Russian, Romanian, and Sign Language

I’m feeling my first bits of frustration about being in Moldova, and it is related to the languages here. So few people know English, and what they do know is often so broken it is difficult to understand what they are trying to convey. Our attempts at learning Russian phrases prior to coming here fell way short of the need. And when we arrived, we saw and heard so much Romanian, we wondered what the best language to learn would be: Russian or Romanian. We still don’t know! I can ask a (very simple) question in Romanian, and receive a reply in Russian. It’s so confusing!

We have started meeting with Melina to learn some Romanian, and now at least we can go to the market and do more than point at the item and lift up 1 or 2 fingers and while saying “kilogram” simultaneously. We can actually say “yo vreow oonoo kilogramme day maleena” (say it REALLY fast, roll your “r”s and say it WITHOUT a Southern accent and you’ll sound Romanian). AND we get the 1 kilo of raspberries we (well, I) wanted. However, to understand how much it will be, the vendors still have to show us the prices on their calculators.

Even though we are learning some survival phrases, it’s still incredibly difficult. In restaurants, at stores, on the minibus…if something is out of the ordinary, there is no way we can correct it. None of it is really a big deal (so what if I get Coca-Cola instead of Sprite or if I have to walk a few extra blocks because I couldn’t tell the driver where I wanted to stop). Nevertheless, it has been wearing on us, and we find it is just much easier to let Ivan or Melina do it for us…but that’s not helping in the long-term!!

Of course, there are funny stories that make up for the frustration. Sign language is frequently used with our host family. After a dinner with them one evening, I offered to help Tatiana with the dishes. “Can I help?” I asked in English, while motioning toward the sink and pretending to wash a dish. “No, no, no,” Tatania said, and then put her hands together at her ears like she was resting, then she shoo-ed me away. I guess she wanted me to rest. We were having trouble with the hot water, so Anatolli helped to fix it. Afterwards, he pointed to the shower, did a little dance like he was washing his hair and then pointed to the “on” switch on the hot water heater. Then he made like he was walking out the door and then pointed to the “off” switch. OK. We turn the hot water on only when we need it. Got that one. Dan makes little Nelia laugh at all his antics with her. Pretending like he’s been poisoned by the green swimming pool water is one of her favorites. And Nelia communicates quite well with us using only actions. Most recently, she’s been motioning to Dan and me to hold hands or to hug. When we do, she smiles wide and nods her head in approval. Very cute.

I also love how we talk to people in English and they talk to us Russian or Romanian, like we all really know what we are saying to each other. I’ve had countless conversations like this with people at work, the host family, shopkeepers, and strangers. I keep thinking that they will pick up a few words in English, and they think I will know a few words in Romanian or Russian. Or take last night, for example, Tatania politely knocked on our door, and when we let her in, she started speaking a kazillion miles an hour in Russian. I blinked at her for awhile, and then finally Dan was perceptive enough to hear a word that sounded like “ventilator”. After a few more miscues, we figured out she wanted to borrow the fan. Why didn’t she just say so??

But I think the best story so far is a phone conversation I had with Tatania (who speaks no English). When I called her to find out what time the much anticipated Friday Supper was, all she said, in very halting English, was “Dinner is at 7.” Then she hung up quickly. I can only imagine how much she practiced that phrase before I called her.

Can anybody tell me if I've been doing the laundry correctly??? Red lights = my settings for the white load. Click on the picture to see the words!

Common Chisinau Sites

There are a number of common sites around the city that still catch my eye as we pass by them (at warp speed) everyday. Probably the most fascinating are the white tree trunks. Nearly every tree in the city, and in towns and villages, has had its trunk painted – to a height of 2-4 feet. All the trees on one street will be painted at a surprisingly consistent height. Ivan says that it began as a tradition to make the place look clean.

There are small stores and kiosks throughout the city. The stores are called Alimentaras, and they exist on just about every major block. The one close to us is very small, but it has a number of staples within its 3 square meters. Nearly everything is behind the counter, requiring customers to ask for the items they want. The kiosks are even more numerous, since nearly anyone (I guess) can set up a table with some items on it and “work”. Near the government buildings downtown, there are 10 or 12 in row, each selling candy, snacks, and cold drinks. It surprises me how each kiosk owner has a refrigerator to keep the cold things cold. There are also kiosks that are sheet metal buildings, and the only opening is about 12 inches by 12 inches. I don’t think people ever see the workers faces – just their hands. These are both pretty advanced kiosks, though. Near our home, on the corner of two residential streets, there is a lady, in her 60s, who sits at a small table everyday. She has an inventory of 20 or so soap products. I have no idea if she ever sells anything. When it rains, she uses a plastic covering to make an umbrella. I don’t know what time she begins in the morning, but she is there many nights past 8 o’clock.

