with a new confidence and enlarged sense of value for both what they do and their libraries.
As we were leaving the library for lunch, we watched a long line of staff and even security personnel lined up in an assembly line of sorts along the driveway. They were unloading a large truck of books, passing bound bundles to one another. These books – thousands of copies – were donated from a publisher. The publishers always donate books to this library. The library in turn distributes copies to the rural county libraries. I thought it would be easier with some sort of book cart or even hand dolly, but there was something ceremonial about the way the books were being hand carried from the truck into the library – a sign of respect for the gift and the books in general perhaps?
Niku drove Director Zanfir, Anca, my interpreter Joan, and me to “La Neacsu” restaurant in another area of Galati. As we entered, Zanfir happened to see the owner of the restaurant stting outside. We were introduced and then preceded up three flights of solid white marble stairs to the top floor of the establishment. This was a typical Romania restaurant with native dishes. The walls were adorned with wild boar skins, traditional Romanian plates and décor. One wall was a solid woodcarving depicting a rural scene.
The server surmised I was American and brought me a menu with photographs of the dishes. That was very helpful – especially with Anca explaining what each dish was. I chose a crock of white chicken pieces, ham pieces with boiled potatoes in a heavy cream and butter sauce topped with grated cheeses and seared under the broiler to a golden brown. Oh, yum – very rich and delicious. The owner sent up some appetizers and we also toasted with a shot of a traditional Romanian liqueur. Whew… if this was the mild stuff, I shutter to think what the more potent staff was like. We enjoyed hearty conversation and lots of laughs. The Director was interested in everything from budgets of large city libraries in America, to salary ranges, benefits, and retirement pensions. We laughed about so much. He said, "I could make your Fred jeolous by taking you to a romantic dinner." I answered that my Fred was a strong man and he (Zanfir) better be careful! We all laughed. I wonder if Fred's ears were burning? Director Zanfir, when he introduced me, had mentioned cats, dogs, farm, Fred... he had a lot of information about me in his introduction.
We bid each other a fond goodbye. The Director had a car dispatched to transport Joan and him back to the library. We traveled on to Constanta with Monika from Biblionet following in her car.
After that filling lunch, I was ready to nap in the back seat, but tried to keep my eyes open. I did not want to miss a thing. This would be a 3-4 hour drive through the countryside, an old mountain range and on to the Black Sea city of Constanta.
I had been wondering if there was a bridge over the Danube, since I knew we had to cross at some point. My question was answered as we drove onto a ferry. Oh, my. This is different. We backed up into our spot and watched as other vehicals drove on board for the 4:00 p.m. launch across the river. I saw a huge semi truck fully loaded. “He’s not bringing that truck on here, is he?” I thought. Then another truck drove on, “That truck won’t fit, will it?” I wondered. Then, a large, fully loaded tour bus squeezed on. At least I knew how to swim. I got out of the van and planned my escape route in case the unsinkable – I mean unthinkable happened. Anca, Monica and me stood on the side of the main cabin next to the railing. We chatted and laughed and before we new it we were docking on the other side.
The trucks barely made it off, but as cattle funneling through a small opening, we all drove off, single file, and continued on with the journey. Anca and Niku shared that they had never been in this part of the country before. It was quite an adventure. The road was a two-lane country road with many bumps, but still paved and lined. A row of trees were planted on each side, lining the road in a picturesque way. Niku explained that the trees were planted after the 1st World War so airplanes could not land on the roads. Very interesting. That made sense.
We continued to pass more horse wagons, very primitive villages and fields of harvested crops. The mountains in the distance got closer and closer. I learned later, that the homes and/or gates that were painted a bright blue identified the family as Russian in these villages. The blue paint was a distinct mixture and very difficult to duplicate. The local residents were going about their late-afternoon business, many older folks were sitting on benches and just visiting.
As the sun dropped lower and lower in the west, we passed through miles and miles of open land with the mountains rising up to our east. We passed farmers with their wagons and a number of mud huts. Many times there were goat and sheep herds next to the highway. Always there was the lone shepherd or goat herder with his walking stick and his donkey, keeping watch over his flock.
As with the case on the way to Braila, every now and then I saw a huge nest on top of a telephone pole… perched very precariously. “What in the world?” I thought. It was as large, if not larger, than an eagle’s nest and perched on a pole that was like a toothpick. What was this? It was a stork nest. Many of the locals actually help the stork by reinforcing his nest with sticks and wood. I am constantly surprised by what is around the corner. I really want to close my eyes and sleep, but I force them to stay open.
As we get closer to the city, we notice the first modern windmill. And soon we pass what is most definitely a wind farm. Dozens of mills already constructed and others in various stage of construction stand as sentinels on the western hills. The modern world is quickly integrating itself into the rural countryside.
We arrive in the big port city of Constanta at dusk, four hours after we left Galati. The city is bustling. We drive all the way through to the Black Sea, where Niku parks the car and lets us get out and breathe in the sea air before we go to our hotel. Far away we can see the lights of many large ships waiting to come into port.
Our hotel is the French chain, Ibis. An economy hotel that offers value, the Ibis is very modern with not a lot of fluff, but comfortable beds, free Internet, big bath area and large working desk. The air-conditioning works, but I also cracked open my window to smell the sea air. I hear dogs barking… the ever present dogs – that were everywhere along the road to this city. I must have seen thousands of stray dogs so far.
A quick sandwich brought to my room and I fell to sleep almost immediately. Up early now at 2:00 a.m. It is 3:44 now so I will close and post this and go back to bed. I have an early wake-up at 6:00 a.m. More meetings and another digital video conference this morning. PaPa! (Bye, bye)
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Tuesday, October 6 -- Countryside and Braila
The day has been so busy and full of new things; it is hard to know where to begin. After checking out of the hotel, I was picked up by Niku and Anca for our travels northeast to Braila. I love people-watching out of the car window and had hoped to take notes on what I saw. But I just held on and prayed… another white-knuckled drive. I feel safe with Niku; it is the other drivers that scare the bejeebers out of me. But, I did see some priceless moments. These are just quick moments one can notice, if you watch and pay attention.
Through the busy thoroughfares of Bucharest, the narrow streets zigzagging through neighborhoods with gated yards and shops, the people are up and busy with their day. One scene: two old women in head scarves and layers of colorful clothes – one on one side of a wrought iron gate, the other standing on the sidewalk – a black and white cat perched on top of the gate – the old women are feeding the cat, one morsel from this one – one from the other.
Another scene: a beautiful, tall young woman in high-healed boots, short skirt and low-cut blouse crosses an intersection. An old, stooped over woman wearing a black hat and black coat, and walking with a cane, crosses in the opposite direction. But when she gets past the young woman, she turns around and stares. She lifts her cane as if to say, “What are you wearing? You foolish girl!!” She continues on her way, turning back once more and shakes her head.
