Carla's Peace Corps Adventure

La Arrivedere Moldova!

2007-12-16T14:22:00.000-06:00

Yes, I did it. I decided to Early Terminate my service, which only lasted technically about a week. I have many reasons, but the main one, and the most important, has been that I was not happy. By not happy I mean not the person that I usually am, which drove me to think, and think. Then I cried a bit. Spent some days in TDY. And I finally made a decision: to return to Spain. As I'm writing this, i'm on the plane from Vienna to Madrid, and honestly I couldn't be happier right now. On the funny side I have been realizing the curious little things that have changed since I've been in Moldova:

-Now I say “Excusaţi” instead of “Excuse me”
-I expect NO customer service, so when in Austria the security guards, with big smiles, proceeded to empty all my hand lugagge and check everything I owned, I could NOT be mad. I just smiled back. I even helped them. Then they said “Merry Christmas!”. THEY SAID “MERRY FREAKING CHRISTMAS!” TO ME!!!
-And judging by the following conversation, I don't speak Spaniard Spanish anymore:

Azafata/Stewardess: Quiere algo de beber? (Do you want something to drink?)
Yo/Me: Si. Jugo de Anana. (Yes. Pineapple Juice.)

The stewardess then stares at me blankly, which makes me think that maybe I said something in some other language accidentally. And then it hits me. I'm flying Spainair. SHE'S SPANISH! So:

Yo/Me: Eh, ZUMO DE PIÑA. (Eh, Pineapple Juice-Spain style)

Just what I needed. To translate what I say from Spanish to Spanish. Fabulous. I can't wait to land in Madrid.
And... Ahhh... Madrid. The city that never is boring. EVER. So many adventures await me, I know. For now, all that is sure is that I have two job interviews this very week, that I will be living with Leah in the center of Madrid, that I will be seeing all my friends again, that I will be eating tapas and drinking cañas like crazy, that I will be spending my Sundays at Retiro Park, practicing my Rumanian with my new tutor, practicing my Italian with the other tutor I got, that Ania will be coming for the New Year, that I will be applying for Grad School in Europe, that I'm going to be in the same city with the Italian but he doesn't know i'm here but I might run into him, that already another ex has been asking for me, that I will finally shave my legs and wear a dress, maybe even do my make up, and that I will have a crazy life with barely any time but that it will be fabulous. I just know it. And now you know it. Because I will be writing about it. So if you want to read about my new post-PC life, you will have to check out my new blog.

FIRE!!!

2007-11-23T08:14:00.000-06:00

To add to my growing list of misfortunes (or adventures, depends how you see it) in Moldova, I had a most special welcome present to my new site from... well, I guess we can say God. A very mean one, that thrives in using irony to torture me. In the form of fire, poop or other such elements.
Yesterday, on Turkey Day, we were sworn in as official Peace Corps Volunteers. We had to wake up very early, sit for a very long time, and by the time my counterpart took me home I was very tired. I was ready to get to my room and nap. Maybe wake up from my nap to eat and then sleep more. I was definitely not aiming to be very productive in my first day ever as an official volunteer. Mostly because I was dead exhausted from being a volunteer-in-training.
So I got to my new home, and I excitedly unpacked everything. Something was going on but I wasn't quite aware of it at the moment. I just hoped it wouldn't interfere with my imminent sleeping plans. My counterpart quickly said goodbye, said she would be busy Friday so I shouldn't bother to go to work (I thought I was here to help her not be so busy... but ok...), and told me to rest and accommodate my things. But, instead of taking my pungas (big soviet shopping bags) to my room, they took them into the kitchen. And then they explained that I was going to sleep in the living room. I was very confused for a few seconds until I understood the words soba and foc (fireplace-type-heating-system and fire)!!!
Eventually, I pieced everything together: Apparently, an hour before I arrived, my host mom decided to make my new room warm and cozy, lit up the fire, and left the house. By the time she got back, my room had caught on fire, I had no bed anymore, as well as no rug, chair or desk, and of course she was worried about the fire catching on to the whole house, so host dad and her turned it off the old-fashioned way (buckets of water) and nervously awaited my arrival. Host dad did so with a burnt nose. And now I know why my counterpart told me not to go into the office, since I have currently enough to do around the house.
Nevertheless, I can't help but to think what a particular welcome I had. Talk about a “sign”. I mean, I can either see it as very good or very bad. I hope it's the first option.
So for now, I will move into the parents' room. I feel kindda bad, since they will be sleeping in the living room just to have me comfortable.

Meanwhile, today I have tried helping around the burnt house, I have talked to my family, I have petted the furry white-but-soot-covered cat, I have enjoyed a hot shower (yeih for running water!) and I am planning to go walk around the town, see where everything is, and maybe smoke a cigarette somewhere were nobody can see me. This is the real thing now, I can't go around ruining my reputation just yet.
As for my family, they're awesome! I have a very sweet host mom, a cool host dad that talks to me in Romanian and switches to Italian when I don't understand something, a young host sister that follows me around, and a talkative young host-brother. I just hope he doesn't eat my nutella (without permission) like the last one. The house is very comfortable, even though it's weird to get used to Moldovan architecture: two houses, the casa mare, or big house, where the 3 rooms (including the burnt one) and the living room are. And the casa mica, or small house, where the kitchen, bathroom (with toilet, just for peeing and only for emergencies where you can't run outside to the outhouse. Ah, and flushable with a bucket of water) and another living room are. Nevertheless, it's pretty comfortable, and I have amenities such as a fridge, washing machine and an oven that sometimes lets out this funny gas smell. As for animals, we got a whole petting zoo down back, including chickens, pigs, rabbits and cows. And two cats. Including the formerly white cat, that now is a gray cat. Food is great, well balanced and all, plus they don't force me to eat everything, and they already asked what I like and what I don't, so they know what to cook and what not to cook ever again (on the NO list I just mentioned animals' intestines and other organs, in additions to chicken jelly). We have cable TV, so I have channels from all over Europe. The wine is bottled, which is a great improvement from house-made wine. My dearest friend Ania (from Poland!) just sent me a coffee maker and real coffee. And I have dial-up internet. Oh, and I live right in front of the school, which is where my NGO works. How perfect is that! If only I had a non-burnt room. Oh well, I guess I can't have everything. Or maybe I can. Now that the room is burnt I can help re-do it and maybe convince them to paint it fuchsia. Then, I would have everything!

Sneaky Moldovans

2007-11-17T12:01:00.000-06:00

Today we had our goodbye American masa (meal/table full of food). Meaning that each American in town cooked something typical from their region and shared it with our host families. I decided to make Texas Chili for everybody, and it seemingly went down well. I'm still waiting for the reports after everybody's particular outhouse experience.
Making Texas Chili wasn't as easy as I thought; through the whole preparation process at home, my host mom would let out a loud gasp each time I would shake the chili seasoning jar on top of my concoction. I laughed evilly, and told her: “This is going to be an AMERICAN masa, not a Moldovan one!”, and then I threw in some hot dried Mexican peppers, and maybe cackled.
In any case, during the masa everything was going well, until a local realized that there was no alcohol included in our masa plans. To Moldovan standards, that is unthinkable, so he readily went across the street to the store and brought back some fizzy-red-teeth-staining wine. Then he proceeded to make sure we all drank it. He said it was medicine, but he couldn't fool us! Yet, to prevail in his evil plan, he used the following tactics:

The Health Reasoning
“Wine is good for your blood. It helps it flow.”

The Scare Tactic
“If you don't drink wine often, your intestines will rust and fall apart.”

Peer Pressure
“What? You don't drink wine? Everybody does. Do you have a sissy stomach?” (this is a tactful way of indirectly calling you a sissy)

Force
In the case of a particular male volunteer that refused to drink more, he just grabbed a cup, put it to his lips, tilted his head back and forced him to drink.

So yes, Moldovans don't take “No, thanks” for an answer. And they have sneaky tactics to use against you in case you decide to try to escape their offers for drink or more food. Beware.

What (are the men in)/(is) the world coming to?

2007-11-15T13:40:00.000-06:00

I can't help it. I have to bash men. Why? Well, as a result of some recent conversations. Let's start with an SMS one I had today:

Me- It's so cold here! I'm wearing a fur coat and I'm still freezing!
Friend in Houston- I'll warm you up, ha.

REALLY? I mean, REALLY? C'mon. How old are we? I love the fact that for some reason men have hope that the lines that never have worked in the history of humanity, will one day work. They keep this hope alive, and just throw them out in the most random moments.

Conversation on phone yesterday:

Me- Hey! How are you? Wait, it's like 2 pm here, it's like 6 am there... what are you doing awake?
Friend 2 in Houston- Well, I was just sitting here by myself, and i'm on my second bottle of wine...

Why do men think it's cool to drunk call? TO MOLDOVA? When it's like 2 pm here anyways. I mean, if I was home I wouldn't have even picked up the phone, because I would have known. Now they drunk call and trick you into listening to their ramblings. Smart.

Now, the next one was interesting. This was an online conversation, yesterday after the drunk call, with a friend in Argentina who one day turned Mormon and decided to go preach the word of God somewhere in the middle of nowhere, and still has some hope for my conversion to Mormonism. Or whatever you want to call it:

Friend in Argentina- So, you see, you aren't really baptized until you are baptized in the true Church, because...
Me- If you were here I'd kick you in the balls, right about NOW
Friend in Argentina- Would you rub them afterwards?

