tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-320245542024-03-19T04:30:10.369-07:00EASTERN EUROPEAN ADVENTURESDisclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this website belong to me alone and do not represent Peace Corps or Moldova.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-81758403213729581572007-09-25T07:12:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:09:34.026-08:00<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;" align="center"><span lang="EN-US">THE WEDDING!</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I was honored to be invited to my first Moldovan wedding.<span style=""> </span>Natalia the daughter of Rodica’s sister Liuba was to marry</span><span lang="EN-US"> Andrei Pisica on the 22nd of September and I was told we were to</span><span lang="EN-US"> leave at 11:30 am. I expected to celebrate into the wee hours of morning as is</span><span lang="EN-US"> the tradition of the Moldovan weddings so I was glad to be somewhat rested. Greeted by Stefan at the bus stop</span><span lang="EN-US">, he grabbed my bag and</span><span lang="EN-US"> escorted me home with encouragement to quickly change into the most</span><span lang="EN-US"> <span style="font-style: italic;">frumos</span> outfit I could find. I donned my newly purchased shoes which caused a bit of trouble as I navigated the rocky streets of Milestii Mici and rushed off to the home of the bride’s parents to witness the first round of events.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">There I found Natalia </span><span lang="EN-US">in her</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:141pt;"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\CALCUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.jpg" title="IMG_0312"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--></span><span lang="EN-US"> wedding</span><span lang="EN-US"> dress posing seductively</span><span lang="EN-US"> for the photographer who would follow her e</span><span lang="EN-US">very move until 5 am. S</span><span lang="EN-US">he twirled about for the photographer as if she was a runw</span><span lang="EN-US">a</span><span lang="EN-US">y</span><span lang="EN-US"> model.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWy2ZWguR2exqDC6FFp4B9Dn2493zcXH97PTOElbieeCTPu49aVOg-deGXVRVbbC-j0YoEs7gMECctFUrgjlP7D23A-nTwdBKRTsWpHHCXkqUpQ5DFoO0W7M7OOnC3acKrOLPoJg/s1600-h/clip_image002.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 219px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWy2ZWguR2exqDC6FFp4B9Dn2493zcXH97PTOElbieeCTPu49aVOg-deGXVRVbbC-j0YoEs7gMECctFUrgjlP7D23A-nTwdBKRTsWpHHCXkqUpQ5DFoO0W7M7OOnC3acKrOLPoJg/s320/clip_image002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114145219740244930" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN-US"> <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:141pt;"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\CALCUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.jpg" title="IMG_0312"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>Soon</span><span lang="EN-US"> th</span><span lang="EN-US">e f</span><span lang="EN-US">irst guests arrived, mostly close family and friends o</span><span lang="EN-US">f the bride, bringing small sums of money to drop into a basket which was strategically placed on the table full of flowers, candles, food and drink. Guests who were currently single were given small corsages.<span style=""> </span>Pink fo</span><span lang="EN-US">r the girls and blue for the boys.<br /></span></p><p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:173.25pt;height:115.5pt'"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\CALCUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image003.jpg" title="IMG_0347"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->My seven “sisters” laughed when they saw that I too was wearing one!</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKygdj5T8fj4ctQri9BkTRtTLDEeMoMP8s9DtLbcigyiId962tpYxG6EEWIYxttl-LuuHLqFTasWM_5Y0ODD4a4qR9gqiiK7l9xaOoN_hQ3kXNPWKEPf6ns9jDCtdpt980kUFaA/s1600-h/IMG_0347.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKygdj5T8fj4ctQri9BkTRtTLDEeMoMP8s9DtLbcigyiId962tpYxG6EEWIYxttl-LuuHLqFTasWM_5Y0ODD4a4qR9gqiiK7l9xaOoN_hQ3kXNPWKEPf6ns9jDCtdpt980kUFaA/s320/IMG_0347.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114493412738931842" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Soon it was time to assemble outside to wait for the family of the groom who just finished having the same reception at their own house. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouAupRpq7XUBt-VGJ8Mm5Ti1JfuuI1_Ur3tpzA0CG8mL9TdyGKdO6JP6_lZSBux2uyUef_eQQHNjaORqQv2HSJGboxtaWtSloRsU_Zcns1mhgUcZ1LddrI6gTuMX9ZomS66J9Fw/s1600-h/clip_image003.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouAupRpq7XUBt-VGJ8Mm5Ti1JfuuI1_Ur3tpzA0CG8mL9TdyGKdO6JP6_lZSBux2uyUef_eQQHNjaORqQv2HSJGboxtaWtSloRsU_Zcns1mhgUcZ1LddrI6gTuMX9ZomS66J9Fw/s320/clip_image003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114470155491023890" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN-US"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1027" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:132.75pt;height:177pt'"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\CALCUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image005.jpg" title="IMG_0313"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->We heard the music from a distance </span><span lang="EN-US">and watched as the</span><span lang="EN-US"> grooms family walked together up the narrow street. </span><span lang="EN-US">Pails of water were</span><span lang="EN-US"> thrown </span><span lang="EN-US">upon their path to signify richness in their life</span><span lang="EN-US"> together.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">They stopped at the gate<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1034" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:119.25pt;height:159.75pt'"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\CALCUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image007.jpg" title="IMG_0317"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--> while the mother of the bride served each of them specially prepared</span><span lang="EN-US"> jello with a spoon. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zP2eu_CjCWBCCBIP_iamTuc3_5yxUHZUz6SXYvOpE_73LOWBJzHd9w1GFxFSYq1cjhFoM0TsY27bmdLM9HofgZMZCs_-Gp3o3feeoG5l118HcMNZ5WR2nK4BkPxMTnxhmQ7psQ/s1600-h/clip_image004.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 310px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zP2eu_CjCWBCCBIP_iamTuc3_5yxUHZUz6SXYvOpE_73LOWBJzHd9w1GFxFSYq1cjhFoM0TsY27bmdLM9HofgZMZCs_-Gp3o3feeoG5l118HcMNZ5WR2nK4BkPxMTnxhmQ7psQ/s320/clip_image004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114470155491023906" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN-US">They</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US">were then invited in to the house.<span style=""> </span>At the doorway the groom was met with two brightly decorated rings of bread. <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1028" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:116.25pt;height:155.25pt'"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\CALCUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image009.jpg" title="IMG_0319"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->They were held up at the doo</span><span lang="EN-US">rway nearly covering the bride on the other side of the threshold</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUKXMVTP2sejt_v6sYYw2HnrySCihk7dPmbnhwnLB2PhCNdZk7BMufD5dP3xUjKpcQjmDKJnGJxDtUiv2I1LlC-Q1nisNDW-ZNyLSztgRbUMuZb7WekDOu3VgWX9UTvx2JKhaPA/s1600-h/clip_image005.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 297px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUKXMVTP2sejt_v6sYYw2HnrySCihk7dPmbnhwnLB2PhCNdZk7BMufD5dP3xUjKpcQjmDKJnGJxDtUiv2I1LlC-Q1nisNDW-ZNyLSztgRbUMuZb7WekDOu3VgWX9UTvx2JKhaPA/s320/clip_image005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114470159785991218" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN-US">. Natalia h</span><span lang="EN-US">eld a bouquet of dried basil which she dipped in holy water, placed her hand through the bread ring and sprinkled the grooms entourage many times with the water. <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1029" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:129pt;height:171.75pt'"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\CALCUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image011.jpg" title="IMG_0321"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->He then placed his hand through the other ring and sent a red cloth sailing towards her.<span style=""> </span>She laughed to find that he’d played a little joke on her.<span style=""> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">It seems the package is to contain her ring along with some candy to assure a sweet life together… he’d kept the ring and only sent the sweets!!!</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>At this he was asked inside where the </span><span lang="EN-US">entire group ate, received more guests, drank champagne and began to dance the hora aroun</span><span lang="EN-US">d the table.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4WiWKG6EncHRAHzK5WwtlbG91hwUuNsa2eApO6Fw0Qci1iFFnSKNuEPkoPa8XbCjyu77cis9mYM6vXvAGL4-W0I60twyxWwJkONQmpvcblzHID1QqszRxk_zzejdxesAHnecDwQ/s1600-h/clip_image007.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4WiWKG6EncHRAHzK5WwtlbG91hwUuNsa2eApO6Fw0Qci1iFFnSKNuEPkoPa8XbCjyu77cis9mYM6vXvAGL4-W0I60twyxWwJkONQmpvcblzHID1QqszRxk_zzejdxesAHnecDwQ/s320/clip_image007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114470159785991234" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN-US"> <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1030" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:146.25pt;height:109.5pt'"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\CALCUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image013.jpg" title="IMG_0324"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->Rice was throw</span><span lang="EN-US">n over the couple and they began to dance out of the doorway.<span style=""> </span>Suddenly, as they reached the threshold, the brother of the bride stepped in between them, forcing the groom outside and the bride inside.</span><span lang="EN-US"> <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1031" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:99.75pt;height:133.5pt'"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\CALCUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image015.jpg" title="IMG_0327"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->He took a knife – placed its point into the door frame and began to ask the groom for money which he placed under the tip of the knife.<span style=""> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">They continued to negotiate until the brother was </span><span lang="EN-US">satisfied with the amount of the gift.<span style=""> </span>He then allowed the groom to tak</span><span lang="EN-US">e his sister.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1p8sCYZOS4yAOsiUSQhwJ5QixYEvTZ6RwNNnHqnLelMTQF90HcbUQehwjvygEL47RxJKG_4jsExkXEnTn8BjqjxxCF9o0_1yFAtUVHnA6L5dTXOvZawA8qNRfHYRhBao3nrzpA/s1600-h/clip_image008.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 229px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1p8sCYZOS4yAOsiUSQhwJ5QixYEvTZ6RwNNnHqnLelMTQF90HcbUQehwjvygEL47RxJKG_4jsExkXEnTn8BjqjxxCF9o0_1yFAtUVHnA6L5dTXOvZawA8qNRfHYRhBao3nrzpA/s320/clip_image008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114470164080958546" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Outside another table of food had been prepared where everyone ate and drank once again.<span style=""> </span>Another hora this time with the mothers and fathers offering sweets and drinks to the wedding</span><span lang="EN-US"> party as they danced in the traditional circle. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJet4nr57hBoUdOX1eagvOlRBtC04GAAyqDKJyCNAU3VH5zqLqxB7h1MWdM5CGAWiNld38eFVf125A9-TV8ifVdgrWXwsrA0PqxXC0qgkBMFFD2LTN0hQAX3Qem6E0TM73veA19w/s1600-h/clip_image009.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJet4nr57hBoUdOX1eagvOlRBtC04GAAyqDKJyCNAU3VH5zqLqxB7h1MWdM5CGAWiNld38eFVf125A9-TV8ifVdgrWXwsrA0PqxXC0qgkBMFFD2LTN0hQAX3Qem6E0TM73veA19w/s320/clip_image009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114470370239388770" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN-US"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1032" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:153pt;height:114.75pt'"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\CALCUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image017.jpg" title="IMG_0328"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span>The bride stood on a chair breaking pieces of bread and throwing them over her shoulder for her guests to catch. The groom helped her down and we were off to a tour of the local wine factory with the wedding party. As we rode out of the village headed for the winery, the villagers stood at their gates many of them with buckets of water to pour on the street in front of the car carrying the bride and groom. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Now this was the most interesting wedding chase I’d ever seen.<span style=""> </span>It was similar to ours in many ways… the bride and groom being chauffered in a jet black SUV, with tin cans strung on the back and streamers across the front. </span><span lang="EN-US">A large gold crown was affixed to the top of the car and several cars followed them honking their horns all the way.. the interesting and frightening part was the drivers were playing “chicken” passing on steep hills and sharp curves to get ahead of the other cars. Made me wonder if anyone has lost their life in the pursuit of this foolish tradition.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">We arrived, did a walking and driving tour of the winery and stopped in the reception room for the official ceremony. <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1033" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:146.25pt;height:109.5pt'"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\CALCUL~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image019.jpg" title="IMG_0330"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->The couple made it official with their signatures and the first of several uncomfortable kisses</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXyaJaQ8QRFS-L0142qFQkU0Vf5Zlh_SBEAIENoF2Ip3AcabsZNkwG3LeHAM-nLgXYCHpuZTzHUHjn9aQ9lWflpchFDdd9yzdD2i77Uv99gx7qHVOlBV3TUoyRjdhNof8QPGxTg/s1600-h/clip_image010.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXyaJaQ8QRFS-L0142qFQkU0Vf5Zlh_SBEAIENoF2Ip3AcabsZNkwG3LeHAM-nLgXYCHpuZTzHUHjn9aQ9lWflpchFDdd9yzdD2i77Uv99gx7qHVOlBV3TUoyRjdhNof8QPGxTg/s320/clip_image010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114470370239388786" border="0" /></a><span lang="EN-US"> and they were off to place the flowers at the foot of a monument in the capital city of <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Chisinau</st1:city></st1:place>. I opted out of this part as I knew it was just a lot of pictures, and tossing of bouquets. Instead I took a little nap anticipating the LONG night ahead.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The bride’s family all walked together to the reception waiting at the gate for the bride and groom to come out and<span style=""> </span>receive us along with the family of the groom.<span style=""> </span>Sweets were offered and we were escorted into the hall to wait in a long line while each guest was receieved by the bride and groom dropping more money and flowers on the table.<span style=""> </span>The music began and after a dance or two we assembled in the dining room which held long tables filled will traditional food, champagne, cognac, vodka and water.<span style=""> </span>One table held all of the flowers up in an arch as the groom carried the bride the entire length of the hall to the head table. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">We were entertained with vocalists during dinner often standing and dancing at our chairs.<span style=""> </span>Soon we went back into dance at one point being entertained by some scantily clad dancers with glitter and fur dancing to songs such as <st1:place st="on">Cher</st1:place>’s “Strong enough to live with out you”.<span style=""> </span>Seems the bride pays for this little extravaganza to give her groom the last opportunity to look with lust upon another.<span style=""> </span>After much dancing we went back into the dining hall to have a second course of hot food and more drinks of course.<span style=""> </span>The time was now 2:30 am. </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-weight: bold;">At this each guest was given the microphone to offer their wishes to the couple and announce the amount of their cash gift, which was placed in a large basket carried by the wedding party.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">It continued until everyone announced their gift and the dancing began once again until 5 am! Such are the weddings in </span><st1:country-region style="font-weight: bold;" st="on"><st1:place st="on">Moldova</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-weight: bold;">!