Language, cherries, and dancing!

After a few nights of good sleep, I am getting over the cold I arrived in Moldova with. It has been challenging to stay awake during trainings while jet-lagged, and has also been difficult practicing language while stuffed up and blowing my nose. But I feel optimistic that things will be better now, as I get healthy and acclimate to the weather here. The days are full, but that’s how I like them.

And we are being well-nourished. The food. Seriously. The food has been wonderful! Fresh, ripe cherries and strawberries! And my new favorite food, Plăcintă.

Yesterday, we started learning language and did some other training and logistical things. Today, we learned more about the country and the language, and even got to hear a local band and join them for some dancing.

It was cooler today because of the rain clouds, which was nice. I got to walk down and look at the river after dinner. For a girl who comes from a place surrounded by water, there is something very grounding about seeing a body of water. It gives me peace. And to top it off, there was a stunning sunset this evening. I feel ready for tomorrow.

Hello, Moldova!

We made it to Moldova! It was a very long day of travel, carrying heavy bags, and wearing wool pants in hot weather (I could only pack a limited wardrobe…). But I am very happy to be here, and after a good night’s sleep tonight I think I will be able to discuss it more thoroughly.

my bags are packed, labeled, and ready to go

arriving at JFK airport

one last Starbucks before leaving the country

and we're aboard!

are we there yet??

layover in Vienna

hello, Moldova!

setting foot on Moldvan ground

Chisinau airport

we have arrived!

M31s at the airport to greet us

my PCV mentor, Shannon

Just the beginning

Yesterday, I said goodbye to the only hometown I've known for 34 years and hopped on a plane to Philadelphia to meet the other Peace Corps Trainees who will be headed to Moldova with me tomorrow. It was bittersweet to say goodbye to my dear friends and family, because I know that Peace Corps is going to be an amazing experience, but I will miss so many wonderful people while I am away. Fortunately, I have met some nice people in my Peace Corps group already, and I'm looking forward to meeting great new people in Moldova, too!

Today was mostly logistics and training, but I had a chance to get to know a few other M32s better, and walked around Philadelphia just a little bit. Foodwise, the day was definitely a win: Starbucks oatmeal and latte for breakfast, sushi for lunch, and Chinese dumplings for dinner. Hurray! Gotta stock up while I can!

I'll be honest; I am not looking forward to traveling all day tomorrow and an overnight flight, and then having to be dressed professionally while sleep-deprived when I step off the plane in 90 degree weather in Moldova. Eep! But we will manage! All of us are trying to make sure our bags aren't oversized or overweight. I hope mine aren't, but I guess there will be a moment of truth at the airport tomorrow...

Tomorrow!

OhmygoshIamleavingtomorrow!!!

Of course, things tend to take longer than anticipated and there have been a lot of loose ends to tie up this week. So, it's the morning before I move to another continent and I am still trying to figure out how to get my bags packed. I am sure I will need a lot less stuff than I think, but "what if" I don't pack something and then wish I had? I think this is where my previous discussion comes in to play. Trying to remember that what I need will find me. I am sure I will look back at this post in the future and laugh at myself for spending so much time deciding what to pack. But for now, back to packing!

One week

With one week left until I move to Moldova, I have been in packing mode. I'm feeling pretty good about how it's going. Today I will buy a few last things and do a test run of zipping up the bags. Also trying to sell my car, which is a bigger project. Hoping someone will love it and want to buy it asap!

Yesterday I got to go kayaking on Lake Union. My favorite thing to do when the weather is nice in Seattle!!

Enjoying a few more of my favorite Seattle things today, namely Starbucks (our little local coffee company; maybe you've heard of it?) and Sounders. I do love that alliteration!

One thing I will miss about Seattle is the coffee shops on every corner. Although I have been told that many Peace Corps Volunteers in Moldova rely on instant coffee, I am hoping to find a nice coffee shop or two. I didn't actually drink coffee until I was in graduate school, studying full time while also working full time, and I just needed the caffeine to stay awake to write papers and get my work done. Now I drink coffee because I enjoy it, so I'm picky about only drinking really good coffee. And I sure am spoiled on that front here in Seattle. Zoka, Roy Street (incognito Starbucks), Vivace, etc.... Of course, there is argument about which coffee is the best, and people have their opinions about Starbucks. It's not necessarily my favorite coffee ever, but I do like it, and I love the accessibility! There is practically a Starbucks on every corner around here.

