Fiti Atenti !

Tomorrow my group will provide a seminar on hypertension for adults in the community, in Romanian! Just a bit nervous! Learning a new language in a new country in nine and a half weeks is absolutely exhausting. I was thinking the other day about my anatomy and physiology class, and how stinking hard it was. An 8 our course with 200 true/false question exams? Blah! However, many times in Moldova I have found myself wishing to be back in good ole Dana's classroom. The Peace Corps is quite difficult. I just keep telling myself that it will all be worth it, and we learn the most through the challenges we face.

I am really enjoying the friendships I have made here. These crazy people are the ones that keep me sane most days. Who new that I would fill my time with an armpit hair growing contest? Also, my knife skills have improved tremendously. Well, that is until two days ago when I cut my finger trying to open my first package from home. I have been using a cutit (knife, pronounced coots-eet) quite often here, cutting everything from tomatoes to cucumbers and plastic water/beer bottles. I found out today that the bottom of the bottles will be used in January/February for soil and seeds to grow certain vegetables.

A few interesting facts: 1) Cats and kittens are extremely resilient. However, they do not always land on their feet. 2) Some people in Moldova love shouting things like “Liberty America” and “Obama.” 3) Apparently, I blend in here because I look Russian. 4) Melc (pronounced milk) is the Romanian word for snail. 5) It is extremely hot in Moldova in the summer. 6) Yoga is extremely difficult, and I feel like the “beginner” videos are made to make inflexible people feel bad about themselves. 7) My host family has the largest rabbit I have ever seen in my entire life, and today I met him for the first time (very exciting). 

 8) Peanut butter is similar to cookie dough and brownie batter in that it can be used as medicine for the soul. It has serious healing powers.

I have learned to appreciate small victories, while trying not to sweat the small stuff. It's all quite confusing, and I feel like it will be for a while. Oh, Moldova.