tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70540969276233273902024-03-08T07:38:53.598-08:00Dancing with Moldovans27 months with the Peace CorpsVincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-76093930891986716842011-04-13T02:55:00.001-07:002011-04-13T02:58:28.354-07:00Water ProjectWe recently wrote a water project for the village school to make the water safer for drinking. You can read about it by clicking <a href="http://appropriateprojects.com/node/572">here</a>.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-33061465124313411752011-03-14T02:15:00.000-07:002011-03-16T03:32:51.794-07:00Vice President Biden in Moldova<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vTNtsh1QvsI/TX3cuMNScLI/AAAAAAAAAvY/b94okQnq-28/s1600/172850_572513222760_100901846_32846130_2551049_o.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vTNtsh1QvsI/TX3cuMNScLI/AAAAAAAAAvY/b94okQnq-28/s400/172850_572513222760_100901846_32846130_2551049_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583861799118336178" border="0" /></a>Vice President Biden made a visit to Moldova this week and spoke about the current situation of Moldova's slow, but progressive, transition to a democratic nation since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. This was the first visit to Moldova by an American president or vice-president. You can partially see my head below the "M" in Moldova in the picture above. The main street in the capital city was lined with Moldovan and American flags to welcome in Biden. All of the Peace Corps volunteers in Moldova were invited to stand behind him on stage as he spoke to a large crowd of Moldovans in the capital city. Afterwards, VP Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden invited the Peace Corps Volunteers and embassy employees to a private meet-and-greet. After he, his wife, and the ambassador had spoken, one of his secretaries asked all the Peace Corps Volunteers to stand in a group so that he could get a quick picture with us. When he came over, he asked to get in the middle of our huddle and he spoke to us for about 10 minutes -this was cool. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0JBWt4ZILs0/TYCRlH6SDOI/AAAAAAAAAvg/bVUvXvhctM0/s1600/198219_10100145746938862_10128918_53543978_3607857_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0JBWt4ZILs0/TYCRlH6SDOI/AAAAAAAAAvg/bVUvXvhctM0/s400/198219_10100145746938862_10128918_53543978_3607857_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584623604904103138" border="0" /></a>I enjoyed him asking us questions about our experience in Moldova and telling us his opinions on the political state of our host country. He spoke a good bit about the importance of empowering women so that human trafficking could be eliminated in Moldova. He also said that Moldova may drop to a "Tier 3" country on the United States' three-tier system of evaluating countries for foreign aid. As of now, Moldova is a Tier 2 country, but is on the borderline of falling to a Tier 3 - if Moldova becomes a Tier 3 country then the United States will cut off all financial aid. VP Biden said that there are three things that the United States won't tolerate and will drop a country to the lower tier: 1) slavery (aka human trafficking), 2) institutional corruption, 3) lack of freedom of the press.<br /><br />I believe and hope that Moldova will continue to evolve productively and the citizens will continue to have more of their rights respected and legal system improved.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-12319147891523788722011-01-27T04:38:00.000-08:002011-01-27T05:21:30.868-08:00Winter UpdateI have now been living in Moldova for over 1.5 years. Wow. It seems like yesterday when I started up this blog in my nice little living room in my old, rented mill house in Columbia, SC. I had no idea what my Peace Corps experience would be like, but I knew I was ready for a new adventure, a new country, a new language, and lots of potatoes.<br /><br />I could write about how much I've personally changed over the past 1.5 years, but I wouldn't know where to begin. My outlook on most things in life has changed in one way or another. My mind has been stretched on a daily basis, and my patience and open-mindedness tested frequently. I had no idea I would be wearing this much fur. This has been a humbling and educating experience, and I hope I can build on it.<br /><br />I knew I loved traveling before I came to Peace Corps, but I didn't know how much I would enjoy learning Romanian and seeing a culture from the inside; in other words, not stopping through the capital city for a few days as a tourist. Don't misunderstand me, I love taking a few days vacation to visit cool places, but there is something more gratifying about speaking the language and having locals take pride in the fact that you are really trying to understand their culture. With that said, I am beginning to study Spanish. When I return from Moldova in early August, I plan to live in southern Mexico for 3-4 months with a Spanish-speaking host family on an organic farm. I am contacting farms through WWOOF - World Wide Organization of Organic Farms - which is an online community of farms that offer to host volunteers to work in exchange for free room and board.<br /><br />If everything goes as planned, I'll soon be having to refuse excessive amounts of Mexican tequila instead of Russian vodka! Paz mis amigos!Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-8314039788319848202010-12-01T08:10:00.000-08:002010-12-01T08:53:02.327-08:00Proiectul nostru de baschet<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TPZ2tetMk_I/AAAAAAAAAsA/uk3bHbavFk8/s1600/zguritza%2B-%2Bneal%2B051.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TPZ2tetMk_I/AAAAAAAAAsA/uk3bHbavFk8/s400/zguritza%2B-%2Bneal%2B051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545750514862167026" border="0" /></a><br />After a lot of hard work from the community, we finally finished our sports court project. The village school now has an outdoor court to play basketball, volleyball, and other activities like jump-rope during PE classes. Being that alcoholism and smoking are two of the biggest health problems in the village, this project was a big step for the community to take to promote a healthier and happier lifestyle to the youth. Check out my facebook page for an entire photo album of the project, from day one to the finished court.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TPZ4RRMb6vI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/TWayssnHflg/s1600/basketball%2Bproject%2B004.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TPZ4RRMb6vI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/TWayssnHflg/s400/basketball%2Bproject%2B004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545752229222017778" border="0" /></a>Here's the sports court before our project.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TPZ2t0vUKmI/AAAAAAAAAsI/QlTd8ShyPno/s1600/zguritza%2B-%2Bneal%2B032.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TPZ2t0vUKmI/AAAAAAAAAsI/QlTd8ShyPno/s400/zguritza%2B-%2Bneal%2B032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545750520776632930" border="0" /></a>Here's the finished court. Over 200 students, teachers, and participated in our opening ceremony. The mayor, school director, NGO president, and I all gave speeches thanking the community for working together to implement the project. This was my first chance to speak to a large crowd in the village, so I thanked everyone for accepting me into the community and for having the patience enough to help me learn their language and culture.