I'm Baaaaack.....

So it's been a LOOOOOOONG time since I've written anything here. Main reason for that was not reliable internet where I am, plus only having a smartphone to blog with.  Well, I still have the smart phone, but now I have hubby's laptop.  Plus I finally got some semblance of high speed internet connection with no thanks to #Romtelecom, now #TelecomRomania.

  Anyway, so hubby has been some since end of June.  Italians bought the shipyard where he was working in Malta.  It's has now gone belly up.  The shipyard here in Tulcea was also bought by some Italians, and it too has gone belly-up.  What's up with that?!?  Italian buys a company and within a few years that company is bankrupt......there's something rotten in the state of Denmark, er.....Italy......

  So hubs has been home and looking for work.  Had GREAT prospect for a job, only to have it fall through because the employment agency here was either too stupid or too inept to do it's homework....they were working with a foreign employment agency, not the actually company the employees would be working for.  Employment agency from that country wanted 1000 euro per worker per month, leaving the workers with pretty much nothing.  Employment agency here said NO!  Good for them that they didn't agree to that, but boo, because they didn't research better before getting workers lined up and getting their hopes up.  We lost a good 3 weeks of job hunting because of this.

  I love Romania, but despise most Romanians.  Why you ask, well because, you find a job advert.  Everything sounds good, not great, but good, good enough to make a person decide to leave their home and family for months on end in order to do something good for said home and family.  Only to find out when you start talking to them, that they are basically throwing you to the wolves.  They pay you peanuts and expect you to support yourself in a foreign country on peanuts.

  These Romanian agencies KNOW all too well the conditions here in Romania, but continue to exploit their own countrymen for the own benefit.  I have decided to try to put myself out there as a head-hunter/recruiting agent.  Why should foreign companies put their trust in Romanian agencies who are only going to anger the workers, which will only hinder productivity, and create more of a bad reputation for Romanians throughout Europe and the world?!?  Why not deal with someone like me, who wants nothing but good for both the companies, and the recruits; and of course if I can make a little money out of it to help my family, why not?!?

  So everyone cross your fingers and toes, say a prayer, or chant or whatever, and lets hope that I can get something going to help EVERYONE!

Americans: What NOT to do abroad....

Okay, so this post is mainly for you younger people - you know who I mean....You college age kids whose parents are footing the bill for your adventure in Europe.

Rule 1:  It is NOT necessary for you to talk loudly everywhere you go.  This is NOT the U.S., people here in Europe don't want to hear your conversations.  While you may think that they don't understand English - they DO.  They just pretend to be stupid so they don't have to converse with YOU!

Rule 2:  If you absolutely insist on speaking loudly, at least speak with some appearance of intelligence.  The word 'like' is not a conjunctive word.  It does not need to be used, like, every other, like, 2 words, or like, whatever.....  The Valley Girl girl slang died a quick death back in the 80's, so please leave your 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' mentality at home in the U.S.
*Note:  History is NOT stupid.  Those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it.  If that's the case then I feel sorry for myself when I get old as you idiots will be the ones in charge.  *sheesh*

Rule 3:  IT'S EUROPE, It's NOT the U.S., so NO, the rooms aren't going to be big like back home, and yes, the water heater has to be plugged in at least 2 hours prior to bathing.  AND DON"T USE YOUR FLAT IRON here - unless you want to knock out the power to at least 10 city blocks!

Rule 4:  Just because your daddy paid for your little adventure doesn't mean you are better than anyone else.  It doesn't mean YOU are wealthy, it just means your dad is an idiot for giving you everything you want instead of making you earn the money yourself.

Last Rule:  If you can't behave like a nice, quiet, intelligent, civilised human being, than for God's sake, and all us ex-pats actually living in abroad, JUST STAY in the U.S.

Starting Over (pt.2)

  So my parents had returned to the states and I was okay, until October, when my best friend since the ripe ole age of 12 got married.  Not being there for Briana's wedding was hard to take, I cried, got a bit depressed.  Then came December it wasn't just my first Christmas without my family around, but my other best friend was giving birth to her first child.  Grey had been my room-mate and side kick.  She was with me through my entire pregnancy with my oldest - she even gained sympathy weight, and was with me in the delivery room when Kelly was born.  She was kind, patient, never complained about the crying, collicky baby screaming her little head off at 2 and 3 a.m.  But I was still okay.  I had my husband, and children, that was why I was here to keep MY family together.  So that my kids wouldn't go for years without seeing their father, and that is what would have happened, had we stayed behind in the U.S. and let Marius come over here alone.

  So everything is going okay, and then rolls in 2010, Marius had finally found work in March of 2010, only it was in Italy, which wasn't ideal, as he would be away from home for months at a time, but it was better than the alternatives of no work at all, or a little work here in Romania working for pretty much nothing.  Or me and the kids being back in the U.S., as I stated earlier.  There was a small glimmer of home that I would be able to fly home in April for my brother's wedding, only I had no one to keep the kids for me, and no funds.  My parents were helping pay for the wedding, and if they bought me a flight, then they wouldn't be able to afford to fly over and see ALL of us in the summer.  So I stayed put in Romania, dad brought his laptop to the wedding and we attempted to have me there via webcam.  Just as the wedding started, the computer overheated and shut down.  I got to see my baby brother in his tux and talk to him prior to the wedding, but I wasn't there, and then I couldn't even see it with the aid of technology. 

  I wasn't there to watch my brother take the steps from boy to man, his transition to being an adult.  At this I was angry, I didn't want to talk to anyone.  Marius called and he was like, it was just a wedding, I missed a lot too.  I yelled at him saying "You never missed anyone's wedding!  You have 2 brothers and a sister, none of whom have had a wedding!  I only have 1, O.N.E. brother, who I helped raise!!!"  He realized there was no way to console me, so he let me vent.  *Have I mentioned how extraordinarily awesome my husband is?!?*

  So I got over it, obviously.  I continued to try to adapt, and eventually found my rhythm.  I found myself learning the language more and more since Marius was no longer with me everyday.  I was beginning to be able to communicate with my mother in law.  MIL are generally not a great thing, at least not here, but even with a language barrier me and Ana get along, she loves me, I help where and when I can.  I try, and I thought she would be the last person I would be able to understand, or have understand me as I muddled my way through the language.  But to my surprise I learned more from her, and she has more patience with me, than most other people.  I went to visit Marius in Italy in June of 2010, and noticed that when I was with him and his room-mates, all the RO I had learned flew out of  my head, I wasn't even trying to understand what they were saying.  I subconsciously knew that he would translate for me.  I hated myself for that.  But I still do it, just a habit I guess. 

