Touring the countryside

Isn't it funny that when you vacation somewhere, you're always interested in 'the local' experience and when you live somewhere you tend to forget to do the 'touristy' things? 
Such is the case. My dear friend Lindsay set up a few tours to two of the Moldova touristy destinations this past weekend. She had a guest speaker on domestic violence visiting and decided to show her some of the Moldovan countryside. Lindsay ropes me in to doing these things and usually drags me kicking and screaming, but as usual, it was wonderful.
On Saturday she scheduled a tour to the winery for Milestii Mici wine. (Meel-esti-meech). It is the longest underground wine cellar in the world, according to Guinness Book of World Records. So Lindsay, visiting guest, Karen, and a van full of some volunteers drove out to the winery. We spent a few hours there, even ran into the U.S. Ambassador on a similar tour. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Lindsay 

Outside the winery.

There was a wedding party taking photos. These are the brides shoes. I shit you not.

Me and my friend, Rachael. One of the few gals my age here. (I want her to marry my brother, Bob)

All of us. Bill, Karen, Zach, Me, Lindsay, Kitson, Chris, Kerry, Brittany, Ashley and Rachael.

On Sunday, Lindsay scheduled a tour to the Orhei Vechi (or-hey veck) monastery. Now, I had been there during training in the summer of 2011 so I wasn't too interested in going. But as usual, Lindsay talked me into going. Even my roommate, Holly, took a bus in the morning to join us. I was glad I did. (Shut up, Lindsay)
What I didn't know was that they hired a tour guide and we got to ride through Chisinau and the countryside with the history being explained to us by a local. I was pleasantly surprised and learned a lot about Moldova. The tour guide was a sweet girl, Natalya who had nothing but pride for her country.

The welcome sign into Chisinau. Yes, 1436...things are a tad older over here.

Me and Lindsay

A game for children to put a thin rope around their waist and crawl up the giant hill of the ravine into a window. It truly was horrifying.

Looking down into the monastery.

It's officially cherry season here.

Table settings for a traditional Moldovan Masa for a wedding reception.

When we left the monastery, we went to a local pension where an elderly Moldovan lady provided us with cooking lessons for traditional Moldovan cuisine and then we had a Masa and ate all the food we made. We sat at a table in her garden at the bottom of the ravine, it was completely breathtaking. One of the best days I have had in Moldova.

Making local treat. Dough rolled flat. Filling is brinza (local cheese, like feta), dill, leeks, garlic and egg.

Doamna Liuba shows us how it's done.

Finished product after being fried in oil (of course). 

Me, giving it a try.

Finished sarmale. Grape leaves stuffed with rice, peppers, onions, carrots, pork and garlic.

Karen enjoys some fresh mint tea after the meal.

It is a magical place. They are trying to incorporate a bike-sharing project to give tours. Please visit the link and contribute if you can. These are good people and are preserving the natural wonders of this country.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ecovelo-nonprofit-bike-sharing-service-in-rural-moldova?c=home

Less than 40 days to go. Starting to get weird now...

Food, glorious food!

One of the most common questions I get is 'what is the food like?' A valid question. 
So, the best food that I have had here is шашлик (Sha-sh-leek) which is basically grilled pork on a skewer with onions and peppers. There is a specific marinade that just makes it very Moldovan that I haven't quite understood yet.

Another favorite I have learned to love, Mama Liga which is like a hard cornmeal side dish usually smothered in sour cream and shredded local cheese. Delicious. 
BUT, I did want to learn to make a few things. So I did what any sane person would do and asked some locals to teach me. 

Lesson #1 - Борш! (Borscht)

I grew up with a Polish style borscht which contained a lot of kielbasa and hot dogs and boiled eggs. That is what we had (and still have) for every holiday. When I moved here, it was a Russian style borscht which has a beet base. I know what you're thinking...you don't eat vegetables! Well...when in Cahul... I do eat a lot more vegetables now than I ever have, but still not nearly as much as I should.
Our dear friend Natasha came over and gave us a borscht making lesson. So Borscht is a soup made of cabbage, beets, carrots, onions, potatoes and meat with some spices. It is delicious. It took me about a year to really appreciate it but now I love it and am so happy that now I know how to make it.

Boiling a head of shredded cabbage.

Shredded beets and cabbage.

Putting it all together to simmer.

Finally, can't have a bowl of soup in Eastern Europe without a gob of sour cream. Delicious.

Lesson #2 - Фаршированный перец и голубцы (Stuffed Peppers and Grape Leaves)

Our dear friend Sasha's mother offered to teach us how to make these from scratch and it took a long day (with a lot of wine) to do them all. 