Ordinary people going about their daily business – waiting for the electric trolley, waiting for the train, walking down the sidewalk, talking to neighbors; life is busy in Bucharest this Tuesday morning. The strike from yesterday is over.
We wind our way out of the city and see less and less of apartments and shops and more of industry. “We are heading to one of Romania’s two highways,” explained Anca. Romania only has two four-lane, limited access highways.
The speed picked up once we entered the fast-moving traffic and we immediately drove into fog. I closed my eyes. I’m not sure if I was praying for safe travels or sleeping; maybe a bit of both. We left the 4-lane and traveled on a two-way, two lane tree-lined road - very picturesque. The further out into the country we drove, the further back in time we seemed to travel. There were many, many farmers driving wagons with one horse pulling their load. In the center of a field I could see one wagon with the horse unhitched and the farmer working, sometimes alone, sometimes with a bit of help.
Anca explained what I was seeing. After the revolution (1989), the government returned the land that had been taken back to the owners. These farms were small and the farmer cannot make enough to purchase farm equipment. They farm it by hand, using a horse and wagon and other animals to bring in the harvest. They work very hard and although they would like to use tractors and plows, they just do not have the resources. There are a few farms with tractors. They were harvesting potatoes and other crops. The crops we saw were sunflowers, potatoes, grapes and corn.
I watched as a farmer cut his corn stalks one by one and placed them in a pile. Then, he would drive his horse to where he was working and pile the stalks on the wagon. I wonder what my Paulding cousins would think about harvesting their 3,000 acres, by hand, plant by plant. A very common site on the road was a wagon piled high with cornstalks, moving slowly down the wagon path parallel to the road. The wagon path was badly rutted in areas and the farmers would move to the blacktopped road. This would cause all sorts of havoc for the drivers.
Where I saw flocks of dairy cows or sheep, I also saw a lone shepherd or cattle herder. They stayed in the field with their flocks and herds. Dairy cows would be tethered with long chains to graze along the road. Some farmers would bring a cow with them to the fields, tied to the back of the wagon. There was more than one colt trotting behind a mare while she was pulling a wagon. The worn and tired faces of these farmers was like a mirror to their past.
The villages we passed through were old and charming. Poverty was rampant, but the beautiful flowers that were planted in gardens and window boxes brightened the homes. Bright paint would also be used on the privacy walls and details of the homes. Colorful clothes would be hung in uniform patters on lines to dry. Many old cottages and shacks were abandoned and in disrepair. Anca explained that people leave the country looking for work in the city. They just walk away from their homes. There is no "renewal" or reuse of the older homes, businesses and industry. They stand as rusted and tired monuments of a time gone by.
The traffic on the two-lane road was a force to be reckoned with. I know how cautious we are in the U.S. (well, most of us) when passing. The rule here is “go for it”. It really does not matter how close the oncoming auto is – if a car is going too slow, a driver will zip around, many times missing oncoming cars and trucks by inches. I think all these drivers could be very skilled in one of our NASCAR races. They are daring and experienced. I do not know how many times I gasped. I tried not to look and when I did I would find myself asking (quietly), “No, Niku… don’t go for it, there is not room. Oh, no, He is not going to pass now, is he? The cars are so close. Is he crazy?” I finally stopped looking completely and put my trust where it belonged – in God. (God can guide Niku.)
I have to admit that I did think about my family and remembered the U.S. Department of State policy regarding returning bodies to the U.S. (I was covered.)
As we passed through these villages, I wondered, is there a library here? Do the citizens use their library? Do they even know what it is? I know there are libraries in the smallest of hamlets, and I would have loved to stop and explore, but we were behind schedule and had to get to our destination.
There were huts built with cornstalks perhaps 9 feet by 9 feet square. I wondered what they were for. Perhaps if it rained, the farmer could take shelter? As we drive through one village, an open shop revealed an anvil and blacksmithing tools. Of course, there are so many horses; there must be a blacksmith. I also saw one team of oxen hitched to a wagon and a wagon with a donkey team.
We arrived in Braila and met the Braila County Library director, Dragos Neagu. He gave us a tour of the library. Their other library was destroyed in an earthquake a few decades ago. They are rebuilding, but meantime are housed in a complex that use to be a hotel, theater, gymnastic training facility, restaurant and disco. In the reading room, the patron looks in the card catalog (automated) and brings the request to the librarian. The bulk of the collection is shelved in closed stacks. And, the books are shelved by “size” to save space. They are organized first by size (1A, 1B, 1C, etc.) and then by the accession number or number that identifies their purchase. The county library also digitizes old newspapers. They are in the process of retrospective conversion of the collection so that they an migrate from a DOS-based system to a web-based. It was all very interesting. I also find it worth mentioning again that there is no accessibility for those who use wheelchairs. Stairs everywhere. Very few if any ramps. No elevators. You have to have a complex more than four stories to be considered for an elevator.
From the library, we drove to the center of the city of Braila. Actually it would be the center of the base of a semi-circle beginning at the Danube River. The Ottoman Empire designed the roads like this. The roads were laid out in semi-circle designs, parallel to each other and circling out from the river like ripples in a pond. Dragos shared interesting tips about this area. Braila is supposedly still listed on the Chicago Grain Exchange as historically relevant. At one time, it was one of the largest exporters of grain. This city was important in a number of areas for the development of the country and the world.
We explored the old city where the main branch public library was located. This building, built in the 1800s has been over the years used as private residence, offices, schools and now a library. The ceilings are high with newly repainted gilding and floral designs. I cannot imagine working in such a beautiful building. Wait a minute, I DO work in such a beautiful building! It is just not next to the Danube River.
There is a charming children’s library as well as a section for those students who are studious (complete with non-fiction and reference titles). Also, they have a locked room with old manuscripts. A staff member showed me one of their oldest titles – dated from the mid 17th century. It was apparently a religious book – I am unsure of the language. Also shared was a very rare Italian title with engravings. I believe it was either 18th century or early 19th century. Very fascinating.
We walked out on a balcony and Dragos pointed out the courtyard. There was an architectural dig going on. This is where they want to build the new library, but they have to be cleared by the historical department. Dragos explained that underground there were very large tunnels that the Turks had built. Some of them were big enough for two wagons to pass in opposite directions. He is hoping, if the historical dig finds a tunnel, it could be incorporated as a part of the new library – as an historic exhibit. There are no maps or charts outlining where all the tunnels are located.
Dogs were everywhere. A little guy stood in the open door of the library. There he was, silhouetted as if this was his family home. Puppies were outside. I think mama was stretched out on the archaeological dig.
We walked through the courtyard and to the American Cultural Library. This library houses American fiction and non-fiction. The collection and library was funded in part by a Rotary group in Michigan. Dragos said they are in dire need of new American books. I took a photo of the Rotary pennant and will send it to the club.
