Post announcement!

Big day on Tuesday! We have all been awaiting our post announcement, ie. where we will live and work for the next 2 years. It was a nerve wracking wait, we sat in class seeing the little brown envelopes piled high, but they made us wait until the end of the day. To make it fun, and relieve some of the tension, a map of the country was drawn in a parking lot and names of towns were taped in place. One by one a name was drawn and that person with  much hoopla, clapping, hooting... was walked to their "new town".  See those 2 squares on the bottom right? That's my town.

 

 

Very few of us are placed in the same town or village as another volunteer but I was lucky, that's Marjory in the middle, she is in a different program but we'll be sure to get to know each other very well over the next 2 years! I hear she's a lot of fun and wonderful (she's training in another village so I don't know her well). On the left is Sylvia, she is a volunteer already there who came to welcome us,  many of the M27s showed up to welcome us M28s.

 

I can't begin to explain the feelings of relief to get an idea of what your future is. So let me show you instead!

 

Is this the best beer I have ever had? No.... but it will forever be one of the best beers of my life!

 

 

 

This was a great night of celebrating, as you can see Moldova does their beer BIG :-) We all needed this BADLY... but we were home early and back to school in the morning like good little Peace Corps Trainees (PCT)

 

Andrew is always up for a good time... or a bad time... or any time will do

 

 "chip chip hooray!"  (this is Chip)

 

My town is in the southern part of the country, it is called Taraclia. And yes, I said town, YES TOWN!!! MY new town is the  main economic and social hub for that area, that means internet, stores, restaurants, and even entertainment (what that is remains to be seen). People were placed everywhere from cities to villages of 3000, this is just what I wanted, in-between. Now in case you're worried I won't get the full Peace-Corps experience, don't worry...  I'll be using an outhouse for the next 2 years, I have no washing machine and my water is contaminated so I will  be boiling all water.  I am not yet sure what my bathing facilities will be like, on my paperwork it is written "will build" HUH??? Build like... now? 6 months? 1 year? while I'm HERE?  I will find out this weekend on my "site visit". I am keeping my fingers crossed, indoor and PLEASE hot water? At least warm? OK, anything.... as long as it's not in a bucket (my paperwork does not have "volunteer will supply bucket for bathing" so this is a great thing.

 

My school has 357 students, 24 teachers. I will have 2 "partner teachers". I will live only 5-10 walk from school (YES!!). There are computers, internet and indoor bathrooms! Some of my co-members have all outhouses for home and school! I will meet my school director and co-teachers this weekend. Tomorrow is our first meeting, Saturday I will be brought to my site until Monday morning. I will fill you in on how that goes....

 

I will live with a 64 yr old woman (who just got married! so there is hope for  me yet!). And she has a kitty, and a duck or two (according to the paperwork) who I'm hoping are pets and not my welcome dinner :-) If I understand correctly I will have my own "casa mica" or "little house", many people have them next to their homes. But... I will fill you in on that too...

 

 

Today is the 4th of July.... dreaming of BBQ, corn on the cob, burgers, potato salad .... there was going to be a  picnic in the city today but....

 

the RAIN CAME DOWN AND DOWN AND DOWN....

 

 Yes even livestock must figure out how to cross a street in the rain

 

waiting for a ride.....

 

this is Alyssa. She lives in the same town as me (3 of us) and is a fellow Russian student (though she is already fluent since she lived in Russia! How would you like to have that in class as you grunt out one word at a time!)I am happy that she will be placed in a town close to me.  She is a very worldly, strong, sweet, and friendly young woman who I am constantly impressed with.

And yes... 20 seconds later she was splashed...

AH HA! I finally got a picture of our "marshukas" (Russian) or "Rotiaras" (Romanian)! Seems this would be easy but this is not so... they FLY past you. I was thinking about how they are a life-line here. They are how people keep  moving.... they come by every 10 minutes, you look at the sign in the front window for the name of your town, put your arm out and STEP BACK FAST!

 

Oh I wish I could take a photo when it's full but with only 12 seats and 30 people, well, do the math, what....  how many square feet (or inches) per person? My arms aren't going ANYWHERE never mind pulling out a camera and taking a photo. Once you are on you hang on to anything you can, brace your feet and don't move. And prepare for TAKE OFF at warp speed. Ignore all body parts belonging to others that are now attached to yours. And just concentrate on breathing and holding your own while others try to push into your spot! It's an interesting experience to say the least, and especially enjoyable for me who gets motion sickness. I've started many a day not feeling so well....

 

And here is the magic sign you watch for (from the inside obviously)

 

I hope all of you had a great 4th of July!

 

Over and out