<br /><br />One of Moldova's national news programs did a short clip about our project and aired it on tv. Check out the video here:<br /><a href="http://www.trm.md/index.php?module=stiri_int&news_id=22216">http://www.trm.md/index.php?module=stiri_int&news_id=22216</a>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-34299036806859706082010-10-30T21:43:00.000-07:002010-10-31T03:20:38.124-07:00Hramul Zguritei<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TMz6IiH2oRI/AAAAAAAAArw/xhAGQJnPQTg/s1600/Hram+-+Zgurita+2010+025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TMz6IiH2oRI/AAAAAAAAArw/xhAGQJnPQTg/s400/Hram+-+Zgurita+2010+025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534073066637140242" border="0" /></a>This week our village celebrated "Ziua Satului", the Day of the Village. Each village has its own celebration, but different villages have different dates throughout the year. Each family prepares lots of traditional dishes and invites friends and family to come in for a few days to eat, drink, and celebrate. A former Peace Corps volunteer that served in my village three years ago flew in from the US to visit Zgurita for the first time since he left. He also lived with my host family, so it was a big celebration for them to welcome in their old friend. It was a lot of fun sitting with another American who knows everything about my family, my village, and most of the experience that I am going through. He had not forgotten any of his Romanian, so we were all able to sit around the table for a few days, eat, and tell some good stories with our host family about our shared American experience in Moldova.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TMz3I_XvrNI/AAAAAAAAArQ/kA1IuKRxXfI/s1600/Hram+-+Zgurita+2010+018.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TMz3I_XvrNI/AAAAAAAAArQ/kA1IuKRxXfI/s400/Hram+-+Zgurita+2010+018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534069775953538258" border="0" /></a>My work partner/host mom to the left wearing red, making "galushi" with some of her friends.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TMz6H_oK1sI/AAAAAAAAArY/yGhNDC7TPNg/s1600/Hram+-+Zgurita+2010+019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TMz6H_oK1sI/AAAAAAAAArY/yGhNDC7TPNg/s400/Hram+-+Zgurita+2010+019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534073057377441474" border="0" /></a>Galush, also known as sarmale, are cabbage leaves stuffed with rice, carrots, onions, meat, and pepper. These take a long time to prepare, but they are a Moldovan favorite.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TMz6IM1T7LI/AAAAAAAAArg/6lzOYy3nxbs/s1600/Hram+-+Zgurita+2010+024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TMz6IM1T7LI/AAAAAAAAArg/6lzOYy3nxbs/s400/Hram+-+Zgurita+2010+024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534073060922223794" border="0" /></a>I'm putting a pot of the "galushi" into a traditonal wood-fired oven. We were able to fit five pots in the oven at the same time to cook for a few hours.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TMz6IfjlulI/AAAAAAAAAro/U1zSBkAv0B8/s1600/Hram+-+Zgurita+2010+033.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TMz6IfjlulI/AAAAAAAAAro/U1zSBkAv0B8/s400/Hram+-+Zgurita+2010+033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534073065948166738" border="0" /></a>After a few days of prepping food, we're finally at the dinner table. Here are my host family (minus my old host dad), two current PC volunteers, and the former PC volunteer who came to visit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TMz6I7eoKNI/AAAAAAAAAr4/yBud79r1-xU/s1600/Hram+-+Zgurita+2010+013.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TMz6I7eoKNI/AAAAAAAAAr4/yBud79r1-xU/s400/Hram+-+Zgurita+2010+013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534073073443547346" border="0" /></a>My host sister, Lenutsa. I speak to her with a mixture of Romanian and English, her mom and dad speak to her in Russian, and her grandparents speak to her using a strong Moldovan dialect of Romanian. She probably thinks we've lost our minds.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxf-MO9MmFOynb1viu5iQSKsJQ1PI6emiv33bP2kSr0Zk7bABDCo5jTY5N3hVHO9wTsHHfUjBXeeU1782i5CQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />Neal, Derick, and I took a hike out of my village to see the countryside. We ran into an 83 year-old lady who was coming back from gathering some nuts, and like most "baba's" in the village, she was not shy about stopping us in the field and asking who we were and what we were doing there. She then proceeded to hand us all kinds of food and said, "Why are you young boys walking to the forest without food? This old lady has a bag full of food, but you boys don't have anything. Here, take this food and eat! Be healthy!" Two minutes before we didn't know this lady, and two minutes later she's forcing her hospitality upon us. Gotta love Moldova.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-80650778745408322452010-09-02T22:06:00.000-07:002010-09-02T22:36:16.246-07:00Strengthening sports in the communityTwo months ago the East European foundation, a subdivision of Eurasia foundation, partnered with the Moldovan Parliament to launch a grant competition called "Parteneriatul pentru copii", or the Partnership for Children. Both groups recognized that Moldova's youth was severely lacking in development opportunities and the childrens' free time was not be supported through community efforts. This is especially true in rural areas of Moldova, so their grant competition focused on improving recreational facilities in rural areas.<br /><br />When I first arrived in Zgurita, one of the first thing I noticed was the lack of activities available for kids. I saw a lot of bars around, but no gymnasium, auditorium, cultural center, etc. There were two old basketball goals that were 30 years old left over from the Soviet days, but they were both leaning and broken. When you look at the basketball goal today, you can see the ground around the goal beaten down to only dirt, so it's obvious that the kids are trying to play and are interested. One of the first projects that my partner proposed we do in the village was to build a sports gymnasium at the school. Finding the resources to fund a huge project like that is really difficult, but we knew starting with a cheaper, outdoor court would be more feasible for us. This grant competition,"Parteneriatul pentru copii", was asking for applications to compete for grants up to $4,500, which was perfect for what we wanted to do.<br /><br />My partner and I wrote a great grant to build a multi-purpose basketball and volleyball court at the school, and we were awarded the $2,900 assistance that we applied for. This Wednesday we will begin phase one by forming a group of volunteers from the school to cut the grass and weeds on the future site of our court and we should be able to start construction in about 2 weeks.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-16082813534473037912010-09-01T02:48:00.000-07:002010-09-01T02:49:52.908-07:00YouTube videoCheck out a video we made in the village to help raise money for our amphitheater project:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdCtgJNDXH0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdCtgJNDXH0</a>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-23812959678980831092010-08-30T00:02:00.001-07:002010-08-30T07:31:42.971-07:00Guarding watermelons<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/THtZw1bk1PI/AAAAAAAAAqo/xhwOjDLKifA/s1600/SDC10191.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/THtZw1bk1PI/AAAAAAAAAqo/xhwOjDLKifA/s400/SDC10191.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511097264529265906" /></a>I was recently the <i>paznic </i>at my host family's watermelon field. They have about 10 acres of watermelon and cantaloupes planted. The<i> paznic </i>is a guard/watchman who's job is to merely sit and watch the watermelons to make sure that no one sneaks up and goes home with a few in the trunk of their car or in their horse buggy. Their is a <i>paznic</i> at the field 24/7 during the summer months until all of the watermelons and cantaloupes have ripened and been picked to sell at the local market. After sitting out in the Moldovan countryside for 10 hours alone, I learned that there's not much to do except to enjoy the slow pace of time....