Open the barn doors: I'm taking friend applications

Moldova is a country of many unique and interesting attributes. One of these interesting attributes is the high rate of population migration to big cities in surrounding countries. The reasoning for this is simple, substantially greater money can be made in other countries. This leads to a high rate of GDP coming from remittances (the sending of money from one country to the recipient in another country). This sort of foreign dependence is seen all around the world; we in the US have our own issues with foreign dependence, most countries show a form of dependence, but all forms differ. This trend of working in foreign countries leads to a high rate of young people leaving the country for University and not returning until they are raising a family.

How does all of this affect me? Well, I consider myself to be a relatively social person and given the lack of people my own age at my site, I have resorted to befriending many people I wouldn't have considered in the US. These people include, the older people in my community, the ladies at the shop near my house, and the few kids I pass on my way to work.  I don't mind this random assortment of acquaintances. They are all wonderfully hospitable and usually show some sort of interest in me and my background. All of these 'new friends' still don't fill the void I feel being away from everyone I know and love, and so I resort to some pretty entertaining measures to keep myself amused.

Now, if you know me well this will be an eye-roll-nod-of-head moment. If for some reason this blog has attracted readers who don't know me--please don't judge, I promise I'm not crazy (and hey, thanks for reading!).

Like I mentioned in earlier posts, I pass many animals on my way to work. In the majority, these animals include geese, goats and chickens. I have made my morning walk into a sort of game. It entertains the pants off me. I have provided the three different animals with different roles. The geese speak English, the goats speak Romanian, and the chickens speak Russian. I know, I know, I sound crazy. Don't judge, it's pretty fun for a bored peace corps volunteer.

So, every morning on my way to work I wish the geese a 'good morning'. I usually follow this with something witty like -'all your feathers look good today ladies, bravo'- usually their response is that goose quack that sounds a lot like laughing (they totally get my humor). The goats I wish a 'bună dimineaţa'. Sometimes followed by a 'ce faci', I usually get no response, sometimes they will look up acknowledge I'm there and quickly go back to grazing. I have begun to expect being ignored when I speak in Romanian. The chickens are an entirely different story. The chickens and I are rarely on speaking terms. I don't know Russian and these chickens don't know English. Sometimes, if I have woken up on the wrong side of the bed and am feeling especially snappy I will say  something along the lines of - 'I'm going to eat your cousin tonight for dinner'- not particularly original, but they ignore me anyways. So, these are my make-believe friends, because well, I like to talk, and if I can't talk to people I turn to the animals.  


If you had asked me a year ago what I thought my social life would be, I don't think I would have guessed my current situation. A 22 year old; talking to barn yard animals, staying at home after nightfall and having the highlight of her weekend be skyping with her Dad (Not that you aren't awesome, old man). Oh well, welcome to life as a PCV in Moldova.  


Peace