We got to Moldova on Wednesday, and it has been a rollercoaster so far. We went straight from the airport to the place where we will have some of our trainings/classes (and the place where we have had them so far) in Chișinău. I would have liked to go straight to a nap (here's where the whining starts) but we did not do that. So weird! There was a lot happening at once, like Moldovan press interviewing people, a special welcome ceremony, current PCVs meeting and greeting us, lots of information coming at us.... So obviously I was at the start of my mental breakdown.
Maybe I'm slightly exaggerating, but maybe not!
Because then we got dropped off at our host family's house. Which meant I was all alone with only people who I didn't understand....... And remember all that other stuff I was freaking out about? Yeah, add knowing nothing anyone said to me. My host mother showed me where to unpack (my room is quite nice) so I started doing that and a little girl came in to help. She is adorable and is a granddaughter, which I've worked out makes her my host niece, I think. She's 4 years old and likes me, so we hang out whenever I am at the house and she plays and talks to me like a 4 year old would, only I have no clue what she's saying. Her unpacking help included throwing underwear at me to put in the cabinet - after she had held it up to see if it would look good on her. I'm talking every piece of underwear and bra. Very cute; not exactly the most helpful. :)
At some point one of my host sisters returned and came into my room and asked me some questions - she speaks some English! She's 17 and also adorable. So her English (and ability to use Google translate) has been very helpful.
I did not know how to use the bathroom, as there is no inside toilet and I didn't ask where the outside one was... So I just went to bed around 8 and wanted to go home.
Which brings us to Thursday, the day where I cried in front of everyone I don't yet know, and also the day where that crying was really helpful actually. My mentor and another girl both talked to me and made me feel better. I wasn't awful at learning the first Romanian words we went over, and then when I got back to the house and used one, my host mother was so proud of me. So post-crying all over the place, things started to improve.
We've had a few days of language class and I'm already understanding more of what my host family says - and they are helping me with learning new words for things. We just had some excellent plăcintă that I watched my host mom make with little host niece (Ionela) sitting on my lap, AND when you have plăcintă, you have the house wine... So there you go!
And we have decided that since I got my mental breakdown out of the way on day 1/2, I'm way ahead of everyone else and I can already move past it, so. Maybe I'll do a little less whining and a little more wining. :)
La reverdere!
P.S. While I was finishing this, my host mom came in with a bowl of cherries that were just picked from one of the trees outside. No whining about that!
Thanks so much for the update. I was really excited to see the interview although like you I didnt understand one word. I did recognize you! I found out today that a pastor friend of mine from Buffalo has a friend
ReplyDelete