Noroc for Anul Nou

Cu Anul Nou fericit! Happy New Year! We are in the midst of the Moldovan holiday season, beginning with Christmas (Dec. 25th), continuing through New Year (possibly the biggest holiday we've experienced in Moldova thus far), and finishing on January 7th with Christmas (based on the Julian calendar). Live 3-4 ft. Christmas trees can be bought in the piata, families are spending much more time together, and children are caroling. Altogether, this time of year is not very different than what we've experienced state-side.
Some things we're encountering during this time of the year definitely include missing family, as well as a continued challenge regarding our purpose and how God is using this time in our lives. Luckily for our missing people we have Skype and the internet (although the last three days we found ourselves internet-less but have since cleared that up). We've been able to clock some face-time with family especially because they are spending more time at home. Free video time with Skype is something we are very thankful for, and it is truly a great example of technology's benefits.
We had very vague expectations when applying for the Peace Corps and even when we began traveling to Moldova. As a matter of fact, even through the summer our expectations remained vague. So much depended on who we would be working with and how our school would be structured (not to mention where we would be living and how we would integrate into the community). God has granted us so much and only in retrospect can we begin to appreciate a little of it. Here is a quick list of what we are praising Him for right now:

• We are both healthy.
• Our partners are all extremely patient and willing to work.
• We had a gracious host family who are as friendly as family and continue to welcome us to their home.
• An apartment was arranged for us and is a place for us to relax or have guests in an already accommodating and pleasant place (we didn't have to redo or change the place).
• We have found a church with similar traditions to our faith and members who can relate to us in English (although services are in Russian).
• God has opened our eyes to a (more) real winter than what we've had in Texas, but Moldova's distinct seasons continue to impress us.
• Peace Corps allows vacation days and we've used a few to see some of Romania (and accidentally see some of Ukraine, which was stressful, but God brought us through).
• We work at jobs and maintain schedules more synchronous than we ever imagined, so have more time together than we've ever had both professionally and informal. This time together has not made us tired or irritated with each other, but helped us re-realize why we got married in the first place. We are truly in love and with time continue to experience how God blesses our relationship despite our imperfections.
• We didn't consider this next one until it was forced upon us: a sideline bonus to joining the Peace Corps that is actually quite remarkable is the surprise of all the Americans we've met who are crazy, passionate, dedicated, and interested in cultural exchange. We've met Peace Corps Volunteers from all over America, and during training as well as at times we get to visit each other, we continue to have cultural exchange. We were further surprised by how many PCV Christians we've met and the depth of conversation they've provided.
• The idealistic applicants who began this journey almost two years ago wanted to go somewhere and help. The biggest slap-in-the-face of this experience has been the utter helplessness we've felt and the infinite welcome most Moldovans have expressed for us. I can speak for many volunteers here when I say that we are a bunch of confident and competent people who have had the rug pulled out from under us. We've found the shoe on the other foot as we've had to ask for more help than we can offer. The biggest contributors to this situation are the language and cultural barriers. Luckily, we are developing relationships and the host-country nationals seem interested in continuing our cultural exchanges even after they help us get adjusted and explain what surely to them are mundane details of life.
• We are also surprised at how thoroughly Peace Corps as a program takes care of us. The medical unit is top-notch and will provide any expense to maintain our health. The safety department in Moldova goes so far to provide "Yak-Traks" (ice-gripping shoe bottoms) during our stay so we don't bust on the ice like so many around us (seriously, I've witnessed many a Moldovan drop and spill due to slicker-than-slim conditions with the ice). Furthermore, the administration here is open for discussing any issue and the basis of Peace Corps seems to be an organic approach ready and willing to be flexible to host-country and volunteer needs.

This list cannot really be complete. The range of emotional impressions and daily surprises will never be properly conveyed through these meager words. Below are a few of our latest endeavors, beginning with some interview questions taken of foreigners to Moldova at an event we got to attend. It was the Christmas Bazaar in Chisinau at which many international organizations presented their traditional cuisine providing a fundraiser for women and children of Moldova.


Here are wonderful and accurate verbal descriptions of Moldova by foreigners. We agree:
What Is Moldova? video



When the temperature dropped, Shelbi got super creative and thought of a few ways to festive-up our apartment building. The first was to freeze colored water in balloons and when the balloon skins were scrapped off, we had some hanging color balls. They looked nice hanging from our clothesline (students even mentioned them curiously) until the temperature spiked, and, like Frosty, they went away.

 Evidence that we celebrated in true Wallace tradition. I'm okay with making Coca-Cola a Christmas ritual in the Rucker family.

 John can barely hide his enthusiasm for colored hanging balls from the clothesline.

 A nice walk in the snowy woods we got to have with Matt Rutter (below). Matt spent a few days with us around the New Year and we were able to relax with walks and conversation.

 Vadim is a bold believer who loves to laugh and joke. He has been to our apartment a few times and always brings great joy. He has been our biggest helper in understanding what's going on at church because he can translate Russian using excellent English. We look forward to working with him in the future. By the way, here he is wearing a mask we brought back from Romania. The tradition is that around New Year's, people dress up in "ugly" masks to scare away evil spirits for the New Year. Kids go around caroling and reciting poems for people who give our treats or money. (Think Halloween at New Year's).

 Vadim brought over some amazing coins worth thousands of U.S. dollars. The most impressive that had all of our jaws dragging the floor was this coin allegedly featuring Caesar's head. We discussed the possibility of this being a Roman coin and the far reaching Roman Empire, and Vadim said it helps him understand when Jesus tells people to give to Casear what is Caesar's.

Above is the center of Briceni New Year's Eve. Many people gather in the center and set off fireworks and drink. We stayed for ten minutes and realized the danger that this combination created and left.



I am currently writing this blog from our tent. It is raining outside and I'm sure you are amazed at the advanced technology in Moldova. Although we, too, are amazed at the inexpensive, reliable, and rapid internet access, I've left out some important information.





















We wanted to have a fun evening, so we set up our tent in our big room (which also happens to have the heater) and ate our dinner, watched a movie, and have been hanging out together for the past few hours. It's really fun. We can't wait to get back and go camping with whoever is reading this.

With the low temperatures here, Shelbi often says, "I'm cold," to which I reply, "Put on more clothes." I hadn't noticed how much extra time she had been spending drying her hair until I happened to walk in one day and found Shelbi sitting next to the heater and smiling, warm for once.