From Lasts to Firsts

Here I am in Chisinau, Moldova, and it has been a week of last things and first things...Last meal in the US, Chili's in Philly; last night in a hotel in Philly, where the hotel had a water main break on the last night and practically no one had a hot shower before we headed out for 30 hours of travel. The only word that comes to mind is ripe!! It was also the time of seeing friends and family for the last time, and so many other sad things within the frame of "last of things".

And now here I am, far away and learning all sorts of new things. The trip was uneventful and long. There really isn't much to write about the flight from Philly to Frankfort or from Frankfort to Chisinau. We have been kept incredibly busy and "on" for days. Maybe it is to avert second thoughts, or homesickness, but the pace has been busy. We have started language lessons, and they are moving along as well as can be expected after two days. The hotel is basic and close to the Corpul Pacii office. The staff and language coaches are really supportive. I am exhausted but in an okay place. Tomorrow we move to our first village where we will live for the next ten weeks, until the beginning of May. I will be living with a single woman who has 3 daughters. It won't be like living with Linnea, but it won't be totally unfamiliar. either. The oldest daughter is 21 and lives in Italy, there is a 19 year old, who studies in Chisinau, and a 9 year old daughter who lives at home.

The group has gotten along well, and we really are pretty supportive of each other. So far we are all still here and more or less working together. I can't believe it has only been five days, it feels like forever.....