<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyw6ZicvSUCYVgE8lBRELdJXiIb_NO25TzQIMBwH1dSaIkBq0zZotR5iSxtWU7j9OqA-0nO3FFsP8acfA64Dg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-21418919680645844112010-08-02T07:29:00.000-07:002010-08-02T09:00:47.888-07:00The Family CowMost of the families in my village have either a goat, sheep, or cow to produce enough milk for the entire household. From the fresh milk they also make cheese, buttermilk, and sour cream on a daily basis. This requires that a member of the family walk the animal out to different places in the village and leave the animal tied to a stake with a leash and collar so that it can graze on the grass all day. They go every evening and retrieve the animal because it must be milked daily and kept at their home overnight.<br /><br />For the cow owners, there is a collective system in the village supported by public land owned by the local mayor's office. If the family chooses to participate in the collective system, each morning they walk the cow out to the head of the road, and from there the shepherds assume their duties to walk all of the cows to the field and watch them while they graze all day. For every cow you have in the collective system, you have to be shepherd one day in turn. Since there are about 70 cows in this system in our village, a family must send someone to be shepherd every 70th day. There is a schedule (not sure if it's verbal or written) that everyone knows about so they know when their day to be shepherd is coming up.<br /><br />In the evenings the shepherds will walk the cows out of the fields and back to the head of the roads for the families to meet them. It's a daily routine for the cows, so they know their way home every evening and will walk unassisted into their gate and wait to be milked.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzpVjpAudfDvSWQlsP1WDrxbDjo4gtkiSHi3zHpl_LofdMe_tTNvKD2OzwAlnTIyRR_UaXMxYMOKVV_5VoVdQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzacCg9mUby4mfa14eXANoQrzk6lFrVydNKTPe5j6kdzwHZXqzL5pnYbI0Dyf9t8CfA5Gal337KOL4AwreipQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dznNdHRS3UqriKh5WjfYxOUuTe0HCX_MTRWhE9PMufhPIal3hOPYz2GHj5TVu082--m7FfHc-9M08Fh3heJjg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-33852823240509373352010-08-02T07:06:00.000-07:002010-08-02T07:28:30.844-07:00Seasons from a balcony<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TFbTpp0pr9I/AAAAAAAAAqY/PhE3Tr38Nxc/s1600/giving+clothes+to+students+032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TFbTpp0pr9I/AAAAAAAAAqY/PhE3Tr38Nxc/s400/giving+clothes+to+students+032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500816707434426322" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TFbSW7QzKQI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/ZsLEh23MUeI/s1600/italy+174.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TFbSW7QzKQI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/ZsLEh23MUeI/s400/italy+174.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500815286186748162" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TFbRtLCD_eI/AAAAAAAAAqI/CUWHKARz10o/s1600/zgurita+-+giving+clothes+and+much+more+061.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TFbRtLCD_eI/AAAAAAAAAqI/CUWHKARz10o/s400/zgurita+-+giving+clothes+and+much+more+061.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500814568865398242" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TFbTqJM94hI/AAAAAAAAAqg/a6sr_LD_PTg/s1600/SDC12292.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TFbTqJM94hI/AAAAAAAAAqg/a6sr_LD_PTg/s400/SDC12292.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500816715857912338" border="0" /></a>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-45954586886020736962010-06-17T21:15:00.000-07:002010-06-17T23:02:41.075-07:00Mentors with MustachesOn June 12 we welcomed in 68 new Peace Corps Volunteers in Moldova. I was selected to be a mentor, so I joined other Peace Corps Volunteers in the capital to welcome them on their first day. I waited at their hotel and we cheered them on as they stepped off the buses from the airport. Seeing them immediately brought back feelings that I had exactly one year ago when arriving in Moldova for the first time. For the past 6 - 12 months, these new volunteers have been preparing to leave their families, friends, and jobs behind to embark on a 27 month adventure on a different continent.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TBr3U7kSr8I/AAAAAAAAAoo/uKQkW1jdpEs/s1600/bus.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TBr3U7kSr8I/AAAAAAAAAoo/uKQkW1jdpEs/s400/bus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483967435236356034" border="0" /></a>New volunteers arriving in Chisinau by bus from the airport. Day one of their two year service.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TBr-SWKHQ9I/AAAAAAAAApA/92FSaAkkjxU/s1600/mustache.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TBr-SWKHQ9I/AAAAAAAAApA/92FSaAkkjxU/s400/mustache.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483975087416099794" border="0" /></a>Mustache May: For the entire month of May, the guys in my volunteer group grew mustaches to have for the arrival of the new volunteer group to Moldova. My mustache, or lack of, was a joke, but lots of guys had some solid 'staches. Our plan was to play a prank on the incoming volunteers and have them thinking that a mustache is important for community integration in Moldova. As soon as the new volunteers stepped off the bus, the guys started making comments and asking questions about our mustaches. We told them that it is very important to grow a mustache for the villagers to accept them as one of their own. The truth is Moldovan men take pride in being clean-shaven. One guy said to me, "Vince, I'm not sure if I can grow a mustache" as he rubbed his fingers over his top lip.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TBsAU3cPUgI/AAAAAAAAApI/9RscCIQ6RoU/s1600/mustache+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TBsAU3cPUgI/AAAAAAAAApI/9RscCIQ6RoU/s400/mustache+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483977329733489154" border="0" /></a>More hellacious mustaches from our group.<br /><br />Reflecting back on my past year in Moldova, I can say that so far this has been the experience of a lifetime. Because every day is a new adventure, there are too many stories to write about. I realize that one of the main reasons I left for the Peace Corps was to experience life outside of my comfort zone, to understand more about another culture, my culture, and myself. In Moldova, I see, hear, taste, smell, and feel different things than I did in America. From the language I speak, the village I live in, the people I meet, the food I eat, and the environment I see around me, my life has changed more than ever over the past year. Not only do I understand and appreciate the Moldovan culture more, but I also understand and appreciate the American culture much more than I did a year ago.<br /><br />After being a mentor for three days and helping the volunteers get to their new villages, I went on a 4 day vacation with 9 other volunteers to Odessa, Ukraine. Odessa is a port city on the coast of the Black Sea and is filled with lots of cool architecture, good food, diverse people, and a nice beach. During the Soviet era, Odessa was sort of a bohemiam town that the artists living in the Soviet Union used as a vacation spot. Even though I speak Romanian in my village, I've been picking up on a little Russian as well, so I was forced to use the little Russian I knew while traveling around Odessa. After seeing Odessa, I'd really like to get to Kiev and L'viv, Ukraine since I live so close.