Moving, traveling, running, scurrying, skipping from here to there. That’s all I’ve done for the last month. I’m tired. I want to rest. I want to stay put. But that’s not an option that I either want or can choose. But all this travel is making me a little bit dizzy. Someone keep the boat from swaying… I’m feeling a bit seasick.

Ironically, the song “Life is a Highway” is playing right now. It couldn’t be more accurate. In the last 14 days:

I’ve been in six different cities.

I’ve only spent 3 ½ days at home.

I’ve slept in 4 different beds/couches/ floors.

I’ve been to two conferences.

I’ve taught at someone else’s site.

I’ve helped out with a university level class.

I’ve spent about 19 hours on public transportation.  (Bus/ Maxi-Taxi/ Metro/ Train/ and Private Car)

I’ve only gotten on average of 4-5 hours of sleep a night.

I’ve drank more coffee in the last 14 days than I have in the last 6 months.

 

Why have I been on the road, you ask? For several reasons. When I first departed dear Horezu, it was to go to Sinaia to participate in a Sustainable Development Conference and my group’s COS (Close of Service) conference. COS was delightful. It was the most enjoyable Peace Corps conference I’ve been to. It was a chance to bond, to celebrate group 26, and to say our goodbyes. For many of us, it will be the last time we will see each other before we depart Romania in the next few months. It was a time to chat with amazing friends, celebrate spring birthdays and accomplishments (Congrats on grad school again, Miss Sarah!), drink wine, stay up till 4am, have deep and intimate conversations with people you will remember for the rest of your life, and dance the night away to a Romanian guy that sounded freakishly like Tom Waits, if Tom Waits did covers of Country, Americana, and old school Rock n’ Roll.

After COS, since the journey to and from Sinaia is not an easy one for me, I decided to hop by the lovely Miss Sarah’s place for a night. Sarah made some amazingly delicious lasagna for Carly and I. I headed out the next morning on the 7 hour maxi-taxi/ bus journey home to Horezu.

I arrived home late on Sunday evening and was up for school bright and early the next morning for my usual teaching rounds at Constantin Brancoveanu. After my classes, I asked for permission to teach at another school Wednesday through Friday. Vale is wonderful and gave me permission to spread the “gospel of a healthy environment” to Babeni.

Tara, a new group 27 volunteer, invited me down to her school in Babeni for a few days. Babeni was great. Tara has a great counterpart and her kids were interested and engaged in the activity I prepared. I also got to speak in Romanian, which is always a fun adventure!  We even got to eat delicious sarmale de post and milk a cow. You never know where Peace Corps life will take you. I won the cow-milk-off, this time. But I have a marked advantage. I live on a farm.

I’m back at home now, for a few days. I’m trying to put my weary bones to rest and am preparing my sea legs for the next phase of my arduous journey.  On Wednesday, I’ll be departing for Dublin and the lovely Emerald Isle of Ireland (via Germany) for an 8 day vacation with the Beav. This vacation couldn’t come at a better time. It’s a chance to recharge and refresh so that I can put all my energy and devotion into my last four and a half months of service. Not to mention that I have another exciting vacation planned upon my return and a huge presentation and project the day after I get back to Horezu. If I make it through the Shakespeare Day Symposium in one piece, Marumures with Natalie and Easter with Vale will be my reward for a job well done!

These last two restful days at home have helped me regain my equilibrium. Finally, I had a chance to enjoy a second cup of coffee while sitting in the sun watching my silly kitten clean himself. I was able to catch up on sleep and spring cleaning. And while Laundry Mountain remains unconquered, I’m ¾ of the way packed for Ireland.  I’m rested and ready to go. My wandering soul is ready to head out to sea again. I’ve been at port long enough to stock up on provisions and I’m ready to ship out, knowing that my safe harbor of Horezu will always greet me with open arms and lush green hills when my weary, roving soul needs a rest.