Diced onions, carrots, peppers, giblets and fatty pork.

Fresh Grape Leaves.

Throwing it all together.

Cored peppers.

Adding the rice to the mixture.

Sasha enjoying the knife sharpening process...a little too much.

Stuffed and ready to cook. 

Packed the pot tightly so there are no gaps.

Covering it with extra grape leaves.

Looked through one of their old Soviet photo albums.

 They were delicious. And this family is wonderful. I'm so happy to be able to spend the day with them and speak Russian and exchange cultural recipes and stories. They have opened their homes and their hearts to us. It will be very difficult to say goodbye to them.

Vlad (Sasha's brother), Me, Gheorge (Sasha's Dad), Nelya (Sasha's Mom), Jesse and Holly.
(Sasha is taking the photo.)

Human Trafficking Awareness Festival 2013

In Romanian it was called: Festivalul Libertății
In Russian it was called: Фестиваль Свободы
In English we would call it the Liberty Festival. My organization along with the town of Cahul that I live in, was awarded a democracy grant from the U.S. Embassy. This grant was to fund a 10 month awareness campaign of human trafficking issues here in Moldova and the rest of the EU, Middle East and Asia. The Liberty Festival is a week of events to promote this awareness. It is the second annual such festival as we try and promote the dangers of human trafficking.
The week kicked off with a concert by Indian guitarist, Benny Prasad. www.bennyprasad.com
Benny is in the Guiness book of world records for traveling to all of the countries in the world in the shortest amount of time. He also plays his self-invented instrument which is a combination guitar/harp and bongo. 

Benny's one-of-a-kind guitar.

Benny has also traveled the world in promoting human trafficking awareness. 

Ross and I after the concert with Benny.

On Wednesday, visiting Psychiatrist Dr. Steve Critchlow of Belfast came to give a seminar discussing anxiety and PTSD in returned victims of human trafficking. Many social workers, psychologists and school nurses attended the seminar.

Dr. Steve Critchlow

Participants in the Anxiety/PTSD seminar.

Wednesday and Thursday, a local social theatre troupe called "Trust" traveled to local villages to perform a piece on Human Trafficking. 

My work partner, Vica, introduces the theatre troupe.

Typical Moldovan lunch break.

Some of the organizers with "Trust."

"Trust."

The theatre group was great. I will be sitting down with them later this week and interviewing them. Stay tuned...

Friday morning, we had a round table discussion with local NGO leaders, border patrol guards, local police, local politicians as well as the Peace Corps Director from Moldova and a representative from the U.S. Embassy.

Nicholae Dandish leads the discussion.

Michael Ball from the U.S. Embassy describes the current projects combating trafficking the Embassy is sponsoring.

The U.S. Peace Corps Country Director for Moldova, Janet Utecht with Marta Dunas, organizer and translator.

Ross and I with Janet, the country director.

And finally, after a long week, we ended with a concert from local band, AKORD and singer Cristina Croitoru.

Moldovan Band "Akord"

Singer Cristina Croitoru. (Check out her heels, she danced around like they were sneakers)

So, it was a long week, a lot of work and we are all exhausted. But it was successful. Lots of work still to do to combat this plague but at least there's a jumping off point.

Our T-Shirts. Stop human trafficking.

The organizers with the band Akord and singer Cristina Croitoru.

A lesson in human trafficking.

Yes, it's time for some education. Tomorrow kicks off our second annual Anti-Human Trafficking festival here in Cahul. It will be a week long series of events to kick off a 10 month awareness campaign funded by the U.S. Embassy. So, I will do my part by conveying some facts you may or may not know. I know...some of you don't want to think about it or feel like reading technical jargon, but please, do me a favor and read through this (I'll keep it succinct) and understand this problem because I have news for you...it's happening in the U.S. too...
So when you hear the phrase 'human trafficking' I'm sure your mind goes to the movie 'Taken' or that type of scenario with rich men from the Middle East kidnapping girls against their will, drugging them beyond comprehension and engaging visiting rich men to have sex with them. Yes, that is one scenario, but unfortunately, it is one of many.

How - Recruitment. There is a program called "Work and Travel" in which they award students here the chance to travel to the U.S. and live and work there for 3 months during the summer. It is pretty competitive so not everyone is accepted. Many 'copycat' programs have crept up throughout the years that pose as legitimate work and travel opportunities but are really recruitment for trafficking. It is not just 'work and travel' but just employment opportunities abroad in general are the biggest form of recruitment. Many transactions take place through social media, online or on the phone with no real 'legitimate' proof of employment.