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TBr8bDDpZLI/AAAAAAAAAo4/wyBpM_wpIRU/s1600/odessa+022.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TBr8bDDpZLI/AAAAAAAAAo4/wyBpM_wpIRU/s400/odessa+022.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483973037884269746" border="0" /></a>Opera house in the center of Odessa, Ukraine.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TBr8a7VMEGI/AAAAAAAAAow/RzrYs4D2Xjc/s1600/odessa+028.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TBr8a7VMEGI/AAAAAAAAAow/RzrYs4D2Xjc/s400/odessa+028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483973035810361442" border="0" /></a>Government building with a few traditional village "babas" (elderly ladies) sitting in the shade.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TBsLFJTnwsI/AAAAAAAAApQ/UfjrM28yU-U/s1600/odessa+006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/TBsLFJTnwsI/AAAAAAAAApQ/UfjrM28yU-U/s400/odessa+006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483989154279178946" border="0" /></a>Us taking a nice vacation in a developed eastern European beach town.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-88671913973815896172010-05-13T07:18:00.000-07:002010-05-13T07:25:10.409-07:00Donate pleaseAfter lots of hard work, we finally have one of our projects posted to Peace Corps' website. If you are interested in learning about our project and how you can donate, please find a summary by visiting the link below:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=261-197&">https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=261-197&</a>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-34541710414882401472010-04-25T23:28:00.000-07:002010-04-26T02:16:38.398-07:00Eastern Orthodox BaptismOne of my work partner's wife recently had a baby, and they invited me yesterday to come to the baptism ceremony. I was also asked to be "cumetri" which is one of the godparents that are chosen (they chose 12 in total). Moldovans are Eastern Orthodox Christians, so I had no idea what to expect from a baptism service. For the record, there are 4 divisions of Christianity: Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Protestant, and Roman Catholic.<br /><br />When I got there, I was asked by a nun to write my name on a list of the "cumetri" so that they priest could call my name during the service, but that's when we found the problem. I told her my name was Vincent, and she said that she didn't know how to translate that name to match one of the names in the Eastern Orthodox church. She threw out a few names like Victor and Ion, but we both agreed that I should ask the priest. When I asked the priest, he immediately asked, "Vincent, are you Catholic?" Ummmmmmmmmm, sure? "Well then, you can't be cumetri because you're not Orthodox", he said. I immediately wanted to say, "Of course I'm not Catholic", but I decided it would be better if I kept my mouth shut and just accepted that I couldn't be cumetri. Dangit.<br /><br />The service was unlike anything I've seen. There are no chairs in an Eastern Orthodox church, so you stand for hours while the priest reads/sings from a book, which I'm guessing was a bible. At the beginning, the priest stood at the front of the church and starting giving everyone directions about how the service would take place, what everyone was supposed to do, and what I was not allowed to do. He told me that I was not allowed to walk a full circle around the bucket of water since I was not Orthodox. I was allowed to walk on three sides, but never should I step foot on the back side of the floor. When someone tells you that you can't do something, like step foot on a certain piece of floor, aren't you so tempted to stick your leg out and place your toe on it when no one is looking?<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwcN6GqXezM4TIWV8eVJyORqbQAXR2JRVQD5SFYZgG1v4DBnp2xsGHugNZ1kGMhZVP5rQFM2AKxnPODvNcTug' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />The cumetri (godparents) walking with the priest holding the baby around the body of water the baby was baptized in.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwwHiXBdVReVe5JEB55IZLi-u0U4BUp0mknfPsOioMF4LRdnjm2IxfSXEQjZ4hgfccsW7KjeaG2T1Iduzft' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Several Moldovans asked me afterwards what did I think was the most interesting part of the service. I told them all that I've never seen a baby dunked in water, and that I got scared why I was filming and felt the sudden urge to take the baby away from the priest.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9VNSuhgECI/AAAAAAAAAlY/NDbFpauBK6s/s1600/Baptism+-+Lenutsa+025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9VNSuhgECI/AAAAAAAAAlY/NDbFpauBK6s/s400/Baptism+-+Lenutsa+025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464358707005493282" border="0" /></a>Eastern Orthodox church in our village<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9VNUGRjnmI/AAAAAAAAAlw/rO7C-morISI/s1600/Baptism+-+Lenutsa+027.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9VNUGRjnmI/AAAAAAAAAlw/rO7C-morISI/s400/Baptism+-+Lenutsa+027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464358730560937570" border="0" /></a>Lots of crosses everywhere in the village and all over Moldova<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9VNTAGIjjI/AAAAAAAAAlg/G_Lufbxe8sw/s1600/Baptism+-+Lenutsa+024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9VNTAGIjjI/AAAAAAAAAlg/G_Lufbxe8sw/s400/Baptism+-+Lenutsa+024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464358711722544690" border="0" /></a>Two nuns who read and sang passages throughout the service<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9VNT7ZkLGI/AAAAAAAAAlo/niMQF1k2E1g/s1600/Baptism+-+Lenutsa+012.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9VNT7ZkLGI/AAAAAAAAAlo/niMQF1k2E1g/s400/Baptism+-+Lenutsa+012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464358727641738338" border="0" /></a>The priest....notice the bottle of champagne in the background.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9VNUiGOzNI/AAAAAAAAAl4/sFBE2sYRpjw/s1600/Baptism+-+Lenutsa+029.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9VNUiGOzNI/AAAAAAAAAl4/sFBE2sYRpjw/s400/Baptism+-+Lenutsa+029.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464358738029628626" border="0" /></a>After the service, the godparents came to the parents' house for another Moldovan tradition where they give money and hold candles over the newly baptized baby while they wish the baby a healthy and prosperous life.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9VX7F-bmXI/AAAAAAAAAmI/D5VupViQ2DU/s1600/Baptism+-+Lenutsa+038.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9VX7F-bmXI/AAAAAAAAAmI/D5VupViQ2DU/s400/Baptism+-+Lenutsa+038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464370395611896178" border="0" /></a>Like all celebrations in Moldova, the day ended with a meal with endless amounts of food, vodka, and wine. I was glad to finally have the chance to wear the three-piece suit that I brought from the States. I was told by some people that I looked like I was going to a wedding, and told by others that I looked like I was going to a funeral, so basically everything except a baptism service.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-87772962715809602362010-04-22T08:43:00.001-07:002010-04-22T13:28:30.925-07:00Muzica la masa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9ByzcMoYHI/AAAAAAAAAlI/S2JZwjgPxUA/s1600/Pelinia+064.