</span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span></span></p>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-86618213618651714572007-09-03T07:12:00.000-07:002007-09-03T07:15:24.496-07:00all's well and Happy Labor Day!!!Been awhile since I last posted and currently still are short on time to do so.. I will be powering up my brand new Macbook soon and hope to have Internet access at my new place!!! It will be a whole new world! Been in the dark long enough! So..... I've had a few dear friends who have asked about my health and just want to say.. for now it's fine. Not much can be done but wait for it to get better and I continue my service here!!!! Hope all's well with all of you and I'll let you know when I get some new pictures and words up about my adventures! I'm off to Bulgaria tomorrow!~MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-79330542959161881282007-07-10T06:14:00.000-07:002007-07-10T06:35:01.712-07:00June starts out with a bangWell... one day June 4th to be exact as I sat on my bed quietly reading my latest greatest novel, I kept trying to shoo a fly away from my shoulder.. after a time or two I couldn't imagine why this fly continued to land on the same place and I decided to find out what he was after! So, moments later, when he showed up again I realized it was not a fly - in fact it was not an insect at all, but rather it must be some dirt on my glasses... I took them off.. dusted them off returned them to my nose and it still continued to appear.. Oh silly me.. it must be some fuzz on my eyelash... I try to brush it off and now begin to realize this vision is not on the outside of my eye at all, but somewhere INSIDE my eye that I am seeing this black thing.<br /><br />It started so suddenly and I really wasn't sure what to think, so I called the doc in Chisinau who immediately sent a driver out to my house to pick me up and get me to the capital and the comfortable medical facility. Once again.. doctor visit after doctor visit - cat scans, ultrasounds and dilated eyeballs, all of the most serious comliplications were ruled out and it was determined that possibily a recent head injury may have been the reason why it came on so suddenly although it is a normal complication with years of nearsightedness. There is a metal bar strung across the sidewalk at my residence and I don't always remember that it is there and had whacked the side of my head pretty hard with it..<br /><br />It is interesting, because the way medicine is practiced here is to rule out the most serious indications first. So.. you have a headache??? Well.. let's make sure with this cat scan($48.00) that you don't have a tumor or aneurism... and now an ultrasound ($12.00) to measure the blood flow into your brain... so we can rule out a possible stroke... you get the idea... So.. the medicine prescribed was not available in Moldova, so straight from Romania, my medicine was picked up and brought to me.... Vitamin E and myrtle pills and boric acid drops for 60 days to increase the vascular fitness of my eye. Can't say they're not thorough!!!<br /><br />So... I left the medical facility cleared for a planned vacation to Barcelona to see Linda Gail Erickson.. my high school partner in crime and fellow majorette... although we've been in touch throughout the years, we'd not seen each other for 22 years!!! More about Barcelona in my next post!MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-55224341732441283082007-05-17T06:30:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:09:39.891-08:00IWCM Night of Art<span style="text-decoration: underline;">On a Friday night in May I walked with Marisa to the International Women's Club Night of Art to sell the greeting cards that I'd made from the kids artwork at the Art school in which I work. </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> I was surprised to see the grounds of the Moldexpo - a sort of convention center. </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> We didn't feel like we were in Moldova!!! </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> Here I am posing</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> with the sign</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> s</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">ince we are t</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">h</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">e same </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">age...</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0V0a5rSipeAYxeNW9E7sxm8wic_htqHfLHPwhVxZcmKSMxyMGJjsddlkgXlzNNL1_nGNaLl-exGYjli68rbB45QS3xCtbc3zFMxskKedpD3Qj-ojsAXoARe6KaleQ3Q-XwZKTkw/s1600-h/moldexme.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0V0a5rSipeAYxeNW9E7sxm8wic_htqHfLHPwhVxZcmKSMxyMGJjsddlkgXlzNNL1_nGNaLl-exGYjli68rbB45QS3xCtbc3zFMxskKedpD3Qj-ojsAXoARe6KaleQ3Q-XwZKTkw/s320/moldexme.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067018179784707426" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">a </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNqJ-m3seh8TAXbt4TPmbLHNhyphenhypheni8CU4jvrrLHXwlC1eUIARihiQNwOsZdflF-vm-UnMFXF2LnhyaYTvG3x3N6jjgvaL3RCw3UAyBsdynY5oUokspbvP8DAc0UGkWjpBU7nr5ZXQ/s1600-h/molde.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNqJ-m3seh8TAXbt4TPmbLHNhyphenhypheni8CU4jvrrLHXwlC1eUIARihiQNwOsZdflF-vm-UnMFXF2LnhyaYTvG3x3N6jjgvaL3RCw3UAyBsdynY5oUokspbvP8DAc0UGkWjpBU7nr5ZXQ/s320/molde.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067018184079674738" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;">picture o</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">f the entrance</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">, </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">the</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> grou</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">nds</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1FuBw6tZfxfZnQvLv_L2ph7ItX7BGA8tsJM4cxUUWuACkvAdWlAwiSxcslwdrTrd9pEBhvYTt43XiwuDfznJ9zUklo28YxFdoClozr3vKBRdTmERDw9iJ51hRSJDq39gSQRZUA/s1600-h/moldexgrounds.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1FuBw6tZfxfZnQvLv_L2ph7ItX7BGA8tsJM4cxUUWuACkvAdWlAwiSxcslwdrTrd9pEBhvYTt43XiwuDfznJ9zUklo28YxFdoClozr3vKBRdTmERDw9iJ51hRSJDq39gSQRZUA/s320/moldexgrounds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5065523290647530818" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">a monumen</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">t</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmhqwaGtOAm_-u3Xmp7_hXWDP0n6C8DAEJcwdQZa0CE3YDb8Rd_Xja07fTB_rKCZjpusTOuAS0XbWnzPTCdybGakX1ksVI_0BTdxKiBLC_xDcDG6Wir5RiG1Qz_FrnIH4l6RjLw/s1600-h/monument.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmhqwaGtOAm_-u3Xmp7_hXWDP0n6C8DAEJcwdQZa0CE3YDb8Rd_Xja07fTB_rKCZjpusTOuAS0XbWnzPTCdybGakX1ksVI_0BTdxKiBLC_xDcDG6Wir5RiG1Qz_FrnIH4l6RjLw/s320/monument.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067020653685869954" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> and </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">the set up of the NIGHT OF ART </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaKU0g95rAQ0UcFiVuhiTYFpK1HdBP4C3u4yK-8MYnscdXc2mWaUJgZ79sxO6CaziNgxhyphenhyphenJ1UzgiNhcST-fLvaSut1xuCz9TrD7aaXnhd3yI0ocbGmycw9ktEW1k3tsZxraMGCA/s1600-h/artkiosk.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaKU0g95rAQ0UcFiVuhiTYFpK1HdBP4C3u4yK-8MYnscdXc2mWaUJgZ79sxO6CaziNgxhyphenhyphenJ1UzgiNhcST-fLvaSut1xuCz9TrD7aaXnhd3yI0ocbGmycw9ktEW1k3tsZxraMGCA/s320/artkiosk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5065522186840935666" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;">25 percent of the proceeds from the artwork sold went to the Moldovan Society for the Blind. </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdmwF-tHQ7iTJ2aIafdOiAq5DNwEZKm341k-eF8eUwwpL_M1RijHwYuvBFkHo1glnTow67plSGHPtxc1TZi2YhzdNu8NcKNiG2_DXuhdlGNwwXfRur1lhk_x-GJsbUDC_kP0W0A/s1600-h/me+sell.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdmwF-tHQ7iTJ2aIafdOiAq5DNwEZKm341k-eF8eUwwpL_M1RijHwYuvBFkHo1glnTow67plSGHPtxc1TZi2YhzdNu8NcKNiG2_DXuhdlGNwwXfRur1lhk_x-GJsbUDC_kP0W0A/s320/me+sell.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5065522204020804866" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;">I</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">t was a successful</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOv3klSeaxjJqhAIOxBi7rfyPubes_BOR9cW7xt8Y-7cM__v8NMoF8W7SWoQt1HLqzpA5yLcOZu37eQWKEYQQ62kDfJZJt_NhevhEPfIf8XJongoI_5sFypyJE1Nf0I7Wmg5V6A/s1600-h/mecards.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 187px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOv3klSeaxjJqhAIOxBi7rfyPubes_BOR9cW7xt8Y-7cM__v8NMoF8W7SWoQt1HLqzpA5yLcOZu37eQWKEYQQ62kDfJZJt_NhevhEPfIf8XJongoI_5sFypyJE1Nf0I7Wmg5V6A/s320/mecards.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067017277841575250" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> night for me </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">as I sold all of the cards I'd made, </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">and</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> I thoroughly</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dEi3mjDsxBJ85xE9LcFMSICnb9iIehrly4nHOOT3rBq5iDtks32P3zE0LawemfI0Dla6XQgrHXoS0w60v2bCGX9AnL4pqdWBhpbuA1JTdOpWV-o0vEdW4Oy3wxP1cuVQn4DHyA/s1600-h/IMG_1328.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dEi3mjDsxBJ85xE9LcFMSICnb9iIehrly4nHOOT3rBq5iDtks32P3zE0LawemfI0Dla6XQgrHXoS0w60v2bCGX9AnL4pqdWBhpbuA1JTdOpWV-o0vEdW4Oy3wxP1cuVQn4DHyA/s320/IMG_1328.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5065522212610739506" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;">enjoyed </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">meeting many other Americans working here in Moldova.<br /><br />The food and drink </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-6j5ne_VA196X5YkK855_Q4ES5H3kZRiwHT5zIGd66-fv9-7v1IsDoNBlLO2-oySal_-EPEbHnWXLfbiCU6aRinhzUfkMQyyzqxnK3b4xc3DjRTSUOLGeW-xFKLmeTDaGu6E9w/s1600-h/noawaitersjpg.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-6j5ne_VA196X5YkK855_Q4ES5H3kZRiwHT5zIGd66-fv9-7v1IsDoNBlLO2-oySal_-EPEbHnWXLfbiCU6aRinhzUfkMQyyzqxnK3b4xc3DjRTSUOLGeW-xFKLmeTDaGu6E9w/s320/noawaitersjpg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5065522208315772194" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;">went on throughout the evening and was free to those volunteers working </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">the show... </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">we took advantage of it of course!!!<br /></span>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-46113395585080698072007-05-16T04:46:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:09:40.115-08:00Mother's Day<span style="font-weight: bold;">I was at the Buddhist Meditation Retreat with 10 other volunteers on Mother's Day and was treated like royalty!!! I think they even were letting me win at cards!!! ha!!! Their favorite phrase was "it's your day!!!" I didn't even have to wash dishes!!! Here is a picture of the group with me holding my card that the "kids" signed and wrote in - they picked me a bouquet of flowers and Ryan even treated me to a massage and facial!!! complete with cucumbers for my eyes!!!!</span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIpjffeNyHBmOMcs9lHkP7YPZEPmIzpdbvvH_shnDHonVaZPvZYMZFfyYUGgwe9XZY_saPvJvZ5HIU3lJmmZ50WuzBjiFWVXq6t9MVxq3idSaz1xqZH_CvIUoqP9X49FhWHjaFQ/s1600-h/totalgroup.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIpjffeNyHBmOMcs9lHkP7YPZEPmIzpdbvvH_shnDHonVaZPvZYMZFfyYUGgwe9XZY_saPvJvZ5HIU3lJmmZ50WuzBjiFWVXq6t9MVxq3idSaz1xqZH_CvIUoqP9X49FhWHjaFQ/s320/totalgroup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5065124855121415394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> How sweet they are!!! We passed around a few favorite "mom" stories and enjoyed our last meal together. It was wonderful and memorable and added to the joy I'd received from many other friends for Mother's Day wishes!!! Thank you!!!!<br /></span>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-35346872592833419222007-05-15T08:02:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:09:42.651-08:00BUDDHIST MEDITATION RETREAT May 11th<span style="font-weight: bold;">It all began Saturday morning May 12th after I'd accepted an invitation to join a Buddhist meditation treat just hoping for a few days of rest and learning. I got that and much more as I soon learned we'd be going to the woods and staying in cabins while listening to lectures about the teachings of Buddha and meditating. Here is the picture of the River Nistru which is the </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUzDJkFtw7A1EpoPGnv8-C5JrCuGpYUDK4MkSEsJm0gpCtwcDgBfb5-S5fEcWM4htYsitQyHNvuEHXCw64fAhny-4fIYHJ9gmPa9DLw4rVigL9G_ThZvsQe6LamYrgnQoE4mU8g/s1600-h/thenistru.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUzDJkFtw7A1EpoPGnv8-C5JrCuGpYUDK4MkSEsJm0gpCtwcDgBfb5-S5fEcWM4htYsitQyHNvuEHXCw64fAhny-4fIYHJ9gmPa9DLw4rVigL9G_ThZvsQe6LamYrgnQoE4mU8g/s320/thenistru.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064782418830700978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">locale of the retreat. and next is a picture of our teacher,</span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91UMnjyl7SOj2VCq9gSZyA5feTy0bZIIEZwhKE8mDTUbCjYzFkTGAGeMs8m9ukBtOonDp_Ye297Ve2thOswFklJoaFzbBxV0HWSf4v8jN9NJ0K7gjtmzA1ALkC0wWoNco8GEdwQ/s1600-h/teachr1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91UMnjyl7SOj2VCq9gSZyA5feTy0bZIIEZwhKE8mDTUbCjYzFkTGAGeMs8m9ukBtOonDp_Ye297Ve2thOswFklJoaFzbBxV0HWSf4v8jN9NJ0K7gjtmzA1ALkC0wWoNco8GEdwQ/s320/teachr1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064790879916274402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Petya who shared his knowledge and his personality with us. He was taken into the police station on Friday night with the rest of the "campers" for failure to register a religious gathering... I missed all of that commotion darn it.. as I was at the Internation Women's Club Night of Art. Anyway...</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">There were about 15 of us staying in 6 little cabins </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaa3zsrY_ORtDv25fDM84-FLrOxSKdHtJqm7xjJqaxo9dkad4GaUreJk_FAuxefkFgQBmU-V2yGpZGHo6pywANLNFDEjEq-0VUx461bCgC6bAG-dTdYtL4WPixF29M3PUf7A7qQ/s1600-h/cabins.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaa3zsrY_ORtDv25fDM84-FLrOxSKdHtJqm7xjJqaxo9dkad4GaUreJk_FAuxefkFgQBmU-V2yGpZGHo6pywANLNFDEjEq-0VUx461bCgC6bAG-dTdYtL4WPixF29M3PUf7A7qQ/s320/cabins.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064788165496943234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">with a couple of decks and a couple of hot showers and a nice view of the River and woods. The weather was beautiful making it easy to enjoy the beautiful outdoors!!!</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjn1Suw9TdX5402ElmCwgGGfPB2EFUUOnA7ND1fEAXXW-D9izNUF2COQ9lDRuumyspnwF2UDUUrB-7ic55mu18aqwHxojqhjm1vlkQD3bDiLNAbtqdBN1n1g_3gNOaa00u-0oRtg/s1600-h/hut.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjn1Suw9TdX5402ElmCwgGGfPB2EFUUOnA7ND1fEAXXW-D9izNUF2COQ9lDRuumyspnwF2UDUUrB-7ic55mu18aqwHxojqhjm1vlkQD3bDiLNAbtqdBN1n1g_3gNOaa00u-0oRtg/s320/hut.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064782418830700962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">took long walks in the woods,</span><div style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgParh8SXSXrFC2Fb98R0vfgZKRrpWnVLbits8sfsj-4SH96nO4_DDixOAW4_dB6aXfJOH1O7P2uc3Z6qfGu2XT7_oz9fDEWs4DkjLabaVjC5zxi4M-ZJQZCgCuCQDWaOBHp0DDJg/s1600-h/lacywoods.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgParh8SXSXrFC2Fb98R0vfgZKRrpWnVLbits8sfsj-4SH96nO4_DDixOAW4_dB6aXfJOH1O7P2uc3Z6qfGu2XT7_oz9fDEWs4DkjLabaVjC5zxi4M-ZJQZCgCuCQDWaOBHp0DDJg/s320/lacywoods.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064789505526739618" border="0" /></a></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"> hung out at the "beach"</span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewqcM3AuNbseyJgwbLpQ_x8OMp_VKd0WfQKDxCQJAMuGQD4AYUqb4etQdQvnSZ7dP0yaW9spnWzmn6HH3jW9fm4ypJLySSJvwtNJ-Po27PNT1njs1GSOldKYw3asZ4OwLERNQvQ/s1600-h/beachmachine.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewqcM3AuNbseyJgwbLpQ_x8OMp_VKd0WfQKDxCQJAMuGQD4AYUqb4etQdQvnSZ7dP0yaW9spnWzmn6HH3jW9fm4ypJLySSJvwtNJ-Po27PNT1njs1GSOldKYw3asZ4OwLERNQvQ/s320/beachmachine.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064789488346870418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> played alot of cards and other games,</span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUNRYwaWBkSxY8Eg1nAMsirhVOCoggk1O-sG0cFiGWVkGa9_PjB-1CDIZbjeR2MC70B3nLlUhL8pVWkg5tyIBAeTbP6FarnH-1c4qEWlq5rVCkMrSHf4x6nMxxHc3jXmdFMbOtg/s1600-h/groupbeachcards.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUNRYwaWBkSxY8Eg1nAMsirhVOCoggk1O-sG0cFiGWVkGa9_PjB-1CDIZbjeR2MC70B3nLlUhL8pVWkg5tyIBAeTbP6FarnH-1c4qEWlq5rVCkMrSHf4x6nMxxHc3jXmdFMbOtg/s320/groupbeachcards.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064782423125668290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> ate together,</span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanwVbC2j4j-AvrHeBJ9Yia5KNhPBRqk2D_4BMag1BlFV96eJa5hECyERmIhrsfan8c1HTIdI5GycJORJp6RYoByS8UeiAhoZkXv74l1rKAdq5gIVKmjfP1uUj8f6XSYL9FXmTzQ/s1600-h/groupdinner.