June 9, 2012

A view of Chişinau from the Peace Corps (PC) office and volunteer lounge.

We are finally here in Moldova, and it has been a roller coaster of a ride with lots of chaotic lugging of bags around numerous airports, standing in lines, and my body not knowing what to do with the change in food and sleep patterns. It is 6 a.m. as I am typing this (10 p.m. in Texas) and I have been awake for an hour not being able to shut my brain off. The roosters started crowing at 4 a.m. when the Sun started to come up. Now the roosters and the goats are having a competition. I am thankful for my ear plugs.

Our group (M27 for "Moldova 27th group) being greeting by other PC volunteers at the PC Moldova headquarters.

It seems so daunting and impossible to learn the Romanian language right now. I studied some before arriving, and I am glad for the very little that I know. Before arrival with our host families, our language training consisted of the alphabet and how to say "I am Shelbi. I am from America, from the state Texas."

Our group (M27s) boarding a Turkish Airlines jet in Istanbul.

We probably had the hardest day ever yesterday (so early, you think). After more than 24 hours of traveling and our bodies freaking out with time changes, nerves, and changes in diet, we were exhausted and barely functional. 
I had to leave my husband and come stay with a family that does not speak English. My host family is amazing, though. The couple is John and my age and have a 3 year old son. When I arrived, they went straight to the computer, and we attempted to talk over Google translate: very smart on their part. One funny thing was as we were talking about going on a walk, there was a lot of confusion. Something about walking tonight or in the morning. As we were trying to communicate, Mariana (mama gazdă or host mother 25 years old) types something that translates as "get out now". She said it like three times and I just start laughing, because surely she doesn't mean that, and I have no clue what she is trying to say. I gave Marius, the three year old boy, some glow stick bracelets (thank you Jason) along with his cousin. I don't know if they have ever seen those before, but both seemed to like them. My favorite part was the first thing they both asked me was 'where is your husband.' I had to grab the paper with the name of his city on it, because I couldn't pronounce it. (I am in the village Bacioi, pronounced bu (like as in boo) cho (as in rhymns in no) ee (as in tree) and John is in Truşeni, pronounced like "true" "shin"/"shen". Bacioi is south of Chişinau and Truşeni is northwest of Chişinau. As the bird flies we are about 25 km (11 miles) apart but with public transportation here (another blog entry) we are over an hour apart.)

The Bacioi countryside from my familia gazdă's (host family's) front door

Actually, I think my favorite part was what Mariana said over Google translate She wrote, "We want to be friends with you and your husband." I wanted to cry right there. 

Mariana's mother is also here, I think she lives here too. She was great. She boiled me hot water and poured it in the bucket for me and showed me how to put the cold water from the well in the boiled water so I could bathe. I didn't understand any of her Romanian but I understood her actions. They have running water here, but the faucet is like a trickle if even that. I go to the water faucet to wash my hands. I get soap all over them and then turn on the water. It's the smallest trickle you have ever seen, and I can't even rinse the soap off. Mariana's mother comes and shows me to dip water out of the bucket to wash my hands. 

A rose in front of the house

There is a real western toilette inside. I have peed twice in it now. The first time it flushed and the second time it didn't. So, I am a little nervous of what to do if it doesn't flush today and I have to do more than just pee. The school we had training at in Chisinau has toilettes with no seats on them. They look like a normal toilette just the seat has been removed. I guess you squat over them, at least that's what I have been doing. 

I was able to talk to John last night. We have cell phones provided by the Peace Corps. My family has internet, but I guess it's a land line, because I can't find wifi here. I will hopefully get what they call an "Orange stick" today so I can have internet anywhere. That way I can Skype. If anyone wants to Skype me, my Skype name is "shelbirucker." I think once I have the orange stick, anytime I am on the internet I will keep Skype on just in case. 

Another rose in front of the house

I have my own room with a pull out couch bed. It's not heaven, but it's a bed. There are no shelves or a closet or anywhere to put my clothes. There is a table, two chairs, and a giant stuffed lion in the room. In training they made a big deal that the families want us to keep our rooms clean. In Moldova it is rude to put things on the floor but I don't know what else to do so my bags are all on the floor. I need to do a clean up this morning. They gave me a key to lock the door to my room and the door to the house. I don't really care to lock the door to my room but she (bunica gazdă mea or my host grandmother) seemed adamant about it, so I did and just left the key hanging in the door. Maybe it's so Marius doesn't come wandering in. 

Marius in the car with a friend nearby

Marius seems older than 3. He talks a lot but I have no clue what he is saying. He was playing cars with his cousin. I tried to teach him to bump knuckles, but he would just punch my fist really hard. So, instead, we did high five, low five, in the hole. Once I get him to do that a lot, I'll pull the "in the hole, too slow" on him, lol.

We greatly appreciate all the prayers, because this is not easy. It maybe the hardest thing we will do in life, but if we can survive these first three months, we will be so strong. I think knowing the language would be such a great stress relief as that is one of the biggest stresses. That and not being with John. I already asked my host family if he could spend the night tomorrow night and they said yes. Now, we just have to see how to get it through Peace Corps administration. We were told we could spend the night at each other's houses Saturday nights and we would have Sundays off. I hope that he can spend the night over here and then maybe Sunday evening hang out with John's host family in Truşeni. 

I will let John tell you more about his host family, but I will tell you the host brother knows English, so John is spoiled. He has an outhouse, though, because they only use the indoor toilette in the winter.

We will continue to write. It is rather therapeutic to write.