We next made our way down to the banks of the Danube. We ate on a retrofitted ship that was now the “Swing” restaurant. Steps to the top level were narrow and steep. Never on our walks did I ever see any handicapped accessibility. Not in the library, not in this restaurant, not even in the embassy.
After a filling lunch (I ordered pizza and took ¾ of it in a “to go” box), Niku drove us back to the county library where about 50 rural librarians were waiting for my afternoon presentation. Today’s subjects would be management, advocacy and marketing. Poor Dragos translated for me. He had his work cut out for him. He was worn out by the end of the 2-hour presentation. We laughed many times when he struggled for the right words. Many in the audience would tell him how something translated. It was so sweet. I know he was exhausted after the speech, but he was sincerely in good spirits and very attentive.
The concept of managing a library professionally was a new concept for many. Most just came to work as a job – checking books in, checking them out. I shared what a powerful job they had and how the public library will change lives. I impressed upon them the importance of having a foundation of passion, vision and imagination. Many examples of successful advocacy events were offered. I encouraged them to introduce themselves to all of their city officials – if they do not already know them. “Hello, I am Anca and I am the local librarian. Do you have a library card?” They all laughed and seemed excited that they could be important enough to talk to a county official. Well, the advocacy seed was planted. They are encouraged to develop their program for youth – the youth would be tomorrow’s advocates. Many other strategies were shared.
I think I overwhelmed and “wowed” them at times, but we still had many laughs. Anca explained that this is exactly what the group needed. They needed to learn how to professionally answer a reference question (conduct a reference interview, cite their source, etc.); they needed to learn about customer service and the new concept of intellectual freedom. They seemed to be inspired by the possibilities. I think I convinced them the importance of thinking of their jobs as important careers and the library as a place that can change lives. At least that seed was planted, too.
After warm goodbyes, Niku drove us to the nearby city of Galati where we checked into the Vega Hotel. We strolled down the nearby neighborhood park that consisted of a long cobbled-stone area with trees, benches and concrete tables with seats and attached marble chess boards. This was a place where one can study the faces of old Romania. Men playing chess -- others gathered around. Other men playing backgammon, and what looked like mahjong. Ladies sitting on benches discussing their day. Grandmothers with young children tugging on their skirts. And of course, the dogs. Lots and lots of dogs. I made the mistake of petting a dog on the porch of the hotel and she started following me. I know I would not be able to resist too many of those brown eyes and wet noses if I lived here.
Once again, at the end of a long day, I was too pooped to go dancing or clubbing… or even walk across the street to eat at a restaurant on the Danube. I enjoyed my cold pizza from the afternoon, ice from the bar and two “Coca Cola Lights” from the corner market kiosk.
Now I am sleepy again, so I will close this blog and go back to bed. It is 2:10 a.m. In the morning we meet with the Galati County Library Director and the president of the Culture Commission of the County Council. I have a two-hour morning presentation on management, advocacy and marketing. Then a lunch at a local restaurant and on to Constanta, a 3-4 hour drive. My hotel for tomorrow night will be on the Black Sea.
Each moment is better then the last and around each corner is a new surprise. I wonder what tomorrow (today) will bring. Time will tell.
Through the busy thoroughfares of Bucharest, the narrow streets zigzagging through neighborhoods with gated yards and shops, the people are up and busy with their day. One scene: two old women in head scarves and layers of colorful clothes – one on one side of a wrought iron gate, the other standing on the sidewalk – a black and white cat perched on top of the gate – the old women are feeding the cat, one morsel from this one – one from the other.
Another scene: a beautiful, tall young woman in high-healed boots, short skirt and low-cut blouse crosses an intersection. An old, stooped over woman wearing a black hat and black coat, and walking with a cane, crosses in the opposite direction. But when she gets past the young woman, she turns around and stares. She lifts her cane as if to say, “What are you wearing? You foolish girl!!” She continues on her way, turning back once more and shakes her head.
Ordinary people going about their daily business – waiting for the electric trolley, waiting for the train, walking down the sidewalk, talking to neighbors; life is busy in Bucharest this Tuesday morning. The strike from yesterday is over.
We wind our way out of the city and see less and less of apartments and shops and more of industry. “We are heading to one of Romania’s two highways,” explained Anca. Romania only has two four-lane, limited access highways.
The speed picked up once we entered the fast-moving traffic and we immediately drove into fog. I closed my eyes. I’m not sure if I was praying for safe travels or sleeping; maybe a bit of both. We left the 4-lane and traveled on a two-way, two lane tree-lined road - very picturesque. The further out into the country we drove, the further back in time we seemed to travel. There were many, many farmers driving wagons with one horse pulling their load. In the center of a field I could see one wagon with the horse unhitched and the farmer working, sometimes alone, sometimes with a bit of help.
Anca explained what I was seeing. After the revolution (1989), the government returned the land that had been taken back to the owners. These farms were small and the farmer cannot make enough to purchase farm equipment. They farm it by hand, using a horse and wagon and other animals to bring in the harvest. They work very hard and although they would like to use tractors and plows, they just do not have the resources. There are a few farms with tractors. They were harvesting potatoes and other crops. The crops we saw were sunflowers, potatoes, grapes and corn.
I watched as a farmer cut his corn stalks one by one and placed them in a pile. Then, he would drive his horse to where he was working and pile the stalks on the wagon. I wonder what my Paulding cousins would think about harvesting their 3,000 acres, by hand, plant by plant. A very common site on the road was a wagon piled high with cornstalks, moving slowly down the wagon path parallel to the road. The wagon path was badly rutted in areas and the farmers would move to the blacktopped road. This would cause all sorts of havoc for the drivers.
Where I saw flocks of dairy cows or sheep, I also saw a lone shepherd or cattle herder. They stayed in the field with their flocks and herds. Dairy cows would be tethered with long chains to graze along the road. Some farmers would bring a cow with them to the fields, tied to the back of the wagon. There was more than one colt trotting behind a mare while she was pulling a wagon. The worn and tired faces of these farmers was like a mirror to their past.
The villages we passed through were old and charming. Poverty was rampant, but the beautiful flowers that were planted in gardens and window boxes brightened the homes. Bright paint would also be used on the privacy walls and details of the homes. Colorful clothes would be hung in uniform patters on lines to dry. Many old cottages and shacks were abandoned and in disrepair. Anca explained that people leave the country looking for work in the city. They just walk away from their homes. There is no "renewal" or reuse of the older homes, businesses and industry. They stand as rusted and tired monuments of a time gone by.