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanwVbC2j4j-AvrHeBJ9Yia5KNhPBRqk2D_4BMag1BlFV96eJa5hECyERmIhrsfan8c1HTIdI5GycJORJp6RYoByS8UeiAhoZkXv74l1rKAdq5gIVKmjfP1uUj8f6XSYL9FXmTzQ/s320/groupdinner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064788126842237522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> learned together, meditated together, played together and generally got to know each </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Tudza8e-80lJeCjBb5G3ixiJhrNY8xCe3eh6OFmd-ZKKIX1VEMq6JyM09VXte8ker8bFXqWWHLU64bCC-04CT4AXhGD5vOM5WQPVM9E5x9_0GOK3E0t0YN8rt364y_zxKVG1gA/s1600-h/group.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Tudza8e-80lJeCjBb5G3ixiJhrNY8xCe3eh6OFmd-ZKKIX1VEMq6JyM09VXte8ker8bFXqWWHLU64bCC-04CT4AXhGD5vOM5WQPVM9E5x9_0GOK3E0t0YN8rt364y_zxKVG1gA/s320/group.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064788122547270210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">other much better by the time the weekend was through!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here's Ryan with a dandelion - she worked hard to make sure everyone was happy and comfortable. And we were!!!</span><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOQN8KkB5EqO7iBfVt3UjAaVHjnNULTNVdDJxiOZ7nrpOf3HCRg151SkCZCZKRWcJK6nfjHLZft7p8wAeWuwjEYTJMfMJtfzK1iQ5EIl3Ye1DiOiLSVBza2v3OD6WoI20KPAhWA/s1600-h/ryanflower.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWOQN8KkB5EqO7iBfVt3UjAaVHjnNULTNVdDJxiOZ7nrpOf3HCRg151SkCZCZKRWcJK6nfjHLZft7p8wAeWuwjEYTJMfMJtfzK1iQ5EIl3Ye1DiOiLSVBza2v3OD6WoI20KPAhWA/s320/ryanflower.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064789552771379906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here Petya </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMlr5qrt2HGG5NsPDNkNAsUj45-SJ0rJhH0xib98V3CZyeE7iRnN47SHYQczOscdoCbqaJrZ1vBmbWnSMdkGpNimZ4QT76vPwkUjxaZ3VxeRHFnoJmJyCOUGt8wCPZriiJcJtyQ/s1600-h/petyacooks.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMlr5qrt2HGG5NsPDNkNAsUj45-SJ0rJhH0xib98V3CZyeE7iRnN47SHYQczOscdoCbqaJrZ1vBmbWnSMdkGpNimZ4QT76vPwkUjxaZ3VxeRHFnoJmJyCOUGt8wCPZriiJcJtyQ/s320/petyacooks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064789531296543410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">cooks our frigarui for our last great feast and Angela and I pose with the vegetarian version...</span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDM3gA13KR7jQBnPiN-Lpk_RYG28_t1NH8MQogaj9NOjuxdQeiZ0hMiXRk5VFaQ-cfzuMLSCCs5pfSQPulFmeWHssQsWjnlVnzO1-jJJNF5eT_IAsUFLr3k367PPD9prIpqhPtA/s1600-h/angelame.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDM3gA13KR7jQBnPiN-Lpk_RYG28_t1NH8MQogaj9NOjuxdQeiZ0hMiXRk5VFaQ-cfzuMLSCCs5pfSQPulFmeWHssQsWjnlVnzO1-jJJNF5eT_IAsUFLr3k367PPD9prIpqhPtA/s320/angelame.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064788144022106722" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">and the group responsible for all the great food and organization of it... especially Masha lower left... also Rok, Adam Andy Petya and Angela</span><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyR91VCNVn2nUErPJFlUJgXUQeJozL-hxGoJna7jB9T94K6rrnzM_doL4p1J6WZWGt5qT2cIJqR2PywqoCk_HggRN8BzfFb0bYV9n0p98TOOtiXv4gubfMpSKt1EWjQOF_tNud-A/s1600-h/groupcooks.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyR91VCNVn2nUErPJFlUJgXUQeJozL-hxGoJna7jB9T94K6rrnzM_doL4p1J6WZWGt5qT2cIJqR2PywqoCk_HggRN8BzfFb0bYV9n0p98TOOtiXv4gubfMpSKt1EWjQOF_tNud-A/s320/groupcooks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064789582836150994" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTTbQvi1vpUu06tvhNqVBukvkgaeGI_SuMxLGDFopVG3GxJqfevF4-g7JdmGMQCGkvQnV3TwkUQmPONO7N0BA6Y02HzjBblzTkayKR41gNvZ8SuuGGFeSAJYn58OTAxceeg94fw/s1600-h/beachmorning.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTTbQvi1vpUu06tvhNqVBukvkgaeGI_SuMxLGDFopVG3GxJqfevF4-g7JdmGMQCGkvQnV3TwkUQmPONO7N0BA6Y02HzjBblzTkayKR41gNvZ8SuuGGFeSAJYn58OTAxceeg94fw/s320/beachmorning.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064782427420635602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday morning as we went for an excursion to the beach, we (me, Nina, Jake and Jessica) got a few good laughs when we saw the babas</span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRgfwJaPDzR7oWAoUc5YBVESYYI2sBZOSthQwDXZ0bGv_CfAbPvxOPrCIq90ChWUZCY9goHFjsrobTB6rlPg03acPsW23JnmyJFgvE6zQSxpmvdpKmlg5RZI0R2v0bHzyq0y_mA/s1600-h/beachbabas.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRgfwJaPDzR7oWAoUc5YBVESYYI2sBZOSthQwDXZ0bGv_CfAbPvxOPrCIq90ChWUZCY9goHFjsrobTB6rlPg03acPsW23JnmyJFgvE6zQSxpmvdpKmlg5RZI0R2v0bHzyq0y_mA/s320/beachbabas.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064788152612041330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> on the beach... one one liner after another ensued. </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />After packing it all up we headed back to Chisinau where we stayed one more night at Adam's Apartment and had our final meditation.. what better way to end it all than with a strawberry hookah!!!</span><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWC3uM23MtvsPAYuvjkq-TXe-qXsAtGpTmbV6TVqwt8M0ox2KtBHcMzBuzfprc7vxz2HSeAIztS2XJQ5pig9TxaR7FqteJy4kLgcmLahGDtMQX3eaW2v5fj4ttFDwAKwVqJh8Mww/s1600-h/hookah.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWC3uM23MtvsPAYuvjkq-TXe-qXsAtGpTmbV6TVqwt8M0ox2KtBHcMzBuzfprc7vxz2HSeAIztS2XJQ5pig9TxaR7FqteJy4kLgcmLahGDtMQX3eaW2v5fj4ttFDwAKwVqJh8Mww/s320/hookah.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064793590040638210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoboXG-ivBYzfG-45knGG1T4zuMZC7cdz3Ohv3vSMZB72rPYEIjq6ZIrrU01MDpsLC12zSW2Fj4dNSwTHX0ULKmQPUtqNwzcGGv5JZ4iW9JwvpoNF2JV03CC5Vh6EdPCKi4JaQXw/s1600-h/%C3%90%C2%98%C3%90%C2%B7%C3%90%C2%BE%C3%90%C2%B1%C3%91%C2%80%C3%90%C2%B0%C3%90%C2%B6%C3%90%C2%B5%C3%90%C2%BD%C3%90%C2%B8%C3%90%C2%B5+053.jpg"><br /></a>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-66627998692012746842007-05-07T03:12:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:09:44.790-08:00CINCO DE MAYO<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3N8S0Vk-gLCTEkfDEoydv5pzDOin-Cy3kSRhHU5g0O-hnXb6JS84-01sNkFYr7QM3t5NS6igCrDrs6F1pI6kNDMaT-isRr5dEyFKhRCWGb8j30kt2l-rJZgP1ZzF9bFHsNIUnXQ/s1600-h/jacobgoesdown.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 137px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3N8S0Vk-gLCTEkfDEoydv5pzDOin-Cy3kSRhHU5g0O-hnXb6JS84-01sNkFYr7QM3t5NS6igCrDrs6F1pI6kNDMaT-isRr5dEyFKhRCWGb8j30kt2l-rJZgP1ZzF9bFHsNIUnXQ/s200/jacobgoesdown.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061819969433251714" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3N8S0Vk-gLCTEkfDEoydv5pzDOin-Cy3kSRhHU5g0O-hnXb6JS84-01sNkFYr7QM3t5NS6igCrDrs6F1pI6kNDMaT-isRr5dEyFKhRCWGb8j30kt2l-rJZgP1ZzF9bFHsNIUnXQ/s1600-h/jacobgoesdown.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 137px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3N8S0Vk-gLCTEkfDEoydv5pzDOin-Cy3kSRhHU5g0O-hnXb6JS84-01sNkFYr7QM3t5NS6igCrDrs6F1pI6kNDMaT-isRr5dEyFKhRCWGb8j30kt2l-rJZgP1ZzF9bFHsNIUnXQ/s200/jacobgoesdown.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061819969433251714" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;"><span style=";font-size:130%;" >Our Host and Hostess</span><span style=";font-size:130%;" > for the much anticipated Cinco De Mayo </span><span style=";font-size:130%;" >party </span><span style=";font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7y5hRqb5kYe-K4DLTAtBEN1T5Q8uKKHE75-jI0dILwhGK_scGp1yjsuQl2MYX1fp7o4tgdlOjI06bnX84b8H-FaAhtq5A76TkiksPwwDI1CqudhGYZqSXYIARP10glGY5etqLw/s1600-h/saradrewstair.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7y5hRqb5kYe-K4DLTAtBEN1T5Q8uKKHE75-jI0dILwhGK_scGp1yjsuQl2MYX1fp7o4tgdlOjI06bnX84b8H-FaAhtq5A76TkiksPwwDI1CqudhGYZqSXYIARP10glGY5etqLw/s320/saradrewstair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064836513943794594" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-size:130%;" >posing at the top of their wooden staircase located on every floor </span><span style=";font-size:130%;" >of their </span><span style=";font-size:130%;" >mansion seen here from just the right view.</span><span style=";font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHAD1_Wj0okMREBJ05lpb-IWlEg6LsQsXOCheu116mh0dl1566-FkN-LCIcro9IyBJ2vjGt-0gn8slHDDSe7p3XGf2p-2uRcsXoh2f3s-qS0IXX_JfybF-mAV_7xoGLGJOk74vQ/s1600-h/mansionglod.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHAD1_Wj0okMREBJ05lpb-IWlEg6LsQsXOCheu116mh0dl1566-FkN-LCIcro9IyBJ2vjGt-0gn8slHDDSe7p3XGf2p-2uRcsXoh2f3s-qS0IXX_JfybF-mAV_7xoGLGJOk74vQ/s320/mansionglod.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064836513943794578" border="0" /></a></span><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" >Holy!!! Spoiled rich kids!!!</span><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" >Drew and Sarah especially Sarah has been planning this party since last June I hear... so what a thrill for me to be invited and make the seven hour bus trip to Glodeni to see them, stay in their mansion break bread with their family and see the other volunteers in Glodeni which are in my group 19!!! </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" >Here is</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" > a shot of the field of</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKS204QInEYHkLOiFvO7aNAeYDQX_jqohzzRQEU3ops3gSdt780qLgo4TM3zroKIqcw7a45qd279MrCMPlIg5r0NMxab6vkXvsXl8_cWdszAiclUHj69fqeCX5cqk5FdgkPEluA/s1600-h/rapseedfave.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKS204QInEYHkLOiFvO7aNAeYDQX_jqohzzRQEU3ops3gSdt780qLgo4TM3zroKIqcw7a45qd279MrCMPlIg5r0NMxab6vkXvsXl8_cWdszAiclUHj69fqeCX5cqk5FdgkPEluA/s320/rapseedfave.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064835088014652274" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" > rape oilseed which I viewed nearly the entire trip... it was actually neon!!!<br /><br /><br />Joe</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Q7i3tWMthOBP4tOO9vel4wxF3N5DK4k9jyNgxagLRNQCs8IgcIfJJBPxeUq7pIADVMYmZfsTPpewYssJwa71wxRqY-o2dzJoTTk4ybA9EGqR09oh-TMUiHL5RQREsUiEE_00vQ/s1600-h/joeagain.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Q7i3tWMthOBP4tOO9vel4wxF3N5DK4k9jyNgxagLRNQCs8IgcIfJJBPxeUq7pIADVMYmZfsTPpewYssJwa71wxRqY-o2dzJoTTk4ybA9EGqR09oh-TMUiHL5RQREsUiEE_00vQ/s200/joeagain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061819965138284402" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" > started out the night by breaking in his brand new party apartment with a fresh pitcher of Sangria...Kelli made mojitos and <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uyXFwcQN3iwWBQC2-zZVV1FAm_v0GnkBKvl0dOEIUP6xvDpDaybzdehHn5bLLzWdosduS5LzMqHIAVs6POEMkSoSGj4njRsQcFPaRk-nCL2Fb1v0H5KJO7LafZOTlsu-D6fEZA/s1600-h/kellietends.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uyXFwcQN3iwWBQC2-zZVV1FAm_v0GnkBKvl0dOEIUP6xvDpDaybzdehHn5bLLzWdosduS5LzMqHIAVs6POEMkSoSGj4njRsQcFPaRk-nCL2Fb1v0H5KJO7LafZOTlsu-D6fEZA/s320/kellietends.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064835075129750322" border="0" /></a>of course true to form, I drank coca cola!!! The food was OUTSTANDING!!! Guacamole, Salsa, Tacos, Potato Skins, Bean Salad all the favorites and just like you'd get back home!!!<br />We ate and ate and then even<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcP0QMFUCXLvUUIgVX0OhGumQZUv6gj7ZtAEq_FlbRGTOQodiMFm064ilLGPBcoMcpPsSKPHsjc-lMkw_i2vRNAIr4bVy94EixFiE_g9ZYfZ8cDZgYuBLAZxYLFZ_iQf7okicvw/s1600-h/pinata29.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcP0QMFUCXLvUUIgVX0OhGumQZUv6gj7ZtAEq_FlbRGTOQodiMFm064ilLGPBcoMcpPsSKPHsjc-lMkw_i2vRNAIr4bVy94EixFiE_g9ZYfZ8cDZgYuBLAZxYLFZ_iQf7okicvw/s200/pinata29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061805568407908178" border="0" /></a> broke a pinata before turning on the dance tunes and partying in the apartment for the rest of the nite.</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9HG-Y-o3Cx5NNgTP-ePpBhQSPFCNOt0h3kaY5R4e6pKHySnHhn1Y1rxawIMutYV43_6RzOtMudGu85qvxD_qXHSEthbETTRuWCY_kr4C7hSdTDKfTakssinzR6HFRpIgWypk8g/s1600-h/pinata24.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9HG-Y-o3Cx5NNgTP-ePpBhQSPFCNOt0h3kaY5R4e6pKHySnHhn1Y1rxawIMutYV43_6RzOtMudGu85qvxD_qXHSEthbETTRuWCY_kr4C7hSdTDKfTakssinzR6HFRpIgWypk8g/s320/pinata24.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064835079424717650" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" ><br /></span><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6uTUzdUUqV9Oo6PJFQQk6YmQXPOGlvG1fHS42lDyQrV8bbBkfMZe09dcl63ATJV4LyOolPKPhezlzZAqx07rJI85KWeMAcapGT78UaS2yLbEp74LLofQcgdDfNV7CjmT_EOeb4g/s1600-h/danceparty4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6uTUzdUUqV9Oo6PJFQQk6YmQXPOGlvG1fHS42lDyQrV8bbBkfMZe09dcl63ATJV4LyOolPKPhezlzZAqx07rJI85KWeMAcapGT78UaS2yLbEp74LLofQcgdDfNV7CjmT_EOeb4g/s200/danceparty4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061819952253382498" border="0" /></a></span></div> </div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br />Drew and Jake get it on late in the night...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here are the three Group 19's representing.. Charlie, Me and Joe..<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF-BgV0OolOcmNw9v4Lt_NXqaxnFYyMmZNdZcBLY0tMbiwHf_WtdmYi9PtqgGkP7b9zH-OCITqk-U1jrMjTc5S4x0BjUqnZmBWAWrQFCmjWSe92r4F9kya9w_3zfTF2iSmzFRGQ/s1600-h/cincodmayo19.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF-BgV0OolOcmNw9v4Lt_NXqaxnFYyMmZNdZcBLY0tMbiwHf_WtdmYi9PtqgGkP7b9zH-OCITqk-U1jrMjTc5S4x0BjUqnZmBWAWrQFCmjWSe92r4F9kya9w_3zfTF2iSmzFRGQ/s200/cincodmayo19.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061805564112940834" border="0" /></a> Charlie and Joe live in Glodeni.<br /><br /><br />Here are the 18's mostly teachers.. with whom I've had the pleasure of gettin to know through my association with Drew and Sarah..<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YJltnTrW6-1A8dNjsMkZtihJF0u8V1xbh7AyA1qiO3ANUaNa31qAxwVi3C2yO69ta6lbr3oNJ66GJmVJ51XwJ1VcrxUAT_fY489qbK_G3uhRDx4fubtG2Lphye3w9aKtAw3-bA/s1600-h/cinco18.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YJltnTrW6-1A8dNjsMkZtihJF0u8V1xbh7AyA1qiO3ANUaNa31qAxwVi3C2yO69ta6lbr3oNJ66GJmVJ51XwJ1VcrxUAT_fY489qbK_G3uhRDx4fubtG2Lphye3w9aKtAw3-bA/s200/cinco18.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061805564112940850" border="0" /></a><br />Nina, Jessica, Drew, Sarah,Abigail, Sophia, Jake and Kelli. </span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" ><br />It being Abigail's </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" >birthday she brought a cake and ice cream so we enjoyed some dessert late into the night and gave her a rousing round of Happy Birthday in many languages !!</span><br /><div style="text-align: right; font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKlGjfqCO1qxK-3BZhUqLcU0ycI3eQEeAOO_0hCX8HAYtfLEGtSEVWRZ_kuWa7l6DthJk8lxmHWtHkJnziFquNGVddV6-uSEzHog7eN67tfcr0Spy1XBbyqBDgYFNtfxarFRzgg/s1600-h/abigailcake.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKlGjfqCO1qxK-3BZhUqLcU0ycI3eQEeAOO_0hCX8HAYtfLEGtSEVWRZ_kuWa7l6DthJk8lxmHWtHkJnziFquNGVddV6-uSEzHog7eN67tfcr0Spy1XBbyqBDgYFNtfxarFRzgg/s200/abigailcake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061805559817973522" border="0" /></a></span></div> <span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" ><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">On the bus trip home I was delayed nearly an hour and a half as a tractor/trailer had somehow gotten stuck across the entire road making it impassable for our bus... There were police cars allowing vehicles around, but no room for our bus!!!</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXP53dtMQVKh8mdZNaM05gAtLWlM0t3QWfgCzeJRSLN3mLe0UXYTRxhmMaWh8z1CFGkjxGi-OowrrFibcpazhgxk-zFzLClot2lFto7XfiWhGM1YGnnHpw4rgX4gciPt1fldncHA/s1600-h/truckroad6.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXP53dtMQVKh8mdZNaM05gAtLWlM0t3QWfgCzeJRSLN3mLe0UXYTRxhmMaWh8z1CFGkjxGi-OowrrFibcpazhgxk-zFzLClot2lFto7XfiWhGM1YGnnHpw4rgX4gciPt1fldncHA/s320/truckroad6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064835083719684962" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> I watched as they borrowed a shovel from the villagers and started digging and digging and digging... thankfully someone called another truck in and finally they pulled it out with cables and we were on our way.Caused quite a stir!!!<br /></span><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://mail.google.com/mail/?source=navclient-ff"><br /></a>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-90806851019697374992007-04-18T07:04:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:09:46.522-08:00EasterChurches here are beautiful<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOAeHdqcyalf9xihyI4mHv6LkpSyjDlvU3rEm6xZ5xFuL0Ug2TNnNFlSSb9PeH-e7RjB4aWyk0SFfMZarmo_PXJAJF8thhQlAy2lWnZEi4f2_z1WhCkgGXiR5i4_9DXmo2kDvgw/s1600-h/chruchrez..JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOAeHdqcyalf9xihyI4mHv6LkpSyjDlvU3rEm6xZ5xFuL0Ug2TNnNFlSSb9PeH-e7RjB4aWyk0SFfMZarmo_PXJAJF8thhQlAy2lWnZEi4f2_z1WhCkgGXiR5i4_9DXmo2kDvgw/s200/chruchrez..JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061793448010198738" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIcr13VsFqNU4PYvJp1VNodqoPRB-aX44YqIqG-lk6M2VBcb08PjmjMB9ViFHgXApPXldVkHAdgP0EO6uliulvN5hteaRHU6OYlXkJ2lwVCn-DSr1YVfm8cIFQAfHOjvZ6Wc6NA/s1600-h/bisericaola2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIcr13VsFqNU4PYvJp1VNodqoPRB-aX44YqIqG-lk6M2VBcb08PjmjMB9ViFHgXApPXldVkHAdgP0EO6uliulvN5hteaRHU6OYlXkJ2lwVCn-DSr1YVfm8cIFQAfHOjvZ6Wc6NA/s200/bisericaola2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061828116986212370" border="0" /></a>and well kept and inspirational <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_amKSXmIuEqpGocOgE_9OLScCn2R1iDOaGCiimGJPaQ9JZ1F2aPt6py2OGHNqNhApWGbxdXxWghrugnIslMIaaDcNdmVNpdItlhyphenhyphen3LkCdeR2PR3O3-8DCE36LBQ-YktBsTuMGw/s1600-h/bestchurchatsunset.