  So here I am now exactly 2 years later since first arriving in this country.  It is a beautiful country, and has so much possibility, if crooked politicians would stop lining their pockets with Romania's life blood of it's people.  My language skills are still pretty bad, but I'm getting it slowly, but surely.  My kids are thriving, and my husband is working. 

  It's not fun playing the single-mom to three kids for 48 weeks a year, but it's a choice I've made, and for me it is better to have my husband only a 2 hour flight away instead of a 20 hour plus butt-load of paperwork away.  My kids are getting a better education here, than they would in the U.S.  They are bi-lingual, and will soon be tri-lingual, as I want them to take another language besides English in school.  I want one to take French, another Spanish, and the other to take German.  German is supposedly easier for native English speakers to learn.  My kids are getting an advantage they wouldn't have in the U.S.  They are learning how hard life can be, because here life is extremely hard.  There are people who have to choose whether to buy food, or pay for electricity.

  Yeah, my life is hard, more emotionally, and psychologically hard here than it would be in the U.S.  But honestly I wouldn't change my mind about coming here.  Keeping my family together is more important than anything else.  While I would LOVE more than anything to be able to see my parents and brother and sister in law any time I want, my marriage, and my kids having their father close by is more important.

Marius if you are reading this, I LOVE you with all my heart and wouldn't change a thing about our life, well except for maybe us owning our own apartment instead of renting one!  ;) 

Starting Over (pt.1)

  January 19, 2009,4:00 p.m. Ryan Airport, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.A. 

LOADS of luggage, heavy winter coats, 2 adults, 3 small kids, 5 carry on bags.  My parents, and brother, his girlfriend, and her parents, and siblings standing near the security gate crying our good-bye's.  My kids were somewhat oblivious to what was really going on.  No matter how hard I explained that we were moving for good to Romania, that I wasn't sure if or when we would ever come back to the states, they were fine, which was good.  I was okay, holding it together, that is until my dad hugged me and wouldn't let go. 

  I could feel him holding it in, and I lost it at that point - the tears flowed, no matter how hard I tried to restrain them.  At that moment I had a fear of that being the last time I would ever see my dad's face, his kind eyes, hear is infectious laugh, and be held in strong, safe arms.  Even now thinking back on it, I get bleary eyed.

Fast forward 20 hours: January 20, 2009 4:45 p.m. Otopeni International Airport, Bucuresti, Romania
Feel like I'm in a dream.  Just watched a miracle take place with my husband's Embassy issued Travel Document, and admitting to having been in the U.S. without a visa.  Romanian Border agent fixed husband's problems in the system - so now there was no more problem.  We gather our gagillion pieces of luggage on two carts and head out into the lobby.  There we are greeted by his two brothers and one sister.  Tears of relief, and joy are flowing freely.  My husband hadn't seen his family in over 12 years.

We leave the airport at around 5:30 p.m., seven hours later, at 1 a.m. we arrive to his mother's apartment in the small city of Tulcea.  We begin to start again.  Marius takes me all over the city showing me where he went to school, where he hung out.  I met his childhood friends.  I sat in the back-seat of his brother's small Dacia bracing myself in a daze, from what I was sure was going to be a head on collision due to small streets, and people not knowing how to park properly.  I understood nothing of what was being said.

I call my dad's cell phone to let him know we made it safe and sound, and were home.  It was nearly 2 a.m. in Louisiana, I got his voice mail, and hearing the sound of his voice made me cry.  It was a big adjustment for me.  I was okay for the first 6 months or so, and all it once it all hit me.  I came home from one of the "supermarkets" and screamed at Marius because of people pushing me with their buggies, or standing right on top of me in the check-out line.  The couldn't stand back and let me pay for my items, no they had to peer around to the read out to see my total.

  I walked in, slammed the door, and dropped the bags on the floor, and started yelling "WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?!?"  Marius totally oblivious to what I was talking about, was just sitting there stunned - I never loose it like this.  I explain about the check-out line.  He explains it goes back to when it was communist, and people had to get up before the sun to get in line just to get milk and bread and the stood close to each other to keep people from cutting in line.  I said I understood that, but it wasn't communist anymore.  Then I just started yelling about how everyone was a communist - to which Marius jumps up and just holds me close. 

I wouldn't admit it to him, heck, I could barely admit it to myself, but I hated it here, I wanted to go home.  I hated everything, and everyone.  I would sit in the bathroom and cry, because I didn't know what else to do.  What it really boiled down to, was my fear of never seeing my parents again, especially my dad.  I didn't realize that was where my anger and frustration was coming from until they came to visit us in August. 

They arrived in Bucuresti, we met them at the airport, when my dad hugged me, it was similar to the hug he gave me when we left, but this time, it was "I'm holding my little girl again" hug, not a "I'm sending my little girl off into the unknown" hug.  We were all of us crying, and everyone at the airport was staring at us.  They just don't display affection like that here - I didn't care, I had my dad with me again, even if only for a week or so.

When they left, I was okay, I was at peace within.  My fear of never seeing my dad again disappeared in the airport.  I would love to see my dad's house, to sleep under his roof again, and that might still happen one day.

I had spent 8 months in a foreign place trying to understand the language the cultural difference.  Getting some of it, but missing most.  I watched as my kids quickly adapted and learned a new language.  I watched as my oldest daughter started school in a new country, while still learning new words in phrases in a language she had learned only 6 months earlier. He aptitude for language astonished me.  She was fluent within 2 months of our arrival!  My middle child learned the after resisting to learn for six months, but once she let go, and decided to learn it, she was just as quick.  My son, my baby was only 18 months old when we moved here, he was still learning English - he stopped speaking all together for a while.  Now he is speaking both - not great at his pronunciation, but he understands and speaks both!

Loss for Words??

  So in my last post I mentioned Americans abroad and their behavior.  One that struck me as quite profound, is the 'like' lack of education among the younger generation.

  As my husband and I were walking back to the bus station in Portovenere, we past a group of men, one of the men who was speaking was  twenty-something man from the northern parts of the U.S. - he had the accent, ya know?

  Anyway, he was talking rather loudly (as Americans tend to do), and I swear to you every other second or third word was the word 'like'!

