My (Extra)Ordinary Day

My alarm goes off at 7:00. I debate pushing the snooze, but I remember I have already pushed it twice so I've slept 20 minutes more than I meant to, and I reluctantly get up. I go to the bathroom, wash my face, and brush my teeth without questioning using the water from the facet. I get dressed and pack my bag. I remember I'm in Moldova, so I shine my shoes, put on my leg warmers, and add an extra layer of clothes before walking out the door.

I walk out of my sleeping house onto a vacant street. It's one of those days where I want to stay snuggled up in bed with my cup of tea and watch old musicals. The sun has been totally blotted out by the abundance of clouds that have completely taken over the sky. The dark clouds seem to be threatening a rain that will not actually come. A flock of crows swarms across the grey sky, and I feel as if I am in a Hitchcock movie.

I make my way to the main street and finally see some sign of life. Men and women, bundled up in puffy coats, scarves, and caps without gloves, are walking in every direction getting ready for the working day. The old men stand together in groups of three or four, and look as if they don't have a care in the world as they watch the world pass them by. The young men huddle together, each with a cigarette in his hand while they listen to music blasting from one of their cell phones. The young women walk independently in every direction with great speed considering the fact they are wearing skin-tight jeans, four-inch heels, and carrying an oversized yet fashionable purse. The babas hobble by in oversized coats with a bright, colorful scarf tied around their heads. They carry the black lei bags full of their day's necessities. Their lifetime of hard work has made these women appear old and frail. But I know very well that not only do these women have great strength, but also they could easily drink me under a table without even trying.

A rutieră stops at the corner and several of my students step off. They flock together as if they were one unit as they hurry off in the direction of the school. A couple of the girls notice me and blush as they greet me with a shy "hello".

As I walk into the school, two lyceum students open the door and greet me with a mumbled "bună dimineața". On my way to the stairs, I pass a mirror hanging on the hall, and I can't help but notice my checks are a rosy pink from the cold, crisp, autumn air. I sigh at the thought that this is only autumn air; I have yet to experience the freezing air of a Moldovan winter morning.

I pass the school's maintenance man on my way upstairs to my first class. Without a change in facial expression, he taps his hat in recognition of me as I say a quiet “bună” before we continue our separate ways. Several students greet me with a quick "hello" as I walk down the hall to my class.

I get to my 10th form classroom, and I begin to prepare for the first lesson. My partner teacher for this lesson informs me that one of the other English teachers is sick today. Since the two classes combined won't fit in one classroom, she is going to work with the other class while I stay with our students. Great, I didn't prepare anything for the grammar part of this lesson because she was going to do that. My preparations for class quickly change to making a plan for teaching the grammar of this lesson.

The bells rings, and the students stand up. I greet the students before allowing them to sit. I ask the students how they are and what they did this weekend. Silence. I remind the students to use simple past tense. Silence. I tell them that I went for a walk this weekend, and I ask if anyone else went for a walk. Silence. The only reaction I get is the students slouching deeper and deeper in their seats trying to avoid eye contact with me while I try to help them form sentences. A boy comes into the classroom late, and the students all the sudden seem alive. He greets me and proceeds his way around the classroom making sure to shake the hand of every male there, no matter how difficult it is to get to him. Sometimes, the little things are the hardest things to work with.

I make it through the lesson and continue my day. I plan with another one of my teachers and introduce several ideas to try in our classroom. She only likes one idea if we change it slightly. Okay, I can compromise if it means I am introducing one new teaching method to the classroom. It’s all about taking baby steps. We finish planning before the bells rings and I leave for my next lesson.

I teach 8th form with yet another partner teacher, and we introduce a new grading rubric that requires more responsibility from the students. We get several groans, but the students seem to understand that they need to complete their homework from now on. I’m slightly upset that we are only now holding the students accountable for completing their homework. But I guess that’s why I’m here for two years; change takes time. And it requires a lot of patience from me.

