Where is Moldova, anyway?

My two years in Moldova have dwindled down to two weeks… two weeks! That’s 14 days. So, to mark the occasion, here are 14 things I will miss about Moldova.

1) Fresh fruit and veggies – in the garden, on the side of the street… want grapes? Just go outside and pick them.

2) The night sky. Without both light pollution and tall buildings, the sky over my village is a spectacular site – and huge – not only is it full of stars, but you can actually see the shifts in the star field with the seasons, because there is so little interference.

3) Speaking/thinking/expressing myself in a foreign language on a daily basis. Yes, it is challenging. But it is a challenge I’ve come to like.

4) Being walked home, all the time. Everyone here walks everywhere. After dark, no matter where I am – working at our center, at a party, or visiting a friend, someone will walk me home – to my door, even if it is 30 minutes out of the way. No comparison to dropping someone at their front door and speeding away.

5) Doing work that matters – yeah it’s frustrating at times, but I enjoy feeling that what I am doing is “making a difference.” When I get home I will have to take any job … and I have a feeling it’s not going to have the same level of satisfaction.

6) Mamaliga. Kind of like Polenta. Only the best grain this side of the Atlantic.

7) My host family / friends / colleagues. The people who have made this experience real for me. Enough said.

8) Weather related excuses. I’m not sure what job in America would accept me not coming in because it was raining and I didn’t want to get muddy. Or it was just too cold.

9) Being special. Yeah, everyone looking at you gets old. But being the-odd-one-out, and having people start conversations with you just because you are an American, has a certain draw to it.

10) Aggressive Hospitality. Moldovans do not make dates they don’t intend to keep. They don’t casually invite you over. They take you by the hand, drag you down the street, and pour food down your throat. In Moldova, people make sure you are neither hungry nor lonely.

11) Being able to take a walk in the fields and not come across another human being for hours… And they say the globe is overpopulated.

12) Seeing farmers, driving horse drawn carriages, talking on cell phones. This always makes me laugh. That, or seeing these same carriages, get passed by bmws on the high way.

13) Home made everything. Jam, honey, soft taco shells, cheese, tomato sauce made from our own tomatoes.

14) Sincerity. Not to say that all Americans are BS loving, sarcastic fools. Maybe we have just become too dependent on Hallmark to say things for us. But Moldovans are SO SO SO sincere when wishing you a safe trip, when thanking you for something, or celebrating your birthday. Not only do they wish you many more years of health and happiness, they bless your parents, your unborn children, anyone you work with. And the tone of their voice is so honest. It's almost like nothing I can say back has the same effect. So I usually cop out, smile, and say - you too.

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 02, 2008 at 8:22 AM.