how come urc is spelled like if it was urece?

Weird pronunciation of "urc" It is not correct

"ora opt și jumătate" is not translated like "eight thirty", it's "half past eight" (Duolingo pliz)

I think 'at the hour of eight and a half' is acceptably translated to 'half past eight' or 'eight thirty' by internationally recognised convention.

In German, 'half (before) nine' would be spoken, but the meaning remains the same.