Gazing from my apartment balcony.. over to a country that might exist soon?

A nearby apartment before a storm starts.
Transnistria is just a half a mile behind this.

I love my apartment. Usually. Right now we have some sort of monsoon season that I thought never existed in a dry, wine/grape growing country and it's getting not so fun now. When I first arrived in 2012, there were wells drying up left and right and rumors were that people were killing off livestock early because it was to hard to keep them alive in a water-less village.

But...I don't think this summer will be the same. I have buckets full of water standing in my kitchen from a not so impermeable ceiling. I have been falling asleep to the 'plip 'plop of dripping water sounds coming from my kitchen. What's more alarming than that is that I don't live on the top floor. Second to the top. Whoever owns the apartment above me is one unlucky dude. With about 7 more weeks left of living here I'm not too concerned but would love it if the wetlands could hurry and dry up in my already outrageous kitchen and we can get back to hot, sunny Moldova.

Especially in the wintertime, I spent hours in my crappy little flat and can't count the times I've stared out over the valley next to my house towards the East, towards the river Nistru and towards Ribnita, Transnistria: a big city in a country that doesn't quiet exist. It's a chunk of land that was torn away from Moldova (and also formerly Ukraine land) in the early 90s as Moldova was receiving its independence and has been a big source of conflict, more as a headache now since the Transnistrian War that killed anywhere from 230-2,000 people in a month long battle in the summer of 1992 (how you can have that shitty of a casualty estimate is beyond me). If you want to read about it more in depth about the war check this article out: http://www.blackseanews.net/en/read/55025

Transnistrian Flag

Right now they are in the process of becoming annexed to Russia...Maybe?? Like another Crimea?? Currently they get reduced gas rates, barely paying anything for gas from Russia, have improved roads, schools, hospitals and other things all in thanks from mother Russia. I am curious if this will change if they will be annexed? Doubtful. If they were to become their own official country, without this mother and baby relationships with Russia, I don't think the free/cheap gas would still fly.

When I was in the cemetery in April for Memorial Easter, my brain couldn't translate anything coming through my ears because everyone was speaking Russian. Many people from this side of the river over the years moved over to Ribnita for cheaper, nicer apartments and a reduced cost of living ( especially not paying the over-inflated prices Moldovan's have to pay for gas). Its great for citizens and business owners in Rezina here too because they can driver over, fill their tanks up with cheap gas, buy less expensive food and even swim in a public pool or catch a Russian film on a big screen (I've never been because I'm not allowed to go over there.. boo). But my big question about this wave of Moldovans moving there for the "good life" is..will they stay there and become even more united with Russia or will they return back to Moldova after the annexation? Will it be harder for them to cross the border than what it is now with just photo identification and a slip of toilet-like-paper with some scribbles on it?

I love this little country but some things here drive me crazy! Starting with the politics.... This being said, I am safe, I'm not anywhere near the conflict zone in Ukraine.. It is on the complete other side of Ukraine from Moldova. The only rumbles from the east are from big dark thunderclouds, not Pro-Russians, just lots of thunderclouds. :)

Clouds outside where I work.
I think these abandoned soviet flag posts look like flying saucers.

Just a little springtime rant...

So by now you are probably assuming I have learned loads about myself after enduring a year and a half of Peace Corps fun in Moldova. As much as I can nod my head and say ya sure and the whole nine yards, I am still not sure exactly what I learned or developed besides I know now I am wayyy more Moldovan then when I arrived.

Here's a rant of some things that I love, more of things I find completely normal and some things I still find down right wrong. This idea came to me as I sit at work wearing my winter jacket, playing uninformed secretary and sipping on Kefir like the best of Russians.(for those of you that don't know this Russian dieters go-to snack click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kefir). Poftim my fellow readers.

-When I get back behind the wheel... Get ready for me to bring back the heads up maneuver where you flash/flicker signal with your headlights cars approaching because you know of a cop trap you just passed that could screw them over. I don't know one Moldovan who drives a car that doesn't do it. They may not be exemplary drivers but I applaud them for their "united we stand" approach to preventative speeding ticket practices.

-One good thing about the cops here is that they won't pull you over for the bs reason of touching the center line or outside line. Mainly because there generally isn't lines painted on roads or there are potholes to avoid but either way I am really happy to see that people don't have police down their throats or sniffing around because their tire hit an invisible, imaginary bomb detonator on the other side of the line. People are fairly relaxed drivers and take whatever part of the road they feel like here because there aren't a lot of drivers on the roads. I'm going to have to forget this idea when I go back to the states.. Middle of the road driving is a big no no.

