by We’ve had July-like weather for the last two to three weeks; Timișoara has really come alive. It’s a beautiful city and I still feel extremely lucky to have landed right in the middle of it. After practically a year and a half, I’m in no way blasé about that. Today I’ve got four lessons scheduled in quick succession between 2 and 9:30 pm; there’s a fair bit of preparation to be done yet. One of my lessons is with a new pair of students, my 39th and 40th people through the door since I began this venture, assuming they turn up. I quite like teaching couples: there are more possibilities for role-plays, games and exercises with the extra person. I don’t have to talk as much either (that can be a little exhausting). And I get paid more.
Last night I went to Cinema City in Iulius Mall to see the documentary film România Neîmblânzită, or Romania Untamed, at the advertised time of 7:10, but in this wild land advertised times don’t mean a whole lot. I’d have needed to wait another two and a half hours, so I did my shopping instead. Mum asked me recently if the people at the checkouts know me yet. I do my grocery shopping at about ten different places, depending on where I happen to be at the time, so I’m still almost totally anonymous. At Piața Badea Cârțan, one of the female cheese mongers or merchants or whatever you want to call them does know me, as does one of the blokes at the dive in Piața 700 where I get whatever soup is on offer as long as it’s not tripe, but that’s about it.
Here’s a picture of the first of those two snakes that appeared in my lesson. I didn’t get a snap of the second snake because all hell broke loose as soon as my student saw it; she wouldn’t have appreciated my taking a photo.
Here are some photos of a monster flying beetle that landed at my feet as I was reading in a nearby park yesterday afternoon. The coin is a 50 bani, the largest of the few coins we have, almost an inch across.
And here are some snaps from Timfloralis, the recent flower festival:
