As it turns out Spunta Maria is a two-part holiday. I spent Spunta Maria Mare (the death of the Virgin Mary) at a nearby monastery, dressing in white and participating in processions around the grounds. Spunta Maria Mica (the celebration of the birth of the virgin Mary) also involved dressing in traditional costume, however it was more low key, and conveniently took place in my town.

It was cool seeing how the town transformed to accommodate the festivities. The streets of my normally sleepy village were lined with busses venders selling toy guns along with other less popular toys, hoards of women in traditional dress, people turning their yards into impromptu restaurants to feed the hungry masses, and on a less positive note, the addition of beggars, some of which I recognized from the first Spunta Maria.

While all of this was a bit unexpected, I was most surprised to learn that wedding hall at our most happening hang out, turned into a disco that night, in honor of the holiday. My counterpart, (the English teacher I will be working with) had just arrived in town with her sister and her sister’s boyfriend, so we all went to check it out. The disco couldn’t compete with those I went to in Spain, but for a town of 3,000 people it was crazier than I expected. The music was a mixture of the standard club mix: Rihanna, Lady Gaga, ect, and traditional Romanian music. At the beginning of the evening people were only dancing to the traditional music. The traditional music of Maramures has grown on me, but I think that I still have a few months ahead of me before I will be able to consider myself a true a fan. I can, however, honestly say that I love dancing the Hora, which goes hand in hand with it, as it is both simple and inclusive. After we staked out a table my posse and I got up and joined a group of strangers, who gladly made room for us in the circle.

I don’t see the connection between religious celebration and discos, but I like it, and hope that I don’t have to wait another entire year for it to happen again.