Mid Point Break and my Adventures Getting to Croatia

Hey Guys!

So much has happened in the last few days, it feels like a century ago that I was hugging Dora, my host sister in Orade, good bye. I had such an amazing indescribable time in Romania, I will never ever forget it.

My mid point break is Oradea was really fun, but kind of of hectic. I arrived at the hostel we were staying at pretty early and hung around till around 9 waiting for everyone to arrive. it was awesome to trade teaching horror stories, compare our kids cuteness, and laugh over some of the more awkward situations created by the language barrier. It was just so wonderful to talk to the other volunteers and compare our experiences. Also I got some good lesson plan ideas. Its difficult to explain how refreshing it was to talk with native English speakers again. We were all joking around about how we never use contractions or slang words with our host families because it just confuses them. (What you do, what mean hang out??)

That night my two really good friends from the program and I did a bit of clubbing. It was great to dance it up with them and show them around Oradea. Also, Csilla came and humg out with us for a bit.

The next day I was the designated tour guide of Oradea and it was really fun to be the expert. I showed them this really famous church in Oradea called the Moon Church because there is this sort of sphere on the front of it that they change to show the moons cycle of waxing and waning.

That night the girl who had been staying with my current Croatian host family arrived. She was absolutly covered in mosquite bites and immediatly told me I need to stock up on bug spray and hydrocortison cream because the mosquitos are insane in Croatia. My mom made me bring a bug net here which I thought was absolutly ridiculous at the time of packing, but I was so relieved she forced me to after seeing the countless bites feeckling her legs.

Later on that day I and the two other people going to Croatia went to go buy our train tickets. I was getting a bit nervouse about the travel, as I would have to take three different trains and travel for about 18 hours in total. We bought our tickets pretty easily and headed back, picking up snacks for the train and bugspray on our way back.

Tha night was really fun. We were all finally together and we went out for a nice dinner with our conutry cordinator. Also my friend Edina came. I really love that girl, she is simply a good person from her head to her toes. I told my program cordinator to chat her up because she could totally be a future country cordinator.

That ngiht we all went out to together to a local bar. At around 1 am we left and sat at this outdoor cafe eating massive sundaes. It was such a nice feeling, to sit outside in a cafe, eating huge sundaes as clubbers sashayed past us. America really needs to get into the whole outdoor cafe thing because we are seriously missing out. After that we did a bit of clubbing, but I knew I had to wake up at 6 am for my train so I didnt stay out very late.

It was sad to say good bye to the rest of the volunteers , I really do feel like I made some lasting friends. We all have such similar interests and values, I feel like I have so much in common with them. Also, after sharing such a life changing experience I know we will always be connected.

The next morning we trudged out the the train station and caught our train from Oradea to Budapest. It was a very empty train so we were able to sprawl out unrestrained on the seats which was great. We talked up possibly trying to plan some weekend trips while in Croatia, either to Sarayevo (the capital of Bosnia), the Croatian Coast, or Zagreb (The capital of Croatia). We arrived in Budapest, and I and another volunteer caught our train to Zagreb with no issues. The train was supposed to be 6 and a half hours long but it ended up being about 2 hours late. For the last hour or so I chatted with some British backpackers in my train carriage. They were very sweet and carried my luggage out for me. My last train from Zagreb to Nova Kapela was at 912 pm. I arrived in Zagreb at just about 905 and literally sprinted through the train station. I hurridly bought a train ticket with my credit card, and raced to platform 2a, the platform the ticket lady had told me shouting Good Bye! to my British friends over my shoulder. I jumped onto the train at platform 2a, and settled into an empty carriage feeling pretty great that I managed to make my train with only 8 minutes.

Some scruffy looking backpackers opened the door to the carriage. They were laughing and chattering in fast French and I was a bit bummed that my quiet carriage was so loud now. The train took off a few minutes later and I settled into my book. After about 30 minutes or so someone opened the carriage door and asked for my passport. I was confused, why would they want my passport if I was already in Croatia. Shrugging, I handed it over along with my ticket. The ticket guy took one look at my ticket and started going No, no, no. When I asked him what was wrong he said I not speaking ze English no no no. One of the French guys turned to me and said You are on the wrong train. Shocked, I asked Isnt this train goign to Nova Kapela. Looking a bit concerned he answered, You are in Slovenia. I was floored. In my head I just kept thinking omg omg omg Im in the wrong country! Its nighttime! I dont have a working cell phone! Im alone! Im in freaking Slovenia! I am screwed! These thoughts almost paralyzed me, but I knew I had to keep it together and stay focused in order to get back to Zagreb.

Seeing I was near tears (keep in mind I had also been traveling for about 18 hours at this point), the French guys I thought were so goofy and weird comforted me and even let me try to use their cell phone. They helped me carry my bags to the door and told me I had to get off at the next stop because I didnt have a ticket. As they wished me luck and the train sped away, I could tell they were worried about me.

Thankfully the train conductor at the very small Slovenian station spoke English and told me the next train back to Zagreb was arriving in 10 minutes. When I asked if I could use the phone, he looked at me and sarcastically said Of course you cannot use the phone. I was like alright then, guess not Mr. Helpful. I sat in his office for a few minutes and then hopped on a train heading in the opposite direction.

Feeling thourally shaken, I sat down in a bright carriage filled with Spanish back packers and a friendly Croatian woman who looked at my worried face with motherly concern. I asked her if I could be my ticket back to Zagreb with a debit card on the train, and she said she didnt think so. Panicking, I started to worry I was going to be kicked off my second train of the night. I almost started to cry (for the second time) when she said Dont worry I will buy your ticket. I was amazed by her genorisity.

I finally made it back to Zagreb and was ablt to catch the 1155 pm train. So basically I went to Slovenia for like an hour. On the way to Nova Kapela, a guy in my carriage stayed up with me just so I wouldnt miss my stop.

When I finally arrived in Nova Kapel (after just about 22 hours of traveling) the train conductor told me Dijana, the Croatian country cordinator who was to pick me up, had told him to look for me and the call her. Mario, the train guy, was super nice and let me use in labtop while I waited.

That day was one of the most stressful days of my life, but I really do feel like I met so many guardian angels that day. From the Croatian woman who offered to buy my ticket to the countless people who helped me carry my bag, I was amazed by the extraordinary kindness total strangers showed me throughout my travel.

Dijana came to pick me up 10 minutes later, She is extremly sweet and speaks English fluently. Because it was around 3 am, I slept at her house that night in her 7 year old daughters bunk bed. I was so glad to finally sleep I just passed out.

At 730 am we drove over to my host familys house. I have so much to tell about my new host family my village and my kiddies and I will write more later!

I am really missing home and all of you! I love you so much.

Emma