Location, Location

Perhaps the biggest perk of Peace Corps service is the amount of travel volunteers are allowed to have. We accrue two days of vacation for every one month of service - thus, we earn forty eight days total. The PC realizes that we will accrue this time eventually - thus, you can take vacation days before you actually earn them, limited only by the fact that you can take forty eight days in the two years. There are a few regulations on when you can travel (as teachers, we naturally have to travel on school breaks), and as of now there are no regulations on where we can visit. Also, as an added plus every month the PC puts twenty five dollars into a special account that we can use to travel with. It’s not much, but it’s a start.

As of now my biggest question is where to travel to. I know that I’m going to Ukraine and Russia next summer when my parents come and visit - now, how to spend the other thirty or so days of vacation that I get? My initial instinct is to take off this Christmas and head to a place like Prague, although if it’s cold enough I might reconsider (and all bets are off if my opera singer friend Michael Fabiano sings anywhere in Europe in the next two years - he jumps to the top of my list). I’m also thinking of visiting either Turkey or Egypt, both places that are very accommodating to Russian tourists (being a Russian speaker, I should have no problems): maybe I will a take a trip there next spring, a Spring Break of sorts. This is all speculation for now (except for the Ukraine/Russia trip), but it’s fun to think about. At the very least, the other Russian speaking trainee and I have already decided upon a weekend trip to Odessa sometime in the spring. Take off on a Friday afternoon, come back on Sunday night - promises to be a good time.

As for my permanent location in Moldova, the place where I’ll spend the next two years as a teacher, I will find that in a month or so. Ideally I will be in the east part of the country, near the Ukranian border, in the southeast too so I can be near Odessa. My chances of getting this placement are ok - the Russian posts are either in the south or in the east, and one of the other two Russian speakers really wants to be placed in the south. In places there some people speak a language called Gagazuk (or something like that), which is basically an odd combination of Russian and Turkish. Being a linguist and a student of Turkish, she would love to be placed there. In a few weeks all the trainees will travel to potential sights, and then we can see which ones we prefer. As Russian speakers my options will be somewhat limited (fewer school in fewer places request us), but I’m still crossing my fingers that I can get a good location.

Speaking of being a student of Russian, things are going fine with the language training. As with anything, some days are better than others, but it seems like every time I get frustrated or think that I don’t grasp what I’m studying, I go to class the next day and realize that I know exactly what I’m expected to, that I’m just a little hard on myself. Part of the problem for me is that a girl I’m with is a whiz, picking things up instantly (she’s picking up a little Romanian on the side), and my competitive instinct makes me crazy that she’s better - really, I get bothered. I just have to keep reminding myself that, as our group of trainees is constantly told, everyone will eventually learn the language. Some people will just learn faster than others, but in the end, as long as we put in the necessary work, we’ll learn everything we need to.

Also, our teacher has a good style in which she gives us a lot of information one day, relying on us to study it in the evening, then we all review it in the first half of the next lesson before starting the new information. Actually, on Thursday I had an hour long talk with my host mother about our respective families. She is great to talk to, quick to correct my pronunciation and my grammar slips. In a way I’m surprised by how much I’ve learned in only a week, and I should be fine if I continue to progress at my current rate. The grammar can be tricky (if you say "he is a doctor," "he is 34 years old," and "he has a dog," you use three different forms of "he"), but living with a family and practicing the language helps advance skills at a rapid rate. Also , every day I watch Russian TV for an hour or so, and every few days I realize that my comprehension level has increased. It’s a good feeling to have. Also, I’ve learned that my host family has housed a PC trainee before and that, according to them, my language skills are (after one week) far superior to the previous trainee. A confidence-boosting compliment, to say the least. On Saturday night my family and I went to a little get-together with our cousins who live here, and I could understand a lot. When I realized how much I could understand on Saturday night - compared to how much I could understand last Saturday night - it was a great revelation to have.

I’m sure everyone will be sad about this, but alas, the pig slaughter is postponed for another week. It was supposed to happen Friday, but a typhoon happened instead. So the pig lives for another week. Actually, the other two trainees in my village - as well as my teacher - were all invited to the event. Too bad we have to wait another week . . . .

And finally, if you are interested in my address here to (maybe ;-)) send some things, I can be found at:
Andy Buchanan - PCT
Peace Corps Moldova
#12 Grigore Ureche Street
2001, Chisinau, Moldova

Things on my wish list include:
1) A battery for my laptop (Dell Inspiron B130: my current battery lasts only an hour or two),
2) Any music (with a song list included, ideally),
3) An electric toothbrush (yes, I have a converter),
4) Movies and TV shows on DVD (like The Office, American Version, seasons 1 and 2, Seinfeld, every season except 1-3 and 6,
5) The Lonely Planet Russian language book - a language guide printed by Lonely Planet that is great - should be easily found in most bookstores.
6) A book of stamps and envelopes. The stamps can be for America too - every month or so someone from the PC office here travels to America. When they do, they take along with them letters that volunteers have written to family and friends at home: the courier simply drops the stamped envelopes in the nearest mailbox they see on their arrival in the USA.

Of course anything is appreciated, but that’s an abbreviated list. If the mood should strike you and you ship me a package, be sure to send it as safe as possible. Have it as registered and sealed as is allowed - it will cost a little more and may take some time to get here, but it greatly enhances the chances of the parcel actually arriving at it’s final destination. Put something with my name on it inside the box too, as sometimes the name of the addressee is unreadable upon arrival. And feel free to remove anything from it’s original packaging - that will save you space (and money), and it will be better for me too, as my space is limited; plus, I doubt I’ll be able to return/exchange anything in it’s original packaging ;-). Thank you, in advance.