Monday, March 06, 2006

Trip to the Post Office

Maria and I went to the Post Office this morning in an attempt to get our first package from the States. It was sent out from Simpsonville on February 22nd and arrived on March 3rd. This is VERY speedy by Bucharest standards. :) The valentine M&Ms that Granny sent still haven't shown up - we're guessing they ate them in customs!

We had to ride the bus to get there. We got an early start and got on the first bus with the morning commuters going to work. For the first two stops we were packed between strangers. I literally had people pressed in on all four sides. At least Maria was the person in front! Ha Ha. At the second stop a gentleman got on and stood close to Maria. He evidently doesn't "believe" in over-bathing! He was a little stinky, especially when your nose reaches right at his armpit!

We found the post office without a single wrong turn! Yeah for us! We gave them our package ticket and ID and they started asking questions. Yikes!! I finally got it across by pointing to my wedding band that Stephen and I are married (the package was addressed to him). They gave us our package and we had to pay 1,50 RON tax which is about 50 cents USD. Not bad.

We found our way back to the bus stop and got on another bus. Lots more room and we even got a seat. A young lady overheard our English and asked where we were from. She is from Canada and is here for a year also. She seemed as happy as we felt to run across someone speaking English.

Then the icing on the cake...our bus dropped us off right in front of the fornetti stand! And they were hot and calling our names. So we split a bag as we finished the walk home.

Not bad for two "country" girls living in a big city in a foreign country!!