February 24

I'm flying to Kolosvar in three weeks to begin my sabbatical volunteering in the Unitarian Archives there. Haven't had a "full immersion" experience since college, so I am really excited!  Arriving as a stranger is a profound expereince, and adding all the cultural mysteries- language, public life, accomodations, money, food- my imagination is very active these days.  What will my room be like- a guest room in the Unitarian Center where the Unitarian seminary, high school, Bishop's office and archives are all located? Will I find friends? How will I spend evenings and weekends? Will the Wifi work in my room? I already imagine listening to my hometown NPR station to hear some familiar English- Colin MacInroe, Cayonne Wolf, Morning Edition, Wait Wait, Prairie Home.  Hope that Wifi works! Just realized I will be 6-8 hours earlier in Kolozsvar, wonder what's on NPR then?  Lehel Molnar, the archivist, is meeting me at the airport in Cluj- thank goodness. My work in the archives will be reviewing early 20th century correspondence to aid in the categorizing of the materials. I feel I may help bridge the English-Hungarian Unitarian world. What a priviledge to be able to do this work and have this amazing spiritual adventure. Yeow!

Learning to post pics- from 2005 trip....

Run up to departure- nitty gritty

A month out from flying to Kolozsvar, sitting in a gas station parking lot in Branford with my iPhone wondering if I will ever get this blog figured out! Doesn't help everything is on tiny screen.  I think I'm finally on. Now have to check. Going to Transylvania is facing never-ending mystery. Being a stranger, meeting people I know only by e-mail, where do you get a travel towel? And getting past being a blog novice. I must admit I love the adventure and am terrified by it. I'll focus on the adventure, the excitement. Living with my humility and how much I'm depending on strangers in Transylvania.