  I was suddenly aware of my generations lack of the vernacular when verbally communicating.  I know that I have been guilty of that in the past, back when I was in my early twenties.  Maybe it's an age thing?!?

  I wanted to turn around and tell him "DUDE!  Use your words!!"  I mean if you are comparing something you could say "The taste was similar to that of a ...."  instead of saying " It was like the taste of like a...."

....do you see what I mean.  My auditory and mental sense felt like they had just been brutally assaulted!  And I felt embarrassed for not just him, but myself and other people my age and especially younger.  It's like we all watched "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" or "Valley Girls" and the movie never stopped playing in our subconscious mind.

Americans Abroad

  Yes, I've been living overseas in Europe's old Eastern Bloc for going on 2 years now, however, where I am in this little Romanian city, I don't really happen upon American tourists much, NEVER really.  There are a lot of German and occassionaly some Asian toursits here in our quiet little city.

  Italy though, is a whole different ballgame.  I was there last week visiting my husband.  We took a train to Monterossa al Mare - about a 10 min. ride from where he lives and works in La Spezia.  There was a LARGE group of American tourists - all around retirement age, while they were nice and respectful in most aspects - they were also rather loud and somewhat obnoxious.  I suddenly realized that I don't like Americans!!!  While most are kind and well behaved, there are those that spoil it for the rest of us.  Those that think that because they ARE Americans, everyone should make way for them.  Those are the ones who make my life hell - because then all the locals in these European places, think that all Americans are like that first one they encountered!  Grrrrrr......

  Life in Europe, especially in Italy definitely moves at a somewhat slower pace.  For example - don't even attempt to get any type of shopping done between the hours of 1-3:30 p.m. Everything is closed for lunch!  The whole month of August - the country shuts down for vacation!  It's insane, cool but insane.  I did notice that bars and pubs don't stay open past like 10 p.m.  There are a few here and there that do, but for the most part, nope, if you want to party - do it at home!  I like that.  It's like that here too, at least in Tulcea.  Maybe in the bigger cities like Rome, Milan, Bucharest, etc.  Maybe there are places that do stay open till the wee hours of the morning, but they are few and far between.

  I understand why Europeans generally don't like Americans, and why they overcharge them for items (that is not right in my book), but at the same time, it's more of a jealousy issue.  Even as badly as the American immigration & judical system treated my husband, he still LOVES America and everything about it.  Sometimes I wish I could be so forgiving.....

....to put it bluntly I'm pissed at my own country.  My husband made mistakes, yes, he paid the price for those mistakes, but yet, they still denied him legal entrance into the U.S. Forget the taxes he paid!

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

....No I didn't go to Vegas and win a big hand at Black-Jack.

I actually suck  money butt at card playing, even when it's just for toothpicks - God help me if I ever have loads of food stuck between my teeth and the only option to getting a tooth pick depends upon my winning at Texas Hold 'Em or Black Jack!  I'll have a teeth full of food - gross!!!

No, day before yesterday, I came home with the kids from school, and stayed outside with them for a little while, so they could run off some of that pent up energy.

While I'm sitting there watching the kids, and the expression on the faces of the neighbor's kids when they hear me talk - cause I'm an alien, who speaks in funny sounding language!

...seriously, that is how they look at me.  However I'm pretty sure I'm the best looking alien they've ever seen, I mean my skin isn't green or anything.  I'm a non-mutie type o' gal!  They even laugh when I talk, and ask my kids "Ce zic?" (what'd she say?)

So anyway, as I'm sitting there minding my own business (actually trying to mind other people's too, but language barrier sucks), one of the neighbors in the adjoining building starts talking to me.

He's an older guy, wearing a funny wanna-be cowboy type hat, tinted glasses (sort of a rosy/red tint) that happen to blend perfectly with that 'I've got a drinking problem complexion'.  PLUS he's missing teeth.

...don't I feel oh so special?

So he's talking to me, I can't understand him, not just cause of language barrier, but the lack of teeth, compounded with massive quantities of either wine or beer.  Isabel can't understand what he's saying either, and she's fluent in RO!

He keeps invading my personal space (which is one of my pet peeves), and then he asks me how old I am, was shocked to find out I'm over 30, he thought I was like 24 (he did score brownie points there).  He then compliments my blue eyes, and proceeds to tell me his wife is gone, and his kids are in England.

After he's said all this, as well as other stuff, of which I have no clue.  Out comes a couple who just got married Saturday, I believe he was trying to tell me they were leaving for their honeymoon, as he made the international body language sign for 'bedroom wrestling'.

Thankfully my 3 year old son LOVES his mommy, about a minute after this "sign language" took place, Paul runs over to me, wraps himself around my leg looks up at the old man and pointedly tells him:

"Mommy mea! My Mommy!"

I got out of there as quick as possible.  I wasn't scared and didn't feel threatened or anything like that, I actually found it humorous, but as I could smell some sort of alcoholic beverage on his breath, I decided that it would be better if I got the heck out of dodge as quickly as possible lest he start thinking I was enjoying his advances.

So lucky me, I won the "chicken dinner": being hit on by old man with no teeth, stinky breath, in a foreign language!

Now, aren't ya jealous???

Definitve Seasons

  Today has been a really beautiful day, not in the typical sense, as sun shining, birds singing, flowers blooming etc.  Today was overcast, and kinda gloomy looking, but the weather was perfect.  Not too hot, nor too chilly, there was a sweet fragrance blowing in the air today.  It was nearly magical.  And it got me thinking about the difference between here and South Louisiana.

  Yeah, if I hadn't mentioned it before I grew up in Baton Rouge.  There are no definitive seasons in Louisiana, there is warm (for winter), and standing at the gates of Hell (for summer).  But here, like today, you feel the change in the seasons.  It gradually cools down, you notice the birds starting to migrate further south towards Turkey and Greece as fall starts setting in.  The trees actually turn color and the leaves fall.  Winter here is totally depressing, everything is dead, the sun is never out, it's always gray and overcast.  But then in March, the sun peeps it's head out more and more, the green buds can be seen on the trees, the grass starts growing, the birds start flying back in to their homes in the Delta Danube.  The weather is nice and warm in the day, in the evening a light shawl does wonders.  Then summer hits, kids playing soccer, old men sitting in the park watching the young girls in short shorts and short skirts sashay by - which is really funny!