Where - From 2005-2010 here were the locations for the biggest percentages of trafficking victims obtained from European countries:

• Turkey - 29%
• Russia - 28%
• Moldova - 12%
• Cyprus - 5%
• United Arab Emirates - 4%
• Israel - 4%
• Romania - 4%
• Lituania - 3%
• Czech Republic - 3%
• Kosovo - 2%
• Austria - 2%
• Spain - 2%
• Ukraine - 1%
• Other (Italy, Jordan, Pakistan, China, etc.) - 1%

What - So I say there are other types besides sex trafficking. Here are the major categories for human trafficking:

• Sexual Exploitation 
• Forced Labor
• Begging
• Sexual and Labor Exploitation
• Organ Transplant
• Criminal Activities

How do they maintain control over these victims? Physical violence isn't as common as it tends to attract the local authorities. Most of it is documentation. The trafficker will keep the victim's documentation and hold it for 'ransom' until the victim 'works off the cost' and can then reclaim their documentation to leave.

Who - The average age is 18-25. The average age for exploited child labor is 14-17. One of the most disturbing facts I have learned is that most times, victims are not aware they are victims. They are just led to believe that this is 'how it is' living and working abroad so why would they choose to go home. It's not going to be better there. At least 'here' they are making money, right?

So this is just a brief overview of the goings on. We are trying to bring awareness so that kids can recognize the signs and be aware of what is going on. Education is the best form of prevention. 

I have actually seen this happen in person. It wasn't as extreme of a case as many but it was alarming to see it on a personal level. I met a guy in my town. He was 19 years old. He told me he received an opportunity to work in Russia for 3 months and he would make a lot of money and would return when the summer was over. I gave him all of this information and he assured me that it was all legitimate. Months later, in chatting with him online, I asked about his work. He informed me that he worked daily (no days off) from 6am to midnight. He shared a one-room apartment with 7 other boys his age. They had no days off. They had to pay their own rent and buy their own food. The money they were given was 1/3 of what he had been promised and it barely covered his rent and food, therefore he could not afford to save anything, including to buy a ticket to come home. His 'bosses' were 'holding' his documentation for safekeeping and he had to pay them a 'processing' fee to regain his papers. After being injured on the job, he received minimal medical care and was forced back to work even though he had not completely healed. After many long conversations, he understood that this was not normal. His sister wound up wiring him enough money to pay his rent for the month, to pay for his documentation, his ticket home and enough to keep his roommates from reporting that he was leaving. Upon obtaining his documentation, he packed his bag and got on the next bus back to Moldova. He had no money, just his ticket. As awful as this all sounds, he is very lucky to have been able to escape as quickly and as relatively unharmed as he was. And to this day, he does not believe he was a victim.
Europe and Asia are crazy, right? Bad news...it happens in the U.S. too. I won't bore you with more statistics but it does happen. 
So when you ask me what I've been doing here...this is it. I've been getting an 'in your face' education about this practice and trying to educate people about how this is not normal and they are worth more than this. But it's not just my fight, it's world wide and it's horrifying. Keep educated, educate your children, educate your friends. No one is immune from the dangers. 
Off my soapbox.

Some resources for domestic trafficking:
http://www.polarisproject.org/
http://www.safehorizon.org/index.php
http://www.safehorizon.org/index.php

International Resources:
http://www.tinyhandsinternational.org/human-trafficking
http://lastradainternational.org/
http://www.iom.int/cms/en/sites/iom/home.html

The above statistics were provided by "New Face of Human Trafficking" by Vlademir Ubeivolc and Veniamin Sazonov associated with The Beginning of Life organization in Chisinau, Moldova.
ISBN 978-9975-4359-2-5
http://www.bol.md/?q=node/59 

