Swearing in.

After our ten weeks of training all we needed to do was
raise our hands and swear in to be official Peace Corps
volunteers. We did that on Friday the 28th of July in
the city of Ploiesti. The mayor was there and we heard some
very nice speeches. Also, we had a slide show of pictures
taken throughout our training cycle, it was very well done.

The next day we were off to our sites and as I mentioned
before mine is Nadlac, a border town. After a 9 hour train
ride followed by another hour car ride I arrived to my new
home.

I have placed my things in my new residence and it is a very
nice little old house about 3 walking minutes from the center
of town. So I have time to basically hang around till Monday.
On Monday I am going to meet the mayor, police, doctor and
probably a few vendors in the stores because I need to get
settled in. It should be a very hectic first week with those
types of activities surrounded by not much else to do. I will
meet the members of the NGO that I will be working with
either Wednesday or Thursday. They are a brand new NGO
so it will take some work to get things started.

One of the issues that should occupy my time here is in regards
to Romania entering the European Union. There will be a lot
changes made, and fairly soon. Romania will join the EU on
the first of January. It should be interesting to be here
for the beginning of this transitional period.