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_amKSXmIuEqpGocOgE_9OLScCn2R1iDOaGCiimGJPaQ9JZ1F2aPt6py2OGHNqNhApWGbxdXxWghrugnIslMIaaDcNdmVNpdItlhyphenhyphen3LkCdeR2PR3O3-8DCE36LBQ-YktBsTuMGw/s200/bestchurchatsunset.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061828099806343154" border="0" /></a>as was the midnight Easter luminaria service which we attended. As it is the custom for women to cover their heads when entering the church we had to scrounge around the house for a head cloth... here is the result... hmmmm.....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvfr3Q8sBe54UAoxofJokjDoI89RlW7qC26gakPQ24-HT8lwTx9e2q_4IYy7A0xiUQag1g-gwf3BG2lh16fSTttBZPdM-GZYYRb0XwODi_WbUl-_s8TzzVZrNSbxLxMJOTmpjVw/s1600-h/churchgirls.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvfr3Q8sBe54UAoxofJokjDoI89RlW7qC26gakPQ24-HT8lwTx9e2q_4IYy7A0xiUQag1g-gwf3BG2lh16fSTttBZPdM-GZYYRb0XwODi_WbUl-_s8TzzVZrNSbxLxMJOTmpjVw/s200/churchgirls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061793439420264130" border="0" /></a><br />The midnight luminaria service was held both inside the church out out. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8I2l10DjlsTDjikcLXFbNTKaRLJgY8mBrTtvokP_Tq-xUDzu9XwSuhsVlQdwkGQEujksdWU1vQOdEZGQSwiDpsfICpcWkGYy7UECPhvIHf-HpC9EwECYkE016EEzSLtXh4UwTw/s1600-h/candlesncrosses.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8I2l10DjlsTDjikcLXFbNTKaRLJgY8mBrTtvokP_Tq-xUDzu9XwSuhsVlQdwkGQEujksdWU1vQOdEZGQSwiDpsfICpcWkGYy7UECPhvIHf-HpC9EwECYkE016EEzSLtXh4UwTw/s200/candlesncrosses.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061828112691245058" border="0" /></a>The flame from Jerusalem was brought into the front of the church and people nearly ran to the altar with such excitement to light their own candles off of that flame... beautiful chants and songs were sung... we walked around the church perimeter serveral times and somehow I got separated from Vanny and Drea, but I stood alone amidst the sea of Romanian and thoroughly enjoyed the service. It is traditional to stand for the entire service which can go on for up to 3 or 4 hours I understand...<br /><br />The next morning we ate with Drea's Granny. Granny brought out the red eggs - dyed red because Mary Magdalene brought eggs to the base of the cross and the blood from Jesus' feet dripped onto the white eggs..<br />You are to rub one red <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgBKKg76owZHndwKVhXrV7Yn8HJnLoY-wzsHK99caJAa-9Oj7JKh54_WMO_EJgFJiFby7vYpNmwHmdMnkb5dHYc_HbipaPS0jcnMQaLt7Tz5-J5UaWVzxK7GKeMXPTf1xZFlJrg/s1600-h/easter2007_26.JPEG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgBKKg76owZHndwKVhXrV7Yn8HJnLoY-wzsHK99caJAa-9Oj7JKh54_WMO_EJgFJiFby7vYpNmwHmdMnkb5dHYc_HbipaPS0jcnMQaLt7Tz5-J5UaWVzxK7GKeMXPTf1xZFlJrg/s200/easter2007_26.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061793452305166050" border="0" /></a>egg and one <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRKJ7byNq8aFYr5LM9U84AsfDNq9uuwg6eKdrLtJvMx1BSxTim_YrONJLHyB-72Sl1Xjz_hT3svyTgNqd1MHGY_uAvFC_s7gtvXXoYP4cWRE7Za7OHuqzjdGECA0CqY62HMjqoA/s1600-h/bunicadreaeggs..JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRKJ7byNq8aFYr5LM9U84AsfDNq9uuwg6eKdrLtJvMx1BSxTim_YrONJLHyB-72Sl1Xjz_hT3svyTgNqd1MHGY_uAvFC_s7gtvXXoYP4cWRE7Za7OHuqzjdGECA0CqY62HMjqoA/s200/bunicadreaeggs..JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061824517803618226" border="0" /></a>white egg on each cheek<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0XQ6OiaU8DXu9_piFmGzJYmemaUiGfTjffk942IiBiEbmk7RA3qpmFjUNcWoMMvX2-VevR5e3noUfZg0BaawRCKPaChXyiGIxrZU_2cx93poi-bRyqnjpnnVZsPr1hkIArY_uQ/s1600-h/easter2007_28.JPEG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0XQ6OiaU8DXu9_piFmGzJYmemaUiGfTjffk942IiBiEbmk7RA3qpmFjUNcWoMMvX2-VevR5e3noUfZg0BaawRCKPaChXyiGIxrZU_2cx93poi-bRyqnjpnnVZsPr1hkIArY_uQ/s200/easter2007_28.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061793465190067970" border="0" /></a>... for beauty of spirit or something, and then it is traditional to do this "egg crack" <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9voA6zu9sp2z3uCBGzwcNsYSz1eFanvzyCN8ds2Ax1l93OvXJdoaXqLrUcpB4TiIFqG7BEUR0FI_8dYFI0zucnDJn1udQIdgyDfwvHsLBL4cq2qUBq09SRIFkVvb2xG8hfSRBQ/s1600-h/easter2007_43.JPEG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9voA6zu9sp2z3uCBGzwcNsYSz1eFanvzyCN8ds2Ax1l93OvXJdoaXqLrUcpB4TiIFqG7BEUR0FI_8dYFI0zucnDJn1udQIdgyDfwvHsLBL4cq2qUBq09SRIFkVvb2xG8hfSRBQ/s320/easter2007_43.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064833339962962722" border="0" /></a>game with the first meal of the day on Easter.I really liked this tradition - fun for all You just start tapping the ends of your eggs with others in the room and when both of your ends are broken you're out! Vanny was the eventual winner as you see the two of us here tapping our eggs.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The next Sunday and Monday is another holiday which is the time when everyone goes to the cemetery with food and wine and they eat and<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXam17Zt5mnrdAsSvQbQW7vv7XiUJx2VAY2YGZjMSJDui0wQ7TYbatLfs5hdWhCqLlp0IPCWczC8kwZ_sT3uhCjGo79BIMwGj3UvpynudTxEVmkZdA3xJuQWQI86hyphenhyphenvocgcATVg/s1600-h/cemeteryrez.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXam17Zt5mnrdAsSvQbQW7vv7XiUJx2VAY2YGZjMSJDui0wQ7TYbatLfs5hdWhCqLlp0IPCWczC8kwZ_sT3uhCjGo79BIMwGj3UvpynudTxEVmkZdA3xJuQWQI86hyphenhyphenvocgcATVg/s200/cemeteryrez.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061824534983487426" border="0" /></a> drink in memory of those who have died. It seemed a little creepy to me at first, but everyone in town is theredoing the same thing... people are happy and talk about their mutual friends that have gone before them...and it is a great time to get together and remember loved ones. Here is a picture of a typical cemetery.<br /></div><br />Here is an example of the tulips in bloom along the public sidewalk in Stefan Voda.. it's beautiful with gardens everywhere!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCeBgCApkB173Rdzlb_pWHDQGndH0Ge6zmq5sZxS4qyAidr8pfMvkA251rgsjhKylQHtl6sFUylIWhYfuhTQX_Wy1NlMww8AquljP6WxVW3SASJJf9B_UIg68PVJE8jbsyCBzAg/s1600-h/tulips.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCeBgCApkB173Rdzlb_pWHDQGndH0Ge6zmq5sZxS4qyAidr8pfMvkA251rgsjhKylQHtl6sFUylIWhYfuhTQX_Wy1NlMww8AquljP6WxVW3SASJJf9B_UIg68PVJE8jbsyCBzAg/s200/tulips.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061828125576146978" border="0" /></a>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-44078106459532363562007-04-13T11:17:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:09:47.971-08:00TRANSPORTATION STORIESThere are alot of way to get around in this country and here are just a few of them... first of all notice here the beautiful slippers and flip flops. Stop at any Moldovan household and you will find the exact same styles at just about everybody's door... <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AxMsJNokS9DLtY1wB7OHLuzsbJCcjU39clG0mz0tfryQfVeEKdxbzE7z-qqtYDUAvT1aEAZuLoLJGNKVEl0E5szy3mZN6HZG8mWP2hL6gX1Om6hpPPZEOqpvsSkpHMNDHMfTWw/s1600-h/incalcaminte.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054756942147434098" style="cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AxMsJNokS9DLtY1wB7OHLuzsbJCcjU39clG0mz0tfryQfVeEKdxbzE7z-qqtYDUAvT1aEAZuLoLJGNKVEl0E5szy3mZN6HZG8mWP2hL6gX1Om6hpPPZEOqpvsSkpHMNDHMfTWw/s200/incalcaminte.JPG" border="0" /></a>I learned quite early that there are outside shoes and inside shoes and as you walk in the door you flip the outside shoes off and slip into your indoor shoes. So for a trip to the garden or the outhouse you'd find me in the blue flip flops on the left... not uncommon to see people walking around town wearing wool socks and the lovely blue sandals... I'm not quite so brave yet... guess I'm holding on to those good old American Style Values!!!<br /><br />Then we have the typical (although this on is a Benz and they're not all so pretty!!!) Rutiera. These mini buses PACK in the people, stop when someone requests and pick people up on the highway at any time with a flip of the hand! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYjsU8JMcchBhqlevg20n8C82mq2IBJxe6_YK_ykZse8QqjyB7JW2RVap5eYrkjQDXdBsk8qeMKjDK4Dw8vNG640JaBm8_6oKYLo1HUX1pId8gpuF0Gdfv2Kuee6I582r-WWy9A/s1600-h/rutchis.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054763595051775618" style="cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYjsU8JMcchBhqlevg20n8C82mq2IBJxe6_YK_ykZse8QqjyB7JW2RVap5eYrkjQDXdBsk8qeMKjDK4Dw8vNG640JaBm8_6oKYLo1HUX1pId8gpuF0Gdfv2Kuee6I582r-WWy9A/s200/rutchis.jpg" border="0" /></a>I do not look forward to spending time in them in the summer as they are hot and crowded and the Body Odor is bad enough in the winter time!!!! They also refuse to open the vents or windows lest someone get sick!!! I try to avoid them if I can!<br /><br />Below is a picture that I took on my way to work. I added some effects desaturating the color and bringing back only the colors in the wool blankets atop the horses.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8qsS5YUgTVuUZZiCmM5isgBNcYe_gehDKfPgFFoZ3O7iUJjGKQeYBsJMbL3o0s5Zd_5xpxqszn8jcPKmWiqPi6lxi8obUTNhrtRILUxgdm63objHg7lJrm8ZqZZSrkiAh9YcCg/s1600-h/carutainwoodsclose.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5052981969602950658" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8qsS5YUgTVuUZZiCmM5isgBNcYe_gehDKfPgFFoZ3O7iUJjGKQeYBsJMbL3o0s5Zd_5xpxqszn8jcPKmWiqPi6lxi8obUTNhrtRILUxgdm63objHg7lJrm8ZqZZSrkiAh9YcCg/s200/carutainwoodsclose.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is a Caruta... the people from the villages use them so we see quite a few of them in Stefan Voda. I haven't had the pleausure of a ride yet, but I fully intend on doing that one day... the next Caruta picture is in Razeni...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EvjwiJrDjILQpGKsHgmtor8O32i0VlIQRgmoaG7RPd_nqVJPsirHZPokcoqBm83Q9Tij6uCLiCur-mrYrSsVbj25akr7Zcr2Wb_RocQABArxnDNV3I8_oZf0_kMUcZbzs1deag/s1600-h/boyncaruta.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054755524808226338" style="cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EvjwiJrDjILQpGKsHgmtor8O32i0VlIQRgmoaG7RPd_nqVJPsirHZPokcoqBm83Q9Tij6uCLiCur-mrYrSsVbj25akr7Zcr2Wb_RocQABArxnDNV3I8_oZf0_kMUcZbzs1deag/s200/boyncaruta.jpg" border="0" /></a> snapped it while I was walking there. I think this boy looked pretty happy to have been captured on film..<br />Speaking of villages.. I keep threatening my dad that I am going to take his mashina <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirftvqS9p_l23Kg5dNGVbyqQwwdGQKFz-xueClLrCs9kitWR6D-G0l9BaYbsG0e-82APhTSuNR_srYIiYXMuMkblSM-HiZICcbjuwaKO7jWsPhRLsmOQFO-fRrqvhD8Q79tMC2_A/s1600-h/ionmasina.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054755546283062866" style="cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirftvqS9p_l23Kg5dNGVbyqQwwdGQKFz-xueClLrCs9kitWR6D-G0l9BaYbsG0e-82APhTSuNR_srYIiYXMuMkblSM-HiZICcbjuwaKO7jWsPhRLsmOQFO-fRrqvhD8Q79tMC2_A/s200/ionmasina.jpg" border="0" /></a>and pick up my friends in the next villages and drive to Chisinau.. He imagines it and laughs because this little mashina is a beater!!! It think he paid 14 dollars for it and he fixed it up for a few more. It gets him back and forth from the lake and around town a bit.<br /><br />I'm prohibited from driving a car or even RIDING on a motorcyle... which brings me to my "dad's" next vehicle.. his pride and joy.. Is it really suzuki??? or is that just a sticker? <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuF2uwQ7MhKfYBrklkbgdfzjoKU0vpzGrOKZoiF9eizz3GDsLc5ZmSrRUdp1G1oOwXE78CfCOmDhYPbYteZjfum2wnfyFB5GWFgenMtGchqEo2r-O3NdUfV-ssE03feUKG5hlLQ/s1600-h/motorcycle..JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054765351693399698" style="width: 200px; cursor: pointer; height: 155px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuF2uwQ7MhKfYBrklkbgdfzjoKU0vpzGrOKZoiF9eizz3GDsLc5ZmSrRUdp1G1oOwXE78CfCOmDhYPbYteZjfum2wnfyFB5GWFgenMtGchqEo2r-O3NdUfV-ssE03feUKG5hlLQ/s200/motorcycle..JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />While in Chisinau the trolley is the cheapest and most efficient ride in town.. but it's routes are limited.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbfg1vFtC5dqGemWILd5MAC0dU9LeTgyy1wORS8b12MUrkT4j98F7169ATgICIWmZfxNUudyVxA8Z8tSEojaqathjs5HDpijPkTcMPgwfbmm8S-59uhLlc1TnuwFEpX7uH1yCPg/s1600-h/easter2007_0.JPEG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054755520513259026" style="cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbfg1vFtC5dqGemWILd5MAC0dU9LeTgyy1wORS8b12MUrkT4j98F7169ATgICIWmZfxNUudyVxA8Z8tSEojaqathjs5HDpijPkTcMPgwfbmm8S-59uhLlc1TnuwFEpX7uH1yCPg/s200/easter2007_0.JPEG" border="0" /></a> One night while trying to find a restaurant a bunch of us were riding in one and all of the sudden at an intersection our driver got out and started yelling at another trolley driver who was stopped with his cable disconnected... reminded me of a pending fight at a hockey game... we all waited with anticipation to see the violence escalate!!! They went face to face nose to nose and maybe pushed back and forth once or twice and they both got scared and went back to their buses!!!! But just a few more blocks down the road an old guy who'd had to much to drink started out sitting just to my left and quickly went right down in the aisle without so much as putting his hands up to catch himself... by the time I went to help him, he was already dusting himself off - don't know how they do it... he went down HARD!!!<br /><br />Another transportation option and the one that has me sitting for two and a quarter hours for any trip into the city is Autobus. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDbNVO3b37DjyYU8h0grAARpeWBQLJT8tyj5Fcgtt6CG4dRycwu98sq1n069TCtZo9eq3E_0P5q8EZDG6158crLW6bEYa8C2mMkvajhokBqUr8Wn-UtcZI28snYc9H2Rwa_sh9A/s1600-h/buschis.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054755533398160946" style="cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDbNVO3b37DjyYU8h0grAARpeWBQLJT8tyj5Fcgtt6CG4dRycwu98sq1n069TCtZo9eq3E_0P5q8EZDG6158crLW6bEYa8C2mMkvajhokBqUr8Wn-UtcZI28snYc9H2Rwa_sh9A/s200/buschis.jpg" border="0" /></a>Once again, they are not usually as pretty and luxurious as this one How they make it back and forth many trips each day, I really have to wonder!!!! I keep waiting for the tranny's to drop out as they labor daily back and forth to Chisinau. One day I sat down only to find that the rain outside was coming in and dropping on my seat from the luggage rack... another time I noticed failed pieces of rubber floating back and forth on a sea of rainwater in between the panes of the window...<br /><br />I have a favorite driver - Sergiu - On my first solo trip... he happened to be up at the ticket window as I labored to try to communicate that I wanted to buy a ticket to Stefan Voda... he cheerfully pronounced that he would be my "sofer" and tucked me in the seat directly behind him for the trip. He drives the 9:00 bus OUT of Stefan Voda and the 3:40 back. He's happy and helpful and takes care of me!!! One day I was almost two blocks away from the station in Stefan Voda and saw the bus pulling out... I desparately waved fully anticipating that I'd missed it and would have to wait for 2 more hourse for the next one, but it was Sergiu and he actually stopped and waited as I ran up to the bus with my heavy backpack and knitting bag!!!<br /><br />I've got another bus story... Marisa and I were leaving SV together it pulled up and was a late model Mercedes Benz bus which I was glad to see... it was a later morning bus which usually stops for a good 20 minutes in Causeni ( a nearby city) and I was just telling her... I usually don't get off, because I'm afraid they'll leave me... but we decided to run to the store right by the stop to get some snacks..<br /><br />I purposefully talked to the driver on the way out so he would know that we were on the bus and not leave us behind should something happen... well.. lo and behold we were in the store for no more than 10 minutes.. we came out started walking toward the bus and Marisa proclaimed.. "shit - they left us!!!" I glanced over noticed it was a mercedes benz bus but figured she pays attention mor than me and immediately realized that all of my belongings are on the road with the bus that has left us behind.. I knew we had to catch up with it... so I sprung into action...<br /><br />I had noticed across the street a line of taxis so I explained to one of the drivers that we needed him to follow the bus that just left us we jumped in and he drove like a bat out of hell for probably ten minutes when all of the sudden Marisa in the back seat said.. maybe that WAS our bus back there!!!! UNBELIEVABLE... I'd thought she was sure!!!!!<br /><br />so.... we asked the driver to turn around and go back and there was the bus... still waiting... we jumped on and the people on the bus started complaining that they had to wait for us... I apologized all of the way back to our seats in the rear.. explaining.. "we made a mistake!" we laughed later thinking that everyone in the bus probably saw us run across and get <em>into</em> the Taxi and then saw us come back and jump <em>out of</em> the taxi.. Stupid Americans or what??