When we first got here, PC told us that the two greatest dangers to volunteers are walking and dogs. And it doesn’t take too long to understand how true that is. Out of all the countries with PCVs, Moldovan voluteers have the highest amount of injuries caused while walking.
Walking is the only way to get around. Volunteers are not allowed to drive cars, even if we had one available to us. Many of us don’t have a public transportation method that is worth taking to and from work. So we walk. Some PCVs are lucky and live only three minutes away from work. Others have a 40-minute walk. I have about a 20-25 minute commute.
The roads and sidewalks are very uneven, if there even are any. Many paths and roads are just a mix of dirt and rocks. And since I already have weak ankles, I can foresee several twisted ankles in my future. When I have to walk at night, I’m not worried about getting mugged or hurt by another person; I’m worry about not seeing what I’m walking on and falling.
And to make things more difficult, the weather adds another challenge to my walks. Rain makes it so muddy that I might lose a shoe while walking; snow hides the rocks and uneven roads, making the path more mysterious; ice makes everything slick. I pretend like everyday is a new obstacle course I must complete. I’m hoping that all this challenging walking is making my ankles stronger. Maybe this could be an Olympic event?
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