On the last day of school, the founders and teachers at the music and dance school in our village casually mentioned they had a couple of spots left on the bus for that weekend if anyone was interested in going with the group to an international festival. Knowing that it was likely the last time … Continue reading International Festival of Ancestral Traditions, Straseni
Victory Day is celebrated on May 9th in Moldova. In some villages, Europe Day is celebrated instead, and in many, both holidays are celebrated simultaneously. Both holidays celebrate the victory over Germany during World War II and remember those that fought and lost their lives in the war. In our village, all of the students … Continue reading Victory/Europe Day
You may be thinking I'm a bit late on this post, but here in Moldova, Easter was celebrated yesterday, according to the Orthodox calendar. Most Moldovans are Orthodox Christians (either Eastern or Russian Orthodox) and for them, Easter is the most important holiday of the year. The church service begins on Saturday night and lasts … Continue reading Happy Easter!
Although Women's Day is an international holiday, it isn't celebrated much in the United States. In the former Soviet states, however, it is a huge holiday. Here in Moldova, there is no school and most businesses are closed. There are celebrations the day before at schools and other places of work, and on March 8th, … Continue reading March 8th, International Women’s Day
Last week, Moldovans celebrated one of my favorite holidays, which is called Marțişor (pronounced mar-tsee-shore). This holiday is celebrated every year on March 1st and is an ancient tradition that celebrates the coming of spring. In ancient times, the marțişor (amulets) were created using small pebbles painted white and red and arranged on a string. The … Continue reading Martisor
The Oke Den 