The traffic on the two-lane road was a force to be reckoned with. I know how cautious we are in the U.S. (well, most of us) when passing. The rule here is “go for it”. It really does not matter how close the oncoming auto is – if a car is going too slow, a driver will zip around, many times missing oncoming cars and trucks by inches. I think all these drivers could be very skilled in one of our NASCAR races. They are daring and experienced. I do not know how many times I gasped. I tried not to look and when I did I would find myself asking (quietly), “No, Niku… don’t go for it, there is not room. Oh, no, He is not going to pass now, is he? The cars are so close. Is he crazy?” I finally stopped looking completely and put my trust where it belonged – in God. (God can guide Niku.)
I have to admit that I did think about my family and remembered the U.S. Department of State policy regarding returning bodies to the U.S. (I was covered.)
As we passed through these villages, I wondered, is there a library here? Do the citizens use their library? Do they even know what it is? I know there are libraries in the smallest of hamlets, and I would have loved to stop and explore, but we were behind schedule and had to get to our destination.
There were huts built with cornstalks perhaps 9 feet by 9 feet square. I wondered what they were for. Perhaps if it rained, the farmer could take shelter? As we drive through one village, an open shop revealed an anvil and blacksmithing tools. Of course, there are so many horses; there must be a blacksmith. I also saw one team of oxen hitched to a wagon and a wagon with a donkey team.
We arrived in Braila and met the Braila County Library director, Dragos Neagu. He gave us a tour of the library. Their other library was destroyed in an earthquake a few decades ago. They are rebuilding, but meantime are housed in a complex that use to be a hotel, theater, gymnastic training facility, restaurant and disco. In the reading room, the patron looks in the card catalog (automated) and brings the request to the librarian. The bulk of the collection is shelved in closed stacks. And, the books are shelved by “size” to save space. They are organized first by size (1A, 1B, 1C, etc.) and then by the accession number or number that identifies their purchase. The county library also digitizes old newspapers. They are in the process of retrospective conversion of the collection so that they an migrate from a DOS-based system to a web-based. It was all very interesting. I also find it worth mentioning again that there is no accessibility for those who use wheelchairs. Stairs everywhere. Very few if any ramps. No elevators. You have to have a complex more than four stories to be considered for an elevator.
From the library, we drove to the center of the city of Braila. Actually it would be the center of the base of a semi-circle beginning at the Danube River. The Ottoman Empire designed the roads like this. The roads were laid out in semi-circle designs, parallel to each other and circling out from the river like ripples in a pond. Dragos shared interesting tips about this area. Braila is supposedly still listed on the Chicago Grain Exchange as historically relevant. At one time, it was one of the largest exporters of grain. This city was important in a number of areas for the development of the country and the world.
We explored the old city where the main branch public library was located. This building, built in the 1800s has been over the years used as private residence, offices, schools and now a library. The ceilings are high with newly repainted gilding and floral designs. I cannot imagine working in such a beautiful building. Wait a minute, I DO work in such a beautiful building! It is just not next to the Danube River.
There is a charming children’s library as well as a section for those students who are studious (complete with non-fiction and reference titles). Also, they have a locked room with old manuscripts. A staff member showed me one of their oldest titles – dated from the mid 17th century. It was apparently a religious book – I am unsure of the language. Also shared was a very rare Italian title with engravings. I believe it was either 18th century or early 19th century. Very fascinating.
We walked out on a balcony and Dragos pointed out the courtyard. There was an architectural dig going on. This is where they want to build the new library, but they have to be cleared by the historical department. Dragos explained that underground there were very large tunnels that the Turks had built. Some of them were big enough for two wagons to pass in opposite directions. He is hoping, if the historical dig finds a tunnel, it could be incorporated as a part of the new library – as an historic exhibit. There are no maps or charts outlining where all the tunnels are located.
Dogs were everywhere. A little guy stood in the open door of the library. There he was, silhouetted as if this was his family home. Puppies were outside. I think mama was stretched out on the archaeological dig.
We walked through the courtyard and to the American Cultural Library. This library houses American fiction and non-fiction. The collection and library was funded in part by a Rotary group in Michigan. Dragos said they are in dire need of new American books. I took a photo of the Rotary pennant and will send it to the club.
We next made our way down to the banks of the Danube. We ate on a retrofitted ship that was now the “Swing” restaurant. Steps to the top level were narrow and steep. Never on our walks did I ever see any handicapped accessibility. Not in the library, not in this restaurant, not even in the embassy.
After a filling lunch (I ordered pizza and took ¾ of it in a “to go” box), Niku drove us back to the county library where about 50 rural librarians were waiting for my afternoon presentation. Today’s subjects would be management, advocacy and marketing. Poor Dragos translated for me. He had his work cut out for him. He was worn out by the end of the 2-hour presentation. We laughed many times when he struggled for the right words. Many in the audience would tell him how something translated. It was so sweet. I know he was exhausted after the speech, but he was sincerely in good spirits and very attentive.
The concept of managing a library professionally was a new concept for many. Most just came to work as a job – checking books in, checking them out. I shared what a powerful job they had and how the public library will change lives. I impressed upon them the importance of having a foundation of passion, vision and imagination. Many examples of successful advocacy events were offered. I encouraged them to introduce themselves to all of their city officials – if they do not already know them. “Hello, I am Anca and I am the local librarian. Do you have a library card?” They all laughed and seemed excited that they could be important enough to talk to a county official. Well, the advocacy seed was planted. They are encouraged to develop their program for youth – the youth would be tomorrow’s advocates. Many other strategies were shared.
I think I overwhelmed and “wowed” them at times, but we still had many laughs. Anca explained that this is exactly what the group needed. They needed to learn how to professionally answer a reference question (conduct a reference interview, cite their source, etc.); they needed to learn about customer service and the new concept of intellectual freedom. They seemed to be inspired by the possibilities. I think I convinced them the importance of thinking of their jobs as important careers and the library as a place that can change lives. At least that seed was planted, too.
After warm goodbyes, Niku drove us to the nearby city of Galati where we checked into the Vega Hotel. We strolled down the nearby neighborhood park that consisted of a long cobbled-stone area with trees, benches and concrete tables with seats and attached marble chess boards. This was a place where one can study the faces of old Romania. Men playing chess -- others gathered around. Other men playing backgammon, and what looked like mahjong. Ladies sitting on benches discussing their day. Grandmothers with young children tugging on their skirts. And of course, the dogs. Lots and lots of dogs. I made the mistake of petting a dog on the porch of the hotel and she started following me. I know I would not be able to resist too many of those brown eyes and wet noses if I lived here.
Once again, at the end of a long day, I was too pooped to go dancing or clubbing… or even walk across the street to eat at a restaurant on the Danube. I enjoyed my cold pizza from the afternoon, ice from the bar and two “Coca Cola Lights” from the corner market kiosk.