C'mon! You are a self proclaimed Mormon attempting to convert me. Try harder. And given your obvious need for any sort of physical contact, do you think becoming a Mormon attracts me in any way?

Then another online conversation:

Friend in Spain- Dude, it's like 9 am here, I just got back home from partying all night
Me- Well, i'm kindda jealous
Friend in Spain- Hey, i'm trying to call you right now, pick up your phone!
Me- Oh my gosh... Lay off of whatever you're on. Where were you this whole year when I told you I was leaving Spain and moving to Moldova?

Yeah, if women needed more proof of the fact that men never listen to what we say, here it was.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my guy friends. There's other reasons why I still talk to them (because sometimes they still act as rational human beings). But this week was just one after another.

On the other side, the men here are not behaving any more attractive than the rest. The Moldavians think that stalking and harassing you until you explode in anger is a cool way to pick up chicks, and the Americans... well, let's just say that right now most of them decided to grow out copious amounts of facial hair, because they thought it'd be cool to do so. Enough said.
And of course, the universe has some sort of law on irony, because the only guy that I really want to call me, isn't doing so.
Then the women in Moldova ask me why I don't have a boyfriend or prieten. If I only had enough Romanian to explain...

In any case, next week we (finally!) swear in as Peace Corps volunteers. Today I signed a paper promising to defend America from the enemies of the Constitution. I'm still a bit perplexed about that.

Conclusions:

-Bad lines are so never leading you anywhere
-Drunk Calling is fun for you, but not so much for the one on the other side of the phone.
-Attempting to convert someone to your religion and then asking them for a ball-rubbing will only make the person even more antagonistic towards joining you in your quest for the one true God.
-Not EVER listening to anything women say, especially when we're telling you that we're moving to another country, only proves to women that you are no useful type of man-material.
-Stalking/Harassing is not attractive. Especially if you're wearing sweat pants and you haven't showered in days. And I can smell it.
-Growing lots of facial hair can sound like a cool idea, but it's not if you want to appeal to the opposite sex. If you feel a need to grow hair, do it somewhere hidden, like us. Most girls in PC stopped shaving their legs long ago, but you don't know that. Well, maybe now you do.
-Not reading my mind when I want you to be calling me sucks. That only proves to me that you're stupid. How dare you not be able to read my mind?
-Who exactly are the enemies of the Constitution? Do they have a name? Like the unconstitutionals? How will I know when I meet them? And what will I do? Do I get weapons?

Jamming in Moldova

2007-11-12T11:15:00.000-06:00

In rutieras, sometimes you have no option but to jam. Today found me sitting in a rather empty rutiera, with my Ipod on, and in a happy mood that was set by Jack Johnson playing in my ears. Suddenly, it started. First a few people got on. I'm still comfortable, sitting in my seat. But suddenly, the rutiera stops again, and the minivan becomes a clown car, fitting way more people than should actually be in there, or that most normal people would think that can fit in there. Sometimes I am tempted to place bets on how many people can actually fit in a rutiera. Or how many Moldovans can make themselves fit in there, because even when there is no space they still find enough for one more. In any case, I am pushed against a window, my earphones fall out, and suddenly the rutiera's radio starts playing “Gangster's Paradise”. I was literally jamming, with somebody's butt in my face, which by now is as far against the window as it can get, and with the “Gangster's Paradise” being sung in my head.
It totally killed my Jack Johnson induced mood though.

Banana Pancakes

versus Gangster's Paradise

Outhouse Fishing

2007-11-11T08:48:00.000-06:00

Saturday was a great day. It started with Romanian class at 9 am, continued by an insightful discussion about the differences between American and Moldovan values. We all went home for lunch, but the day was continued with an enjoyable sightseeing trip to Orhei Vecci were all my town's volunteers took some great pictures and indulged in a private field trip. The mood was good, and we decided to finish the day by meeting up at my house (since his host parents were at a nunta or wedding in another town) and have hot tea and watch movies.
The meeting time was 8 pm, and one by one all the volunteers braved the rain and the cold to make it to my warm casa. We started discussing the weeks' gossip, which ranged from one volunteer having gotten the much feared giardia (which is when your body decides to start squirting liquids our of your ass in a constant matter for many days) and another volunteer having dropped their cellphone into the outhouse, which kept on calling people and all they could hear was a squishy suctioning sound of human feces. We all laughed and commented on how silly these volunteers were, and proceeded to start watching Indiana Jones. By then, the mate (Argentenean tea) had gotten to me, and I had to make a stop at the outhouse before comfortably sitting in my warm house and enjoying all the great one liners from Indiana Jones, such as Indian's repetitive “This belongs in a Museum!” and the German woman's “How dare you kiss me!” followed by her throwing herself at Indiana.
So I go to the outhouse, do my thing, and when I stand up to end the procedure... my cell phone decides to commit suicide by jumping into a small, but deep, hole full of poop! I pulled up my pants cussing, and ran into my house. All the volunteers were happily chit-chatting away, but I interrupted by announcing my infelicitous (sorry, I love my thesaurus) misfortune:

“GUYS! YOU CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO ME!!!!!... my phone... just... fell into the outhouse” I exclaimed, feeling quite stupid given the fact that we were just laughing at somebody else that had gone through the same literally shitty situation. My announcement was answered by many laughs and poop related puns:

“HA! That is so shitty! Literally!”
“You're in deep SHIT! HA!”

And the normal comments:

“But... how?”
“You're an idiot Carla”

My host sister was curious about this sudden outburst of English followed by many laughs, so I explained to her the situation in lame Romanian (I didn't know the verbs “to fall” or “to commit suicide” or the noun “poop”), so basically I said: “My phone. IN outhouse.” To which she replied “Ah, that happened to my friend once. Forget about your phone, you'll never get it back.”
And that was the exact moment the Americans kicked into McGiver mode. One said “We're going to get that phone out!”, another said “Yes, we must, let's show Moldovans how it's done!”, and yet another said “I need an 8 foot long pole, a plastic bag and some dental floss.” Our imaginations started running wild with ideas involving McGiver-style solutions. We settled on duct tape, a long pole, a long branch, an empty plastic bottle and a knife. Which gave us a giant sized scooper. Excitedly, we all ran into the rainy and dark Moldovan night, equipped with flash-lights, head-lamps and cameras to document the experience.
So the process to rescue my phone's shit-covered cadaver, to at least give its little SIM card heart another chance, had began. We tried many processes, and positions, given that an outhouse is only made for one person and not for eight. Finally, it was all between me and another volunteer. He lowered the giant scooper into the shit-hole. But, alas!, it was trapped. The poop sucked at it and it was hard to hold it in an adequate position to push my phone into the scooping part. Also, we didn't know how long the duct tape would hold our improvised artifact together. Nevertheless, I bent down in the outhouse, showed my crack, and lowered the branch to try to push my phone into the safe area. The lighting was a problem too, given that every time one person would move (usually to take pictures) the phone would go out of view. Yet, 15 minutes later, we had finally managed to get the phone in the safe scooper area. All we had to do now was to pull up the scooper without the excrement suctioning it all into the shit hole. Carefully, one of the boys brought the whole thing out and... my phone was back! Dead, but at least I could rescue its SIM card heart. I ran back into the house and announced to my host sister “WE DID IT!” and I said “HA! WE SHOWED YOU” but to myself. Talk about team building.
After the whole event, we all went back inside. The two of us that were involved with direct contact with poop pretty much covered all our body parts that had had contact with it in disinfectant, luckily provided by the PC Medical Kit. I wonder if when they think about what to put in it, they consider these situations. Even though according to the medical book they give us to go along with the kit, the disinfectant is imperative when helping a mother give birth. I think I prefer to use the disinfectant after recovering phones out of my outhouse rather than to help somebody pop out a baby. But that's just me.

So, conclusions:

-It takes 8 Americans to get a cell phone out of an outhouse in Moldova.
-Moldovans are so negative. And I realized that my two years here will be spent showing them that not only is it possible to get cell phones out of an outhouse, but it's also possible to do pretty much anything you set your mind to.
-Team Work is awesome. I've always been the type of person to try to do things by myself. But I realized that without the rest of my PST sitemates, getting my phone back would have been impossible.
-For when it's our turn to run the team building activities, this will soooo be one of the things the newbies will have to figure out.
-DO NOT GO INTO THE OUTHOUSE WITH YOUR CELLPHONE! STUPID!
-McGiver rocks.

Step 1: Gather 8 Americans and random pieces of trash.

Step 2: Start gettin' dirty

Step 3: SUCCESS! And some shit to go along with it, too.

