Thanks to all of you that have followed my adventure over the last 26 months. I am lucky to have such wonderful people to share my experience with and I hope that you all enjoyed my writing and photos.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Hello from my 14th Month in MOLDOVA!

On my last post I outlined how my fall schedule was becoming very busy and work was really coming around. I am happy to report everything from the last post has become reality.

Novice Entrepreneurs

I currently have two classes each at different high schools. The first high school is the best in the city centre and the other is somewhat less selective when it comes to who matriculates. At both schools I have a group of roughly twenty students with five or so changing each week. At the later school I described I actually find the students are more interesting some days, but at both schools the children are very outgoing and have great ideas when motivated to participate. I am about halfway through my syllabus and we have thus far covered Characteristics of Entrepreneurship, Creating Mission and Vision Statements, Supply and Demand (basic micro), as well as Simple Budgeting.

The Center for Economic Planning (The Micro Finance Bank)

Our office remodel is still underway, but we have a target termination date for the eighth of November our town’s celebration day. I am finally working on some capital budgeting with my partner, and a new business plan is in the works. I am becoming more amazed each day I work with the budgeting project because of how math really is a universal language, and finance is just a dialect.

Etcetera

Last week I went to my third wedding in Moldova. It was in the village and my host parents were active participants in the ceremony. I too was in the ceremony with the other young adults in the village. The photo here shows me with a few friends and in the tradition ribbons separating me from the other guests. The food was mediocre, but the vodka started flowing at 2:00pm and did not stop until close to 6:00am. I did however quit and go home around 2:30am; I just cannot hang and pace with the Moldovans.

Next Monday Katy Kennedy gets in town, and in just four weeks I am flying to baltics for a week.

This is a photo of my host family's new apartment in the city centre. Like most blocs in a former SSR the inside is actually much nicer. Another volunteer lives with my host brother there.


See you all soon!