деньги деньги деньги

Pronounced "dingy" - actually, if said correctly in Russian it's more like "dyengee". As is usual, many don't understand my American accent, even with a simple word like this. Therefor it is  best to add some kind of hand/body motion no matter what I say (this can get embarrassing at times i.e. CAT FOOD = "kushaet meow  meow"). So while saying "dingy" with hands pointing up, I rub fingers with my thumb in a fast motion, this is a motion I suspect means the same around the world...."money money money"

 

Money here is called Leu – sounds like “lay” (bills) and Bani (coins). It still feels like play money, especially the coins, they feel like tin and are as light as a feather. And they’re tiny compared to our coins. Each bill is a different color and gets larger in size as they go up. Makes me wonder how foreigners to America figure out how to tell our bills apart since it’s all green and the same size. We quickly learn that 1s and 100s are difficult to tell the difference between, though a slight different in size they are the same color.  Although American coins are different size, not so here. If I need to give change I dump it all on the counter and let them figure it out.

 

 

On the bills is “Stephan Cel Mare”.

He is the countries “hero”, a prince from the 1400s. There are sculptures of him everywhere as well as portraits of him in schools and public buildings.  Just as “Main Street” is common in America,  Stephan Cel Mare is here.

 The sculpture in the center of my town

 

Though the exchange rate varies, it is usually somewhere around 14 leu per $1. This is an excellent exchange rate. An 85 lei pizza is about $6.00. Although it really is a mistake to convert to $$ when purchasing because it tends to “justify”  spending money on something you probably shouldn't be. Conversation goes something like this.

PCV 1: “1400! Leu! Wow! That is too much!"

PCV 2:  "too much?  it is only $10!"

PCV 1 : "wow! you're right it's only $10! AMAZING"

PCV 1 now purchases herself/himself something that they probably didn't need - or ordered an extra dessert.  In fact, PCV 2 has probably purchased one too, can't pass up the deal.

If you don't think in "leu" terms, you are in big trouble at the end of the month.

PC provides us with a monthly stipend. It is not a lot of money, though it could be thought of it that way if you compare it to the income of many Moldovans. We are given appx 3500 - 4000 a month (left after paying housing, 700 and utilities,  479-1934, depending on the time of year.)  A teacher may make 3000  month but this is BEFORE they pay housing and utilities. Part of the deal with the PC is you agree to live like the people around you.  We are cautioned to not present ourselves as the "rich American" they believe all of us to be.  

Most Moldovan's must supplement their income by a selling fruits and vegetables or handmade goods at the village outdoor market. This is Maria - she is my host mother so I call her "mama maria" to outsiders. That may be cute from a 20 yr old but probably not so from a 54 yr old. In between her hard work harvesting her crops she's sits here tying things into bunches to bring to market. Now what am I doing while she is working away in the hot fields you ask?

Look behind her, that is my Russian studies and a coffee. Though I have been known to stop and  help her. Hey.... I've even tied things such as green onions into bunches of 10, not 9 or 12 (she does check). And I do help in the garden too, but that's hard work, I can last for only so long (heat stroke, blisters, sore back)  - I'd rather study Russian, and that is saying a lot.

Or maybe I'm resting with a friend. I call her " маленький (malinkee) "small, tiny, baby,..." I try to not get attached to animals here, they don't always live a full life, it hurts to think about leaving her and her one-eyed mama behind. but how can I not get attached to this! :-(

Or perhaps I'm entertaining other volunteers (that's Molly and Andrew who came from way up north)

Admiring pretty flowers and birds

 

Or watching stunning sunsets

Perhaps visiting with "mama Maria" and her husband Petre (Peter) when her work is done. 

You don't need to know the language to tell they have great  sense of humor.  This is a moment when I'm  thinking to myself "people speak different languages and wear different clothes but we are all the same"  

 

The eyeless baby doll, for her granddaughter. we had a good laugh.

They were married about 6 months before I arrived. she spends most of her time at his  home. They are always laughing. 

 

This also means our kids are kept busy outside of school in their own fields. Of course this affects their schoolwork.

This is Eugenii working away in his vineyard -  each time I call on him he rambles off something in Russian while squirming in his seat and making a face that is clearly saying "ooohh nnnooooo not me... I don't know!!!" I smile, as all good teachers must do,  and say, for the 1000th time (in an encouraging gentle way)

"IN ENLGISH!!!!!"

 

he's is up there in my "favorite" group.

Unlike Eugenii, who spotted me and yelled with excitement  "HI MISS SANDRA!!!" the child behind him wanted  nothing to do with Miss Sandra.  

