Atterissage!

Romania! I am here. The trip wasn't too bad - my layover in Frankfurt was a bit long (3 1/2 hours) but I stopped feeling sorry for my tired self when the guy behind me in the McDonald's line told me that his trip from Papua New Guinea back home to the USA had him flying for days; he was too tired to read the menu. ("Excuse me, What's a McFlurry? Do these folks sell chocolate milkshakes?") The flight to Bucharest finally gave me some shut-eye; I feel asleep before the plane took off, and was jolted awake upon atterissage. Flying habits are funny; as soon as the plane arrived at the gate, 90% of the passengers stood up and crammed themselves and their carry-ons into the aisles - uncomfortable and unnecessary. Both of my bags arrived (yay) and Steve was there to pick me up - yay again. And, after traveling for close to 16 hours, what was the first thing I did in Romania? Hit up Ikea. As you can imagine, Sunday afternoon there was madness - it was infested with shoppers, but it kept me awake and I passed the tired-traveler-patience test. I survived. Steve asked me if I wanted a coffee before we left (Starbucks) and I said no - I just left the land of Overpriced Chain Coffee and Big Box, but Ikea's shopping complex had me feeling otherwise. Not to worry; the consumer shine ended before the parking lot did (back to Euro parking - on sidewalks, medians and wherever you want); the mall was an island in a sea of semi-dilapidation.

I wasn't too sure what to expect from this country or the city that we're living in, but was offered some insight from a book that I started a few days ago, Robert Kaplan's Eastward to Tartary. Kaplan is very good writer with a very deep well of knowledge on the area that we're living in. He's written a few other books on this region (and others) and his commentary on the political and social climate (and modern history) of the near East is thorough and insightful. What did he have to say about Romania? Well, lots, but at the heart of most of what he had to say was this: Where does East meet West? The historical implications of this question have long affected Romania, from the time of the split of the Roman Empire to the Austro-Hungarian empire that controlled the Northwestern part of Romania and the Turkish and Byzantium influence and rule found in the Southeast. Communism affected Romania differently that it did her neighbors, and the recovery process is still... in process. Kaplan talks about what makes the situation in Romania different than that of it's neighbors: it hosted Eastern Europe's most oppressive communist regime, and has been slow to recover. Why? Ineffective leadership, corruption and slow economic development. In terms of foreign investment, in 1997 American investments in Romania (pop. 23 million) totalled $250 million, while investments in Hungary (pop. 10 million) totalled $6 billion. Romania's per capita income in 1997 was only $1500; in Hungary it was $4500. Sure, the book was written ten years ago and I have to do some catch up on statistics but the information is telling. He also talks about how Romania's cities (he only names Bucharest) are fairly metropolitan, but progress and modernity end there; the rest of the country is agrarian and undeveloped. In any case, he did have an answer to the East/West question; instead of a definitive line or boundary, there are gradients of change and distinction. He did say that the gradient at the Hungary-Romania border was a significant ("definitive") one, marked by shacks, cratered dirt roads, trash and deserted factories and buildings. SO! This was my preparation, my book-introduction to the country, and, from my first impression, did it ring true?

My first impression, after all of the East/West business, was that it reminded me somehow of Russia and of Greece, but I can't say exactly why. Russia: there are big concrete apartment blocks and run-down streets, cratered, pot-holed roads and shacks here and there; people seem poor, but the women aren't (all) dressed to the nines. Greece: it's sunny!; people seem less cold, but not altogether friendly; there is vegetation and colour everywhere, and we're by the sea; there are stray animals (Greece = cats, Romania = dogs) and the buses are new. I'm sure there's more, but these were my first impressions. The language is a latin one, and I can pick out a few words that are cousins of Italian ones; it sounds like a mixture of Italian and Brazilian Portuguese. Strange sights? Women in housecoats, stray dogs and license plates from Michigan and Florida.

I've only been here for a day but feel like I've seen some of the city already. I caught a ride with Steve to practise yesterday (a sight to be seen - he drives a Matisse: big man in a small car) and walked around downtown while he bump-set-spiked. There are a few malls in the city (with good stores, yay) and downtown was cute... there's lots to see and explore. I had a coffee (vanilla frappe - calorie city, it was so good!) at a cute cafe and read my new mini phrase book (most people speak English though - goooood!) until his practise was over and the women's team took the floor. They have a few exhibition games this week so if I train with them it won't be until next week. After watching a few sets we went out for dinner; for less than $20 we had two LARGE pizzas and a bottle of wine. Things are not expensive. What else... Steve left town this morning for a game in Bucharest tomorrow night, but dropped me at the gym on his way to meet the team. There's a pretty decent gym within walking distance of our place and, again, people speak English. So, I'm all signed up (for 60 Lei/month, about $25) and even had a tour by a friendly employee, George. I'll get some pics up tomorrow (or soon) of our place and neighborhood. But...so far, so good!