Chapter Unknown

After spending over 15 minutes deciphering Romanian, I am logged in for the first time in over 10 months. I decided it was time I write a real blog for once. I know everyone has enjoyed or laughed at my Facebook updates and called them mini-blogs. A PCV told me right before we left Mali that it was reminiscent of a 12 year old girl's text messages but at the same time entertaining. I'll take that as a compliment.

Well if you haven't guessed already, I'm in Romania. Yes, that is correct. The PCV labeled as a wanderer in Mali is now wandering the world - at least trying. I am currently typing in a cozy little hostel called the Green Frog with cats roaming around me purring for attention while Sparticus is playing in the foreground and country music softly playing in the background. Blood, nudity, wholesome stereotypical American music, cat dander and fur. Its an interesting mix.

I could probably write an e-book but I know staring at a computer screen for 30 minutes is already straining enough. I will try to summarize my thoughts the best I can.

Let's start with the last few days of Mali. Before I found out about the evacuation, which was by luck of course with my trusty super slow broadband internet since there was very little communication to my region specifically, I had already convinced myself that realistically it was not going to end in a few days. I was already spending more time with the people I felt could possibly one day change the village or maybe one day the country. I wanted to give some last minute advice about life and how a small change can make a difference in the future. Although I may not know everything or be the most eloquent speaker, I have always been known to be realistic. I think that is what I excelled at in my former job - progressing the company on a realistic path. That is also what I did in Mali. For the 14 months or so I was in Mali, I preached the importance of understanding the basic skills of life and how money is just something that happens afterward. I may not have been like other volunteers who brought projects and money but I am proud that that was not what I was remembered for. If anyone were to talk to the my villagers, they would probably say I was someone who taught them you can do anything. The adults might say I was a little hard on them. The kids might say I lectured them. Oh, they will definitely say I'm sarcastic. They loved it. In the end, I know they cared about me, otherwise the ones I was hardest on would not have cried when I left. That is when I knew I did make a difference. I definitely didn't have a million dollars coming or they would've really gushed some tears!

I'm pretty lazy right now. I already don't feel like finishing. I don't think I could fit all my thoughts and experiences in the last month in a blog. Back to semi-business.

We were officially evacuated from Mali on April 7, 2012 by a chartered plane, Ethiopian Airlines. As one PCV pointed out, it has one of the top worst safety and accident rankings but the flight we were on was a pleasant one. It was funny to think about it though. We ended up staying at a four star hotel for five days. Many people kept telling their friends and family it was five star. They must think we had servants feeding us grapes and drinking wine out of a chalice. After all the recent hooplah, I was given an opportunity to go to Georgia. I do love peaches! Sorry, its the country Georgia. I was excited because I have always been fascinated by the whole Eastern European culture and history, but in the end I felt it wasn't my destiny. I ended up declining the invitation and booked a random flight to Istanbul, Turkey the day before our time in Accra would have been over. I definitely surprised a few volunteers who were going there also. Then the adventure began.


After our time at the hotel ended, it was time to look for a new spot to take over. The Salvation Army. Six other people and I stayed  for a few extra days in Ghana for a measly $4 per night. Let's just say you get what you pay for and even the name The Salvation Army doesn't quite scream luxury. My time in Africa was short but there were many memories. I'm not much of a picture taker or a journal writer but the memories I hold are much more precious than anything material. If I had a personal photographer and a secretary, I guess that might have changed my opinion.

Now I will super summarize. The cats keep stretching and yawning. It makes me really want to curl up in a ball. Oh, by the way, cats are so respected in Eastern Europe. They are seen as protectors. Anything that can claw out eyes can protect me any day!

