I would be remiss if I did not begin by first saying thank you for all the cards, emails, gifts, notes and well wishes I have received. I am humbled by the kindness, generosity and support shown me by so many good people. You have already sustained me on this journey and each of you will remain close in thought and prayer. I hope that you will comment if something strikes you.
As you know, I left home on Saturday, May 30, 2015, amid emotional goodbyes to family, friends, and Trixie and Tigger. (The loves of my life are being well cared for by Dr. Kim Smith and the staff of Bath Veterinary Clinic.) My first stop was Cherry Hill, New Jersey, for two days of staging or orientation. Over Sunday and Monday, we received an introduction to the Peace Corps family. Our group known as “Moldova M30” numbers 69 and is truly reflective of the diversity of America. We range in age from 22 to 67 years; thankfully there are at least a dozen of us 50 plus or older volunteers.
On Tuesday, June 2, we were bused to JFK for our overnight flight to Munich and then on to Chisinau, arriving about Noon on Wednesday, June 3. We were warmly greeted by PC staff and PCVs presently serving in Moldova. A welcome gathering and introductory sessions awaited us.
It first struck me that I was entering a different world as we approached the Chisinau Airport which is small, old and looks like a black and white photo from a book on the 1950’s Soviet era, not a modern European airport. The bus ride to downtown Chisinau confirmed a place caught between the harsh Communist past and life in the 21st Century and the West.
That evening we were taken by vans to our host families. I am in the village of Milesti Mici, south of Chisinau. My host family is kind, pleasant and very hard working. Life in this village is not easy. The village is nestled in rolling green hills and for the most part is on the side of a hill. It has many broken or dirt roads, abandoned buildings, few amenities, and very poor infrastructure. There has been no running water since I arrived except for a very few brief periods of time. Our household has water from a well carried inside in buckets for cooking and washing. I am proud to report that I wash my clothes by hand which is quite a chore. It takes some time to wash, scrub, rinse and hang on the outside line! I have a new appreciation for what our ancestors endured and what the women of Moldova still experience even today.
The house like most in the village has a large garden from which comes much of our food. There are fresh fruits and vegetables and plenty of eggs from the chickens in the pen. Meat is sparse and the diet is rather heavy on starches - potatoes, macaroni, rice, buckwheat etc. Bread is ever present and when freshly baked irresistible!
My days are full and long. We have language classes 6 days per week with homework every night. The language is complex with many different verb conjugations, feminine and masculine nouns, adjectives and adverbs, and numerous exceptions to the many rules. I am finding the language learning difficult and slow, and am struggling with pronunciation. It is frustrating to not be able to speak or understand. I know that I must continue to study and try.
Four days a week we have training for what we will ultimately be doing. I am assigned to the Community and Organizational Development program (COD), which means that eventually I will be working with a Mayor’s office or local government, library or NGO (Non Governmental Organization, the equivalent of a non profit). The training is giving us exposure to each option as our placement has not yet been determined. Each organization is very different from what we know and have experienced in the US. There will definitely be a learning curve in any assignment and we are hopefully being prepared for the unknown.
One day each week, we gather in Chisinau for PC administrative training. The topics include culture and history, health and medical, policies and procedures, and safety and security. This is also an opportunity to connect with the volunteers in the other programs since we are now divided in villages by programs for our training. Once we receive our permanent assignments we will be dispersed throughout the country and it will be important to have connections and a network to whom we can look for support from amongst our colleagues. With the exception of married couples, the assignments are mainly singular and the work will be solitary.
These first three weeks have been filled with many new experiences and some frustrations. I am learning to adapt, adjust and be flexible. It is not always easy and I am at times overwhelmed by the challenges of a very different culture, language and place. I am taking one day at a time.
Unfortunately I do not have internet at my host family’s house and the village is so small there are no internet cafes. I only recently found WiFi at the library, but it is over a mile plus walk from the house. The walk does not deter me, but my schedule during training does not leave much free time. However, I hope to keep communicating.
There is much more that I could share, but for now I want to provide an overview rather than lots of details which may or may not be of interest. I continue to process life in Moldova.
Peace and prayers,
Debbie