  Today felt nostalgic, you know one of those days that you know will always stick with you, like the day your children are born, the day you get married, graduate from college, get that first BIG, cool job.  It was like that, only without all the coolness, or excitement factor.  It was just something that I know will always stick with me, just for the sheer fact that it was a little thing that showed me the difference of where I come from, all the things I think I KNEW, and where I am now, and learning that I never really KNEW much at all!

Orange & Windows 7 - GAG!

  Okay, so I've mentioned *ahem* on occassion that my internet takes trips to the "coffee" houses in Amsterdam.  That connection comes to me through a 2 yr. contract courtesy of Orange Mobile; a company owned and operated by someone in France.  Okay, nothing against the French, cause they have wonderful food, and wonderful wine (at least I've heard), and of course Paris is the epicenter for fashion, isn't it?!?  But technology is Not their bag, baby, yeah.... Okay, I jumped the pond a bit there, sorry!

  I and my husband have both called the customer service center for the internet section of Orange Mobile on several occasions, especially when experience frustrating service, or rather lack there of.  Fortunately contract expires in April, not soon enough for me though!  I hate HAVING to pay for something that doesn't work properly!  I miss capitalism, and people who actually understand the concept of Customer Service! If your job, or circumstances necessitate a move to Europe in the near future, do yourself a favor:  Steer Clear of Orange!!!  I mean give them a WIDE Berth! 

  I have contacted my cable comctpany via email, cause I don't think anyone in my local office speaks English.  Anyway I've contacted them to see about getting DSL connected in my home; added to my TV contract.  That email went to Bucuresti, waiting for reply!  I desperately need better internet connection, as I'm starting to do the virtual telecommuting!!!  God Help Me!

  Now on to Windows 7.  WHY did Microsoft change??  XP was perfect, all they had to do was keep XP, just update the appearance.  I got my Dell notebook back from Dell Service Center in Bucuresti, where they put in a new Motherboard, and made my secondary HDD, my primary one. The old primary HDD (that contained all my pics, etc.) fried when the MB fried.  Anyway, I did have Vista Home Premium on old HDD, for some reason or other the idiots @ Dell decided I should have Windows 7 - they did this so they could charge me another couple hundred bucks for licensing, etc.  My BIL lives in Bucuresti - so he dealt with them.  He got the notebook and told them to jump off a bridge, he wasn't paying them for that!  I wouldn't wanna tangle with my BIL - he's like 6'5, and 220 lbs. easy.  His job is a bodyguard to the guy transporting money for companies and banks, etc.  He was an MP for the RO military as well!

  My point - Avoid Windows 7 & Orange Telecom at all costs, unless you have a wish to be bald!!!

Family Time

 
 So my hubby just left for Italy to go back to work yesterday.  Having him here was both wonderful, and exasperating at the same time.  Wonderful, cause well my family unit was once again together and a UNIT, even if only for nearly 2 weeks!  Exasperating, cause my hubby is a perfectionist, and I'm, well... NOT!  I'm just not nearly as anal retentive as he is about things.

  I think the thing that drives me nuts the most, is that he dresses me.  My mom sent me some really cute shorts from Old Navy, I like them, they aren't short-shorts, they fall just about 1.5 inches above the knee, they fit me, like they aren't too baggy or too tight, they FIT!  But he don't like them!  He says they don't look good on me, that I need a tan!  No matter how many times I explain to him, that freckled red heads don't tan, that they just burn and freckle up even more - he don't get it!

  As for fashion, well I'm still in comfortable, S.Louisiana, Cajun-girl mode.  I've yet to delve too deeply into the world of Euro fashion, mainly cause it scares the living be-jeezus out of me! I mean, do you remember the Z.Cavarrichi's back in the day, you know those pants that had the crotch that hung down to the knees???  My grandmother FORBID me to wear them!  I now understand why!  Well they are alive and well and thriving over in Italy - GAG!!!  Haven't really seen them here in RO, but I'm sure they'll show up eventually!  Here the women like obnoxious colored hair, I know I've mentioned this on another post, but it really is amazing.  Reminds me of that opening scene in 'Notting Hill' where Hugh Grant's character is describing his neighborhood, which includes the hair dresser where everyone comes out looking like the Cookie Monster, whether they wanted to or not....it's something like that; only not quite as nostalgic!  Needless to say I haven't even attempted going to a hair salon here!  I'm generally not scared of anything, especially getting my hair cut, cause hey it's hair, it DOES grow back, but these gals over here, and their hair-do's and hair color, yeah, I'll admit it, I'm SCEERED of what, or rather who, lurks behind the doors of those Frizziere's!!!! (Hair Salon in RO)!


  So yeah, he kinda gets on my nerves with the clothing thing!!!  But also, I never seem to do certain things the right way - his way!!!  No wonder all my hair is rapidly turning white!  That sounds harsh and unloving.  I do LOVE Marius with everything in me, if I didn't, why on earth would I subject myself and my kids to living in THE poorest country in Europe?!?

  Speaking of the kids, they were the 3 most adorable, well behaved, and obedient children while he was home.  No lie, the morning he left - it was like he took all the goodness with him!  Now they are back to fighting with each other, and not listening to me.  Today, my oldest did however get up and CLEAN their room without being asked!  I obviously praised her for that, as I want that kind of behavior to continue.  There is just something about the father's in family - the kids listen to their dad's no matter what!  Mom's, eh, mom, schmom - they're push-over's and door mats, doncha know?!?  Heaven help me!

  Internet connection is acting like it's going to through with drawls, which it very well may be - I cut off it's crack supply!!!  : p  So as soon as it gets to acting normal, or I can get my DSL connected (this week hopefully, gonna need it for virtual telecommuting gig), I will upload some photos of Marius and the kids - and no, I'm not really in any of them - I'm the shutter bug in the family!  : D

If it ain't 1 thing, it's 20.....

  So my day started off rather uneventful, apart from sibling rivalry.  Fed kids breakfast and lunch, then at about 1:30 left to go get some things from the farmer's market, which is about a 10 min. drive.  Me and kids leave, go to the market, take another 10-15 min. to get what I need, hop back in the car, drive home.  Get home and walked across the street of apartment building to the little store, grabbed a 2.5L of Pepsi, some tomato sauce.  As I'm leaving the store, my freaky little neighbor (mighta mentioned him another post, if not I'll extrapolate in another post why he is weird), anyway, freaky neighbor dude says something about my apartment and water.  My five year old  translates as best she could, but she's not really paying attention.  I shuffle the kids across the  street, while toting a sack of groceries that weighs about 15 pounds, and up  2 flights of stairs.