Itinerary. First stop Istanbul, then New York. I had spent about a week in Istanbul seeing the historic sites, riding ferries, biking on islands and eating fresh foods. All fun must come to an end so I packed my bags and went to the airport for my flight to New York. I had talked to my friend in New York the night before about my indecision to leave. I was excited to help him with his wedding. I know myself and I have seen it happen time and time again with other people saying "I'll travel again one day." Easier said than done, especially with the American culture and lifestyle. Yes, there are some fortunate enough to travel through their jobs but I'm not psychic and I can't predict the future but just hope for the best. I sit and wait at the airport with another volunteer. I keep sighing and she says "you look sad." I reply that I am. I keep stalling as three hours, becomes two hours, and eventually thirty minutes. I think to myself that international flights require check-ins one hour before. Well, even if it weren't true, I had already convinced myself it was meant to be. I must continue my adventure. I help her with her bags and say goodbye. Then off I go back into Istanbul on the subway with a smile on my face. I sat in a park eating a döner before I called anyone that I was back. As I finish my food, who happens to walk by. Of course it happens to be the volunteer I was going to call anyways! It was a surprise to the remaining volunteers that I just wasted a few hundred dollars but money doesn't create happiness. It does buy lots of food and luxurious items but that is only short term. After another day of Istanbul, it was off to the pigeon houses of Cappadocia, then to the calcium springs of Pamukkule and then to the ancient ruins of Efesus. After the extra week in Turkey, I head back with three other former volunteers to Istanbul to take a train straight to Sofia, Bulgaria. There was some crazy bus problems but I think I already texted, I mean mentioned it on my status update on Facebook. It was a long day of bus riding but turns out the train ride was one of the best sleeps I've had in weeks. Thank goodness for couchettes! I slept facing the window to wake up to luscious green hillsides and snow capped mountains. I definitely wasn't in Africa anymore.

Sofia. What can I say about you Sofia. It definitely was different but I liked it. It uses most of the cyrillic alphabet and luckily I had taken Russian a few years ago. I didn't remember any nor have I ever used it outside of the US, but somehow it just clicked and the next thing I knew I was getting around pretty easily. Looks like that one semester didn't go to waste after all. Lets see how I can sum up Sofia. I love the graffiti all over the city. It really gives it a different feel. It is how I actually envisioned Eastern Europe. Turkey was definitely snazzed up a bit for tourists. I enjoyed the free tour that opened my eyes to what Bulgaria is today. It was interesting hanging out with a giant group of teenage Bulgarians one day in the park. I felt like I was dropped into an episode of Skins the UK version. Sorry never watched the US version. Originals are much better. If you watched the show you would understand what I meant. As the other three volunteers were playing chess in the park hours before we left just to split out ways once again, I trudged around the whole city trying to find out what I could do at the Bulgarian National Bank because supposedly there was something special you could make there. Epic fail. No travel agent or person knew but the tour guide had mentioned it the day before. I gave up on it. Later, I found a discretely hidden clothing store in the basement of a ancient supermarket. Below were some ruins left from the Ottoman empire, which was why I went in the first place, and then a cafe and the clothing store named Mania. Buy clothes by the kilogram for 28 leva (~$19). Interesting indeed. By the way, the Bulgarian currency, leva, means lions. Interesting fact is, there were never any lions in Bulgaria but its their national symbol!

Three other volunteers and I ate at an Italian restaurant before we went to the train station. I never knew I knew or at least remembered so many random words in different languages. I am not even close to beginners level on many of them but the few words here and there puts a smile on peoples faces. After dinner, we walked to the train station. I was told we were going to split a cab to the train station but as usual no one knows exactly how much money they have and barely had enough for a meal. Walking with an extra 60lbs sure didn't do any good for my feet. Never did I once get blisters in Africa but then I get them in Eastern Europe. Wonderful. One is about to bust. I can feel it.

Next stop Transylvania in Romania. Then Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and maybe France...but who really knows. I don't plan.

Sitting here typing and thinking about the amazing things I have seen and done so far makes me sad. It is something I have always dreamed of doing but it came at the cost of leaving Mali. It makes me sad that one of my best friends in village was mad at me for leaving and didn't have a proper goodbye. I called him in Ghana right after we landed. Malitel actually worked in Ghana and how did I know? I didn't turn off my phone and got a delayed text message from a volunteer still in Ghana. I follow flight regulations to the max as you can see. I think it made him feel good that with the engines still blaring in the back tunnel, he was the first one I contacted immediately landing on foreign grounds. I never got to make the Malian rap video I planned. The kids in my village would have loved making it but now they will never know. I think about the people I left behind. How the ones who cried as I left are sitting there each night looking next to them at the empty chair I once sat hoping I would return to share my life stories or to make some sarcastic remark in Bambara. I feel sad that some are waiting for me to squat beside them to pull the weeds after I constantly joke how lazy they are. I feel sad the kids are hoping that I read to them the French picture books I had checked out at the school, initially for my own reading pleasure. I can hear the sighs of those still waiting and hoping that I return but unfortunately it won't be this very moment. The troubles in Mali are only getting worse. Ala ka Mali deme. Ala ka nogon ye nogoya.

So that is the short version. I think that summarizes it but really there is about 80% of the details missing. I could go on forever. I could write a trilogy and maybe have a series of movies made out of it. No. Impossible. Let me end it here before I ramble any longer. Hope you all enjoyed the annual update!