Oh yeah...

I am a head judge for the Moldova Odyssey of the Mind competition happening this upcoming weekend. My group is judging The Jungle Bloke problem (if you know the OM problems this year, if not...look them up). I am excited about seeing what the students in Moldova do during the competition and really can't wait to talk to them in English and see what they have to say. It is something different in Moldova, where people aren't so quick to think outside of the box and nothing in their day to day life needs creativity. Students here are slow to think critically, independently and creatively and so I am glad they have the opportunity to do this through Odyssey of the Mind. I will take pictures and put them up soon.
Also, every school in each region sends students to the regional center to compete in every subject. I am hopefully going to send a student for English, but all the best students are going to the competition for other subjects and the times conflict. I don't know what the says about the students here, but there are extremely bright and motivated students who excel in every subject, and then the rest, it seems, excel in nothing and just merely get by. The teachers also compete in little competitions as well, such as Volleyball and table tennis. I was approached today by another teacher who asked me if I knew how to play table tennis. She competed in the sport the last year and wanted to give up her position for someone who could do a better job. So I had to display my ability to her by playing with a 7th grader. After a minute she was like, "Yeah, you will do well, yeah, you are better than me. Good Good, you will compete in table tennis." So it is settled. I don't know when this competition is, but wish me luck!

Yet another picture for the blog. From left to right: Inga (my host sister), me, Krista, Steph, Priya, Jess, and Levi. My great Moldova 16 friends outside my house after the lovely Christmas dinner Steph and I made. 

Snow Days

I haven't wrote in a while on this thing, despite the abundance I have time I have recently acquired. This past week the weather was around 2-8 degrees as the high and school was canceled. Not snow days, but cold days. Who would have thought? But, the children walk to school, some five minutes others 35 minutes. The weather being as cold as it was, was not making the trip any easier for them and made the school harder to heat. I got to school this past Monday only to learn that classes had been cancelled for the day. I went home and hung out with my host mom and neighbor. The neighbor mentioned that school was cancelled for the entire week for her children, who are in elementary school. I wondered if my school would be in the same situation. Good thing I called my counterpart who told me that there would be no school for the rest of the week. Woohoo! Another long break for me. We had just returned from Christmas vacation and had only gotten through one week of classes before we stop again for another week. So I slept in, read a lot, watched television and all in all, was very lazy. I went to the piata in Ungheni on Thursday morning and when I returned my host mom said that the neighbor's children went to school and that there was school. Hmmm, no one told me. So I did not go, even though I had classes yet to happen later in the day. No one called to let me no, so good riddance to them. I asked my host mom how people in the village knew that the school would open for Thursday and Friday. She said, one person calls another and it spreads like that. Everyone just calls around gossiping and that is how they find things out. Interesting. I did manage to make it to school on Friday to finish out the week. Even then, there weren't that many students in the classes, it still was a little cold. But this week it is back to normal, except each class stays in their homeroom for every lesson instead of moving around. The teacher's move around to them. This somehow helps to combat the cold weather. Go figure.
Today my 8th graders are learning about the U.S.A. We learned the great lakes, different important cities (Atlanta is even included in the book's vocabulary...sorry, they left out Columbus), and big rivers. They really enjoyed it and liked hunting for the places on my map that is under the chalkboard. For the optional class today after school I started to teach the United States Song. The song that lists all the states in more or less alphabetical order. I wrote the words down, had them pronounce all the states, and sang it for them. We have gotten through 1/4 of it and I am going to finish teaching it to them on Thursday. I will be sure to take pictures and even video. So kudos to Matt who had to memorize the song in elementary school and I had to listen to him practicing it for an entire evening. That is how I learned it and am now able to teach my students. They are loving it and enjoy memorizing things like this. They will be excited to know the song and want to impress their family and friends that they know all the states in the United States.
So that is all I am up to right now. I am still crocheting my blanket, I am almost done with the 2nd ball of yarn. Only five more of them to go and I will be done. My host mom is impressed with all my crafty abilities. I am also beginning to read some great books by a great British author, P.G. Wodehouse. He is very funny in, of course, a British sort of way and using the most interesting words to describe and explain things. His stories are so incredibly hilarious and absurd. It is just what I need to add to my daily regiment. I am reading "Laughing Gas" right now and am looking at "Very Good, Jeeves!" sitting beside me waiting to be opened. I highly recommend them! That is all, I am signing out now!