- It is completely normal here to spread ketchup on a piece of bread and eat it like its going out of style and have more mayo than cheese on your pizza or salad.

-It is also completely normal to own and purchase stuffed animals as an adult. It's as if you would take away 99% of America's indoor pet population from their owners and handed them a big, fuzzy, muted stuffed animal to fill that animal void in their hearts. Stuffed animals have not done anything for me since I passed up the age of oh... maybe 10. And even at that point it had to be one really soft, cuddly pony for me to be impressed. These stuffed animals that collect dust in the corners of family rooms, dashboards of cars, ect look like they came out of a condemned Russian theme park and they just aren't the same as the real thing. Just not the same. Sniff, Carhartt (my dog), I miss you!

Say Woof!

-This leads into my next rant... There are dogs here but they do not live lives anything similar to American dogs (minus that one football player's fighting dogs and that sort of sad shit). Typically tied to a two foot chain that weighs at times as much as they do, they live and die as a useless door bell. These useless door bells will  inform anyone/thing in barking distance of people walking on the street or sidewalk near their house and often lunge at you with snarls that look like they took time to practice. If I'm walking on the street, I think its really stupid and annoying to be viciously snarled at by useless door bells because I am in no way interested in stepping foot on their invaluable slave owners property. Unfortunately it is unavoidable... unless I want to go for walks or runs in circles around apartment complexes where only stray dogs bask in the sunlight or sleep under parked cars.

He is a rare exception in Rezina. I love this big dog.

This is Bobby (Kennedy or Marley, it's debatable depending on if you ask me) and I don't think he will ever see life further than what his chain allows him.

-I still really enjoy "watering the plants" outside but as much experience I have had before Peace Corps peeing in woods in Maine, Colorado and Wisconsin, I can't for the life of me successfully use a "Turkish toilet" or in this case, a Moldovan toilet. Try as I might, the hole they give you to squat over is just never big enough to collect my stream. I assure you, you would rather use an outhouse because they usually design a toilet to sit on to you do your business then try and use a hole in the floor toilet like I have at work.

-It's perfectly normal to see a bedroom transform into a living room or dining room or food prep room or a childrens' play room over a typical day here. Space is tight in these Soviet block apartments and you would be surprised how efficiently these people can work with the space they are given. One of my friends has their bath tub in the kitchen (they don't have running water) that is usually seen with a old door on it that converts the tub into a kitchen counter top. For a person that can't stand to make her bed EVER, it baffles me that people daily pick up all the blankets and fold their bed back into a couch or chair before they go on with their day. I see myself doing little space saving things like that too but only when I have a bigger group of people (which is never) at my apartment will I transform my bed, yet alone make it.

This is an example of a living room, bedroom and party room wrapped into one. Also my "cousin" Roman enjoying the US State quarters to add to his unfinished collection sent by my super sweet mom. (:

-I love walking everywhere instead of driving. People know how to hold a few grocery bags in their hands and walk home from the local market and if you buy too much or get caught carrying too much, usually someone stops and helps you. Plus you run into way more friends walking than you do driving. One time on my way to the bus station a kid on a bike coming from the other direction saw me walking with my backpack and a bunch of bags in my hands as if I was carrying everything own stopped and asked if he could help. I turned down the offer but that gesture still lingers. I also really dig their public transport, something I think America really really lacks.

Unless you have a horse, then you should take your horse.

-Remember those places where double dipping is a sin in some households? Not here! Salt comes in a bowl on the table and if your grimy fingers are not dipping in it to grab a pinch, your used fork or half eaten cucumber is headed towards the pool of germs so its best to throw your caution to the wind if you have "germaphobe issues". I'm totally cool with it.

-Beer can come in up to big gallon size plastic bottles. Its gross beer. Which later after being drunk, turns into a way to transport house wine out of the big wooden barrels in people's basements along with any plastic water bottles they save up. Its awesome.. "Moldovan Recycling". I carried a 2.5 litre bottle of red house wine to Germany in my backpack last week.

-When I go to Chisinau and see tp-free waste baskets in bathrooms, I still get really excited that I get to flush toilet paper down the toilet. The whole act of flushing tp is somehow really satisfying.

-Something I'm not sure I've gotten comfortable with but I sure have accepted is all the skin in business meetings. It wasn't too long ago when I was at a JCI business club meeting for the first time with top officials and leaders in the community where girls dressed in skirts even I couldn't see myself wearing to a night club passed out the information to us and claimed they were "club secretaries". Although this photo below comes from Romania, I want you to get an idea what "business apparel" for women here typically looks like.

