Another Year Older and Proven Tough

I'm turning another year older today.  Considering what all I've done in the last year, I feel like I've proven tougher than what I might realize.  I feel that I've been laid low especially lately  (farmers/ranchers from home might use the phrase, "rode hard, put away wet"), and hopefully it's only leading to me being built up stronger in the end.  God will surely take my ever-apparent weaknesses and use them for good. 

I thought that the episode with my knee would be the last of the unfortunate incidents that have put a pinch in my daily activities.  But that wasn't all!  We're also getting essentially evicted from our apartment this week.  When they talk about this thing called the "mid-service crisis" during the life of a PCV, I knew that this season of my life could be tough.  But they never put warnings like "beware of immobilizing injuries, cancellation of epic vacations, mental breakdowns, and crazy landlords calling for evictions" alongside the phase title.  On the other hand, the good news is that I almost expect some other type of explosion (of the chemical kind or otherwise) at any point now, so really I'm in a good position.  Anything is possible to happen.  Nothing is impossible to overcome. 

Last week, I spent the whole week in Chisinau resting my knee and going to physical therapy every day.  By physical therapy, I mean electro/ultrasound/magnetic/some type of compression therapy.  This week, I will begin officially the kinesthetic portion of it.  I have never had to forcefully remind myself to walk slowly and carefully as I have the last few weeks.  I'm a very patient person, but when it comes to this, I am tested at a whole new level.  The good news about the knee is that it's nothing more than a sprained MCL and a bruised lateral meniscus, and that has the ability to heal itself.  About that marathon I signed up for already in Athens, Greece in November?  I've got a long ways to go in a very short time.

Before this focused knee care regimen began last week, GLOW/TOBE facilitated a successful Camp Empower bringing together 6 regional teams of Moldova.  Please read about the event and also check out some photos here from our facebook page.  Twenty-four motivated individuals shared and collected information and ideas on Day 1 on topics such as gender issues, domestic violence, human trafficking, and HIV/AIDS.  Day 2 was devoted to planning a GLOW/TOBE event in their communities, using the planning structure that GLOW/TOBE offers and also using the information presented on the first day.  After hearing some positive feedback from participants and also hearing what plans each of the teams have for activities in their communities in the future, I feel that our hard work as a GLOW/TOBE team of directors paid off, even with the stress and exhaustion of planning and leading the event (in addition to my aching knee).  These are the events that make my service worth it.  I may not have felt 100% or on my A game, but we could see very positive results nonetheless which is exciting and relieving.  And hopefully, we've helped build a few community leaders, and they'll help do the same in their respective communities.

If you find yourself wondering how to wish me a happy birthday now after I've given you the ups and downs of my last few weeks, I'll give you a big hint.  You could donate to the next event I'm helping plan that could play a pivotal role in positively impacting the youth of Moldova.  It's the Innovation Camp set to happen in September!  We are relying on funding from outside of Moldova to help cover the costs of this event, however.  Thus, I don't need you to send me any Peanut Butter M&M's, almonds, Cholula, or tahini sauce (save those for Christmas perhaps!).   What I would suggest is to donate to the Camp Innovation fund here.  It's easy; the effects will far outlast any effects of the items mentioned above; and you'll be paying it forward.  Thanks for your consideration! 

Here's to a week of finding a suitable place to live, an ever-healing knee, and general stable living at the youthful age of 26!  Is that how old I am?  I can never remember.

Grand Adventures... Moldovan-Style (Only).

I'm supposed to be on a grand adventure around Europe right now with my sister and her husband, but instead I'm in Moldova nursing an injured knee.  (The day before Sarah and Joe came, I decided to be the good host sister and play soccer with my little host brother… fail.) I've been a bottle of emotions the last week or three, but I think I'm moving on. Just like I would always prefer glorious, colorful sunsets and fierce, angry thunderstorms over a series of dull, gray days, whether I like it or not sometimes I let my emotions run wild even if it's ugly.  In the end though, it's my choice to have more up's than down's and live with purpose and positivity rather than apathy and/or negativity.  So I'm doing my best to take the up's, manage the down's, and live faithfully and positively.  Happiness is a choice, I'm reminded. I imagine myself pulling myself up by my bootstraps. (My sister did bring me my cowboy boots, and that does make me happy!)

I'd like to share with you a few photos from my adventures with Sarah and Joe, while I hobbled around.  But first, I'd like you to help me accomplish a project.  I can't do it without you.  

A great need exists for students to learn about the nuts and bolts of business, as no business/economic classes or extra-curricular activities focused on business are offered (other than from Junior Achievement in a few schools) in this post-Soviet country.  The business environment as well is not so welcoming in Moldova, and the small prospects of opening a successful business here are often disheartening to young, bright Moldovans.  They will easily look to move abroad upon graduation.  To help fight these difficulties, we are planning an Innovation Camp which gives students an opportunity to develop creative business ideas and address the problem of a lack of rural economic activity in Moldova. 

Along with staff of Junior Achievement Moldova and a few other PCVs, I am helping organize the event, which has a few similarities to Start-Up Weekend.  We hope to inspire youth to think creatively and strategically about forming businesses in Moldova and also allow them to feed off of one another their ideas and passion for entrepreneurship.  What will be different is that the camp will be at the most basic level of small business, naturally more educational than business-launching, and for high school students in Moldova.  We've gained financial and logistical support from Moldovans as well as in-kind contributions, but we need more help from you!  If you are able and willing, I would be most grateful if you helped support financially the Innovation Camp we will host in September.  Sixty Moldovan teenagers will benefit!  That's a lot.  The donations are tax-deductable, and it's easy and safe to do online.  Also, feel free to spread the word and pass the link around to friends, family, colleagues, Bill Gates, and Howard Buffett. Every little bit helps!

Now, after you have graciously foregone 2-3 large latte's or beers and a burger and fries to donate 20 bucks or so, allow me the pleasure of sharing a few photos from Sarah & Joe's visit:

My co-worker, Mr. John, invited us to his house in Zaim.  He has a beautiful front yard, where you can find an abundance of fresh flowers, fruits, healing herbs, and wonderful scents.

Mr. John's greenhouse.  Joe and Sarah, professors of ag & resource economics, were happy to see this!

A real burger and fries in Moldova?  Yes, please!  First burger in a loonngg time (a YEAR I think).

Champagne (or spumante) factory at Cricova Winery

Sarah & Joe, my beloved guests in a tasting room at Cricova.

My PST host family meets my sister and her husband!  It was so nice for them to meet Stela, Carolina, and Stefan.  Joe and Stefan got a few good hours of playing in as well.  I feel like family truly whenever I go back.

My host family in Causeni and the three of us at a nice masa!  My family here is so kind and knows me pretty well.  It was something special and unique to have my Moldovan family and my real family meet.

We also had a lovely day in the raion of Stefan Voda.  We visited the town of Stefan Voda, where my friend Philip lives and then tasted some top-notch wine while overlooking the countless rows of lush green grape vines of Et Cetera Winery, my absolute favorite.  Did I mention my dream job of a vitner before?

All in all, I feel so blessed that my best friend (my sister!) and my brother (in-law) came to Moldova.   As I hobbled around, it wasn't at all the effortless, smooth few days I had been imagining for the last few months (yes, months).  But it was reality.  I'm sure that will prove to be an experience which will bring us closer in the next year and which will leave us smiling in the coming years.