It has been a month since I last posted a blog, I am sorry for that. But I have been busy. The last two weeks in August were challenging for me to say the least. Bad news from home regarding my dear cat Charlie, he lost a battle with a car, which bummed me out for a while. Then, I got a yucky stomach bug called giardia for the second time was not fun and I would not wish on any enemy. The trifecta was finding out that my pop back in the states had a ‘minor’ heart attack. He was in and out of the hospital in a day & a half and all is well now. But, I made him promise to not get sick for at least the next two years until I get back to the USA.
The 1st day of school, the 1st graders are treated like gods!
The remainder of the summer here in Moldova has been less uneventful, but never the less interesting. School has started and work at my center has begun. The children seem to be happy that school is back in session and to be busy and around their friends again. At least three times a week I am in the school sitting in on the Romanian Language classes for the 6th and 7th graders. The teachers and the students are all very generous with their time and all delighted to see me on the days that I am there.
Five days a week I am at the center. My biggest value at this point is teaching the kids and staff a bit of English through impromptu sessions of the Word Challenge game and having the kids write the new words 5 times each. I am pretty sure I am not an English teacher, but there seems to be an over whelming sense that I am supposed to teach my entire village to speak English, do they not know me???? Along with the English sessions I have also taught all the kids at the center to throw a Frisbee, which they all seem to like very much. Thanks again mom and pop for sending the Frisbees! My next task is to incorporate the Frisbees into games that will teach the kids sportsmanship and get them more active.
Picture- 1st day at the center, the kids are eating lunch.
I am also working along side my partner at the center to get things running more smoothly there. The center has recently started a teen program and it seems to a huge success with the age group. We hope that when this program is settled into a grove that we can start adding on more programs and projects and really make the center a ‘community center’ instead of just an afterschool program. Ideas that I brought to the table were an English Club (which is in high demand by all ages), an environmental clean up day, talent shows, dances at the local casa de cultura and many others. I think once we get things rolling the community center will be a reality, but it will take time.
Well, I am just about out of things to share. But I do have one last thing to impart. All I am going to say is that I have witnessed the circle of life and its messy. My host family killed and butchered one of their pigs last weekend and took it to the local market to sell. I can now check off hearing a pig die and eating really fresh pork off my list of things to do before I die.
Picture~ My host mother (2nd from the left in the blue) selling her fresh pork to market goers.
If you would like to see my pictures feel free to click on the link below for more:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=124547&id=569816376&l=41521076e6
I hope you all had a great summer, the leaves are turning here and the weather is turning chilly. I am almost ready for my 1st Moldovan winter…….I think.
Take care and be safe,
JJ