Super Woman

2007-11-08T12:06:00.000-06:00

Today's adventure was a bit mundane, but I learned a lesson nevertheless: Don't forget your key, stupid.
After a long day of class and hub-site, I took a lonely rutiera (bus/van) back home at 5 pm. It's winter now, so by that time it's pitch black outside. In addition to very freaking cold. So I get home, ready to go up to my room, make some chai (tea) and cuddle in my room with my new book. If I'm lucky, maybe I even get to take a bath. It's been 4 days since the last one. Maybe that was way too much information. In any case, so I get to the house, and there's no lights on. But that's no problem, because it's a small-town norm to never lock your doors anyways. So I head to the main door, try to open it, and... it's locked. So I try the back door. Locked too. Oops.
No worries though, tata gazda (host dad) always leaves a key hidden in a shoe outside the door. I look around, but then I get distracted because real dad called. So I sat outside talking on my phone for half an hour, and when we hung up I resumed my search. Now I'm starting to get a bit nervous, mostly because I'm getting colder. So I look and look, using my phone as a flashlight because I also didn't bring a flashlight, and finally I find the spare key!!! I'm saved! Oh, but wait. I have to go ahead and screw it up by trying to open the back door with my super strength and breaking the key. I amazed myself a bit, but then, I fell into despair. What to do? I text my sora gazda (host sister) but I receive no answer.
Now I'm frustrated and a bit pissed. Mostly at myself. And the stupid crappy key that had to go ahead and break. So I start texting my neighboring PC volunteers to see if I can crash at their place for the time being, but... wait, I'm saved! Tata and mama gazda arrive!They are a bit confused, because I show them half of their key (I bet now they're scared of my super strength!). But mama gazda just goes in to the garage, and... surprise, that's another way into the house, and there's no key. It's wide open. See, I always wondered why the main hallway was so cold. And then the laughing at me started. Yet again. I bet I'm super amusing, with my exploding bottles of fermented wine and breaking of keys while I think I'm locked outside of my house but I'm really not. I bet that PC ads to recruit host families go something like this: Get your own American/personal clown. Non-stop amusement guaranteed.

I thought everybody out there might start wondering what to get me for Christmas. I mean, besides from common sense. You could always just donate to my travel funds (ask me how!). But I also made a list to help you out! I will be updating periodically, so keep up with it: Click here. Ah, as for books on the list, I don't mind used ones. Actually, I prefer used ones: they have more personality. You can always just send me your own used books if you'd like, they don't have to be on the list. As for CD's and movies, I don't mind copies either.

If my feet could talk...

2007-11-03T09:12:00.000-05:00

This week has been pretty eventfull. It started with Hram at my village last Saturday. Hram is a big party in which the village celebrates that they are a village by eating a lot, drinking even more, and dancing crazy hora music until the wee hours of the morning. This is fun, as long as your house is not in front of the Casa de Cultura (where the drinking and dancing part of the celebration takes place). Like this one, that I stole from YouTube:

Just imagine it happening in a very small town, and with way drunker people.
The highlights of that evening suprisingly were not the cominc outbursts of those that had a bit too much to drink. It was the 10 year old beer-chugging and cigarette-smoking boy that was trying to dance with the americancas in our group. It was funny in a very sad way.

Another highlight of my week was when the lady at the magazin (kiosco) started giving us candy instead of change. I hadn't gotten that for a while.

I'll have a lap top by next week though. That's awesome! I can finally stay connected to the world!

One of the lows though, to my opinion, has been women in general that I talked to this week. Of all nationalities. They all seem to have the idea that being a woman doesn't let you do certain things, because... god knows who says so. Realizing this certainly pissed me off, since they are just corroborating the same stereotypes that other women have been trying to fight off for a very long time. They passively support them and in doing so they will never let change happen.

And then, my teacher asked me, in Rumanian, what would my feet say if they could speak. That certainly gave me some food for thought.

Explosions and Nudity

2007-10-26T07:29:00.000-05:00

That title is really attractive, isn't it? The human mind is so eagerly attracted to any mention of dramatic or abnormal circumstances. But don't worry, I'm not trying to trick you, the title IS TRUE!
I learned a very important lesson today: Don't accidentally try to make your own wine in a used Sprite bottle. This story begins some two weeks ago, when my host mom gave me some fresh sweet grape juice as part of my lunch pack to take to Hub Site day (day all volunteers-in-training meet for technical training in another town). I didn't drink it, so when I got home I just left it on my desk. And two weeks passed by in which I was too lazy to take it down stairs to be consumed by others. So it sat there, and fermented. And then, this morning at 5 am, the situation literally EXPLODED in my face. Well, not really in my face, but all around me. Now I know the horrible feeling that Sari tried to explain to me about his childhood and waking up to the sound of bombs. The bottle exploded on my desk with such a loud noise that I woke up in panic. I had thought that maybe something gas related had exploded. But then I smelled it, realized it was probably that bottle of fermented juice, and I was too scared and lazy (very interesting combination) to get up and clean it. For some reason though, my family didn't wake up or bother to come check on me. So I just layed in bed until my alarm went of at 6:30 am (didn't sleep though) and it was time to do homework and go to class. Then I saw it: my room looked like a fermented grape juice massacre. This sticky stuff was over the walls, spattered and dripping all the way down to the carpet. It was all over my covers. My desk. My clothes that I attempting to dry in my room. EVERYWHERE! I was in a hurry though, so I just took out my sheets, ran downstairs for my first cup of Nescafe (if you're used to the real stuff it takes some 4 cups of that to get you semi-going) and dropped the stuff in the laundry. When I came back after class my family was laughing very hard. And it was at me, obviously. After i'm done here I have to go back and clean everything else. Not looking forward to it.
As for the nudity part, that was an adventure before I went to bed. See, here we go to sleep early. So around 10 pm last night, I felt like going to visit the outhouse one last time before bed. So I grabbed my head-lamp, went outside, changed my inside shoes for my outside shoes, turned on the head lamp and directed my vision to the area of the outhouse. And there it was. My host father but naked with the door wide open and obviously doing what guys need to sit down (or in this case, squat) for. He was like "Oh, hey, Carla". I just said "EXCUSE ME!!!" and ran back in to the house with my longing for an outhouse gone. So today i'm buying a bucket so I have to avoid the night time excusions. If you know what I mean.
Besides all this, week 6 of training has been a bit rough. Like these little adventures didn't help, but whatever. It's been rainning for a week straight, and everybody's moods are going crazy. They asked us to draw how we felt this week in class (no, no aliens this time), and my class produced the following drawings: one with a crying face, one with a screaming face and mine with an angry face with under-eye circles and rain falling. On the good side, hram is this weekend. Which is like our town's day for eating and celebrating... that they are a town, I guess. It's like the official town holiday, and they take it very seriously here. My family has been cooking for two days straight, and they think that it's almost sacrilegious that I have class that morning. Nevertheless, there will be much dancing, eating, and of course, drinking on this day. So if I have any hopes of going to sleep early, it will be impossible, given that my house is right in front of where the major celebration will be. I'm sure I will have a lot of interesting adventures after this holiday. So, dear reader, don't miss the upcoming edition of MY BLOG!

Rainyness

2007-10-24T11:51:00.000-05:00

It's week 6 of PST. Today there was major breakdowns in class. Stress is getting to all of us. The rainy weather isn't helping anybody.
Not much else to say.

Fotos!

2007-10-21T08:41:00.000-05:00

STOP BOTHERING ME! Here you go!

For More: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2114842&l=715ae&id=37526431

Crazy Cat Ladies, Bag Ladies and the Numa Numa song

2007-10-21T04:30:00.000-05:00

Ah, back to normal life. Intensive Rumanian lessons, administration telling us what we should and shouldn't do, stepping on cow poop on my way home, phone lines not working, and overall aisolation from the world.
I lost my cat! Yes, incredible. And it just disappeared while I went to site visit, I didn't actually scare it away. I guess it got mad I left for a few days... But don't fall into dispair! There is hope: The crazy cat lady. Yes, you read it right: The crazy cat lady. Just like any other country, Moldova has an actual crazy cat lady. She stands on the main street of Chisinau, by the McDonald's, with little furry persian-looking kittens crawling all over her, and tries to sell them to you for 50 lei each. That's like 5 dollars. I wanted to take a picture of her today, for she's kindda like a Chisinau sight-seeing stop, like the Stefan Cel Mare monument, but, I guess she takes Sunday's off. In any case, I think I would be the coolest cat owner in Moldova if I can say I bought my kitten from the crazy cat lady.
Talking about ladies, I now work for the Bag Lady. Yes, we like nicknames. When I told her that with PC volunteers she's known as the Bag Lady she laughed a lot. I guess I'm glad we amuse her. In any case, after swearing in Nov. 22nd I will move to Clisova Noua and work for her and the community for 2 wonderful years, in which I will do Community and Organizational Development. And that means, pretty much anything. Still, I get free bags, so it's all worth it! Soon I'll be learning to weave my own, I hope. As well as knit, crochet and all those things that I never learned before. Like playing the guitar. And going months without going out at night or smoking cigarettes.
It's getting cold here, and the fact that I would have to buy a winter jacket when I have like 5 in Madrid made me mad. So I called Veronica (my suitcase-keeper and friend in MAD), and we managed to find out that they have buses going back and forth from Madrid to Chisinau pretty often, so, my suitcase should arrive soon. As well as my painting supplies, some books and whatever she managed to stuff in that suitcase. I asked for yerba and alfajores. But her boyfriend called me to ask for some info and accidentally told me that she managed to put a bottle of something in there. I don't know why, since I can't drink here without it being severly frowned upon, but oh well. In any case, getting my suitcase of 40 kilos sent here is cheaper than actually buying a coat, so i'm excited about the upcoming feeling of warmth. Not like PC doesn't colaborate too: Thursday they came by in a big van and dropped off a heater and yak tracks at my house. Apparently I'll need both very soon. That was a bit scary.
Language is coming along good. Yesterday we drew aliens in class! Yes, that's right! We were learning body parts so the teacher would tell us: 4 legs, 7 toes, 3 eyes, etc. and we would draw the alien. Mine was called Xig. And then we had to give it a little dialogue bubble. Xig said: daţ-mi placintă său mort! In English: Give me placinta or die! So yes, my Rumanian is coming along well! Ah, and don't be scared, after that fun activity we learned how to conjugate some 40 new verbs in Rumanian, some that were impossible to pronounce and others that were irregular so there is no option but to memorize them. It's not all fun in games in Rumanian class, FOR REAL!
For more crazy Moldova stories, let me tell you what happened in my town this week. So there is like 4 little shops in town that sell the basic necessities here, like cigarettes and alcohol and all those things that you cannot grow on your own. So I went in to buy a pack of cigarettes, something I don't usually do in town just to keep a low profile since I am a woman and all that, and here that's such a huge deal. I mean, I technically should be married by now. In any case, I went in to the old lady's shop. I usually never go there. So I go in as normal:

Me- Marlboro Lights please
Her- Sure, 13 lei
Me- Thank you

And then she's about to hand me the change. But she doesn't.

