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!