There are very few Moldovan families that don’t have a relative working in another country who sends money back, in fact I  met yet another  one today - gone 9 months from his wife and children, sad right? Most are in Moscow. He told me there are 1 million Moldvans in Moscow, there are 3-4 million in Moldova.  Many are in Canada and in the US (I had many in my town in MA). Children are left to be raised by  grandparents, you see many BABUSHKAS with young children. Of course many respect the idea of education, but most believe the child belongs on the farm, and yes, most likely they will stay here and work on the farm.

It is much because of these missing parents that their is so little discipline in the children - or I should say in the teens. I have found the younger kids to be extremely respectful and polite. Not sure exactly when things went wrong but I suspect it was just about the child's 13 birthday. Yes, the  language is different, clothes are different, but a "teenager is a teenager" they are all the same.

Here is Miss Sandra's worst nightmare.... in the back - Andrei - a straight A student (they use numbers, he is a 10), great kid, well-behaved (THANK GOD there are some).

On the left is Eurii, adorable isn't he? ya well I could tell you stores....

Middle, Nakita, every teachers worst nightmare.... (but you can't help but love him - honestly off all students he is my greatesgt "love -hate" relationship).

On the right..... hhhmmm can't remember his name I just know him as the "kid I yanked his ipad out of hands and THUMPED it, not so gentle, on the teachers desk". Thank goodness there was a pile of books to cushion  the landing.

Impish grin? nope.... oh Nakita Nakita Nakita "STOP TALKING, SIT DOWN, PUT IT DOWN, LEAVE HER ALONE!!!!" over and over and over 

Ivan, in the back on the left spends the entire class saying "Miss Sandra you have a boyfriend? Miss Sandra you have any деньги?" "Miss Sandra......" "WHAT IVAN? WHAT DO YOU WANT!? WHAT DOOOOO YOU WANT!?" He loves to  chant "USA USA USA" . I try my best to ignore him, if I react he "feeds off it" and it gets worse.

The 2 boys in the front, not too bad.....unless they sit next to Nakita then all bets are off. \

Let me introduce you to Andrei. This week I marched him into the director's office for hitting "Miss Sandra" with a flying coin (thank good ness they are as light as a feather). The director, once again, explained the lack of parents in this country, honestly I know it's a reality but it often feels like an easy excuse for the their behavior. She threatened him with not taking his 9th form (grade) graduation exam, to call the police, to have his parents arrested! I felt terrible, if I knew it would be THIS bad I would have thought twice about it. Somehow I came out of it feeling worse than him... seeing a big tough 15 year old in tears... broke my heart. STUPID KID! this reminded me that a teenager is often still a kid underneath that exterior.  I came here to help children NOT to make them cry, and that made me cry.  

notice there are no girls here? That is not because they are perfect, far from it. But you know girls, they keep the whispers, laughing, giggling and passing notes to themselves. They aren't LOUD and disruptive like the boys. One day all the boys were missing, it was by far the nicest, most relaxed and productive class we have ever had. Sorry boys... but it's TRUE.

So what does this have to do with money, well to sum that up, Moldovan teenager behavior is linked with the lack of  деньги деньги деньги

PEACE CORPS PAY

The money I receive as my monthly stipend (what is the difference between a stipend and pay check, anyone know? I don't) pretty much goes towards food and household items. I rarely have any left at the end of the month. Here's an idea of what costs what.

75 lei for a haircut (about $5); Ticket to the city 70; a toaster 200-300;  Chocolate bar 11-25'; Bottle of ice tea 25; Butter 12;  Cheese  50; 2 chicken breasts (small) 50; and some expensive treats, olive oil for a small bottle  80-100; Peanut butter (NEW to Moldova) a whopping 75 for a very small jar; TP 30; shampoo 80; toothpaste 150; deodorant 85; laundry soap 150,;kitchen cleaner 175; face cream 200; 1 banana 5; one pepper 15; lettuce (if they have it) 40 for just a few leaves (that are wrapped together in plastic). Each day I have an instant coffee – 2.50 a shot.  Broccoli (if they have it) 50 for one “stem” yes ONE stem. Veggies are sold in tiny quantities. One night in a hostel in the city 100 leu.   Oh and there is the small box of kitty snacks I get each week, oh and school supplies such as tape, markers, large paper, pens, photocopies and printing that is done in the center of town that I pay for, and there is candy for the kids as awards and bribes – also some “prizes” such as fancy scissors, paints, notebooks…. it’s worth every penny seeing the excitement and their faces light up – gives me just as much, or more, pleasure to give. Well all and all… It adds up very fast. A car can cost $10,000, yes that is in $$$, around 140,000 leu. Imagine that!

