So I was officially sworn in as a PCV on November 16th. I wasn't sure I would see that day come to fruition - well with me being included anyway. Its something I worried about from the beginning. Would I be able to learn the language? That was probably my biggest fear. While I sat in the auditorium during the ceremony - it finally hit me - here I am...this is it! The ambassador was there, as well as dignitaries from the Moldovan government and the Moldovan press. Thirty-four of us made it to swearing in. Three others left during PST for one reason or another. Immediately after the ceremony, we met with our partners. They loaded our baggage in their cars and took us to our new sites. So I sat in the car on the way to move in with a family I had only met once before...and for only 30 Min's at that. The stream of emotions that I had experienced a little over 2 months ago while moving in with my first family where all being replayed now as I prepared for this next sure-to-be-awkward meeting. So with the language skills of a child I met my new family. I'm living with a couple in their mid-fifties I assume. They have two boys who are both living and studying in Romania's capital Bucuresti. Maria and Vosile, both speak 3 languages: Russian, Romanian, and French. I've taken
over the bedroom once occupied by their children. At first, they were a little overwhelming - following me around and saying stuff I didn't understand. But now they seem to have toned down a bit and leave me alone.
The week following swearing-in we had a all-volunteer conference in the capital. Just so happens that this conference falls on Thanksgiving. Its the only time during the year that all the volunteers are together. Its tradition here that the volunteers take over the kitchen of the hotel we stay at and prepare a Thanksgiving feast for everyone in Peace Corps as well as the Americans from the Embassy here. So there were about 300 of us trying to make as much out of Thanksgiving as we could. I had the grand idea that we should dress as Indians and Pilgrims to give the street folk something to talk about. So myself and some other volunteers set off to find props to make our wardrobe. After walking the streets of Chisinau for hours all we found was a hand full of feathers and a platinum blond wig with pinkish orange highlights. So the grand scheme didn't come off as planned - of course I had imagined a room full of scantily clad Pocahontas like girls teamed with their Pilgrim counter-parts. I helped fashion a head-dress with the feathers - which was a big hit by the way. And the pink wig developed a personality of its own, being worn by a PST site mate of mine. Anyway, a good time was had by all even though it wasn't at all like b
eing home with family. Although, it beats what I did last year - I worked all day Thanksgiving and through the night getting ready for Black Friday. After Thanksgiving we continued with the conferences: Security and safety, discussion with the ambassador, and a very interesting Avian bird flu seminar.
Now I'm back in my village and back to the situation at hand: what exactly am I supposed to be doing? So today I sat in my office for the third day in a row.....alone. My partner randomly leaves the office and sometimes never returns. I'm trying to be the good volunteer and do as they tell us "Go to work everyday from 8 - 5 and show them that you are professional". But so far I'm not so sure anyone cares if I'm professional. I've decided to try to be proactive in resolving my boredom. Last night asked my family to help me find a tutor so that my language doesn't go down the drain. The PC provides 40 lei/hr to volunteers so that we can find tutors in our villages. That equals about $3/hr. Not bad considering the pay here. To my surprise my mama gazda picked up the phone and called the English teacher at the school. After a short discussion she handed me the phone and I spoke with her in English about tutoring me. While I had her on the phone I mentioned to her that I would like to help her teach her English classes. She seemed very excited and so we will meet later in the week to discuss the details. Almost all of the volunteers here teach English at some point. One of the other volunteers working in community development said I would soon have my own little cult of Moldovan children running around speaking with a Georgia accent.
over the bedroom once occupied by their children. At first, they were a little overwhelming - following me around and saying stuff I didn't understand. But now they seem to have toned down a bit and leave me alone.The week following swearing-in we had a all-volunteer conference in the capital. Just so happens that this conference falls on Thanksgiving. Its the only time during the year that all the volunteers are together. Its tradition here that the volunteers take over the kitchen of the hotel we stay at and prepare a Thanksgiving feast for everyone in Peace Corps as well as the Americans from the Embassy here. So there were about 300 of us trying to make as much out of Thanksgiving as we could. I had the grand idea that we should dress as Indians and Pilgrims to give the street folk something to talk about. So myself and some other volunteers set off to find props to make our wardrobe. After walking the streets of Chisinau for hours all we found was a hand full of feathers and a platinum blond wig with pinkish orange highlights. So the grand scheme didn't come off as planned - of course I had imagined a room full of scantily clad Pocahontas like girls teamed with their Pilgrim counter-parts. I helped fashion a head-dress with the feathers - which was a big hit by the way. And the pink wig developed a personality of its own, being worn by a PST site mate of mine. Anyway, a good time was had by all even though it wasn't at all like b
eing home with family. Although, it beats what I did last year - I worked all day Thanksgiving and through the night getting ready for Black Friday. After Thanksgiving we continued with the conferences: Security and safety, discussion with the ambassador, and a very interesting Avian bird flu seminar.Now I'm back in my village and back to the situation at hand: what exactly am I supposed to be doing? So today I sat in my office for the third day in a row.....alone. My partner randomly leaves the office and sometimes never returns. I'm trying to be the good volunteer and do as they tell us "Go to work everyday from 8 - 5 and show them that you are professional". But so far I'm not so sure anyone cares if I'm professional. I've decided to try to be proactive in resolving my boredom. Last night asked my family to help me find a tutor so that my language doesn't go down the drain. The PC provides 40 lei/hr to volunteers so that we can find tutors in our villages. That equals about $3/hr. Not bad considering the pay here. To my surprise my mama gazda picked up the phone and called the English teacher at the school. After a short discussion she handed me the phone and I spoke with her in English about tutoring me. While I had her on the phone I mentioned to her that I would like to help her teach her English classes. She seemed very excited and so we will meet later in the week to discuss the details. Almost all of the volunteers here teach English at some point. One of the other volunteers working in community development said I would soon have my own little cult of Moldovan children running around speaking with a Georgia accent.
