Alex's Travels

Day Blending

"Pleasantness" aptly describes the past twelve days in Moldova.

The similarities between them have allowed the days to blend into a pleasingly amorphous period. We rise after 8 each morning to a filling breakfast of porge, bread and fruit, accompanied by a mug of drip coffee. The work gets off to a slow start, but we are out picking fruit, working on the grounds or painting by 10. Before 1, we're back at the building, doing our best to scurry over the language barrier with innovative attempts of nonverbal communication with the Russian- or Romanian-speaking beneficiaries. Lunch, a big meal that never fails to include a soup, vegetables and bread, is served at 2. As in the morning, the afternoon activity is slow to begin. By 6 o'clock, we're showered and enjoying an evening coffee before the last meal of the day. Afterwards, we stroll down to the internet cafe before spending the rest of the day playing board and card games or watching a movie.

There have, of course, been a couple of events that broke the rules. Last Saturday, on one of our excursions to Chisinau, Alyssa and I met up with a Peace Corps volunteer who invited us to a Fourth of July celebration. We just showed up and flashed our passports to enjoy the free beer, food and live concert. That night, on our way to the centre from the mishuka stop, we peeked into a Strasheni pub only to be greeted by the locals with enthusiastic interest and some complimentary wine. The free beer and wine of the day were partially to blame for our acceptance of a free ride home in a friendly Moldovans BMW.

While the habits of everyday life endear us to Moldova, memorable experiences - like celebrating the Fourth of July with an American ambassador in what was recently the Soviet Union - help make our time here truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

posted by The League: Reassembled @ 10:44 AM