Saturday, July 18, 2009
New (and not so new) Pictures
I just uploaded some new pictures to my Picasa Web album (see link on the left). They're a random collection of the photos I've taken between January and July. Happy viewing!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
What do animals and wedding anniversaries have in common?
After my last post, I feel the need to go back to my "normal" self. Thus, this post is dedicated to the recent happenings which have made me smile (even if after the fact).
1. Getting a puppy
My host family recently acquired a puppy. Since we already have two dogs, I'm really not sure why. But, not one to question good fortune, I have wasted no time in making friends with Muktar. Moldovans don't tend to view dogs so much as pets (as much as doorbells/security alarms), so I think my family is a little amused at the fact that I'm actually playing with Muktar. Other than his tendency to attack and chew my beloved Teva flipflops as if they are physically assaulting him, he and I get along great. So great that he tries to follow me whenever I leave the house. On more than a few occasions I have made it halfway up our street only to see him happily trailing behind me. After picking him up and depositing him back inside our gate (which he is small enough to slip under), he usually doesn't follow me again.
2. Helping my grandparents celebrate 60 years of marriage
This year my grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. My family decided to surprise them by driving/flying from various parts of the U.S. to Michigan in order to throw them a party. Since I couldn't be there, we set up a video chat on Skype, and I got to talk to my grandparents (as well as about half of my extended family) and wish them a happy anniversary. Using a water bottle as a "glass of champagne," I even made a fancy toast in Romanian. La multi ani, Grandma and Grandpa!
3. Solving the mystery of the phantom smell
A few days ago I noticed a faint unpleasant odor in my bedroom. Thinking it was just my trash, I emptied my garbage can and thought nothing more of it. The next day the smell was back, but I couldn't figure out the source. After returning to my room later that day, the smell was so bad that I commented to myself: "It smells like something died in here!" At that moment I realized what my problem was (don't ask me why it took me two days to figure it out) and set out to find whatever rodent had seen fit to drop dead in my room. Eventually my nose led me to under my bed. After going to my host mom to explain the situation, she came to my room, armed with a broom and dustpan. Together we moved my bed, and she disposed of my little friend. Unfortunately for me, the story doesn't end there. After seeing how dusty it was under my bed (I'm sorry, but I only clean what I can see--what's the point in cleaning things not visible to the naked eye?), she insisted that we give my room a thorough cleaning. Under her direction, I spent two hours moving furniture, dusting, sweeping, and silently wishing I had just asked my host brother for help instead.
1. Getting a puppy
My host family recently acquired a puppy. Since we already have two dogs, I'm really not sure why. But, not one to question good fortune, I have wasted no time in making friends with Muktar. Moldovans don't tend to view dogs so much as pets (as much as doorbells/security alarms), so I think my family is a little amused at the fact that I'm actually playing with Muktar. Other than his tendency to attack and chew my beloved Teva flipflops as if they are physically assaulting him, he and I get along great. So great that he tries to follow me whenever I leave the house. On more than a few occasions I have made it halfway up our street only to see him happily trailing behind me. After picking him up and depositing him back inside our gate (which he is small enough to slip under), he usually doesn't follow me again.
2. Helping my grandparents celebrate 60 years of marriage
This year my grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. My family decided to surprise them by driving/flying from various parts of the U.S. to Michigan in order to throw them a party. Since I couldn't be there, we set up a video chat on Skype, and I got to talk to my grandparents (as well as about half of my extended family) and wish them a happy anniversary. Using a water bottle as a "glass of champagne," I even made a fancy toast in Romanian. La multi ani, Grandma and Grandpa!
3. Solving the mystery of the phantom smell
A few days ago I noticed a faint unpleasant odor in my bedroom. Thinking it was just my trash, I emptied my garbage can and thought nothing more of it. The next day the smell was back, but I couldn't figure out the source. After returning to my room later that day, the smell was so bad that I commented to myself: "It smells like something died in here!" At that moment I realized what my problem was (don't ask me why it took me two days to figure it out) and set out to find whatever rodent had seen fit to drop dead in my room. Eventually my nose led me to under my bed. After going to my host mom to explain the situation, she came to my room, armed with a broom and dustpan. Together we moved my bed, and she disposed of my little friend. Unfortunately for me, the story doesn't end there. After seeing how dusty it was under my bed (I'm sorry, but I only clean what I can see--what's the point in cleaning things not visible to the naked eye?), she insisted that we give my room a thorough cleaning. Under her direction, I spent two hours moving furniture, dusting, sweeping, and silently wishing I had just asked my host brother for help instead.
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