Whirlwind

This weekend felt like something was wrong. I was able to breathe! I have been going nonstop since Thanksgiving, not only in work with my student groups and in finalizing a grant application and budget, but with holiday celebrations. Additionally, I am working on my own plans for post-Peace Corps life, and that included me submitting six applications to business schools. I have six months of my service left, and time is flying faster than ever. I'm doing the most I can to both live in the moment and have success in my work.

A quick run down of the holiday season:
December 25 started the holiday celebrations. Our ambassador hosted a party for Peace Corps volunteers in his beautiful home-- the perfect setting to start the festivities. I then went to the north of Moldova to celebrate our Christmas with a group of volunteers. I was able to go to Catholic mass, spoken in Russian and Polish, on Christmas morning. I then went back to my friend's house for another day of quality time with friends and good food.

The following weekend was New Year's. On Friday we had a HUGE dinner at the mayor's office and I went home stuffed before 5 p.m. New Year's I would compare to a combination of Christmas and Thanksgiving. People receive gifts from "Father Frost," sing carols, reflect on the past year, give thanks, and toast to all things good in the new year. My own toast to my colleagues went something like this, "This year has been better for me than last year when I arrived. I hope the next year is even better-- for all of us. I wish you all health, happiness, and the most delicious grapes and tomatoes! So cheers, to friendship between America and the USA!" Yes, I said "America and the USA"... I was debating in my head the whole meal if I should use the word for "America" or if I should use the word for "USA" and ended up using them both! My mayor immediately pointed that out and I turned red, laughed, and corrected myself-- "to friendship between America and Moldova!"

On Saturday I spent New Year's Eve day in Comrat, my raion center. An older man I met randomly on my village streets invited me to join him for lunch-- he spoke great English and I was so intrigued by his life story (he was in the Soviet army in Siberia and now has Norwegian citizenship) that I couldn't pass up the company. That evening I brought in the New Year with Nadia and her husband. I brought sparklers and Nadia sang as we lit the whole pack in her house between us. It was a very sentimental and happy moment.

On New Year's Day I was invited to lunch at the mayor's. Prior to this weekend I went around taking cookies and muffins to all the women I see on a daily basis: the ladies at the convenience stores, post office, produce stand, xerox copy shop, and at the library. The mayor's wife is the librarian and when she found out I didn't have any plans in order she invited me to join them. When I arrived at their house, I had to embarrassingly tell my mayor that I couldn't drink more than a glass of champagne; I was still full from the night before. I also couldn't eat much, I knew something was wrong with my stomach.

Well, a couple hours later I came down with a case of food poisoning. It lasted through the evening and into the next day. It was rough, to say the least. The only good thing that came of this is that I didn't have to feel bad for all the overeating New Year's brought. HA! I would never wish food poisoning on anyone.

Then the following weekend was Orthodox Christmas, on January 7, when Christmas is celebrated here. Again I stayed in my village, and Nadia and Vanya invited Laela to come down. Laela is a great friend of mine, a fellow volunteer, and whenever she visits my village people LOVE her... When we arrived at Nadia's it was nice to have her be the center of attention. She handles it well! Nadia's Christmas party started at 2 p.m. and we were there until 11 p.m. Her son's family was there, and three other couples. It was loud, fun, and merry.

This weekend, January 14, was Old New Year's. People celebrate this just as they do for Christmas and New Year's. I could hear my neighbors on the floor above me singing late into the evening. As much as I have loved celebrating this holiday season, I was happy I didn't make plans with anyone to celebrate Old New Year's. Going for a run in the muddy fields, hand-washing my laundry, catching up on e-mails, and watching a half a season of Band of Brothers seemed like a vacation!