Life in Moldova as a trainee has been difficult. If anyone is thinking of joining and you are
accepted for a country of your choice start practicing or learning the language
you will be speaking. Especially if you have never studied language. After 6 weeks of training and being a pain to
my instructors I figured out that to say a sentence about myself I have to use
a form for a word and the form is different for who ever you are speaking to or
about. So, I am 6 weeks behind in language. But knowing this has helped me make
sense of how to speak and given me more confidence to speak. When talking it
sounds like I just got off the boat but people are gracious and google helps
with the words I am stuck on.
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| Two other health volunteers I taught with Katie and Jessica |
In the Health program I am in we stay in school 2 extra
weeks to practice teach and have more language classes since we have to teach
in Romanian. Last week was the first
week of practice school. My partner is
the English language teacher in Cosauți. We taught about microbes,
which is a concept never heard of by most but the biology teachers...It was exciting
and pretty easy once we found each others strengths. She talks and I ask questions and do the activityțs with the kids.
The kids correct my bad Romanian and we had fun. This week we do it
again with our other partner teacher.
This one does not speak English or understand it so I will be stretched
more.
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| One of our 3 classes |
We had Swearing In when we officially
become volunteers and go from $8/week to $112 and promise to be strong courageous and responsible to/for the people of Moldova. Tom and I were in a
dance together but he got sick 2 weeks into the practice and I had to have
another partner. For Swearing In we
preformed in Moldovan costumes. It was 88 humid degrees out and the dance
troop had on linen undergarments with wool wrap skirts and belts on. We sat through speeches in Romanian and then
danced. It was hot! But the food served after was reviving. These are some
pictures from the day.
Today my
mamma gazda (host mom who gets paid to feed me and give me a bed) had a day of remembrance for her husbands sister who died a year ago today. Liuba cooked
for 2 days and invited the neighbor, her sister and best friend, son his wife
and me. We had Masa, which means table
but is understood to be much food in
celebration. It was lovely and I understood a bit of the conversation. I showed pictures from home and they loved
the ones of us in the Jeske garden. Since they all have gardens they wondered
what was grown that was different and why there was no cock for the hens. Since there is a cock that wakes me and the
stray dogs up every morning at 5 and then the dogs bark I explained we like to
sleep and so do the hens and they do not need a cock either. No one bought the idea. Especially the
neighbor with the rooster...
That.s all I
know today. Keep the prayers coming
language test is next week Monday. Tom
did well on his so he does not need to have a tutor but we both do not feel
like we can carry a conversation so we will have tutors for at least 3 more
months. I am sure I will have one until
I come back to America...Love you all, miss you much, and keep you in my
prayers.... Marc
