Today marks two years in Moldova. Sometimes it's hard to believe that two years has already past, other times I know for darn sure that it has in fact been two long years. (Depends on the day and probably the hour and maybe even the minute you ask me.) So, for my second anniversary here in Moldova it made sense to spend it with my host family. The people I have gotten the closest to in the past two years.
The day started like any other Saturday. Host mom and I began cooking in the morning. This is a pretty typical scene, especially when host sister, her husband and their god couple (a unique Moldovan tradition that involves a couple choosing a mentor couple when they marry) are coming for a weekend visit.
Today was particularly unique because we were all headed to the river. I got a call earlier in the week from my host sister inviting me to go fishing with them on Saturday. I was excited for the invite and couldn't wait to hang by the river.
Host mom and I cooked all morning in preperation making sarmale (stuffed grape leaves), placinta (cows cheese stuffed pastry), and clatite (crepes filled with cheese and jam). While we were cooking the neighbor came over to help out and visit. I told them both that tody was my two year anniversary and this was of course means for a bit of wine. We drank down a few quick glasses of wine. The nieghbor telling me I needed to stay and live in Moldova. It's always flattering when someone insists you stay in their country!
Host mom and I have gotten very close and I have gotten good at knowing what she will need done in the kitchen. So, I began to work without asking questions. After a little while host mom commented on how I knew what she wanted before she had to ask. I took this as a strong compliment. Moldovan women are queens of their kitchens. I also helped the neighbor when host mom asked for something that she didn't know how to do. The neighbor commented on my kitchen skills. Host mom's response was 'Yes, she learned how to be a Moldovan girl of the house and now she will leave'. This was a bittersweet comment for both host mom and myself.
When host sister arrived in the early afternoon we packed up the car with all the food and headed out. We drove two villages over to the river where we would be fishing and bbqing. The weather lately has been very rainy, so the mud is very thick. We were just barely able to drive the car into the picnic lot we had picked out without getting stuck in the mud. After stepping out of the car my sandals were covered in wet sticky mud for the duration of the day. We set up our table with blankets and covered the table with all the food we had brought along.
The next few hours were spent eating, drinking, fishing, and taking cover from the intermittent thunder storms. The day was passing and we still hadn't started to bbq. I began to wonder when that was going to happen. While we were huddled under the shelter during one of the particularly long thurnder showers host brother-in-law piped in about how to it was going to real stink if it rained until tomorrow and how we were going to have to stay huddled in the car. I laughed at the thought of all five us huddled in the car (the group including a seven months pregnant friend of host sister).
Later on, after the storm had passed host sister made a comment about how I should go take a nap in the car. And here is how the conversation went:
Me: Why would I need to take a nap in the car?
Host Sister: Well, you might be tired and it would be easier now than later.
Me: What do you mean later?
HS: We are staying here tonight.
Me: Seriously, I thought host brother-in-law was joking.
HS: No.
Me: So, you guys are actually staying here over night and are sleeping in the car?
HS: Yes.
ME: Seriously!?
HS: Yes, I thought I told you that.
ME: Uh, no I thought we were going fishing for the day. So, we are really staying here until tomorrow?
Host brother-in-law: (shouts from the sidelines) Yea, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
Me: WHAT!? No, I am going home.
HS: How are you going to get home?
Me: I'll walk.
HS: No Britt, that is way too far.
Me: No, it's like an hour walking at the most.
HS: Britt, are you seriously going to walk.
Me: Yes, I am seriously going to walk.
I got up and decided that if I was walking home I had better get going. If I was lucky I could flag down a car. (Nothing like hitchhiking on my two year anniversary in Moldova...how fitting!)
I somehow got through the sticky mud road leading into the picnic site and on to the main paved road. After scraping the thick mud from the bottom of my sandals, I began my walk home. I was only on the road for about five minutes before a car came along driving in the direction I was headed. I successfully waved it down (hitchhiking level: PRO).
I hoped in the back-seat of the car. A man was driving, a woman was sitting in the passenger seat, and a little boy was standing in the back-seat next to me. We began the awkward introductory conversation. I felt totally comfortable with the give and take of banter. I was mistaken as being French. I didn't correct them. The driver asked me if I worked at the river. I explained I had just been visiting with friends. He was shocked when I said I was walking home. (It honestly wasn't that far). We were soon driving up the hill into town and I had them drop me at the bus station. My favorite part, as I got out of the car the driver turned around and said 'We should meet up some time. We can make a Moldovan baby so won't you be a foreigner anymore'. Now, that might have freaked me out at first, but at this point I know it was meant as a sleazy joke.
I laughed at my day the entire walk home from the bus station. It had started out so normal, but somehow turned into a discovery about sleeping in the car at the river, deciding that was going to happen and hitchhiking home, and then getting hit-on by the guy who picked me up while hitchhiking.
