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….

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