A Busy Week

This was the busiest week I have had here since training ended at the beginning of May. It still wasn't terribly busy when I compare it with where I was last year, working full-time at both Sweetser and Bean's, but I can't compare my Moldovan life to any other life I have ever lived. I have to remind myself of that fact quite often. It is so different here, and I am living a different life. Unlike anything else I have ever done, the things I do here are different. In both good and not-so-good ways.

Last Sunday when I wrote, I was fairly sure that the painting of the fence at the Center was done. I was wrong. When I went to work there last Monday morning, there was more painting to be done. On the fence. Little white accent painting. I was not in the mood for more cold, miserable painting, but I came here to work, and not to complain, and I don't really know how to gripe in Romanian, so we all were spared my bad mood, and paint, I did. All day Monday, and most of the day Tuesday. Frumos! (pretty!) Wednesday and Thursday I worked with the same group of women who did the painting to prepare the food for Friday's celebration. All of the food was prepared at the Russian School, and then brought up to the Center on Thursday evening. Everything was in place and put together for Friday morning. I didn't do my English club on Monday or Tuesday because of the preparations for the Center, and I heard from my language tutor that kids were waiting for me on Tuesday, so that is on the agenda for this week.

The Grand Opening was grand! There were lots of regional dignitaries, singing, dancing, flowers, speeches, and then lots and lots of food. A true Moldovan celebration if ever there was one. The rumor mill had been saying the the President of Moldova, President Vronin, who had been in the village to dedicate the new road back in June, was planning to attend. He didn't make it, but other than that, I think everything went as planned. The priest came and blessed the building. There is no separation of church and state here in Moldova. It was a cold and cloudy day, but the energy was high, and there were a lot of positive comments from community members and visitors from Chisinau. The Peace Corps Program Manager, Ana, came for the opening, along with my friends, Teresa, Rian, and Annie. Annie is heading home in about three weeks. She is in the 19 group, as was Renell. Annie was first assigned to this village, and then had some health problems, and moved to a larger town in the North, Orhei. For her, it was coming full-circle to be back here after a year and a half. She commented that there weren't many changes that she noticed at first, but the town seemed poorer than she remembered. Maybe her perspective is different as she has been living in Orhei for over a year. Or, maybe it has gotten poorer. I don't have any frame of reference for comparison. I will agree that it is a poor town, but people here are so open and generous, it really doesn't feel poor to me. During the opening speeches, one of the dignitaries commented that the project to open this Center has been four years in the making. That is a long time, but often government sponsored projects take that long at home, so in perspective, that may not be so long. I know that actual construction began at the beginning of June, so that feels like it went pretty quickly. Overall, a good day, a great celebration, and a lot for this town to be proud of.

Friday, after the celebration, Annie stayed at the house with me, and Lidia. Annie had also lived in this home, in the same room as I am staying in, so, as I wrote earlier, this really did give her some closure on her time here. I think she was really glad she came back to see the village, and Lidia and Natalia, and others. She left to go back to Chisinau on the 5 am bus yesterday, so she didn't have a lot of time here, but a good visit.

When I had come back from Chisinau last weekend, I noticed that the well and the Icon on the corner had been painted. Lots of painting going on in the cold weather, apparently! Yesterday, the day was spent preparing for the blessing of the Icon and the well, which just happened about 2 hours ago. The priest and other religious people, along with the entire neighborhood gathered for the blessing and then a giant masa. Masa means table, or, in this case, table overflowing with food. Moldovan food. Most of it good, and some of it unusual, but lots and lots of food. Everything is served in small serving bowls, and everyone gets a fork and eats communally. Double-dipping is the way to go! Lots and lots of wine. Everyone here makes their own, and it is one thing that everyone is proud of and shares liberally. Last weekend at Maria's I had some of her home-made wine, and now I am at the house away from the masa for a bit, so I don't overdue it again. I don't even like wine that much, but it is expected that you drink here. I have not been to a social event where wine was not offered to all ages. I have seen parents share with their young children, toddlers, teenagers. Not a lot, and maybe not a problem, but surely a different way of life.

Yesterday afternoon the weather was terrible. Blinding, sideways rain, and bitter, chilling-to-the-bone cold. I got messages from my friends in other parts of Moldova that they were getting snow. I didn't go outside until this morning, when everything was covered with a dusting of snow. Cold going to the outhouse, that's for sure! It is still very cold, but the sun was shining all day. Now it is about 3:50, and the sun is setting. Oh well. Only a few more weeks before the days start getting longer. Have a good Thanksgiving, and know that everyday I am most thankful for my family and my friends. You are always in my thoughts, and I miss you all everyday. xoxo, Jami