I promised myself that when I came to Romania- if I started to count the days, the hours, the minutes until I could finally get on a plane and go back home to Chicago- I would leave. And I haven't exactly kept that promise because there are days when I count but then there are months that just fly right by.

Peace Corps Romania - aside from my personal disappointments - is often called "posh"-corps because I am a Peace Corps volunteer but I don't live with the image that most people would have of a volunteer suffering from deprivation of western civilization... In fact, life is quite good here when you have some money. In my opinion, Peace Corps doesn't really belong in Romania anymore - and I think they know that.

Anyhow- this is the adventure I get. I get to live in a small town called Sighisoara that is annually innudated with tourist who come here for 2 hours- take their priceless photos of the clocktower, take their picture with dracula and photograph the faux-house of Vlad Tepes, walk around and admire the crafts, maybe eat a pie at the international cafe and remark- Wow! That is so American!, and then get back on their big, gas guzzling tour bus and move on to the next town.

Initially Peace Corps assigned me to work for a bar and hostel! I had none of this - if you're saying "sign me up!" - there are many stories to tell of why my initial assignment didn't work out.

Now I work for a foundation called Veritas (which means "Truth") and if you didn't happen to notice the regilous overtones of a place called Foundation of Truth- yes - it is run by Christian missionaries. I admit, I chose my poison- the bar or God? So, now I have to deal with God all the time.

But I work with a program called Floare de Colt, which is run by excellent, professional women who make my experience here completely worthwhile. It's mission is to combat and prevent domestic violence which is a major problem in Romania.

And I work with a neurotic yet loveable (he's going to hate me for that) guy named Vlad - yes we tease him that he is Vlad Tepes - we have a very strained work relationship to say the least. We both want to kill each other and actually everyone is surprised that we haven't yet!

I have a house - I had neighbors and a dog - but they just recently left. I have lived with 2 families in Romania and I have had to move into 2 different apartments. I have lived in my current location for a year now and I don't especially want to move again. I just have too much stuff now - including a second-hand wash machine that was one of my major purchases! And the house came with an excellent set of knives and I am not ready to part with those since I have discovered my new found love for cooking! I'm a maniac!

I have one rule about cooking in Romania - Nothing needs to be simple!

That and I rarely like to buy potatoes or have bread at home... Romanians cannot believe this!

I go shopping to the markets on Wednesday and Saturday mornings with my wicker basket and a lot of plastic bags. The market is one of my favorite places in the world because it is so colorful, fresh, full of optimism, options and liveliness!

My simple life - 20 months of service down - 7 months to go. In counting....