Cristian

So I live with a father, mother and a 6 year old boy named Cristian. He seems like a pretty nice boy. He always remembers to turn the light off (and sometimes reminds me, too!) - He has impeccable manners... and always a big smile on his face.

One of the first days I was here I sat in his room and we were drawing pictures together. I drew a pig and a turtle and then thought I'd get fancy and draw a chicken, since being in the village I viewed them most every day... I was pretty proud when I got the body and the wings and the tail just right.. the neck wasn't exactly right but then I finished it all of with just the perfect chicken feet... Cristy looked up at me like with a big grin on his face and said in words i understood.... "Renell chickens don't have four feet!!!" Duh!!! I don't know what I was thinking, but he still thinks I'm a little stupid!!! Can you blame him? We usually just play games that don't require alot of language, since its hard for him to speak slowly and more clearly so that I can understand.

Last week I asked him one day over dinner.. "So Cristy.. how was school today?" Well... forgive me for trying his mom jumped in to remind me that he doesn't go to SCHOOL he goes to the GRADINITA... which is Kindergarten... I think it is equivalent to asking him how was college today? So... the next day I was ready... I said ... "So, Cristy.. how was the Gradinita today?" He looked at me with that blank stare and looked at him mom and she promptly told me that I'd said Gradina which is garden NOT Kindergarten... DUH once more... anyway.. I tried it one more time.. getting it right this time and he didn't answer me... his mom prompted him to answer and he said... "why do I have to answer.. she doesn't understand" That was a perhaps my lowest moment.

so... I've figured out that this little 6 year old doesn't understand it is a language barrier.. he actually thinks that I am totally incompetent!! It makes sense I guess! He was sooo shocked the other night.. He was having me solve really difficult math problems.. Okay Renell... try this one... it's difficult!!! 10 minus 3!!! The shock on his face was priceless when I answered 7 without a thought... He kept trying to stump me... his toughest test was I think 8 minus 6...

He and I were home alone last Sunday and I washed clothes... operating the automatic washer and wringing everything out in the bathtub and then hanging it all on the line... His mom later reported to me that he had told her... Bravo for Renell... she washed her clothes by herself!!!

So it goes.. his sister Aliona who is 23 just came back from a 5 month stay in the States. After the Holiday break she will move to Chisinau to finish her studies at the University. She brought him a Hummer Remote Control Vehicle back from the States... and some PEANUT BUTTER!!!