The Rootless Tree

A Peace Corps Volunteer here made an incredible video that brings to life the article that the NYTimes recently published about Children leading households.  It's a pretty incredible story and I don't think many people from the USA or other developed nations realize how hard it is for the people left behind to cope while their parents or relatives work abroad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pqpQlnVI6w

On a personal note, I make copies daily for people who are applying for work visas in other countries.  In an indirect way I am encouraging these people to continue "uprooting their trees" by helping them to find work outside of Moldova.  

Adoption in Moldova

I recently attended an "American Town Meeting" at the United States Ambassador's house.  I was not sure exactly what to expect from this meeting.  The invitation was extremely vague and did not indicate what to wear.  Upon entering I received a glass of hot cider!  After an update on the political, social and economic situation in Moldova, the session opened up for questions and answers.  Then we ate DELICIOUS food.  Salads, quiche, pizza and a fruit crisp.  YUM!

One interesting fact that I learned during this meeting was that the process for adopting children from Moldova has been efficiently and effectively streamlined. If you are thinking about adoption please consider the children of Moldova.  There are many orphanages and children trying to make their way on their own without parents and it breaks my heart.  The embassy here in Moldova has tried to make this process much easier for United States citizens to adopt and I hope that this results in more homes for the children of Moldova.  Here is an interesting story about Svetlana: http://www.worldorphans.org/blog/2010/12/finally-finding-a-family-suetlana-now-studies-social-services-in-moldova/


For more information please check out the following websites:

http://moldova.adoption.com/

http://moldova.adoption.com/foreign/moldova-adoption-overview.html

Music in Moldova

Music in any culture is a celebration.  It's artistic expression.  Sometimes you can hear it and sometimes the beats and harmony come from within.  The music of Moldova is an experience for sure.  As in any culture the music produced from Moldova has similarities to its neighboring nations: Romania, Ukraine and Russia.  When I asked the student participants in my English Club what their favorite kinds of music are their reply was far from boring.  Some of the students enjoy classical music (yes I mean symphonic orchestral music), rock, hip hop, rap, pop and traditional folkloric music.  In a nation so small it is interesting for the people to have such diverse tastes in music.  Of course the older generations tend to listen to more folklore and more music in Russian and the younger generations tend to listen to more pop, rock and music in English.  If you asked a university student in America what languages they listen to their music in the overwhelming response would be English with maybe some Spanish or French mixed in.  Here in Moldova it is common for students to flip their radio station or ipod from a bit of Russian pop to some English rap and back to a Moldovan pop ballad.  Crazy, right?  Anyway, it was recently published that Moldova is going to be participating in the Eurovision song competition again this year. Eurovision Contest: http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/16310     
Check out some of these interesting bands/singers:
Zdob si Zdub:
My favorite Zdob si Zdub song is: Buna Dimineanta

Sunstroke Project and Olia Tira: Run Away

Nelly Ciobanu:Hora din Moldova

Pavel Stratan: S-o insurat baietii

Fun side note. Today, in the office my partner and Maria Frizerita (the hairdresser) whipped out a songbook of Christmas and New Year carols.  I offered to play them on the piano but then I realized that the book was only full of words and they were pulling the tune from their memories and singing in perfect harmony.  I was surprised that an accordion player did not just appear in the office.  My next blog post will be about what people do in for fun in the winter... 
          

Update on the political situation

Former Moldovan President Warns Against Communist Return To Power:

http://www.rferl.org/content/moldova_communists/2247164.html

Things to bring in the Peace Corps: Meat Thermometer. Check!

As many of you may know, Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday.  It instills the season of giving thanks without the pressure of presents.  It reminds us that we have so much to be thankful for.  Since I am in Moldova I was unable to celebrate this holiday with my family directly and so I spent the Saturday before Thanksgiving with my Peace Corps Family. 

