Family and food

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!

This particular day was Saint Nicolas' day and the whole family went out to the park with some relatives... 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...




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!!! anyway... Nadia makes placinte over an outdoor fire and it is really good... so here's she and Ion proudly showing off the placinte.








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!!!






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... 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!!!!

I 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!
Here I am with my lessons on the whiteboard... and a pix of a few of my students. 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... "When is red old?" Think about it!!!!

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!

...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 to come into Chisinau to vote... 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!!!!

More Holiday pix

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. 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.

Here is my family from Milestii Mici... sister Elena and brother Stefan....

Before dinner and after when we danced the night away in the
living room!!!







below Sergiu after having a bit too much to drink playing rock star with the broom and
with his brother and brother in law and of course ME... they were CRAZY!! they found a hat for me and insisted that I dance with them!!

and the next day.. a picture of the "dad" Sergiu cleaning potatoes in the cellar on New Year's Day...

THE CURRENT

Halleluiah, I got a BRAVO from Nadia!! Some of you may be aware that I am having a bit of difficulty with the mother of the house. 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. Her former volunteer won her heart and I am just NOT Casey. I’ve grown to accept this fact.

Although she smiles and speaks with a song in her voice, my instincts tell me otherwise. So to get a BRAVO from her is quite the accomplishment! What did I do to deserve this??? She recounted the story last night at dinner with her sister Nina who is here from Russian.

We spoke about the DREADED current which those in Moldova firmly believe. Seems Moldova is in just the right place where winds from the West and the East and the Mediteranean Sea align in some kind of perfect harmony creating an invisible demon... The Current!!!! 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…

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 THE CURRENT is true and I need to fear it as much as they. I remember my grandma and my mom warning about going outside with wet hair etc… and I never believed them either!!! I had all but forgotten about this, until Nadia brought it up the other day and heres how the story goes

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. Este cald afara si eu port pulover de lina. "It's warm outside and I'm wearing a wool sweater". She mumbled something about the current… and "Oh Renell" as if she feared for my very life!!!! The other day as we talked about my non belief in the current, she retold the story adding this part: "I expected her to be sick and I waited and waited and 'BRAVO Renell you never got sick!!!'"

Ryan

He made his final decision on a Wednesday night and after a restless night of sleep he awoke early to watch the laborious 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 in 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 one smile, but he found the same stoic soviet faces we've become accustomed to here.

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 one rooster crowed, he eagerly walked out the door into the cold dark Moldovan morning, homeward bound.

Medicine in Moldova

Well 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.

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.

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.

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:

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!

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.

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"

I'd never see this at home

On 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!!!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Interestingly enough the bus depot, my house and the bank form a perfect triangle with each side a 30 minute walk... so after a moment of thought, I decide to head straight to the bus depot and take my chances.

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...

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

Celebration Moldova Style

ME AND MOŞ CRACIUN
Watch where you're putting those hands, hey?

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 New Year to celebrate on January 14th but for the most part it is finally finished!

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.

And a picture with the lady who invited us...

Our Christmas dinner had quite the international fare! We had fun shopping for ingredients and preparing our dinner together! We ate deviled eggs, tacos (with shredded cabbage) because they don't have lettuce here... chicken quesadillas with home made salsa... (thanks, dad for the spices!) Italian bruschetta, (with sheep cheese of course), macaroni and cheese, Japanese fried rice, BANANA BREAD and Homemade hot fudge covered brownies and ice cream!!! After dinner we watched Christmas Vacation.

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!

I promise to write more later... I will be in training from January 14th - 21st

typical day

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...

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...

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!)

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...

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!

Just a couple of thoughts...

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!!!!!

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!!!!

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...

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".

Holidays!!

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!!

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...

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!!!

My 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!!!

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!!!!

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 didn't 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 walk home with it..

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...

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!

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 English 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!

Miscellaneous ramblings

I 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!

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.

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!

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
Marry Christmas. 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.

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!!!!!

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.

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!!!

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.

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.

On my way to work

I 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:

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!!!

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...

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!!!

Someone burning a pile of leaves on the street... an old rusted out bus with no wheels parked in front of someone's house.

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.)

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

Well that's it for now...

Cristian

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

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

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

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

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

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

My life in Stefan Voda

Out with the old... my backyard and toilet in Milesti Mici

and in with the new... My new family in the kitchen at home....

I feel compelled to get this entry done because it is really the close of the first phase of my service here... really once the Thanksgiving weekend was done I physically began to call my new home "home". I live a 25 minute walk away from work. Near as I can tell I live on the southern side of town. Again, I view the moon out my bedroom window.. I am thankful for that! I live with Nadia and Ion I think they are in their forties... they have a daughter age 24 and a son 20 ish and little Cristian who is the only child to live there currently. He is six and attends the Gradinita (Kindergarten). Nadia works all day 6 or 7 days a week at a frigid hardware store and Ion is a retired police officer and now works as a chauffer nearly full time. It takes many sources of income to keep a household rolling here. Salaries are very low, jobs are hard to come by and basics are expensive considering their salaries. A large number of the young and able people although highly educated, are living abroad making money for their families. It is a huge problem... I think about what that means to a society when the best and brightest members have limited opportunities for which to stay. Anyway... My accomodations are very nice... Nadia keeps the house extremely clean... she is careful about food preparation and purchase... she likes sweets just like me. My bedroom is very comfortable and pretty! Here is a pix

MY VILLAGE IN THE GUINNESS BOOK!!

