A day at the lake…

In Moldova, my definition of lake has been altered significantly.  I now refer to a lake what would be a small backyard pond, but on a scorching hot day, water is water my friend.  Spending the morning napping and nursing a menacing hangover from overindulgence in some delicious vin de casa the night before… a friend stopped by my house and dragged me down to the school to partake in a friendly game of Frisbee.  After playing for about 15 minutes another volunteer jumps out of a BMW full of boys, booze, smoke spilling out the windows and the music cranked.  He asks, “Hey girls, want to go to the lake?”  A little hesitant, I decide to go.  I mean… when in Rome… right?   So my all three of us pile into the car making it 8 total in the 4-door sedan.  We drive on dirt roads, over fields, through washouts and finally arrive at the “lake.”  There are young kids everywhere.  Men in their undergarments, women in their bathing suits or in their clothes just simply enjoying some cool water on a hot day.  I hesitated joining in for a while because I know and have been told about the hazards of swimming in ponds that are full of stagnant water.  But after sitting in the scorching sun for an hour the other female volunteer and I had to jump in, so we did and it was wonderful.  Granted, my t-shirt and shorts were wet for the next three hours but it was so much fun. 

We left the lake and drove into the forest to have a picnic and play some cards.  We even played some charades in Romanian (which was great for expanding my slang).  My host mom had already warned me the day before that the lake was dangerous and that I should never go there without her… so I snuck in the side door when I got home and took a quick shower to wash the black mud off my feet.  All in all it was a day well spent.  Not quite what I’m used to for “a day at the lake” in upstate New York… but I may have found the “Lake George” of my village…