All You Need To Know Is “Noroc!”

Ahh, Sundays. The day of rest. It’s nice to have the day off today. I was able to get all of my unpacking done finally, and finish setting up my phone. I discovered a flashlight on the phone, which will be useful on midnight runs to the outhouse. The best part was the sleeping in.

Some members from my training group and I walked around Cojusna for a little bit. It really is a beautiful village. I was able to get lots of pictures.

This afternoon, my host family invited me to their weekly picnic that they have with their friends. And even though I didn’t understand anything that was being said, I really enjoyed the cultural experience. The women and men stayed separated except during dinner. But even then, the men sat on one side of the table and the women on the other. There was lots of pointing towards me and lots of comments directed at me. I think they continually forgot that I don't speak Romanian, because once they remembered, they yelled for Diana. And they were very proud of me when I said “Noroc” as a cheer (“cheers” in Romanian).

And I have experienced something new while there. The PC has warned us about how Moldovans try to be good hosts by making sure plates and glasses are full. They mentioned how the host often fills the glasses without asking. I had not experienced this with my family; they are very understanding when I say “I’m full” or “No thank you”. However, whenever my glass was empty or not completely full, it was filled. Moldovans drink their wine in shots, so even though I had 7 glasses of wine, it’s not as much as it seems. But I’m glad this is not a daily feeling.

This picnic is apparently a weekly thing. Since it was such an enjoyable time without understanding anything, I can only imagine how much I would enjoy it if I knew more Moldovan. Motivation for studying!