I Met A Boy and I Have Packages

I had to wake up this morning at 3.20. That's right, 3.20 A.M. The train in my village leaves at 4.30 for Chisinau. I had a meeting at 10.30 and so the train was my only option of transportation. I could have taken a rutiera, but with inches of snow and ice covering the roads, it isn't such a safe option. So I got to the train station at 3.55 expecting the train to arrive at 4.10. I wait and wait and wait, but luckily a boy (20 years old) approaches me and asks me for the time. We start talking and discussing things, as much as he can in his moldovan language and as much as I can in my Romanian. He asked me if I knew Moldovan and I said "yes, I know Romanian." But he claimed that Moldovan is different than Romanian. I asked him how the two languages were different and he just shuffled his feet and tried to sputter some response.
The different between Romanian and Moldovan language as a fellow volunteer expressed is "in Moldovan you can throw in Russian words whenever you want." How true that is.
So finally the train arrived at 4.30. I don't know whether it was slow because of the weather conditions or that the train has a new schedule. Regardless, we got on the train and the boy, Victor, sat across from me. Pretty soon after, he asked for my phone number, and I gave it to him. I need to start making friends in my village, or with people close to my village. He happens to live in the neighboring village. He got off of the train at an earlier stop and my travels took me further to Chisinau.
I got packages! That's right, two of them! One of them was from my parents and filled with yarn, crocheting needles, shirts, cds, and my old favorite flip flops. The other was from my Great Aunt and had hot cocoa, a chocolate bar, toe socks, and BUCKEYES...my favorite holiday treat. I had to walk about a mile to get from the train station to the Peace Corps Office. It was about 10 degrees outside, but I had multiple layers and was moderately warm.
Upon asking for my packages, the guy searched for them, and at last they were mine. When he handed them to me he said "just smile, be happy." I laughed a little at the comment and didn't quite understand what he meant by that. When I got to the bathroom I realized why he had said that. The mascara that I applied before leaving the house was all underneath my eyes. My eyes teared up in the cold weather causing my mascara to run. He thought I had been crying. So I had been walking around Chisinau looking like either a homeless prostitute or a bawling baffoon. Oh well, I got a good laugh out of it.
After my meeting today I am heading straight back to my village. I can't wait to see my bed and dive into its warm blankets.

Finally, I can showcase my hat in all its glory. This isn't my best picture but the pile of fur on my head and the sparkler in my hand help. Thanks Krista...I snatched the picture from you! 

The Party Is Over, Kiddo

It's now back to work. My vacation seemed rather short and I don't think I really had a chance to simply rest. I did manage to do a lot...hosted a Christmas party, partied in Chisinau, had a great time with my brother, hung out with my host sister/brother-in-law/niece, celebrated Christmas with my host aunt/uncle/cousins, celebrated New Years, celebrated New Years (Old), read a book and a half, and even managed to write lesson plans (both long-term and short-term).
The first day went by smoothly. I was expecting the schedule to be all mixed up in a funk with some crazy ceremony, but I was wrong. There was only a teacher's birthday, everything else was completely normal. Although, when I say it was a ONLY a teacher's birthday, that means bottles of champagne, cake, cookies, chips, coffee, soda, leaving the students lurking around the halls and waiting in their classrooms until we finish. I ducked out of the party semi-early. Excuse me if I wanted to teach a lesson and impart a little knowledge on my students in lieu of downing champagne and burping with the faculty.
On Mondays I have six classes, usually starting at 11 and ending at 4:30. I deem a day a success if I get to teach at least half of the classes planned for that day. That doesn't mean half the students, that hasn't happened since the first week of school. Today, I taught 4 out of 6 classes. The 12th graders simply skipped out, although two of the students came. I didn't feel like putting them through an entire lesson, so I had them write down a few vocabulary words with translations and sent them packing. One of the students lingered behind and we talked, in English, till the next lesson. We talked about Moldova and Russia's relationship with Moldova and impact on them. What makes Moldovan's Moldovan? Stuff like that, it was very interesting. The optional class for one of my 10th grade classes simply skipped out as well. But unlike the 12th graders, none of them showed up. It is hard in the winter to keep students at school. The nights come earlier, and the school is colder in the afternoon when they stopped feeding the fire and the school isn't full with warm bodies. Also, about a quarter of the students live in other villages and do not have transportation past a certain time, so they fail to stay after for the optional lessons. What can you do? It gets frustrating, but you can't punish them for something they have no control over, right?
So that's all. School has started again and I have something to fill my To Do list again.

