Romania, Summer 06

I made it! I'm in Romania, it's Sunday afternoon now. After driving to JFK airport Friday night and learning that my flight was delayed two hours meaning I'd miss my connection to Bucharest and having two bags that my mom and I were convinced were way overweight, it seemed as though my trip was starting off with some bad luck. Fortunately, my bags were OK and the really nice lady who helped me check in pushed me onto an earlier flight so I'd make my connection and even better in order to do that they upgraded me!!!! My luck completely turned around and I was excited to get this trip underway, except for the saying goodbye to my mom part! The trip went well, but as always it was exhausting. I got off the plane in Bucharest itching to get my bags and get to the shelter to see all the kids. The best part of the trip is being reunited with my Romanian children and I knew that it would relieve my exhaustion. But it seems like not getting all of your luggage with you on your flight to Bucharest has become a tradition and so I had to stay at the airport and file a claim to get my bag back. What a pain! My bag wad delivered this morning, however, so everything worked out fine.
I got to the shelter to see all the kids. They were really excited to see me, some were shy, but most greeted me with lots of hugs and kisses. They all look pretty much the same, except Ionut (pronounced yonootz), he's one of the cutest little boys ever and he used to be real short and stocky like a football player, but he has thinned out quite a bit since he has grown. I'll be sure to upload a picture of him soon. They had just finished napping and were doing some arts and crafts and playing basketball on the little concrete area in front of the house. I spent the rest of yesterday hanging out with the kids and catching up with them. It was so much fun to see them again!
After sleeping for what seemed like forever, I got up today to a much quieter house. Most of these kids are not in fact orphans, thats why it is a shelter and not an orphanage that I work with. They have parents who simply live on the street or in the sewer and can therefore not take care of the kids and can definitely not send them to school, so they have signed papers giving custody of the kids to the shelter in hopes their kids will have a better life. Some of these kids are completely abandoned by their families, some we don't even know who their families are because they were found in the streets living by themselves. But most of the ones who were living with their mother before they came here get to see her every once in a while. So today a lot of the kids are visiting with their mothers for a few hours. So it is quiet, but nice around the house with just about 10 of the kids. It is Elena's birthday today, she's turning nine. So this afternoon we're having a party for her and then going to the public swimming pool, so that should be fun. It's beautiful weather here right now, not too hot yet which I'm happy about. So far I'm doing really well and having lots of fun! I hope to hear from all of you soon, lots of love. Pa!

posted by Jen @ 1:29 PM