I survive the rest of the day, despite the fact I feel like a human popsicle. These large concrete buildings can be really cold. As usual, everyone was wearing his or her coat and scarf all day, including me. It makes me wonder if I could stop worrying about dressing so nicely since I just wear my coat all day. But I conclude that this is Moldova; I must dress frumosly.

I start to walk home, and I get a text message. With much anticipation, I check to see who loves me so much that they decided to send me a text. My excitement is quickly replaced with disappointment as I read my message from Orange reminding me that I get 100% bonus calls on weekends if I recharge my account with 70 lei or more before December 20.

I come home to fresh pot of borș, which is large enough to last for my next three or four lunches. I put my bag away and sit down to lunch. My host dad walks back and forth between the kitchen and the backyard working on some project. Every time he passes, he is mumbling something in Russian.

I finish my lunch and head upstairs to start working. I sit down on my bed and spread out all my plans and textbooks. I open my laptop to pull up my lesson plans for tomorrow. I reread through my plans and begin making all the necessary material.

I work for about an hour, and then I notice that it is 3:30 and realize that if I want to go for a walk, I should leave now, before it gets dark. I head downstairs, all bundled up for my walk. I pass my host mom, and she asks me if I’m going for a walk. I tell her I am, and she laughs before telling me goodbye. I don’t know what is funny, and I head out the door without knowing.

I begin walking through my village, taking time to people watch. I really love walking through my village. I get to just observe Moldova. And I am able to remember why I’m here. Just as I begin to get lost in my thoughts, a man stops to talk to me. He speaks to me very quickly, and I can’t really understand. I did hear the words “work” and “police”, so I conclude that he works at the police station. I smile and try to converse before he continues on his way. I keep walking lost in thought most of the time, being distracted only every once in a while by scary dogs or the smell of burning trash.

I get home and sit down to work again. After 15 minutes, I remember that I have get ready to meet with some of my 10th form students I’m tutoring. I grab my tutoring material and leave for their house. The girls are waiting for me when I reach their house. We sit down and read “A Christmas Carol” together. I notice how much more quickly the girls are able to read through the book and how well the girls are understanding the text. It’s nice to see improvement in my students. I don’t always get to see this as well in the classrooms.

When we finish our lesson, we chat for a little bit, getting to know each other better before I leave for my house. I get home, and my host parents have already eaten. So I start to make myself dinner. I heat up a plate of leftover sărmale. I think about how I should have some starch with my meal, so I slice myself a piece of bread. When I finish my meal, I think about how the stuffing of sărmale is meat and RICE. I laugh at myself for thinking I needed bread. One of the many ways Moldova has rubbed off on me.

I clean my dishes and head up stairs to finish my planning. I have to plan for three lessons, finish preparing for two lessons the next day, and type up two lesson plans. I begin working, only occasionally getting distracted by the internet. Every once in a while I start to question if I’m working too hard or if my work will be done in vain since many things I make or plan don’t happen. But I try to reflect on the positive influences I have made so far, even though they are small. It’s just enough to motivate me to finish my work.

Once I finish my planning, it’s 9:00, which means I need to decide whether or not I need a shower. My hair doesn’t look too greasy, and I don’t smell too bad yet, so I decide the shower can wait another day. I start to get ready for bed before starting to type a blog for my website.

As I sit down and reflect on my day, I think about how plain it can seem. It’s not really what is often pictured when people think of volunteers in the Peace Corps. I don’t have this grand adventure everyday. I don't wake up worried about what poisonous insects might have crawled into my shoes. In fact, when it comes to necessities, my life is not much more difficult than my life in America. And yet, this has definitely been the toughest job I have ever had. I have to integrate into a new culture. I have to deal with requirements or expectations everyday that can be quite annoying. I am constantly challenged with obstacles that require me to be flexible or patient in ways I’m not used to. I have to push myself outside my comfort-zone all the time. But when I think about all of these challenges, I also know how much I have grown and matured while learning how to deal with these difficulties. I wonder…who is really getting the help, Moldova or me?

