Moldova: Where the Thick Sock is King
Before leaving for the Peace Corps, myself, an unnamed friend, and an unnamed brother spent many hours at the Ramsey Outdoor Store, a local outing friendly sports equipment dealer. Many hours. Yes, I was leaving for the Peace Corps for two years, but did that really merit paying THAT much for "smart" socks.
It turns out, it did. And it's a good thing I was convinced into it (thank you unnamed friend who reminded me that our limbs do not regrow if they freeze off, and unnamed brother who wined enough to have the salesperson want to help us quickly to get us out of there faster).
It is cold in Moldova. Not colder than NJ, but comparable. Why am I colder here? Two factors: 1) In NJ, I drove everywhere. Here, these boots were made for walking.... and 2) Central Heating vs our coal and wood burning stove in Moldova.
I love my expensive socks for how warm they keep my feet during long, long walks. Yes, they have outlasted my regular socks which have all bit the dust by now. And they are not so clunky that its difficult to walk in them. Good purchase.
I don't know if you remember one of my earliest posts last year referring to the Moldovans "mothering" us. Where are you going without a hat? Why are you walking around the house without slippers? Why do you eat your oatmeal without spoonfuls of sugar? ... while this annoyed me at times, thinking -- I never wear slippers at home -- the Moldovans, it turns out, know more about living/surviving/being comfortable in Moldova than I do. Yes, in America we don't need to wear slippers and several pairs of socks inside in the winter, thanks to things such as central heating and insulation. In Moldova, while my soba (the name for the coal burning/wood burning miracle that keeps my room warm) really does work -- the ground, and the walls are linked straight to the outside. So while I fought against wearing socks all the time, and didn't understand why my host mom didn't want my bed to be next to the wall -- now I do. It's cold outside. And its colder inside when that which is separating you from the outside, isn't so thick. (if that sentence made sense).
While I am glad I brought my intelligent wools, though, I love my Moldovan socks oh-so-much-better for time spent at home. My Moldovan socks were "darned" for me by my host grandmother, who upon inspection of the socks I brought with me from America, deemed that I didn't pack right, and would hence freeze. They are thick, cozy and home made. And I wear two pairs at a time, and I love it... and I love them. I think, however smelly they end up being or however worn -- they are coming back to America with me.... so look out world.
It turns out, it did. And it's a good thing I was convinced into it (thank you unnamed friend who reminded me that our limbs do not regrow if they freeze off, and unnamed brother who wined enough to have the salesperson want to help us quickly to get us out of there faster).
It is cold in Moldova. Not colder than NJ, but comparable. Why am I colder here? Two factors: 1) In NJ, I drove everywhere. Here, these boots were made for walking.... and 2) Central Heating vs our coal and wood burning stove in Moldova.
I love my expensive socks for how warm they keep my feet during long, long walks. Yes, they have outlasted my regular socks which have all bit the dust by now. And they are not so clunky that its difficult to walk in them. Good purchase.
I don't know if you remember one of my earliest posts last year referring to the Moldovans "mothering" us. Where are you going without a hat? Why are you walking around the house without slippers? Why do you eat your oatmeal without spoonfuls of sugar? ... while this annoyed me at times, thinking -- I never wear slippers at home -- the Moldovans, it turns out, know more about living/surviving/being comfortable in Moldova than I do. Yes, in America we don't need to wear slippers and several pairs of socks inside in the winter, thanks to things such as central heating and insulation. In Moldova, while my soba (the name for the coal burning/wood burning miracle that keeps my room warm) really does work -- the ground, and the walls are linked straight to the outside. So while I fought against wearing socks all the time, and didn't understand why my host mom didn't want my bed to be next to the wall -- now I do. It's cold outside. And its colder inside when that which is separating you from the outside, isn't so thick. (if that sentence made sense).
While I am glad I brought my intelligent wools, though, I love my Moldovan socks oh-so-much-better for time spent at home. My Moldovan socks were "darned" for me by my host grandmother, who upon inspection of the socks I brought with me from America, deemed that I didn't pack right, and would hence freeze. They are thick, cozy and home made. And I wear two pairs at a time, and I love it... and I love them. I think, however smelly they end up being or however worn -- they are coming back to America with me.... so look out world.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 1:18 PM.
