Week 3

I have officially been in Moldova for 26 days, and in my PST (pre service training…Peace Corps LOVES acronyms) site for 24 days. We have language classes 6 days a week and technical, safety/security, medical, and cultural integration workshops multiple times a week. We are all busting our backsides to learn the language and we all seem to be making steady progress. Living with our host families really seems to help.

Speaking of host families – mine is pretty cool. I have a mama and tata gazda (host), a 12 year old brother named Nicolae, an 11 year old sister named Olga, and an 11 year old cousin named Elena living in my house. Elena lives here with us because, like many other Moldovans, her parents are working abroad in Ireland. The town we live in is beautiful…its name means something about being between hills, and I think that is an apt description. My house is on top of one of the hills and the view is spectacular. There are fields and gardens everywhere…oh, and goats, chickens, turkeys, rabbits, ducks, rabid looking dogs, and the occasional cow of course. PS…I have discovered that rabbit soup is delicious J

My sora gazda (host sister) speaks a tiny bit of English, but most of my communication with the family involves random noises, crazy facial expressions, and rather complex pantomimes. So far, I haven’t had any crazy issues with miscommunication – unlike my friend who thought his host brother was telling him that he was going to eat raccoon instead of lobster the other day…oops!

Public transportation here is a constant adventure…I feel like we are putting our lives into the hands of a lunatic every time we take the bus to our hubsite which is a town about 8 km away from our village. Bus is really too generous a word for what we ride in…it is really more like a van that feels like a clown car due to the excessive number of people crammed onto it at any given time. Air conditioning is unheard of and the windows are never open due to a superstition involving the belief in the evils of the “current” (this same superstition also explains why you can’t ever have the door open if you also have a window open). The smells are delightful J All of us have learned very quickly to get over any idea of personal space while traveling. Many of the “roads” we travel on have no lanes and are littered with potholes. Most drivers tend to make up their own traffic laws as they go. My personal favorite is the use of the horn in place of indicators when changing lanes, passing other vehicles, or driving in reverse at high speeds. I do enjoy driving through the countryside though because the scenery is so beautiful and green. The day after arriving at site, I got to ride in the back of a van on the way to a masa (party). It had 2 seats in the front and none in the back…they did, however, have a wooden armchair (complete with cushion) somehow tied down in the back. I was lucky enough to ride in that seat of honor while my cousin and sister crouched on the floor.

My mama gazda seems to be a really good cook – Moldovans take a lot of pride in their food and their wine. I have definitely tried more new food in the past couple of weeks than I had in the past year back home. Every meal comes with tomatoes and cucumbers…and I mean every meal. I have had lots of cabbage, potatoes, fresh apricots, cherries, and raspberries – all from my family’s garden. I have also been able to sample (only in moderation, of course…wink wink) a variety of homemade wine. Delicious! Although I haven’t tried any of the plum brandy that my grandpa has warned me about repeatedly, I have had visinata which is some kind of cherry cognac that my mama makes. Despite the burning sensation, it is quite tasty and is a lovely pink color.

Our Corpul Pacii mentors (current volunteers) took all of the new trainees around the capitol last weekend. We walked around to get a basic idea of where the main offices and things like the main market and stores are. The main market was quite impressive. You can find anything there from amazing fresh produce and dairy products to toilet paper, clothes, and toys. We also visited the first (and only) mall in Moldova. It is called Malldova and has only been open for a few months. The current volunteers were thrilled to show us that the food court has a Chinese place (in addition to the traditional Turkish and Moldovan options) and a KFC! It was quite a treat for them since they have all been away for at least a year already. I have to admit that my favorite part of the day was when we stopped at McDonalds in Chisinau for a cheap beer. Apparently you can get a beer with a happy meal here. It was just what the Dr. ordered after trekking around the city on a hot day. We are all looking forward to the 4th of July. From what I understand, all Americans throughout Moldova gather at a party hosted by the US embassy to celebrate. Most of the Peace Corps, embassy staff, and military personnel in the country get together for lots of food and drinks.

Anyways…better get back to studying my Limba Romana. Buna seara!

PS…if you want to reach me by mail, you can use the following address until I move to a different site towards the end of August
Peace Corps
Annika Graham M-24
#12 Grigor Ureche Strada
Chisinau, Moldova 2001

To reach me by phone, you can call my cell at
373 68 29 08 23
If I call America on my cell, it uses up my minutes at an extremely rapid rate. I think it is more reasonable if I receive the call instead of making it. Anyone want to get a phone card?