  There's water on the stairs, and neighbors in front of my door.  I get that water is leaking from my apartment, but I was not expecting what I found when I opened my door.  There was 3 inches or so of water all in my apartment.  It didn't quite make it all the way into the one bedroom or the living room, but it started to.  It was all in the bathroom, kitchen and entrance & hall way.  They have shut off the water to the building.  They turn it back on, and we find that it is coming from under my kitchen sink.  I'm standing at my sink, wildly turning the knobs to the pipes to make sure my water in the kitchen is indeed off.  I didn't leave water running either, so please save those comments!

  So there I am standing at the kitchen sink, and I  just loose it.  I just broke down crying - not hysterically or even uncontrollably, but just crying.  You know, the tears you hold back and bottle up when things go south sometimes?!?  Well the flood gates opened.  My neighbors are standing in my doorway talking to each other, trying to talk to me.  I walk to the door, there's 2 men standing there talking to me, and I finally say, through the tears "Nu intelegti nimic!!!"  That translates, I don't understand anything!  Then in English I just simply say "I wanna go home, I just wanna go home!"  I felt like a 5 year old, who just got their butt whooped by the school bully!  I briefly pulled it together, and found my landlord's number in my cell phone, dialed it, handed the phone to one  of the men talking at me and said "Proprietor, explicat el" - landlord, explain it to him.

  They explain, I understand landlord is on his way.  They give me the phone back, I then call my husband, whose working in Italy - cause these neighbors are asking when my husband will be home, I try to explain he's working in Italy - they don't understand me.  Hubby answers the phone, I hear loud noises in the background, he's at work, in a shipyard.  I have to yell for him to hear and understand me.  At this point I'm not crying anymore, but the moment I have to start yelling, I break again.  He in turn gets worried, tells me to calm down, asks me why I'm crying, and I let loose on him:  "I'm crying because I'm in a place where I don't understand anyone, and they don't understand me, and everything is backwards.  Think back to when you first came to the U.S. and no one understood you, and you didn't understand them, and everything worked differently!"  But it was different for him, he was with a lot of other Romanians.  So he had people to talk to, I have no one, just my kids!

  Anyway, landlord arrives, they find the busted pipe/tube, whatever, we start scooping and dumping the water, take all the rugs outside.  The neighbors are helping.  My kids, especially 3 year old is trying to help, but getting in the way.  I've stopped crying, momentarily, and am helping rid the apartment of water.  By this time, the neighbors have figured out from my crying rant at my husband that this was the straw that broke the camel's back for me!  After several hours, the water is cleaned up, the pipes/tubes are repaired, landlord is not mad at me (thank goodness), and all is right, for now.  Called hubby, and had nice, calm conversation, apologized for the tear-fest, but he understood, and is thankful for such a wonderful wife, who left all behind to follow him to keep their family together!

  Okay, now I know you are thinking, okay, it was just a busted pipe, and yeah, you're in a different country, but there was no need to cry.  But lately, it's been one thing after another.  About 2 months ago, my laptop, a big monster of a thing broke, wouldn't turn on.  Turned out to be a bad motherboard, which fried one of my hard drives.  So I just spent about $4-500 fixing that.  Gas in the car, bills left and right.  A mother in law who likes to stay in everyone's business and create drama!  No friends to talk to, a husband working in another country because this one has no work for him!  Hot weather, no air conditioning, washing clothes by hand, and 3 kids who fight with each other, don't listen to me, and keep my house looking like the wreck of the Hesperus.  It could have been worse though, this could have happened over the weekend while I was at the beach in Constanta, 2 hours away!  So I guess in a way, I was lucky.

  Today was just the day that it became too much to deal with anymore!  Ever have one of those days, if you say no, then you are either lying to me, or to yourself; take your pick!  But what's really bad, is after I've cried at my hubby, gotten all the water scooped up, I'm mopping while the neighbor is fixing the pipes, the tears slowly start falling, not out of frustration, but this time out of anger - anger at my own country for putting me in this situation.  Yes, my hubby hand a hand in it too, but we didn't meet the burden of proof for Political Asylum.  Yes, I'm angry at the U.S. because it sent 4 of it's own to a foreign country just to make an example out of one person, a person, who if you needed it would give you everything he had, including a kidney or liver!  But the U.S. doesn't want people like him, they want gang-banging, drug running thugs from Mexico!

  Okay, I'm done, cause now I'm just getting myself really ticked off, and I don't want that, right now, I just want to eat my dinner that should be done in a little while, eat and read the rest of book three of a series of 7, then go to bed!

Rain, Rain Go Away...

  So I  got up Friday morning and made the 2 hour drive to Constanta to visit my husband's aunt, uncle, cousin, his wife and son.  As soon as me and the kids got in the car to leave Tulcea, the rain started - no exaggerating.  It literally POURED, and of course the idiot drivers here, scare me to death during good weather, imagine my nerves in the pouring rain  through winding roads, yes the highway has these hairpin curves - it's crazy, and people think it's totally cool to pass someone in a curve - MORONS!  Thankfully the kids sat still and quiet in the backseat, maybe because I threatened to pull the car over and wear out thier heinies if they didn't stay seated and buckled up!  My 3 year old son wat the only one who wouldn't stay in a seat belt, yeah, I know, but, what ya goona do?!? 

  I was hoping to take the kids to the beach, and take tons of pictures, but the rain kinda of prevented that, maybe when I go back from them in 2  weeks it won't be raining, I don't know we shall see!  It was pouring rain when I got back from  Italy 3 weeks ago, it rained so much that the Danube river has spilled over into the city, people who live in the lower laying areas of the city are flooded out of their apartments and houses.  THe city is giving those whose hourses are flooded free rooms in local hotels that include meals, some family showed up at my mother in law's house last night evidentally to stay with her instead of going to a hotel.  This irritated my MIL to no end.  My MIL is a piece of work, she has her good points, as well as her irritating ones.

  Anyway, so it has been raining non stop here.  It's good cause it helps cool it off a bit, however I don't think this part of Romania has seen this much rain in YEARS.  I'm ready for it to stop, I would like to take my son to the lake to swim while his sisters are staying with their G.Aunt, Uncle & cousins in Constanta for the next 2  weeks.