I Never Go To Bed Upset

This is no easy job; I am challenged every day in ways that no job has ever challenged me before. Patience and flexibility are demanded from me everyday, two virtues I could always use improvement on. Most days I can handle these challenges. But some days, the normal everyday things are just a little hard to handle.

So today was one of the difficult days. There was nothing particularly terrible; most things were normal (for Moldova). But I was just having a hard time dealing with it. One of my partner teachers was not noticing how distracted the students were during our lesson. Several students were playing games on their cell phone, and a couple of students were working on homework for another class. I walked around the room to help eliminate this problem, but it frustrated me that she didn’t notice. I also was upset with myself because I don’t know how to teach “with-it-ness”.

And then when I was talking with another partner, she said that she wanted to change tomorrow's lesson plan so that we review material from the last lesson. While I was happy she was telling me she was changing the plan (she changes it a lot without telling me), I was slightly annoyed that she was changing it to something I suggested in our last planning time. When I had suggested it, she said a very strong ‘no’ and moved on without considering. I know, I sound like a child, but I had spent time making the material for the lesson we had planned and now we were changing it…to something I had suggested previously.

A lot of times when I’m working with my partner teachers and we are compromising, I feel like I’m the only one compromising. The logical side of me knows this can’t be true, but my ideas sure get a lot of no's and I feel like I just offer suggestions to improve their ideas. I guess with compromising, you always feel like you are getting the short end of the stick.

Anyways, I ended up going home kind of melancholy. But the nice thing about Moldova is that it seems to want me to be happy. My bad days never stay bad for the whole day, like today. I am tutoring two 10th form students, and it has become one of my favorite activities I do here. The girls want to learn English and they give me respect. Plus I like developing personal relationships with the students that I don’t get to do as well in the classroom.

So when we finished our lesson today, the girls asked me to stay for some cake and tea. I of course accepted, and we sat together eating our cake and drinking our tea. One of the girls’ mother and brother joined us. We all started talking, and I soon found myself smiling and happy. We were talking in Romanian, so I didn’t understand everything, but I was enjoying myself. The girl’s mother was very friendly and kind to me, paying me several compliments and giving her gratitude for me helping her daughter. We all talked and laughed and just had a good time.

I think the thing I like most about being in Moldova is that for all the complaints I have, I have just as many, if not more, great things to say about it.

Take A Left At The Chickens

I was walking home from my tutoring session today, and I started thinking about the directions I tell myself to get home. When I turn off the main road, sometimes I forget which road leads to my house, so I tell myself to turn left at the house with all the chickens. How great is that? I love that this is a legit instruction for directions.

And I thought about how since I’ve been in Moldova, that piece of direction can be too vague many times because of all the houses around here that have chickens. And that, too, makes me smile. Even with all the stress that comes with this job, I really love being able to say that I live somewhere where the directions consist of “take a left at the chickens."

Fate?

I do not believe in fate or meant-to-bes, but sometimes when certain events happen just when they do, I can’t help but wonder. Over the last 2 weeks, I have felt as useful as paint on a wall. I have been pretty much doing nothing but sitting around my room. I’ve walked around my new village, hung out with my host family, watched a few movies (okay, maybe more like 2 dozen), organized my photos, and read through my teaching materials. But overall, I have had a lot of time for thinking. And if you remember, too much time thinking can be too much for me and lead to upsetting thoughts, such as asking myself “why am I here?”

When you are serving in the PC, you can’t help but think “why am I here?” It’s inevitable. I was hoping I wouldn’t be thinking about it this early in my service, but I have. I wonder what good can I bring that someone else couldn’t. Can I really make a difference? Will all my hard work be done in vain? Could I make a bigger difference somewhere else? Is teaching English really a worthy cause?