The minibuses. On busy streets, you will see one lane of traffic entirely dedicated to minibuses. They are actually a very efficient means of transports. I wait no longer than 3 minutes to catch one wherever I am, and their routes are extensive enough to cover any part of the city. Nevertheless, they are everywhere in Chisinau. Many are white, others are red, blue, or orange, some have advertisements painted on the sides, many have curtains inside, and they all have large signs on the front indicating their number and their route.

The trolley buses are the best sight throughout the city. These are old, old buses, mostly painted orange and white. Although they have wheels and do not need to operated in a track like most trolleys I’ve seen, they get their power from electrical lines overhead. It is common to see drivers hooking up to the lines using a long pole. I have yet to figure out how the drivers can stay connected to the overhead lines when there are no tracks to follow.

Gates in front of homes are a definite must in Chisinau. If you don’t have one, you’ll look mighty out of place. Most gates are green with blue or white. Some get rather ornate, and many are decorated to match the fences surrounding the homes. It’s fun to look at the different designs.

Andy’s Pizza. They seem to be everywhere. Lonely Planet lists them as one of the “cheap eats” in Chisinau. And they are. 33 lei (less than $3) for a 4 topping 12-inch pizza or a healthy serving of lasagna. 8 lei for a half-liter of Pepsi. (Beats the Euro 2.50 we pay in Holland!) It’s a good thing they have good food. We’ve eaten there 6 times in 21 days. (But it’s still not Philly Connection.) I’ve counted six around the city so far. Who knows when I’ll spot another one.

Painted trees in a village. The ones in Chisinau are painted much higher. 

A gate. 

The backend of a trolley bus. 

Recent Surreal Experiences

5.0 magnitude earthquake hit Chisinau – it lasted maybe 3 seconds, but the windchimes chimed (chome?) for awhile afterward.

Met 8 Americans this week – that has to be the most Americans I’ve talked to in one week in 5 months. Four Americans are staying with our host family, so we have neighbors we can talk to!

MOUNTAIN DEW is in the grocery store near the office, and cold half-liters are available at the kebab stand downtown. AND it’s not bad Spanish imported Dew. I love this place.

Moldovans don’t think about direction in terms of north, south, east, or west. Ivan and Melina have lived in Chisinau for years, and they couldn’t tell us they live in the northwest part of the city. They get around by roads and landmarks. Dad T – how could you survive??

Melina and I canned – CANNED, Mom – strawberries and raspberries tonight. Now Melina is offering us a roll with strawberries, oatmeal with raspberries and ice cream with either one.

Host Tatiana asked me for a “Russe Angles” and motioned as if she was turning the pages of a book. I got out our Russian/English dictionary and gave it to her. Then, she looked up a word and showed me the English – it was “Friday”. Then she looked up another word – it was “supper”. Then she smiled wide, pointed at me and then at herself and then at the dining room in our apartment. I think Dan and I are invited to supper on Friday. I hope I’m not supposed to cook.

Mr. Goose 

Poor Mr. Goose

There is a small, deep swimming pool in our host family’s garden, which has the sole purpose of collecting rain water, it seems. Well, that, and storing a goose. It took me by surprise when I first noticed it – it wasn’t there when we first moved in. But there it was one morning, sitting on a perch, and occasionally swimming around in the small pool. For about a week, our hosts (Anatoli and Tatiana) fed it, and their little girl, pig-tailed Nelia, made sure she and I looked at it everyday. “Guska,” she’d say. Romanian (or Russian??) for goose, I believe. But Dan and I got the feeling it wasn’t going to be around forever. We can’t speak to our host family, but sign language says a lot. When Anatolli slid his finger across his neck and pointed at the guska, we figured out Mr. Goose wasn’t the new family pet.

Mr. Goose is gone now. Today as Nelia and I colored together, she pointed at the goose we had just finished coloring and exclaimed, “Guska!” She put her fingers to her mouth and made chewing noises. Then she laughed. Poor Mr. Goose.

P.S. I am considering whether or not I should color with Nelia anymore. That laugh was scary.

