Close of Service

Most of this past week was spent together with the wonderful group that is Moldova 22. The Peace Corps staff here did a fantastic job finding a really nice resort for our three day Close of Service (COS) conference. Comfortable beds, hot showers, lots of food and drink...and the best group of colleagues in the whole world! It was a couple of days filled with memories, planning for the future, and just enjoying the satisfaction of a job well done. Yay for us!! There are 22 of us out of the 29 who left Philadelphia, and it was so amazing to spend time with these great people and also to remember those who didn't quite make it to the end. Aaron, Cameron, Rose, Andrea, Rian, John, and Justin were missed and remembered this week. They are still a part of our group, and we wish that they had been able to join us at this event. The rest of us toasted them, and our success in making it to this point. There are so many friendships that have developed over this time, and so much professional respect for the commitment that this group has provided to the Republic of Moldova over the past two years. I am so thankful to have stuck with this when I didn't want to, proud of this group, and ready for whatever is next!

And, of course, there are a ton of reports, administrative things, medical things, all sorts of things that need to be completed and checked off the list before we can leave. I'll be busy. There are things that I need to finish here in the village, and now find time to fit in all of the other required things in the next 45 days. The pace will probably be closer to what I was used to at home, but its been a while since then and it will be good practice to get back into that pace again!

So, back to the paperwork, on with another week of work, focus on the work at hand, and dream about being home and all that the future holds...another week starting. A safe journey this week as my parents return to the cold of New Hampshire, and loving thoughts to Linnea and Joe this week as they are going through a bit of a rough time. I love and miss you all. xoxo, Jami

Knitting weekend

This was the weekend for the re-scheduled knitting group. It had been scheduled for two or three weekends ago, and then several people were sick, so it was re-scheduled for this past weekend. It was lots of fun. There were about ten of us, all working on various projects. Almost everyone was knitting, and there were a few of us cross-stitchers in the crowd. I am currently working on a cross-stitch throw for Lidia, and I am now almost done. It is among the things I need to get done before I leave, so it was nice to have this concentrated time for handiwork. It was a nice group of women, and a lot of work was accomplished by all. There were two first time knitters, so it was fun to see them learn. Everyone knits in a different way, so it was a little confusing for the new learners, but they did really well. One of the knitters has learned to knit since coming here, taught by her host mother, so her style is so different! It was fun to visit, and connect with friends. I will never be the knitter that my grandmother and mother are, but it is a very relaxing hobby, for sure. I did start a small scarf, just to break-up my cross-stitching work. I know that is something I can finish and leave here before I come home.

Other than the weekend activities, there is not too much going on. Work has been busy, and the weather still mostly gray and very icy. There has been a lot of freezing rain this past week, and today the sun was finally out, and it was warmer. A nice day for a change! I have seen lots and lots of pictures from Pennsylvania this past week, and they have gotten pounded with snow over the past few days, and more is predicted for tomorrow. Yikes!

There's not too much else to write about. Happy Valentine's Day! The days are getting longer! Stay warm! I love and miss you all. 53 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xoxo, Jami

What I will miss

Yesterday I was in Chisinau for the day. It was the second to the last VAC meeting, and while the agenda was fairly brief, there were home-made brownies and fresh coffee courtesy of Jeffrey. Just before the meeting I was talking with one of the newer volunteers about our end of service. He asked me what I will miss about Moldova, and I had no hesitation in coming up with several things that I will miss about this country.

I will miss living close to my food. Okay, maybe not so close that I know the name of the chicken that we are eating tonight for dinner, but I think you know what I mean. Besides that, they don't name the chickens here at this house. I know it is now an idea that has gained some momentum in the US, but here in my village, people survive on the crops that they plant, and the food that they preserve. It has been a healthy and tasty couple of years for me. Along the same lines, I will miss the time that I have had to walk everyday, and the way that it always makes me feel better, physically and mentally, after a good long walk. I have the best of intentions of continuing with both of these things, and I am hopeful that some of this will stick with me throughout my life.

Another thing that I will miss is the crazy efficiency of the public transportation system here in Moldova. I do not care if I never ride on another ruteria again in my life, but it is an amazingly complicated and supportive network of moving people, household items, small animals, and whatever needs to be moved. Wherever you need to go, and whatever you need to take with you, you can probably figure out some public transportation means to move it. It make not be comfortable, or particularly time efficient, but it is effective. We don't really have system of public transportation outside of the bigger cities in the US, except for inter-and intra-city travel. If you live in Durham, or Rifton, or Bowers, how do you get to Portland or Kingston or to Reading if you don't have a car? That is the biggest benefit of the system here. There are rutieras that go to every little village in the country. They may only go through once a day, but everyone knows when they need to be outside waiting. The other thing that they do here which is pretty amazing, is they will go out of their way to accommodate a special request or to drop someone off in front of their home. If someone needs to go to the train station, for example, the driver will alternate his route to take a passenger close to where they need to go. For the most part the drivers are helpful, accommodating and well-respected members of the communities in which they live. They often will just carry goods, and/or money from the villages into the raion center or to Chisinau. I have seen someone give my driver just a cell phone with a $20 (US dollar bill) to take to someone in the city. No note to sign, nothing. Incredible. Sometimes they do have someone sign a note, but I think that is for when the driver doesn't know the person who is supposed to pick up the item, so he doesn't forget who it goes to.

Of course there are other things that I will miss, and there are people for sure that I will miss. I have been humbled by the generosity of those with so little to give. I have been lucky to have done this thing, and I have persevered. Now, I just want it to get warmer and to come home! I love and miss you all. xoxo, Jami