<br /><br />My favorite ride though is the cute little green bike complete with shiny fenders to keep the mud off my back, three speeds, a headlight and a REAR view mirror!!! It has cut my time to and from work by almost 45 minutes! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxC1X5QyMWW9HRpKLxTrXFo3PTotKJdDdDoyyZQ2XU9Trpq9yQSHKUQZ6q8N13qtk8SJTXByIQ2L8WJ2zQBexNHawBJ0EbE_MnDtst4LzF7_F4Sks4e21aj0h8QQFreGLRkUJv4w/s1600-h/mybike.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5052981961013016050" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxC1X5QyMWW9HRpKLxTrXFo3PTotKJdDdDoyyZQ2XU9Trpq9yQSHKUQZ6q8N13qtk8SJTXByIQ2L8WJ2zQBexNHawBJ0EbE_MnDtst4LzF7_F4Sks4e21aj0h8QQFreGLRkUJv4w/s200/mybike.jpg" border="0" /></a> I love it and the freedom it gives me! I bought it from an organization in my town which is involved with Pedals for Progress... They receive shipments of used bicycles and put them together, fix them up and re sell. My bike from Japan!!! I knew right away when I saw it (like Pee Wee Hermann) that it was the bike for me!!!!<br /><br />The two brothers that run the repair shop have become my buds... they happened to see that I was wearing a cross on day and began to inquire if I was religious or not... and now we're supposed to be meeting with our respective bibles to do a little bible study.. Oh by the way, he is from the Jehovah's Witnesses... and speaks only Romanian.. He can now say Minne soh ta!!! (with an accent of course) !!! Should be interesting!!!!MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-88996185513769140432007-04-04T06:47:00.000-07:002008-12-09T17:09:48.840-08:00Where have I been and what have I been doing???<div>Some Miscellaneous Pictures of the winter which lasted for about two weeks... <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GS8kSVtypLIzFkCLtF-KkljIE9fw4eds8hxQy9k9h9IwItUOS-iF49mSAbQ8BiJWncXqqPPfCbu22wG7wqk1n6wrnf7C5_JRm9CRrI7Qjw_bHtnhevK0gem2VU3-pOnnUMI8Kw/s1600-h/feb+2007_14.JPEG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049572652557043282" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GS8kSVtypLIzFkCLtF-KkljIE9fw4eds8hxQy9k9h9IwItUOS-iF49mSAbQ8BiJWncXqqPPfCbu22wG7wqk1n6wrnf7C5_JRm9CRrI7Qjw_bHtnhevK0gem2VU3-pOnnUMI8Kw/s200/feb+2007_14.JPEG" border="0" /></a><br />I for one am very very thankful - it was a breeze!!!</div><br /><div>I understand it is uncommon to have such a mild winter here and we <em>continue </em>to hear about <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);"><strong>LAST WINTER</strong></span>...<strong> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=";font-family:courier new;font-size:180%;" ><em>the winter from hell</em></span>.</span></strong><span style="font-size:130%;">..</span> or when it froze over, I guess.... The coldest and longest on record ever in the history of the world...<br />Picture of from the Centru in Stefan Voda. The snow didn't stop the old guys from biking to work or the market.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFvXw3T9ZLHjD6_eJST1NY1efzdxpagfKQI_9EmJ7-fm6ToWYkstqBBBrqUR1XFQ61yoZrjYQtTtoAkdRUI6_u2BZ8lChCaAgm9xvhT2GENiqQ4X_O1uHAZI46t097ut_elHOxw/s1600-h/feb+2007_16.JPEG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049570165770978850" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFvXw3T9ZLHjD6_eJST1NY1efzdxpagfKQI_9EmJ7-fm6ToWYkstqBBBrqUR1XFQ61yoZrjYQtTtoAkdRUI6_u2BZ8lChCaAgm9xvhT2GENiqQ4X_O1uHAZI46t097ut_elHOxw/s200/feb+2007_16.JPEG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">A picture of Aliona and me in front of our house. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcx9TeusgK8v6pVaXyFJebm63xe8WfoYW4PYGgfsLGMakqZG83jeI7s624L03p1aTichauz0jv_nL4RVME7nFh3rv4TKSKTKclyrdm5uCd3erOgcO8MBc2ZefWmrolow5G8UsDag/s1600-h/alionasieu.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049570165770978834" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcx9TeusgK8v6pVaXyFJebm63xe8WfoYW4PYGgfsLGMakqZG83jeI7s624L03p1aTichauz0jv_nL4RVME7nFh3rv4TKSKTKclyrdm5uCd3erOgcO8MBc2ZefWmrolow5G8UsDag/s200/alionasieu.jpg" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><br /><br /><br /><br />a shot</strong> <strong>of the bleak </strong><strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhHJTZyJsX15FHJUl97SgNs2V9qAaP8EPoqQYBk0TC8KA_EWEruO6pBDikikXn5JpHEPQ3iq_3d0272vkAt0qt5eRlDtZrJ_PZafOhKKK866tHWZQlOM0LFlLXNCHoaq8gatHrw/s1600-h/feb+2007_39.JPEG"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049570170065946162" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhHJTZyJsX15FHJUl97SgNs2V9qAaP8EPoqQYBk0TC8KA_EWEruO6pBDikikXn5JpHEPQ3iq_3d0272vkAt0qt5eRlDtZrJ_PZafOhKKK866tHWZQlOM0LFlLXNCHoaq8gatHrw/s200/feb+2007_39.JPEG" border="0" /></span></a></strong><strong>landscape on the outskirts of town. It depicts just how isolated and alone I feel some days!</strong> </div><div> </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEYb_I6gzGYSJd_pi-2fAZ1iaCZC5uLjBhj7IQBr14ZAcsT1kuQjUw419uxuXyVqSZMLmJBQclxWEZO7CZWCNM4zcbA8uP0N4WlnmUB4IONOGI1dUX_S-ju1cpztVv9lo4FY5iw/s1600-h/%C3%90%C2%98%C3%90%C2%B7%C3%90%C2%BE%C3%90%C2%B1%C3%91%C2%80%C3%90%C2%B0%C3%90%C2%B6%C3%90%C2%B5%C3%90%C2%BD%C3%90%C2%B8%C3%90%C2%B5+023.jpg"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><strong></strong></span></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING!!!</strong></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEYb_I6gzGYSJd_pi-2fAZ1iaCZC5uLjBhj7IQBr14ZAcsT1kuQjUw419uxuXyVqSZMLmJBQclxWEZO7CZWCNM4zcbA8uP0N4WlnmUB4IONOGI1dUX_S-ju1cpztVv9lo4FY5iw/s1600-h/%C3%90%C2%98%C3%90%C2%B7%C3%90%C2%BE%C3%90%C2%B1%C3%91%C2%80%C3%90%C2%B0%C3%90%C2%B6%C3%90%C2%B5%C3%90%C2%BD%C3%90%C2%B8%C3%90%C2%B5+023.jpg"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><strong></strong></span></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEYb_I6gzGYSJd_pi-2fAZ1iaCZC5uLjBhj7IQBr14ZAcsT1kuQjUw419uxuXyVqSZMLmJBQclxWEZO7CZWCNM4zcbA8uP0N4WlnmUB4IONOGI1dUX_S-ju1cpztVv9lo4FY5iw/s1600-h/%C3%90%C2%98%C3%90%C2%B7%C3%90%C2%BE%C3%90%C2%B1%C3%91%C2%80%C3%90%C2%B0%C3%90%C2%B6%C3%90%C2%B5%C3%90%C2%BD%C3%90%C2%B8%C3%90%C2%B5+023.jpg"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><strong></strong></span></a></div><div align="center"> </div><div> </div><div><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">In March I helped organize a business development seminar.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEYb_I6gzGYSJd_pi-2fAZ1iaCZC5uLjBhj7IQBr14ZAcsT1kuQjUw419uxuXyVqSZMLmJBQclxWEZO7CZWCNM4zcbA8uP0N4WlnmUB4IONOGI1dUX_S-ju1cpztVv9lo4FY5iw/s1600-h/%C3%90%C2%98%C3%90%C2%B7%C3%90%C2%BE%C3%90%C2%B1%C3%91%C2%80%C3%90%C2%B0%C3%90%C2%B6%C3%90%C2%B5%C3%90%C2%BD%C3%90%C2%B8%C3%90%C2%B5+023.jpg"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049579889576937090" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEYb_I6gzGYSJd_pi-2fAZ1iaCZC5uLjBhj7IQBr14ZAcsT1kuQjUw419uxuXyVqSZMLmJBQclxWEZO7CZWCNM4zcbA8uP0N4WlnmUB4IONOGI1dUX_S-ju1cpztVv9lo4FY5iw/s200/%D0%98%D0%B7%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5+023.jpg" border="0" /></strong></span></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"> Here is a picture of the players... Larson, Dan and Greg who traveled to Stefan Voda spending two nights at my place and presented a Seminar in <strong>Romanian</strong> to 20 kids ages 12 - 17 from MUZA which is the organization in which I work.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEYb_I6gzGYSJd_pi-2fAZ1iaCZC5uLjBhj7IQBr14ZAcsT1kuQjUw419uxuXyVqSZMLmJBQclxWEZO7CZWCNM4zcbA8uP0N4WlnmUB4IONOGI1dUX_S-ju1cpztVv9lo4FY5iw/s1600-h/%C3%90%C2%98%C3%90%C2%B7%C3%90%C2%BE%C3%90%C2%B1%C3%91%C2%80%C3%90%C2%B0%C3%90%C2%B6%C3%90%C2%B5%C3%90%C2%BD%C3%90%C2%B8%C3%90%C2%B5+023.jpg"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><strong></strong></span></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"> I made Chicken Wild Rice Soup for them and we also dined on Ion's Frigaruie and house wine... Lots of it!!!<br /><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"></span> </div><div><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"></span> </div><div><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzume6ywyBvQFeNORwnBLvRhyphenhyphenoweg2eOoa1hS1AMA6s-ocx_iBPhJtPLP3lfpJEHXEoktWGdTy61B5yW9S0kn58qftQpS7wNkO02rjU6BV4Lmmzb4wSwMfPBqeMkdMqRl71d1IQg/s1600-h/%C3%90%C2%98%C3%90%C2%B7%C3%90%C2%BE%C3%90%C2%B1%C3%91%C2%80%C3%90%C2%B0%C3%90%C2%B6%C3%90%C2%B5%C3%90%C2%BD%C3%90%C2%B8%C3%90%C2%B5+069.jpg"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049579893871904402" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzume6ywyBvQFeNORwnBLvRhyphenhyphenoweg2eOoa1hS1AMA6s-ocx_iBPhJtPLP3lfpJEHXEoktWGdTy61B5yW9S0kn58qftQpS7wNkO02rjU6BV4Lmmzb4wSwMfPBqeMkdMqRl71d1IQg/s200/%D0%98%D0%B7%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5+069.jpg" border="0" /></span></a>We also had a poster contest sponsored by a donor organization encouraging the populace to <strong>Get out and Vote</strong> in the local elections which will be held in early June. Twelve posters will be chosen to adorn the calendar which will be distributed to further promote the idea.</span></div>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-67012867451674610502007-02-22T06:33:00.000-08:002008-12-09T17:09:49.886-08:00Family and food<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBJyEKP23EPCHkSeAzSMnFYj-NLbp5l3yHoSDwQH_VOf4TATyMim-sFKP11TUzVkOO55vlj2-l-iYnPlOjUU1Zhd-kLzKOg8wn0YpkQ6q3nvNFBIAvVw4DYxqQsLnAgVC4E0dpQ/s1600-h/decjanuarie_8.JPEG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBJyEKP23EPCHkSeAzSMnFYj-NLbp5l3yHoSDwQH_VOf4TATyMim-sFKP11TUzVkOO55vlj2-l-iYnPlOjUU1Zhd-kLzKOg8wn0YpkQ6q3nvNFBIAvVw4DYxqQsLnAgVC4E0dpQ/s200/decjanuarie_8.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034367522922561522" border="0" /></a>Aliona came home from the US in mid December and it from the minute we exchanged our first hello I LOVED her. We've had lots of talks (in english) and she is also tutoring me in Romanian as she is doing her practice English teaching at the school here in Stefan Voda. She is 22 years old and pictured here with our favorite food FRIGARUI!<br /><br />This particular day was Saint Nicolas' day and the whole family went out to the park with some relatives...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTN9VTjSdaMUVL6qBQfWVAk6BwbRmaKRSlWndHw4cGvxmYkcXwo5S942GW4UT6YzJa53kXQcs0AVZky9fSeyzxakB9fzpM3116wEz3rw6FFbqOXp3utLNq8WulbNT3-q9bV9Ing/s1600-h/decjanuarie_6.JPEG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTN9VTjSdaMUVL6qBQfWVAk6BwbRmaKRSlWndHw4cGvxmYkcXwo5S942GW4UT6YzJa53kXQcs0AVZky9fSeyzxakB9fzpM3116wEz3rw6FFbqOXp3utLNq8WulbNT3-q9bV9Ing/s200/decjanuarie_6.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034368811412750338" border="0" /></a> where we prepared a masa (which is the word for table and for huge dinner...) on the back of a car... here is Vanya cooking the frigarui.. which is marinated pork cooked bbq style... He used cherry wood that he found in the forest...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Another family favorite is preparing the traditional placinte which is a thin dough usually filled with ricotta type cheese (brinza) and green onions... or brinza and sugar (my fave... of course) or potatoes or cabbage or if I'm really lucky... apple!!! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCGi4l7ogdmQ5jc4iYYMpjPEITCr_RQPwfnT5F2jQDOiS-oFXECE0bx995jr0yS2ZOEBPLLaRrettOO9nrlWeY6p16qvU2leNrJzh1GzdURd_RoPreb7SyS6PhR2OQ9Oo5Z6WnQ/s1600-h/decjanuarie_4.JPEG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCGi4l7ogdmQ5jc4iYYMpjPEITCr_RQPwfnT5F2jQDOiS-oFXECE0bx995jr0yS2ZOEBPLLaRrettOO9nrlWeY6p16qvU2leNrJzh1GzdURd_RoPreb7SyS6PhR2OQ9Oo5Z6WnQ/s200/decjanuarie_4.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034367518627594210" border="0" /></a>anyway... Nadia makes placinte over an outdoor fire and it is really good... so here's she and Ion proudly showing off the placinte.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Of course other days there was not so much to show off... like this fish head soup that I came home to... luckily PC has informed the parents that we are not allowed to eat any of the fish caught in local waters so I didn't have to eat it!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWfcMW8UYLphqsiPxMBk2u5ArKH37vKpGMiHWoXciZC9bLsMUJRQPWKbkd-Cwb434nlOW4LtZqbFwMS97zFnALEmWNfOwc7CLDjKs6b8VmDlra3_RMDmHO8sBa8HbaS_n3GVLgQ/s1600-h/decjanuarie_3.JPEG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWfcMW8UYLphqsiPxMBk2u5ArKH37vKpGMiHWoXciZC9bLsMUJRQPWKbkd-Cwb434nlOW4LtZqbFwMS97zFnALEmWNfOwc7CLDjKs6b8VmDlra3_RMDmHO8sBa8HbaS_n3GVLgQ/s200/decjanuarie_3.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034367510037659602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />There is an older brother in the family here.. his name is Dima.. and he was only home for a few months and has returned to Moscow to work... I never did get a picture of him... but I DID snap a picture of his Manbag...as pictured below...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfu1yTa-DpwbqltDZ8R-xa5OksDKdEihfjf0q_CK-1nEgPluk0CtSraGF6kwxtrOvOCNX2XTBUQ1RAL7AIKTaK5CCXKy1fZMK0Wnwdj-gDDcj2f0wnaeG_njLz2D-B3GFBzIpoQ/s1600-h/decjanuarie_1.JPEG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbfu1yTa-DpwbqltDZ8R-xa5OksDKdEihfjf0q_CK-1nEgPluk0CtSraGF6kwxtrOvOCNX2XTBUQ1RAL7AIKTaK5CCXKy1fZMK0Wnwdj-gDDcj2f0wnaeG_njLz2D-B3GFBzIpoQ/s200/decjanuarie_1.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034367501447724994" border="0" /></a> I was so surprised to see him walk in with this beautiful purse... I thought maybe his sister had forgotten it at the party the night before or something... but turns out.. it is his!!! I had heard about these manbags before and I always wondered WHAT on earth do they carry in there??? so anyway... I became foarte curious!!! And I looked left and I looked right and there was no one in sight... I sooooo wanted to know ... I reached for the flap to look in side and it was secured by a combination lock!!!!! I had to laugh at my own self on that one!!!! Got me!!!! <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-78473314634117523652007-02-22T04:59:00.000-08:002008-12-09T17:09:50.625-08:00I actually work here!I start out with a good morning or good evening and then ask them the questions.... what day is today? What day was yesterday and what day will be tomorrow... they scan the posters I've put up on the wall for any relevant information and come up with the answers in a style all of their own!<br />Here I am with my lessons on the whiteboard... and a pix of a few of my students. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcmiq1J1V2XRSRkWsjnGw9zWnNf5HJ6xHPBElJQyzRjC-Hy8ZaT2BmN4ke210EVQ7iNUphNzEcg4NmelC8xVVCIZnPUPRuF9conlzpwBUi4WsQEpmqE2lpRkXeCCW0FGAAsNFag/s1600-h/mewhiteboard1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcmiq1J1V2XRSRkWsjnGw9zWnNf5HJ6xHPBElJQyzRjC-Hy8ZaT2BmN4ke210EVQ7iNUphNzEcg4NmelC8xVVCIZnPUPRuF9conlzpwBUi4WsQEpmqE2lpRkXeCCW0FGAAsNFag/s320/mewhiteboard1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034343282127142658" border="0" /></a> Yesterday during class and mind you, we've been working on questions for awhile.... I asked them to pose a few questions and we'd have a little answer session... so the first question they constructed was "who put the pen on the table?" Sasha answered..."I put the pen on the table" and he promptly dropped it on the floor only to say... "Why is the pen under the table?" "You put the pen under the table" of course was the obvious and correct response from Liuda. I was thinking things were really going well until the next question came... from Aliona... who happens to be my counterpart at work... Her question just made me laugh... MAYBE someone reading this knows the answer... <span style="font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">"When is red old?"</span></span> Think about it!!!!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxU93NsBleArnQgEsk1TYxwiL01sG_VUi4xIR0TKqj0jzY4O3CTJVbA5zgboScpXWIusErnv8mcZ8LGCnEPp9hRmoEx75IlQEhU-7uD0ePI1t5Bh_z0a04LlBAQ0ZgP7ZWIkAIg/s1600-h/mestudents.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 368px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxU93NsBleArnQgEsk1TYxwiL01sG_VUi4xIR0TKqj0jzY4O3CTJVbA5zgboScpXWIusErnv8mcZ8LGCnEPp9hRmoEx75IlQEhU-7uD0ePI1t5Bh_z0a04LlBAQ0ZgP7ZWIkAIg/s320/mestudents.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034343286422109970" border="0" /></a><br />MUZA - which is the organization with which I work, is having a "get out and vote" campaign in March, which I'm so happy to hear!!! Sounds like it is a well organized program by a large donor organization with posters, slogan, contests, eventual winners to be printed on calendars and distributed throughout the country... We will be hosting a seminar on business development and entrepreneurship for the kids here in March, I will travel to Chisinau with the teachers from the school here to attend a Symphony Concerto - I guess someone famous will be there!!!! I have been invited to a town to help another volunteer and his organization learn more about Photoshop... I have a couple of language and technical sessions for PC in Chisinau, a full day seminar in Romanian, a meeting with a large donor organization in Chisinau and some oratory and art competitions to attend here in Stefan Voda. so... as you can see I'm certainly busy enough and I'm really ramping up the hours I'm spending on Romanian, as I just haven't made the grade yet!