Just Ya Know Embarrassing Myself and What Not . . .

I don't have a lot of time to email today (and English is hard for me) but I just wanted to tell you about 4 cool things from this week.

1.) We went to the US Embassy and sang Christmas carols! We sang a mix of Christmas hymns in English, traditional Romanian Christmas songs, and classic American Christmas songs. It was a really special experience and the spirit was so incredibly strong. I loved watching the look come across everyone's faces as we sand the carols. You could just see the peace pour over them.  I really am so grateful for Christmastime, because it is a time where we can concentrate more fully on the Savior and feel his presence with us more strongly.  

2.)  While ordering a pizza I asked the gu,y  "Aveți un deșert cu scorțișoara?" (I said the "s" sound like a "sh) Instead of "Aveți un desert cu scorțișoara?" (Normal s sound).  

I asked him if he had a cinnamon flavored DESERT.  Not dessert.  

3) Sfântul Nicoli came and visited us this week!  On December 5th, the tradition is that you take your boots, clean 'em up real nice and pretty and stick them outside your door that night, in hopes that Sfântul Nicoli will leave you a treat!  if you are good, you get candy, and if you are bad, you get a bunch of sticks!  Sora Trebas and I woke up with some really fun snacks inside our boots . . . I got a prawn ring (thanks Sora T) and a chocolate Moș Craciun (Santa Claus).  It was a super cute tradition, something I will take back with me in America.  

4.) We went to go visit a less active member and last time we went to see her she gave us a pot filled with ciorba (soup).  She stuck it in a bag and we walked home with it.  So this time, on the way back, we decided , "Hey, let's bring her pot back!"  So we grab it and go, no problem.  Get on the metro and we are getting weird looks left and right, which is normal for us so we think nothing of it. 

Get to her house and when she opens the door we are like, "Hey!  Here is your pot!  The ciorba was so good!" 

And she's like, "What have you done? Where is the bag? "

So I'm like, "Sorry Sora Vaduva, we left it at home, we will bring it back tomorrow!"

And she's like, "No I'm sorry for you!  That is so embarrassing for you!  You carried that empty pot all the way here, you didn't put it in a bag!"

And her whole family just starts busting up and I'm like, "Wait I'm missing something here."

Turns out, it's like really really, REALLY weird to just carry a pot around here.  Like it has to be inside of another bag.  People say that your hands will freeze is you carry around a pot.  It also is a way of saying , "Hey I'm poor because I can't put this pot in a bag"

Sounds super weird but that is really how it is here. 

Lesson learned, put the pot in the bag.  

Still loving the work, loving the people and loving the Lord,

:) Sora Kendall Lee

Photo 1: Our last day of English class with our two cute kids- Razvan and Razvan!

Photo 2: Flashin' our passports on our drive to the Embassy!

Photo 3: We had to buy American snacks while at the Embassy!  Little Debbie Zebra Cakes and Uncrustables!!!!!  Side note: they wrecked my stomach but it was worth it!

Photo 4: Lights in Bucharest!

Photo 5: All us sisters with ANTONIA!!!!  SHe is a huge popstar here and also a less active member and the daughter of our proprietar!

 She sings in the "Wild Horses" song in America and a bunch of Romanian songs here!

Photo 6: Sora and I with our snacks from Sf. Nicoli! Prawns and Macaroons!