Book List

I have read more books during the 7th months that I have been here than I have ever in my entire life, I believe. I am going to begin listing the books as I read them so I can keep track. And also, so I can brag about my newly found literary mind. I have read a lot of amazing books and would love to share them with others.

(These are in no particular order, as I had to rack my brain to spit out the titles)

1. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck - AMAZING book.
2. High Fidelity - a classic...and also a film
3. Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne - a very good read, what a talented writer
4. Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - took awhile to get through, the material is very heavy and intense, but thought provoking
5. Hypocrite in a White Poufy Dress - clever stories about a woman's life growing up
6. Stolen Lives - AMAZING, and terrifyingly true
7. Catching Alice - could almost be considered a chick book
8. Icy Sparks - Oprah must have been on something when she put it on her book list.
9. Justice - AMAZING, and also, terrifyingly true stories about how the justice system failed
10. Widow for One Year - I like how the story is divided...great story
11. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - a classic and quick read
12. Nickel & Dimed - this book let me down, I thought it would be better...not worth the time, doesn't prove anything
13. Bushwhacked - a GREAT book!
14. The Handmaids Tale - an AMAZING book. Sad that it took me this long to find and read it
15. The Girl with the Pearl Earring - AMAZING book!
16. Wicked - because I love The Wizard of Oz I checked this book out. Wasn't what I thought it would be, it turned out to be better!
17. Devil Wears Prada - very good story about the devil of the fashion magazine industry
18. On The Road by Jack Kerouac - such an AMAZING book, makes you sad that you didn't live when the story took place
19. Guns, Germs & Steel - a very very good book. I pick it up on and off because the information tends to be a little scientific and you have to really pay attention.
20. Weekly Newsweeks - cover to cover baby!

Oh What A Night

Today is yet another holiday in Moldova. Luckily for me, and my liver, it is the final celebration of the holiday season. This whole big Hoo Ha started with New Years, of course, on December 31st. Drinking eating and dancing. Next up was Christmas on January 7th. In Moldova, most of the people are Orthodox and follow the Orthodox calendar. Only Russia, Belarus and Moldova (I believe) celebrate Christmas on this date. Finally, the Old New Years. Yet another oxymoron in the land of Moldova. Every Moldovan I have spoken with has said that New Years (both Old, and...well New) is a bigger holiday than Christmas. Who would have thought the beginning of a new year is more important than the birth of our lord and savior Jesus Christ? I don't question, I just tip up my glass of cognac after saying "La Multi Ani."
The plans for this last holiday of the season are normal, I suppose. My host family (Aliona, Mihai and Loridana too) are traveling to the nearby village of Bumbata where my host grandma is preparing the feast. There will be other relatives there, including the family I spent Christmas with. I'll be sure to count the people crowded around the table and let you know the final number. I think I currently hold the record of 12 people around the table in my room. I will also try to count the number of drinks, as well as types of alcohol, that I consume today. I said I will try...things start to get hazy after the 8th shot of vodka/shot of cognac/glass of wine and the nonstop Moldovan conversations don't help to clear my head.
The people of Moldova are incredibly interesting in horoscopes, the year and the month you were born. They use these things to figure out your personality and why or why not the person you are with is good for you. This year, 2006, is the year of the Dog. I was born in the year of the Dog and so this year is going to be a great year for me. Whenever I talk about a family member my host mom always asks "what month were they born in? ... oh, capricorn (or whatever sign they are) they are spicy and make quick decisions." A newspaper in Moldova even published an entire spread devoted to horoscopes for the new year. The pages had a grid, with each monthly sign down the left side and then across the top of the spread. You are supposed to find your sign on the left and the sign of your partner on the top and then look at the box where they intersect. In the box are symbols to tell you how the next year will be for you with that person. Love, Money, Fighting, A New Child, Problems with Children, etc. My host mom in Costesti was quick to evaluate her and Slavic's relationship and to question Olesea about her boyfriend prospects. She tried to prod me for guys that I like so she could check out what lies ahead for us. I politely declined.