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S9ByzcMoYHI/AAAAAAAAAlI/S2JZwjgPxUA/s400/Pelinia+064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462992576068477042" border="0" /></a><br />I've recently made friends with a cool Moldovan couple who live in a village a little over 30 minutes from my village. I met the guy at a two day seminar I attended which was given in Russian, and he helped translate a good bit for me in Romanian. Justin, another Peace Corps Volunteer, and I visited their village of Pelinia and got a great tour of another classic Moldovan village. Their village is really different from mine, because everyone in their village is of Romanian decent, and over half of my village are from Russia and Ukraine. After a full day's tour of riding around with them and their friends and visiting the main attractions in the village, we were welcomed to a classic Moldovan masa, which is a meal served with an infinite amount of food and wine. To top it all off, Maria played us some Moldovan folk music on the violin while we ate. Check out the video:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxaMPXEJRZ-o30fMf5_AJTmKTBz55ijfB5SpuUycnIcYgL1BDyWKWfEJHuL5iuKCGInb_YO4LH3kY5xo0yb_g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-57830971939290955742010-03-10T23:11:00.000-08:002010-03-11T00:18:13.999-08:00Mr. Mayor is not a vegan.Three of us Peace Corps Volunteers (Sam, Justin, and I) were making rounds around Justin's village talking to the many families that he's friends with. As we were talking to an Eastern Orthodox priest and his family, we noticed the time and realized the last bus from his village was leaving shortly. As we started saying goodbye and rushing away, the priest offered us a ride back to my village. He warned us though, we'd have to ride in his small car full of chickens. When he opened the hatchback trunk of his little car (about the size of a Geo Metro), sure enough, there were 5 chickens hopping around pecking dirt and such on the floor. The rooster looked at us and belted out a crow, as if he was welcoming us to hop in. It's times like these that I realize how awesome my experience is in Moldova. If you opened the trunk of my car in America, you'd probably find a spare tire, golf clubs, tennis rackets, dirty t-shirts, and an Accounting 102 textbook from sophmore year of college. However, if Peace Corps allowed us to have cars in Moldova, I'm pretty certain that I would drive around Moldova with live chickens. Way cooler.<br /><br />When we got to my village, we all stopped by my mayor's office so I could introduce my friends and speak with him about our current project. We spoke a little about the amphitheatre we want to build in the village, and about our plans to raise the money. After 20 minutes or so of chatting about the project, we started talking with him about our plans for dinner. Two more volunteers were planning on arriving in my village that evening, so we wanted to have a nice dinner prepared for their arrival. Sam told my mayor we were looking for a live goose to buy, clean, and cook, so the mayor immediately starting calling around the village. He contacted about 5 families, but everyone told him that their geese count was low and they couldn't afford to sell one. After a few more attempts, the mayor gave up and told us we should just buy a rabbit from him instead. He said he raised rabbits, and offered to kill and dress the rabbit so that it would be prepared for us to cook for supper. Here's another fine example of why I enjoy my experience in Moldova: there is a fine line here between professional relationships and friendships. In the States, if I was speaking with my mayor about implementing a project in the community, I probably wouldn't have asked him/her to call around in the community looking for a live animal that I could eat for supper. However, this is a part of Moldova that probably will never leave me when I return to America. If I can't speak with a professional colleague about our project plans and rabbits in the same meeting, then I think we're missing the point.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-81221057438686758772010-02-25T06:55:00.000-08:002010-02-25T11:52:58.750-08:00Omatul se duce, ne vedem iarna viatoare. Paka.Yo, what's up? I couldn't be more happier to type that the snow is finally melting. It's been a few months of a tough winter, and I'm coming out of hibernation with some speed. I don't know where I'm going with my speed, but get out of my way. Here's a few things that I experienced in the Moldovan winter that I didn't experience in the States:<br /><br />- Making a fire twice a day to heat my apartment<br />- Convincing villagers, on a daily basis, that I know how to make a fire<br />- Wearing the same pair of long johns for weeks on end<br />- Wearing the same two sweaters all winter ( I think I may have also did this in the States)<br />- Fetching buckets of water from the well in -15 degrees F<br />- Forgetting to put the water I fetched from the well in the one and only heated room, only to come home to frozen buckets of water that are worthless<br />- Seeing everything in my kitchen frozen: olive oil, juice, conserved veggies, etc.<br />- Sledding down a hill with village kids that took a solid 5 minutes to reach the bottom, and then losing control and slamming into a pile of snow at the bottom<br />- Riding with Moldovans in a horse drawn sleigh on the snow for 5 kilometers, through rolling hills between a predominately Russian village and a predominately Ukranian village, speaking a Moldovan dialect of Romanian, and realizing again that I'm living in Eastern Europe and not in South Carolina<br /><br />Here's the work that's occupying my time these days:<br /><br />PCPP Project- The village mayor, my partner, and I have written a project to build an amphitheatre in the village center to host folk singing and dancing in an effort to give the village kids something positive to occupy their time, and to encourage more social interaction amongst all of the villagers. Don't worry, you all will be receiving plenty of information on this project soon, because money is something we don't have.<br /><br />English club - I hang out with kids from the village every Tues and Thurs and I teach them English, how to be cool, how to stay in school, and how to say nope to dope.<br /><br />Language booklet - With two other PC volunteers I am writing a reference booklet for the local dialect of Romanian that is spoken in Moldova. The Moldovan language is Romanian, but in many areas of Moldova has been mixed with Russian and Ukranian because of the Soviet era. With the input and help from many Moldovan villagers, we are collecting all of the common language that is spoken in the village so that PC Volunteers can get a better grasp on the spoken language. We learn textbook Romanian during our training, but the villagers speak very differently.<br /><br />Moldova TiP - I am serving on the board of an anti-human trafficking organization that works to connect Moldovan organizations that fight human trafficking to PC Volunteers so that vulnerable people in Moldova, especially the young girls who are planning to work abroad, can be informed about the dangers they face. If you google Moldova, the first item that usually pops up is human trafficking, which is a shame. If you are interested to read more about the situation in Moldova, there is more than enough information you can read on the web, or you can just get in touch with me.<br /><br />Investment seminar - Another PC Volunteer and I are writing a project to host a seminar (maybe multiple?) on the importance of understanding personal finances, and how to invest in your future and put your money to good use, which is clearly a problem in Moldova. Many Moldovans are forced to work abroad, but when they return to the village the money is not usually invested or saved. We hope to inform groups of people, for example, that houses are not assets, because they don't bring back a return on investment (not taking into account a real estate market).