Reflecting on One Year

(Stop reading here if you are opposed to corny ruminations)
12 September was my one year anniversary here in Moldova. It was one year ago I stepped off the plane into a new country, a new culture, and a new challenge. I never exactly knew what to expect entering the Peace Corps. In fact, if one explained to me the first day I arrived in Moldova what I am doing now I am sure I would never have even believed them.
My group’s anniversary celebration was a two night grill-out in wooded cabins on the Nistru River just across from Transnistria. It was an enjoyable few days, but the weather gave no breaks with rain and temperatures nearing freezing both nights. A slideshow of the last year on the final night showed us all how close our group has become over our service so far.
My optional entrepreneurship course for high school students started with an unstoppable momentum. I am enjoying preparing lesson plans, and the ten week program I have designed will allow each student to write a realistic and attainable business plan. The adolescents all seem to be interested and the topics are as foreign to them as Moldova was to me when I arrived. I can only hope with all these fresh minds I will be an enthusiastic presenter that will spur curiosity and inspiration for their futures.
My office here has just undergone a huge remodel. We now have separate rooms for a cashier, accountant, and a shared space for me and my partner. The Micro Finance business rating changed and thus we are now able to lend larger sums of money and to access more markets. After the contract automation I helped with in the spring my office time really slowed down, but I think with the new additions and lending conditions changing I will be able to provide my expertise more often at work.
I am very much happy with life in the village here. My host family and I have yet to have even one problem. I can casually flow and switch between English and Romanian so well now, I sometimes even surprise myself. In fact, often when I am on the phone to the states and I am interrupted by a moldovan family member I quickly respond in Romanian and sometimes even forget to switch back for the telephone call! Russian is well underway and I am practicing almost everyday with a professor, the Rosetta Stone program, and a few manuals I bought. I am really enjoying focusing myself on languages. I feel my English vocabulary widens every time I learn more in Romanian and Russian.
Side note … Right now, I have a bottle of Codru breathing (the Moldovan equivalent to a Burgundy = a blend of Cabernet + Merlot and sometimes Pinot Franc, but still a vintage, from 2002 in fact!), and I have a mix of Ukrainian Jazz and Russian Hip Hop cycling through my itunes.
As I said, if another volunteer could predict I would be speaking well enough to teach in another language, and I would be working in Micro Finance I would never have believed them. I never thought I would happy living with a family, but it really does work. My knowledge of wine has only expanded, and I have learned my way around the kitchen with half the ingredients and bells and whistles I was so accustomed to at home. This week I actually perfected the vodka sauce, last week green curry, and tomorrow fried green tomatoes!
The next few months are going to be moving at a hundred miles an hour. I have my villages Saint’s Day immediately following a wedding. Then soon after the wedding Katy Kennedy from the lake is flying in for nearly a week. We are going to split our time on a few wine tours, exploring the capital Chişinău, and a tour of my village and where I work. Soon after is Andrew day (I am serious it is Andrei day!), and after in November I am heading to the Baltics! I am splitting about eight days between Riga, Latvia and Tallinn, Estonia. Jennie Rademacher and Katy Kennedy are both joining for a weekend, and another volunteer for a few days. All are welcome! Then just one month later I am flying back to the States!
I hope every one is doing well. Keep in touch! My best.