Driving in Moldova

Twelve Moldovan “Rules of the Road”

1. Lines painted onto the road aren’t REALLY meant to be lane dividers; they are best used when straddled.
2. Make 4 lanes out of two at every intersection to increase your chances of being the first to go on the green.
3. When stopped by a stoplight, it is still best to cross an intersection prior to your light turning green.
4. Watch for “pedestrian” stoplights randomly placed in the middle of roads.
5. Stop for pedestrians within inches of where they are walking.
6. 50 mph in residential areas is a good speed.
7. Passing slower traffic is allowed on every street.
8. It is best to pass when there is oncoming traffic or when cresting a hill.
9. Know at least one “law” that the police officer doesn’t follow to avoid a ticket. when pulled over (i.e. “Yes, I did run a red light, but you are supposed to show me your ID before discussing the problem with me. I can report you.”).
10. Prepare your stomach and head in advance for poor road conditions (as the joke goes, potholes decreased by half in the country of Moldova last year…because every set of two potholes grow so large they became one).
11. Insured motorists are common (thankfully); liability insurance is only $15 per year.
12. Seatbelts are required, except when there are none.

The Market

In keeping with the currency theme, here are some prices for the fruit and vegetables (and dessert) on sale at the farmer's market. Bear in mind that 12.5 lei equals US$1 (or 1 lei = US 8 cents).

Cherries – 3-6 lei per kilo
Strawberries – 7-18 lei per kilo
Apples – 12 lei per kilo
Potatoes – 8 – 12 lei per kilo
Tomatoes – 6 – 15 lei per kilo
Squash – 12 lei per kilo
Beets – 10 lei per kilo
Cucumbers – 5 – 8 lei per kilo
Carrots – 12 lei per kilo, but they are too expensive right now, so we shouldn’t buy them!
Ice Cream Bar – 2.25 lei

Moldovan Currency

It’s been interesting making the switch from Euros and generally over-priced Holland to Lei and generally under-priced Moldova. For example, the first Sunday we were here, I hurriedly looked for what cash I had available, and I put a 1 lei bill onto the offering plate at church. Later, I figured out I donated a whopping 8 cents to the church!

With the Euro, the smallest bill that is issued is 5 Euros, or about US$6.25. Two Euro, One Euro, 50 cent, etc. coins are available, so EU pockets get quite heavy (literally)! I can often go to the store with only coins in my pocket, and walk out with what I need. Although 2 cent and 1 cent coins exist for the Euro, stores often round up to the nearest 5 cents, since (I suppose) 1 or 2 Euro-cents are too annoying to contend with.

Now, the lei. The smallest bill is 1 lei, which is worth about US$0.08. There are coins, called bani. I have seen a 5 bani coin, worth about US$0.004! Things are cheap here, but I certainly can’t go to the market with only bani and expect to buy much! The agency where we are working withdrew cash for a loan recently, and they came back with THREE KILOS of cash! (Dan went with Ivan as his “bodyguard”, but that’s another story :-) )

The Minibus

In Albania, Dan and I were in awe of the minibus system. That is, where small vans that seat 12 or 15 people become part of the public transportation system. We even laughed at how many people would climb out of one minibus at the stop outside of where we were staying.

We shouldn’t have laughed! Now it is our turn! Bus number 103 will become our lifeline this summer. I’ve taken it twice so far with Melina (Ivan’s wife), and both times I wondered when the people would stop piling on. Yet Melina kept saying, “It’s not crowded yet.” Despite the large number of people jammed onto the #103, raising the temperatures and the smells to a very uncomfortable level, it will provide a sense of freedom for us. For 2 lei (about 16 cents), we’ll be able to get to the central market, to work, and to McDonald’s!

Smiling Faces

My heart was captured yesterday. We were in a small town outside of Chisinau, poor, and its people were not to accustomed to outsiders. We made several stops to see some of Ivan’s clients, and as we were walking back to the car from one of the client’s home, there she was. A girl about 10 years old, her giggling grew louder as we approached. I suppose she spied us when we got out of the car and waited for our return. She climbed the fence that separated us to get a better view. I am glad she did. Her brown eyes sparkled with excitement, and her grin was wide. I walked along the fence for awhile, waving at her. She would jump down, then climb the fence again to get closer. Even in the car, Dan and I continued to wave and smile at her. I do not know if we were the first Westerners she has seen, and I do not know why she was so excited. I had nothing to give her except a friendly smile and a wave. But that seemed to be enough for her.

We've made a friend

At 10:45 p.m. Sunday night we received a knock on the door, the figure Dan observed through the transclucent door was about half his height. Pigtailed 5-year old was paying us a visit. Well, we’ve had several visits since then! Dan makes her laugh with his funny faces. She’s following “up/down” and “in/out” orders quite well. The first few days she was quite quiet. Now, though, she jabbers away in Russian. I either try to repeat what she says or just answer “Da.” I wonder what I’m agreeing to. I’ve probably agreed to fund her college education! Last night she taught us “pomodora malachi” (I’m certain I’m mutilating it) when I took out some tomato sauce. Dan and I would repeat it after her…we had most of dinner cooked before she grew tired of the game. It went on so long, we turned it into a chant! I look forward to tonight’s “word of the day”.