Picnic Postponed, next, Beach

  So the trip to the woods for a picnic got cancelled, much to my relief.  I don't much care for sitting in the woods trying to grill, while being eaten alive by Dracula's minuscule cousins, commonly known as mosquitos! 

 But next weekend, I get to make the 2 hour drive to Constanta to see  my husband's Aunt, who very desperately wants my middle child to stay with them again this summer.  I probably shouldn't  because all sorts of hellish drama will ensue with my mother in law, who isn't speaking to her sister, for what reason, I don't know, and honestly don't care.  I don't like being put in the middle of something, especially when I don't know what is going on - they tell me, but I don't understand everything they say!  Why can't this be like the Matrix, where I just jack into some computer program and download a language program to help me communicate?!?  Where is Johnny Mneumonic when ya need him???  WAIT, Keanu Reeves was lead character in that movie too, come to think of it, I think Matrix was just a better written script of that movie, which TANKED!

  Anywho, so I'm  headed to the beach next weekend, where hopefully there won't be too many women parading around topless - one of the things that annoys me about living in Europe - they are too liberal about nudity!
 
  Fun, 2 hours with screaming kids in the back seat, on REALLY bad roads!  I kid you not there are pot holes the size of small towns over here!  The E.U. sucks monkey butt, I tell ya!  November is just around the corner people - vote the commies out, especially Pelosi & Reid.  If you can find a way to 86 Obama, get on it!  So that's it of my political Tirade!  Will try to get some pretty shots of where I am going, which is a little town at the northern end of the coast in Constanta.  The little town is called  Eforie  Nord - reminds me a lot of Galveston, only slightly less cleaner.  Not sure why these people can't wrap their heads around keeping the streets cleaned, and grass cut.  There is a reason the rest of Europe thinks of Romania as one huge trash heap.....But there are some really very beautiful places to be seen here.  A lot of things are still done the way they were hundreds of years ago, which is really awesome in my opinion, but hey that's just me!  I'm not against industry and progression,  but I find it sad when we loose some of the old ways, the ways that paved the way for progress and invention!

  So if internet connection cooperates, I should be posting more photos next week, we'll see how my candid shots of people come out.  I need to branch out to animate objects instead of focusing on the inanimate ones.  Then again there isn't a lot of cool inanimate objects to really capture where I'm going.  Ah well, C'est la vie, eh?!? 

Nooby Photographer does Italy....

  So I just got a brand new Canon Rebel XS with a 15-55 mm & 70-300mm lenses.  It's totally a beginners camera, but I love it.  Beautiful shots no matter what!
  Let me just say, I have absolutely NO clue what f/stops, metering and exposure and all that "shop talk" pros use!  I got the camera just in time for my 1 week trip to see my husband in  Italy.  I took 757 photos, not including the ones I deleted because they just came out crappy!

  Out of all those shots there were a handful of really awesome shots, great lighting, composition, etc.  My "eye"  really developed as the week progressed, and of course it's easy to shoot inanimate objects.  I guess that's the learning curve for us noobies - shoot things that don't move!  So here are a few of  my favorites.

 Leaning Tower of Pisa

The chuch and other buildings at Pisa

A cross on the fence in front of a church in La Spezia

The Cross on the top of the church in La Spezia

A Water Fountain & Sculpture in one of the Piazas in La Spezia

I have a thing for doors, light posts, etc.  evidentally I kept shooting them, this is one, that came out exceptionally well, imho

I fell in love with this sculpture in Piazza Europa in La Spezia

This is the same sculptor.  I love the angel stepping on the man's head.

These are their water fountains.  They're so unique...

A little light house at the end of the pier.  I liked how the lamps are lining the way

A water fountain in a memorial park.

This building had some gorgeous reliefs and sculptors all over it.  I loved these empty soldier suits with the evening sun hitting them!

Tunnel Vision

View of flowers with surf crashing on the rocks in the background at Larici Castle in Larici, Italia

Insert theme song from "Titanic" here!  Also from Larici Castle

Hubby took this one.  Not sure why Larici Castle had a statue of a dinosaur, but I decided to kiss him!  He was kinda cute!  ;p

The castle ruins in La Spezia

I liked the way they had the tables set at this cafe

Same table, just zoomed in.

Last, but certainly not least, my wonderful husband, without whom Italy would not have been as wonderful as it was! 

Italy, here I come!

  So I leave my hometown of Tulcea in the morning at 9 am to make a 2 hour drive to Mihail Kogalincheanu Airport, in Constanta.  My flight takes off at 1:10  p.m., and by 5:00 p.m. tomorrow evening, I'll be hugging my hubby for the fist time 3 months! 


  Marius and I have been together for a total of 7 years.  We "celebrated" our 6 year wedding anniversary May 7th.  Of course since he was there and I was here, it was a phone call that went something like this: "Happy Anniversary, I love &  miss you.  Okay outta credit,  talk later!"  In the 7 years we've been together we have NEVER had 1 whole week to ourselves.  My oldest child, is not his biologically, she was God's way of getting me back into the "fold".  You can say what you want about my past life, yeah I made mistakes, and she is a product of my sin and mistakes, but if you dare to call her an Abomination in the eyes of God (yes, someone once told me that to my face, happened to be a v. old, v. close friend of the family), I WILL come through the internet connection and beat you over the head with your own bible!  Yeah, I know, not Christ like behavior, but hey, what can I say, I get a bit hurt and offended when someone calls an innocent child "trash"!  Anyway, back to my point.  We have never had more than 1-2 days completely alone with each other.  So we are totally going to enjoy this week, belatedly celebrating 6 years together.

  In our 6 years of marriage we've dealt with more hard times that would normally destroy most marriages, than most couples experience in a lifetime!  But because we keep God in the center, and always talk to each other openly, and honestly, our trials have only made our love stronger!  We don't go to bed angry with each other.  We talk about everything before making any decisions, and he always makes the decision!

  Anyway, so when I get back, hoping my internet connection will have laid off the crack pipe so that I'll be able to post some wonderful pics from my short visit to the Tuscan area of Italy.  La Spezia, Genoa, and Pisa are where we will be visiting! 

  I can't wait to see a country I have ALWAYS wanted to visit with my wonderful husband!  Pray for me to have a safe flight there and back, and I'll see you on the flip side!

Living in Darkness, Dying in the Light.

