53. Ziua de Nastere (Birthday)

My first birthday in Moldova was a lot of fun. Four other volunteers came down south to help another volunteer with a Halloween party/fundraiser in a village 15 kilometers away. So I spent Friday night with them and helped with the celebration. They brought my birthday package from my family that was sent to the Peace Corps office in Chisinau. After the party we went for pizza (as far as I know, only pizza place for miles) and cake.

Early on my Birthday they needed to go to Chisinau, so I was back to my site by 6am. I promptly got home and went back to bed. A few hours later I was working on the computer and my host father knocked on my door and said the normal, “Hai să mîncim” which means, “Come, we’re eating”. He then asked for my camera.

I come into the dining room and there is a tablecloth on the table, pizza, cold salad, cake and racui (a homemade fruit whiskey, it sounds nice, but it has a high alcohol content). My host mother then gives me flowers (flowers in Moldova are very common gifts for men and women; they are also given for weddings, baptisms, new children, new houses…). She also gave me a nice umbrella, which I needed and told them I was planning to buy. Then my host family gave me well wishes like: I hope you live long and have many years, your health will always be good, good health to Kim and your family and a happy life in Moldova.

They then had me blow out 24 candles on my cake. I am not sure if it is common to have candles on your cake or not. At the birthday parties I have been too, they usually have on candle in the piece of cake (on in a loaf of bread). The candles were the slim-yellow candles used in the Orthodox Church celebrations.

We then ate and drank until out bellies were full. I then gave them a gift, which I don’t know if it is common, but they were not upset. I asked my mother to send me a map of the US and of the world, because we talk a lot about the states (where my family is, where I’ve been, where I’ve worked, etc) and the maps were in my package. So for the last 3 days we’ve been talking a lot about geography and talking about population.

I had thought about going to Chisinau to celebrate my birthday with my fellow Peace Corps volunteers but I was happy I did not. My host parents were excited to be able to celebrate my birthday with me. I think I had as good a time or better with my host family. So don’t be worried my real family, my host family is treating me like a real son.