winter's a coming..
So life in Singerei is going, sometimes slowly and surely, and sometimes quickly and strangely (not sure if those two conditions are actually parallel or not). I still have the case of my absentee counterpart—but things are getting better with the kids. For now, I have become the math teacher. Math is an international language, right? That’s what I think, too. And it’s something I can actually help them improve with—the kids now just copy equations without having to formulate the answers themselves. Until my big bad, homework assigning, answer erasing self came around and forced the kids to think of the answers (conceptualize), not just copy them. Who knows, maybe someone will actually learn something from me this week?
Also, I taught an art class at the center. I think this is something I want to keep up every week. We started very slow, and maybe it wasn’t such an art class as a craft class. Everyone got to draw and color in a pair of mittens—however they would be if they could wear whatever they wanted. The kids got very into it and a little crazy with their ideas and I loved it—drawing unmatching things, using paint and crayon, making holes in them for extra fingers etc. (this may not seem huge to you, but trust me it is—and this is what I was encouraging). But the other teachers just wouldn’t let it go. Something I have been struggling with when I spend time coloring, drawing or painting with the kids is that the teachers always do things for them. And not just draw outlines of shapes, actually color them in—so that they will be “frumoasa.” I always tell them that the kid can do it on their own (which is the theme of the center—self reliance—it may take a kid who can’t walk a half hour to use the walker to go to lunch, but he can do it himself and he will, and we can all wait—it’s actually very positive theme). But for some reason this doesn’t apply to the arts, which is rather unfortunate, in my opinion. When I remind others that the kids can do it by themselves—they say, well they want it to be frumos. They can’t do it by themselves and have it look this good. Great, just great. I have a feeling this is going to be a neverending struggle… especially since my plans for this week are to draw a scene where none of the things in it can be the color they actually are. Oh yes, imagination folks.
Other than that things are going well here. It is cold, but not freezing. (its colder because the heating is not so great and there isn’t always a chance to warm up—not because its freezing freezing outside). Also very cloudy, I would definitely compare it with
Until then, I’m going to leave you with an amusing tidbit. This happened when I was doing my map. It’s a good thing that I had just learned the verb for “to happen” last week, and that it was daylight—or else I would have been really freaked out. But hey, everyone needs to get accused of being a spy once in their Peace Corps Careers. There’s humor in everything right. I think it was funny—in fact, I think a lot of things are funny, and I laugh about them a lot after they happen—usually because I don’t understand them while they are going on! But also, because I like to savor the good moments!
So to set this up, it’s Sunday around midday and I am walking around my site drawing a map for Peace Corps emergency use—how to get from the Capital to my house. And of course, this is Moldova so the map, instead of having street names, is more like—when you see the third soviet apartment block that is tumbling down, not the one that is just an outline and foundation now, but the one that looks like it should be condemned but isn’t- make a right. After driving for a few minutes, turn left at the blue cross (the one with the photographic quality picture of a deceased love one, not just with a name written). Then when you get to the big pile of dirt on your right, my house will be the third house after that on the right, with the bright bright blue gate, and matching well.
Man: What are you doing with that paper? What are you writing?
Me: I’m making a map of Singerei
Man: Why?
Me: I’m a volunteer in the Peace Corps, I’m from
Man: I know who you are. I live here. Why would I not know the Americans. Why are you making a map?
Me: It is for Peace Corps
Man: Why do they need a map of singerei? (taking the map) Why do they need a drawing of the church? It’s not frumosa!
Me: It’s an emergency map, in case something happens they need to be able to find me
Man: What’s going to happen?
Me: I don’t know! (getting exasperated). If something happens! (I don’t know how to say “in case of...”
Man: Well they should just ask where the American is. This is a bad map. It’s not frumosa and there aren’t the names of the streets on it.
Me: The streets don’t have names
Man: Yes they do
Me: There is no sign.
Man: of course there is no sign—everyone knows what the streets are named. It’s not necessary to have the sign.
Me: (getting more exasperated) okay fine, what is this street.
Man: (ignoring the question) What’s going to happen that you need a drawing of the church for?
Me: Nothing. It’s just so that peace Corps can find me.
Man: This is not a correct map, Americanca. Write the name of the street don’t draw the church
Me: But Peace Corps might not know the names of the streets cause there are no signs
Man: they can ask someone!
Me: If it is at night there will not be anyone around to ask-- who can they ask at night? (repeating myself to show how serious I was)
Man: What is going to happen at night? What do you know? Is it about
Me: I have to go
Peace out!
Sharon (who now also answers to Sharona, Sharone, Sharika, Sharnuntsa, Shara, Runsa, or rika-- apparently)
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, December 13, 2006 at 1:56 PM.