Starbucks on the Ave

I also love the Sounders. I never cared much about soccer growing up, despite living near Marymoor Park in Redmond - a soccer mecca in the Seattle area. One time in elementary school PE, I kicked a goal and was so excited until all the other kids on my team started yelling at me for kicking an own goal. Oof. I had never played soccer before (I'm a ballet dancer, guys!), so I didn't know the rules... That experience really soured me on the sport, and I actually have never played again other than in PE. But then I volunteered in Croatia in the summer of 2005, and studied in Cape Town in the winter of 2006. In Europe, soccer (or rather, futbol) is practically a religion and they were getting excited about World Cup 2006 in Germany. And South Africa was already preparing to host World Cup 2010. I couldn't help catching the soccer spirit! I watched as many World Cup 2006 matches as I could! I also had an opportunity to travel around Europe in 2008, and was able to watch matches with fans in several countries, as well as see the host site in Salzburg. So much fun! I was hooked. And as it turned out, right after I came back to Seattle, the Sounders had their first season in the MLS. I got to go to several matches at Qwest (now Century Link) Field that season, and loved it. It's such a great atmosphere and Seattle fans are awesome! So today I will attend my last Sounders match before I head to Moldova. They're playing the Timbers in a Cascadia Cup rivalry match, so it's sure to be a great time. And I'm wearing that same jersey I bought at the first Sounders match I ever went to. Go Sounders!! ebfg!

My first Sounders match!! 

May 2009

2 weeks

Officially down to 2 weeks left before I leave for Moldova. Although, technically I will not leave the US until June 6, I will leave Seattle on June 4 and be on the way.

Still working full time, trying to figure out packing, sell my car, see friends, enjoy places and and foods I will miss, and tie up all the final details and logistics.

Someone asked me to share my favorite things while I am in Moldova, and I think that's a great idea. In the meantime, I thought I'd share some of my favorite things about Seattle while I am still here. This afternoon, I am sitting in one of my favorite places: the Burke Museum cafe. I have been coming here since I was a little kid, and as an adult, I have spent many hours here studying, writing, thinking, learning, talking with friends, and relaxing. This has always been one of my favorite places. I will miss it, for sure, especially because not long after I leave Seattle it will be demolished to make way for a brand new shiny Burke Museum that will have no cafe. Trying to enjoy this place as much as I can before it and I are gone.

Wine not?

Well, April got away from me and here we are in May. If you've ever applied to Peace Corps, you know that the weeks leading up to departure are BUSY. And if you haven't had that experience, I'll just say that essentially all my free time in the past 2 months has revolved around handling the details and logistics of uprooting my life to relocate to another continent for 2+ years. Unfortunately, that means I have neglected writing, and that is not something I want to do. In any case, I am back to it now and will work to be consistent. 

So. Wine. As I have researched Moldova, it has become apparent that Moldova has a great wine culture and is very proud of this. I'm not a wine drinker myself, but I can appreciate that many people love it, and I'm always interested in learning about local culture. 

Recently, I came across an article about reasons to visit Moldova wine country. Apparently, Moldova has the world's largest wine cellar. Cool! (Pun intended...). And apparently, a lot of people in Moldova participate in the making of wine:

"With a population of less than 4 million, Moldova is a small country tucked between Romania and Ukraine, once part of the Soviet Union. Winemaking is deeply ingrained in Moldova's culture through its history and tradition, and it's said that 25% of the country's population is involved in winemaking. Coincidently, Moldova's borders form the fine shape of a cluster of grapes. It's epicentre is situated at the same latitude as Bordeaux, offering great conditions for grape growing."

I definitely want to check out the wine region, and see the wine cellars. Maybe I will even find a wine I like. And with this description and photo at the bottom of the article, I think I have found the topic of my next post:

"We talked about the wine, but I do not want to forget the food! Moldovan food is delicious, authentic and pairs perfectly with wine. From placinte -- a thin filo pastry filled with soft cheese or sour cherries -- to grilled meat marinated and cooked to perfection, there is a lot to experience. Once tasted, it's impossible to forget mamaliga, a dish made of polenta flour, sun-shaped, prepared and served with cheese, cream and garlic sauce. Moldovan people are very hospitable, and if you are coming for a meal, expect to be seated for at least 3 hours with dozens of colourful dishes coming your way!"