While a group of volunteers played football in the mud, several other smaller groups helped to cook the meal.  My team played games and cooked mashed potatoes and stuffing.  It was a great way to get to know some of the other female volunteers that are from other volunteer groups; education, health and community development volunteers.  After making our food we then went back to the Peace Corps office to eat our eclectic assortment of foods.  After saying what we were thankful for we feasted.  It was deliciously American complete with turkey and stuffing.

This year I am most thankful for the support of my friends and family.  I am so blessed to have such understanding and kind people in my life.    

Navigating the Education System of Moldova

Gradinița = Pre-school/Kindergarten

This school is much like a daycare.  The children who are typically toddler age up to 4 or 5 years old spend all day at this “school.”  They are dropped off in the morning around 8:00 or 9:00 and stay at the school until their parents get out of work or their older siblings pick them up after school, which can be between 16:00 and 18:00.   It’s a really long day for little children.  The facilities in my town are great.  They have little beds for the kids, the room is kept very warm, they feed the kids and they have plenty of toys and activities.  When I say “they” I mean the one teacher of about 25 kids and the kitchen/building facility help.  When I visited, the kids were really scared of me and did not really speak much at all.   

Scoala Primară = Primary School Grades 1 - 4

This basically functions the same as a primary school in the USA.  The only general difference is the hours of classes.  Most children can’t afford to have lunch at school and so they go home.  Many times going early for classes 8:00 and leaving around 13:00 or 14:00 without snacks or food. 

Gimnaziu = Middle School Grades 1 - 9

Scoală = High SchoolGrades 1 - 11

Liceu = High School Grades 1 -12

Abiturient = period between when one graduates high school and then goes to college/university.  I find it interesting that in Romanian they have a word for this period of time.  In the USA we would call this “Summer Break” and in most cases it is less of a break and more of a time to work your butt off and save some money for school.  However, I do believe that in Moldova this “break” can last much longer than one summer and often times does include working.  I chalk it up to the lack of guidance counseling in schools for the students that take longer breaks to figure out what they wish to do with their lives (I will write about this in a follow-up post).

BAC = Baccalaureate test

This test is much like the USA's SAT or ACT exams.  It is a standardized test that must be taken in order to enter the higher education system.  

Higher Education System:

Scoală Profesionala = 2 - 3 years

Professional or vocational school much like New York State's BOCES system.  Students can choose to enter a this school after 9th grade to learn a trade or skill.

Colegiu = 3 years

This school can also be entered after 9th grade.  I would compare this to a Community College and acquiring an Associates degree.  A step up from Vocational school but not quite a university education.  

Acadamie = Specialized University

An academy is basically a school dedicated to one area of study, offering several specializations.  Such as "The Academy of Economics" and within this school you can specialize in different aspects of economic study.

Universitate = University with many areas of study available

(3 years undergraduate + 2 years Masters)

Facultate = Department

Specialitate = Specialty within a department

The Universities in Moldova are set up very similar to those in the United States of America.  The main difference for the state universities is the way funding is given to the universities.  For instance, if a university deems that the department of language study needs 10 new computers then they must submit their request to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance for the new computers.  If these two ministries determine that the department does not need 10 new computers but rather 5 new books and 5 new chalkboards then that is what they receive.  Financially it is a very top-down controlled system.  Like in the USA, the university system is hurting in today's economy and is counting on the majority of the students who are graduating this spring from high school to attend a university in Moldova.  It looks like major synergy is needed between the current universities and high education system in this country if it plans to survive fiscally. 

Do any of my readers have any examples of a USA university financial model? 

Political Musicality

Now that the elections have happened (to view results click here) I feel it is an appropriate time to think back to the events leading up to the election.  Moldova has an interesting way of getting the message out to voters.  Billboards, quarter cards, hiring kids to pass out papers in matching jackets with balloons and concerts.  It's interesting to me that the platform and messages of the political campaigns can not be found on the billboards and there is no indication as to where I can go to get the information about the party, their platform and the candidates.  It's like they decide to put up a billboard, put a picture or logo, add on the slogan and bam... it's done.  No follow-up information. 

