Friday, October 31, 2008

Dance party fundraiser - Guboglio Lycea (High School)

Check out photos from a successful Halloween dance party fundraiser! Considering Halloween isn't a holiday celebrated in Moldova I'm surprised how much students really got into dressing up in costumes and make-up! We had lots of fun putting this together. We raised about $28 which will help us buy supplies for the office.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Grape-picking & wine-making

Back in September a neighboring Peace Corps Volunteer invited me to her host family's vineyard in their backyard located in the Bulgarian village of Tvarditza (still in Moldova). We picked grapes, drank freshly squeezed juice, and ate a feast afterwards!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Putin Sighting


Waiting for a girlfriend on Stefan Cel Mare Street, directly across from Stefan the statue himself I stumbled upon an exciting event!

Vladimir Putin, former Russian president and currently Prime Minister was paying a visit to Moldova. I thought it strange that traffic was stopped on the main street in town, assuming a caravan of important delegates would eventually drive by to an embassy or something. Instead I was pleasantly surprised. Directly across the street from where I was standing at the Stefan Cel Mare statue a military band started playing the Russian national anthem while Putin walked out from a fancy black car carrying a flower wreath draped over with the Russian flag. While the band began playing the Moldovan national anthem and media cameras rushed out to capture the quick display of friendship he laid the wreath at the foot of Stefan, the former 15th century king and hero of Moldova.

It was quite a coincidence! For once I was at the right spot at the right time.