1/13/10
Hello Dear Friends:
I realize it’s been a couple of months since I posted my last blog. And those of you have already heard these stories; never mind, it’s not necessary that you have to read them again, unless you really want to.
I hope all the Walkers & Talkers had a great holiday season. and can look forward to a healthy and peaceful new year.
My holidays were interesting and fun for the most part. I went to Suceava, Romania (not far from the northern border of Moldova) for a few days, Christmas included. This friend I went with is affiliated with a church in England and they own the house where we stayed. We had a few problems, in order: a punctured tire in her big British-type jeep (the car was acting strangely on the way–about a 5-hour trip–and when we arrived at the house the tire was completely flat (she spent an inordinate searching for a spare tire but couldn’t find one); then the house hadn’t apparently been occupied for awhile, therefore, no heat, plus no water (think it was due to the pipes being frozen), so we had to buy bottled water to bathe, for coffee & tea, wash dishes, toilets, etc.; then to top it off we decided to have a roasted chicken for Christmas dinner so we put it in the oven and the oven exploded and we had black chicken, so we just washed it and boiled it, it turned out to still be quite yummy. We did eat out a couple of times, plus they have a really nice modern mall there and she bought herself a new coat; we watched several movies on her computer, drank wine, ate snacks and chocolates, so that part was nice and relaxing.
I definitely want to go back to Romania, but next time go to Bucharest & Brecev (which I’ve heard is beautiful) and Translevania to go to Dracula’s Castle. Have been thinking of going to Moscow, I can hear the train at night on its way there, but am truly not too enthused. Ukraine is close and would like to go to Kiev, plus there are other interesting places in this part of the world to explore – and am sure I will go back to Prague again.
Our office had a dinner party at this very nice restaurant, there were 16 of us and we took up the whole second floor; there was an abundance of food & drinks, we all danced and sang traditional dances & songs and each one had to put on a skit–well I sang “My Funny Valentine” and I sang it quite dramatically – to mixed reviews – don’t know if they were laughing, amused or really liked it, there was of course the usual applause. At these functions, it’s a bit difficult because they all know each other well and all speak in Romanian, so I just ‘go with the flow’, not understanding everything, therefore, not talking much.
Then my host family had their New Year’s traditional dinner at midnight with all their family (and me) – my host mother’s family came up from the village where they live, her mother is 72 years old and is this lovely little frail, stooped over lady and walks with a cane; my host mother’s sister, husband, and their two children, then my host mother’s son, wife and little boy who live in this area. They set up the table in the ‘salon’ (similar to our dining room) and it was nice, cabbage rolls, shuba (sort of a beet salad) and other types of Moldovan food and of course, the usual preferred drinks, vodka and cognac.
Then the next morning we were invited upstairs to some neighbors in the apartment building where we partook again of a table filled with food and the usual preferred drinks, vodka & cognac.
Then that evening my host family invited those same neighbors down, plus some other neighbors, to partake of another dinner, and the usual preferred drinks, vodka & cognac.
I received a nice bottle of Moldovan white wine as a Christmas present from my host family (which was my preferred choice of beverage). I gave them a nice Christmassy tablecloth & napkins, plus a nice serving dish, some tea for Gheorges and some bath gel for Minodora.
Since 90% of Moldovans are Eastern Orthodox, Christmas is observed on January 7th. Most of the week the office was closed, I think I went in one day for a few hours.
In the center of the townthere is a big Christmas tree, a Santa Claus smoking a cigarette, a horse-driven cart, a donkey and sweet children taking it all in (as I was). One custom here is that children come knocking at your door during the holidays, sing songs and you give them money.
So now it’s back to work – have some projects to do for the NGO where I work, going to the capital (Chisinau) for a 3-day Peace Corps workshop end of January with one of the partners from the office and also have a big report due mid-February, so we are kept busy.
The weather has been cold, snowing, rainy, slosh, ice,
and not so nice, but what can you do. I took a fall one evening and a kind young man had to pick me up. I try to walk very gingerly now.
So this is it, hope you’ve enjoyed my stories and that you also had lots of fun over the holidays – would like to hear your stories too.
Missing my Tuesday and Thursday walks with all of you and enjoying the nice California sunshine.
Love, Marilyn
11/16/09
Hello Friends:
It’s me again checking in from Moldova.
Not sure where to start as this blog is certainly overdue.
