I'm at a b-day party w/ 25 Moldovans and 2 Frenchies....

I’m starting a one woman smiling revolution, baby! Moldovans are some of the kindest, funniest people I’ve ever met and yet they would rather cut off a finger than flash those pearly whites in front of a camera. Along with a mandatory head nod and the appropriate greeting I’m gonna grin in every direction possible. It doesn’t’ matter if they’re a babalush, grandmother or trendy teen (I’m only going to reserve my special gift from old-married men, because a slap to the back of the head would not be an appropriate association with the cause). Eventually something will wear off, they’ll start to think, ‘maybe this yank has a point, it just feels so good’! My students will become my army of smilers and eventually we will conquer this town. Until that happens though, this is a one woman show and she’s gonna be in town for the next 2 years.

Still no internet, but I’m feeling surprisingly ok without out it… sorry babi. Dad would’ve had a severe brain aneurism by now and been rushed to the hospital. I’ve just gotten done with another ginormous lunch from Doamna Raier (spelling still in question). And my pooch (stomach, for those non-sorority girls) was just starting to go down. I’d rather die fat and happy than skinny and dying for a snickers bar?!?! After reassuring her many many times that I do in fact eat meat, I still can’t bring myself to actually eat it. There was a bowl of dead chickens sitting on the kitchen table yesterday, that sort of killed my carnivorous side for at least a week. Today she asked me if I’m not eating mean because of a religious holiday… I desperately wanted to lie and say “yes, and it’ll last two years” but I couldn’t.

Life is surprisingly boring for being the adventure of my life. Or maybe I’m just not telling the story well, my friend Sarah could make the stupidest story seem like the greatest tale of love and peril. Just going to the gym was a saga. I wake up, eat, read and make a few lesson plans. My crush on Geoff grows bigger everyday… he was the volunteer here before me and has now returned safely to Allentown (both PA residents, coincidence?!!?). He is probably my best friend in Moldova, even if he doesn’t actually know who I am. That’s a little sad, but the truth sometimes is. Doamna Raier has told me so much about him that I know everything… literally. I could probably make a profit by not telling his future girlfriend some of these stories. Her other volunteer, John, is probably my 2^nd-best friend, but he didn’t leave me anything so I’m not quite as smitten. Geoff left me a variety spices, magazines, decorations and perhaps most importantly LESSON PLANS! Those lesson plans have made my life so much easier. Neither me nor my teaching partner are actually teachers, so we were both immensely frightened by teaching, and for me at least, in another language!

Rodica, my teaching partner, is amazing. She’s patient and laughs at everything I say. She also loves to recant my little language mishaps to all the other teachers. It’s actually a really good thing, it makes it easier for my to converse with the rest of the school, that way no one is worried about appearance when talking with the silly American! How can you be self-conscious when talking to someone charading a duck?! We have a great time making our plans and she’s pretty good about being efficient, which is one of my biggest pet peeves. I don’t really know how to describe her except to say that she looks just like her dog, a small blond wiener dog. And I love that no matter what culture you’re in, the owner always resembles their dogs or vise versa. It’s sad, but Bella and I really do have the same habits, I almost cried when my mom discovered my longing to be scratched behind my ears.

Tomorrow Rodica is taking me to her mother’s 80^th birthday party. They said it’s because the uncle has internet, but really I think they just like having me around. And I lover her family. Her daughters, twins who dress the same everyday, have showed me a little bit of New Dehli and took me to the market. I met most of their family then, at least I hope it was most because I met so many people I lost count! Everyone I did meet was very friendly and soo patient, which isn’t necessarily a given. I’ll fill you in after...

Some time after my dinner of fried salami and before plucking my eyebrows in a bathtub (right next to a fly that walked in circles for my entire visit) I went to the viseu, pronounced vi-sh-a-u or for those non-Romanians (outhouse) in the audience. A simple decision changed my outlook on Moldova, my partner teacher and host family!

