The Week of Faux Thanksgiving :)

Well, it isn't just in the U.S. that we have lead-ups to the big T-day; apparently it happens out of the country, too.  Let me explain.  As I said last time, I joined a group of international women here in Cluj, and it has proven to be a lot of fun - and definitely has been keeping me busy.  This past week, there were two big events, and I attended both.  First, on Wednesday we had the American showcase, and then on Friday we had a group trip to Debrecen, Hungary (see another post for more info on that!).

CIWC American Showcase:

This is a fun thing that the CIWC group started last year.  The members from each country get together and put on a presentation about their homeland.  I joined just in time to participate in and attend the showcase by the Americans - what luck!  I already had a power point about the U.S. regions that I used in Cambodia.  I just changed a few things and added more pictures and then used that for the CIWC presentation.  I did that big part of the presentation and also talked about the history of Thanksgiving.  Then, each person from the U.S. said a little about their family background (where they lived, where their family was from, etc) and shared their family traditions on Thanksgiving.  Each person also had brought a T-day dish and then we ate!  It was a lot of fun for everyone - things like cranberry sauce (with dried cranberries because no fresh ones here), turkey casserole, stuffing, mac n' cheese, carrots, rolls, and loads of dessert.  Isn't that how it always is?  I think we made a lot of converts to Thanksgiving :)

During my presentation - don't I look official?

Part of the group.  Michelle (sitting on the floor and waving) is the one married to one of the Fulbrighters here.  She has two kids and is the one who found this group. 

Now, in addition to the fun extra things with the CIWC, there were a few other activities that kept me busy this past week.  On Tuesday, Lauren and I headed over to the passport services building to submit our paperwork for the temporary residency permit.  What an almost nightmare!  It was a semi-mob scene inside - people just bunched into a tiny room and trying to be the next one to squeeze through the "magic" door when it opened.  No line here!  First, Lauren had to get her application form to fill out (of course, we had to figure out how to get it first - apparently, just barge into the door and take the form).  Then we slowly worked our way up to the front even though some guys behind us kept trying to worm their way around us.  No way was I going to let that happen!  I might look nice, but no one was getting around me in that "line." 

The packed little room.  Ick.

Me, doubting we are ever going to get inside....

We finally got inside and went both at once (soooo against rules) and then found out we were missing things.  We had to make a payment but had to do it beforehand at the bank.  But, then it turned out we didn't have to make that payment but had to make a payment at the post office.  The guy almost made us leave before we could say that we already did that and had the receipt.  Then, I apparently did have the right form filled out and had to go out into the packed room to do that (no way was I allowed to fill it out in there while Lauren was doing her stuff - who knows why).  All of a sudden, Lauren comes out of the room because she didn't have a copy of her passport stamp of when she entered the country and had to go make a copy of that.  In the meantime I finished my form, but the time hit 12pm.  The office only accepts the applications between 10am and 12pm each morning.  The guy came out and said he would take the guy in front of me and me because I was an American, and everyone else got turned away.  I am so glad that he liked Americans!  Lauren made it back just in time, and we got everything turned in.  I couldn't believe it!!!  Then, as we left, we realized that neither of us knew when we needed to come back and pick up the cards (or where to go)!   So, the saga continues.....

After the joys of the passport office, Lauren and I decided that we needed a treat and stopped at one of the many cake and coffee shops in town.  We both had fresh juice (so good and ever present here - delicious) and shared this crazy "cake."

I can't even begin to describe it.  Huge and pink and with the strangest consistency and flavor - like gooey cotton candy mixed with salt water taffy and marshmallow fluff.  I didn't get too far in it, which is saying something if you know me and my love for sugar!

So, that was my Tuesday (who knows what happened on Monday!), and on Wednesday I had the American Showcase.  After that, I rushed to my class (3 students showed up!  But, it actually went really well and was a lot of fun) and then raced to my first workshop on applying to grad school in the U.S.  I went through the introduction and am not sure how I will fill all of the later weeks.  I will have to prepare some things, that is for sure. 

And, I can tell that winter and Christmas is coming.  All of a sudden this weekend, the ads on tv (from England) have started talking about Christmas.  And, it feels like winter outside, especially at night (Texas winter weather at least!).  I will have to start busting out the Christmas songs before too long!  I am so glad that my sister will be coming because otherwise I just know that I would be so lonely and sad.  We are meeting in London, and I am so excited.  I have been looking up lots of fun things to fill our time.

To close out this week, here is a picture from my walk today:

Painting in the park.  How cute is that?