The Year of the Dog

Today (actually yesterday because I am late in posting this) is yet another holiday in Moldova. Luckily for me, and my liver, it is the final celebration of the holiday season. This whole big Hoo Ha started with New Years, of course, on December 31st. Drinking eating and dancing. Next up was Christmas on January 7th. In Moldova, most of the people are Orthodox and follow the Orthodox calendar. Only Russia, Belarus and Moldova (I believe) celebrate Christmas on this date. Finally, the Old New Years. Yet another oxymoron in the land of Moldova. Every Moldovan I have spoken with has said that New Years (both Old, and...well New) is a bigger holiday than Christmas. Who would have thought the beginning of a new year is more important than the birth of our lord and savior Jesus Christ? I don't question, I just tip up my glass of cognac after saying "La Multi Ani."
The plans for this last holiday of the season are normal, I suppose. My host family (Aliona, Mihai and Loridana too) are traveling to the nearby village of Bumbata where my host grandma is preparing the feast. There will be other relatives there, including the family I spent Christmas with. I'll be sure to count the people crowded around the table and let you know the final number. I think I currently hold the record of 12 people around the table in my room. I will also try to count the number of drinks, as well as types of alcohol, that I consume today. I said I will try...things start to get hazy after the 8th shot of vodka/shot of cognac/glass of wine and the nonstop Moldovan conversations don't help to clear my head.
The people of Moldova are incredibly interesting in horoscopes, the year and the month you were born. They use these things to figure out your personality and why or why not the person you are with is good for you. This year, 2006, is the year of the Dog. I was born in the year of the Dog and so this year is going to be a great year for me. Whenever I talk about a family member my host mom always asks "what month were they born in? ... oh, capricorn (or whatever sign they are) they are spicy and make quick decisions." A newspaper in Moldova even published an entire spread devoted to horoscopes for the new year. The pages had a grid, with each monthly sign down the left side and then across the top of the spread. You are supposed to find your sign on the left and the sign of your partner on the top and then look at the box where they intersect. In the box are symbols to tell you how the next year will be for you with that person. Love, Money, Fighting, A New Child, Problems with Children, etc. My host mom in Costesti was quick to evaluate her and Slavic's relationship and to question Olesea about her boyfriend prospects. She tried to prod me for guys that I like so she could check out what lies ahead for us. I politely declined.

What Is Odd About This Picture?

A. It is snowing
B. Someone hung out their laundry to dry in the snow
C. The fact that someone actually felt the need to wash their shorts during the winter

What is odd about this picture? 