Now I am sleepy again, so I will close this blog and go back to bed. It is 2:10 a.m. In the morning we meet with the Galati County Library Director and the president of the Culture Commission of the County Council. I have a two-hour morning presentation on management, advocacy and marketing. Then a lunch at a local restaurant and on to Constanta, a 3-4 hour drive. My hotel for tomorrow night will be on the Black Sea.
Each moment is better then the last and around each corner is a new surprise. I wonder what tomorrow (today) will bring. Time will tell.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Monday, October 5th -- Final Post of the Day
Just woke from a 3-hour nap. It is 12:07 a.m. on Tuesday morning. When trying to take in everything from today (Monday, October 5), I actually find myself at a loss for words. I enjoyed a breakfast in the main dining room of the Hilton. The breakfast buffet was the largest I have ever seen – both cold buffet and hot. So much to choose from including fruits, cheeses, breads, cereals, yogurts, and a variety of cold meats including shrimp. The hot buffet included pancakes, breaded chicken sausages (wasn’t brave enough), pork sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, and the chef was there to make a hot omelet to your order. Just noticed I spent a lot of time on the food. Hmmm.
Anca and my Embassy driver, Niku, picked me up by 8:30 a.m. The drive to the Embassy library was another white-knuckled affair. “The traffic not too bad today,” explained Niku. “Dah, dah, (yes, yes)” agreed Anca. “There is a national strike today.” What??? I thought?
Apparently all police, teachers, traffic cops, etc. were on strike for this one-day. “The traffic could have been much, much worse,” continued Niku. “The children have no school today so that traffic is not on the road,” said Anca. Wow. If this is a “light day” of traffic, I shutter to see a real rush hour. (I’d have my chance later in the day.)
Upon arrival at the Embassy library (another building separate from the U.S. Embassy) I was taken through security. Although I was expected, security is still tight, lots of police outside. Always have to show my passport.
Met in the morning with Julie O’Reagan, the Cultural Affairs Officer as well as attended a briefing by National Library General Director Elena Tirziman. The National Library is Romania’s equivalent of the Library of Congress – but with more of an active role in the structure of libraries in the country. Under the government wing of the Ministry of Culture, the National Library is on the top of the pyramid of library organization, with the tiniest of local library branches being at the bottom. The National Library has many purposes, one of which is the preservation of historical documents. They have rapidly outgrown their allotted space and are in the process of building a new National Library, which will be the largest national library in the world – over 10 stories high with two additional underground. They should move into the new facility within three years.
Additional briefings with IREX Biblionet Program Officer Daniela Draghici and Anca Rapeanu, Library Innovation Specialist provided information about the visionary program of connecting all public libraries in Romania via high-speed Internet and computers – with reference databases being a future goal. Biblionet will also provide as a clearinghouse for continued education for library staff living in isolated areas. The closest thing in America that compares is the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) – except imagine OPLIN on a national level. I have seen first hand the impact OPLIN has had on the citizens of Ohio – and they have not just come out of the grips of Communism. I cannot imagine the tremendous impact this resource will have on the citizenry of Romania. It will truly be life changing.
Both Daniela and Anca R. are dynamic, visionary and passionate workers for this program. Their enthusiasm is contagious and their vision is spreading. The attempt now – before a possible new President is elected in November, to ensure that Biblionet is written into law – secure and sustainable funding. Sounds familiar. Anca R. is a young vibrant woman with cropped red hair and an incredible smile. Daniela was running a bit late, but arrived in a flurry – with her vest, tie, funky clothes, purple spiked hair and absolutely flawless English. Together they are a force to be reckoned with – My kind of people! We connected immediately.
Daniela shared stories that during Communism, they were not allowed to read books. She said they would find books, photo copy them and pass them around. She remembers reading a worn photocopy of Orwell’s 1984 with a flashlight under the covers. Her story reminds me that you cannot extinguish the human spirit and can-do attitude with an iron fist government. Knowledge and the light of information will always find a way.
After meeting other members of the Embassy staff, I proceeded to conduct my first Digital Video Conference (DVD). I had a technology specialist that took care of all the bells and whistles. On the screen were librarians from three remote areas. There were close to 100 locally in the room. This number increased each day as word of this presentation made it’s way around Bucharest. Many of the audience members at the Embassy were from the University Library and the Metropolitan Library (the main public library of Bucharest) – hardly rural public libraries, but they were interested none-the-less.
My translator was another Anca – Anca Ionescu PhD. She was a conference interpreter in English, French, Russian, Spanish, Czech, Bulgarian, Polish, and Slovak. Her other job is as Professor of Foreign Language at the University of Bucharest. She’s my new sister. We laughed and got along wonderfully. It took me a while to get use to another voice behind me, but soon we got into a rhythm that helped the interpretation be true to the spirit. Anca the translator loves cats. She says… “I have so many. Well, they are strays but they stay – probably because I feed them. But, I always let them go… in my backyard. I get the females fixed. Not the males. What are they going to do without the ladies?” She shared photos of one of her huge cats she had saved on her camera. I was glad I had some cat bookmarks to give her. Cat people just “understand” each other. I found a kindred spirit – one of many from the day.
The session in the morning and afternoon were the same – Youth and Adult Services and Marketing. We all laughed. The questions were very good – one gentleman from the Bucharest Metropolitan Library, after I shared basic concepts of free access and intellectual freedom – asked, “how do you provide free access to all ages when some of the materials is obviously not appropriate for children?” His question was a bit more in depth, but basically that is how it is translated. After I thanked him for his question, I talked about the constant challenge it is – especially in rural and smaller libraries – to protect the rights of children and their access to information. I discussed parental responsibility and community standards. I shared that in rural and small communities the opinions will be different then that of urban libraries. And, I shared that even among colleagues in the same profession – we would be in disagreement at times. But, full freedom of access to information is the goal we strive for. We all do the best we can. A second question from a remote location was also about Intellectual Freedom and the censorship of violent fairy tales, “should we edit the story about Snow White so it is not so violent to young children?” I explained basic concepts of storytelling, that the storyteller has to acknowledge the age and comprehension level of the audience and that there was no “storytelling police” who would come and arrest them if they changed it up a bit. I also let them know that there are a variety of versions of the traditional fairy tales that are more age-appropriate for younger children.
I found it interesting that both questions referred to Intellectual Freedom – a fact I was sure was impacted by the new freedoms in Romania and the struggle to identify how one transitions from a Communist state to a Democratic state.
The reception for the program was tremendous and reaffirmed that the language barrier may separate librarians and library staff, but somehow, our passions still shine through and we understand each other.