72-hour thoughts

It seems like we’ve been here a week. There are so many new experiences and new concepts swirling around in my head, I can’t believe it’s taken me only 3 days to accumulate them all. Those experiences and concepts are divided into two main categories: the culture and the work.

The culture is really quite fascinating. I so wrongly assumed that it would be very similar to Albania, simply because both countries were impacted greatly by the Communist-era of Eastern Europe. Granted, my experience with Albania is quite limited, being based on only one week-long visit and several communications with a friend there. However, for my own sanity, I guess I needed something to help me prepare mentally for the summer. One substantial difference is that, as my theory currently goes, as part of the USSR, Moldova had a wider understanding of the world (the USSR-world) around it. Albania was so isolated under Hoxha, there was really only Albania to the Albanians. Things seem more western – or at least more American (more to come on that topic) – in Moldova than they did in Albania, and I think it is because Moldovans had to simply expand their understanding of the world past the USSR; Albania had to start from ground-zero.

Dan and I have spent many hours already learning about the work. Ivan continues to amaze us, both in his knowledge of the micro-finance business and the enormous faith he has in the Lord providing for the country of Moldova. Being educated in the west, and having the contacts he has, he could easily have a posh job in the U.S. or the U.K. and live quite well. Instead, he has devoted himself to the work of rebuilding his country by making small loans to entrepreneurs. It is a slow job. He often lacks funds to make loans (and at times to pay the staff). His life has been threatened, and he’s repeatedly faced corrupt officials. Even without a law degree, he often represents himself (and his organization) in court (and wins!) because he cannot hire an attorney. In response to my naïve amazement at what he faces, he often replies, “But this is Moldova, and there are many worse things.” Then he turns his attention to the sausage-maker who is impacting many lives (economically and spiritually) because he has grown the business large enough to employ people in the village. We are encouraged to see that society can indeed be impacted by providing jobs and showing people a way out of the hopelessness economic and spiritual poverty creates.

Max & Co.

Dan exclaimed, “One-eighth of this store is dedicated to ketchup!” Well, maybe it wasn’t quite that much, but it was quite humorous to note how much ketchup is in the small grocery store that is within walking distance to our home. Kind of like the south and barbeque sauce, I suppose.

24 hours in Moldova

Flying into Chisinau, we observed the gentle, rolling hills written about in the literature on the country. There were lots of farms and many villages dotting the landscape. The green fields surrounding the villages and white homes within the villages made for a beautiful introduction to this country.

Boarding the plane prior to our flight, I was pleased to see quite a few Westerners. There is a sense of comfort for me to know people like us are going to the same place. As much as I like new experiences, I don’t know if I was made to be a “pioneer”! Those “people like us” were given the privilege of waiting in line for over 1 hour to obtain a visa. Our only difficulty in getting one is that we wanted a three-month visa. “But it is $144,” the Moldovan official exclaimed. Finally, he understood we needed one since we would be here that long.

Outside of the airport, we were greeted with a view similar to what we observed from the plane. Chisinau is a hilly town, and it is quite green. So from various viewpoints on the drive from the airport, we could see lovely views, again of white homes contrasting against the green fields and trees.

We are living very close to the Director of the agency Dan is working for. Ivan is a gentle, humble man, and those who know him cannot say enough about what a fine business man he is. It is particularly exciting that he is our age, and we seem to have a lot in common with him and his wife (for the wives, one common interest includes hand-making cards).

From the first impression, Dan and I couldn’t ask for a better living situation. Our home is in the same “compound” as our host family’s home. The host family does not speak much English, but we enjoyed tea with them, and managed to find out a few things about each other (who knows if what we think we know is really accurate, though!). The apartment is probably twice as big as “The Attic” and we have just what we need as far as furniture and appliances (save for a microwave). It is quite modern, but I have to believe we are fortunate to have such nice accommodations, especially since our host, Tatiana, pointed out we will have hot water all the time, and all we have to do is turn on the faucet!

I was excited to see a little girl, kindergarten age, in pigtail braids playing in the garden when we arrived. She is the youngest of the five children in the family. We’ve already spent 2 hours trying to communicate. She likes my up/down and in/out game, even repeating what I say as we move up and down on a step and hop in and out of the apartment doorway.