We toured this place with a vehicle!!! and it went on and on and on for miles...

The qualified wine manufacturer will acquaint you with underground gallery, where the huge barrels of wine are established. The special tasting hall is arranged in medieval style with tables and benches made from tree in order you to have a good time with your friends at a glass of old Moldavian wine, the pleasant feeling of this air smothered by the aroma of wine will embrace you.

Over 50 km of the underground galleries are transformed into wine warehouses in the Milestii Mici Village (almost 20 km south Chisinau). Now, as many years ago, the underground kingdom still excites the visitors. The lucky guests who get into it have the rare opportunity to travel the darkened avenues and streets with rows and niches, where precious bottles are carefully laid down, where barrels are placed. Covered with the attributes of antiquity – spider web and grey dust – they attract all looks, just like a magnet. In order to make the time travel even more exciting, all those who wish are given the map of the wine depository, sealed with wax. The same map is present on the labels.
The constant annual temperature of +12 ... +14 oC and the high moisture level offers favourable conditions to store the high quality wine. The wine collection consists of over 2 million bottles. The grapes collected on the vineyards around Milestii Mici village are of special quality. The wine made out of these grapes has a rich and noble taste, which is stored then in the stone subways for many years. Cabernet", "Cahor", "Muscat" or "Aligote" – each of them bears the mark of the creator, his soul, energy and inspiration, though all of them are perceived as a part of the universal history of winemaking, as a part of the Moldovan culture.

Thanksgiving

Well Thanksgiving was all that we hoped it would be...after only a few days in our new site, we were able to assemble in Chisinau for the All Volunteer Conference and Thanksgiving Dinner. I left Stefan Voda by bus ( 3 hour ride) on Wednesday arriving at the hotel to find lots of friends. We had some sessions each day, but still had time to spend together in the evenings. Thursday night came the feast - complete with cranberries, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, green been casserole, pumpkin pie, pecan pie all made by volunteers and it was delicious... I wished my stomach had no bottom that day! We had a riveting bird flu seminar on Saturday and departed on Sunday..

Here Anastasia dressed as Poke a Hot Ass poses for a pix with Angela, Chris and I.

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A look across the restaurant where 250 were fed and we even had leftovers for sandwiches the next day! In the morning I started thinking about what time it was at home... and that my mom would probably just be putting in the turkey about now...and the kids would arrive....and I started to get very very sad... but I quickly decided to enjoy the moment in front of me and realized that I will only miss ONE more Thanksgiving at "home".

Simira, me Ryan and my site mate, Lee (wearing a wig trying to look like me - ha!) doing the traditional relaxation after dinner... although there was no football on TV!

It's Official!

On the 16th of November I walked across the stage in Chisinau,

shook hands with the Country Director and the Ambassador, took the oath of service and I'm officially now a Peace Corps Volunteer. (as opposed to a PCT - Trainee!!) the distinction is foarte important!

It was a pretty uneventful ceremony, other than our traditional hora dance of course...that we'd been practicing for a month. It didn't look good at dress rehearsal, but when the show began, we danced splendidly and had a blast doing so!!














Here is the Millesti Mici gang posing one more time before we split into all areas of the country to start our service.
Sharon, Chris, Me, Vanny, Drea, Becca and Angela..


After a nice reception, I have a very tearful good bye with my family but we remind each other that Viata Merge Inainte! (Life moves forward)! I've been invited to spend Christmas with them in Millesti Mici and I plan to do that! Below is Rodica, Stefan, Me, Elena and Sergiu. Within minutes I am on my way with my new family to Stefan Voda! VIATA MERGE INAINTE!

Fall In Moldova

This is a pretty typical scene in my village as I meandered through the village to my language school classroom. These goats were just stopping for a snack, I guess... this fall I learned that the best time to search the streets for walnuts was after a rain and I learned who had the pear trees in the village... straight off the tree... heavenly! There are alot of ways to crack a nut and we've tried them all... during our pouzas from classes, we'd find Chris up in the tree shaking walnuts for us... I am now looking forward to next fall so I can enjoy them again.

Just a scene from Moldova...


Here's me during a family party winning the ironing race! I must say Chris gave me a good run for the money and his mama gazda was trying to distract me to help him to win. It is a rarity here.. a boy with an iron and he actually knows how to use it!

Ioanna - Mother of my "mother" Rodica in Milesti Mici making wine.