Rose Colored Glasses

Since explaining my life would just take too many words, I decided a little humor to describe my life would make way more sense. One fail at a time.

Every time I ride in transportation here:

via GIPHY

When I am told to put on a scarf when I am not cold:


via GIPHY

When someone mentions Mexican food:


via GIPHY

When people start to talk about politics:


via GIPHY

When they say we will give you just a little more wine:


via GIPHY

When someone speaks Russian to you:


via GIPHY

When you get a small cough or do anything basically, this is the response...:


via GIPHY

When they say they will add just a little bit of mayonnaise:


via GIPHY

When you have a bad day:


via GIPHY

When you have a 'you' moment and someone sees it:


via GIPHY

When you get to use a porcelain toilet:


via GIPHY

When you are trying to understand:


via GIPHY

When they begin to explain gender roles between men and women:


via GIPHY

When you are in a hot rutiera (minibus):


via GIPHY

When you finally get to shower:


via GIPHY

When you learn the traditional dance and you think you look like this...:


via GIPHY

BUT... really you look like this:


via GIPHY

When someone says hello to you:


via GIPHY

My service:


via GIPHY

Yup. Thank you New Girl, Friends and Gilmore Girls for describing life so perfectly. That's all.

Picturesque Side of Life

You know you are in Moldova when...

The other day I was standing and waiting for my minibus early in the morning. As I am standing there an older woman wrapped snug in a flower print scarf around her head walked by me pulling a goat behind her. We exchanged good mornings and she kept walking.

Later that day I needed to catch a minibus in the city. There was no clear indiciation of where the stop was, so naturally I ask two small kids under the age of 10. They politely inform me of where the stop was and proceed to flag down a minibus as the older brother of around 9 opened the door for his (what seemed) 5 year old sister and helped her in.

As I was heading back to my village sitting in the minibus waiting at the station for departure, I suddenly felt water hit my skin. I look up and there is a priest on our minibus tossing holy water using a basil plant to bless everyone in sight. People began making cross gestures over their chests and hand him whatever money they have.

From people tending to their animals, to kids without supervision navigating through the city, and religious experiences before transport. These are a few things that are indicative of the moldovan culture. It made me think about reactions from people back home from these situations... if a woman walked by pulling a goat, what would people say? If kids were navigating through a big american city, how would their parents be judged? If a religious experience took place on any transportation, who would be offended? As none of these questions have solid answers, it just makes you think of the perspective people grow up with and the delusion of what life is. Embrace the diversity that is life.

With all the different experiences that I encounter, I decided there is no better way to show my side of life with nothing other than pictures. Poftim.

Soroca (up north- ukraine on the right of the river):

My Village:

 
 

 Boil/ filter water process

 Rutiera (mini bus):

Just a walk home:

 

My training group with our moldovan partners:

Perspective vs. Reality

Bravery is the courage to walk to the outhouse without a jacket in the cold. 

Curiosity is stopping to look up at the picturesque sky lit with stars that is tinted with a strip of the milky way. 

Cleanliness is relying on the wind and sun to keep the clothes pristine. 

Science is perfectly mixing the hot and cold water in the tea kettle for a comfortable shower. 

Healing is a shot of vodka, a spoonful of honey, and a thick scarf wrapped around your neck.

Exploring is trying out a new path in hopes that the mud is less prevalent than the last.  

Warmth is relying on the strength of the wood built fire to maintain it's tenacity.

Natural is freshly picked fruits/ vegetables from the carefully maintained garden. 

Wine is homemade. 

Pride is in sharing the labor of the food/ wine. 

Chaos is being greeted by geese, chicken, cows, or pigs. 

Loneliness is conversing with the cat. 

Partying is a surprise picnic laid out with food and beverages to celebrate whatever holiday happens to be that day or just because it's a Wednesday, why not. 

Surprises are being roped in for wine and food on the side of the road as the kids run and retrieve plates of food to set up on the trunk of the car. 

Sharing is walking on the rocky laid road with horses pulling carriages, cars zooming by, animals grazing, and people trekking to their destinations. 

Adventure is climbing up the big hill through the forest. 

Celebrating is rallying the whole village together for food, dancing, and conversations.

Conversations are reminiscing, being healthy, and how life is hard, but you move on. 

Shopping is negotiating prices when the market comes into the village two times a week. 

Splurging is purchasing a little something extra that exceeds what is a necessity. 

Transportation is being welcomed into a warm car by someone feeling hospitable or a crowded minibus. 

Connectivity is a successful conversation in Romanian. 

Kindness is helping people despite knowing their story. 

Beauty is measured by the length of a smile.

The list above is something I wrote in November. My attempt to put my observations into something relative. The truth is... I have countless observations that putting them down on paper doesn't always feel authentic. However, when I share my experiences over skype or over the phone I am reminded that it is worth sharing no matter the message I am trying to convey. I served a 7 year old wine the other day. To all the standards that I have grown up with knowing, this would not happen back home. Serving that wine was one of those moments that I had to take a step back and remind myself to unprogram all the thoughts I have on the subject that I had been programed to believe all my life and consider a different programing that they grew up with. Being here so long you stop overlooking things so much and I am reminded that things I find normal here aren't exactly normal occurrences back home. That is the beauty of a cultural exchange. My brain is constantly being challenged to think in ways that I wouldn't usually think about. I think that has to do with linguistics as well. Learning a different language is training my brain to think differently and express myself differently than I would through my native tongue. It is an interesting concept that languages have such different connotations.

Every night when I have to go to the bathroom, I have a mini fight in my head about whether I really need to go. I always lose that battle and start putting on my layers, socks and boots to make the trek to the back of the house. Since it's icy and cold I have to be alert of my steps, but also remembering to bring my warm toilet seat cover for my outhouse, so I don't sit on a cold seat. My room is only warm for a few hours at night with the wood fire, so I always have a warm wool sweater at hand. Before you feel bad for me... the workouts I do in my room are wonderful in the cold room. Pros and cons.

When it is all said and done this journey will be something I will take with me, the good and the bad.

"We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses." -Abraham Lincoln