Wrapping Things Up

It's hard to believe that after more than a year and a half of planning and talking about this trip, it has come to a close.
Originally we toyed with the idea to go from Hungary to Austria for skiing and more sight-seeing but after we looked closely at that itinerary, we realized that trying to fit one more country into the schedule would mean that we would spend a month racing from place to place, with very little time spent at home. Two years ago we went to three countries and it left us no time to be with friends and family in Craiova which was a bummer. (I know visiting multiple countries sounds glamorous but for anyone who has undertaken an overly ambitious trip, it's actually exhausting and somewhere around week three, no one knows or cares where they are, they just want to lay in a hotel room until the world stops spinning.)
This time around we made the decision to spend the last week in luxury and by that I mean we hung around Obedin. It turned out to be the place we all preferred so it made a perfect end to things.
In addition to lounging around the house in our pajamas, we socialized and worked, proof of which is in the photos and descriptions below:

Tibb was so excited to see us when we got back that it broke all of our hearts to think about how she's going to miss us once we're gone. Here she was lying, one ear up and waiting for the slightest sound of the boys getting up in the morning.

Cards with Alex (who is also going to really miss the boys)

One of our dearest friends from Craiova Gara is Dan who has since moved to Romanian Sign Language. They meet at the same time as Gara so at our final meeting we went upstairs and hung out with Dan and discovered, much to my amazement, that I could have a pretty decent conversation in Romanian Sign Language.

Over the years I have met a few Deaf people in Romania and I swear in times past I was unable to effectively communicate. Somehow, mysteriously, between then and now it's all changed, a fact that really excites me because I think when we go back I'm going to go to a few meetings in sign language since I really fell in love with some of the friends there.

After the meeting we walked downtown and tried a Spanish restaurant which had the best hot chocolate that Logan and I have ever had 

When we came out of the restaurant it was snowing and it continued to snow for the next two days.

Game party with Andra, Radu and Andrei. Radu and Andrei's parents came  over later but unfortunately I forgot to get a group photo.

The boys hauling wood for Silviu. Proof that it's not all fun and games around here.

Not post of Obedin is complete without a photo of Nuța

Tuesday night volleyball! (we didn't get a photo of everyone playing since Mihai and I had to leave and have dinner with Gabi and Carmen)

Then it was off to Bucharest for the last day and half. We got upgraded at the hotel and had access to the "executive suite" which we discovered just meant a lot of free snacks, drinks and tv.

Although I did a fair job getting photos of people, I'm still missing quite a few folks: Simona, Gabi, Carmen, Silvia, Cornel, Svetlana and no decent ones of Lenuța, the list goes on....
At the last minute I remembered to get Vali, our faithful transporter friend and my brother from another mother.

A random selection of photos that Lucian took and would like to share which includes the frozen pond and some pictures of Budapest and the road between Romania and Serbia

I can't wrap this up with words in any meaningful way, this is the best you'll get. Leaving is always emotionally draining for me and this time around was particularly tough. Until next time, dear readers.
Distanța este foarte mare.