We have a specific bank that the money is deposited in. We get withdrawals from outside “ATMs” just like home, only here they’re called “Bankomats”.  We can also pay inside some stores with an ATM card. But not all, I always keep an emergency 200 hiding in my wallet. Many villages don't have a  bank, PC rule is all PCVs are within an hour from one. sure, easy for  them to say. We have to pay cash to  our families, and small places villages will NOT take ATM cards. And some machines limited the amount you can withdraw, these means 2 trips just to get cash, this can mean 2 2-hour tips to get cash, on those horrific vans. Me... I'm lucky, since I live in a somewhat modern town I have a lovely bank and an ATM on the other side of town.

I made the mistake of forgetting my card and it was sucked into the machine. What an ordeal THAT was to get it back. I had my partner write me a note to explain what happened. It occurred to me that I if handed a note to a bank teller in the US I would set off alarms and be arrested.

 Well that pretty much does it for the story of деньги деньги деньги here in Moldova.  Oh, and yes, we do pay taxes, after all we are American citizens, in fact, we are government employees (and don't we know it, the amount of reports we are required to submit is a nightmare, imagine a 30 page spreadsheet with EVERY student individually evaluated. And that is only one report). We also have a little taken out each pay as “savings”. This money is given to us at the end of service (if you leave early you get what you have saved). I will receive, after taxes, appx $7000. This is considered money to “resettle", but similar to the 500 leu we receive here to "settle" (500 which simply covers a towel and sheets, that's about it)  it doesn't go far, I believe the amount was established many many years ago. OK, so this won't cover the car I will need, moving into an apartment, etc… but oh well…. it is what it is, I am keeping faith that things will work out just the way they are supposed to.  

When I committed to this I knew it would bring financial devastation into my life… and that it has….oh that it has….but I figured out a long time ago that money isn't how you measure success, nor is it the greatest rewards we can earn.  At the end of our lives what truly is important? The money in our pockets we can no longer spend? Or is it memories of loved ones, places that we have been, people we have  met, the laughs, the pain, the tears... easy answer. I'm not worried, I am rich and will only get richer as I live the crazy, difficult, painful, joyous, fun life of a Peace Corps Volunteer.

So here is to a rich life....

На здоровье!! (cheers!)

 

moldovan funeral

MOLDOVA FUNERAL

As I sat in my room on this cold November day, studying Russian,  listening to the neighbors dog "yap.yap.yap" for  ooohhh... going on 6 hours, I heard a funeral procession passing by. It is quite a site to see, and hear. The rhythmic sounds of the trumpets, drums, and the chanting of the woman, are so full of grief it is hard to stop and watch one pass without tears.

When I came across my first funeral procession I was carrying a very heavy jug of water. As I came out of the store I ended up behind a procession. I wasn’t really sure how to handle this, what exactly is the etiquette for a Modovan funeral? I thought it was best not to pass them. It was a looooongg walk home with that heavy jug of water.  It is slow, very slow because they periodically stop to sing. At first I couldn’t figure out why it is they stopped in certain places, seemed random to me.  After many stops (carrying my heavy jug of water) I picked up the “pattern”. It happened each time we came to a crossroad or corner onto a new street. What the significance of this is, I don’t know. PC did not provide training on all Moldovan culture, certainly not this.

The second time I came across one there were sidewalks and I saw people pass so I did also, however, I needed to cross the street. Is it bad to cross in front of them? And if so, how far away do they need to be? Not sure… so I stood at the crosswalk and I waited, and waited, and waited.  What I found very moving is along the way each man, working in the yard or drinking with his buddies (seems every 50 feet there is a small shop with an outside table surrounded by men, drinking. SIDE NOTE: Moldova is the HIGHEST consumer of alcohol per person in the world. In fact 3 x more than the average person, I know this because I have done presentations for the 9^th grade – they don’t believe me, I tell them GOOGLE it) stop what they were doing, take of their hats, bow there head and stand quietly until it passed. Just like here, cars line up behind the procession waiting for an opportunity to get on their way.

The coffin, which seems to be is a simple wood box, is carried on a flatbed truck, loved ones sitting around it. Who needs limos right? The family and close loved ones walk in front, the others behind. The people with the musical instruments walk in the back with bows on their instruments.  Note, I don't have many photos, can't really stand and take photos without being obvious.

They carry these odd memorial “wreaths” that are sold everywhere. They are made of what we would call a fake xmas pine rope, usually in a horseshoe shape. They are covered with fake flowers –  I hate to say it but each time I look at them I think “tacky…. soooooo tacky”. But they must think they are beautiful, it’s their tradition – so be it. These fake flowers also are what are left at gravesites, don’t think I’ve every seen a real flower.