Moldova isn’t perfect, and good can be done here. There are many political problems. The country came from a Soviet Union reign, and you can still see the effects. There are many people who want to work towards a democracy, and there are many who really believed in communism and want to still work towards that. But I can’t help in this area; I lack the knowledge and authority to offer political help. And even if I wanted to, the PC does not allow PCVs to talk about politics, let alone get involved in them.

Then I think about the prejudices that exist here. I could help educate the people. But telling people that what they think of others is wrong is a difficult thing to do. I would need to develop relationships with the people first if I want them to possibly listen to me. And many times, the people believe there is more proof that proves their prejudice correct than supports tolerance. Add the fact I can’t talk above a 2 year-old’s speaking level, and you see my point.

Now I know that teaching is a worth cause, especially if you do it well. I know this. But I’m teaching English. How is that helpful? It feels like those who are learning English are learning it to get out of Moldova, and that’s not helping Moldova develop. Add in the fact that I remember spending so much time planning a lesson with my partner teacher during practice school and feeling like I have only come up with mediocre ideas. I remember how quickly the other trainees had finished their lessons when working with their partners during practice school, finishing easily an hour before me, and they had full confidence in their lessons.

These questions and doubts were bound to cross my mind eventually. And I was worried about the fact that I was thinking about them at the beginning of my 2-year service. But today in class, Svetlana asked me to explain to the students why learning English is important. I looked up some data and numbers to give the students. As I presented the information, the students all stared at me like I was a 3-headed purple giraffe. It didn’t bother me; it will takes some time for the students to get use to me, which is not different in an American classroom.

Even though I think only a few students understood me, I didn’t feel this mini-lesson was done in vain. I felt like I needed to teach this information to myself more than the students. I needed to teach this information right now when I’m wondering why I am teaching English. I needed to give value to what I was teaching. I needed to give value to what I will be doing for the next 2 years. I needed to understand how my work will be useful for Moldovans; how my work will help Moldovans. Although after today, I get the feeling that I will get more from this experience than I will give.

Moldova Makes Sure I’m Happy

Friday was an interesting day. I woke up not feeling my 100%. I don’t think I was sick; rather, it was a combination of many things. I have been having a hard time sleeping (I think it’s because it’s so bright very early in the morning). It’s been really hot and humid this week, so I’m dehydrated. And then there’s overall exhaustion from so much working. But Moldova made sure I didn’t go to bed upset.

Thursday was my host mom and dad’s 32 wedding anniversary, and around 9pm Friday night, I realized we were celebrating this occasion. I had been resting in my room when Diana knocked on my door saying it was dinnertime. I walked out to go wash my hands and found myself in the middle of about 10 people waiting on the deck (I have to go outside to get to the bathroom). My family’s friends greeted me warmly, and then tried to figure out if I was a ma’am or sir. I told them I was a ma’am, but I could hear them still discussing the issue after I walked away.

Dinner was served, and I was happy to sit and eat, but since I was thinking I was dehydrated (and I realized I was sunburned as well), I decided not to drink alcohol. Luckily there was water, even though it was carbonated. I was able to finish all of my food without anyone saying I needed to drink the wine. However, when you have friends in Moldova, your glass is never empty.

After I had finished my meal, a friend of the family came in and sat beside me. He knows a little English in addition to 5 other languages. So together, we had a mini English lesson. He would say something to me in Romanian and ask for the English translation. It started off uneventful until he wanted to cheer every time he learned a new word or phrase. And my glass was suddenly frequently refilled.

He then tried to explain to me that it was my host mom and dad’s wedding anniversary, but he was not using words I recognized. Once I finally caught on to what he was trying to say, I said the Romanian word for marriage. He hit himself in the head and rolled his eyes because he didn’t realize I knew that word.