Lunch was at the Burebista restaurant – a Renaissance-themed restaurant with wait-staff dressed in period costume. Wild game and animals were stuffed and mounted on the walls. I felt like Robin Hood would gallop in any minute with a bloody deer thrown over his saddle… but, he never did. The menu included everything from wild-boar meatballs to duck livers and everything in-between. One of my hosts ordered a trout. It was one of the largest trout I had ever seen – and I promise – his eyeballs were staring at me. I got a photo of him. I ordered grilled chicken and country potatoes. Better safe than sorry. The menu and restaurant are based on the Romania before the Romans conquered. It was called Dacia and the people were called Daci (pronounced “Dutch”). The main automobile in Romania is the Dacia. The restaurant is across the street from the heavily guarded U.S. Embassy – our next stop.
Security to get inside the main U.S. Embassy complex was very tight. I was glad to see it. You have to have your paperwork cleared in advance before you can enter. And, although my hosts had done so, it was still misplaced – So, it was a case of “who do you know”. One phone call and an agent came down from the offices and secured our entrance. The name “Susan Pieper” had a lot of research attached to it. I’m glad my life hasn’t been too exciting and nothing was “flagged”. I had to leave my camera in security. You are not allowed to take photos of any of the embassies.
The U.S. Embassy is in a restored villa. Absolutely gorgeous with carved wooded staircase, marble inlaid walls, high ceilings with feline gargoyle accents. The U.S. Embassy is spread out throughout this area of Bucharest, so they are building a new embassy northeast of the city. This will help with security. The streets in Bucharest are narrow and congested and probably a security nightmare. Imagine taking all the traffic from L.A. and trying to put it on streets as narrow and curvy as Lombard Street in San Francisco. Now, imagine everyone trying to whiz by and pass. Now imagine cars parked on either side of the narrow road in any space they can fit. Now imagine pedestrians everywhere. Now, multiply that image by 100 and maybe you’ll have a picture of traffic in Bucharest.
My credentials were checked many times and my passport was left at the Marine checkpoint. I was issued a visitor’s badge and we proceeded to meet with the Deputy Chief of Mission, Jeri Guthrie-Corn. Her office is next to the U.S. Ambassador’s. Matter of fact, we had to sit and wait outside her office as she was meeting with the ambassador. His schedule was very busy. I wanted to pop in and say “hey” since he was from Alabama, but I guess you just don’t to that at a U.S. Embassy. Oh well. Meeting with Deputy Guthrie-Corn was an honor. She was very interested in hearing about my presentations to the rural librarians. She is aware of Biblionet and is a staunch supporter. We were running late and short on time, but I was honored to have been able to meet and talk with her.
On the way out I stopped at the Marine post to fetch my passport. I asked if I could have some sort of souvenir to remember my visit. He ended up selling me an awesome t-shirt designed by the Marine post and two U.S. Embassy in Romania coins. Cost me 40.00 American dollars – but he was so cute, how could I resist. The proceeds from selling these items helps fund the Marine Birthday Ball in November. The Marines are the oldest of our military branches. Each November they celebrate with a ball. The balls are staggered as other marines come in and take their place at the post so they can “party”. All embassy staff is invited in Bucharest, but most of the Marine Balls around the world are by invitation only. Dress blues and long gowns are the dress for the evening. Oh to be a fly on the wall. I felt my donation helped to serve my country – if only in the teeniest way.
We made it back just in time for me to begin the afternoon digital video conference. The session was the same as the morning – but with different audiences. The afternoon groups were truly from rural and isolated small libraries. They were a wonderful audience. I brought “cat in the hat” hats and gave them away as door prizes. They had no clue as to what a “door prize” was. What fun! I taught them how to use the hat as a story time hat – that when the hat was on, they had license to be crazy and silly. It was great!
Lots of laughter, lots of photo ops, even some autographs… tons of fun. I learned so much from them. That although the funding does not exist, for many, the passion does. Some libraries are vibrant community centers with strong children’s programs – but it is the result of volunteers and the library staff painting and spending their own funds. Many libraries are providing bare minimum services. One even has the books behind glass – to keep them from getting dusty. There is a great amount of work to be done in Romania’s small public libraries – but great potential. The seeds are planted and visionary programs are being implemented. I have great confidence that the Romania people will enjoy a strong public library system in a matter of a few years.
Other items of interest I discovered: They do not know “Goodnight Moon” by Brown. They do not know “Cat in the Hat” by Seuss, they do not have access to the wonderful variety of bookmarks we have in the U.S. through our library vendors. But they do have a heart for librarianship.
Niku brought me back to my hotel by 7:00 p.m. where I ordered room service and took a nap for a few hours. I’ll head back to bed now. It is 1:28 a.m. on Tuesday morning. I’ll still get about 5 hours sleep. Tomorrow I check out and head to Braila. Niku picks me up at 8:30 a.m.!
Anca and my Embassy driver, Niku, picked me up by 8:30 a.m. The drive to the Embassy library was another white-knuckled affair. “The traffic not too bad today,” explained Niku. “Dah, dah, (yes, yes)” agreed Anca. “There is a national strike today.” What??? I thought?
Apparently all police, teachers, traffic cops, etc. were on strike for this one-day. “The traffic could have been much, much worse,” continued Niku. “The children have no school today so that traffic is not on the road,” said Anca. Wow. If this is a “light day” of traffic, I shutter to see a real rush hour. (I’d have my chance later in the day.)
Upon arrival at the Embassy library (another building separate from the U.S. Embassy) I was taken through security. Although I was expected, security is still tight, lots of police outside. Always have to show my passport.
Met in the morning with Julie O’Reagan, the Cultural Affairs Officer as well as attended a briefing by National Library General Director Elena Tirziman. The National Library is Romania’s equivalent of the Library of Congress – but with more of an active role in the structure of libraries in the country. Under the government wing of the Ministry of Culture, the National Library is on the top of the pyramid of library organization, with the tiniest of local library branches being at the bottom. The National Library has many purposes, one of which is the preservation of historical documents. They have rapidly outgrown their allotted space and are in the process of building a new National Library, which will be the largest national library in the world – over 10 stories high with two additional underground. They should move into the new facility within three years.
Additional briefings with IREX Biblionet Program Officer Daniela Draghici and Anca Rapeanu, Library Innovation Specialist provided information about the visionary program of connecting all public libraries in Romania via high-speed Internet and computers – with reference databases being a future goal. Biblionet will also provide as a clearinghouse for continued education for library staff living in isolated areas. The closest thing in America that compares is the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) – except imagine OPLIN on a national level. I have seen first hand the impact OPLIN has had on the citizens of Ohio – and they have not just come out of the grips of Communism. I cannot imagine the tremendous impact this resource will have on the citizenry of Romania. It will truly be life changing.
Both Daniela and Anca R. are dynamic, visionary and passionate workers for this program. Their enthusiasm is contagious and their vision is spreading. The attempt now – before a possible new President is elected in November, to ensure that Biblionet is written into law – secure and sustainable funding. Sounds familiar. Anca R. is a young vibrant woman with cropped red hair and an incredible smile. Daniela was running a bit late, but arrived in a flurry – with her vest, tie, funky clothes, purple spiked hair and absolutely flawless English. Together they are a force to be reckoned with – My kind of people! We connected immediately.
