December 2011

One week left! One week left! I never imagined that teachers celebrate the end of a semester just as much (if not more) than students do. I have one week left in my first semester of teaching health in Moldova, and I could not be more excited for the two week long vacation that awaits. December 8, 2011 marked my 6th month in Moldova, half a year! People ask if it has gone by quickly, and my answer is always difficult to explain. The days are slow... really slow, but then you blink and a week, a month, six months have gone by. I can't believe that I've been living in Moldova for half a year... my Romanian should really be better :) Eh, I just taught a whole semester of health. I'm awesome haha. I even managed to teach a few times this semester by myself. I could handle my adorable 5th graders alone,  but the 8th graders were another story. They were... difficult. It's sad when 5th graders can be more mature and well behaved than 8th graders, but hey 14 is an interesting age.

This semester I also began a project about HIV/AIDS prevention and healthy relationships among adolescents. The project will include discussions with students in grades 9 and 10, a fundraiser talent show, and a mural project. I am working with a new partner for this project. She is a nurse at the medical center in my village, and she is so wonderful/fun to work with! I look forward to working with her, and getting to know her. Our idea for the mural is something like a mosaic made from colored tiles/stones placed in cement in the ground by the school. Something like the following picture is what we're thinking. However we'd like to use red, yellow, and blue (Moldovan colors), include a map of Moldova, and have a different quote.

The following pictures are of my host mom and I chopping down a tree for the fire place, and my host mom's brother's birthday party. Oh, and I also cut off 10 inches of my hair last week :)

Tipala Hram (Village Day) November 21, 2011

Concert during the Hram of my village, Tipala. 

I really enjoyed this tradition. All of the couples celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year come to have their vows renewed in front of the whole village.

I thought she was adorable, and she reminded me of Candy Land.

My host mom on the right. 

The couples renewing their vows arrived by caruta (horse drawn wagon).

Toamna de Aur- Golden Autumn

Toamna de Aur (Golden Autumn) was celebrated on Wednesday, November 16th at my school. Each class put together a small art exhibit.

My host mom is the homeroom teacher of this class (8B).
 I especially like the tomato on the bottom left :)

Some of my wonderful 5th grade girls.

Life in Tipala, Moldova

Teacher's Day at the school. Each teacher selects an older student
to teach for them for the day. Students sing, and bring flowers
to the teachers. At the end of the day all of the teachers enjoy
lunch together.

Teacher's Day is also celebrated in the raion center (similar to a
state capital) with a concert and presentation of certificates for
certain teachers.

My second wedding in Moldova. Very exciting, and lasting until
about 4am (when I asked my host mom if we could go home to sleep).

The same wedding. 

The Hram of Chisinau (the capital city of Moldova).
It was a large celebration with great food, and a concert
that lasted all day and into the night. 

My host sister and I at the Chisinau Hram!

It's Fall

It's Fall in Moldova, and I'm really enjoying the cooler weather (though not at all excited for Winter). Things have been quite busy over the past few weeks: a wedding, hram, work at the school and clinic, picking grapes, making wine, and much more.

A friend from school and her husband recently took me to my first Moldovan wedding in the capital, Chisinau. It was an amazing experience! There were many interesting traditions, great food, and LOTS of dancing (until about 4am). I met many great people, and had a wonderful time.

I was also able to attend my first hram last week. As far as I understand, every village and city in Moldova has a day of celebration called a hram, in which people eat, drink, and then meet in the village center to dance. Last Tuesday, I was in my room preparing for school the next day when a woman that I've never met came and started talking to my host mother. Before I knew it, I was in the car with her, my host mother, and two other people going somewhere. (In Moldova, I've gotten accustomed to not knowing what is going on about 50% of the time.) So, we were driving for about 30 minutes when we arrived at a house, in village that I had never seen. We went inside to tons of food, and soon I found out it was the home of my host mom's sister-in law (or something like that). We ate too much, and then went to the village center to dance the hora, it turned out to be a great night. 

Last weekend was grape pickin' time. We spent most of Saturday and Sunday picking grapes and then putting them into large barrels for wine. This may not sound like a great time, but somehow I had a blast. The work was easy, and involved bonding with my amazing host mother and eating a ton of delicious grapes. 

My "boss" or the program manager for Health Education came yesterday to visit my school, the clinic, and my home. I haven't been able to do much at the clinic thus far, but my boss was able to get my better connected with one of the nurses at the clinic. I went in today to talk with her, and things went really well. We talked a lot about our families, and the idea of having a "Blood Pressure Clinic" where people can come to have their BP measured, and we can provide them with information about Hypertension. I'm excited to finally have something to do at the clinic.
My boss also observed two of my classes with my partners. We got really great feedback, and it was amazing to hear how much my partners enjoy working with me and how much they appreciate my hard work.
The best conversation of the day came when my boss visited my home. She, my host mom, and myself sat down to talk about how things are going, and if any changes need to be made. My host mom said that everything was great. The day ended with the three of us crying (good tears). My host mom said how lucky she feels to have a new daughter, how much happiness I bring her, and how she never thought that after just one month she would feel so close to me. Goodness gracious, I love this woman. I'm so lucky to have her!

Firsts

My life thus far in Moldova has been full of several "firsts." I would like to mention two very important ones that took place recently.

Friday, September 2- I co-taught my first health class for my 7th grade class! It was mostly an introduction class, and it went really well. After I introduced myself (where I'm from, what I'm doing, etc.) the students all clapped for me. What a wonderful experience! I am excited to meet the rest of my classes this week and begin working at the medical center.

Saturday, September 3- I participated in the preparation of the chicken.

How to "prepare" a chicken:

1) Cut the chicken's head off.

2) Put the chicken into a boiling pot of water.

3) Remove it from the pot and remove the feathers.

4) Hold chicken over flame to remove excess feathers.

5) Clean it with warm water.

6) Begin the "operation" as my host mom called it. Cut the chicken, and place the parts in the pot for cooking. (This absolutely includes head, liver, and stomach).
7) I almost forgot this step... Wash your hands!

And yes, this tasted much better than it looks :)