Timisoara Poli vs. Bucuresti Rapid

Okay everyone who knows me, know I am not a huge sport fan. But I do cheer for the Spurs when they are in playoffs. I still remember when the won the finals in 1999, I was in India watching the game in my hotel room cheer for my SA Spurs. And when they won, I cried!!! After all I will always be a San Antonio Girl at heart!! You see I have pride for my hometown. And that is the problem I am facing right now, you see tonight is the Romania's National Cup. Yes, soccer, after it the world's game. The two teams that are playing are Timisoara (my present hometown while I am studying the language) and Bucharest (my true hometown, the place I have lived and will live once language is done). So which side am I cheering for, the side that is winning.

Anyways, the game is happening right across the street from my apartment. It is crazy, almost 2 hours before the game started, the stadium started to fill up! I have never seen so many people and cars around my neighborhood! And I live on a busy road! I can look out my window and see the thousands of people at the game. In fact I hear the game from my window. Talk about surround sound!! Now, you may be saying, "Ellena here is your chance to experience a real soccer game, why didn't you go?" And my answer is, "I am not that dumb!" When I lived in Bucharest, I lived and work near a few of the stadiums and I know how the game can get. I once saw 8 bus of riot police going to the stadium. No, I rather watch and listen to the game from home!

FYI: Bucharest WON!!

And the President of Romania was there, yes, he was right across the street from me!

There is always something happening when I least expect!

Okay before I tell my church story let me share with you my "oh my are we having another revolution story." Yesterday, Romania voted on whether or not they should impeach their president. Now we all know that no matter what the outcome was, this was only the beginning to Romania's political problems Romania voted not to impeach their president. .
Anyways, last night I was getting ready for bed (at about 11pm) when I hear what I thought was gun fire. My first thought was that can't be a guns, can it? I ran to my window to see, and I saw a bunch of cars stop and then take off, all the while the noise continued. I walked out of my room and my roommate had the same look on her face, "are we having another revolution or something?" We both looked out the kitchen window and notice that in the reflection of the window of the hospital across the street, fireworks. As we stood there we soon realized that it was not a revolution or anything like that but it was coming from the football stadium across the street. Still don't know what the the fireworks were for.
This morning when I got up to go church, we heard a bunch of cars honking and so we looked out the window to see a limo go by, must be a wedding somewhere. I left for church and as I drove up to the church I notice a lot more cars then normal. And when I got to church I noticed that the limo I saw was at the church. There was a wedding at the church today!!!
Here is Romania they have civil service either the day before or morning before the church service. The church service is a celebration! There couple come in and sits up front and there special songs, poems and preaching done. It really cool be part of this. At end of the service the couple exchange vows and the church prays over them. And then we wish the well on road of the life. And then they leave the church and go to reception. (No kiss in the church).
So that was my day at church. Got to go to a wedding that I didn't know was going to happen.
This is what I love about Romania, something is always happening and most of the time I don't know until I am in the middle of it!

Check back for Update

Okay I am going to try and keep everyone up to date with my everyday life. I will try to post a blog at least once a week or as important things happen!
So check back often and see what going on in my life here in Romania!!

Ellena