Already in our time here, we’ve experienced the bureaucracy of registering our visit with the municipality. Four lines and 2 hours after beginning, we were on the record of staying in Chisinau. We also shopped (with help) at the local farmer’s market, awed that our total bill for 1 kilo of potatoes and ½ kilo of tomatoes was 20 cents. But not everything is that cheap; prices for household items and clothes at the local Costco-type of store are close to American prices.

**So there are my first observations! Even though I am posting these almost a week into my stay, I really did write them 1 day after arrival – hang in there with me as we figure out how to get internet access. (That goes for those of you who e-mail me, too!)**

Moldova-bound

Well, blog-readers, this site is about to get a whole lot more exciting (if that’s possible!). Dan and I are spending the summer in Moldova! Haven’t heard of it? Well, don’t feel bad, we needed some geography lessons ourselves. Moldova is in Eastern Europe, situated between the Ukraine and Romania.

One reason Dan applied to MBA programs in Europe was to have a broader network of connections closer to Eastern Europe. It paid off! He was offered an internship with a Christian organization doing the kind of work that we are interested in making our life-work. And it’s in Moldova – can’t get more “Eastern Europe” than a former USSR state!

With the help of my web-surfing father, we found lots of information on Moldova. Look for yourselves at sites like www.moldova.org (click on English, of course!) and www.turism.md (yes, that’s really how it’s spelled). It looks a bit more modern than may be expected; there is a McDonalds in Chisinau (not pronounced like it’s spelled – say “Keeshinow”) that locals spend a day’s wages (or more) at to indulge themselves with a Big Mac. The communist party won the recent elections, but I think I’ll stay away from politics while we’re there.

For us, beyond working again (horrors!), there will be a few adjustments. We are only allowed to take luggage weighing totaling 90 pounds, plus 2 small carry-ons. I think in the 10 weeks we are there, I’ll get quite tired of the 2 pairs of pants, few skirts, and dozen or so shirts that I've packed away in the suitcase. Customs officials say they will tax us if we bring more than 2 pairs of shoes each (gulp). I suppose our plans to import white Nikes isn’t going to work so well knowing that piece of information. Our sweet, brave cats will remain in Rotterdam, so we’ll go through a little withdrawal. We’ll be learning “survival” Russian and maybe Romanian. (oh boy).

Yes, we do feel a sense of adventure and excitement about this unknown place. Ok, a little anxiety, too. But please know, as you read my posts during this summer, that this opportunity is extremely important to us. In this blog, I tend to reflect on the zany things I encounter, but there is a deeper work that is going one while we are here. We are humbled that we have an opportunity to help impact people’s lives in significant ways. We are amazed that we already have an opportunity to do the work we came here to do. We desire to follow not our own steps but those steps we believe God would have us take. And that is what we are doing!

I am American, but don't tell anyone

Suddenly, I feel very American. Dan and I have a game where we quiz each other if a person we see is Dutch or American. Someone wearing white tennis shoes and Levi jeans is probably an American. Spiky hair (on guys) or pointy shoes (on gals) indicates to us Dutch.

But the distinction between U.S. and Dutch, and to some extent U.S. and European, goes so much deeper than fashion. American symbols (like I wrote about several weeks ago) are used to promote items, and Europeans certainly enjoy ideas, products, and services that come out of the U.S. Beyond the marketplace, the U.S. is fondly remembered by most I’ve talked to for the liberation of Europe and helping to end WWII.

The fondness gives way to misunderstanding somewhere along the way. Spending time in several in-depth conversations with Europeans recently has exposed that misunderstanding. And that is why I feel very American. In these conversations, I have learned that because I am from the U.S.A., many people expect me to be arrogant. They think that we are rich and have money to “throw around”. They expect me to be unconcerned about the world around me.

I admit, this is the first time I’ve really encountered “discrimination” (though I hesitate to call it that). It’s the first time I’ve really had to consider how my lifestyle promotes these stereotypes. In many ways, I see where those misunderstandings are rooted. We do tend to forget that we can learn from other people. American culture does have a lot of excess in it. Being so large and having so few neighbors, the U.S.A. is not forced to deal with other countries like countries in Europe must. That makes it easy for Americans (including me!) to be rather ethnocentric. Yet, there is so much that is good about America, it is sad that those positives are overshadowed by the negative stereotypes.

So, to my fellow American blog readers. Help us expats out! Continue to do the good work that so many of you are already doing. Learn about other ways to be involved in the world around you. And most importantly, keep your white tennis shoes at home in your closet when visiting Europe!

P.S. It’s EU Referendum Day in the Netherlands. A “No” vote is expected. If I knew more Dutch, it would have been very interesting to read the voter’s guide that came in the mail.