Monday, February 19, 2007

Today was a much easier day than we have had previously. Four of our graduate students taught the undergrad Romanian students a portion of the helping process and tomorrow four more will teach. We will finish the process on Wednesday and Thursday. They did well in their teaching. We feel very good about their understanding and ability to explain it to others. All in all seems to be a good way to do a final examination. They taught in Romanian and the translator softly translated into English for us. We’ve been thinking how we might do something like this with our Baylor MSW students. We took a half hour after the undergraduates left to give feedback to the grad students who presented.

Some things are the same here as they are at home. For instance, cell phones are the rage. Everyone has a cell phone and they want the latest models. And of course they ring during class and during church services! Another example has to do with teenagers here at the house and the teenagers I know at home. On weekends they stay up half the night and sleep most of the day. And as at home, Poppa doesn’t like them sleeping during the day and then the arguments begin!

After class today we rode and walked around the downtown section of the city. The flower markets are beautiful with roses, tulips, carnations, and most any other flower you want right on the street. We went to an outdoor craft market, a book store, and a candy shop. Then Vitalii took us to a café for coffee. It was called “Big Deal” and the name was in English. It was a neat little shop in the basement of a building and Vitalii said he could tell us from experience that it is a great place to take a date! It reminded Preston of some ratskellers we’ve been to. It was also like a place he spent some time in St. Petersburg. We think 2/2 and supper club would have liked it. We had great coffee, but Vatalii stuck to hot tea as is the custom. Actually, Preston has really gotten into a afternoon cup of tea with lemon and slenda. Yes, he brought his supply with him.

We have tried for two days to send some more pictures and for some reason we can’t get them attached. So we will keep trying. Preston got some great pictures of the downtown area today that we want you to see. Hope we don’t have to wait until we get home.