-One thing that I am happy to say I do not follow in Moldovan footsteps is their addiction to computer and cell phone games. And I'm not just talking about children here either. Occasionally I catch my partner at work going tap tap tap, glued to some form of Tetris game and I know a handful of people that are addicted to racking up points in some sort of cyber bliss.... to the point that I am sure they have no other spare-time hobbies outside of their internet games. It's sad.

Like I said it was a rant. Full of opinion. Full of me. Full of useless knowledge about Moldova I have been collecting in my head the past few months and selected  ones that seemed somehow amusing or significant. I have three more months to go... Who know what I will come up with next!

Happy Spring! Time for me to plug my fridge back in!

Introducing to you my new Vacuubroom 9000!

Sweeping in the New Year with my new 2-1 Vacuubroom 9000. I swept it away for a rockin' $1.20.

It's by far the best thing I've bought so far this year besides the extension cord to avoid the outlet that melted. Because the outlet melted I unplugged my fridge. Because I unplugged my fridge I constructed a "fridge" on my balcony. Because I did this I will now save more money on car insurance. Just Kidding- I will  however save some cha-ching from my really enormous and bountiful paycheck! Because I have now only one working wall outlet in my entire apartment I now run the new extension cord from one deluxe extension cord from my bedroom/dining room/???room to where I plug in my hot water heater. Because I now have a gap in my "bedroom's" door where the extension cord slips through to the hallway where the melted outlet for my water heater and fridge is, 

I am

slowly

loosing

my

mind.

And also my heat. 

Hence loosing my mind. 

Did I tell you already that I haven't had more than one space heater for heating my apartment all winter?? I will be blogging from a neighbor's apartment if my endangered, coveted and prized outlet blows because once that blows... my Titanic heat source in the dead of winter goes down with it. 

Don't worry ma' I've got it covered.

Happy Happy New Year!

Before I forget, I want to write down some things I have been really, really grateful and not so grateful for in my 2013.

Top 5 things Wonderfuls

1. I have stayed safe and healthy (minus some sanity lost) through an entire year of living on my own in Eastern Europe. If you out there still have stereotypes about how dangerous Eastern Europe is and think my life is from a movie like "Taken" or "Hostel" you are terribly mistaken and I hope I can woo you into a more positive outlook on this little, dirty, corrupt-yet-friendly former Soviet country of mine. 

2. I have managed to help out the community I live in and help others, no matter how small and insignificant I may think they are. Whether it was selling jewelry at Gustar with a few teenagers to raise money for youth projects or spreading candy or cookie love from America and my parents' great care packages I hope people here look back and say I was a pretty cool chicka. 

3. I am now living proof that Americans can learn a foreign language. Hoorayyyy for that! Even if it is a language used in less than 1% of the world's population. :/ I hope to be living proof that you can leave this country without an alcohol addiction or Cirrhosis of the liver. So far, so good.

4. I am blessed with an amazing team of supporters back in the states and really from around the world. I needed money donated? I got it. My partner's husband wants a decent trumpet? Ok, no problem. Its a great relief knowing I have people behind me and thinking of me. I am one lucky girl. I don't say that out loud enough. 

5. I traveled to Romania (twice), Hungary, Austria and Italy. For next to nothing. How cool is that? Next up on my list for my first trip in 2014: The Republic of Georgia! Yes... Go ahead. Look it up. It's a really really cool country. NOT state.

Top 5 not so Wonderfuls

1. What I think and what my work partner thinks are 99.99% of the time are wickedly different. This is one of those flashy, obvious, in your face examples of the great differences between how Americans think and how people from the former Soviet Union think but man does it make my life and my work here hard. I also wish things would just work like volunteering, fundraising, thinking outside the box.... thinking  creatively in general....

2. I witnessed corruption in the schools. Think that sounds bad just as it is? Wait until I tell you the story. 

Once upon a time an oblivious girl came along and spoke English really really well. A teacher in her community reached out and asked if she could help tutor. She said, "Ok..." and away they went. One morning the teacher told her to meet in town. From there they went to an apartment the morning of oh, lets say the SAT's of Moldova or something really big and important for graduating high schoolers to get into university. The teacher was corresponding with more than one student via text message and even phone conversation to oh, lets say, WRITE THE ENTIRE TEST. The oblivious girl wanted to pull her hair out when she saw this. And still does when she thinks about the horrible teachers, Ministry of Education and the CORRUPTION that is consumed on a daily basis.  

