Superstitions

One cool thing about living in a different culture versus just visiting is that I have learned several superstitions. And while some Moldovans recognize them as superstitions, most still believe they are real. I have been told more than once to stop an action because of the superstition behind it.

The most common superstition you will come across in Moldova is eliminating the current. “The current” is the wind created inside a building or car. For example, the current is created in a car when the windows are open. Or the current is created indoors when you open a window and door of the same room. Many Moldovans believe that the current is very unhealthy and causes illness. As a result, windows are often closed in rutiera or bus rides and the windows and doors are closed in the classrooms. This makes for very unpleasant temperatures in the summer months.

Here are a few more superstitions: Don’t whistling inside because you will whistle your money away. If you lay your bag on the ground, you will lose your money or someone will speak badly about you. Drinking cold water makes your throat sore. When throwing out water from a bucket, don’t leave any water in there or it is bad luck. And the one I’m most frequently reminded about: women shouldn’t sit on concrete because it will freeze their ovaries, even during the summer. It’s kind of cool learning all these different superstitions. Makes me wonder what would stand out as silly superstitions to someone living in America for the first time.