Read.
Last month, a couchsurfer stopping by my village, made a comment about the stacks of books on my floor (lack of a bookshelf led me to this make-shift organizing method). He apparently had visited other PCVs and stated that it would be nice, to "take two years off of my life, learn a new language, do things for myself, and catch up on my reading."
While his perspective was VERY off about the life of a PCV, (It's not fair to call my time in Peace Corps "not real life"), he did recognize that we PCVs do read a lot. Why is this? Well I was never much of a TV watcher in the first place, but not having a television sure does cut down the amount of time you spend staring at the tube, "not watching." Also, when you first arrive in your community, and it is winter - no one goes outside, and there really isn't anything to do work wise. So we curl up and read. In my two years here, I have read 89 books. That's an average of more than 3 a month. Some highlights have been "A Sand County Almanac," "Wicked," "A History of Love, " "Animal , Vegetable, Miracle," and "The Audacity of Hope." And there have been some that I will never read again...
I've also spent a lot of time reading books about Moldova, and Eastern Europe in general. Not too long ago, Moldova got a lot of press as it was labeled the "Least Happiest Place on Earth" in the "Geography of Bliss." The author spends a total of 2 weeks in Moldova - mostly in the capital and another large city - before making this assertion. While I can't tell you not to read the chapter on Moldova - it is slightly entertaining in its offensiveness - I will tell you this. Reading this blog, and other PCV blogs is probably a better, more realistic take on the country (hell, I've lived here 2 years already and still am in the process of formulating opinions on its culture/people). Your parents warned you that not everything you see on tv is true… but someone needs to warn you that not everything you read in a book is true either.
If you aren't planning a trip to Moldova soon, I've created a list of books that are BETTER to read to find out about this country than the “Geography of Bliss.” While only two of them are specifically about Moldova, learning about the area in general will help you understand Moldova better. Most of these books are scholarly, and I don't expect all of you to read them - they can be dry - but for those of who you are interested in some expert opinions on this country, here are my recommendations. Get yourself to a library.
1) The Moldovans: Romania, Russia and the politics of Culture, by Charles King -probably the best and most accurate look at Moldovan history, culture and development. Written as a scholarly study, can be dry. Talks a lot about identity building and the use of language in politics.
2) Playing the Moldovans at Tennis, by Tony Hawks – do not read this book if you are EVER going to come to Moldova. If you aren't, it's a good (comic) look at the ridiculous aspects of everyday life here. While he has the same limitations of Weiner's book, he is fairer to the population. Also, he travels to the breakaway state of Transdnisteria and his experiences there are really interesting.
3) Bury me Standing: The Gypsies and their Journeys, by Isabel Fonseca - traces the Roma (gypsy) people all over Eastern Europe and discusses their experiences, including in Moldova, and prejudices existing against them.
4) The History of Eastern Europe for Beginners – If you are one to say, Moldova – where? This is a good book for you. Funny and easy to understand (with pretty pictures!) this book will help you sort out the fates of the former Yogoslavia, Czechoslovakia and Soviet Union.
Also, if you find yourself interested in the region, and not specifically in Moldova, you can check out “Balkan Ghosts” and the “New Russians”. Happy reading! (If anyone reading this has any additions to this list, please let me know. English language books on the region are hard to come by... )
This entry was posted
on Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 2:06 PM.
