Castles and Elevators

Romania is full of surprises. 

Before we could start in the orphanage we had to spend

some quality time getting to know our city.

IASI baby!

On my plane to Madrid there was a map of Romania

and there was no Iasi...

it was Lassie.

Pretty close. 

:)

There are a ton of dogs 

(but they're nice looking, should be curled up in your house, dogs)

roaming the streets of Iasi.

So Lassie is actually pretty accurate!

First stop: Las Vegas!

NO. I'm joking! Ha.

It is nice to see a little reminder of the States though. :)

 

Here is some of the gang!

They are all just the bee's knees. 

I recently had a silly discussion about bees and their knees 

recently and we concluded that using that phrase is strange 

but is still a nice compliment. 

Who doesn't love bees and their knees?

I don't know how much you know about Romania.

Probably about as much as me (which is nothing).

But it has some really beautiful places!

Churches, castles, the mall...um...

that's really as far as I've gotten in my Romanian travels...

I'll let you know when I see more than that!

This is the Palace of Culture. 

It looks like Cinderella's castle at Disneyland.

I love you Romania for building pretty castles. 

Thanks. :)

 

This is Palas Mall. 

WHAT?!

Yep. 

Huge and perfectly landscaped.

They certainly know how to build malls in Romania!

 

Here's a glam shot of my adorable roommates and me in front of a fountain

at the mall.

 

**DISCLAIMER: It is my goal to NEVER do my hair in Romania and to 

only wear mascara--I feel make-up naked...

:(

That is why I feel like I look a little haggard in all of these pictures. 

Enjoy anyway. Just don't look too close. 

 

P.S.--If you've noticed the cute little black thing on my foot in every picture,

that would be my brace. I tore my peroneus longus and brevis in a freak

biking accident. 

(Actually my old roommate was teaching me how to ride a bike in Provo 

Canyon and this is what happened.) 

Ya, never riding a bike again anytime soon!

 

Seriously...there is a palace?

May I present for your viewing pleasure...

(again because I think it is really cool)

the Palace of Culture.

Unfortunately it is closed and so I cannot be cultured.

Bummer.

 

Did I mention that the mall has a merry-go-round outside?

I didn't?

Well it DOES. 

And it is AWESOME.

Mall + palace + carousel = I want to play...er stay here forever.

Well my day wouldn't have been complete if it wasn't for this next little joy 

of an event.

SO I am not going to disclose TOO many details here 

because I am not entirely sure who all is reading this.

Just in case there is a Romanian elevator maintenance man reading this...

I'm really sorry... :/

Here's the abbreviated (and edited) version of this story.

My roommates and I were out to get pastries from the shops

outside our apartment that evening.

Once in the elevator  X XXXX XXXX XXXX and then XX XXXXXX.

Next thing you know we are stuck in the elevator...

If you didn't read 2 blogs ago you don't know that the elevator is

tiny.

We called Mario our facilitator to ask what we should do.

Here is the advice she gave us.

YELL!

 Ajutor, ajutor, ajutor! (help) --With lots of banging on the door.

HA!

Eventually people came to our aid.

They were able to pry the outside door open and pulled us out to safety!

Hooray!

Since I am ridiculous I figured that we needed to document our being 

stuck in the elevator due to X XXX XXXXXXX.

Here are our gorgeous faces when we were stuck.

:) 

Ah, memories. 

 

I will never be the same after that elevator incident. Ha!

Well those were my grand adventures in Romania before starting work!

Next up: Orphanage day one! 

My real first day in the orphanage was TODAY 

so I am almost caught up on my blogging!