First with some fun stuff. Decided it was time to get my hair done (yes, needed a touch up/trim) – so was referred to a certain hair salon (Frizeria in Romanian, which seems appropo). Well, first you go buy the dye at the market, then you go in for your appmt., waiting a bit (it’s called Moldovan time–doesn’t matter what time your appmt. is you might have to wait quite a while); after putting the stuff on your hair then you sit for another hour or so, they then wash it–you stand up over the basin and they spray not only your hair but your face, clothes, etc. it was an experience, but will probably go back to this same gal – she seemed to do an okay job.
In mid-October I went back to the village for a final round of language training and tech stuff. I didn’t look forward to the trip and it was a test of my endurance – went loaded down with two bags – one w/clothes and stuff for two weeks, and one with a water filter, carbon monoxide device and books. Plus from where I live it was a schlep (about 2-1/2-3 hours) a bus from my apt. – another ruteria (a small van) to the capital into central bus station, then another ruteria to south bus station, then another ruteria to the village.
It was very cold in the village and had rained a lot. The host family live way up in the hills and the road was all muddy. I stayed w/the same host family I stayed with the first two months I was here – they are lovely. However, the father has no work, the mother who is a school teacher doesn’t make much money, they have two darling daughters–a full house–the father’s mother (bunica) is old and not well, legs swollen up from all the hard work over the years + diabetis (actually she’s younger than me), a brother who also lives with them – so this time I had one of the smaller rooms which had no heat. I fell one night over a chair trying to find my flashlight so I could make a trip to the outside toilet (vechia) – hit my upper right cheek bone right under the eye. Anyway it’s okay, although the doctor still wants to take an exray of it. While there we had school in which we had to walk 45 mins.each way. We went into the capital to the PC office a couple of times to do tech stuff and also had a flu shot and loaded down with cold medications.
There’s an outbreak of flu here as well as in neighboring countries, so the schools have been closed this past week.
It was sort of nice to see the young volunteers in my group again; however, it was still the same as they seem to have been joined at the hip still, but nicer to me this time.
I saw the village in a different perspective this time, the true beauty of the village, the countryside and the trees of autumn colors, and it’s like going back in time – people walking their goats down to the fields, along with the bulls and cows–and ducks walking across the road (they can be nasty mean), horses and carts along the road, so many photo ops with all the old women (bunicas)–people are friendly, warm and genuine and everyone greets you all the time–and they are hard workers. The family’s garden is gone and it’s all being preserved for the winer in their big shed–plus October was wine-making month in the village so everyone has their homemade wine, not bad..yummm.
The oldest daughter, 8, is going to get her ears pierced so I would like to buy her a pair of nice earrings whenever that happens (the two girls were always in awe of my earrings).
The last evening the PC provided us with a nice dinner (well mostly pizza and some other food) at an Italian restaurant in the capital. The U.S. Ambassador came and we had a champagne toast and he told us how great we were, what our presence meant here in Moldova, blahblahblah, but it was nice. After he was done the PC Country Director motioned for me to come up and meet the AMB so I did – we happen to have a mutual friend whom I worked w/in Taipei. He invited anyone who was interested in going to the Marine Ball; it’s funny now since I’m a volunteer $75 is a lot of money, but at one time I hardly missed one of these events – so don’t think any of the volunteers went. It was a very nice evening.
I must say we have a terrific PC staff and they are really here for us volunteers so I’m grateful for that. It’s nice to go in to the PC office, it’s like a sense of belonging & family, they have a PC lounge that has a big bathroom, where some volunteers that maybe live permanently in the village go there and take showers, a library, a computer room and we have lockers, and they have a used stuff bin for volunteers who are leaving and want to get rid of their clothes, etc.
Back to Balti (pronounced Belts) and to the usual routine, in the office for about 6 hours a day, language training for an hour a day, etc. Did a leadership course with a couple of other volunteers here in the office – it was in Romanian so I didn’t contribute much – took up my whole Saturday. Also have gone to a couple other seminars – they’re usually all in Romanian so I do the best I can to understand.
Met a nice gal from England one day while I was out having lunch at my favorite eaterie, Andy’s Pizza (well they really have other stuff, a nice menu) – she’s w/some religious affiliation here but doesn’t flaunt it, we’ve met for coffee a couple of times, she has a car so we may go touring around the country a little bit together; right now she is in England for a couple of weeks. I meet up w/some of the volunteers occasionally too, but there are only a couple in Balti, but sometimes we have visitors who like to come and shop here.
Am seriously thinking of getting my own apt. after the winter then I can have visitors. Also I would like my privacy and be able to cook a bit for myself. Two nights in a row I’ve had veggie soup; yes, it’s good on a cold night, but come on now. Sometimes I think the host families like to scimp a bit on the money we (PC) give them.