 

 

Moldovan cemeteries are fascinating, from the first day I saw them I was intrigued and began taking walks in them. The problem for me is I get LOST weaving in and out of small paths and hundreds, or  even thousands, of crosses and headstones.  I obviously get out of it, but it takes a while, several times I could feel “small panic attacks” sneaking up on me.(breath Sandra breath... it's only a cemetery full of dead people and there is no way out...). I always end up coming out in a different place than I was aiming for. But by then I'm just happy to be out, however, now I have to figure out where I am!

 

This is my town cemetery, it is rather long walk up up and up, behind the church. Oh, by the way, I no longer cut through the church property because I found out the sign on the front says that woman must have their head covered. Oops.  Rude American, I have done it many times.

 

At the entrance

Sometimes I come across people at the sites, it’s usually easy to be discreet and respectful and silently go around them, though a few times I have found the path brought me right to a spot where people are attending to a grave. I feel TERRIBLE when this happens, I never know what to do, look at them? Say  hello? Smile?  At least I put my phone with the camera  away! Oh such a TOURIST. One time I was way up on the top admiring the view. I was thinking about the fact there are no roads and that people have to carry the coffin up this huge hill and get through all the other graves without tripping.  Very impressive.  I then watched a little-old Babushka lady walking through them and I realized HEY she is coming right were I am!! I quickly moved out of the way thinking “are you kidding me? Thousands of these things and she is coming to one right next to where I am sitting!” small world … even in a cemetery. Unlike the “relatively young” American, she was not sweating, breathing heavy or carrying a large bottle of water, that I had emptied a long time ago. When I get home I'm ready for a nap!

Our cemetery here in  Taraclia is split into two parts, which I didn’t know until I was lost and came across a bridge. I had to make a decision, cross the bridge? Is it safe? Or turn around and go all the way back. …. Well, it was too hot and I was too tired to go all the way back, so across it I went. With much trepidation in each step, I tip-toed (does doing this make your body weigh less?) testing the strength of each board.  I hung on to the side railings because somehow in my mind it made sense that if it fell I could gently lower myself to the bottom of the ditch that was far below.  Though I know the reality is I could probably hold my body wait, hanging by my arms, all of 30 second.  I made it, obviously, but I won’t push my luck again.

By weaving in and out of paths and plots through thousands of gravesites (I don’t know how they bury people that there is such a small space between them). I made it to the top. It was worth the climb on the very hot day. I found myself at the highest point in Taraclia with a fantastic view

 

Mostly what you see are crosses, blue and white, crosses and crosses and crosses.....

 



 

Unlike home, gravesites are laid in random order and unlike the stones at home the designs are as varied as there are many. I find it interesting that the funeral procession is so “rural” only to find these elaborate stones, even the small crosses have portraits of people. Many go way back, I have seen very few of these portraits on stones at home. I even remember the first one I ever saw back in the 80s. We are so advanced in everything in the US, yet clearly these stones require much more advanced technology than the square stones we find at home. You could wander for hours and never see the same stone twice.

 

 

 

Speaking of small worlds. I had a photo taken next to a larger than life-size stone with a handsome young man on it. My host mother was looking at photos on my phone (I learned to be very careful what I have on it, she does this often) wouldn't you know it, it was her nephew. ooops

 

Throughout the cemeteries are small table and benches so that people can sit at the site of their loved one. There are several memorial days for those that have died. One of them is the week after Easter, it’s called “Easter for the dead”

A small candle is placed at the site, as well as many more plastic flowers.  Many of the stones have a small place to tuck the candle into.

 

So not a real “cheery” topic but it is another fascinating part of the new culture I have found myself in. It is because of these experiences I am reminded how much better it is to be IN a culture rather than just passing through it on a vacation.  These are the kind of  imagines that will live forever in my mind, as well as the sounds of the processions. Today when I heard it, though it was freezing out I sat on the step to watch, holding the little kitty, and cried for the stranger that has passed away and the sad image of their family and friends. Off to the cemetery, hopefully not too far up.
 

JUMP JUMP girls

What is a JUMP JUMP girl you ask?  Sometimes I find myself in surreal moments while serving as a member of the PC.  Most of us picture the rural villages of Africa when we hear Peace Corps, right? A young American surrounded by dozens of smiling children. I don’t think anyone pictures THIS stuff. I happened to be in the city, a world away from my rural corner of Moldova, for World Cup - In the center the main road was partially blocked off to celebrate. Each night they had the games on big screens. Lots of fun, music, and beer.  

