We've come into Chisinau for the weekend, more or less.
Yesterday a few days ago we ate at El Paso, the mexican food place and it was DELICIOUS! *bonus, there was no whipped cream. There I Zio and I met two Moldovans and a Greek that worked for the EU commission. We talked for a while and they gave us some really great places to go to in the city. I'm not sure I can read all of her handwritting, but they were so nice and the neighborhood was really nice too. Then Zio and I wandered around the city more and ended up at Number 1, the biggest grocery store here. We attempted to buy some cookies for our family-gazda... it wasn't pretty. We asked for a kilogram, b/c that's all we know how to say, of cookies and so walked out of the store with enough bisquites to feed a small village... for $2!
They're good and Ionel was very excited. Yesterday during breakfast he made a mad-dash for his bike, which he's still too small to ride, turned around, gave me his best james dean, blew me a kiss and tried to ride off in the sunset. The best he could do was make the vroom sound, but it was cute. He's finally warmed up to me... it only took 2 months.
Today, Lori, Suz, Becca and I came into the city to get our fortune read, but apparently the woman doesn't work on Sundays. She's very famous and even the police here use her, just like Medium! Becca's sister-gazda came with us; she was tall, thin and gorgeous- of course. Right now I'm just postponing making my lesson plans, so I suppose I need to go.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Eu nu stiu ( I don't know... be impressed)
Hey all,
Suz, Alex and I ventured into the city for some quality internet time and, of course, a Coke Light. On Sunday we had a Mexican food night and it was unbelievable, Zio def. did her ancestor's proud, lol. And for the entire night Martin's host father called her the Mexicanca and gushed about what a great wife she would make. The next night Valentina made the greatest dinner ever and I'm not sure if it was because I was going on about how great Mex night had been (Valentina's was the Moldovan version of black beans and rice, mixed with carrots and cabbage, and I added some hot sauce that nearly made Sandu throw up). Valnetina really likes things spicy but the rest of the family thinks it's disgusting and Bunica Vera likes to laugh at me.
Laughing at me seems to be a common theme here. On the routiera ride here, the man asked me-literaly- 10 times if I wanted a Moldovan boyfriend and then tried to introduce me to his son. But I gotta say, the man wasn't bad looking... a 25 yr old version wouldn't be too bad.
School is school. We have a big test at the end of August and if we don't get a certain level then we don't get sworn in. There was actually a guy who did so poorly that they sent him to another program where they speak english?!?! Nadia, our teacher, has started laughing at me- see, common theme!- because my accent is just so horrible. But most people know what i'm saying and I can understand them. Although people here talk just as fast as they do in Philly, either way Dedo would be upset!
Valentina gave me Oscar- Oscar Winston III- to take with me to my village. I don't think Nicholae was too happy, but either way I want him. He was just born when I moved into their house and my host grandmother in the village said it was ok. I hope in 2 yrs he'll get along with Bella?! The dogs here are generally very cute but have bark like nobody's business, lol. Bartsik (the name of every other dog here) still doesn't like me, despite the fact that I've been slipping him scraps!!!
We've started planning our christmas vaca, so if anyone out there wants to meet in Praha, you'll have a place to stay. That's all the news that's fit to print.
xoxo
Suz, Alex and I ventured into the city for some quality internet time and, of course, a Coke Light. On Sunday we had a Mexican food night and it was unbelievable, Zio def. did her ancestor's proud, lol. And for the entire night Martin's host father called her the Mexicanca and gushed about what a great wife she would make. The next night Valentina made the greatest dinner ever and I'm not sure if it was because I was going on about how great Mex night had been (Valentina's was the Moldovan version of black beans and rice, mixed with carrots and cabbage, and I added some hot sauce that nearly made Sandu throw up). Valnetina really likes things spicy but the rest of the family thinks it's disgusting and Bunica Vera likes to laugh at me.
Laughing at me seems to be a common theme here. On the routiera ride here, the man asked me-literaly- 10 times if I wanted a Moldovan boyfriend and then tried to introduce me to his son. But I gotta say, the man wasn't bad looking... a 25 yr old version wouldn't be too bad.