 

  The title of this post is a line spoken by Ben Kingsley’s character in the 2008 movie “Transiberrian”.  He spoke this in response to Woody Harelson’s  character’s question of if he misses the dark, evil days of Communism.  Living in one of the old Eastern Bloc countries, makes this statement ring true, very loud, and long.

  Democracy and capitalism doesn’t seem to work here.  Honestly, what they run in Europe isn’t really Democracy, which never worked any,  which is why the founders of the U.S. instituted a Republic, cause history had shown repeatedly that Democracy is nothing more than mob rule.  What they have in Europe is Socialized Democracy, sure you have freedom of speech, religion, etc. but not the freedom to pursue happiness, because the people are overworked, severely underpaid, and OVERLY taxed.  I mean we have a 19% VAT – that Value Added Tax added to every purchase, that’s on top of other taxes as well.

  My husband, his friends, and the older people have told me what it was like when Nicolae Ceacescu was in power here.  Yes there was food rationing, electricity wasn’t switched on till the sun went down, and of course there was no freedom of the press, you only got a few hours of Television in a day.  People today would DIE without TV!  Books of course were censored, etc. 

   However there was positive, none of the land went to waste – every square inch of this country was plowed, seeded and harvested.  EVERYONE worked!  During Harvest the school aged kids would be sent out to the fields for a week or two to help harvest.  They were given sleeping quarters and 3 full meals a day.  At the end of the harvest, the kids were given some of the harvest to bring home to their mothers, who would then freeze it, or make juices, wines, or jams.  The company you worked for bought you an apartment when you married, as your family grew, the company bought a bigger apartment.  When the revolution happened, you had to buy the apartment from the company, which was pretty cheap, but with the value of the Romanian Leu falling, it was expensive.  My mother and father in law had a pretty hefty sum of money saved up for their retirement, after the revolution is was pretty much worthless.  they bought a new and some other things for the house.

  If you didn’t work, you went to jail, in jail you learned a skill, when you came out (it wasn’t a lengthy stay), if you couldn’t find a job, the state found one for you!  When you had a baby, you stayed home for a year, with pay, with your child.  Your job was held for you.  Kids played outside! 

  Yes, in Communism there is no God, but the people, especially the older people who were alive pre-Communism, taught their children about God.  The Orthodox church was still allowed to run, out of tradition, and of course the state used the priests as spies to inform on their parishioners who attended regularly, who questioned the state in confessionals, etc.  Yes, there were some truly despicable things that were done in the name of Communism, the late Richard Wurmbrand suffered cruelly at the hands of the Communist regime in Romania because of his faith in Christ.  He wrote a great book called “Tortured For Christ” the goes into detail about how Communism targeted the underground church.

  Despite the bad, there are people here, mainly the people my age and older who actually miss Communism, not for the oppression, but because things seemed to be better then economically, etc.  My husband has told me about when he was young he remembers when Ceasescu was coming to visit, suddenly the markets were FULL of fresh fruits, vegetables, household goods, etc., stuff that normally wasn’t found in the market.  Not because it wasn’t there, but because the farmers, or people running the markets, wouldn’t sell it normally, they hoarded it or sold it for higher prices on the black market.  Ceasescu wanted to know that the people he was governing were well, that they were living well.  In the construction industry, the large trucks, and machines were given a quota of so many gallons of diesel to use every month, if they didn’t use it all, they were in HUGE trouble.  Marius said BARRELS of Diesel were being dumped, because the workers weren’t using it all, mainly because they were loafing.  Yeah bank accounts were monitored, if you suddenly had a huge amount of money in the bank, you were investigated. 

  Communism/Socialism, it’s all great in theory, but in practice, it’s disaster for the most part.  Why???  Well because the heart of man is wicked.  Communists and Karl Marx yelled about the evils of Capitalism.  But the same thing happens in Communism, because there will always be people making those power grabs.  They get dirt, blackmail, lie, cheat, steal and even murder to get more ahead, usually financially, and when you have the financial resources, you can gain power, after all money is what makes the world go round!   Yeah it would be nice if we were all equal, that there were no social classes, but even at the height of Communism, there were still the rich, middle class, and the poor.  

  I don’t think Communism is the right answer for any country, not as long as evil runs free in the hearts and minds of men.  I believe that is why God didn’t institute a formal type government in Israel.  It was only after the cry of the Israelites begging to be like other nations that he instituted the Judges, then the Kings, and we see what happened.  Look at history, ALWAYS the wars are started over a power grab!  Money=Power, and visa versa!

Parents just don’t understand, errr…speak the same language…..

  So, the major disadvantage to living in a place where you don’t speak the language is my kids.  My kids, the oldest two at least are fluent in Romanian, and I’m not.  This has become a major obstacle for me, and an easy escape for my oldest, who quickly figured out that in this case mom really doesn’t understand.  In fact, I’m quite clueless.

  She can tell me that my mother in law said one thing, when she really didn’t say anything of the kind.  Her teacher said she needs money for this, when really she doesn’t need any.  I get it, kids are sneaky, but factor in a language barrier on my part, and it’s a whole new ballgame.  I don’t know anyone who can relate to me, as everyone I know is either back home in the U.S. or they are here and speak both English and Romanian, not to mention probably one to three more languages on top of these two!

  I’m slowly getting the hang of the language.  I mean I’m getting to where I can understand it more when I hear it spoken.  Speaking it back is  a horse of a different color.  The thing is though, I still am not good enough that my kids know that they can pull the wool over my eyes in a lot of cases.

  My oldest daughter is a sweet heart, but she’s 7, and since we’ve been here she’s been give a lot of independence, and maybe that is what missing link to her behavior lately.  I won’t go into details, but it isn't good!  Back home I would never have let her walk to the top of our neighborhood to go to the store there to buy some milk or loaf of bread.  Cause it just wasn’t safe, she could get kidnapped, hit by a car, attacked by a dog, etc. Here though, nobody messes with the kids, dogs are everywhere, and the only people they seem to attack are they gypsies, which although politically incorrect, is quite amusing!  Anyway, I can give her a few bucks and send her down the stairs, across a fairly busy street and into the store to buy me some bread or milk, or whatever I might need to finish what I’m cooking.  At her grandmother’s she can walk up the hill and across another street and go to the park.  She walks herself to and from school every day.  It takes about 5 minutes to walk there, if that gives you any ideas as to distance. 

