I'm Back and...um, Reality Really Bites...

Our wonderful, from heaven holiday is over and here I am, back to the harsh reality...It was almost like a dream, so perfect it seemed unreal. I knew I missed my home-land, but I didn't know I missed it so badly.

Being back in Romania was like being home. It felt so right it almost hurt. The smell of grass, the blue sky with clouds playing high, the heat that is so different from the mediteraneean heat we have here. The Big City with its gorgeous architecture, its people, a huge puzzle where every piece found its place... I was at peace there, because there, and only there I find solace and understanding. I am among my own and it feels right.

I am not going to bore you with the step-by-step story of our holiday in Romania. I don't even think I can talk or write about it. I will only try to burry all the memories deep inside my soul to be able to recall them whenever I will fell my ground shaking under my feet. Because I realized now, I take my strenght from there, from my home-land.

I am the mighty oak that survives every storm, no matter how hellish, with the knowledge that its roots are planted firmly in the earth soaked with its forefathers' essence.

It is clear to me that all the misery and depression I've lived lately comes from the fact I am not happy here (to say the least). But I am going to solve all of it, somehow...I have to. For now, I'll leave the happy memories wash over my sadness...And maybe next time I'll tell you how much fun Maya had in Romania...

Thank you all for being here, reading my blog and helping me in this journey. I love you all.

Simply Romania

I don't have time to post...I am to busy enjoying every moment of being in my home country and my adoptive home town - Cluj.

I'll leave you with a few pictures for now.

All My Bags Are Packed...

Since I was a teenager and sang this song with my childhood friend Maria, it reminded me of traveling...And here I am now, ready to leave for Romania...
I am so excited! It is our first holiday since Maya was born and I cannot wait to see my home country. We fly tomorow morning to Bucharest and from there, to Cluj, in the heart of Transylvania. I hope I'll be able to post here as much as possible because Romania is a beautiful country and I am going to give you a Romania 101 course. I hope I won't be too knackered to do that...
Well, I'm off to bed now as I have to wake up early tomorow and I'll leave you with "Peter, Paul and Mary"'s song...

Night Time - My Time

I know I've said it so many times, I read and write only at night, after Maya and the rest of the family go to sleep...I've been doing it for so long that I actually cannot sleep before 1 o'clock at night. I am lucky I don't have to wake up early in the morning, as Maya sleeps until aproximately 8 o'clock, but usually at 4, 5 in the afternoon I reach a zombie-like state and everything just goes fuzzy around the edges. Anyway, it is nothing that I good strong coffee cannot solve.
But lately...well, lately I am not alone anymore in my nightly activities. While I strain my brain writing, our cat Dasha defies my efforts by sleeping on my desk, or keyboard, or even on my notebook. And yes, I don't type directly on my PC. I have to write first, like, you know, pen on paper write. Call me old-fashioned, it is the only way inspiration flows...

If the Stupidity Would Hurt...

Image by duncan via Flickr

It is Friday here in Israel and the Shabbat (the Jewish day of rest) will start in a couple of hours...Yesterday we had a very interesting, educational afternoon as we tried to solve the "DHL crisis". Of course, after my husband came home from work he took the matter is his capable hands and after some e-mails, faxes and phone calls, YES, the nefarious DHL people said I am going to be reunited with my ebook reader on Sunday (here, in Israel, the week starts on Sunday). I am not going to write down the enormities the DHL boys and gals said because I am ashamed of their ignorance. Let me say just that in Romanian there is a saying that goes something like this:"If the stupidity would hurt, the world would be full of people writhing in pain..."

Mr. DHL Israel, You Really Messed It Up!

Image via Wikipedia

You know me, and if you don't, I'm telling you, I am a polite, well-behaved person. But here, in Israel, many times I had to avert to being rude, when dealing with people or institutions. Sometimes, you know the person you're dealing with, so you don't expect much. But when you're dealing with a "serious" international company like DHL...you expect profesionalism, to say the least.
My troubles started when my beloved e-book reader broke, and we decided to send them to the UK to be fixed. The company we bought it from said they'd fix it, so we decided to send it via DHL, because we thought it would be safer and stuff. So, the DHL guy came, we did what we were asked - to print some forms and fill them in, and we payed, of course, a lot of money. A LOT. The e-book reader arrived in the UK, they fixed it and send it back. Until now, everything is nice and breezy. The problems started yesterday afternoon when somebody from DHL Israel called my husband, asking for some papers, I don't know. Hubby told them that we gave all the papers to the guy that took the parcel two weeks ago. Again, somebody called yesterday evening, with the same demand. My husband tried to explain, again, that we are NOT in the possesion of the aforementioned document. This morning I checked DHL's site, where one can track one's parcel. Our was still in "clearance delay" status (been like that from yesterday). At noon, checked again. The same. I called DHL , gave them the number of the parcel and they said they'll call me back. Did they? Of course not. You know the "we'll call you back" sentence usually means "we're in a huge mess here and trying to sort it out".
I try to remain calm, I am taking deep breath and everything...but the human stupidity just winds me up!!! I saw it so many times in action....Stupidity and carelessness in doing one's job. And to think I am the one paying for all this...I am thinking that they've lost the frigging document and they cannot prove my laptop was not a new one, but sent for repairs...
So, I have to say, Mr. DHL, whoever you are, I am sooooooooooooooo dissapointed. Never ever in my life I am going to use you again, even if I'll have to take the parcel to its destination myself.
I am really tired of being treated ALL THE TIME like I don't really count. Only when I take out my VISA card, that's when I become somebody...This time, even that trick didn't work. I am really sick being humiliated by some clerk or other, being pushed aside, being told to wait in line, hold the line, wait this we transfer you...
So I am using my power. My brain power that allows me to write, the power of being smart and feeling liberated by it. So I write, and if you read this, just swear with me and let them fell the power!
My odyssey isn't over yet...Nobody from DHL called me, they're still "processing"...I'll keep you updated...