Never a dull moment here in Moldova.
...what I am I going to do without this place and these people?! I am going to miss them, that I know for sure!
Peace on this two year anniversay
The day started like any other Saturday. Host mom and I began cooking in the morning. This is a pretty typical scene, especially when host sister, her husband and their god couple (a unique Moldovan tradition that involves a couple choosing a mentor couple when they marry) are coming for a weekend visit.
Today was particularly unique because we were all headed to the river. I got a call earlier in the week from my host sister inviting me to go fishing with them on Saturday. I was excited for the invite and couldn't wait to hang by the river.
Host mom and I cooked all morning in preperation making sarmale (stuffed grape leaves), placinta (cows cheese stuffed pastry), and clatite (crepes filled with cheese and jam). While we were cooking the neighbor came over to help out and visit. I told them both that tody was my two year anniversary and this was of course means for a bit of wine. We drank down a few quick glasses of wine. The nieghbor telling me I needed to stay and live in Moldova. It's always flattering when someone insists you stay in their country!
Host mom and I have gotten very close and I have gotten good at knowing what she will need done in the kitchen. So, I began to work without asking questions. After a little while host mom commented on how I knew what she wanted before she had to ask. I took this as a strong compliment. Moldovan women are queens of their kitchens. I also helped the neighbor when host mom asked for something that she didn't know how to do. The neighbor commented on my kitchen skills. Host mom's response was 'Yes, she learned how to be a Moldovan girl of the house and now she will leave'. This was a bittersweet comment for both host mom and myself.
When host sister arrived in the early afternoon we packed up the car with all the food and headed out. We drove two villages over to the river where we would be fishing and bbqing. The weather lately has been very rainy, so the mud is very thick. We were just barely able to drive the car into the picnic lot we had picked out without getting stuck in the mud. After stepping out of the car my sandals were covered in wet sticky mud for the duration of the day. We set up our table with blankets and covered the table with all the food we had brought along.
The next few hours were spent eating, drinking, fishing, and taking cover from the intermittent thunder storms. The day was passing and we still hadn't started to bbq. I began to wonder when that was going to happen. While we were huddled under the shelter during one of the particularly long thurnder showers host brother-in-law piped in about how to it was going to real stink if it rained until tomorrow and how we were going to have to stay huddled in the car. I laughed at the thought of all five us huddled in the car (the group including a seven months pregnant friend of host sister).
Later on, after the storm had passed host sister made a comment about how I should go take a nap in the car. And here is how the conversation went:
Me: Why would I need to take a nap in the car?
Host Sister: Well, you might be tired and it would be easier now than later.
Me: What do you mean later?
HS: We are staying here tonight.
Me: Seriously, I thought host brother-in-law was joking.
HS: No.
Me: So, you guys are actually staying here over night and are sleeping in the car?
HS: Yes.
ME: Seriously!?
HS: Yes, I thought I told you that.
ME: Uh, no I thought we were going fishing for the day. So, we are really staying here until tomorrow?
Host brother-in-law: (shouts from the sidelines) Yea, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
Me: WHAT!? No, I am going home.
HS: How are you going to get home?
Me: I'll walk.
HS: No Britt, that is way too far.
Me: No, it's like an hour walking at the most.
HS: Britt, are you seriously going to walk.
Me: Yes, I am seriously going to walk.
I got up and decided that if I was walking home I had better get going. If I was lucky I could flag down a car. (Nothing like hitchhiking on my two year anniversary in Moldova...how fitting!)
I somehow got through the sticky mud road leading into the picnic site and on to the main paved road. After scraping the thick mud from the bottom of my sandals, I began my walk home. I was only on the road for about five minutes before a car came along driving in the direction I was headed. I successfully waved it down (hitchhiking level: PRO).
I hoped in the back-seat of the car. A man was driving, a woman was sitting in the passenger seat, and a little boy was standing in the back-seat next to me. We began the awkward introductory conversation. I felt totally comfortable with the give and take of banter. I was mistaken as being French. I didn't correct them. The driver asked me if I worked at the river. I explained I had just been visiting with friends. He was shocked when I said I was walking home. (It honestly wasn't that far). We were soon driving up the hill into town and I had them drop me at the bus station. My favorite part, as I got out of the car the driver turned around and said 'We should meet up some time. We can make a Moldovan baby so won't you be a foreigner anymore'. Now, that might have freaked me out at first, but at this point I know it was meant as a sleazy joke.
I laughed at my day the entire walk home from the bus station. It had started out so normal, but somehow turned into a discovery about sleeping in the car at the river, deciding that was going to happen and hitchhiking home, and then getting hit-on by the guy who picked me up while hitchhiking.
Never a dull moment here in Moldova.
...what I am I going to do without this place and these people?! I am going to miss them, that I know for sure!
Peace on this two year anniversay
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