Workshop and Constanta

(Casa Elizabeta)
(Vineyards overlooking Nicoresti)

Workshop has begun here at Tanner Romania Mission. Every October through about April the kids all (well, most) attend workshop for 2 hours each day run by Ettore and Ettiene as well as the volunteers-it is something to get the kids out and about during the colder months and give them something fun to work on. Right now we are making Christmas cards that are sold in the UK and Ireland to raise support and awareness of the TRM, and some of the girls and boys are working on some cross-stitch patterns. On Tuesday Marianna and Tina took great joy in teaching me how to cross-stitch, something I will leave to them as I am rubbish (as my English roommates would say). I have been happily helping with the cutting and gluing stations-my craft specialty apparently. It has been great going to workshop and helping out, not only because it gets us out of Casa Elizabeta, but also because most of the boys from Casa Rachel come as well so I have been enjoying getting to know many of them this past week. Before there was never really an opportunity to do this on a daily basis.

Since my last update was the October Birthdays celebration which consisted of cake and suc (juice) for all as well as games led by Tata Bruce.
Anca trying to through as many walnuts as she can into the bucket within the time period with others cheering her on:Also since my last update, Kirstie and I have made a quick 1 night trip to Constanta on our days off-just in time before her last day in Romania which was Tuesday. (Hard to say goodbye to her as we had become quite close, but I am looking into visiting her in Moldova where she is volunteering with another Christian mission for a good deal of time). Constanta is a very old (Founded by the Greeks) port city on the Black Sea Coast of Romania-full of history (and thus I loved it)! Though it was freezing and a bit rainy, we had quite a bit of fun walking around the Old City, relaxing in parks, seeing the Greek and Roman ruins, eating lots of shaorma (something she had never had the privilege of experiencing before), and off course walking along the shore. Kirstie actually went fully into the Sea to swim...I wasn't about to take off my 2 jackets or even my warm socks and sneakers to put my feet in...I did dip my hands in though...It was a great 2 days with lots of laughs-especially in regards to transportation. We took a 2am train there and decided to take a maxitaxi (bus) back, the station for which we thought we were at, but found out only 10 minutes before the departure time that it was further up the road thanks to my limited Romanian vocabulary...
With the Black Sea behind me (which is, in fact, black upon closer examination):
Old Tomis city walls built by the Greeks dating back to 600 BC (Tomis is the Greek name for Constanta, name was changed in 950 AD in honor of Constatine the Great):Kirstie bravely in the cold Black Sea:

Still very much loving Nicoresti and working at the Tanner Romania Mission, and of course continually trying to improve my Romanian. The girls are a blast and make each day go by far too fast-I can't believe I've been here 3 weeks already! Today I was unfortunately sick and stuck in bed all day, but all of the girls wrote me a little 'get well' note and kept asking how I was doing-I missed hanging out with them today and don't even want to think about how I will miss them when I have to leave (I literally have been spending every waking hour with them while in Nicoresti, its hard not to get attached right?)
We are starting to get excited for Halloween and working on costumes, and everyone is abuzz about the Fall Autumn Dance which is next Friday.
Rodica being me with my jacket after talking about Halloween and what everyone wants to dress up as:
Well that is it for now. Tomorrow myself and the 2 new volunteers who arrived this past week from Bristol, England (Amy and Ellie) are going to try and check out the nearby National Forest Park on our day off, or head into Tecuci to look for some accessories for our Halloween Costumes.

Also, I have finished posting all of my pictures from my travels throughout Europe as well as from the Medical Missions trip in Northwestern Romania here.

Pace voua!

Psalm 37:3-6
Nehemiah 4:6