Happy Limba Noastra Day --Aug 31st

 

What you say does Limba Noastra mean?  It means Our Language.  Yes its a holiday celebrating the Moldovan Language. Two holidays in one week. Isn't that wild! First there was Independence Day on Aug 27th and Aug 31st is Our Language Day. The Moldovans celebrate their language, Moldovean, because its a conscious affirmation of their national identity. This is a reaction to 50 years of Soviet rule when Russian was made the official language and everyone had to learn and speak it. Moldovean is actually Romanian because Moldova was part of Romania on and off over the centuries. However, because of their Russian period, Moldovean really has Russian influences in its vocabulary. And in fact a sizeable percentage of  Moldovans still speak Russian as an everyday language. Russian is taught in school as a second language in 5-9th grades. Many TV channels are Russian and many products have Russian labels. So its a little struggle to move the country back to its cultural roots....so that's why I believe they mark this holiday every year.  And its right before school starts...next Monday. 

People in the village of Piatra are busy on this holiday because we are a farm community and there's a lot to do before winter comes.  As you can see the picture of main street Piatra above isn't very busy.  No one's playing basketball.  Of course, it's always construction season.  That's a 5th season here in Moldova. And you can see a truck right outside my window delivering wood to the neighbor for winter fuel.  Notice the exposed brick in the wall of the house(next picture).  It shows what thick walls are made here of stone.  Of course houses come in many varieties, some with fancy metal work on the front, and some with elegant fences.  But it is a holiday....so if you can catch a cat nap, do so.  Oh in Moldovean,  that's "un pui de somn", literally a sleepy chicken.  I guess if that darn rooster isn't crowing you can nod off a lot easier. 

Ziua de Independenta--Aug 27th

 

Well Happy Independence Day Moldova!   August 27th is the 21st Anniversary of Moldova's creation as an independent republic.  To celebrate this achievement, many communities put on performances that celebrate their cultural song and dance and poetry traditions.  Children always have a prominent role in these celebrations for they are the future!  Here in Piatra the children from the Community Center Universul were no exception.  They have been practicing for weeks for the big day.  The performance took place in the "casa cultura" (picutre 2 above) which is like a large theater.  You can see one of the boys bringing the important props, the batons, to the casa cultura.  Rehearsals on stage the week before got the wrinkles ironed out.  The day of the pefromance the Moldovan coat of arms was proudly center stage.  Of course the program included groups of all ages.  Here we see the children from the "gradinita"  or kindergarten performing poety with their teacher.  Next we have a group dressed in traditional costume doing a Moldovan hora.  And we have singers as well.  Of course everyone is back on stage for a final bow.  Prospetity and stability are our wishes for the citizens of this beautiful land. 

First Moldovan Circubeu

Well I was walking home from work the other day and there it happened.  Right infront of me was my very first Moldovan rainbow or "curcubeu".   Something about a rainbow that just lifts your spirits.  If you let your eye follow the road on the next picture, the house I live in is right between the two stone fences.  Yes, its the one with the open attic door.  Always something interesting cooking at the farm.  Here you see Ilie and Ilia Leca brewing up some delicious "compote"  or fruit liquor.  A little combination of berries, sugar, and the right amount of cooking and later this winter we will see how delicious this combination is for tasting.  This outdoor stove is used for quite a few things such as preparing the fresh milk for cheese making, or heating the water for a load of wash.  Of course, Ilie is down in the valley in the evening to walk the cows home.  Somehing new in th neighborhood or "mahala"  this week.  Public Works construction of a new water line.  You can see the modern back hoe at work as it dug a deep canal (they call it "canalizatie") right down the street.  The thick rubber water line was laid in, and the canal covered up.  Well that's another day done here in Moldova as the sun sets in the west, you in American have a whole afternoon and evening ahead of you.  Good night.

Other side of Piatra

This past Tuesday I saw the other side of Piatra.  Tuesday is the day that our social work staff goes out to the houses of those who need intervention of our services.  Since we happened to be near a local "muntii"  or mountain, we decided to climb it.  And we saw the other side of Piatra.  Of course, I am always up for horsing around.  But there below us was the Raut River once again.  Two social workers are picturedon the hike, Sergiu and Marianna.  And on the other side of the Raut River you can see our neighboring town, Pohorceni.  And in the distance you can catch site of Orhei.  I read that Orhei has a population of 125,000.  Wow.  Of course I was tagging along today and enjoyed this little side light of a hike down the mountain.  We even found a cave.  When we got to the bottom, I was ready for a rest.  Similar to the valley by my house in Jeloboc, there is a bridge for crossing the river.  Call me lucky, I dared to drink from well number 13.  Did you know Moldova is not far from Turkey.  No not that one.  Well the Raut River just keeps on flowing down the line.

You say potatoe, I say squat

You say potatoe and I say squat.  Now let me explain.  To gather potatoes in Romanian language is the verb "a scoate"  to gather.  That's pronounced very closely to the English description of the position one must be in to gather potatoes, ie to squat.  And we did a lot of scoate this past Saturday.  You can see me in action above with the scoate team.  Fellow scoate members are (on your right) Lillia, daughter of my host mom, Iulia, and sister to Sergiu.  She is also mother of Marius whom you will meet very soon.  And also Leona, family relationship I'm not sure of, but one hard working squat mate.  And of course we have the skilled potatoe diggers who know just where to find those golden globes hiding in the earth.  That would be Sergiu on your left with the stylish cow boy hat and his dad, Ilie wearing the polo shirt.  Wait, here comes the local taxi delivering some goods along the valley.  Of course I had to take a break and do some horsing around.  Hey get on board, the meter is running.  Here we see Sergiu using the scythe to cut away wild plants that are blocking our squatting activity.  I'm given a lesson by Ilie on how to properly use the "coasa" or scythe.  Look out I'm dangerous with this thing in my hands.  I was reassigned to the "fork".  Well it was a long day in the potatoe fields and we harvested 10 bags weighing about 48 kilo's each.  Once again its Sergiu's leadership to thank for our squatting success.....and of course Marius as well.  Marius is 11 years old and quite a lot of fun to have around.  Well let's hope there's enough potatoes to last us through the winter.  And by the way, I was thinking that nobody should be elected president if they haven't had the chance to squat for potatoes.  Just my own philosphical mind churning as I squatted for golden "cartofi" (potatoes).