Went back into the capital last Fri. to see the PC doctor about an ear problem, thought I was going deaf in one ear, but after a good cleaning I can hear again. Also met up w/a gal from the Embassy who invited me to have lunch in their lunchroom, where I met up w/the AMB agian who was also having lunch. I also picked up a box that my daughter, Erin, had sent me with some sweaters, pants, and some other stuff in it. I had a ride with my Director both ways so that was good that I could bring the box back w/me.
Well, CANNOT BELIEVE that in mid-Nov. (now actually) that I will have been here 5 months, the time is going by quickly. I still take it one day at a time, hope the winter won’t be too hard on me. Picked up some boots and a jacket at the 2nd-hand market, although I did bring my peacoat and it’s nice and warm. I try to get out of the office as much as I can during the day (usually stay out a little longer after my language lesson) to get the light of the day – miss my sunshine (vitamin D) – it’s important that I do this because when I leave the office around 4:30 it’s already starting to get dark – maybe there too? By 5:00 it’s dark so I try to head home, the sidewalks? are bad so don’t want to fall in some hole – that’s actually my biggest worry.
Well must close, maybe this is interesting to some of you hopefully, and I thank you all for your wonderful messages, comments and e-mails. I miss you all, I thank Jacques for printing copies of my blog to everyone. I’m glad I’m still on the list and kept abreast of what’s going on there and I’m so lucky to have such good friends.
Until next time, w/love, Marilyn
p.s. observations: lots of stray dogs & cats (probably the owners left to work overseas and just left their pets); old buses that creak along the streets; people with gold teeth; lots of weddings this time of year….
10/12/09
One of my friends hadn’t heard from me in a while and asked if I had fallen into a Moldovan hole, yes I have, but not recently and when I did I sprained my ankle. Oh the roads and sidewalks are certainly not the best for walking (or driving). I know it’s been awhile for me to update you on my activities, so here goes–in reverse order:
Last evening I was invited by my Director and her husband to the National Theater to hear a concert by a well-known (and older & beloved) Moldovan singer named Ion Suruceanu. He’s in his 60′s and quite a dapper guy (changed a couple of times–one in a nautical blazer/white pants, 2nd time in leather pants/jacket. He performed for about 2-l/1 hours (no intermission)–with a lot of talking in-between–spoke both in Romanian and Russian – very different in that he sang to his record–also during the performance there were at least 30 people that came up on stage w/flowers and other gifts for him–I’ve only seen them give roses/flowers at the end of a performance, but this went on during the whole time and the director of the theater spoke and the vice director and the wife…it was an interesting evening to say the least and I really enjoyed it.
A few weeks ago Peace Corps ‘treated’ us to a retreat for three days – a pretty and peaceful setting – near the capital. Actually it was mostly work-related w/PC activities, language training and other stuff. One evening some of us walked to the Dniestr River – across the river is the self-declared republic of Transdniestr – it is one of the world’s last surviving Communist bastions – it was the scene of a bloody civil war in the early 1990′s when the area declared independence from Moldova. WE are not permitted to travel there. Also one evening a couple of ‘older’ volunteers and myself found nearby an elderly home facility – that evening they had a band so we danced, it was a hoot.
I’ve been helping coordinate and assemble materials for several seminars and have gone to a couple of them in nearby towns–one seminar I went to here in Balti wa organized by the Ukraine Womens Foundation (concerning womens rights) — all in Russian, but had a couple of the trainers here at the NGO translate for me. It was an interesting seminar.–only one man in attendance.
Also teaching English to the gals in the office – that’s a hoot too.
Went into the PC Hdqtrs in the capital one Saturday for a TIP meeting (trafficking in people) organized by Winrock International and La Strada. You can find out what they’re all about on their websites. I want to certainly get more involved in this issue.
I’ve been plugging away with my Romanian language classes at the university every day – sometimes I do think I’m going backwards instead of forward–the last two weeks of October we will be going back to the village and will then have school all day 6 days a week – don’t really look forward to it–especially now that I’m in an apt. that has indoor plumbing (meaningi indoor toilet/shower).
There are other things to report, but now I must close this as I have a meeting with a PC staffer who is visiting in Balti so we are meeting for lunch (along w/the 2 other volunteers who live in Balti).
Will continue again when I have something interesting to write about.