The concerts were the most interesting.  Do you remember the campaign in the USA called "rock the vote?"  It seems using music as a force to drive political messages or attract attention to a political cause is a universal tactic.  Throughout the months of October and November there were concerts all across Moldova paid for by political candidates and their parties.  Why is it that music is so effective when it comes to political messaging?  It's universal.  Almost everyone can and does share the ability to enjoy music.  You don't really have to know much about music to enjoy it.  It's powerful and it speaks to the public in a way that speeches and words fail.  Moldova is in an interesting situation socially, economically and especially politically.  I am glad to be living in this part of the world during such an interesting time.

Music itself can tell us a lot about the time in which it was written.  Study the lyrics of some of the most outspoken bands around time periods of social or political instability... such as the Vietnam War or most recently the War in Iraq.  I wonder what the songs of today will tell our children about the times we live in...

Easy Silence - Dixie Chicks 
 (This and most of their songs on the album "Taking the Long Way" were banned from most country radio stations after the lead singer spoke out against the President).

When the calls and conversations
Accidents and accusations
Messages and misperceptions
Paralyze my mind

Busses, cars, and airplanes leaving
Burning fumes of gasoline
And everyone is running
And I come to find a refuge in the

Easy silence that you make for me
It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me
And the peaceful quiet you create for me
And the way you keep the world at bay for me
The way you keep the world at bay

Monkeys on the barricades
Are warning us to back away
They form commissions trying to find
The next one they can crucify

And anger plays on every station
Answers only make more questions
I need something to believe in
Breathe in sanctuary in the

Easy silence that you make for me
It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me
And the peaceful quiet you create for me
And the way you keep the world at bay for me
The way you keep the world at bay

Children lose their youth too soon
Watching war made us immune
And I've got all the world to lose
But I just want to hold on to the

Easy silence that you make for me
It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me
And the peaceful quiet you create for me
And the way you keep the world at bay for me

The easy silence that you make for me
It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me
And the peaceful quiet you create for me
And the way you keep the world at bay for me
The way you keep the world at bay for me
The way you keep the world at bay 

A little education

A friend of mine just shared an interesting link about the Roma in Moldova.  I encourage you to check it out.  Here is the explanation of the video: In partnership with the Roma organization "Opre O Ciacimos" we have created one of the first Moldovan Roma films. It wishes to counter negative Roma stereotypes through the voices of the Roma themselves. This film has become the center of a new media campaign in Moldova, it will be used to focus community discussions, spark critical thinking in children and be shown to the European Union.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgB887BW0kM

Geopolitical Analysis of Moldova

I know that I have tried to explain to all of you where I am living and the environment that I stepped into when I arrived at my Peace Corps post.  This article does an EXCELLENT job of helping people wrap their head around what is happening in Moldova.  Thank you Dr. George Friedman.  This may help my readers from the United States of America understand why the elections on November 28th are so very important here.  Happy reading...  http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20101118_geopolitical_journey_part_4_moldova

Worldwide Farmers Exchange!

Today a farmer came into my office and of course he starts speaking very fast.  I have to inform him of my mediocre language skills and then we proceed to discuss his needs.  This guy REALLY wants to learn more about agricultural technology.  He wants to live, work and learn in an agriculturally developed country for a year or so and he wants to return to Moldova and implement his new knowledge.  It's funny that he stumbled in the office today because well I've actually been researching and learning a lot about these types of programs recently.  The sad part is most of them require proficiency in English and this guy just doesn't have it.

Some of the organizations I have found:

Worldwide Farmers Exchange: http://worldwidefarmers.org/home.htm

CAEP: http://selfemployedcountry.org/

So, if you are a farmer in the USA, EU or other part of the world and you have an interest in extending your knowledge of agriculture, sign up to host a farmer from another country with one of these amazing programs!