Overdue

Yes, I know. It's been a while since I last posted a blog on here. I guess I was waiting for something really exciting to happen, or some sort of amazing inspiration to hit me. But as a friend recently told me, it doesn't have to be anything ground breaking. It's just good to let people know what's going on in my life. So, here's my long overdue entry about everyday life here in Moldova. The weather's actually warming up, which is good and bad. Good, because I can start running again without getting frostbite, and bad because I now have to wade through the streets to get anywhere as all the snow is melting into small rivers that turn every unpaved road into a muddy, slushy obstacle course. Quite the challenge though, and I'm always up for a challenge. I have been teaching more English classes, which, although that's not necessarily the main reason I came to Moldova, for the time being, it's a great way to get to know some of the kids in the community, and connect with Recea. I am also going to more meetings (hosted by my NGO, or by the mayor's office, or by local businesses). Although I don't always understand everything that's going on in them, it again helps with the integration process, and can't hurt in my language learning. A few other things that I am about to check out are:

• The school here has a center for kids that the last volunteer here helped open, but it has been shut down for several months now, and I'm going to look into opening it again, as it's got some great resources for the youth of the community.
• There is a project that was in the works (again when the last volunteer, Christy, was here) to bring running water to this village. Somehow, it has been put on a back burner, and I would like to help get the ball rolling with that project if I can.
• My local counterpart has a dream to open a cross-generational center in which older people can come with needs that they have, and the youth of the community can help meet those needs. It would also be a chance to bridge the gap between generations, and to offer helpful resources to elderly that cannot afford some of the necessities of life.
• I will also be assisting this year in putting together a week long camp for girls ages 17-20 something. This camp is chock full of activities that help them start thinking about their futures and how they can impact, not only their own lives, but the future of their communities and their country. Then next year, I'm supposed to take over the whole camp project as the volunteer that's doing it this year will be leaving in August. So, that should be interesting as well.

These are some of the bigger ideas in the works right now. They'll take time, but hey, I've got two years, right?;) Overall, things are going very well. The amazement of being here still hasn't worn off. I am just soaking it all up. There's so much beauty to be found, so much humor to be enjoyed, and so many relationships to build, oh yeah, and work to do too. he he he........

Today I had an English class with three nine year old girls. They were so cute. I was teaching them the alphabet, and common greetings. They really liked "Hi!" and "Hello!", but weren't so thrilled with "it's a pleasure". When they say it, it comes out like "eets e plee jur." ADORABLE!!! Then there was "I am from Moldova. Where are you from?". Which kept coming out "I om frum is Moldova. Wot is your from?" I had to work hard at keeping a straight face. I'm sure they were thinking the same thing about my Romanian.

I also did laundry today. I know that sounds about as mundane a task as possible, but I am always so amazed by how time-consuming a process doing laundry by hand is! I barely got the majority done within my two and a half hour time limit (I had a meeting to be at). I didn't even wash all that much! Some socks and underwear, two pairs of jeans, and a pair of PJ bottoms, and it took me two and a half hours!!!!!! Crazy huh?!? Be grateful for your washing machines and dryers. You can have clean, dry clothes in what? An hour, maybe an hour and a half? And it'll still take another day or two for my clothes to dry!!! I'm not complaining. I actually like toughing it a bit (and this is nothing compared to volunteers in other countries), but just wanted to give all you stateside folks something to be grateful for the next time you are dreading doing the laundry in your automatic machines.

This past weekend I went with my host mother, into the city of Balti to celebrate her grandson's fifth birthday. It was fun to spend time with her family. Their pictures are on this blog: Loretta, Vitali, Doina and Vlad. They're good people. Then, the next day, I hung out with some of the volunteers in the city of Balti, and we had an unofficial chocolate fest. That was a lot of fun too. I am all about the chocolate as most of you already know, and there is some good chocolate to be had here in Moldova if you know where to look, and what to look for. :)

This coming weekend I'll be going into the capital city of Chisinau for a youth competition I am judging at, and a meeting the next day for a peer support group I have joined. It'll be good to help out with these programs, and to see other volunteers, but I really am getting to the point where I look forward to coming back to my village, my house, my room, my bed.:) I guess I must be settling in or something.

Well folks, I hope I haven't bored you with all the everyday mundanes. I'll make sure to update this more frequently so I don't have to throw it all into one blog. As always, I look forward to your everyday updates to me, and I miss you all. Keep the emails coming, and feel free to comment on this blog site as well.

Till the next time, enjoy what you've been blessed with, and savor the moments. I think life is about the moments and I wish you some very wonderful ones!:)