12 Days Left….

Well, we just finished week 6 and we are heading into the final stretch of our PST training.  In a mere 12 days we ship out to our respective assignments and begin our official Peace Corps service.  I know that I am anxious to begin this next phase of PC life and I am also really looking forward to getting back to work with my new host site/partner. 

These last two weeks can be compared to a rollercoaster, a mixed bag of emotions, stressors and delights.  We completed our 2^nd language assessment and passed with flying colors as they say.  There are rumors that this assessment is just prep for the longer more taxing one that comes in week 8 of PST and if that is true I cannot imagine how difficult that will be.  The assessment is something that most of us are not looking forward too, but keen to be done with.

Between the studying and learning more about our jobs some of us managed to have some free time and enjoy ourselves a bit.  Last week we visited the largest wine cellar in the world, which happens to be just a few miles from where we study.  The winery is called Milestii Mici and is really interesting.  It spans over 200 kms under neath the city of Milestii Mici and has been there for almost 40 years.  Please see some of the pictures I took, along with others from my host family visit at:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=111294&id=569816376&l=46135f516d 

 

 

And now that I have mentioned my new host family I will tell you just a bit more about them.  I will be living with a retired couple for the next two years and I could not be happier to be placed with them.  They have a wonderful home and garden (more like 2 acres of pears, peaches, grapes and other assorted yummies) that sits near the Nistru River.  It is a beautiful place and I believe I will be really taken care of there.  Plus there are 3 puppies and 2 kittens, so what more could one ask for?!  I even get to name one of the puppies after Charlie, my cat back in the states, if I want too. 

 

In the weeks ahead we are working hard to get more language under our belts and finish up PST.  We are also working on a project for the host family farewell party that is on August 7^th.  This project might include singing and dancing to traditional Moldovan music, but that would be spilling the beans.  Let’s just say if you know me really well, that singing and dancing are not my forte and it should be interesting!

 

On another interesting note, the Moldova elections are this week.  Please keep an eye out on the news for results.

 

I hope you all are enjoying the summer, please give each other hugs and kisses from me.

 

Take care and be safe!

 

JJ

DISCLAIMER: 

The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps. 

Week 4 of PST.....

Hello All!

I just finished with week four and all is good still.  A lot has happen since I last wrote and let me see if I can catch you all up….

All the current volunteers and trainees (that’s me) attended the 4^th of July party in Chisinau and had a great time.  We partook in Moldovan style hamburgers and hot dogs, which were quite marvelous and plenty of Moldovan wine, which was also very tasty.  The trainees were ushered home before dark so we could make it home before curfew.  Next year when we are ‘grown’ ups we will get to attend the party longer… and we are all looking forward to that day! 

Other major mild stones have happened in the past week that are worth mentioning.  We received our 1^st program assessment; our 1^st language assessment and we also received our 2-year assignment, which included our partner NGO/Mayor and host family information.  After studying Romanian day after day for only 3 ½ weeks and fretting over how well I would do I can that I passed my 1^st language assessment.  Even one of my instructors was amazed at how well I did.  I also passed my COD assessment, along with my entire fellow PSTs (who also passed their language assessments).  In the middle of all this studying and worrying we received our 2-year assignments. 

I will be in the small village, which have about 2400 people, which is the official population on paper.  There are usually fractions of that due to the high number of people that are working abroad and sending back remittances.  The village is in the southeast of Moldova very close to the Ukrainian boarder.  I am the only volunteer that has been assigned in the village and I will be the only volunteer that is that far southeast.  My other PSTs are scattered around the country and we have vowed to visit each other and my saving grace is that you have to pass through my village to get to Odesa!  The NGO that I will be working for is actually a organization that is funded an American NGO called Keystone International and here is their web site:

http://www.keystonehumanservices.org/khsi/moldova/

I will be working with the Centrul Comunitar Unitate, which is the Community Center that they run.  I think I have been placed well and I am excited to meet my new partner tomorrow.  Which I am not sure I mentioned, but all the PSTs leave tomorrow morning to meet their new partners and host families!  We are all traveling alone to our new sites and meeting our partners and staying with our new host families for the next couple of days.  We are all very nervous to partake on this adventure alone.  We have been treated like 5 year olds for the last few weeks and now all of sudden we are 18 years of age and forced to leave home on our own!  I am sure that we will all be fine and get to our final destinations without too much misadventure, the PC assures us that they have never ‘lost’ anyone in this part of the training.  That is only slightly assuring! 

Another excited thing happened this week beyond the above life changing items; I had the opportunity to meet the wonderful people that run the YMCA office here in Chisinau.  They are a small operation that works with orphans and youth that have been imprisoned.  They are eager to work with the PC and me.  I am hoping that this is the start of a 2^nd project that I can do while I am here for the next 2 years.  So if anyone from Y International is reading this – I will be calling/emailing soon!!

Well, I must be going now.  I have to get some sleep before heading out in the morning to Tudora.  I have a 3-4 hour mini-bus ride ahead of me.  Meeting a new partner, see my new place of work and meeting new host family and seeing my new house!  Not a big day at all!

 

Hope you are all well and take care!!!

Here are more pictures on Facebook for you all to look at....

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=108073&id=569816376&l=cddf6c0f54

 

Love~

 

JJ

Disclaimer:   The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps. 

1st Three Weeks in Moldova

Well, it’s been 3 weeks since I arrived in Moldova and I am finally getting down to starting my blog.  I have officially been in the Peace Corps for over 23 days and I can say that I have had a great time so far.  I have met great people here in Moldova, through the Peace Corps and in my village and I must say that I have nothing bad to say about them or the experience thus far. 

 

The group of  COD (Community Organizational Development) volunteers that I with live in the small town of Vasiene, Moldova.  We spend most of our days learning Romanian and learning more about our future assignments.  Most of us seem to be adjusting to the other side of the planet quite well. The lack of running water and inside WC facilities really only affected us the first few days after we arrived.  I can say that I have no problem with the WC being outside or squatting for that matter.  I am still getting used to the fact that I walk past roosters, multiple chickens and ducks and one big ass turkey to reach the WC.  But in time, I am sure that will become the norm.

 

In little less than a week we will all find out our perminate assignments.  This will include the new city/village that we will be living in and the kind of organization we will be partnered up with for the next 24 months.  All of us are excited and anxious to get this week over with so we can get our assignments.  But I know that I have become close to many of the PSTs (Peace Corps Trainees) that I am in Vasiene with and I will be sad to see the day we have to split up.  We have become each other’s supports systems and will count the days down until we see each other again. 

 

On a more American note, we have all been invited to celebrate the 4^th of July by the American Camber of Commerce here in Moldova.  It’s a party American style, with a pool, barbeque and drinks at a golf course.   Any other American that is working in the area for a government division will also be there.  I heard that last year was a blast and we are all looking forward to having a good time.

If any of you are interested in seeing pictures from my adventures so far please visit: 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=103855&id=569816376&l=a5d9cfe7c4

That’s all for now folks.  I hope that you all are well and take care this holiday weekend.  Be safe!

 

Hugs and kisses to you all!

 

Jen

 

Disclaimer:   The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.