Old Orhei

Last weekend, some of my fellow trainees and I coordinated a trip to see Old Orhei (Orheiul Vechi), a historic site in Moldova. It was a hot, sunny, beautiful day, and we enjoyed spending time together and seeing more of Moldova's beauty.

Sunflower fields on our way to Orhei

First glimpse of Orheiul Vechi

(with Casey and Cynthia)

Museum

Picnic before going up the hill

Climbing the hill

(at least I didn't have to climb it in heels and a poofy skirt!)

View from the top of the hill

(with Stacey)

The church and courtyard

(with Maddie and Casey)

 

On the hill

(with Rebecca S.)

(with Rebecca B., Rebecca S., Cynthia, and Xenia)

Cave church

View from the cave church

(Rebecca L. and Shannon)

(with Rebbeca B., Xenia, and Olorunbunmi)

(Olorunbunmi and Rebecca L. in the background)

(the cliff behind me)

Leave a coin in the wall and make a wish!

After a few hours in the hot sun, we enjoyed some shade and a refreshing beverage

cold lemonade!

PST - Week 7

"April, May, June, and July they fly like a hummingbird...
Our time is now
Let us sing before our time runs out"
- Jon Foreman


I woke up this week and realized that we are now in week 7 of Pre-Service Training (PST). When we arrived in Moldova and PST started, it seemed like week 10 would never arrive. Each day is long and tiring, but suddenly there are only about 3 weeks of training left before we become official Peace Corps Volunteers and move to our permanent sites.

Each day and week has had ups and downs. Some days, like today, I get frustrated with the amount of Romanian language I still don't know. Just when I feel like I understand and remember something, I screw it up in class and get corrected. Sigh. But then other times, I realize how much I actually know, given the fact that I have only been studying this language for less than 2 months! I have to remind myself to take each day - even each minute - at a time, and to look for good things and learn from the frustrations.

These are some things in my town that brought me joy in the past week:

A free concert of classical music! 

 Roses outside the mayor's office

My favorite flowers that I walk by on my way to school every day

Kitties!

Gardens and fresh produce

(peaches, currents, plums, tomatoes from my host family's garden. yum!!)

The beautiful and expressive sky