Her- What is your name?
Me- Agh.... (PANIC!!!! She wants to KNOW MY NAME! OMG! She's going to go and tell everybody I smoke! That I'm bad! Maybe I should tell her the cigarettes are for my host dad, he smokes anyways. WHAT DO I DO? Maybe I should give her one of the other american girls' names! Or maybe, JUST MAYBE, she's a SPY!!!! A SPY!! No, they probably think that I'M the spy... WHAT TO DO WHAT TO DO?!?!?!) Carla.

And I grabbed my change and left. Yes, all that for a pack of cigarettes. It's not easy being a girl here. And cigarettes are minor. I cannot imagine what would happen if any girl would go and try to buy condoms or, what's worse, tampons, in the towns. That would surely call for deportation.
Last but not least for today's post, I have a little suprise. See, most people don't know where Moldova is, what it is about, much less what language they speak and whether it is or isn't part o the EU. All those things aside, Moldova is defintely famous for this:

If you have been to a night club in the last 4 years, you know. If you haven't, well, now you know what the rest of us were dancing to!

After Site Visit

2007-10-16T10:38:00.000-05:00

I'm alive and made back to Chisinau in one piece! It was a long weekend, but overall I have to say I am happy with my town and excited about my job. There seems like there is a lot to do and learn, and I cannot wait. I had two great host families, so great that I'm still deciding which one to choose. I think I'm going to go for the option that gives me more connections in the village and more people to meet and socialize with.
So my weekend was long and eventfull. I got to see some of the wine festival in Chisinau (like Fiesta de la Vendimia in Argentina!), and got some great pictures. The rest of the day I spent playing chess and checkers with a pair of 7 year old twins, that constantly corrected my lame Rumanian. At least their parents spoke English.
I got to my village and was introduced to my first possible host family. They were awesome and super hospitable. And I helped milk the cow. The next one was the same, but there was no cow milking. Just playing cards and watching the Fashion Network on satellite TV with their 9 year old. Later we read my Romanian book and she offered to do my homework. I felt super tempted to take her up on the offer, but... it wouldn't set a good example. Ah, and the dad spoke Italian, so we had a great Italian-Rumanian conversation.
During the weekend I also got to hang out with my counterpart, a.k.a "The Bag Lady". She runs a place where they make handmade things, mostly woven stuff, and mainly bags. I even got a cool free bag. For marketing purposes of course! In any case, she's awesome and I think that there is a lot of things to be done. She said something about maybe setting up an internet business and trying to get some marketing going on for the enterprise, so it is very interesting. Can't wait!
And today, finally... relaxation. I need it. Only Rumanian (and Italo-Rumanian) for 4 days is about to make my head explode.

Site Assignment

2007-10-13T03:09:00.000-05:00

I got my site assignement this week! I must admit I'm feeling much better since I know what my future beholds for me. I'll be in Clisova Noua, a small town 17 km north from Orhei, and about 50-something km from Chisinau. It's a great site location-wise. As for my job, I'll be working with "rural" women that run an artisan workshop. They weave carpets and purses and other things from scratch. What they make is amazing. They even put up their own website: www.rusticart.md , and have some great things on it. I'll be working with Ecaterina, but i'm not sure what i'll be doing yet. It seems like promoting their endeavors and maybe trying to get some agro-turism developed. I'm very excited! And today, the same day of the Chisinau wine festival (hmm... strange, isn't it?) , we have our site visits. I'm with my counterpart right now in Chisinau, because she has a stand going on for the festival, exhibiting their handicrafts. I'm taking lots of pictures too, which one day, I hope, will make it online. As soon as I solve my technical problems.
As for adventures this week, I have a great one at the store. I was trying to buy a notebook and some envelopes. I forgot the word for envelopes, so:

Me- Ehm... Avet... ? ehmm... F*$#!
Local- Nu, nu avem F*$#! (and he laugs at me of course)

That was embarassing. I forgot that the F word is quite international.
Hmm... counterpart calling. Must go. I wonder how we communicate in my sucky Rumanian. I'm glad that she corrects me a lot though. It's helping me!
More soon, I promise!

Yes, I'm Still Here

2007-10-07T08:18:00.000-05:00

Today was my first day as a free person. Or as free as I'll ever be in Moldova. I went to Chisinau. I took some pictures. I went shopping. And I was happy.
Then I went to the Peace Corps office and loaded up on books for a while since I won't be back around these parts anytime soon, it seems. Next weekend I have site visits. And before that, on Tuesday, I find out my permanent site!
As for the pictures, you will have to wait. I stil haven't figured out how to tell a Moldovan (in Rumanian) that I want to make a picture CD. I will eventually I guess.
I will be out of reach for a while, at least online. You can still call me.
So what did I do this week? I avoided lumps of poop and mud, as well as watery puddles. I waited out for a cow-traffic-jam at 8 am in my town. I survived hours of Rumanian class, and more hours of nothing-to-do-boredom. I cut my own hair. Such excitement!
As for now, I have to go. It's getting dark, and I can't get home before dark. Ugh!

The Lost Blog Entry

2007-10-07T04:01:00.000-05:00

I wrote this last week and meant to post it, but I had techincal difficulties... so here it goes:

Ah, finally, the peace of pre writing my blog at home without having to worry about people hurrying me up or forgetting to write about things I was meaning to write about. But, since I’m in Moldova, the privilege of having a laptop to myself for a few hours was not a feat easy to accomplish. First, I needed somebody awesome and super generous that lived in my town, had a laptop and spoke my language. That was easy, in a second I called Eric. I managed to get to his house on the other side of the village (4 blocks away), after avoiding many possible cow collisions. Since I haven’t socialized much, when I got there I just had to hang out for a bit and enjoy the brief contact with another human being that speaks my language for an hour. The problems came after that hour, after it got dark. See, it was time for me to get home and I had never attempted to walk around my village at night. I realized that, not only do they not have street signs, they don’t have street lights either. So armed with my Ipod in one hand, and my cell phone on the other (for lighting purposes), I managed to avoid stepping on most of the cow shit that was on my way home. And I didn’t fall into any holes either. These little successes are what we like to celebrate here in Moldova PC PST (Peace Corps Pre Service Training). And I am celebrating by drinking a much deserved coca cola and typing on a laptop. Talk about small steps.
So yesterday I was in Chisinau, as you can see from my previous blog posting. It was a quick trip, mostly just to communicate with the real world for a few precious hours. I also learned some of the reasons of why Moldova is not in the EU. I mean, they are obvious enough, but I didn’t catch them. Apparently the older more conservative people are the ones that vote and they prefer the more old fashioned political parties. Young people are mostly working abroad and do not vote, so that leaves it pretty obvious. They are considered a not economically stable economy, but then, I think Rumania and Bulgaria were too and they’re still in. There is a lot interesting perspectives in this argument, especially since Moldova is such a small country, they always have the option of rejoining Rumania as part of that country (they used to be part of the Soviet Union, but before, Rumania), but that is something that they obviously don’t want to do, no even if it gets them in the EU. So yeah, it was a learning trip after all.
More news: I have adopted a kitty, like I said I would. A real Moldovan kitty! So since I have Rumanian class, I noticed that my teacher has two kittens. I wanted to steal one of them, but she wouldn’t let me. But two days ago, a new kitten decided to move in. And it’s the sweetest, cutest and most flea-ridden of the three. Still, it’s mine. My teacher said I could have it. Yeih! So I can’t wait to find out where I’ll be living so I can program the move. And eventual de-fleaing. Ah, and neutering. By the way, her name is Clara. Actually, in Moldova my name always ends up being Clara. Carla is too strange to say, and Clara is a Moldovan name so I get called that. Now kitty does too.
So I have a lot of free time here. And I have not planned accordingly. There is only so much educational reading I can take at a time, I need breaks too. So I grabbed the last Harry Potter book. And I finished it three days later. Peace Corps supplies Newsweek Magazines. I’m done with those too. So if you pity me you can send me all those books you don’t want to:

Carla Avenia
Peace Corps Moldova
Str. Grigore Ureche 12
Chisinau, 2001
Republica Moldova

You know what else has saved me? All that music I stole from Deimian’s computer (thanks Damian!) and Sari’s music collection (thanks to you too babe!). So if you want to invest in my musical education, send me all that music you think I might like. You know what? Here’s a small list of things I need:

-Books
-Music
-Photos
-Winter Coats, scarves, hats, etc. (or money to go get the winter clothes I left in Madrid)
-Italian coffee maker
-Good ground coffee
-DULCE DE LECHE
-YERBA
-UN MATE
-ALFAJORES
-Fernet
-Cilantro and Avocado seeds
-Yarn and knitting essentials
-Sudoku or crosswords
-Maybe a guitar
-Letters, written by you dear reader
-Postcards too
-Calls (011 373 68254344)

I cannot emphasize enough how much I would appreciate the Argentine food.

