Talking with Tanya- Somehow she brings up how people miss Soviet times because life was easier and more affordable back then. She says that when the Soviet Union fell Moldova didn't fight for democracy they kind of fell into it, so still not sure what to do with it… The people don’t “own” it yet. I made a correlation to Iraq being forced into Democracy by the US. They also didn’t fight for it through a revolution either, we “brought it” to them, so can/will they embrace it? How will it fit into their eastern culture?
We also discussed last week's surprise missionary visit to the high school: First off how some of their hygienic gifts are unusual here- people don't know how to use floss... and her teenaged son drank the mouthwash instead of spitting it out. How they shared about their God even though he's the same Jesus they worship here- Orthodox vs Protestant. How they only shared their personal stories and asked if we had questions, but didn't care to ask any questions to the people and showed no interest other than sharing their own experience. She mentioned how they were only trying to export American Christianity. We then laughed and dreamed together about the kind of men we want to marry, and pray to God we'll meet him soon! Single women's talk.
Tanya runs off to school to teach chemistry. I begin walking home in the crisp bright morning light…
If I was a National Geographic photographer I would have been in heaven! Roosters crowing from random houses. Babas wearing multi-colored smocks, head scarfs, aprons, and tights with warm socks on top covered by patterned slippers sweeping the dirt road in front of their homes, others gossiping with each other in Gagauzian, while nearby a man slowly turns the well wheel slowly drawing the bucket of water up higher and higher. Another old man herds adolescent ducks with a long stick to a puddle in the middle of the road so they can drink and enjoy using their webbed feet. Along the puddle are freshly indented cow hoof prints followed by a few cow pies to be avoided. The trees fully dressed in autumn colors- yellows and browns, reds yet to be seen. Young men smoking outside their colorfully painted house gates wearing tilted caps. Children with backpacks half running about to be late for class.
Young mothers in high heels walking their bundled up babies in decked out strollers, tough enough for the potholiest of roads. So many dressed to impress. Ivanka, the adorable tiny baba with tanned leather skin, also wearing colorful baba combinations, carries a large plastic container filled with water, walks quickly up to me with a bright smile revealing her decaying teeth and kisses me on the mouth because we're good friends now. She compliments me on my necklace and says she wants one too. I guess this is because I fulfilled my promise of buying her a baba smock after 1.5 years of her asking for one. Walking by the school I hear a classroom of children repeating what the teacher says in unison. By the preschool I hear a teacher yelling at a poor little one on the top of her lungs. Next door a bunch of gated chickens pecking at the pebbles under their feet ignoring pedestrians and trucks zooming by. A loud truck drives too closely to a parked car setting off the alarm, a woman walks out of the beauty salon talking on the cell phone and quickly turns it off with her remote. Further along on the cemented sidewalk on a giant sheet of plastic lay piles of neatly organized clothes, pants piled on top of pants, shirts of top of shirt, sheets piled 2 -3 feet high. Women sorting through clothes, potential customers. The nicest shirts on hangers cleverly hanging on kiosk roofs and nooks in the walls. Babas selling creamy white chefir in recycled water bottles, homemade honey in jars, and fresh eggs while sitting on stools waiting for passerbys. Soon an old man will set up his stall not too far away to slowly sell a bowl full of sunflower seeds. A stray cat darts across the road then stops to lick her shoulder. More men standing around chatting with cigarretes in their mouths. Laundry hanging from 3rd floor apartment balconies on the line from adult size to baby silently swaying with the breeze. I'm almost home... just another October morning in Ceadir-Lunga, Moldova.
(Baba Ivanka photo-2008)