Daniela shared stories that during Communism, they were not allowed to read books. She said they would find books, photo copy them and pass them around. She remembers reading a worn photocopy of Orwell’s 1984 with a flashlight under the covers. Her story reminds me that you cannot extinguish the human spirit and can-do attitude with an iron fist government. Knowledge and the light of information will always find a way.
After meeting other members of the Embassy staff, I proceeded to conduct my first Digital Video Conference (DVD). I had a technology specialist that took care of all the bells and whistles. On the screen were librarians from three remote areas. There were close to 100 locally in the room. This number increased each day as word of this presentation made it’s way around Bucharest. Many of the audience members at the Embassy were from the University Library and the Metropolitan Library (the main public library of Bucharest) – hardly rural public libraries, but they were interested none-the-less.
My translator was another Anca – Anca Ionescu PhD. She was a conference interpreter in English, French, Russian, Spanish, Czech, Bulgarian, Polish, and Slovak. Her other job is as Professor of Foreign Language at the University of Bucharest. She’s my new sister. We laughed and got along wonderfully. It took me a while to get use to another voice behind me, but soon we got into a rhythm that helped the interpretation be true to the spirit. Anca the translator loves cats. She says… “I have so many. Well, they are strays but they stay – probably because I feed them. But, I always let them go… in my backyard. I get the females fixed. Not the males. What are they going to do without the ladies?” She shared photos of one of her huge cats she had saved on her camera. I was glad I had some cat bookmarks to give her. Cat people just “understand” each other. I found a kindred spirit – one of many from the day.
The session in the morning and afternoon were the same – Youth and Adult Services and Marketing. We all laughed. The questions were very good – one gentleman from the Bucharest Metropolitan Library, after I shared basic concepts of free access and intellectual freedom – asked, “how do you provide free access to all ages when some of the materials is obviously not appropriate for children?” His question was a bit more in depth, but basically that is how it is translated. After I thanked him for his question, I talked about the constant challenge it is – especially in rural and smaller libraries – to protect the rights of children and their access to information. I discussed parental responsibility and community standards. I shared that in rural and small communities the opinions will be different then that of urban libraries. And, I shared that even among colleagues in the same profession – we would be in disagreement at times. But, full freedom of access to information is the goal we strive for. We all do the best we can. A second question from a remote location was also about Intellectual Freedom and the censorship of violent fairy tales, “should we edit the story about Snow White so it is not so violent to young children?” I explained basic concepts of storytelling, that the storyteller has to acknowledge the age and comprehension level of the audience and that there was no “storytelling police” who would come and arrest them if they changed it up a bit. I also let them know that there are a variety of versions of the traditional fairy tales that are more age-appropriate for younger children.
I found it interesting that both questions referred to Intellectual Freedom – a fact I was sure was impacted by the new freedoms in Romania and the struggle to identify how one transitions from a Communist state to a Democratic state.
The reception for the program was tremendous and reaffirmed that the language barrier may separate librarians and library staff, but somehow, our passions still shine through and we understand each other.
Lunch was at the Burebista restaurant – a Renaissance-themed restaurant with wait-staff dressed in period costume. Wild game and animals were stuffed and mounted on the walls. I felt like Robin Hood would gallop in any minute with a bloody deer thrown over his saddle… but, he never did. The menu included everything from wild-boar meatballs to duck livers and everything in-between. One of my hosts ordered a trout. It was one of the largest trout I had ever seen – and I promise – his eyeballs were staring at me. I got a photo of him. I ordered grilled chicken and country potatoes. Better safe than sorry. The menu and restaurant are based on the Romania before the Romans conquered. It was called Dacia and the people were called Daci (pronounced “Dutch”). The main automobile in Romania is the Dacia. The restaurant is across the street from the heavily guarded U.S. Embassy – our next stop.
Security to get inside the main U.S. Embassy complex was very tight. I was glad to see it. You have to have your paperwork cleared in advance before you can enter. And, although my hosts had done so, it was still misplaced – So, it was a case of “who do you know”. One phone call and an agent came down from the offices and secured our entrance. The name “Susan Pieper” had a lot of research attached to it. I’m glad my life hasn’t been too exciting and nothing was “flagged”. I had to leave my camera in security. You are not allowed to take photos of any of the embassies.
The U.S. Embassy is in a restored villa. Absolutely gorgeous with carved wooded staircase, marble inlaid walls, high ceilings with feline gargoyle accents. The U.S. Embassy is spread out throughout this area of Bucharest, so they are building a new embassy northeast of the city. This will help with security. The streets in Bucharest are narrow and congested and probably a security nightmare. Imagine taking all the traffic from L.A. and trying to put it on streets as narrow and curvy as Lombard Street in San Francisco. Now, imagine everyone trying to whiz by and pass. Now imagine cars parked on either side of the narrow road in any space they can fit. Now imagine pedestrians everywhere. Now, multiply that image by 100 and maybe you’ll have a picture of traffic in Bucharest.
My credentials were checked many times and my passport was left at the Marine checkpoint. I was issued a visitor’s badge and we proceeded to meet with the Deputy Chief of Mission, Jeri Guthrie-Corn. Her office is next to the U.S. Ambassador’s. Matter of fact, we had to sit and wait outside her office as she was meeting with the ambassador. His schedule was very busy. I wanted to pop in and say “hey” since he was from Alabama, but I guess you just don’t to that at a U.S. Embassy. Oh well. Meeting with Deputy Guthrie-Corn was an honor. She was very interested in hearing about my presentations to the rural librarians. She is aware of Biblionet and is a staunch supporter. We were running late and short on time, but I was honored to have been able to meet and talk with her.
On the way out I stopped at the Marine post to fetch my passport. I asked if I could have some sort of souvenir to remember my visit. He ended up selling me an awesome t-shirt designed by the Marine post and two U.S. Embassy in Romania coins. Cost me 40.00 American dollars – but he was so cute, how could I resist. The proceeds from selling these items helps fund the Marine Birthday Ball in November. The Marines are the oldest of our military branches. Each November they celebrate with a ball. The balls are staggered as other marines come in and take their place at the post so they can “party”. All embassy staff is invited in Bucharest, but most of the Marine Balls around the world are by invitation only. Dress blues and long gowns are the dress for the evening. Oh to be a fly on the wall. I felt my donation helped to serve my country – if only in the teeniest way.
We made it back just in time for me to begin the afternoon digital video conference. The session was the same as the morning – but with different audiences. The afternoon groups were truly from rural and isolated small libraries. They were a wonderful audience. I brought “cat in the hat” hats and gave them away as door prizes. They had no clue as to what a “door prize” was. What fun! I taught them how to use the hat as a story time hat – that when the hat was on, they had license to be crazy and silly. It was great!