On another note, if you want to send me free text messages (which I usually get on the spot!), you can do it through www.orange.md . You’ll see a box on the right side of the page I think, and there you just enter my number (0682-54344) and you tell me whatever you want (I hope it’s nice). Please, no drunk calls. Keep in mind when you call me at midnite US Central time, it is 8 am here and I am headed to class. Receiving a drunk call at that time kindda ruins my day, especially since you’re having fun and I’m not. Yes, it’s just a question of jealousy. Be nice, please (don’t want to mention any specific names… EHEM!)
Ah, so as part of the project we’re working on during PST, we walked around the village a lot. We discovered a lake. Yes, there was a lake behind Ratus. I just had no idea it was there. Even though it’s two blocks away from my house. But whatever. In any case, the lake seemed very nice. Then I realized that I was the only girl hanging out there. Only men were there, fishing away. Then I looked uphill behind me. And on the hill that descends straight into that lake, guess what there is. Yes, a trash dump. A gianormous one. So following the laws of physics, it is safe to assume that every time it rains (or even when it doesn’t), the trash just drains into the lake. From which men are fishing. And I’m guessing it’s not sport fishing. Now I know why PC told us not to eat the local fish. This is one reason. The others have to do with contaminated water in general. It also explains a bit why we shouldn’t eat the mushrooms either, I mean, they grow by absorbing water. Even though the official don’t-eat-mushrooms policy says that we shouldn’t eat them because the people that handpick them don’t always know how to distinguish the good ones from the poisonous ones, so there are lots of cases of mushroom poisoning. Or just upset stomaches and maybe some vomiting.
So in that walk, that’s not all I saw. I noticed that a bit past that lake there was this big house that seems abandoned, and that happened to be where I went out “clubbing” the first Saturday I was in Ratus. I put clubbing in between quotation marks because… well, it reminded me of going out in Lobos (Buenos Aires). For those of you who know, I’ll just leave it there. Anyways, I found out that this seemingly abandoned building is a temporary night club and the future mayor’s office. Nice combo.
Another mentionable event was the Team Building like a week and some days ago. Team Building day sounds awfully boring and stilly, but it was actually a lot of fun. I think it’s mostly because of the awesome volunteers that were arranging it, and because the staff was a blast to have on our teams. In any case, we learned to ask for help, to work as a team, and how to make lava boots. And yes, the lava boots were definitely the best part. Hmm… maybe the great dinner that PC treated us to afterwards… I’m split 50-50!
As for living adjustments, there is a lot of things that have changed. Nevertheless, by now I’m used to them and not bothered too much by them. Yes, I have an outhouse. And to learn how to use it without peeing on yourself is an acquired skill. Something that I might even consider putting on my resume. So doing that is easy, but doing the other thing is different. Still, since we have class 6 days a week, I think most of the people in the village take advantage of the fact that our teacher has a toilet and we hold it in until we have class. I know, it’s kindda mean, but… learning how to conjugate 20 new different verbs in one day is too!!
Then there is the bathing situation. I like to bathe everyday, at the very least, every other day. Here, every other day is strange. Since heating the water is a process of: cutting wood, burning the wood in the oven-heater thing, waiting for that to heat the water, and then being able to bathe, we don’t get to do that as often as I’d like at least. The good thing is that since nobody else gets to bathe that often anyways, we all pretty much smell the same and we can’t say anything about each other. So I don’t feel bad about not showering for 48 hours. Sometimes.
Last but not least, we have the food. The food is great, mostly organic. Some of the plates get repetitive though (like soup or guiso). And they don’t carry nearly enough spices. Some things are just plain weird, like chicken jelly. Not kidding. Or spaghetti with the sauce composed by chicken fat. This last one doesn’t taste bad, but of course, it can’t be good for my butt. In any case, to their standards I eat very little. What weirds them out the most is the fact that I don’t eat breakfast, and that I drink an awful lot of coffee (because it’s Nescafe, and I am used to espresso).And then there is the Vincenzo story. For all of those who are interested, yes, we still talk. Once a week. I had the call on Friday night. We also text each other, and when I’m online I let him know and we meet up and chat. I miss him, but I feel the distance growing. I just hope we can still manage to stay in touch over these few months. I’ve asked him to come over during the winter holidays, and I do hope with all my heart that he does. But, I am hoping yet I do know that he might not, so I’m prepared for either.
If I think overall; it was a busy week. There was the walk about town adventure, going to Magdacesti (our neighboring town) for more education and a beer afterwards. That same day we had our first incident of harassment, and the girls dealed with it as best as they could. Ah, and we walked home from our neighboring village. What used to be a 2 minute bus ride turned into a 30 minute cow shit avoidance marathon. The next day we had a special part of the class dedicated to phrases on how to tell people to leave us alone in case this harassment happened again. And the next day we had a field trip to a small town where we learned about Moldovan handicrafts and had a nice snack. And the next day, we went to Perescecina (I think it’s spelled like that) for our weekly vaccines and training. Friday we had class and then the church field trip. The weekend was spent mostly in Chisinau. It just seems that I had a lot free time anyways. So Mom, please still send me the Sodoku and the yarn to start making my scarves. Who knows, if worse comes to worse I’ll exchange my handmade scarves for books.

Technology Blows

2007-09-30T08:31:00.000-05:00

Well, today was our official field trip to Chisinau with our very special volunteer mentors. I got the bestest one, Amy. I've been reading her blog for almost a year before getting here, and then I arrived and I found out that... SHE WAS MY MENTOR! So, since she's sooo cool, she tooks us shopping at the piazza, out for coffee, showed me where the best stores (for shopping) are, and then took us to have a Mexican lunch. Yeih! Best mentor ever! Of course we talked about many things during the walk around Chisinau, and I am way lucky to have some of her kickass advice on many things.
As for the reason of why technology blows, well, I typed up 4 pages worth of blog last nite, and I thought I passed it into a flash drive. Then I got here and realized I didn't. So this is why my post sucks today.

One more week to some sort of freedom...

2007-09-29T06:58:00.000-05:00

Another stressful week has gone by. I mean stressful for all the language acquisition going on. Because as for anything else beyond class... well, there is nothing else beyond class. Nothing to do. I finished Harry Potter in 3 days and now I have nothing to do. Please send me a book. Or a puzzle. Well, I did have my first after class beer on Tuesday, but it had to be done in another town that was not mine, otherwise it would have ruined my reputation. If I even have one, since i'm not sure if people know me yet. The kids recognize us though; we're the americans. They'll come up to us, scream HelloHowAreYOU!!!??? and run away.
I adopted a kitten. It lives at my Rumanian teacher's house right now. But it's mine.Her name is Clara. Which is my name in Moldova apparently, since nobody can say Carla. It sounds too much like Clara, and since Clara is a normal name here they just call me Clara. Anyways, so now kitty is Clara.
October 9th we'll know our permanent site and permanent job. So nervous! I have my hopes on certain places and job assignements, but we will be discussing those the upcoming weeks with the person in charge of our program.
So this week, in short: We went to our first mayor's office meeting with our local Moldovan liasion. It was interesting to not understand much except those words that sounded like Spanish. Apparently the first argument they were having was about property rights. The mayor was mostly quiet, the rest of the people were running the show. It might have something to do with the fact that he is very young, and he's just filling in for the last mayor that... well, is not alive anymore. Then yesterday, we went to the local Orthodox church to learn about the religion. One of the volunteers asked the priest what was the meaning of life, and with the translating back and forth I ended up gathering that for Orthodox followers the meaning of life is to have a family and procreate, ultimately. As for the women, we had to have our hair covered and stuff, and one of the girls asked what was the role of women in the Orthodox religion, and apparently we are only baby making machines that are supossed to care for our husband's every need. That was interesting. I thought about this, and then the fact that some of the girls were harrassed on a rutiera a few days ago, and it ultimately seems like even the religion in this country is encouraging this kind of behavior, or this kind of treatment towards women: It's ok to treat women however you want, and tell them whatever you want. They are there to cater to you and your needs. Just my view though.
Anyways, that's it for today. Hopefully more tomorrow: trip to Chisinau with volunteer mentors.

First Week!

2007-09-22T09:31:00.000-05:00

It's only been a week, and in Moldova time it seems like months. We've been so busy, so if i'm pissy about people not calling me here, it's because it seems like forever that I don't talk to you. Call me: 01137368254344, so I don't have to!
So many language lessons later, i can finally start understanding and communicating in Rumanian. It's coming along. I just wish there was more fun stuff to do, like to distract myself after i'm done studying. My options are: watch Bollywood films dubbed to Russian, watch Argentine soap operas from 10 years ago dubbed into Russian, or watch Brazilian soap operas dubbed into, yes, Russian. I mostly listen to my Ipod and write. Because there is nothing else to do in my town. Unless we gang up together with the Americans and decide to pursue some redneck activities like cow tipping or something.
I'm being hurried up to leave back into town. CALL ME PLEASE!

