Mental Stretch

Today was an intense day. I got up "later" than usual for language lessons at 9. Came home afterward to a hardworking, dishwashing Karen and Maurice. The boys didn't go to school today because all of us had to go out to Targu Mures to get our visas. We were supposed to leave around 10:30 and as is normal here...didn't get on the road until about 11. So off we went on the hour and a halfish trip to Targu Mures with Dorothy, Roberta, and Elena in Dorothy's big blue van. We arrive at the judetul de politia (police station?) and it's obvious that all who've been there before are apprehensive of processing paperwork there. Long story short we were there until about 3:30 or longer and I was grumpy. Having no lunch and two energetic boys in small spaces and "quiet" places is not so fun for me. So I discovered.
But my personal paperwork process was quick and painless. I walked in and he flipped through everything, said "sign here and here" and that was that. I am visa-fied. Although before that, we all collectively had to leave the first building, go to another to pay for the visas, and come back with a reciept. Then they processed the paperwork. And when I say "they" I mean, "he". There was only one person working. =]
The way back home was groggy and quiet, until we passed through Tsigmadru which was my stop. I wanted to stay in Tsigmadru for the teen club. We joked that Dorothy could just slow down and I would roll out the window, but that's what it felt like. I was dropped off at the road to the church with a "la revedere" (goodbye) and off the rest of the crew went. Little did I know, Nelutu had just left the church (it was 5 and teens doesn't start until 7) and the only people there at the church were the two guys who do construction. They speak little-to-no English, but I managed to communicate in broken Romanian that I was staying for teens, but I was hungry so I was going to a magazin for some food...and I would be right back. I went and came back (with no food) and still no Nelutu, so I just sat outside and read for awhile. Then I got a call (much to my surprise...I had the cellphone?!) from Maurice asking if I had the keys to our house in Sighisoara. Indeed I did. Both pairs. WAY TO GO me!! Soooo, then I called Emil (our property owner, kind of) and communicated with him in some more broken Romanian that I was in Tsigmandru with both keys and Karen and Maurice were in Sighisoara at home with none. I managed to get him to understand and then I managed to understand myself that he would send Liana (his wife) with a key to the house for Karen and Maurice.
Alright, so finally 7 arrives and I think to myself...back to "normal"...back to what I'm used to doing at that particular time on this day. It wasn't so. Teens came and I said "buna ziua" (hello) and they said it back and we exchanged small talk (cause that's all I really know in Romanian) and I thought they were going to stay so I walked over and sat on the church steps. They left while Nelutu was upstairs doing something. One of the girls who's really patient with my Romanian came and sat next to me, but it was getting dark and no one else came. Nelutu came back and I joked "I scared them off" to which he laughed. But then he was upset, not with me, but with them for leaving. He ended up cancelling teens for the night and we left. I was lost in the midst of language confusion through it all. Sigh.

Note to self: Any given day in Romania will be different from any that you've already experienced. Expect the unexpected.