It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Springtime....

This is a picture of a beautiful sunset in Cahul. I was walking to the university from my house and I snapped a shot. You can see that the trees haven't yet started to bud out in this picture, but two weeks later, Spring has arrived. The trees are all blooming and it is really pretty. I won't say for sure that winter is gone, however.... I looked out my classroom window and it was snowing this morning!
This is a picture of the panel that my sitemate, Michelle, put together. (She is the third from the right!) It was a panel for women's day and was made up of successful Moldovan women from business, nonprofits, gov't, etc. It was a great way to encourage young women and to celebrate the success of women in general!
This is a picture of my friend Emily. She was a model for the International Women's Club in Chisinau. The ambassador hosted the show and the ambassador's wife invited several innovative designers to show their clothes. It was a VERY swanky affair and a lot of fun. It is definitely a different side of Moldova than I exist in every day. I wasn't sure how practical some of the designs would be for wearing to the outhouse in my town....
This is a group of amazing students that I teach for a British Literature course. English is their second foreign language and they are doing an amazing job!
This is one of the first groups I had last semester at the university. They have just finished their last class with me and are spending a few weeks studying for their exams. Another amazing group of young people that I will truly miss! Below is the same group, this time with me in the picture!

Below is one of my most beloved groups at the university. They are showing off the copies of Jane Austen's Emma that one of the other volunteers in Cahul (the amazing Liza!) got donated to the University. We have a small library here, but no class sets of any books. Liza is helping me to get class sets of books so that students don't have to all share one book and try to work out a reading schedule or spend a lot of money on copies. If anyone is interested in helping out with organizing class sets of books for us, let me know!

So, I thought it was high time I showed you some pictures of the working side of my life over here in Moldova. I am always showing you the pictures of the parties and the playtime, but not so much about the work. I am currently working my ever-lovin' tail off, but loving every minute of it. I am so lucky to be where I am and to be doing what I am doing. I miss everyone, but I am doing good work, so it makes it all worthwhile. I hope everyone is doing well and has survived the crazy winter in Arkansas. (I hear you have had your own suprise snow!) Take care and as always, thanks for keeping up with me!

In the next post I will show some pictures of my trip to Turkey. Stay tuned!

Jennifer

Springtime in Moldova

Hello out there!!!!!! I am one happy woman in Moldova. The cold weather is gently leaving, the sun has begun to shine, and I am not wearing all of the clothes I own at once! It truly is the little things that mean so much.

Students at the Russian school #3 in Cahul.

I also feel like I am getting the hang of my job, so that is making me happy. I have accepted that I will never be able to predict the way things work on the administrative level and I am just concentrating on teaching the intelligent and interesting students at the university in Cahul. I have also had the opportunity to go out to some of the "high schools" in town and talk to the younger kids and that has been a lot of fun as well. My students at the university have been out doing their student teaching, so many of them have been inviting me to come and speak to their classes. The little ones are so cute!!!!!! I am really enjoying the work I am doing here and think that the hardest part of adjusting to a new language, culture, etc. is behind me.

Below are some pictures of Milesti Mici, a huge vineyard right outside of Chisinau. It is unbelievable! You drive through these underground streets and on both sides of the street are alcoves filled with wine from different bottlings in different years. It is unlike anything I have ever seen. The streets stretch for miles and miles (OK, kilometers and kilometers!). I kept hoping the power would go out and I could get locked in all night! We actually went to celebrate Marlena's birthday, so it was a good time for all.

One of the underground roads of wine at the Milesti Mici vineyard. Now that is a lot of wine....

My favorite part of the tour... The tasting!!!!!

These are a series of pictures from our Valentine's day celebration in Cahul. The usual Cahulians (Liza and Michelle!) were there, but we had the pleasure of hosting Lynn, Crystal, Marlena and Kieran for the weekend as well. I made an Italian feast for everyone. We started out with Italian spring rolls, then moved on to truffle risotto, truffle stuffed chicken breasts in a champagne cream sauce, green beans with roasted garlic, and, finally, cheesecake with a chocolate sauce. We had an amazing amount of wine, laughed, sang and had a fantastic time. After we were a few bottles into the wine we drunk dialed Dean (a Lusk family tradition!) and he got to speak with all of the lovely ladies at the party. Dean, now you can match names with faces.

This is Michelle attempting to say "NO!" to one more glass of wine. Needless to say, she was not successful in this endeavor!

This is Lynn having a bit of cheesecake rapture!!!

I have no idea what the commotion was! I think maybe there was some fighting over the dishes.

From left to right, Marlena (seated), Crystal, Kieren, Lynn, Liza and Michelle (looking like a gangster in the background!)

It wouldn't be a party without a crazy picture of Liza. She hosted this crazy bunch of women and we spent all day long in her kitchen cooking and drinking wine. We love you Liza!

This was taken right before the party broke up. Liza appears to be on her knees praying in the background. She is either praying that she won't be hung over tomorrow or for us to leave, I am not sure which one!

I wish everyone a beautiful Spring and a happy Easter. We celebrate a very interesting Easter here on the 27th of April, then the first week of May is a special Easter of the Dead where everyone goes to the cemeteries and eats and drinks graveside. Should be interesting....