Have you ever noticed that it is the time when you need everything to run smoothly that everything falls apart? This morning I locked my keys in the Mustang, only hours before I needed to take Mom and Rachel to the airport. And of course, when the AAA folks came out, they couldn’t reach me on my cell phone. So they’re coming out again (I’m sure they love me now), and will hopefully let me in the car before I need to leave for the airport. The spare key, of course, is back at my apartment—an apartment full of people who can’t drive. Grrr….

Well, my friends, I’m heading off to Hungary and Romania tomorrow for my big adventure. I leave Cincinnati around 5 pm tomorrow, and will land in Paris at 11 am on Thursday. I will continue on to Bucharest from there, and then drive to Transylvania, in Romania. I’m traveling with David and the lovely Bogdan family to their cousin’s wedding this weekend. They say the wedding will be an all-day event, but with no dancing at the reception. I assume that this means either: A.) the ceremony itself will be very long, or B.) we will be expected to eat a whole lot of food to entertain ourselves through the day. Actually, I think it will be a combination of both.

Frankly, I’m not sure what to expect from this trip. I haven’t had much time to prepare for it, with Mom and Rachel visiting for the last two weeks. Through it all, though, I’ve discovered several small points. First, I must wear conservative clothing. It isn’t that I dress inappropriately in general, but the less skin revealed, the better.

Second, I can’t wear black to the wedding. In rural Romania, black is a color reserved for funerals and mourning. It would be highly inappropriate to wear to a wedding. I solved this problem the other day by buying a rose-colored pink dress with a white cardigan. That way, I take care of the skin problem and the clothing color problem all at once.

So hopefully I won’t make too many cultural blunders while I’m there. One rule of thumb that has carried me through all sorts of intercultural experiences, though—keep your mouth shut, smile, and eat whatever they put in front of you. Don’t ask questions.

Seriously, though, I do ask for your thoughts and prayers as my family travels home today and I travel to Romania tomorrow. I will be back in the office after the 4th of July weekend. Sign up for the Leadership Event while I’m gone! There are still spots available!

“But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.” --Psalm 131:2

Kelsey

Have a great time Kelsey,

I know you will! Believe it or not when I was a young woman no one wore black to a wedding either unless you were mourning the loss of a boyfriend or girlfriend. I will pray for your trip and your mother's and sister's return trip.

Blessings in Jesus Christ,
Viola Larson

miss manners would still say that you aren't supposed to wear black to a wedding (because you'd be in mourning for not being the bride), white (because you'd be competing with the bride) or red (because you'd be drawing attention to yourself).... However, I've been to wedding recently wear they had the bridesmaids were black. I've always wondered when it was that we lost the significance of these things...