Last day in Kishinev

2007-09-14T13:26:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow all the new M21's are headed to their training sites with their host families. Of course that includes me too. I will be in Ratus (pronounced RAtush), with my host mom, dad, sister and brother. Oh, and a cat and a dog. And an outhouse. If i'm lucky i'll have running water. If i'm not, I will sponge bath a lot. Ah, and there will be other trainees with me living in the same town.
So far this first half-week has been tiring. I met a lot of people who's names I can't remember. M21's as well as older volunteers. I'm tired. A bit confused. Excited. Hoping people will call me tomorrow.... anybody?
Chisinau is cool. I had another nice walk today. Through the main park, and down Stefan Cel Mare (main street, like the Champs Elysees of Chisinau. I actually heard somebody call it this). The capital is very nice, and there is a flow people. Some very fashionably dressed. I went under their Arc De Triomphe (for real, they have one too) and... SUPRISE! I was stopped by a TV camera and MTV type interviewer. He started speaking what sounded like Russian, and very quickly. Of course I replied "Ehm, do you speak English?". The guy easily switched to English, and told me to say that something or somebody was the best, and then, that I love Moldova. Which I did. Both. I hope this doesn't break the PC policy of giving interviews without their permission. It wasn't my fault, I was startled!
Nevertheless, it seems that overall, I have barely any culture shock at all, compared to others that are suprised at the stray dogs, the bad driving, the lack of water ocasionally, the low temperature of it constantly.... as well as other things. Luckly I have experienced all these things before.
Today my knowledge of Spanish saved my ass. It worked kindda like this:

I go into a pharmacy.

Me- Do you speak English?

Pharmacy Clerks look confused, and start fighting with each other about who should speak to me. One finally loses the argument and just makes a head movement at me.

Me- Do you have any feminine products?

Pharmacy Clerk looks confused.

Me- Productos femeninos?

Pharmacy Clerk excitedly nods and asks me something I interpret as "What kind?"

Me- Tampones?

Pharmacy Clerk hands them to me. And I think "SUCCESS!!!!!" and happily walk out of the pharmacy feeling good for some reason. Now, if I only knew these words in Rumanian. Good thing PC provided me with a trusty dictionary. Which I haven't opened yet. But I will have to, since I have weekend homework for my Monday class. And I do have lots of class. Everyday. On everything. And the coffee here sucks. Yes, instant Nescafe.
Hey, did you know? McDonald's in Moldova charges you 4 lei for packet of ketchup. I thought that was weird. And nobody wants to unluck my phone. If they do, I will have a cell phone. If they don't... well, I will have to buy a phone. And I would hate that. A lot.
I would like lots of calls tomorrow though. Especially since I will be stuck in a 3000 person town a lot without being able to leave the place easily. Unless it's in the typical herd-form that PC expects us to move in for the first few months.

In Moldova

2007-09-13T12:02:00.000-05:00

After the longest trip ever, I made it to Moldova. But let's start from the beginning.
Staging was in Washington DC. There, I met all my fellow M21 trainees. Sept. 11th, we left and headed to Frankfurt. There, we waited some 8 hours for a connecting flight, and eventually we boarded a small white unmarked plane that was apparently Air Moldova. I was glad to know that Moldova has their own airline, but not glad about such an old plane.
Nevertheless, we arrived to Moldova where some of the other volunteer's were waiting for us and cheering us on while the locals just stared.
Even though we were exhausted from the trip, we still had an initial (but short) talk, and somehow we mustered some energy to go have a coffee or a beer with the volunteers, who gave us lots of cool advice or simply told us their crazy adventures in Moldova.
How is Kishinev? Well, today, it was cloudy. Therefore, it was sad. A bit at least. There is some activity (people running around, things happening), but it's more comparable to a small city. the building are a mix of evertyhing. Some super boring, straight and from the Soviet era. Some are old and pretty. The people in general don't look very happy, but I wouldn't blame them either. To my experience, few people speak English. I communicate in other ways. For example, this morning at breakfast I wanted milk, so I said:

Me- Ehmm... milk? leche? leite?
Moldovan Woman- aaah, LATTE!
Me- YEIH! YES!
Moldovan Woman- (shakes head) No, no....

Hey, at least I tried! In any case, today I also started the Rumanian lessons. And by the luck I had today at the cell phone store (trying to "liberate" my spanish phone), apparently I will need to pick up some Russian too. I'm not complaining though. On the contrary, I'm looking forward to it. I'm also looking forward to taking up all those things that I wanted to do before and I didn't. It was actual advice from PC, since we do have some time to do these things because Moldova runs in another completely different rythm.
More news. Saturday I move in with my first host family, that will have me as long as my training lasts. I will be in a town called Ratus, and my phone number will be:

011 373 248 35324

You can find me there starting saturdays, and you can call me after 10 am your time. I would say 10 am until 2 pm. My address will be included in my next post.
Ah, as for questions... well, all I know is what I post. PC doesn't say much more. They kindda keep us in the dark and we go day by day. I can't complain, so far it's a good system. But for now, I don't know things like exactly what i'll be doing, which volunteers will live around my town, or where I'll be living after November. Any guesses?

For now, I am still jetlagged... I need to go rest. Ah, and hope there is water at the hotel. Two hours ago there wasn't any.

The Long Way Home

2007-09-07T09:19:00.000-05:00

Sunday is orientation. I arrived Tuesday, after the longest trip ever! It started when me and Vince were laying on the beach Monday afternoon in Calabria, and I ask him: "Have you bought the train tickets to Rome yet?". Of course he hadn't. So we went to buy them, even though I told him to buy them a week in advance, and not only is the train already full, but we don't get any student discounts when buying an overbooked ticket. So we went back to his place, I packed, said goodbye to his wonderful family and we headed to the train station 15 minutes before the 10 pm train. The train arrives at 11 pm. And it's full, but we"luckily" found a spot to put our suitcases and use them like seats right next to the bathroom. This obviously meant no sleeping since people would come in and out of the bathroom and we had to constantly move, and then they decided to make our area the smoking area where everybody liked to hang out... I love peeing and smoking cigarettes, but at least I have some consideration for those that surround me!!! So we got to Rome at like 5 am, took another train to the airport in which I passed out completely and don't remember anything, and finally we arrive on time for my flight. I checked in, we had breakfast, took some final pictures, made out by the security checkpoint and then I stood in line. This line is moving unusually slow, and since I have a bad habit of not carrying a watch and working on my own clock which is not always correct, it was apparently time for my flight. How do I know? They started calling my name over the loudspeakers, telling me to get to the gate RIGHT NOW. So I asked permission to cut in line, I went through security and started running. Or attempting to run. I should quit smoking. Anyways, I did my best effort, but I was in terminal A and apparently my plane left from terminal C, for which I sadly realized you had to take a mini train to. Of course I got to the gate panting, crying and sweaty, and in hysterics I asked to please be put on that plane right now, that I had to leave, that if I didn't leave my life was ruined, that I would never make it to Houston and therefore to Peace Corps, and so on. The British Airways lady told me that it was too bad, but she could not let me in to the Rome-Gatwick flight. That if I wanted, she would put me in the Rome-Heathrow flight that departed in half an hour, at no cost. I took what I could get.
I arrived at Heathrow, with only 2 hours left to find my way to Gatwick and fly back to Houston. I waited for my suitcase some 20 minutes, got tired of waiting and went to try to find out what was going on. What was going was that nobody knew where my suitcase was. The guesses were Rome, Gatwick or Heathrow. By then I couldn't care less; I had to get to Gatwick. So I ran out, free of baggage at the least, and tried to find my bus in the bus station after paying 20 pounds for the ticket. Another helpful person that pitied my stressed out state helped me find my bus, and convince the bus driver to let me on, because for some reason he refused to. Pshh, brits. This was at 10:45 am, and my plane left at 12. The estimated travel time was 50 minutes. The whole way all I could think of was "F*%$, F*%$, F*%$, F*%$, etc.". I finally made it at 11:40 to Gatwick. I ran into the airport, looked for the check-in counter that happened to be on the third floor for some apparent reason. I took an elevator that seemed to be slower than a turtle, and had me going "C'mon, c'mon, F*%$, F*%$, F*%$...". I think that I amused my fellow passengers though. People looked at me like I was crazy or something. At the moment I was. So I somehow made it to check-in, I was allowed through because I had previously checked-in online the night before (THANK GOD!), and then I proceeded to run to the security checkpoint and once more harass all those that were in line to let me through because I was missing my flight because I'm stupid. It went rather well, but then the second security checkpoint exasperated me: SINCE WHEN DO THEY NEED MY SHOES? I am glad they were all sweaty and stinky from me running all over the airports. They had it coming to them.
So I ran ran ran some more, reconsidered quitting smoking, and arrived to the gate 10 seconds after the called my name on the loudspeakers, so I was able to get into the plane headed to Houston. Yeih! Then, after I sat, they said they had engine problems so the flight was delayed some 40 minutes. In those 40 minutes, I could have not ran or harassed people to let me through ahead of them, and I could have smoked a cigarette. But oh well. I had made it! And after not sleeping, I just simply passed out. I didn't sleep the whole flight as I wish I could have done though.
Daddy picked me up, we filed a claim for my baggage, and he took me to get tacos. I WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT SPICY FOOD!! hmmm... I missed it! Then, I went home, and used a washer AND DRYER (dryers are not the norm in Europe), A MICROWAVE (not the norm either), I enjoyed THE AIRCONDITIONING and I SLEPT ON MY FULL SIZE BED!!! After sleeping in small midget twin beds for the last few months, trust me, a full size bed is awesomeeee stufff!
Of course I also related my misadventures to my family, and to Vince when I called him before bed, but there is nothing like putting them in writing... sheesh. Nevertheless, the one thing that I am grateful for, is for all the help that people provided me with. The BA lady in Rome, the air hostesses that worked the Rome-Heathrow flight (on advice for getting to Gatwick), the guy in the bus station, the people at Gatwick airport, all those that let me through... it's so comforting to know that there is people like that in the world, and if it wasn't for a combined effort of human kindness, I would have never made it to Houston.
So as far as everything else. I am saying goodbye to everybody I know, trying to meet up with everybody, buying gifts to send to Vince's family and to take to my host families. Waiting for my suitcase... A bit nervous, but mostly excited. The only things that make me nervous is like what Vince told me about the Frankfurt airport bombing plan on the same day us future PCV's were supossed to be there. I guess I should just trust in PC, knowing that they will take good care of me and my security.
Anyways, so I also talked to Becca, another girl that is coming with me (met via facebook) and doing COD in Moldova. Very reassuring to know that we share the same feelings apparently.
Now, I must go fill out a gazillion forms. Yeih! Ah, and figure out what to do as far as clothing. Since I have nothing to wear. Except two normal shirts and a red Che Guevara shirt. It happens to be red, it has nothing to do with my political inclinations. But people have pointed out the color thing before. And Che of course. I dunno if that will fly well in Moldova. Should I try, just for fun?