<br /><br />As for fun, I kick it daily with the villagers, speaking Romanian some days like it's my job, and I'm planning my vacation to Italy in April and a hiking trip in the Transylvania area of Romania in May. The amount of free time a PC Volunteer has is plentiful, so sometimes it takes creativity to fill my time: running, poking and staring at my fire, sucking at the guitar, sucking even worse at the harmonica, and sucking even worse than that at studying Russian. Russian is a beautiful language, though, so I hope to learn enough to carry on very simple conversations before I leave Moldova. Spring is finally coming, so I can get back out to the gardens and fields with Moldovans while they're planting all their food for next winter. Who's coming to visit?Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-45246394786771415782010-02-03T04:04:00.000-08:002010-02-03T04:26:39.728-08:00La odihnă<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S2loThT2woI/AAAAAAAAAlA/PCQ5p6CrU0g/s1600-h/isr2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433989109967667842" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S2loThT2woI/AAAAAAAAAlA/PCQ5p6CrU0g/s400/isr2.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S2loTn1YU_I/AAAAAAAAAk4/MvsgYe7Lv6k/s1600-h/profile3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433989111718892530" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S2loTn1YU_I/AAAAAAAAAk4/MvsgYe7Lv6k/s400/profile3.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S2loTVd1uWI/AAAAAAAAAkw/kXfC_6n1mcA/s1600-h/profile2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433989106788317538" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S2loTVd1uWI/AAAAAAAAAkw/kXfC_6n1mcA/s400/profile2.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S2lnYKpjI9I/AAAAAAAAAko/gorHoFxd1kA/s1600-h/profile.bmp"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433988090272359378" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/S2lnYKpjI9I/AAAAAAAAAko/gorHoFxd1kA/s400/profile.bmp" /></a></div><div>For almost two weeks, I traveled with four other Peace Corps Volunteers to Romania, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. Being that the temperature in Moldova has been getting down to -28 Celsius (-18 F), it was a much needed vacation to be in some warmer temperatures. The adventure beat all expectations: the food, the people, the culture, the history, the sights, and the hookahs. The people of the Middle East were some of the nicest people I've ever met, so I hope I get to return one day. Each day and each country brought us new experiences, so I'd have to write for days to describe how awesome it was. I'll let the 200 pics in the below album tell the story:</div><div><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2403070&id=12606643&l=ab71b26721">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2403070&id=12606643&l=ab71b26721</a></div></div></div>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-39264050472016032352009-12-23T00:55:00.000-08:002009-12-23T04:58:40.911-08:00Ninje tare tare<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHf9yWsZAI/AAAAAAAAAkI/tDHIiqck_lw/s1600-h/snow+010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHf9yWsZAI/AAAAAAAAAkI/tDHIiqck_lw/s400/snow+010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418358079285388290" border="0" /></a>There's enough snow for everyone. This week the temperature got down to -23 C, which is -10 F. Here's my good <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ol</span>' village of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Zguriţa</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHf9vwzW7I/AAAAAAAAAkA/OcW6SDtbbik/s1600-h/snow+009.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHf9vwzW7I/AAAAAAAAAkA/OcW6SDtbbik/s400/snow+009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418358078589590450" border="0" /></a>Traditional house in the village.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHf9DfQ-nI/AAAAAAAAAj4/SqaouUhYU9w/s1600-h/snow+008.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHf9DfQ-nI/AAAAAAAAAj4/SqaouUhYU9w/s400/snow+008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418358066704874098" border="0" /></a>Main road out of my village. There is a town 20 km straight ahead.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHf8Wq3pmI/AAAAAAAAAjw/PlMWWEPFBmA/s1600-h/snow+005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHf8Wq3pmI/AAAAAAAAAjw/PlMWWEPFBmA/s400/snow+005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418358054673950306" border="0" /></a>My bus stop is at the bottom of this hill. I usually hitch hike, so this is the road I use to thumb for cars to stop when driving into town.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHdph-r_BI/AAAAAAAAAjo/_Ireu_EUSH4/s1600-h/snow+011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHdph-r_BI/AAAAAAAAAjo/_Ireu_EUSH4/s400/snow+011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418355532269091858" border="0" /></a>One of my favorite houses in the village.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHdoNVfoeI/AAAAAAAAAjI/_2Q7dbAck_A/s1600-h/snow+001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHdoNVfoeI/AAAAAAAAAjI/_2Q7dbAck_A/s400/snow+001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418355509547737570" border="0" /></a>This is my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">soba</span> (fireplace) that keeps my apartment heated. When I moved into the building there was a statue of Lenin on top of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">soba</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHdpGMhF-I/AAAAAAAAAjg/_EoUGdFnOi8/s1600-h/snow+013.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHdpGMhF-I/AAAAAAAAAjg/_EoUGdFnOi8/s400/snow+013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418355524810905570" border="0" /></a>Reading <span style="font-style: italic;">Communism: A History</span> by Richard Pipes and having Lenin's head looking across your living room is a very bittersweet thing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHdooVrK9I/AAAAAAAAAjY/etiHu6odq4I/s1600-h/snow+004.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHdooVrK9I/AAAAAAAAAjY/etiHu6odq4I/s400/snow+004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418355516796251090" border="0" /></a>Me and Justin thinking up grand plans to bring change to the world.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHdoQsa9FI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/4ULBCrEy2oU/s1600-h/snow+003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SzHdoQsa9FI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/4ULBCrEy2oU/s400/snow+003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418355510449206354" border="0" /></a>First Moldovan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">masa</span> at my place with Justin and Kim, two awesome Volunteers who live in my district of Moldova.<br /><br /><br /><br />This Friday I am leaving with four other Peace Corps Volunteers for a 12 day vacation to the Middle East. We'll be seeing Romania, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. Check back in a few weeks for lots of pics of camels, hummus, hookahs, Jews, pyramids, Muslims, and 75 degree weather. Peace.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-44589070678355988882009-12-16T00:11:00.000-08:002009-12-16T00:33:25.845-08:00Iarna a venit.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SyiXAPbRaDI/AAAAAAAAAiY/bVZ-kBLlkHw/s1600-h/giving+clothes+to+students+032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SyiXAPbRaDI/AAAAAAAAAiY/bVZ-kBLlkHw/s400/giving+clothes+to+students+032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415744582309734450" border="0" /></a>Winter has come and the snow is here to stay for a while. Here's a view from my balcony on the fourth floor.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SyiXAVN_1BI/AAAAAAAAAig/WNBLkonAAxI/s1600-h/giving+clothes+to+students+033.