Lots of laughter, lots of photo ops, even some autographs… tons of fun. I learned so much from them. That although the funding does not exist, for many, the passion does. Some libraries are vibrant community centers with strong children’s programs – but it is the result of volunteers and the library staff painting and spending their own funds. Many libraries are providing bare minimum services. One even has the books behind glass – to keep them from getting dusty. There is a great amount of work to be done in Romania’s small public libraries – but great potential. The seeds are planted and visionary programs are being implemented. I have great confidence that the Romania people will enjoy a strong public library system in a matter of a few years.
Other items of interest I discovered: They do not know “Goodnight Moon” by Brown. They do not know “Cat in the Hat” by Seuss, they do not have access to the wonderful variety of bookmarks we have in the U.S. through our library vendors. But they do have a heart for librarianship.
Niku brought me back to my hotel by 7:00 p.m. where I ordered room service and took a nap for a few hours. I’ll head back to bed now. It is 1:28 a.m. on Tuesday morning. I’ll still get about 5 hours sleep. Tomorrow I check out and head to Braila. Niku picks me up at 8:30 a.m.!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Monday Morning: October 5th, 2009
I think I fell asleep rather quickly at about 8:30 p.m. Romanian time. Up and wide awake at… let’s see… what does the clock say… 0:11. What? I slept for less than four hours? Okay, back to sleep. This time up at 03:46. Well, that’s just going to have to do. It is Monday morning.
Hmmm; 03:46 minus eight hours is, (Don’t laugh, Fred -- I'm still sleepy), 19:46 in Ohio time or 7:46 p.m. on Sunday night. (Getting use to military time.) Amazing Journey is on tonight, Cold Case, 60 Minutes -- of course, that's AMERICAN T.V. Sunday night here on Romanian TV consists of International CNN, BBC World, EuroNews, Bloomberg, ESPN America (still couldn't find whether or not Auburn won, saw that OSU won, though). Other channels include Reality TV about a couple of British guys hiking in a rain forest and apparently one of them had a boulder crash down on him. He is lying with a boulder on his leg, poking at a really large (at least 12” long) sand crab with a stick. The crab is eating his foot – bloody toes, etc. He cannot feel his foot and wonders how long the crab has been there. He finally kills it. Ewww. Camera breaks to the buddy running out of forest trying to get to the “other side of the river” so he can call for help. I am guessing they are successful because this story is being told in past tense.
ANYWAY, I’m thinking’ I’ll probably dream of giant sand crabs. Back to TV choices: Extreme, Discovery Channel, Discovery Science, Discovery World, History, BBC Prime, Hallmark, HBO (Watched Prince Caspian in English with Romanian sub-titles); Cartoon Network, Eurosport, Sport.ro. The next couple dozen channels are Romanian except the last three that are Pay TV with, well; let’s just say “adult content”. I’ll pass.
Most channels are in English with Romanian sub-titles. I find it a bit odd that I would find foreign television channels so interesting. Some of the local channels have really, really silly game shows where the hosts are dressed up in costumes and there seems to be a lot of goofy behavior; on second thought, maybe closer to American TV then I initially thought.
Watching the International CNN, BBC World and EuroNews at times was kind of depressing. Lots of war footage, footage of elections in Greece with protests and celebrations, the death of an opera star who championed the poor. I think the difference was that I did not see a lot of “cutting down” of politicians and government officials. Our American CNN/FOX, etc. seem to always be talking about who did what in Washington and why they are arguing and what is wrong with our President, congress, etc. Lots of criticism.
As I ponder this, I wonder if the government has a hand in what type of information is released. Interesting. If that is true, then the librarians over here have their hands full.
Well, I am going to post this now and then start going over my presentations for the day. I will check in later. Hope my American friends and family get a good night’s sleep and have a blessed Monday!
Oh, just thought of something. Did you know that there is technology out there that allows someone to capture the barcodes of your credit cards, etc. as you walk by them? This was very evident in the airports. There were many passport and credit card holders made out of “steel” that prevented this type of identity theft. Yikes.
Hmmm; 03:46 minus eight hours is, (Don’t laugh, Fred -- I'm still sleepy), 19:46 in Ohio time or 7:46 p.m. on Sunday night. (Getting use to military time.) Amazing Journey is on tonight, Cold Case, 60 Minutes -- of course, that's AMERICAN T.V. Sunday night here on Romanian TV consists of International CNN, BBC World, EuroNews, Bloomberg, ESPN America (still couldn't find whether or not Auburn won, saw that OSU won, though). Other channels include Reality TV about a couple of British guys hiking in a rain forest and apparently one of them had a boulder crash down on him. He is lying with a boulder on his leg, poking at a really large (at least 12” long) sand crab with a stick. The crab is eating his foot – bloody toes, etc. He cannot feel his foot and wonders how long the crab has been there. He finally kills it. Ewww. Camera breaks to the buddy running out of forest trying to get to the “other side of the river” so he can call for help. I am guessing they are successful because this story is being told in past tense.
ANYWAY, I’m thinking’ I’ll probably dream of giant sand crabs. Back to TV choices: Extreme, Discovery Channel, Discovery Science, Discovery World, History, BBC Prime, Hallmark, HBO (Watched Prince Caspian in English with Romanian sub-titles); Cartoon Network, Eurosport, Sport.ro. The next couple dozen channels are Romanian except the last three that are Pay TV with, well; let’s just say “adult content”. I’ll pass.
Most channels are in English with Romanian sub-titles. I find it a bit odd that I would find foreign television channels so interesting. Some of the local channels have really, really silly game shows where the hosts are dressed up in costumes and there seems to be a lot of goofy behavior; on second thought, maybe closer to American TV then I initially thought.
Watching the International CNN, BBC World and EuroNews at times was kind of depressing. Lots of war footage, footage of elections in Greece with protests and celebrations, the death of an opera star who championed the poor. I think the difference was that I did not see a lot of “cutting down” of politicians and government officials. Our American CNN/FOX, etc. seem to always be talking about who did what in Washington and why they are arguing and what is wrong with our President, congress, etc. Lots of criticism.
As I ponder this, I wonder if the government has a hand in what type of information is released. Interesting. If that is true, then the librarians over here have their hands full.
Well, I am going to post this now and then start going over my presentations for the day. I will check in later. Hope my American friends and family get a good night’s sleep and have a blessed Monday!
Oh, just thought of something. Did you know that there is technology out there that allows someone to capture the barcodes of your credit cards, etc. as you walk by them? This was very evident in the airports. There were many passport and credit card holders made out of “steel” that prevented this type of identity theft. Yikes.
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