As I opened the door a dash of black scurried across the concrete floor. I held the door open to let some flies out, really they’re not bad in there I just don’t like the idea of them watching me do my business… and there was another dash of black. Sitting right in front of me was a huge, nay, GINORMOUS, spider. And we’re not talking the cute kind, like Charlotte. No this sucker was the kind that bites you and mutates your genes until you’re climbing up walls and shooting white gunk from your hands. Naturally I let out a yelp and started clapping at it to move (because I had some serious business to do- fair enough, I did warn you it was TMI) and yelling, “Merge a casa” or “Go Home” because I don’t know any harsher language yet. After a good 2/3 min of my clapping, yelling and stomping I turned around because Mr. Blood-Sucker wasn’t moving. And grandma Vera was staring at me from the garden and Valentina was barreling towards me, Ion upside down in one hand and a raised broom in the other. Poor Valentina looked like she was going to war with a grizzly bear to defend her duckling and there I was terrified of a stupid spider. That’s when it hit me for this woman spiders in the viseu are nothing, she’s got way bigger fish to fry- like the wolves that come down and actually eat chickens—no that’s not a myth, they actually do that!

I have been so crabby these past couple weeks and yet she stuck by me. She gives me apples to give to my teachers so they like me, helps with my homework, tells me to change my clothes and put on more make-up and forces more food on my plate despite my objections. I thought it was because Peace Corps was paying her a ridiculous amount of money. But that woman didn’t need to come trudging down to me and swat at a spider, she could’ve done what dad always does and tell me to grow up! Valentina already runs the household, has a 1 and 11 year old, a grandmother to take care of and then she gets me- someone who talks and occasionally acts like a 5th grader, but then demands to be treated like an adult. I’m the worst of all ages combined: the languate of a 5 yr old and the appetite to match, I am emotional because I’m getting used to peeing in a hole, constipated- that’s what happens when you eat carbs for every meal and of course I’m trying to look good doing it. So while I won’t be going to the bathroom for a while, I do owe the spider in the viseu gratitude, because he showed me how childish, selfish and American I was being about my life here. Besides, I kinda like macaroni with butter!


On a lighter note… We’re finishing practice school, which is 2 weeks of pretty much hell (if I’m allowed to say that). PST is like taxes, I understand why I’m doing it and in the end it really helps me, however parting with that extra sleep time is killing me. It’s just hard to work with our partner teachers, while doing all the other stuff we need to do, like play soccer with the kids down the street! Clearly my priorities need some fixing, it’s just a little rough. But from everything I hear this is the last painful week, then it’s cake. Or as cakey as the Peace Corps can get.

On Saturday we had a birthday party for James. Actually he had a birthday party for us. In Moldova when it’s your birthday you pay! That totally sucks, right?! It was tons of fun and his host mother was an amazing cook. Zio could eat most of it because during the summer most food is vegitarian since they just have to pick the veggies out of the tree. We watched the new Batman movie and it was super sad, because Heath (that’s right we’re on a first name basis) was so good. I never appreciated him while he was here and now I wanna see everything. But that is why my motto is ‘try everything once’. Ironic, Frank Sinatra’s I did it my way, just came on! It’s getting late and I have to be bright and sunny for practice school!

Sidenotes…
Suz I downloaded the last episode of Greek and I need to know when it’s coming back on?!?!

Mom, call me the very second you hear about McCain/Obama announcing. Babi and I speculated, but I don’t think we’re going to be right…

HI DEDO.

Rainy day blues

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.

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

DISCLAIMER

The views expressed are mine alone and not those of the U.S. Government or the American Peace Corps.

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

Leaving on a jet plane...

Well, I am leaving on a jet plane... with 38 other people.  I'm sitting in the hotel breakfast room, even though there is no breakfast, and writing my very first Moldova blog!  yikes?!?!  I can't believe that I got myself into this and I can't believe that I'm actually going.  Seriously.  

Everyone is really nice, though there is a lot more character diversity than I would have thought.  Sidenote* Carolyn called ME the hippie of the group- I feel like it takes a lot to be the biggest hippie in a group of peace corps kids.  We range every political spectrum and hair color.  Everyone is really great though all the nervous laughing could be inhibiting my decisions.  

Last night I took everyone out for dinner- well they took me to the Hard Rock Cafe.  Which I suppose is good for a last American meal.  There is no bad time for mac'n'cheese.  The we preceded to bar hop philly... McCools, Fergies, McGullians.  Then when we asked a guy where the coolest place in Philly was they pointed us straight towards WOODY'S.  Apparently a very popular gay bar... and I gotta say only kids moving to moldova would be o.k. with pilling into a gay karaoke bar without any actual gay people.  Huntley would be so proud.  That's all for now... courage (name that sign off).