Another week

Another Sunday, another week served, and another week closer to home. This past week I had a site visit from Peace Corps. The acting Program Manager, Ana, came for a visit on Tuesday. This meeting went well, I think, in terms of her helping to clarify for my partner the parameters of my work in the village. I have a pretty clear understanding about what is expected of me, but I am not sure that I have been able to communicate well enough to be clear to my partner. An example of this was that she wanted me to teach health and safety issues to students in the high school. While I have been amazed at some of the safety things I have seen, and I have some more today, this is not really in line with my role as a community and organizational development volunteer. There is a group of volunteers who are here working in health care programming, and one of them is in a nearby village. She might come and do a one day seminar, which I can help coordinate, but really it is not my area of expertise. All in all, it was helpful to have Ana come and define things. Some of the communication that took place was not so much about language, as about authority. Even though Ana is a young woman, she represents Peace Corps and verifies what I have been saying about what is expected of me with an authority that is respected. It helps, for sure, that she is Moldovan and firm. Its not that I haven't been respected, but I think my partner has been less clear about my responsibilities and role here than I have been, and my communication is limited. I think now some things are clearer for both of us.

A visit to the building where I will be working was also on the agenda. I have been told by my partner that the foreman has been telling her that it would be completed by the beginning of August. Didn't happen. Then she told PC this week that it would be done by the end of August. I said to Ana that I couldn't imagine that it would be completed and ready for residents to move in much before November. My partner called me a pessimist, but there is still a lot to do! I responded by saying that I am a realist! When I met with her on Friday, she had met with the foreman, who confirmed that it would probably be mid-October before the building was completed. I feel absolutely no satisfaction in being a realist about this, and in fact, it is a little bit frustrating not to have this work in place. I am patient, but I will be really glad when it is done. The sooner, the better. I just try to work within realistic time frames.

The flooding of the village has definitely receded, but there are still many fields within sight in the Ukraine that are under water. The crop loss has been significant, but I have not seen any information on potential financial loss. In this part of the world there was no loss of life, so that is positive.

So the safety thing that I saw this week confirms for me that I want to stay as healthy here in the village as possible. This week I saw the ambulance driver and medic stopped in the center of town, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer, and then getting into the ambulance and driving off! It's been hot all week, so I understand wanting a nice, cool beer, but again, what are they thinking?! I have seen them smoking often while driving through town, but this was the first I saw them having a beer while on duty. Since cigarettes are about 50 cents a pack, lots of men and even young boys smoke. It is a cultural thing here in the village that women don't smoke. I have only seen one woman smoking here in the village, although in Chisinau I have seen more women smoking. So on that note, I keep walking, try to stay cool and healthy, and try to be as productive as possible. There are only a few short weeks of summer left, so I am enjoying them, as I hope all of you are! Miss you all. Jami