<br /><br />...speaking of the democratic process and the right and privilege to vote..... I've now heard from several Moldovan citizens, that the last time there were elections, it just so happened that the rutieras (the ONLY method of transportation for most people) just happened to not be running that day, making it impossible for the people in the villages<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwQb1IfgBlRiY21LzKkZosiiI5-1sR0h1c8s8Yj70EEykPPgKB_6vo0ehDZ4hozr-nxb0iaZUOOnDVxjX-O4dUNpIm2qZ2OPCVRNRkW-6-WtG-JcPn4wfcu-3ZHZBJTZQEiuLPQ/s1600-h/shower.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwQb1IfgBlRiY21LzKkZosiiI5-1sR0h1c8s8Yj70EEykPPgKB_6vo0ehDZ4hozr-nxb0iaZUOOnDVxjX-O4dUNpIm2qZ2OPCVRNRkW-6-WtG-JcPn4wfcu-3ZHZBJTZQEiuLPQ/s320/shower.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034353684537933682" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFo9oBAkZ34TMKECqWIxV1DPD_WF16sK0Jns4uAv5unzy_1NsxO1_dLuT1L-UuwSptdv36pj5JYk1hOSn7stSVvxMXetJ0wjf3CmvNRu2vvOF4uF_GSRkCXG5dS0VTAMoWZIx4Bg/s1600-h/girlsmm.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFo9oBAkZ34TMKECqWIxV1DPD_WF16sK0Jns4uAv5unzy_1NsxO1_dLuT1L-UuwSptdv36pj5JYk1hOSn7stSVvxMXetJ0wjf3CmvNRu2vvOF4uF_GSRkCXG5dS0VTAMoWZIx4Bg/s320/girlsmm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034353091832446786" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq6nwmjhFwolg-yL07pp3O0IKn2wCuT2_bVrH6QxzsciMeS6rmYrd7tIqZtck4E2kFcKECJdVterObxC7GyBD9uzyo3FxGFzsCx6p2NE1gPEVUyiIKwn6yUQMDUVB81pei333pw/s1600-h/shepherdhigh.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq6nwmjhFwolg-yL07pp3O0IKn2wCuT2_bVrH6QxzsciMeS6rmYrd7tIqZtck4E2kFcKECJdVterObxC7GyBD9uzyo3FxGFzsCx6p2NE1gPEVUyiIKwn6yUQMDUVB81pei333pw/s320/shepherdhigh.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034353096127414098" border="0" /></a> to come into Chisinau to vote... <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBrdKzHZraMmp8z1MduJ-zYqSnIy2rXEzg4rGhgb7izEPK2v23cMk-K_P4dmK8k_aAWrPHEJU7LFqe0UdbeP2SdJhCxu2Lmeeg8j5iBGy5M5GyvI-swle1Jy89pSopCmxp-JeMA/s1600-h/chisinau.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBrdKzHZraMmp8z1MduJ-zYqSnIy2rXEzg4rGhgb7izEPK2v23cMk-K_P4dmK8k_aAWrPHEJU7LFqe0UdbeP2SdJhCxu2Lmeeg8j5iBGy5M5GyvI-swle1Jy89pSopCmxp-JeMA/s320/chisinau.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034351502694547250" border="0" /></a>Furthermore... it was held during the time the university students were out of school and it sounds like it doesn't matter much, because there are accusations that votes were just changed anyway... so... how bout that? Rivals the 2000 Hand Counted ballots fiasco!!!!MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-46544701386799226912007-02-19T06:46:00.000-08:002008-12-09T17:09:51.701-08:00More Holiday pix<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-size:85%;" >A few more shots of the holidays... here is an example of a common tradition on Anul Nou. These boys were going from house to house yelling to the inhabitants to let them in the gate so they could sing their songs and hopefully receive some money and or food. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXABcFy1yAX7qGkk0Kq1JY4AFOMQQja3cYEkiVOGYIKEdiTpEFEhviMgLTbAmaazqK3tMW_jFGrpfKBu9Z1OcXRJd7uw9XbDWbJMtPXbkdqO1CKZytwSEat41id_LJ-hqg_s-Dg/s1600-h/carolers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033257707668242002" style="WIDTH: 251px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 191px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXABcFy1yAX7qGkk0Kq1JY4AFOMQQja3cYEkiVOGYIKEdiTpEFEhviMgLTbAmaazqK3tMW_jFGrpfKBu9Z1OcXRJd7uw9XbDWbJMtPXbkdqO1CKZytwSEat41id_LJ-hqg_s-Dg/s320/carolers.JPG" border="0" /></a>They sang a few tunes and we gave them approximately 4o lei which is about 3 american dollars and a bag of apples from the cellar. Well then Christian decided he wanted a little limelight so he donned a jacket and broke into song as well.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ve5e4h-Ffqi8j6nGh2OkpgN5EQFg4z9fZaN9vFvMF17h8ZIyvXOCS120EZao7F3fLL_3eToHdm4GTSQkuSUTkHtYt-GYYfPrfwBCS0LDOPX9Mm7IcVLFeb8ufiq15RnFohrn_w/s1600-h/cristiansings.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046585072124559282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ve5e4h-Ffqi8j6nGh2OkpgN5EQFg4z9fZaN9vFvMF17h8ZIyvXOCS120EZao7F3fLL_3eToHdm4GTSQkuSUTkHtYt-GYYfPrfwBCS0LDOPX9Mm7IcVLFeb8ufiq15RnFohrn_w/s200/cristiansings.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here is my family <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQVg68IkjNDDwjspEQrO5HSDQNNX9PVx3q7ud9M2LHZSbD_znCa_1XtPh1VyK7W2kU0OnHLnQRMJ2RZIvcErwCwpBInvsJnMEOpQsoG3Rwqf19Pj1Ezl83PM-oYnzYBNIwV9RSg/s1600-h/decjanuarie_67.JPEG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046579802199686978" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 199px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 149px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQVg68IkjNDDwjspEQrO5HSDQNNX9PVx3q7ud9M2LHZSbD_znCa_1XtPh1VyK7W2kU0OnHLnQRMJ2RZIvcErwCwpBInvsJnMEOpQsoG3Rwqf19Pj1Ezl83PM-oYnzYBNIwV9RSg/s200/decjanuarie_67.JPEG" border="0" /></a>from Milestii Mici... sister Elena and brother Stefan....<br /><br />Before dinner<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSmMMFooAdnTxIcMl_GUqhN-1_EUUrbTiBDcarcW9kIBMdO4XkPNs2GmW1iwr88jugNdvZD5SDBDocCnMurI0UBpqNjFn8Z_URLH8iQ7FRVHtYVi-GmXOLeCfxaoZ2K-v2FDqXw/s1600-h/decjanuarie_75.JPEG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046582207381372802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSmMMFooAdnTxIcMl_GUqhN-1_EUUrbTiBDcarcW9kIBMdO4XkPNs2GmW1iwr88jugNdvZD5SDBDocCnMurI0UBpqNjFn8Z_URLH8iQ7FRVHtYVi-GmXOLeCfxaoZ2K-v2FDqXw/s200/decjanuarie_75.JPEG" border="0" /></a> and after when we danced the night away in the<br /></span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-size:85%;" >living room!!!</span><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JvDXA65QRB6iih78KiLKeZiMELVaKz9a-Xn4SQ_Uzs4_1eCx4d6Ii-U_wvRZLTZmNZlLiG3i7muM3FzGHmvLXodpQxr6vsA2ZDSecX1sNeyz2H-huLxmVy-Jz1Z4F357POjs3g/s1600-h/decjanuarie_79.JPEG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046582198791438194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JvDXA65QRB6iih78KiLKeZiMELVaKz9a-Xn4SQ_Uzs4_1eCx4d6Ii-U_wvRZLTZmNZlLiG3i7muM3FzGHmvLXodpQxr6vsA2ZDSecX1sNeyz2H-huLxmVy-Jz1Z4F357POjs3g/s200/decjanuarie_79.JPEG" border="0" /></a><br />below Sergiu after having a bit too much to drink playing rock star with the broom an<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoqJOYHUbIBSq6see31x7zo-kNOjpuDWkKnwHHV_L-e_q6Y5fMdTDwp0fJP2jUUdpvUNLT6ctLZnlcTREu5WMuztGJY2qPCZkKEsEoVGAOVUkk-2DUjCtSD9QLhx9DZlx4xYlXw/s1600-h/decjanuarie_86.JPEG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046582194496470882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoqJOYHUbIBSq6see31x7zo-kNOjpuDWkKnwHHV_L-e_q6Y5fMdTDwp0fJP2jUUdpvUNLT6ctLZnlcTREu5WMuztGJY2qPCZkKEsEoVGAOVUkk-2DUjCtSD9QLhx9DZlx4xYlXw/s200/decjanuarie_86.JPEG" border="0" /></a>d<br />with his brother and <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQ6ESFlG7LlZQeefkKa-nWLjf8S6xI01XhRPHcLPvwANUB417UHgcg5q_EjAKbY_cPBlB-kDxYzma1yihYcCrNRpkex2emVSkLkL2ZY22IqhgaAvvJR33vo31cx5auoKMskn3Lw/s1600-h/mmdanceguys.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033257720553143922" style="WIDTH: 266px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 198px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQ6ESFlG7LlZQeefkKa-nWLjf8S6xI01XhRPHcLPvwANUB417UHgcg5q_EjAKbY_cPBlB-kDxYzma1yihYcCrNRpkex2emVSkLkL2ZY22IqhgaAvvJR33vo31cx5auoKMskn3Lw/s320/mmdanceguys.JPG" border="0" /></a>brother in<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKi6gCgxuTSjITEK8Np5NYiWfZCckMdRXNeCtU_aTYUCarMlrth8wEUAQNjPx5isbxMV1DeVyPGghqoTRgogYSeY2NpxrOkVUNZChorlkURKG-9rxl7OraBctcHEyKZW97yy68Q/s1600-h/serginbeci.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5046585063534624674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKi6gCgxuTSjITEK8Np5NYiWfZCckMdRXNeCtU_aTYUCarMlrth8wEUAQNjPx5isbxMV1DeVyPGghqoTRgogYSeY2NpxrOkVUNZChorlkURKG-9rxl7OraBctcHEyKZW97yy68Q/s200/serginbeci.jpg" border="0" /></a> law and of course ME... they were CRAZY!! they found a hat for me and insisted that I dance with them!!<br /><br />and the next day.. a picture of the "dad" Sergiu cleaning potatoes in the cellar on New Year's Day...</span>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-61781363656305878012007-02-19T05:55:00.000-08:002008-12-09T17:09:51.929-08:00THE CURRENT<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:verdana;">Halleluiah, I got a BRAVO from Nadia!!<span style=""> </span>Some of you may be aware that I a</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:verdana;">m having a bit of difficulty with the mother of the house.<span style=""> </span>Seems to me that I’m just not the volunteer daughter she was hoping for. Most days it seems to me that I just don’t measure up.<span style=""> </span>Her former volunteer won her heart and I am just <span style="font-style: italic;">NOT </span>Casey.<span style=""> </span>I’ve grown to accept this fact.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtx3BlqkJR9F8bDgcG4anWCyE5LgYTWG87Kcg-AsVPZBBtLagSeSWHCZhyphenhyphenOzJTI3EzIHY6nkvoSZSs5VdtRL_3r9fvr0Qq8-rUQkde9p4f-nlVnaqirWmJ5idyFIvigw1ODxmP_g/s1600-h/FAMbaby.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtx3BlqkJR9F8bDgcG4anWCyE5LgYTWG87Kcg-AsVPZBBtLagSeSWHCZhyphenhyphenOzJTI3EzIHY6nkvoSZSs5VdtRL_3r9fvr0Qq8-rUQkde9p4f-nlVnaqirWmJ5idyFIvigw1ODxmP_g/s320/FAMbaby.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033244848536157746" border="0" /></a></p> <p face="verdana" class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p>Although she smiles and speaks with a song in her voice, my instincts tell me otherwise.<span style=""> </span>So to</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> get a BRAVO from her is quite the accomplishment!<span style=""> </span>What did I do to deserve this???<span style=""> </span>She recounted the story last night at dinner with her sister Nina who is here from Russian.<span style=""> </span><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: verdana;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">We spoke about the<span style="font-style: italic;"> DREADED</span> current which those in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Moldova</st1:place></st1:country-region> firmly believe. Seems <st1:country-region st="on">Moldova</st1:country-region> is in just the right place where winds from the West and the East and the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Mediteranean</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Sea</st1:placetype></st1:place> align in some kind of perfect harmony creating an invisible demon... The Current!!!!<span style=""> </span>It causes jam packed rutieras (mini buses) to be void of fresh air in the summer heat…it causes women to wear kerchiefs on their heads and children to be bundled up like great big balls of yarn…</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggmLMZDOQQyE1iR5mAD3JsuttFqBqkFJn2M8LiwTv2TUDff1hHyHx6c1CmlG8mKlj2DiDNnVce47l31q0YES5dYe4g2U9E1CE3BgUGx79d6BwYsgR_CB1Xc09GesVCEXPDjDuB3A/s1600-h/festilitzrekl.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggmLMZDOQQyE1iR5mAD3JsuttFqBqkFJn2M8LiwTv2TUDff1hHyHx6c1CmlG8mKlj2DiDNnVce47l31q0YES5dYe4g2U9E1CE3BgUGx79d6BwYsgR_CB1Xc09GesVCEXPDjDuB3A/s320/festilitzrekl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033244401859558946" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p style="font-family: verdana;"></o:p><span style="font-family:verdana;">Well... I've already told them I don't believe in the current (they've reacted about the same as if I'd told them I don't believe in God)...and they're convinced that someday I'll understand that </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >THE CURRENT</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> is true and I need to fear it as much as they.</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">I remember my grandma and my mom warning about going outside with wet hair etc… and I never believed them either!!! </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">I had all but forgotten about this, until Nadia brought it up the other day and heres how the story goes</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sometime in December, I had just taken a shower and my hair was still even a little wet and I was only wearing a sweater while I went outside to hang my clothes in the sun. She spotted me and gasped at the way I was dressed and of course I responded like I always do. </span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">Este cald afara si eu port pulover de lina.</i><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">"It's warm outside and I'm wearing a wool sweater". She mumbled something about the current… and "</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:verdana;" >Oh Renell</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">" as if she feared for my very life!!!!</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">The other day as we talked about my non belief in the current, she retold the story adding this part:</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> </span><b style=""><span style="font-family:verdana;">"I expected her to be sick and I waited and waited and 'BRAVO Renell you never got sick!!!'"</span> <span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-12383753480280591742007-02-10T04:19:00.000-08:002008-12-09T17:09:52.333-08:00Ryan<span style="font-weight: bold;">He made his final decision on a Wednesday night and after a restless night of sleep he awoke early to watch the laborious</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> movement of the hands of the clock in front of him until it finally read 8:00 am. He made the call and by 9:00 am he had packed all of his belongings and loaded them i</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">n the unmarked car waiting for him outside the Moldovan place he had once called home. Along the way he searched the faces of the people on the buses and the streets, hoping to see just <span style="font-style: italic;">one</span> smile, but he found the same stoic soviet faces we've become accustomed to here</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZ1Ak2hAs63y054BL6ICR2eGlSMS9E7P73AxTx4aLvTv_uciecTHLPCpfpiO0TmKNKa9cXwrUgWfEaQitXbrUyJcJO2d0Ka4r0b6ZjHPdEy2Rtp8drzSSfIRotwBYtzP3vZeU2w/s1600-h/decjanuarie_14.JPEG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZ1Ak2hAs63y054BL6ICR2eGlSMS9E7P73AxTx4aLvTv_uciecTHLPCpfpiO0TmKNKa9cXwrUgWfEaQitXbrUyJcJO2d0Ka4r0b6ZjHPdEy2Rtp8drzSSfIRotwBYtzP3vZeU2w/s320/decjanuarie_14.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034337389432012434" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizW61rtgjOydGmsoWV3pLMpUINvK1M8FWPp-4I3H83lAfoiUH0EC__OGvWPXGNB8aV5neVYFyFWu0Jr7uD939Jqe1G8p__JaTLtF-GIWGAhh8-ZZN9njAn9Cz5-2sTKBa3jb90kg/s1600-h/decjanuarie_27.JPEG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizW61rtgjOydGmsoWV3pLMpUINvK1M8FWPp-4I3H83lAfoiUH0EC__OGvWPXGNB8aV5neVYFyFWu0Jr7uD939Jqe1G8p__JaTLtF-GIWGAhh8-ZZN9njAn9Cz5-2sTKBa3jb90kg/s320/decjanuarie_27.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034338712281939618" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The following days were spent in headquarters filling out report after report necessary for his Sunday morning departure. I feel lucky that I was there to share this experience and will long remember that early morning hug from a friend and fellow PCV. He spoke only his usual and telling phrase, "la revedere frumos" and possibly before even </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">one</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> rooster crowed, he eagerly walked out the door into the cold dark Moldovan morning, homeward bound.</span>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-46167573249049195732007-02-08T08:14:00.000-08:002008-12-09T17:09:52.553-08:00Medicine in MoldovaWell I thought doctoring for three days ear wax was a little long and drawn out - but little did I know that it would be two weeks!! The medical staff here at PC is to say the least THOROUGH. One thing leads to another and they take it a step at a time to make certain they don't do anything wrong and it wasn't until 6 or 7 days of putting drops in my ear and taking antibiotics for a possible infection that they decided to send me to an audiologist to test my hearing.<br /><br />So I boarded the Big white Peace Corps emblazoned SUV and headed to the "spital". After just a few minutes of waiting in the drafty hall of this concrete building with several Moldovan patients, we were whisked to the front of the line and brought into the doctor's office. She examined my ear, determined that it was unecessary to do an audiology test since its already known that I can't hear. She wrote a prescription for some drops and suggested we come back in a few days. We stopped for the prescription on the way back to headquarters and I was told to wait in the Volunteer lounge for a call to insert the drops, however I was never called.<br /><br />The next morning I was called to be ready to go see another specialist in a different hospital. When I asked why we did not use the drops, I was told that they wanted a second opinion.