Once he established that I understood what we were celebrating, he made me stand up to give a toast. I didn’t mind too much, except that I couldn’t figure out what he wanted. I thought he wanted me to do it in Romanian, which I am not capable of. Eventually, I figured out that he wanted me to say it in English and he would translate. But he didn’t know what I was saying, so he just ended up repeating the English words I said.

He began talking to me about how he likes to sing, and I mentioned I played the guitar. Our conversation ended with him wanting us to go to Chisinau to sing and play the guitar together and make enough money to buy 2 ice creams for ourselves.

There was also a 3-year-old here that night. Later in the night, she discovered my room and curiosity got the best of her. Luckily I saw her wander into my room. I came into my room to find her playing on my bed with my pillow. And then she liked to open and close my guitar case. Eventually, my host mom came in and told her that it was my room so she should leave. So the little girl said good night to me, and as she left the room, she turned the lights off and closed the door on me.

I ended up staying up much later and drinking more than I had meant to. But I went to bed with a smile on my face. It was a nice feeling. And luckily, I was able to take the rest of the weekend off and get some much-needed R and R.

Destination Criuleni!

All around, today was a great day to follow a rather dreary week. Today I traveled to my soon-to-be permanent site, Criuleni. The day started out positive with me successfully going to the magazin and selecting a box of chocolate to give to my host family for letting me stay this weekend. The reason this was so exciting was because it was not a scripted conversation like those practiced in class. Mind you, it was only about a 60 second conversation, but it involved her showing me choices and me selecting the box of chocolate I wanted. So for those of you interested in traveling to Moldova and needing help buying a box of chocolate, I’m your girl!

I proceeded to go to language class, in which we had a progress report. It was an interview conducted with one of our LTIs, so it was testing our speaking and listening skills. Despite my nerves and self-consciousness of my Romanian ability, I didn’t do too badly on the interview. If I were to convert their ranking to grades, I would say I got a B. Svetlana was the one who interviewed me and she said that I’m doing great for where I am. It was nice to hear.

Team Cojusna then traveled into Chisinau to meet up with our directors/representatives from our schools. Veronica was the representative from my school, and she teaching Romanian at my school. She does not speak any English, so it was a real test of my Romanian skills.

I was able to successfully tell her that I had taught before, I currently live in Cojusna, and I’m the oldest of 2 sisters and a brother. I learned from her that Svetlana (a different Svetlana from my LTI) was my partner teacher, that there are 3 English teachers at my school, the younger grades (I didn’t understand how young) were in a different school, and that I have big shoes to fill because a previous PCV married a man from the community. It was somewhere in that part of the conversation that I started to get confused, and I think I might have accidently implied that I had a baby. Luckily, a current PCV was walking by and straighten the whole thing out (I hope).

Veronica then took me to Criuleni. She showed me where to catch the bus that goes to Criuleni and told me it was about 40 kilometers from Chisinau, so travel there is easy. The bus ride took a little more than an hour, but it didn’t feel like it. Now, I’m not one who really believes in signs, but I felt like the fact I was pretty much smiling the whole way to the Criuleni can’t be a bad one. The view the whole way was gorgeous, and I loved seeing all the animals everywhere. But my favorite part was the fields of sunflowers at the entrance of the raion. I fell in love!

Veronica and I got off the bus and met up with Svetlana. We walked to my host family’s house and had dinner together. My host mom’s name is Parascovia and my father is Roman. It was then I learned that the previous PCV in the town who married a man from the village is named Sarah, and she is their daughter-in-law. I’m pretty sure there will be pressure for me to marry someone here.

My host family is really friendly. Neither of them speak any English except a couple words, and my father only speaks Russian. Hmm, not prepared for that. But my host mom speaks Romanian, so it’s likely I will be mostly communicated with her. However, I didn’t catch on most of the night that he was speaking Russian (I know, sad, especially after I was feeling so pound of myself from my interview this morning), and I understood a lot of what he was saying (or maybe I should say what he was miming).

This is right.