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SyiXAVN_1BI/AAAAAAAAAig/WNBLkonAAxI/s400/giving+clothes+to+students+033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415744583864669202" border="0" /></a>The last time it snowed in South Carolina I watched a dog mark his territory on my snow man. Not cool.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-7078923606110974072009-12-02T08:12:00.000-08:002009-12-02T08:51:44.541-08:00How to enjoy a beer in MoldovaTo enjoy a cold beer in a Moldovan village, you may need to take the following steps:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaVBPaF-gI/AAAAAAAAAgw/65m2LJ3VrIM/s1600-h/wood+001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaVBPaF-gI/AAAAAAAAAgw/65m2LJ3VrIM/s400/wood+001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410675850880612866" border="0" /></a>Buy six cubic meters of wood. Have a friend with a tractor and trailer help you transport it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaVBh0EPAI/AAAAAAAAAg4/PDjyu5iFsZw/s1600-h/wood+006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaVBh0EPAI/AAAAAAAAAg4/PDjyu5iFsZw/s400/wood+006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410675855821388802" border="0" /></a>Hire someone in the village with a chainsaw, and hold the logs while he cuts them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaVCPfvMTI/AAAAAAAAAhA/Sj6RmbnWjMA/s1600-h/wood+008.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaVCPfvMTI/AAAAAAAAAhA/Sj6RmbnWjMA/s400/wood+008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410675868084154674" border="0" /></a>Find an ax, put on a pair of gloves, and split wood for several days.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaVC7T6qjI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/DkmtxRZgKBo/s1600-h/wood+010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaVC7T6qjI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/DkmtxRZgKBo/s400/wood+010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410675879845734962" border="0" /></a>Stack the split wood by the soba, which is used to heat the house.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaXKNNXsMI/AAAAAAAAAhg/_gz2LXXsC6I/s1600-h/wood+011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaXKNNXsMI/AAAAAAAAAhg/_gz2LXXsC6I/s400/wood+011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410678203932455106" border="0" /></a>Stack wood on the balcony.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaVCrJdNdI/AAAAAAAAAhI/0qR2tByCyFw/s1600-h/wood+009.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaVCrJdNdI/AAAAAAAAAhI/0qR2tByCyFw/s400/wood+009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410675875506894290" border="0" /></a>Stack wood in the kitchen. In fact, stack wood anywhere and everywhere.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaXJ60UJHI/AAAAAAAAAhY/RmEmCE6xhrc/s1600-h/wood+015.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaXJ60UJHI/AAAAAAAAAhY/RmEmCE6xhrc/s400/wood+015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410678198995526770" border="0" /></a>Learn the art of starting the fire.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaXK-DHuUI/AAAAAAAAAhw/hVVFeHAvVYI/s1600-h/beer+001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaXK-DHuUI/AAAAAAAAAhw/hVVFeHAvVYI/s400/beer+001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410678217042803010" border="0" /></a>When the house warms up, invite a Moldovan in to play the guitar.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaXKeBZqtI/AAAAAAAAAho/z1JVw_EV6rk/s1600-h/beer+002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SxaXKeBZqtI/AAAAAAAAAho/z1JVw_EV6rk/s400/beer+002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410678208445655762" border="0" /></a>Sit by the soba and take a personal day.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-53087617402231480562009-11-25T22:00:00.000-08:002009-11-26T03:23:48.412-08:00FetiţaA piece of a Romanian conversation I had last night at a birthday party:<br /><br />Sergiu:"Vince, I didn't name my baby until a week after she was born."<br />Me: "Wait, I don't understand. What did you call her for that week?"<br />Sergiu: "Ehhh, you know, Little Girl."Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-88532982803350841162009-11-18T09:32:00.000-08:002009-11-18T09:57:48.847-08:00Peşte pe stradaToday I didn't hitchhike, but instead I timed it just right and caught a rutiera (public mini bus) out of the village. I somehow lucked up and got the front seat. Most of the time there are no seats and I'm stuck standing; hence, why I like to hitchhike. As we were pulling away from the village, I saw a fish hanging in the road. No kidding, there was literally a fish hanging halfway across the road on a stick. Apparently, a lady had caught a good sized fish from our lake, stuck the fish on a long stick, and tied the base of the stick to the guard rails on our bridge. I hadn't seen excellent business marketing in Moldova until today. Every car or bus that drove across the bridge had no choice but to see the fish. Sure enough, our bus driver sees the fish and whips our rutiera full of people clear across two lanes to pull over to the lady. I could hear some folks start mumbling in the back of the bus. I guess he didn't like the price, because he dropped the gearstick into low gear and started speeding away. Immediately, three bunicas (grandmas) leaned over my shoulder to ask the driver the price. One bunica didn't hear what he said, so she hit me on the shoulder and said "cît costa mei?", which is village speak for "how much does it cost boy?"<br /><br />A fost prea scump.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-37411035258040218652009-11-18T00:30:00.000-08:002009-11-18T00:36:21.941-08:00buna ziua"Learning humanizes character and does not permit it to be cruel."<br />-motto of The University of South CarolinaVincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-18467452118486494322009-11-09T23:51:00.000-08:002009-11-12T07:43:57.129-08:00pigs, Park Place, and paddy wagonsLife is good in Moldova. Winter is coming fast. It snowed a little last week. As I'm writing this, I'm realizing that I haven't changed my long john pants in two weeks. When it's freezing outside, only one room of your house is heated by burning wood, you don't have running water, and you have to hand wash clothes, you seem to forget about how dirty your clothes are. For all honestly though, I don't think I smell. <br /><br />As for language, one day my Romanian is unstoppable, and the next day I can't say much of anything. Living in a small village is leading me to speaking Romanian like I live in a small village. I started my Peace Corps service learning clean and proper Romanian, but my village of 2,000 people has quickly changed that. The more language I learn in the village, the more of a hick I sound like when I go into the cities of Moldova. It's a little like leaving South Carolina and visiting my buddies in the Northeast; however, to them I only have a strong accent. The villagers in Moldova use many different nouns, verbs, and phrases on top of having a different accent than the folks living in the cities of Moldova. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy speaking the village talk with people in the cities. Most of the city folks in Moldova grew up in villages, moved into the cities, and cleaned up their language. Most of the people I encounter seem to like it when I pull out the country talk....maybe it hits close to home.<br /><br />Hitch-hiking is prevalent around my village, as well in the rest of Moldova, so I usually hitch a ride to and from the nearest town when I need to go in to the open market to shop. Somehow, me and about 9 other Moldovans ended up hitching a ride from the police......in the back of the Paddy Wagon. As the 10 of us sat in a circle in the back facing each other, everyone seemed to be smiling. I think it was because we weren't handcuffed. Someone should have had a guitar.