<br /><br />So once again we were taken ahead of all of the others waiting in the hall. This doctor was a ENT pediatrician. I was told that he is gentle and capable and that is why our Peace Corps doctors like to go to him. When I met him I liked him. He was older than me (which is tough to do) and he was dressed in a white smock with a paper white chef looking hat. Strapped to his forehead was an old fashioned large stainless steel disk... although he had gray hair, he looked a little like THIS:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029202337983984706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 119px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 153px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="233" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5I33Zq3pl26hhSMJBBFr65ZnQ-T1kUxmuPfkpV59QEH-qT7EgTdrK5ZEnEPqEufGXx0F4B45PPlHKg2qTLaZGuLomfsNvwtTw9bZEIMwyVTzk_7qyMjYVPrpFKzHdMs4lXHAH6g/s320/Doctor---OK!.bmp" width="171" border="0" /><br /><p>He gave me some drops to put in my ear said to come back the next day (this was day10 by the way)... The next day was Friday and he flushed out the ear and I can hear again!!!!... so I ended up staying through the weekend because the"traumatologist" was going to read my foot xray and see me for my foot problem... oh yea.... Haven't mentioned the foot... well it's been bothering me for awhile.. I twisted my ankle a time or two in the secret mudholes of the village back in October... and for a long time before I wore them in, I was walking on the back of my shoe..I think this caused a bit of a stress injury to my tendon and now I am in FIZIO THERAPE !!!! Tomorrow is going to be the last day and it really still isn't better. So I will talk to the medic after my last therapy session... getting ultrasound massage to the top of my right foot every day for 15 minutes. If this doesn't work I'll probably just have to deal with it. It's hell gettin old! </p><p>So I have been in the medical facility (which is the nicest place I've been so far!!!) for a grand total of 18 days. I have enjoyed making cream of chicken and rice soup, enchiladas, quesadillas, grilled cheese, popcorn and hot chocolate. Baked banana bread and chocolate chip cookies and have finally gained some weight!!! I've read some great books, started knitting a sweater and enjoyed the other sickies that land there from time to time. </p><p>It is actually a good time for this to happen as I'm not in the middle of a project... have said it's a momentum breaker, but then I haven't really gotten too much going with the holidays and training breaks... Looking forward to getting back and re learning Romanian as the only words I've used are "daţi- imi varog" which means "I'll have please" </p>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-28288121862381415992007-01-23T09:27:00.000-08:002008-12-09T17:09:52.921-08:00I'd never see this at homeOn a recent bus trip, I noticed a few things that I would NEVER see at home... here is a partial list... a goat and a bull tied up to a tree next to the highway - a sign pointing to a road resembling a farmer's field road with an arrow indicating the way to a town... an old lady wearing a sweater, skirt, apron and kerchief walking out of the woods miles from nowhere...with a pile of sticks in her hands. A funeral procession with people walking in front and behind the two ton flatbed truck which carries the open pine box of the deceased. Men in pointed toe shoes with skin tight pin stripe pants.. Old women on the side of the road selling sunflower seeds. Me sitting in the middle of this wondering... what the hell was I thinking!!!!<br /><br />It's been a little up and down, I must admit... the time has really flown by - I have been here for over 4 months already.. that is almost 1/6th of my service!!! I don't feel as if I've accomplished a whole lot of work yet... but now that the holidays are past I have been doing alot of thinking about how I can best assist the community of Stefan Voda and I will hopefully soon be engaged in a satisfying and helpful project.<br /><br />This is an interesting place... the existence of the communist government is still evident in the attitudes of the people. I was told by a Moldovan that it was common to see this phrase during the Soviet Rule... INITIATIVE IS PUNISHABLE. It really helped to make sense of it all for me and I am moving forward with a new understanding. It's gonna be a tough job to feel a sense of accomplishment but I've vowed to keep positive and affect the things I can.<br /><br />How about this for getting things done in a timely manner......Monday, I decide to clean out my ears and I put something smaller than my elbow in it and now I can't hear... so I called Peace Corps Medical at 10:00 am on Tuesday. I wait for a return call and don't receive it by 11:00 so I call again and speak to the medical officer who tells me she wants me to get on a bus and come to Chisinau and bring jammies and toothbrush because I'll be staying.<br /><br />So I get some things together, call my work partner, text my tutor, write a note for Nadia and head to the bus. I realize I only have 36 lei with me and the cost of my bus trip is 34 lei and the bank is a 30 minute walk from my house... No problem unless of course I decide to go by private car if the bus is late and that costs 50 lei.<br /><br />Interestingly enough the bus depot, my house and the bank form a perfect triangle with each side a <em>30 minute walk</em>... so after a moment of thought, I decide to head straight to the bus depot and take my chances.<br /><br />I arrive at the bus depot just after 12 to find out the last bus was at 10:30 and the next one is at 2:00. So I have time to walk downtown to the bank (one hour round trip) so i have enough money in case I can find a private car which I don't... so I leave at 2:00 on a bus and now I have a 2 1/2 hour bus trip and a 30 minute walk to Peace Corps HQ. I arrive close to 5:00 they examine me and I am told that I will stay until Thursday. So it takes all of Tuesday and Wednesday and probably most of Thursday to take care of my little ear blunder. I spent all of last week in Chisinau at Peace Corps. training and now this week is nearly shot...<br /><br />Have to say a bit more about funerals... just today as I walked to the bus depot I saw my third funeral procession. The first oneI saw was disturbing, although I watched it from a bus window. It was the first and only snowfall of the year here. I was wondering why the bus stopped and as I peered out the window I saw people carrying flowers, wearing arm bands and a large truck carrying the body of the deceased.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpQHzikvwDRJBtH9FNTzTWp-uyW1CeKbkgcCe8gb_-C7kkQ2cLt2ZokUPK5ZukJnZJ5qnEX2yr9nrtIDvvd8Cw5SK7CN-YSO3xoidMYoi3M7ooHZCqOFSwp2FqhzP3hOyBN7UUg/s1600-h/graveyard.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpQHzikvwDRJBtH9FNTzTWp-uyW1CeKbkgcCe8gb_-C7kkQ2cLt2ZokUPK5ZukJnZJ5qnEX2yr9nrtIDvvd8Cw5SK7CN-YSO3xoidMYoi3M7ooHZCqOFSwp2FqhzP3hOyBN7UUg/s320/graveyard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034340305714806498" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbskojIgtkWI0cFXgk-fmhiQQYBLeF9P5mhEHypJcecMmRLhSJk66qlogtdf74EM345HVkMO8dVJEf0RGk361L4JVXQzJII-7QkCagynTR34sIZgPuEkQBH35wdOn51QbbRltNA/s1600-h/freshgrave.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbskojIgtkWI0cFXgk-fmhiQQYBLeF9P5mhEHypJcecMmRLhSJk66qlogtdf74EM345HVkMO8dVJEf0RGk361L4JVXQzJII-7QkCagynTR34sIZgPuEkQBH35wdOn51QbbRltNA/s320/freshgrave.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034340821110882034" border="0" /></a>The home made pine box was in just the shape you'd expect it to be and the dead woman's face was covered in snow. Because I watched from above I saw her very clearly - she appeared to be dressed for the weather.<br /><br />The second procession was just last week as I walked to work. Here I knew a bit more what to expect and I recognized the procession from off in the distance. Same ritual... Men and women carrying flowers and wearing armbands, a large two ton flatbed truck with the home made casket and a woman wearing fur, but this time the women walking behind the truck were carrying baked goods and the priest walked along with his incense. I didn't know exactly what to do... I didn't want to appear as if I was gawking, but I remembered many years ago when the funeral procession for Great Grandma Stiles wound its way through the dusty roads of Walnut Grove to the cemetery and I was so moved to see a farmer in the field get off of his tractor and stand at attention as we went by.<br /><br />So I decided that this would be appropriate and I stood beneath a tree on the sidewalk as they passed. There was no wailing or crying - a few people were talking.<br /><br />Today however as I walked to the bus depot, I noticed in the distance a group of people walking... saw their flowers and crosses and armbands but no truck. As they passed by me I soon realized the reason. The casket was being carried on the shoulders of a man... quite possibly the father of this dead infant. As I stood at attention on the side of the road, the last man in the procession carrying a bucket and a cup came to me. I didn't know exactly what to say, so I just said " I am sorry". He shook his head and offered me a drink of the sweet water from the cup. Saying something that I didn't understand as he pointed to the front of the procession. I don't know the significance quite yet but it was an emotional moment for me.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-89276358075383078972007-01-08T05:04:00.000-08:002008-12-09T17:09:53.658-08:00Celebration Moldova Style<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wfEOq2gWm2bK7Dww89fUTqEmn7P42AsWycFd-pP4gOgZCWmJh7HEzO5p7TVz41kqO-zYMcACEiEQl2is4ZOgCLzHjFbZJyh9eZUAP5GGkCGp61-FI3RNRBmKiZZ9-U5_9Wx8Rg/s1600-h/decjanuarie_54.JPEG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 388px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wfEOq2gWm2bK7Dww89fUTqEmn7P42AsWycFd-pP4gOgZCWmJh7HEzO5p7TVz41kqO-zYMcACEiEQl2is4ZOgCLzHjFbZJyh9eZUAP5GGkCGp61-FI3RNRBmKiZZ9-U5_9Wx8Rg/s320/decjanuarie_54.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019177575776369634" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">ME AND MOŞ CRACIUN<br />Watch where you're putting those hands, hey?<br /></span></div>I have officially celebrated my first Holiday Season here in Moldova. It started on December 23rd and lasted straight through January 9th. I reported to work a bit in between, but very little has been going on. I guess there is one more <span style="font-style: italic;">New Year</span> to celebrate on January 14th but for the most part it is finally finished!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">On the actual American Christmas I got together with a bunch of other Americans and first went to a baptist church. I cried in church during one the hymns...it was so good to be there even if everything was in Romanian... after the service we ate wonderful food with the church members... Here is a pix of the kids singing in front of the church. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsr_DoR8-EsUgckLttgtUl3LZ93nIuPY3GO4NeMft1X0aOVNapKxv2eHGItCZIC7UKLCU_12nCVbxNSgIZY8kDwyd0pACGPyE1diO1WxPFQ5Is3n9WOKCzzgMbeRbDWB2fmfLNrA/s1600-h/decjanuarie_18.JPEG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 366px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsr_DoR8-EsUgckLttgtUl3LZ93nIuPY3GO4NeMft1X0aOVNapKxv2eHGItCZIC7UKLCU_12nCVbxNSgIZY8kDwyd0pACGPyE1diO1WxPFQ5Is3n9WOKCzzgMbeRbDWB2fmfLNrA/s320/decjanuarie_18.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019175131939978146" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And a picture with the lady who invited us...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEiuXwzWDb6N77TL7xwdHliUfuK8n9LtNqpYRDEikYHYhB4JlPLIeeZD-kw0r6wD2lO5zB2cB8HHPt8Ga-WL4FoQxhkCOna4JHtHdV025mxhTOgh5N5zx5b1OFK21LnvKGMo_Pg/s1600-h/decjanuarie_21.JPEG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 363px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEiuXwzWDb6N77TL7xwdHliUfuK8n9LtNqpYRDEikYHYhB4JlPLIeeZD-kw0r6wD2lO5zB2cB8HHPt8Ga-WL4FoQxhkCOna4JHtHdV025mxhTOgh5N5zx5b1OFK21LnvKGMo_Pg/s320/decjanuarie_21.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019175144824880082" border="0" /></a></div></div><br />Our Christmas dinner had quite the international fare! We had fun shopping for ingredients and preparing our dinner together! We ate <span style="font-weight: bold;">deviled eggs</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">tacos</span> (with shredded cabbage) because they don't have lettuce here...<span style="font-weight: bold;"> chicken quesadillas </span>with home made salsa... (thanks, dad for the spices!) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Italian bruschetta</span>, (with sheep cheese of course), <span style="font-weight: bold;">macaroni and chees</span>e, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Japanese fried rice</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">BANANA BREAD</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Homemade hot fudge covered brownies and ice cream</span>!!! After dinner we watched Christmas Vacation.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvv3wUPrBeIccZ_Kv5v7-qYSgnPn3IsLkpZGAiyEgejCY4U-XikJoJfmKPlmBmfvyDiLz58GxhjIHMt3IrZvdkmjmFmCVHw-RTe2VAV37gCPfGYOyfnb7mB-3HEGztb9uiUoDIA/s1600-h/decjanuarie_33.JPEG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 367px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvv3wUPrBeIccZ_Kv5v7-qYSgnPn3IsLkpZGAiyEgejCY4U-XikJoJfmKPlmBmfvyDiLz58GxhjIHMt3IrZvdkmjmFmCVHw-RTe2VAV37gCPfGYOyfnb7mB-3HEGztb9uiUoDIA/s320/decjanuarie_33.JPEG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019175136234945458" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Ryan noticed right before dinner that it began to snow - so we ran out for a snapshot and a good thing, because it didn't snow long... Georgians and Floridians alike had a "white" Christmas!<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEiuXwzWDb6N77TL7xwdHliUfuK8n9LtNqpYRDEikYHYhB4JlPLIeeZD-kw0r6wD2lO5zB2cB8HHPt8Ga-WL4FoQxhkCOna4JHtHdV025mxhTOgh5N5zx5b1OFK21LnvKGMo_Pg/s1600-h/decjanuarie_21.JPEG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 376px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPswAsnitDkSj9OpFumnhA8syTNwwhhDI_Cow5cT_if_n_NLd5VYdMnmmjNaHhaIGtCUd92H98WUvJaW3cfmBzlsS33IddjpBPdToiPKMSMepCPv_QdwlVWpsrsdUFSn5yb5A3Bw/s320/snowfaces.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019175140529912770" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> </div> <div style="text-align: right;"> </div> <div style="text-align: right;"> </div><div style="text-align: right;"> </div> </div><br />I promise to write more later... I will be in training from January 14th - 21stMEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-56190620748799816662006-12-22T04:42:00.000-08:002006-12-22T05:56:27.473-08:00typical day<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">well.. I'm beginning to see some regimen in my days... I wake up by 8:00 when my family is just wrapping up their morning schedule and leaving for work and school. I usually wait until they're gone, because I just don't want to upset their morning schedule. I go to the stove first thing to heat up water for my favorite new drink....fresh raspberry and honey tea. I take a little square bench that is stored against the wall and carry it to the table so I have a place to sit. I cut a couple slices of bread (never seems to be fresh... rare to have fresh bread) and pop it in the toaster and when it's done, if I'm really lucky, I can melt some crunchy peanut butter on it.. if not I just have butter and cinnamon sugar with my tea!!! Sometimes I'll cut up an apple or if by chance last night's dinner was actually edible, I might heat a little up...While I eat, I play Soduko.. read.. plan lessons for English classes or just eat...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Usually step out on the veranda to find out the weather while I have my morning smokey treat.... then I put two or three layers of clothes on, make my bed... pick up my plastic bag purse and off I go... get to work about 10:30 or 11:00.. twice a week I teach English at ll:00 am and three times a week at 5:00 pm. There are kids coming in and out.. sometimes I pop in on a dance class... just met the teacher who teaches clothing design... guess she might join the English classes, too.... I usually help my partner by translating... helped her organize a seminar last weekend... brainstorm for ideas and try to understand her needs here...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Wednesday's I meet the other volunteer in town.. Lee, for French Fries - homemade and delicious.. Lee is from Alabama and brings along picante ketchup and some awesome alabama creole spice that make them even better! I walk home generally in the dark... arrive home anywhere between 6:00 and 8:00. Eat dinner visit a bit and go to my room (where I LOVE to be!)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Speaking of reading.. I read "Aint got time to bleed" and I must say I missed listening to Ol Jesse's the Body's self grandizing stories when I was done... I actually liked it and it reminded me why I voted for him in the first place!!! I remember so clearly thinking the next day "OH NO - now what?" when I found out he had won. He infused alot of energy into Minnesota politics... changed things up a bit... I thank him for that! And of course the rebate check was nice too. I just finished "House of Sand and Fog" - really liked it... am enjoying reading books again!!! Wish I had even more time to do so!!! Between the knitting and the studying and the texting at night...