Italia... and everything else!

2007-08-31T18:08:00.000-05:00

So as for updates... I am in Italy at the moment. I leave on Sept. 4th, I fly from Rome to London. There I will take a plane to Houston. I'll be there until Sept. 9th, day which I fly to Washington DC for my orientation, and the Tuesday after that, I leave for Moldova, and I arrive on Wednesday Sept. 12th. It's going to be a crazy week, full of jet lag and trying to keep up with everything that is going on. I have to cram romantic goodbyes, goodbye parties, goodbye meals and coffees, shopping, packing, and attempting to be awake to be conscious of what is going on, all into one week. Europe-America-Eastern Europe.
Yet, for now... yes, i'm in Italy. Enjoying Vincenzo and the beach and the food. Tomorrow I have to attend his cousin's wedding, for which I bought the cutest dress for only like 12 euros (thank God i'm i Southern Italy and not Northern Italy). Just now we had the typical "serenade" on the night before the wedding. It was here, in his backyard, because his whole family lives in the same 4 story apartment building. It's weird, but it seems that a lot of the traditions and customs here seem to be simliar to those that I should be experiencing in Moldova. Tomorrow is the wedding party and i'm informed that it is an all day event, full of eating, drinking and dancing. I'm anxious to see a real live tarantela, or the typical regional dance in these parts. I want to learn it, even though I actually danced it before at a beach party here. Yes, they played a tarantela, and it was great fun to spin around in circles kindda like polka-style at 4 am by a bonfire with a handsome Italian.
As for Vincenzo, well, I must say I'm definetely happy to have met him. He's wonderful in many ways, and his only defect so far is his passion for something called fantacalcio, or fantasy (soccer) football. Or maybe I just want his constant attention and i'm jealous of the time he gives fantasy football. Whatever. Right now he's sitting in the kitchen with his friends going over all the formations. At least it gives me time to sit and write, since he complains about all the time I spend on the computer when he's here and not doing fantasy football.
So what else? Hmmm... well, of course I got introduced to all of his family. Even the extended family. And all his friends. Everybody seems fantastic, and they seem to really like me, so that's good. I've been able to communicate rather well in my mediocre Italian. Even though he introduces me as his "friend", I think it is understated that we are together, since we're always like kissing and hugging and whispering into each other's ears and all that mushy stuff couples do. His dad is already planning his trip to Moldavia for him... so I assume i'm liked... I still don't know what will happen, and I have asked him. He says that we'll keep in touch over email and stuff, and whenever it is possible for us to see each other again, we will. I kindda hope he'll come visit me as soon as it possible for me to receive visits... But of course, only time will tell. If we still feel the same in a few months, then it will certainly happen. If things change, maybe things weren't meant to be? I think that's the best way to see it.
As for everything else in Southern Italy: it's great. Great Mediterranean beaches, turquoise water, sunny days, fantastic food, friendly people and no plan for any day. We just wake up and do what we feel like, all day long. I couldn't ask for more! And it's the perfect vacation before going into PC.
Nevertheless, I am ready for the PC challenge. I have been waiting for it since I was 18 and found out about the PC, and now... it's finally coming! I can't wait to start learning things, studying and practicing a new language, adopting a new culture, making new friends, and meeting lots of new people. No matter what happens with Vince, I know I will be happy in Moldova. I'm constantly forwarding my mom all the emails I get with packing recommendations from all the PC people already there, so I can have all this stuff ready to go into my suitcase as soon as I get to Houston. By the way, they are already being super helpful and welcoming. I'm so excited about getting to meet all these people whose blogs I've been reading for like 9 months!! It's like meeting celebrities or something!
For the packing... I think I have almost everything ready. I had even thought about taking spices like chili powder and dried up chili peppers. All I was missing was hiking boots and a head flash light thingy to use in outhouses. As a girl I've been dwelling upon getting the Diva Cup or not... still not sure... All the girls I know that have it totally rave about it, but... I stil haven't decided to go either for or against it. In any case, all i'm missing for right now is new contacts, which I will hopefully get as soon as I get to Houston. A 6 month supply should be good...
In any case, I'm definetely excited. Not scared at all. Looking forward to surviving this week and just getting there. It's crazy to think that within 10 days I will have crossed the Atlantic twice, and change cultures and languages 3 times. Ugh. If you count my multi-cultural family, it will be a 4 language change.
For now, I will go keep on enjoying the fireworks being loudly set off outside, in addition to the drunken accordion-player-singer combo.

Long Time, No Posts

2007-08-28T08:32:00.000-05:00

Ah, so where have I been and what have I done and what is going on with PC? Well, I ended up moving to Spain. In 9 months I've had so many adventures that I could write that book I wanted to write. For example, right now I'm in southern Italy... how? Well, in Spain I met a handsome Italian exchange student and now I'm here visiting him and enjoying the beach before I run away to Peace Corps Moldova, staging Sept. 9th!! Finally the notice came in, even though it was hard to get since I was in Europe and I actually had to go to the airport to pick up the invitation package myself because Fedex could not find my address in Madrid. So now I have a couple of weeks to go, and I'm still in Europe. I head back to Houston on Sept. 4th to say goodbye to everybody, pick up some of my stuff and fly to Washington and then to Chisinau! I am soooo excited! Ah, and i'll be doing Community and Organizational Development instead of Agrobusiness.
Anyways, crazy year full of experiences, travels, new friends and a wonderful life. This was totally worth it, I don't regret moving to Europe a single bit. I don't miss the states much at all. For now, all I can do is promise I will update more often, especially since I have 2 weeks to go. But now I must run to stuff my mouth with homemade Italian food and then go lay at the beach and work on my tan and do pretty much nothing. La vita è bella, veramente.

Why leave?

2007-01-07T16:05:00.000-06:00

I am 15 days away from leaving the US. Something tells me it's for a VERY long time. I mean at least a decade. I can possibly see myself living here in a distant future, but maybe somewhere like New York. In any case, I am super excited, and I'm going throught the process of going psycho on stupid things, fo example, in a recent email to my friend in Spain, I asked him if he thinks I should take bedsheets with me. When he answered in a very "patient" manner, I felt so stupid.
Besides the sheet problem, I have others concerning books, clothes, music, pictures... I have to make so many choices in such little time! I just want to make sure i'm not going to miss any particular material things over there (like a certain shirt, or a picture).
I also went through the major step of deleting my Myspace today. It just seems so... Houston. Like the striped hoodie i'm wearing. Or like the people. The following conversation happened recently at work:
(Random Drunk White Guy): "Why would you move to Europe? WHAT WOULD EVER MAKE YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE US???"
(Me): "People like you, that have to ask me why I would want to leave the US and move to Europe, since you probably have never been there and much less own a passport."
In conclusion, why do I want to leave? I want to be somewhere where people have been somewhere outside their state, speak more than one language, and know as much about politics as they know about soccer.

