Back in Chisinau, so I thought I would update the old blog, tell a few stories, and in general just let everyone know how it is going. The first picture is the gate surrounding my house and garden. This is traditional for houses in Moldova. The streets are lined with brightly colored wood fences and gates all the way down.
Next up is my outhouse. I know that you all have been wanting to see it, so I took a picture for your viewing pleasure. (This is a nice one, I have the tiled Taj Mahal version in Cahul!) Now you have a picture to match to my suffering.
Next picture is the table in our kitchen with the bounty of the late summer. Everything on it came from the garden. We have definitely had some good eats lately!!!
Dean, this one is for you. Nikolai has a still in one of the buildings and takes wine that has gotten a bit old and slightly bitter and turns it into a special vodka called Rachiu. It is some kind of potent!!!!!
This was one of the most fun days so far in Moldova! It is wine making time and we picked all of the grapes in our garden...

Loaded them up in baskets...

I really hoped that the purple from picking all of the grapes would stay on my hands f0r a while, kind of a badge of honor from all of the picking. Unfortunately, the color lasted about 24 hours and disappeared. Oh, well!My and my family out in the garden. I let them pose with me in the picture, but just for the record... I picked all of these grapes!!!!!

This is the machine we use for collecting the juice from the grapes. It is like a big smusher and grinder. You put the grapes (stems and all!) through it twice and it squeezes all of the juice possible out. It takes a bit of shoulder, but it is a lot of fun

Last, but definitely not least, my site mate Michelle. She came over to help with the process 'cause my family has a thing about making volunteers dreams come true! Michelle is great. She is a dynamo!!!!!

This is the beautiful Cahul State University. This is my work-away-from-work for my two years in Moldova.

These are my colleagues at a celebration of teacher's day. This is an awesome holiday. Students bring lots of flowers to their teachers, everyone congratulates you on the streets, and all of the teachers at each school (or university) get together and dance the hora, eat and are generally merry.

The last picture is my amazing host Alexandra and Unchi Nikolai (from next door). I cannot say enough about my family and how welcome they have made me feel in Cahul. Alexandra is an amazing woman. She is constantly singing, dancing and being generally fabulous. I love being with them. Unchi Nikolai is Nikolai's uncle, lives next door, and is an absolute sweetheart. (Anybody that lets me make wine is a hero in my book!)

So, this is the latest from Cahul. Next I will have to publish some pictures of my students. We will be having a big Halloween party, so I will be sure and take lots of pictures of Halloween Moldovan style!

Thanks so much for keeping up with my escapades in Moldova. I am happy, healthy and excited about what I am doing here. I hope that everyone is well and I look forward to seeing you in Spring!