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Just met a young kid (probably 9 yr old) named Vladislav. He speaks a little tiny bit of English... a little tiny bit of Romanian and alot of Russian...and he wants to talk to me... Earlier I played foosball with he and his friends in the after school center. So he is here talking to me and asking me what I'm doing on the computer... he keeps talking and pointing and says when you're done with the computer and says the word for games... so I have to tell him that kids cannot use this computer for games or anything else ever( of course remember he only knows a little English and a little Romanian) Finally he says.. NO!!! I want to play foosball when you're done! Dang it's hard to figure out what's going on around here!</span></span>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-48191683910071106072006-12-22T04:16:00.000-08:002006-12-22T04:41:38.806-08:00Just a couple of thoughts...<span style="font-family:verdana;">I have a funny and typical story to share... Hope Vanny won't mind... but she went to church in her new town and afer church she was asked to leave because they had a meeting... so last week when she went to church they announced her name and she thought it meant she had to leave again... but really the whole church was waiting for her to get up and introduce herself... instead she just got up and left.. I just laugh to think of all of the people standing there anxiously waiting for her to get up and talk and she gets up and just walks straight out the door!!!!!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">When I first arrived here and for quite a long time, I was really mixed up and using the word "I want" instead of " I like ". Countless times I told someone that I wanted something that belonged to them... I told my boss I wanted her jacket. One time I asked someone if they wanted the United States!!! Like it is for sale and I hold the purse strings!!! I'm wondering now how many of my personal belongings I gave away without knowing.. when someone complemented my jewelry or clothing I'd say "you want it?" What an idiot!!!!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I'm sure I said...I want your house... I want your car....I want your shoes, your husband your firstborn... who knows!!!! And what a demanding bitch... I want french fries, I want ice cream,I want raspberries... No wonder I haven't made friends!!! Ha! Life is like that here...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Gave my first English class today.. to some teachers from the school. It was really fun!! I'm looking forward to the next one when I get back from "holiday".</span>MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-78549946276378416132006-12-18T07:57:00.000-08:002006-12-18T08:07:52.174-08:00Holidays!!Here in Moldova there is a new and old church calendar.. Most people celebrate Christmas (Craciun) on the 7th of January. Although it is said that it is celebrated a bit on the 25th of December, I've yet to meet anyone that does... I know my little brother Cristi will do the traditional American leave cookies out for Santa and Santa will leave a gift..He learned this tradition from the former volunteer that lived at his house... the difference is that he doesn't get to tell Santa what he wants or write a note of request. he gets whatever Santa leaves!! So this year will be the same!!<br /><br />People here actually exchange gifts on New Years.. My Americanized 22 year old sister told me after a big meal and exchange of gifts on New Years Eve..many people then go to a bar in town and party until 6 or 8 in the morning...<br /><br />My family in Milestii Mici has invited me for the traditional January 7th celebration and that is what I intend to do. All of the relatives that I got to know will be there and it will be a wonderful reunion!!! I have a few nice options with friends for December 24th/25th so I won't be alone, but it will not be the same as being HOME!!! So here is wishing you all that makes you feel warm and wonderful during this SPECIAL time of year!!!! My love and thoughts are with you!!!MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-36515892780637616242006-12-18T07:35:00.000-08:002006-12-18T07:56:18.399-08:00My package!!On Friday I received a message that the package my parents sent had finally arrived.. My dad was told it would arrive in 3-5 days which seemed pretty impossible, but it actually only took about 9 days!!! Of course when I looked at the postage today when I picked it up... I knew why!! It was a $76.00 shipping bill!!! Thanks Mom and Dad!!!<br /><br />The document said that I could only pick the package up Monday between 2 and 3 pm and Wednesday between 9 and 10 am. So today I was there exactly at 2:00. I tried the door and it was locked...so I stood outside for about ten minutes when an old lady walked by me pulled on the door really hard and it opened... of course!!!!<br /><br />I showed the lady behing the window my new official Moldovan ID and she said something about a passport, which led me to believe that I needed my passport to pick up the package... it took a little while to figure it out, but turns out she merely was telling me that I <span style="font-style: italic;">didn't</span> need my passport I only need this little green ID card... so I picked up the 10 kilogram package which translates to a little more than 20 pounds, I think... and had no choice but to <span style="font-style: italic;">walk</span> home with it..<br /><br />It is a pretty good jaunt on foot from the Posta!!!!! I think about how ludicrous it would seem if my Dad had to take this package to a post office somewhere in Mountain Iron on foot to get it sent!! I think he'd have done it, though!!! I switched it from my shoulder to my back to my left arm to my right arm with every long block...<br /><br />It was a bit cumbersome but I was determined because I knew I would have my own private party on my bed when I got home with it!!! And I did!<br /><br />My fave of course was the hometown beef jerky... I immediately cut it up in little pieces so it would last longer and vowed to ration it... (after I devoured 1/4 of it right there on my bed)!!! A couple of spoonfuls of crunchy peanut butter and I was beginning to feel satisfied!!! I looked at each gift one at a time.. reading all of the words in <span style="font-weight: bold;">English</span> ate tootsie rolls and licorice for dessert and read the letter from my mom over and over when I realized I had left work two hours ago to pick up this package... I walked 1/2 hour across town once more and here I am back at my desk!MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-56654126927554264522006-12-18T07:12:00.000-08:002007-02-19T06:18:16.701-08:00Miscellaneous ramblingsI have a really nice house... it is almost like an American house definitely 50's style! (And they have no idea what decorating retro style means!!!) It will be a long two years, but I am enjoying the time for me to really do the things that I've always wanted to do read, write,reflect, think and was always too busy to do. It is interesting to, for example, hang my clothes on the line and to watch them dance in the breeze and it reminds me of summers when I was young and how I would go out in the backyard and talk to my mom while she hung clothes... The smell takes me back and it gives me impetus to reflect upon my life. A life that seems full of stumbles, but it's mine nonetheless!<br /><br />I've had what I would consider a few small successes at "work". I'm still just trying to find out what the work means.. Organizational development is a pretty broad job description, so I'm hoping to learn more about the politics, the community, the culture and of course the language here so I can begin to narrow it down.<br /><br />I really don't like the food here... although I am beginning to find some favorites. It will be better in summer when the gardens are overflowing with fresh vegetables. They say anything will grow in Moldova... If you plant a shoe you will grow a shoe tree!!! Apple trees, pear trees are plentiful and watermelons, too!<br /><br />Here they have two church calendars the old celebrates on January 7th and the new on December 25th. Funny thing, I was in Chisinau this weekend.. just hanging out with a few of my volunteer friends... There was a big professionally lettered sign on the street that said<br /><span style="font-size:130%;">M<span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">a</span>rry Christmas.</span> Ha! Chisinau is the capital and I love it so much. Unfortunatley for me I am a two hour bus ride away and the last bus home is at 5:00 pm. It is expensive on my "salary" to stay in a hotel and currently (a rule with Peace Corps) we are on lockdown for the first three months... which means we cannot be out of our site overnight until February 15th.<br /><br />So for Christmas, my first family in my training village has invited me to come and celebrate with them. I guess its the biserica (church) and then a big meal (masa) which goes on for hours and hours and probably alot of wine and cognac and dancing late into the night. They put Christmas trees up I think and they exchange gifts but not until New Year's Eve. The traditional food that they always prepare for parties are my LEAST favorite of all food! One dish is chicken parts - feet, wings, maybe even heads... I never look.. it is put in a chicken gelatin substance and served cold... they just lap it up!!!! EEEUUUUUU!!!!!<br /><br />I was at a family party the other night and tried so hard to find something to eat so as not to offend them and they finally brought out these sausage looking things and told me it was ground pork... although they started describing that the casing was made from the lining of the stomach and lucky for me I knew that that is normal for sausage and I'll just peel that part off... well my plan almost worked!!! I peeled and began to eat the ground pork and guess what it was!!!! Pork liver. so I hid it under my leftover cabbage and drank another glass of wine with them... they are more offended if I refuse wine I think.<br /><br />so... I am only allowed one exception from the lockdown rule and that would be to visit my family in Milestii Mici... but it looks like the volunteers will rent an apartment for the night in Chisinau for New years...sounds like it is a fun place to beto ring in the new, as they have the countdown on the main town square... If I got caught taking more than one celebration, I could be separated from PC. Really I'd just be happier if I let the dates slip right by... I'll be glad when they're over.. it is just too sad to think about being away for the holidays. But the good news is that once this one is past I only have one more to do and then I'll be home!!!<br /><br />On Thanksgiving we had a talent show after the dinner (which was scrumptious, by the way) and one of the volunteers played his guitar and sang a beautiful rendition of "I'll be home for Christmas"...I cried and cried while he sang. later, I talked to another volunteer who is in second year and she is going home for Christmas until January 7th... I started thinking that maybe that might work for me too... although I swore I was going to see Italy and Greece and Istanbul as long as I was so close! So we'll see... it may be really difficult to come back to Moldova once I'm home.<br /><br />Right now I am feeling challenged with the language and just the general adaptations of life. Everything takes so long... Clothes.. luckily for me - Nadia "mom" has an automatic wash machine.. it doesn't spin very dry, though, so I still have to take my clothes to the bathroom and wring them out in the tubbie... then haul them outside and hang them on the line for a couple of days.. (in this weather)... They freeze dry, I think. We don't have any snow yet and today I walked to work (25 minutes) with just a sweater and my light gortex jacket... I think it will get cold January/February for sure.MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-69450035207162101862006-12-15T04:41:00.000-08:002008-12-09T17:09:53.876-08:00On my way to workI thought this might help you formulate a bit of an idea of my life here... these are the some of the things that I'm likely to see on my 25 minute walk to work in the morning:<br /><br />We seem to have a lot of fog here... in fact the first two weeks here I'm not sure I ever saw the sun!! The air is so wet and heavy that the trees drip with moisture as you walk under them. recently the sun has begun to shine and I often walk home toward the sunset... the sky here is beautiful.. In fact... Orion's Belt is hard to find because the clusters of stars around him are so bright!!!<br /><blockquote><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlboF2futq0FDm8Y-6EkiMOMMHoEUWEXlAxZ_EE8t3-hFf8moMNISzp-teVD0s8KXf0WkHxLn9j-vTxgsVGCe7Di8yaQdZFYfwS_6mfVVq_GUrkHj2RUGLZEgaUy9uktnuvDgZDw/s1600-h/november+cp_33.JPEG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5008739881007620578" style="" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlboF2futq0FDm8Y-6EkiMOMMHoEUWEXlAxZ_EE8t3-hFf8moMNISzp-teVD0s8KXf0WkHxLn9j-vTxgsVGCe7Di8yaQdZFYfwS_6mfVVq_GUrkHj2RUGLZEgaUy9uktnuvDgZDw/s320/november+cp_33.JPEG" border="0" /></a></blockquote>Every tree trunk in the country is painted white... Here is a picture of a street in Stefan Voda supposedly it is for reasons of tree health, but mostly they feel it pretty and I think its a little like making sure the paint is not chipping on your fence or house... - to show you care about your place...<br /><br />I'm likely to see a whole lotta old guys on beater bicycles. A large flock of turkeys just hanging out on the street corner... sad part is my mouth waters when I see them!!!<br /><br />Someone burning a pile of leaves on the street... an old rusted out bus with no wheels parked in front of someone's house.<br /><br />Everyone carrying a plastic shopping bag - including me... because when you walk everywhere you have to have something to carry the stuff you need! (It isn't just sittin there next to you in the passengers seat.)<br /><br />Tons of black crows in the treetops... seems to be a bit of a nuisance even for the residents here... one day while Lee (another volunteer at my site) and I walked through the park... overhead were many of these crows and sure enough.. we both got hit at the same time... I hope it is not a sign of things to come! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f1wGe8nMIfx0QC12pVUehEGU9cTnrM9fbrKn2-TDd3f4eGCcHoLw6m8WJ-4O5cxAEunikQQbD69LydFhQAYBGUG8mPjATDUr_vBocC_47DLEwlt2o4TssTZy7hhxER6hAMXG4g/s1600-h/IMG_0192.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f1wGe8nMIfx0QC12pVUehEGU9cTnrM9fbrKn2-TDd3f4eGCcHoLw6m8WJ-4O5cxAEunikQQbD69LydFhQAYBGUG8mPjATDUr_vBocC_47DLEwlt2o4TssTZy7hhxER6hAMXG4g/s1600-h/IMG_0192.jpg"></a><br /><br />It is normal to see a horse drawn cart with an older couple driving and some kind of produce in the back... its my understanding is that they are coming from the outerlying villages.. probably to buy and sell their wares! yesterday I saw a two horse team pulling a cart and beside them was a little pony trotting along so bravely!!!! obviously he was just learning the ropes... cute.<br /><br />The public buildings were fortunately built really strong, but currently they are in different stages of crumble. I walk each day by the Soviet built stadium.. it is huge and was once very beautiful I am sure.. but today I watched a guy lead a cow on a leash through a big hole in the fence. I guess it is used as a pasture now.<br /><br />Most people are on bicycles or on foot, but every so often comes one of these tiny little square soviet cars putzin down the road.. there are a few bmws - but mostly things are pretty simple.<br /><br />I occasionally strike up a simple conversation if I find someone friendly walking my way.. for the most part... people aren't that friendly! Unless it's a group of guys drinking in the street! I usually talk to the old folks... often they speak Russian. Most people, though know both languages here. I may have to pick up at least a working knowledge of Russian.. first things first... Romanian!<br /><br />Well that's it for now...MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32024554.post-90224884189385903952006-12-13T05:44:00.000-08:002006-12-13T06:09:26.191-08:00CristianSo 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. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />Last week I asked him one day over dinner.. <span style="font-style: italic;">"So Cristy.. how was school today?</span>" Well... forgive me for trying his mom jumped in to remind me that he doesn't go to <span style="font-weight: bold;">SCHOOL</span> he goes to the <span style="font-weight: bold;">GRADINITA</span>... 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 <span style="font-style: italic;">Gradinita</span> today?" He looked at me with that blank stare and looked at him mom and she promptly told me that I'd said <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gradina</span> which is <span style="font-style: italic;">garden</span> NOT <span style="font-style: italic;">Kindergarten... </span>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... <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">"why do I have to answer.. she doesn't understand"</span> That was a perhaps my lowest moment.<br /><br />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... <br /><br />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!!!<br /><br />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!!!MEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01335814885823883523noreply@blogger.com0