Moving the wait to Europe

2006-12-19T13:28:00.000-06:00

I know it might sound strange or crazy but... I'm moving to Europe. More specifically, Madrid (Spain for those of you geographically challenged, which hopefully is not many). It's been a dream I've had for a long while, probably as long as I had the dream of joining the Peace Corps. I just decided that "I can do it". In addition, I have to admit that I did pay attention to my commencement speech last Friday, and the basis of it consisted of: "Do not miss an opportunity to impress yourself". So I am. I bought my ticket, and January 22nd I'm headed to Madrid. Hopefully with enough money. I am trying to figure out the apartment part as we speak. I've gotten on craiglist and talked to some people. Yet for some reason craigslist scares me because of people constantly using it for scamming purposes. Oh well... I got advised to check other spanish websites though, and I am, arduously. Hoping to score something before I leave. Like a job interview.
As for the PC part of my life, I got two letters back. From OMS requesting an exam and a letter from a doctor (which I supposedly got, I'm waiting for my doctor to call me back). And from the OMS paperwork people, asking for the receipts I forgot to send in with my requests for reimbursements. That went out already. Yet, I would really like to have a nomination before I leave, just to know. Right now as I see my life, it's something like this: Having a blast trying to figure out how to live in Spain from Jan 2007 to September 2007, packing up and saying goodbye to everybody in Houston September 2007, and September 2007 through the next 27 months having a blast doing something awesome "somewhere". It's a big blank. A scary one. In addition, to add to my fear of not knowing things, there is a rumor going around the online PC groups (I think I started the one on facebook) saying that the PC might be getting kicked out of the EE countries that are joining the EU. Those would be Romania and Bulgaria. A.k.a.: "Posh PC Countries". I was hoping to actually end up in either country, or in Ukraine. In any case, with this rumor going around, it means that I have less of a probability of ending up in EE, since half of the programme might be cut off. I hope not!
In any case, American life has grown old on me. I need out for a bit. Things like needing a car, getting a camera-based ticket saying you ran a red light, spending all the money you made on Saturday night by going out on a Sunday, etc. have grown boring. I want to go somewhere where I am not know, where I can just relax and stare at my life from the outside. I think this is the best decision I can make before joining the PC. Clearing out my mind and finding peace. In addition, if I succeed in moving to Spain with very little money, I know I can do it anywhere. The confidence boost will be awesome (Not like I need one, I am borderline narcissistic...)

Another day

2006-12-05T01:12:00.000-06:00

I know, this is pathetic. I'm waiting. Day by day. Still no answer from PC, yet not suprising. I know they're processing the medical info, that's all that is pending at the moment. Everything else cleared. Maybe if I annoy them enough they'll get it done within the week. I know it's very rare to have a quick processing in the medical stuff, especially given that I know I have to redo a test. At least I have the appointment tomorrow, and I'll send in the results before they ask me for them, for it seems I won't be getting any answers anytime soon.
In any case, incredibly enough, my teeth still bother me. Outrageous! I dunno what my dentist did to me, but he sucks. I wonder when it will go away.
So meanwhile my life is just... rather boring actually. This week is all about finishing up my internet classes. And taking advantage of my last month of medical insurance for a while (until I leave for PC).
That's all for now truly. I'm just anxious. I want certainty darn it!!!

Still in pain...

2006-12-02T13:00:00.000-06:00

Almost two weeks after my two bottom wisdom teeth were unnecesarily pulled out, it still hurts. A little bit compared to the original pain, but it's still annoying enough to wake me up in the middle of the night. So now I'm sleeping 5 hours at night (the longest I go without waking up in pain) and then 5 hours mid-afternoon. Meaning that my schedules are completely off. So far the worst is at work, where I have to smile and talk to people. Luckly I only work two nights a week. I just wish the pain would go away already. Nevertheless, I must admit that it is worth it if it will enable my invitation to serve in the PC.
As advised by fellow applicants on the Yahoo Groups PC Message Board, I have begun to pressure OMS. Even though they claimed they received my package barely yesterday, I already called asking if there is anything else they need. So they called back and left a message saying it's all good for now. At least they are prompt to respond and "on" it. I think I'm going to call back and leave them another message to make sure they know my availability is starting January.
Also, after ready many a PCV's-in-EE blog, I think I would really like to go to Ukraine. Romania and Bulgaria are my second choices. Of course this has no relevancy, since really, like I said before: it's about what I'll be doing, not where I'll be going. This is just a preference if I am sharing, if I ever were entitled to have one. I will be happy to go anywhere, but I'd be extra-awesome if I was sent to the aforementioned countries...

Something to do while I wait...

2006-12-01T10:26:00.000-06:00

So if yesterday I was dentally cleared, today I was informed of the official date of receipt of my medical paperwork. But that's it, nothing more. Now I have to wait for the processing, and the nomination I suposse. I'm so nervous, and even feel like a little bit of a loser, checking my toolkit everyday. I want to already start researching my country, learning the basics of my new language, etc.
For now, I ran across this guys' PC blog: http://rozbitsky.blogspot.com/ , I think I'm going to send him some books. I have sooo many...

Me

2006-11-30T19:01:00.000-06:00

I was just thinking about the fact that I started a blog without really explaining who I am, where I come from and where I'm going.
First out let me state that this blog is not only to document my journey, but also an attempt to help those who might be in the process, just as I am right now, of applying. I am also open to any other questions anybody might have about anything I have done/plan to do.
For those in the process, I will say that reading other volunteer's journals is very helpful, and encouraging. When the application process drags on forever, checking out what other people who made it through are doing helps keep my excitement alive. Also, groups like the one found in Yahoo called PeaceCorps 2 (I believe) is very useful. Not only can you post your questions, but you can discuss others', plus they have a plethora of information not found on the official PC website that is very helpful in what to expect through the process. I even found the official documents (recovered by a certain person through the Freedom of Information Act) about how PC judges your medical information, and what it takes to be be deffered or even disqualified.
Who am I? Well, I'm Carla. Even though I was born in H-town I spent most of my life as an expatriate. It was not by choice at the moment (I was 1 year old when taken abroad), but if I could choose now I would be there. The country I grew up in was Argentina. I miss it and definetely feel Argentine in many aspects, yet since I've gotten back I have been trying to cope and even enjoy the fact that I am, somehow, American. I was not told this until I was like 6 years old, yet gladly my mother always spoke to me in English so I never "lost" the language. In any case, I think PC will also be a good way of expressing this, given the fact that I would be going abroad representing the "US", and be certain I will try to reflect the best of its culture and customs, which sadly is not done enough. Living abroad you learn that everybody looks at American tourists more like carousing idiots than anything else. I think one of my duties from owning an American passport is to (help) change this fact.
I am also 21 years old, a Taurus, even though I pay no attention to the zodiac crap whatsoever. I am far from superstitious. On the contrary, I'm a skeptic who laughs at people that think that see ghosts. But I met people of all kinds, those who believe in ghosts, aliens, even trolls and gnomes (not joking), from which I have some interesting memories. Actually one day I truly want to become a writer. By that I mean I that inted to write a book. Most likely a novel, yet drawing from all the experiences I have which at 21 years old is really quite a lot. I have traveled widely, mostly by myself (meeting people at the destinations), read a lot (I love reading), partied a lot, but most importantly, met people from totally different places, even dated a few of them, learned about new cultures, different languages, customs, religions... I think I have learned more outside of the University than within it, yet I don't regret either learning process. I've had fantastic and horrible experiences within both environments, and hopefully one day they'll become part of my novel too.
I do believe in God. How can you not? If you do not you have never really seen a sunset.
What drives me to Peace Corps? An inmense thirst for acquirement of experience and contact with different people. Some people are materialistic and like to accumulate wealth. I spend all my money on accumulating experiences. In another sense, I also feel it is time I start giving back to this world who was given me so much. I have been very fortunate, and would like for others to feel fortunate too.
Plans for the future lie somewhere amongst working for non-profits, or within the diplomatic realm. The problem is that I'm not sure what country I would like to work for yet, since I have 3 nationalities. That also can cause a problem in a diplomatic career, so I'm still thinking about that option. If not, like my Brazilian friend says: "We can run away and join the Red Cross." (I think it's funny, because instead of saying circus you're saying Red Cross, and it's like you're comparing working for the Red Cross to a circus, get it?) Yeah, I also have a very particular sense of humor. I really dislike American comedies. I do like "romantic" comedies though, but that's because I am a girl I think.
In any case, that was an orientation to me. Not very particular, but a start.

One down, one more to go!

2006-11-30T17:09:00.000-06:00

As of today, according to the official Peace Corps website, I am dentally cleared. I'm glad the pain I still feel in the bottom part of my jaw was worth something. Since I heard so many rumors that PC "makes" you take out your wisdom teeth, I decided to take out the two I had left before I sent the paperwork in. I'm glad to hear I was cleared 10 days, an infection (which led to me swelling up like a blowfish) and lots of different-colored pain killers later.
The problem seems to be with the medical. I know I made two mistakes: 1) I sent in the wrong documents for my PAP smear (I already booked an appointment with my gyno for Tuesday to get the right stuff), 2) I sent in the papers to get the reimbursement to the OMS and with no receipts. I think the first one really is the main reason I haven't been cleared yet, since from what I hear they work on your paperwork depending on when you leave. Since I recently changed my availability date from September 2007 to January 2007, they worked quite fast with me! Hopefully as soon as that PAP smear is in I can know exactly where I'll be going and when. My recruitment officer is hinting at a departure around March, and hopefully to Eastern Europe. I must admit, even though I explicitely stated on the application that I had "no preference" (because one shouldn't; it's about what one "wants" to do, shouldn't matter "where"), I secretely hoped for Eastern Europe, and I got the nomination to go there! So now I'm super excited about it. I want to go there for a few reasons:

1) The language and culture is totally different from the ones I know/have experienced/have lived in.

2) For some reason I've dated and known quite a few Eastern Europeans and they have so many good things to say about life over there.

3) Learning Russian plus another language would give me a very useful tool to pursue my future aims in an "international" career.

4) I prefer colder weathers more than tropical ones.

5) I hear it's freaking beautiful!