* To update the situation with the Rroma (Gypsy) community.
This article is kind of a follow up from the March 27th entry …

http://paulinromania.blogspot.com/2007/03/poverty-is-reality-
that-exists.html

At the coffee shop this morning I was speaking with my friend
who works in the Mayor’s office as the liaison between the office
and the Rroma community.

As of now there are still a few from the community that are
making a living at the customs stations. Albeit it is a very small
living, but it is a living. These are mostly the people who don’t
have any education (usually and 8th grade education is required
to get a factory job) and have been able to manage to continue
to earn some money.

The liaison is really a great guy and really cares about his
community. But, as predicted with the scope of what would be
needed to change the community, it has been a series of one
thing after another.

There are some positive happenings, in the recent weeks there
have been approximately 20 or so women and an equal amount
of men finding stable jobs. It will make an impact in the
community in general but there are quite a few more that are
in need.

One situation that will be happening soon is that the customs
station will be closing for a few months and if I understand
correctly, there shouldn’t be any traffic coming through. This
will eliminate the little opportunities for those whom are making
a living there at the moment. Also, it is bad timing as school has
just started up again and they won’t have money to pay the
expenses needed for their children to attend.

Also, the winter is coming soon and that means heating concerns.
Many use wood and that costs. Some get some social assistance
to help them out (which is really only a band aid to the real problem)
and that hasn’t come this month and no one knows when it will
arrive.

So I guess that there will be some rough times ahead and some
action that will be needed to be taken. This action will have to
come from both sides … for example … going to school to get the
8th grade diploma … and the school system offering the
opportunities for that to happen. The liaison has facilitated a
class for this purpose and we’ll see how many take the
opportunity.

Despite the difficulties ahead it appears that it is the best thing
that could happen. It will force actions to be taken and eventually,
with patience and a good thought process, result in what should
have happened right after the revolution … a metamorphosis.