The end.

3. After I moved from my first host families house where I learned Romanian and hung out for two months straight I moved in with a grandmother and her grandchild, an 8 year old boy. This, unfortunately is a fine example of the "Absent generation" problem in Moldova- where parents jump ship and find jobs in Europe to "support" their children or family at home because they can't find work at home. This aside, I wasn't in love with them like I was with my first host family. 

For starters, I don't know if it was a strategic trick or not but my host mom/grandmother would always tell me at the dinner table that I didn't speak Romanian well and that the last volunteer she knew spoke much better. I wanted to tell her she didn't know how to cook in return. Regular fits of crying and rage at the dinner table from the brat child, eating plain oatmeal or pasta noodles with butter one too many times, listening to toddlers sing on the radio (watch this to believe me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny6598xeurE) all while living in a three room plus kitchen apartment set me over the edge. 

One day in December last year where she called me and insisted that I get home right away for dinner. Oh boy this sounds promising! Well I was late so I rushed home in a ice-shuffle-run like way to cut time I had spent doing whatever it was instead of walking home right away. Right as I turned the corner to enter the soviet bloc of mine, I ate shit. Total wipe-out. I clearly remember as I was standing up and brushing the hellish bits of Moldovan snow and ice off me I thought to myself, I hope this dinner is good! It will make up for this spill! What would you know.. As my luck would have it, I ended up eating a nice bowl... of.... oatmeal.

4. I wish I could be the perfect role model and tell you about all the work I have been doing recently but, if you haven't heard, Moldovans do f-all whenever there is a holiday around. From about the 23rd of December until about yesterday I followed suit and soaked in my last Christmastime in Moldova. Everything was pretty typical, I sang in a few choir concerts, ate a few hundred pounds of food, drank until my Russian improved and spent time with some of the best people I know here but man, I am starting to think there are wayyyy too many holidays. I like holidays, don't get me wrong. I'm not part Grinch in any means but you must understand just how it goes down here. 

We've got Christmas X 2, New Year's X 2 (and the second one really is crap and pointless, no one wants to celebrate the New Year on the 14th of January), a bunch of Easter stuff, Women's day, city saint days (sometimes two depending on how many churches you have and how many saints they've got stuffed in them), random religious holidays that I don't really have a great conception of and lastly I'll call it the "Pick your saint day." This holiday is ongoing. It never ends. I would say its as bad as the tune, "This is the song that never ends." 

Where in the states we have a gratifying birthday once a year to think about how cool we are and the same with anniversaries, they have multiple. They are so"cool", so (un)lucky. Let me explain why. In Moldova people don't go naming their kids after pieces of fruit, action heroes or Hollywood celebs. The celebrities they name their kids after are saints, old, old saints. Every time the saint has a day declared their own, anyone with that name or updated version of their name gets to have a day of their own too. Your name is Ion? Saint John's Day was a week ago. Your name is Mihai, Mihela, Mike, Michelle, Misa you get a party sometime in the fall. This makes a year round food-binge cycle where the celebrator invites friends and family to "honor" "their" saint and then the guests do so in return when its their day because lets face it, why name your kid something different that doesn't have his or her own saint day. That would be ludicrous! 

The same goes with getting married. You have your anniversary date then you also (I would like to think pick out of a hat) select a saint that protects your marriage or family or whatever. I don't have so much grief with the marriage guardian and protector but the name thing drives me nuts. I feel its super unnecessary, adds one more day of egotistical, sometimes drunk pricks, a usually wasted day of work, and curbs creativity when selecting a name to give a baby. I can spit out 5 names, male or female if I don't remember someones name and probably be ok. 

I apologize for this random rant. If this is clear as mud, please let me know and we can chat more on it! :)

5. Last but not least... 

I am really not used to how impolite people are! People here are really, really hospitable but don't expect a thank you from adult or child for holding a door open or other small acts of kindness. Its more of a take and run sort of appreciation. I only know of my landlord who works at a local kindergarten that has taught her grandchildren how to say thank you after receiving a cookie, juice, whatever. This also is expressed through how they communicate with one another. In English or Romanian the way they say "no" or "what are you thinking" always comes off to me very harsh. Its something I don't take offense when it's directed towards me but it definitely took a few months in 2013 to get used to at work. I do however find it funny that you can professionally, delicately and formally say word for word to, "shut your mouth."

Next up in blogging.. I think I need to tell a few more stories that have happened lately and potentially point out how and to what things I have adapted to in the last year and some months here!!!