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!