 

 

 

 

 

Now see here on the screen? The gals are half-dressed (1/4 dressed actually you just can't tell from photos), these are cheerleaders that are performing on the stage behind me.  These are them, the  “JUMP JUMP  girls”

 

During the games, as well as in-between, over the loudspeakers (which you could hear no mater where you were in the city) would come the words “JUMP JUMP JUMP”. When you heard these word, look out! Here come the JUMP JUMP girls. These woman would run around the crowds (well jump actually) with pom poms flying. Hence the name (not official, we created it). Every now and then they’d throw in “JUMP JUMP men” who were dressed in baggy clothes from neck to ankle whose job was NOT to look sexy. Instead it was their job to help the JUMP JUMP girls jump higher, spin, dance and over all, just look a whole lot better than they already did. I tell you, these gals were HOT!! We were in awe of their abs! Who could have known that jumping so much would cause one to have great abs!  (hhhmmmm… time to get the jump rope out).

The event was funded by Chisinau beer so every 5 minutes “CCCHHHHIIISSSIINNAAAUUUU” was yelled, somewhere along the way we decided to take a drink of our beer each time it was said. Made for a fun beer drinking game. .... partying with 20 year olds is keeping me young (until I look around me and realize I'm the only one who is over 20 in the crowd,, then I don't feel so young)

 

 

Oh what a strange strange world I have found myself in. Beam me up Scotty..... it's time to go home.

Memorial Park

Chisinau, MEMORIAL PARK

 

This is memorial park dedicated to the soldiers of WWII

 

ETERNAL FLAME

Moldovan weddings photos has a very different tradition than us. Whereas we find one place for our photos to be taken, they drive around to all the nice places and monuments, their cars are decorated and horns are honking. Sometimes at each stop the entire party is out playing music and dancing. This is pretty fun to watch.  Here, if you look close on the left (yes that is me on the right, don't look there) you will see a bride and groom.

Two guards are posted and like all good guards at these kinds of places they didn’t blink, lose their posture, turn their head, sneeze, cough, nothing…. However, they DID periodically march around the structure. The “Russian” march  – the “goosestep” -  I think it’s called? something like that? it was GREAT watching, a march I’ve only seen in movies, though this is serious stuff to them, for me, it was pretty hard not to laugh (respectfully of course).  You can see here the two of them, the high step, the arm swing. When they returned to their post another soldier approached them looking them up and down, straightened their jackets, hats, etc. making sure none of their uniform had been wrinkled or had shifted during this ceremony.

The question is - do these guards talk when people are not around? I'm pretty sure I saw them hanging out chatting before we approached. We'll never know....

 

Here are some of the monuments.

 

 

 

 Entry way to the cemetery

 

A walk through the cemetery was amazing, the entire time I  kept thinking woooowww!!! Now I don't know who these people were but one can smell MONEY MONEY MONEY everywhere. It seems to be the resting place for the rich and perhaps the famous (such as writers and musicians?) Sometimes it's very odd to remember that you are in the "poorest country in Europe" when you see these things, especially the cars they drive. But.... this is the city, completely different than the rest of the country.

 

 

Sydney! She wasn't planning on visiting but she went, she was thrilled she had.

 

 

Poor little Moldova, like all the countries over here, they've seen way too many wars. They spent many years in a tug-of-war between Romania and Russia. Which is why we have pockets of Russian towns (me) when the rest of the country, though "Moldovan", is much more tied to Romania. In the 90's an internal war broke out because the  Transanistria area (Russian settlement next to Ukraine) refused to accept that "Romanian" language would be the official "Moldovan" language - well that and much more of course, but that was part of it that added to the tension that already existed. It was settled that Romanian (called Moldovan, but the same) is the first language, Russian the second. I have never heard Romanian in my town, I wouldn't be too "keen" on trying it either. There is an odd bit of tension sometimes between the languages, I speak some Russian in the city, I know they can understand me, but often they pretend they don't. Transanistria is now considered an independent part of Moldova with their own government. Visitors to Moldova like to take a trip here because it's a bit of a flashback to the days of communism, so I hear, PC members are not allowed to visit.

It's always a good thing to be reminded that no matter the country, the war, or who is right and who is wrong, no matter who has been labeled the "bad guys" or "enemies", they are just men and woman who's lives have been cut short because they fought for their country. Memorials and monuments are erected so that they are not forgotten. They were loved by family and friends, who surely grieved their loss. No matter where, or who, they were they should be honored in such places as WWII memorial park in Chisinau Moldova. Should you ever visit little Moldova, be sure to visit.