As I’ve mentioned, I’m sharing a photo and a look back on my favorite memories in moments in Moldova for each of my last 100 days here. I’m counting down, so here are days 80-76. See all of my “Last 100 Days” posts here.
Day 80: One of the things I first fell in love with at my new house was all of the gorgeous flowers in our courtyard and garden! My host mom often cuts the fresh flowers and puts them in a vase in my room, which makes me really happy! (August 2016)Day 79: When I first moved to my permanent site, my host family was building a bathroom. In addition to bucket bathing for the first six or so months, this also meant that we didn’t have an indoor toilet. I quickly got used to using an outdoor squat toilet- they aren’t all that bad to be honest. (August 2016)Day 78: The first day of school falls on September 1st in Moldova. The school year starts off with a special holiday called “Primul Sunet”, or First Bell. This was my first day of school here in Moldova, and I really love how they make the first day of school a special celebration. After the ceremony, I joined one of my partner’s homeroom class and met some of my students for the first time. (September 2016)Day 77: Moldova is known for it’s wine, and each October, the country celebrates Wine Day. The central road in the capital is blocked off for a block, and various wine vendors set up booths serving wine and other foods. It’s a fun celebration and well-attended each year. (October 2016)Day 76: Most Moldovan families raise various birds (geese, ducks, chickens, etc.) and other domestic animals, and my host family is no exception. As a result, the food is very fresh and often straight from the back yard. Unfortunately, my host family’s (old and large) rooster decided early on that he didn’t like me and constantly tried to attack me each time I walked to the outhouse. One day, my host mom got angry and tied the rooster up as punishment. It didn’t help much, but it did make us all laugh! (October 2016)
The Oke Den 