  So is it the language barrier coupled with gotten too soon independence that is wrecking havoc in my domestic felicity, or just growing pains – part of growing up?  I think it’s the former.  In the States she was sheltered, didn’t go anywhere on her own, never out of my eye sight,  We didn’t live in a good school district, and the school she would have had to attend was a bad school, so we homeschooled.  Here she can come and go pretty much as she pleases [within reason], she goes to public school, seems to make friends easily, and makes good grades.    

  So why is this parent just not understanding???

Cracker

  I always loved the song “Euro-Trash Girl” by Cracker.  Not sure why, but I always wanted to be someone’s Euro-Trash girl, but new that would never happen, because, well, I’m American, not European.  So now, I guess I’m my husband’s something-trash girl!  LOL!!!

  Maybe it’s because I have always wanted to travel and see the world, especially Europe, and here I am in the far eastern corners of the continent!  Going to Italy at the end of June to see said spouse, as he is there working in La Spezia, which is about 30 minutes from Pisa, yes, as in the leaning tower of.  Here are a few snapshots of him at the tower, which I hope to get to go see while there.  He has a friend who lives in Venice, and if time and money permit, we may hop a train for a weekend visit to Venice, take a Gondola ride under the Bridge of Sighs at sunset – ever see the movie with teenage Diane Lane, and very old Lawrence Oliver called “A Little Romance”?  If so, you know what I am referring to!

So here are a few pics, and maybe by the time I die, I actually will be a Euro-Trash girl, ahem, lady, even though I have no idea what the term Euro-Trash actually means.  It doesn’t sound very nice, but for some reason or other, I wanna be one!  Silly Americans!

The Leaning tower of Pisa:

La Spezia:

Health For All....

So obviously the Health Care Bill is major news this week, with it's passage. I'm upset that Sen. Stupak didn't stand his ground for life. Instead he caved to an Executive Order promising that no tax payer dollars will fund abortions. The E.O. isn't worth the paper it's written on, according to many attorneys. If Obama has intention of upholding the order, why was the signing of that not broadcast world-wide?? Also, a tel-tale sign is the fact that the heads of the Abortion industry, Planned Parenthood for example, were surrounding the president when signed the massive 2,000 plus page tax hike, er, Health Care Bill!!

Besides the total disregard for human life in it's weakest state, is the effect that this bill will undoubtedly have on the already frail American economy. The taxes for this bill go into effect IMMEDIATELY, with little to no benefits available to John & Susie Q. Taxpayer anytime soon, or if ever. The people who will immediately "benefit" will be the people already living off of tax dollars.

I understand that some people are down on their luck, working their tails off to make ends meet, and for them, I say help them all you want! But to give insurance to Illegal Immigrants, who aren't paying taxes, Welfare recipients who aren't even trying to work, I say, WTC are you guys in D.C. smoking??? Being married to an immigrant, it's hard for me to come down on illegals. But if they can prove where they pay taxes every year with a tax payer ID number, then I don't have a problem with them benefiting for something they are obviously paying for!

I know too many people who are self-employed, or small business owner's. Their taxes are about to go through the roof, and the people that they do employ are going to have to be let go, to compensate for the money they will have to pay out in new taxes. What is this going to do to the economy - sink it even more, because the unemployment and bankruptcy rate is going to sky-rocket like Apollo 13!

Another thing, Medicaid and Medicare are government run Health Insurance Programs - they are failing, MISERABLY! My kids were on Medicaid, and the doctors sucked. Need to see a specialist - GOOD LUCK with that!

The U.K., Canada and other Social Health Programs have high mortality rates. Their income taxes are high, and so are their sales taxes. They are literally taxed to death. I live in a country that has the same type system. Yeah, your medical visits are free, and you get a discount on your prescriptions, but if you need any kind of surgery, you have to pay out of your own pocket. Don't believe me, I'll go get sworn affidavits from hundreds of people throughout the city I live in!

Instead of passing this bill, why not start with Tort Reform. And how about capping what hospitals can charge for medications and equipment. I mean, hello, $4.00 for a Tylenol pill?!? Seriously??? What about giving Hospitals and doctors tax breaks for treating patients with no insurance and low incomes?? It's called Charity for a reason, oh wait that's right, Obama did away with tax breaks for charitable giving right after he was sworn in.... Okay, well what about Capping costs for prescriptions. It doesn't take that much money to produce these things, but the mark up is like 110% of the manufacturing cost. I mean, I understand they have to make a profit, to pay their taxes, employees, etc., but instead of a 110% mark-up, how about only like 30% mark-up! How about Rewarding the medical industry by having them use natural sources of medicine. Instead of just treating the symptoms with man-made chemicals, i.e. prescriptions, how about CURING the illness with Natural substances?!? Geee, maybe cause Uncle Sam would start losing all that money the drug companies give them through kick backs.

And if this legislation is so great, how come the president, congressmen, and senators and their families are all exempt from it?!? Can anyone say Communism?!? Cause this is exactly what the Socialists and Communists did!

Mrs. Haversham...

So after I first moved to Europe last year, one of the first things I noticed was that the women here (Romania anyway) dye their hair unnatural colors. I mean, honestly, they look like they've let The Muppet's, or Sesame Street characters color their hair for them.

Anyway, we had been in Tulcea for a bout a month. My husband and I walked to the grocery store to grabs some things for his mom, cause well, we WERE staying with her. I waited by the door, while he went and got what was needed. Side note: aisles there are SMALL and tight, and people are rude, or rather have no concept of 'personal space', etc. So as I'm standing by the doors waiting, a little girl comes in, followed by a woman in a black and white Hounds-tooth print (large print) jacket, black skirt, sagging black stocking and black knee boots. But the HAIR, MY GOD, The Hair! The woman probably quadrupled the size of the hole in the Ozone that morning alone! Twisted Sister could a taken some lessons. The make up wasn't that bad, it was heavy, but not freakish. But the hair horrendous, and gave me a quick flash to Dickens character of Mrs. Haversham, or rather her film version which starred Ethan Hawke and Gywneth Paltrow.

So at the park the other day, there was yet another woman with the 80's Hair Band hair going, who also reminded me of above referenced character. Very strange, and funny, and I have to literally bite my lip sometimes to keep from laughing out loud. I already get looked at strangely because, it's kinda obvious I'm American. Or maybe it's cause when I open my mouth to speak the native language I butcher it most severely! Oh well! C'est la vie! I make my kids translate for me!