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/Svkyxsz8UEI/AAAAAAAAAgA/EgliOCt2o50/s1600-h/kids+drawing+020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/Svkyxsz8UEI/AAAAAAAAAgA/EgliOCt2o50/s400/kids+drawing+020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402405057431621698" border="0" /></a>Here's a few kids that live on my street. I had to present my village at a conference with Peace Corps, so I put the kids to work and had them draw maps and pictures of our village. If I would have known that they were giving me bunny ears in the pic, I would have slammed a kid.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvkyxXJUtHI/AAAAAAAAAf4/g4hqIJg0Rcg/s1600-h/kids+drawing+015.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvkyxXJUtHI/AAAAAAAAAf4/g4hqIJg0Rcg/s400/kids+drawing+015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402405051615720562" border="0" /></a>Hardly none of them knew where America was on the map, and only one or two knew where Moldova was. They all knew where Russia was.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/Svkyw95EsfI/AAAAAAAAAfw/5V_R0VVf3Ac/s1600-h/cotova+masa%27s+012.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/Svkyw95EsfI/AAAAAAAAAfw/5V_R0VVf3Ac/s400/cotova+masa%27s+012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402405044836676082" border="0" /></a>Kickin' it with some PC volunteers in my raion (district). We had an Arabic knock-off version of Monopoly that has taken into account years of inflation (big bill was 50,000). Martin, the guy to the left, is convinced that the utilities are a good buy. He had a lucky game with them, but I'm still convinced to stay away from the utilities.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvkndX-m9uI/AAAAAAAAAfo/zIu7XRD5FkI/s1600-h/pst+phase+3+042.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvkndX-m9uI/AAAAAAAAAfo/zIu7XRD5FkI/s400/pst+phase+3+042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402392613613926114" border="0" /></a>We had two more weeks of training with Peace Corps, so I went back and stayed with my first host family in Milestii Mici. It's been a few months since I last saw them, and my Romanian has developed a good bit, so they were happy that I could actually speak now. As you can see in the picture, they sent me home with a bottle of homemade wine in my hand.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvkndHvGaFI/AAAAAAAAAfg/JWvqyirf0Os/s1600-h/pst+phase+3+025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvkndHvGaFI/AAAAAAAAAfg/JWvqyirf0Os/s400/pst+phase+3+025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402392609253910610" border="0" /></a>The Placinta's at Milestii Mici. My host mom and dad went and bought a pig the first day I got there, so for the first few days we toasted our shots of wine by saying "pentru porcul sa creasca mare" or "for the pig to grow big".<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/Svknc-jkozI/AAAAAAAAAfY/0c8EE03wpFw/s1600-h/cotova+masa%27s+011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/Svknc-jkozI/AAAAAAAAAfY/0c8EE03wpFw/s400/cotova+masa%27s+011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402392606789641010" border="0" /></a>After doing a little work in the village of Cotova, we rode in the back of Vloidea's big blue truck through the village to go to a bar for a coffee and beer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvkncskAcNI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/wepxstbJQPE/s1600-h/cotova+masa%27s+005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvkncskAcNI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/wepxstbJQPE/s400/cotova+masa%27s+005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402392601959624914" border="0" /></a>Three American volunteers, three Moldovan villagers, and a spontaneous meal and drinks on top of chairs in the middle of the living room.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvkncC_bl6I/AAAAAAAAAfI/y4RCZPTkbAo/s1600-h/cotova+masa%27s+003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvkncC_bl6I/AAAAAAAAAfI/y4RCZPTkbAo/s400/cotova+masa%27s+003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402392590800361378" border="0" /></a>Funky looking Soviet tractor that refuses to stop working.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvvzPn2TbNI/AAAAAAAAAgI/le8yQO5Csl0/s1600-h/zgurita+fall+003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvvzPn2TbNI/AAAAAAAAAgI/le8yQO5Csl0/s400/zgurita+fall+003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403179627681377490" border="0" /></a>Small flour mill close to my house in my village.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvvzQwhQGKI/AAAAAAAAAgo/rQBIzrFy6RU/s1600-h/zgurita+fall+017.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvvzQwhQGKI/AAAAAAAAAgo/rQBIzrFy6RU/s400/zgurita+fall+017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403179647188867234" border="0" /></a>Typical village houses<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvvzQqTVDcI/AAAAAAAAAgg/ugouS5L1ZoM/s1600-h/zgurita+fall+013.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvvzQqTVDcI/AAAAAAAAAgg/ugouS5L1ZoM/s400/zgurita+fall+013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403179645519859138" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvvzQPmHiHI/AAAAAAAAAgY/MEAyAqF90ig/s1600-h/zgurita+fall+009.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvvzQPmHiHI/AAAAAAAAAgY/MEAyAqF90ig/s400/zgurita+fall+009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403179638350907506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvvzP1jV1tI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/fJBdt_m134Q/s1600-h/zgurita+fall+006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jBaR07T24Xc/SvvzP1jV1tI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/fJBdt_m134Q/s400/zgurita+fall+006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403179631359940306" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'm going into Balti to stay with another volunteer this weekend. He has a toilet, running water, and a bathtub. Holler if you hear me.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7054096927623327390.post-1183194216371574282009-10-27T07:47:00.000-07:002009-10-27T08:09:09.803-07:00Eu sint ocupat in Milestii Mici, dar poftim.<div>I've written in the past about Transnistria, the region of Moldova that operates as an independent country but it not recognized by the rest of the world. Here is a short documentary that BBC filmed about Moldova and Transnistria. The first clip on YouTube is about 8 minutes, but hopefully it will interest you enough to continue on with the other 3 sections (4 separate sections on YouTube). </div><div><br /></div><div>p.s. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">he doesn't pronounce the capital, Chi<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; white-space: pre-wrap; ">ş<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; white-space: normal; ">inua, correctly</span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Part 1:</div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmrLbTHBV3s">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmrLbTHBV3s</a><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmrLbTHBV3s"></a>Part 2:<br /><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHZLV8aEtWQ&NR=1">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHZLV8aEtWQ&NR=1</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Part 3:</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6Esw48a4zk&feature=channel">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6Esw48a4zk&feature=channel</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Part 4:</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEXs6YxUUfQ&feature=channel">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEXs6YxUUfQ&feature=channel</a></div><div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00905274471764476386noreply@blogger.com3