Hunch Punch, Sparklers, and A Big Furry Hat

This Christmas I had a few of my friends over for the night. Steph, Jess, Levi, Priya, and Krista all came to my house to partake in a Christmas dinner and foul play. I surprised them by preparing Christmas dinner and had it on the table when they arrived. Steph came the day before and she helped me get it all together. The menu consisted of both American and Moldovan food. There was chicken (prepared with the help of my host mom), mashed potatoes (which my host sister Inga prepared, and they tasted EXACTLY like from the States), mushroom gravy, stuffing, cabbage corn and crab salad, and a few salads my host mom through on the table for our vegetarian friend Priya. Levi mixed some Hunch Punch up to perfection and Steph used her magical baking ability to make double chocolate chunk-ness brownies, banana bread, apple lemon bread, and deep dish apple pie for the next morning.
I insisted my host family join us in the feast and they were interested to check out what we made and to taste it. I live in a casa mica, which is a little two room house beside the house in which my host family lives. Think studio apartment. Using my table that I do schoolwork on, we crammed in about 12 of us onto the little table in my little house. It is amazing how you can fit about three times the people a table can normally hold. But here they use plates the size of the ones you use with teacups, so they helps increase the space. My host family enjoyed the Hunch Punch and couldn't believe it had a whole bottle of Vodka in it, because they couldn't taste it. Levi is just that good. They enjoyed the stuffing and gravy. All in all, the dinner was a big success. Getting it all together was a lot easier with my host mom and sisters helping look after the chicken, bring in plates and dishes, and their little comments that, although at times annoying, seemed to make it a little better.
After dinner, more drinking, and desert, we sat down to play Dirty Santa. We all purchased gifts of 50 lei or less, wrapped them, and put them in the middle of us. We drew numbers (1-6) and whoever has #1 gets to pick a present first. They open it and then #2 can either pick #1's gift or chose one from the circle that they don't know what it is. This is a very fun game. Priya's gift was this awesome white rabbit fur puffy winter hat. At first Krista had the hat and I had Levi's awesome present of a wooden pipe and a mortar and pestle. I loved it, but I had my eye on the hat. It was Priya's turn and she picked someone else's present and the other person picked my present. So it was my turn to pick a present, either the one left in the circle, or one that someone else has. I went for the hat and snagged it away from Krista. So, at the end of the game I had in my possession the wonderful hat. I think Krista is still bitter about it (ha!) but it is definitely one rockin' hat.
After the game we sat around and sang Christmas songs with my host mom sitting in listening to it. It was really nice to sing with everyone, even the silly Christmas songs. Then we went outside with Levi's newly acquired sparklers and firecracker. We all went into the street and danced around with our sparklers. People must have thought we were nuts, these adults acting like children. And of course since there was snow we had to have a snow fight.
Christmas was a great time and it was wonderful to share it with my friends. It almost felt like a regular Christmas...almost.

Weeeee!!!

Steph came into Pirlita the day before Christmas to hang out. On Christmas Eve we decided to take a walk around the town. Upon reaching the hill next to the school we saw children on 1950's style sleds flying full speed down the hill. What a great time they must be having! I thought "I can get one of these kids to give up there sled for me." So I walked up to a kid I remember from school and asked him if we could use his sled to go down the hill once. He said sure and Steph and I crammed on this sled. The sled is made for one small child, but somehow we thought there would be room for two adults. After cramming onto this old style sled the boy insisted on pushing us down the hill. We were zigzagging down the hill screaming the entire way. It was fun, but we wanted better.
I noticed a sled in the neighbor's yard when starting the walk and so we went back to snatch it. The neighbor wasn't home so we just snatched it up and marched back to the hill like two kids up to know good. We were going to show this children how to sled, even though we have little to know experience. After all, we are American AND adults...we can do anything...and better!
So we get on the slightly larger sled, with me in the front. My feet are propped up on the front parts of the sled legs with Steph's sticking out the side. We put our feet out and start to gain speed. It was sooo freakin fast, we didn't realize how steep the hill really was. After a few times of landing in the ditch, we figure out how to steer the darn thing. The plastic rope reigns just weren't working. Steph was in the back with her feet sticking out straight beside me. I would push down on her ankles, pressing her heels to the ground in order to steer. If we wanted to go left, I would push down her left foot, and likewise for the right. Finally getting this down, we were off on our best ride down the hill. The hill goes from pavement to dirt near the bottom, with about a six inch drop off when the dirt begins. We were feeling courageous and took the sled down to the end. When we hit the drop off we flew in the air. We swear there was at least a foot of air. We were screaming the whole time we were sledding. It was either the wine buzz we had or the shear joy of sledding with children in the snow on Christmas Eve.

I haven't had much time or motivation to write anything for a while. So here is a little teaser of Loridana and I from Christmas (January 7th) with my host family and aunt and uncle. Maybe I will conjur up some motivation to actually write something....soon, let's hope.