Today was amazing

 

Today was such an amazing day.  It is Sunday November 10^th.   During breakfast I was watching a movie on TV in Russian, no Romanian subtitles.  It’s amazing to me how you can figure out what the story is about and what the people are probably saying to each other.  Just another confirmation that life isn’t that different wherever you live it.  The same themes play themselves out no matter what language they are spoken in.  I returned to my room to find my brother, Doug, was skyping me from California.  Of course it was close to midnight on Saturday there.  He gave me an update on the Saturday college football scores, especially Wisconsin and Notre Dame.  Then I was off to church in Orhei.  As I walked to my village bus stop, I gave people the usual “buna ziua” as I went along.  But as I neared the corner by the bus stop, a person across the way yelled out, “Good Morning”.   What a treat to be greeted in my native language.  I don’t know if that person realizes how sweet a sound that is.  As I got on the bus which was already full, a young man gave me his seat.  Merci, I said, which is acceptable as thankyou even in Romanian.  I realized that as we went along the bus would get even fuller.  And we had fifteen minutes to wait as yet before we left the station.  Sunday Mass in Orhei was grounding and renewing as it always is.  I don’t know the Russian responses but I can sing along pretty good in Romanian.  Our services are a combination of both languages.  Today’s scripture included the story about the seven brothers who all married the same woman, one at a time.  I figure this has got to be the kinkiest story in the gospels.  Be that as it may, Jesus said we won’t be getting married (or divorced for that matter) in heaven.  So you better take care of that business now while you got the chance.  After church I met another PCV at a restaurant in town where we regularly have breakfast or let’s say brunch on Sundays.  We are such regular customers now, they know what we are going to order ahead of time.  It was time for me to shop for my wintertime sanity kit, a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle.  I found just what I needed at the school supply store.  The picture is of a three mast ship sailing along an island coast line.  The title of the puzzle is “ A Sunny Voyage”; perfect.  Today was the final day of Hramul celebrations in Orhei and there was a carnival in town.  My friend and I went down to the bus station where it was set up and marveled at the kids enjoying the rides, the popcorn, and the cotton candy.  Now back to the village on the local bus.  Of course it was packed.  No one to offer me a seat this time.  I joined the “pack” of people who all endured the intimate experience of strangers rather than walk the ten miles back to Piatra.   When I arrived in Piatra, I went to the casa cultura because I knew there were auditions going on for a Moldova has Talent Contest.   As I sat down, I was charmed by the knowledge that the contestant I was hearing had come to me once or twice to get the correct English pronunciation of her song.  She did very well.  I think she’s going on to the next level.  As I walked home from the auditions, I passed a group of men hanging on the corner.   They called me over and invited me in a very Moldovan way to share a glass of wine.  I spoke with them in Moldovan of course.  I was complimented when they asked if I was from Italy or America.  We laughed about how easy it is for Moldovans to enjoy themselves with some wine and bread, “and with some good friends,”  I added.  As I continued along the way to my house, the wine must have had a good effect on me as I was humming the song from “Fiddler on the Roof”,  LaChaim or To Life!

Moldovan Table, O Masa

 

A little drum roll please, I present the Moldovan table.  This type of masa (table) is what traditionally is expected here for any important celebration including hramul (town's patron saint), Ziua de Nastere (birthday), nunta (wedding), Craciun (Christmas), Pasti (Easter).  This beautiful room you see set for company was just a rough storage room a year ago.  As Sergiu said, "we worked like horses" to make it this nice.  I love the colors of the pillow embroidery in the corner of the room.  I think these items confirm that guests are welcome to stay if they need too after celebrating.  Our first menu item is a big favorite in my house.  It's chicken aspic or "pui racituri".  Aspic of course is a savoury clear jelly prepared from chicken stock and then refrigerated.  Next we have a meat selection of salami's and ham "sunca" garnished with a slice of red pepper.  Our next meat plate is either sliced breaded pork steak or meat balls made from chopped meat.  Next is a fish plate.  Either fried fish served cold or caviar on bread (orange or black).  A salad dish is next.  Its topped with shredded egg yolk, a layer of mayonnaise, underneath is a layer of chopped beets and some fish pate.  Another fish plate and this time the fish is pickled and salty topped with olives and lemons.  Next a mixed salad that hasn't been mixed as yet.  It seems common to serve the ingredients as we see them here and let the guests mix them.  There's slices of ham, cheese, cuke, crutons, and hardboiled egg.  Of course the dressing is mayonnaise.  (Did I mention that any supermarket will have a twelve foot cooler display of nothing but mayonnaise?)  Next a humble salad plate of cascaval (cheese), rosii (tomatoes) and castraveti (cukes).  On a long table as we have here, there is usually a complete set of each of the above entrees on either half of the table.  That way people can just reach and help themselves.  What else happens at these masa's?  Well there usually is a small shot glass at each place for some spirits, such as cognac, whiskey, or vodka.  Sometimes during the meal, the house wine will be served a glass at a time to each person at the meal.  During the meal, the host will add other plates to the table such as sarmale which is cabbage rolls filled with rice or meat.  And small meat balls and mushrooms in a butter sauce.  And our host will be making sure you have plenty of sliced bread at your plate.  This is big, hearty home made bread.  Well recently we had occasion to have masa at my house.  Our town's patron saint, St Parascovia, was October 27th  and here you see Iulia my host mom with her brother in law Andre and his wife.  And it was Liviu's 2nd birthday on October 29th.  You see him here with his grandpa Ilie and flashlight in his hand.  Notice his big brother Marius in the background.  Well I will end by saying "pofta buna"  or good appetite.

Halloween Special

 

This is a Halloween story straight from Moldova.  Even though Dracula was supposedly from our neighboring country, Romania, the celebration of Halloween is still a novelty here in Moldova.  There is zero commercial promotion of it.  No candy sales or costume specials.  You would be hard pressed to find a plastic pumpkin to collect your treats.  The church here has been leery of Halloween in the past as it seemed to promote witchcraft and sorcery in their view.  Some pockets of places are starting to have costume events for the children.  Peace Corps volunteers can't help themselves.  They promote many Halloween parties for the children they work with.  This year I had many pumpkin carvers assisting me.  There's a picture of me in action at the Center in Piatra.  One of the junior artists did a quick sketch of Mr. Oren (that's me).  We had several good games on Halloween.  That included making mummies, bobbing for apples, and of course, face painting.  Naturally we had "bomboane" (candy) for everyone.  Well that brings Halloween or hellowen (nice try) and another month in Moldova to a close.  Change your calendars and change your clocks.