The third Martişor

This week marks the beginning of the third year, or better stated, the anniversary of two full years here in Moldova. It has mostly been a good time, and now I am ready to come home. So ready. This past week I approached the Country Director, Jeffrey, about an earlier date to come home. There was a sense that the time that I have had here, while fulfilling and positive, will never replace my need to be with my family. It is the piece which has been hardest for me over the past two years, and the thing which was actually most surprising to me. I expected to miss my family, but not really as much as I have. There have been times, and events which have happened without my being home, without my supporting the people who mean the most in the world to me, and I have struggled with my absence from them.

Fortunately, my request was met with understanding and support. Yay! What that means, is that I will be coming home NEXT Friday evening, instead of the middle of April! Portland, Maine, here I come!!! I'm not sure exactly what is next for me after landing, but I will land on my feet somewhere. I will be home, closer to my family and loved ones, and that is what matters most.

That is the big news for the week. The past few days have been busy, busier than I have been in quite a while, as I pack, tie up loose ends, and prepare to finish all of the tasks that I thought I would have six weeks to do, and are now condensed into two weeks. Now, less than two weeks. I did a flurry of paperwork last week before even speaking with Jeffrey, so the majority of the paperwork is done, but there are still so many last minute bureaucratic things that must be put into place...t's crossed, i's dotted, all of it. It will get done, for sure, but it does involve regular trips between the village and the capital to see that it all falls into place. Which is time-consuming in its own way, given the buses here.

This past week-end I had a planned week-end visit to Jen, who lives in the village two villages away from me. She is my closest volunteer neighbor, and we had planned this weekend a while ago, long before I knew of my expedited trip home. It was a blast. First, it was really nice weather on Friday. It felt like Spring. I packed up my backpack and walked to her village, about seventeen kilometers. A nice walk. A nice day. Teresa and Sarah came down from Chisinau to join us. California rolls, tempura veggies and sweet and sour sauce. Yummy. Oh, and lots of house wine. Saturday was much colder, and another gray day. We mostly just sat around, talked, giggled, watched movies, and then a traditional Moldovan masa at the end of the day. Yesterday it was warmer than Saturday, but not nearly as nice as Friday, and I walked back to my village. A great diversion. A great time. I will miss the friends I have made here.

So that was the week that was. Big news, big plans to come home! Happy birthday tomorrow to my nephew, Nathaniel! Ten days!!!!!!!!!! Love and miss you all. xoxo, Jami