COScon

Oh Peace Corps, you and your acronyms, I so will miss you. What is Coscon? It is another way of saying COS (Close of Service) Conference. Yes, it was time to gather us all together one last time and tell us all of the stuff we need to do to get out of here. And it was a doozy!
So, COS...it's been on my calendar for about a year now. It's been no secret that 2013 has already had its share of challenges. I have gone back and forth between dreading and looking forward to the COS Conference. I mean yes, I would get to see all the original M26's one last time and we would be away from everyone else in a secluded location in Moldova with no supervision but also there was nowhere to hide and I would have to be in rooms with people I had basically written off. As usual, I created 1000 scenarios in my head not knowing in reality what it was going to be like.
So I arrived at the Peace Corps Headquarters in the center of Chisinau and met up with all my 'classmates'. We all piled onto a fancy bus and they shipped us off to a secluded 'resort' called Vada Lui Voda. (It pretty much sounds like it looks). It was SO quiet and so green and no I wasn't high. We had the place entirely to ourselves. We all checked into our rooms, ate lunch and walked around to enjoy the solitude. The afternoon began with some 'sessions' like the ones I had hated back in PST (Pre-service training) where the administrative staff encourages us to share and write on flipchart paper. The problem is, we're not in PST anymore and we're not all strangers, so this evolves into a lot of inside jokes and private and side conversations. I never realized JUST how much side conversations annoy me and I again long for my mother's ability to just stare down the room until they are silent. We got through the afternoon. We had a dinner, the food was okay but my dear friend, Chris had thought ahead and brought a lot of meat as well as his grill. And the barbecue was on. There we were a mere two years later, all sitting around like we were old friends. Where had the time gone? I know it's cliche, but seriously, how did this happen? 
We learned that 64 people were invited to serve in the M26 group in Moldova. 55 arrived here. And guess how many of us were at the COS Conference? 32!!! Yes. I was one of an elite group that had survived. So I looked around at these people. There were a bunch of them I really didn't know, there were a few that I genuinely didn't like, there were a few who I adored and there were a few who I honestly can't remember life without them. But one thing we all had in common was that we were all still here. It just made me smile, it was so weird. I never finish anything. I get bored so easily and I was one of 32 people who had finished this. Crazy.
After a good night's sleep, we had to report in the morning at 7am for breakfast. (Ugh!) Then a full day of 'sessions.' Some were interesting, surprisingly and some could have been summed up in a quick email. I decided to combat my boredom and ADD with movie making. My friend, Dahnika, lent me her video camera so I spent my day shooting footage of people to compile into a movie at a later date. (Coming soon).
At the end of the day, we had a 'roast.' We had all previously drawn each other's name at random (supposedly) and had to sit in a 'hot seat' while a fellow volunteer 'roasted' us for 2 minutes. Most of the education volunteers were sentimental and wound up crying. Our group was total dicks to each other...and that's all right. It's how we roll. After dinner, everyone was heading down to hang out by the river. I saw it as an opportunity for some alone time. I went to the room and showered and sat on a swing outside my room and read for a while. It was a good moment. People started filtering back in after dark. I hung out with a few people for a while but still made it an early night. The next morning it was another early one as we were filled with information about post service insurance, readjustment allowance, post-service traveling, job workshops and in the midst of all that we had our language skills tested one last time. It was a lot of information. I've never been more grateful for my Starbucks Vias and my Dunkin' Donuts tumbler that keeps my coffee hot. (Thanks again, Mom). 
As the day came to a close, they threw us a big celebratory lunch with lots of meat and well, who am I kidding, there was a lot of meat. We packed up our stuff and waited for the bus. And I was sitting in this outdoor amphitheatre waiting for the bus with my three friends, Dahnika, Jen and Lindsay. When I arrived at PST, I thought Dahnika was this snotty little girl who had no time for anyone but herself and her bitchy best friend, Lindsay was this athletic, blonde, gorgeous, super positive motivated girl who I was determined to hate and Jen (Kitsy) was this super nerdy, studious serious student who had no desire to socialize or have fun and got under my skin at every turn. And now...they were three of my best friends that i have made here. So strange how things change.
We piled on the bus and it was done. The last time we would all be together. We all leave in July on separate days so we definitely won't be a big group again and it's probable that I won't see the majority of them. And that was that. 
So I, of course, was thinking about to my arrival here back in June, 2011. It was an all night flight. When I got off the plane it was hot as balls without A/C in site. I was tired, I was way fatter so I was SUPER hot, I was dressed in 'business casual' because things like that mattered back then, I was surrounded by strangers. When I got to my village, I was shoved into a house with strangers who spoke no English, didn't know what food I liked and they lived at the top of a steep, steep hill that I had to walk up every day. When I got into 'my room' I had discovered my passport and all of my money was gone. I fell asleep and hoped it was all a dream. When I woke up, I almost didn't get out of bed. I honestly don't know why I did. But I did. How did I do that? Why?
So 2 years later, I am 85 pounds lighter, I now speak 3 languages, the lessons I've learned are way too valuable to merely be written and the things I have to look forward to are immeasurable. As I sit here under this pile of paperwork that I have to complete in the next 75 days, there are no regrets. 

The surviving M26's

The COD Group July, 2011
Jen, Lindsay, Andrea, Maria, Tom, Christina, Me, Jessica, Jamie
Conrad, Michael, Courtney, Jesse and Rozzi (not pictured...she was chasing a butterfly or something...)

The COD Group, April, 2013
Jen, Me, Lindsay, Violeta (our Program Manager), Michael, Conrad, Tom and Jesse

Movie, coming soon! :)))