#57 - Lisa Cazacu

Lisa Cazacu may have waited a long time to follow her Peace Corps dream, but once she started, there was zero hesitation. She jumped right into life in Romania. She was a regular at the nearby outdoor market, weaving her way through the towering mountains of cabbage, and only occasionally carrying a big bunch of bananas.

She got to Texas as fast as she could when her family moved here in 1972. After graduating from Westlake High School, she became a UT Longhorn. She likes to say not only does her hair run orange, so does her blood. Once she graduated from college, she spent her whole career in communications. She even used those skills while serving in the Peace Corps in Romania from 2002-2004. Once back home in Texas, she wrote a book about her experience, Bread Salt & Plum Brandy, which was the number two bestseller in the Austin area the month it was published.

Lisa Cazacu

Lisa as a Peace Corps volunteer, at a Romanian orphanage

Lisa's beloved English Club in Romania

With Romanian students at Casa Speranta

Cabbage mountains at the local market

Bread Salt & Plum Brandy (link above)

SHOW CREDITS

SP/FS Producer & Host: Christopher Wurst

Opening Voices: Dmitri Wurst, Elena Wurst, Kjara Wurst, Christopher Wurst

Voice of Dubious Aunt Deb: Cathy Zielske

Cold Open Music: BWM – The Brina Band

Dubious Aunt Deb Music: Cass County Beauty Queen – Alan Singley

Episode Music:

Last Stop West – Whispers of Arrakis

Passing Towns, Passing Time – Miles Johanson

sour slowly - Ketsa

Curio – Blue Dot Sessions

Waterborne – Blue Dot Sessions

Edge of Symmetry – Pawal David Group

Wherever I Lay My Hat, That’s My Wife – Doctor Turtle

Interview date: April 12, 2025