School is school. We have a big test at the end of August and if we don't get a certain level then we don't get sworn in. There was actually a guy who did so poorly that they sent him to another program where they speak english?!?! Nadia, our teacher, has started laughing at me- see, common theme!- because my accent is just so horrible. But most people know what i'm saying and I can understand them. Although people here talk just as fast as they do in Philly, either way Dedo would be upset!
Valentina gave me Oscar- Oscar Winston III- to take with me to my village. I don't think Nicholae was too happy, but either way I want him. He was just born when I moved into their house and my host grandmother in the village said it was ok. I hope in 2 yrs he'll get along with Bella?! The dogs here are generally very cute but have bark like nobody's business, lol. Bartsik (the name of every other dog here) still doesn't like me, despite the fact that I've been slipping him scraps!!!
We've started planning our christmas vaca, so if anyone out there wants to meet in Praha, you'll have a place to stay. That's all the news that's fit to print.
xoxo
Thursday, July 17, 2008
DISCLAIMER
The views expressed are mine alone and not those of the U.S. Government or the American Peace Corps.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Americanca...
My first Moldovan blog update!!!! yay. I just got back from my future site, which i'm not allowed to tell you, and it was really super great... except for it being 5 hrs away! There is another volunteer there right now but he leaves in 2 weeks, but I'm living with his grandmother in my own little house (but have no fear she still cooks for me). The town is rather rich because they have potato farms...
The sunflowers here are unbelievable, they totall surrounded the road and I couldn't see anything but yellow. It's going to be sad when they harvest them, just a bunch of sad little stems. Until I move there I've been living in a small village south of the capital with 8 other volunteers. We sorta love each other! Everyday after Romanian school we go to the local bar and hang out until dinner, we really are living the sweet life. I thought this was supposed to be hard?! Who am I kidding though I'll be crying when it hits -35 degrees!
For the fourth of July we partied with the embassy folk. It was way to posh for me- I showed up in a tshirt, rolled jeans and sneakers. It should be noted that Moldovan women walk around dirt roads with 3 inch stilleto heals and skirts shorter than my underwear! So the Americans are drinking beer and coke light and making a rucus while the Moldovans stared at us in horror. Eventually we all stripped down to our skivvys and jumped into the pool... imagine the gasps at that! It turned out not to be such a good idea since I had to walk around the rest of the night sopping wet, but my PSU sweatshirt kept warm enough, thank goodness for dear old state.
While everyday is an adventure, my life is actually fairly boring because I can't recall all of the crazy things that happen. My friend Lory stole a stray dog (that turns out not to be stray) and my host mother tried to get me to eat chicken jello, with the leg still attatched.
On some sidenotes...
Suz, where the F is our securtiy depostit?
And for those that knew me during my Josh Hartnett faze... he's filming a movie in Romania and I'm way tempted to swing on by if ya know what I mean. He's not still with Scarlett is he?
I MISS YOU ALL!!!! xoxooxo
The sunflowers here are unbelievable, they totall surrounded the road and I couldn't see anything but yellow. It's going to be sad when they harvest them, just a bunch of sad little stems. Until I move there I've been living in a small village south of the capital with 8 other volunteers. We sorta love each other! Everyday after Romanian school we go to the local bar and hang out until dinner, we really are living the sweet life. I thought this was supposed to be hard?! Who am I kidding though I'll be crying when it hits -35 degrees!
For the fourth of July we partied with the embassy folk. It was way to posh for me- I showed up in a tshirt, rolled jeans and sneakers. It should be noted that Moldovan women walk around dirt roads with 3 inch stilleto heals and skirts shorter than my underwear! So the Americans are drinking beer and coke light and making a rucus while the Moldovans stared at us in horror. Eventually we all stripped down to our skivvys and jumped into the pool... imagine the gasps at that! It turned out not to be such a good idea since I had to walk around the rest of the night sopping wet, but my PSU sweatshirt kept warm enough, thank goodness for dear old state.
While everyday is an adventure, my life is actually fairly boring because I can't recall all of the crazy things that happen. My friend Lory stole a stray dog (that turns out not to be stray) and my host mother tried to get me to eat chicken jello, with the leg still attatched.
On some sidenotes...
Suz, where the F is our securtiy depostit?
And for those that knew me during my Josh Hartnett faze... he's filming a movie in Romania and I'm way tempted to swing on by if ya know what I mean. He's not still with Scarlett is he?
I MISS YOU ALL!!!! xoxooxo
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