Love to all, Marilyn
9/8/09
Dear Friends:
Where to start: well this first part might be a bit boring to my readers. Our office moved from one room to three rooms, quite a lot of effort put in by everyone–especially me who had never painted or wallpapered before, came in a couple of days to help out; there I was down on the floor helping measure/cut the wallpaper, painted (of course had more paint on me). They hired someone to wallpaper (did one room), then they ran out of money, so we all pitched in, must say it looks really nice now, the Director has her own office, I sit in one of the larger rooms with two other people, have a desk and a computer that I can use–still no internet availability at the apt. where I live. Don’t have a ‘real’ job, but do my best to help out, answer the phone (in my limited language skills), make coffee, wash a few dishes, help prepare lunch in the office, take out the trash, whatever needs doing–they are really a nice group, hope to eventually improve my language skills (will be a big plus re the work–plus everyone that comes in and out speak Romanian, I hear very little English spoken and I would like to be able to understand more) and now have a tutor and am continuing language training with her at the university nearby.
August 27th was Moldova’s Independence day; declared their independence from Russia in 1992. As with so many Eastern European countries, Moldova has been sliced, diced and tossed from one owner to another in its long history of settlement. That day we went to Soroca, a town north of here, and is the Roma (gypsy) ‘capital’ of Moldova. The large Roma population, even in Soviet times, were renowned for living at a much higher standard than most Moldovans. You can see a number of stately mansions that the richer Roma built for themselves on the hilltop facing the river and Ukraine on the other side of it. The Director had an exhibition there and it was quite a fun day; went walking along the riverside w/one of the young guys from the office to the Soroca fortress where people are thrown back to medieval times.
Also that week went to a seminar re abused/battered women – one of the other volunteers who also lives in Balti gave the presentation and I went in early to help her greet people and guide them to the registration table & the room where they had coffee. I hope to get more involved in these womens issues, battered/abused women and also trafficking in women. I asked one of my friends at the HB Womens Club if they could send some stuff to the shelter and they are ready and willing – it’s so wonderful to have these sources to rely on and are interested in womens causes.
Otherwise, am coping w/my living accommodations in a small apt., lonely at times for sure, but great I can e-mail (and receive—thank everyone for writing me, I really appreciate it and love you all) occasionally at the office. My daughter gave me her MAC before I left but no internet connection at the apt., but use it for ‘old’ movies and music (get music and books either from the PC office in Chisinau (PC hdqtrs and capital) or from the American Center (nearby the office). I like the location of my office as it’s near the center and I can walk (a big marketplace) around usually after work and get an ice cream on the way home. My host mother makes me only dinner now, she’s a pretty good cook, they make a lot of soups though; miss some good ole American food – maybe even at McDonald’s (you know you want what you can’t have).
Just a little note, it’s not funny and it’s not nice, but when I’m on the bus going home I always observe people and one thing is that they all (mostly) have gold fillings and I was watching a couple talking to each other and when they smiled there were there gold fillings – it makes me smile – the old women here are in bad shape, bent over and mostly have no teeth. Have taken some interesting photos).
Must run, love to all, Marilyn
8/17/09
Hi All:
Will make this short. Just went to lunch w/the Dir. and her daughter – someplace on the 5th floor. Anyway it’s my 4th day in the office. Not doing much, mostly e-mails. Did one letter in English sort of fixing up the grammar on a letter this guy in the office wrote. There’s a young guy and the Dir’s daughter and they speak english okay, not great. Have read some of their stuff on the computer re applications for grants, etc. (all in english).
I think I’m a lot happier here than in the village, although we have to go back last 2 weeks in Oct. for more studies and exams. I didn’t do too bad on my exam considering it’s only been 8 (9) weeks. My host mama’s apt. is very clean and she’s a good cook too. George, her husband, is an engineer and works at the airport; he has worked in Egypt, Half the population in Moldova is or has worked overseas, Italy, Israel, etc. because the economy here is not great. A teacher makes about $20 a month or something like that. I am working, however, for free, haha, volunteering my services.
Must run, am on my way home. My phone is working again, god bless america, don’t know what was wrong, but my new young partner in the office went w/me to the phone place.
I forgot to mention that we’re moving out of our office into another one w/3 rooms, they want me to help design/decorate – also they want me to teach some of the women english. I went to a seminar w/the Dir. and had to introduce myself and talk about about Peace Corps in Romanian, everyone thought I was really good; there is a big Russian population here and I’ve been told that they won’t speak Romanian even if they know it.
I am planning to get a tutor to continue my language training in another week or so. Go into Chisinau (capital) tomorrow to the PC Med office for my 2nd Hep B shot. The Dir is driving in on bus. so don’t have to take a bus – it’s about an hour and a half trip.
Bye for now.
