108. Lime Please

While watching TV with my host family there is a commercial that always catches my attention.  I am not always fully watching the TV because generally it is in Russian.  But there is a commercial for a high quality chocolate bar which is called Korona and every time the commercial comes I hear this, "russian russian russian russian Corona russian russian russian."  So every time the commercial comes on I think of a cold light beer with a lime in it.

It is a tease.  I hear the commercial and think to myself, “I did not know you could buy Corona’s here” and then I look at the TV and see a large chocolate bar.  Which is not necessarily disappointing, but the two thoughts do not really mix.

Leia Mais…

107. Dear Mattel… I hate you

Uno, the card game is a very easy to play and teach even if you cannot speak the language of the person you are playing with.  I was very excited to hear that my mother sent me a deck of Uno cards, but I received this:

This un-opened deck that my mother purchased and mailed to me does not have blue or green cards but has twice the amount of red and yellow cards.  So now I am trying to make up a new game or figuring out a way to change their color.

Leia Mais…

106. New Pig

My host family recently bought a piglet.  This is a fun conversation that followed the purchase that shows the sense of humor my host parents have:

Host Dad:  Are you feeding him [the new pig] my leftovers?

Host Mom:  Yes. 

Host Dad:  Do you want him to eat like me?

Host Mom:  Yes, well, no.  I want him to eat like Tim and be fat like you.

Leia Mais…

105. Cultural and Business Exchange

In January five Moldovans who own a pasta processing company from the village where I live visited the USA.  I thought it would be a great opportunity for them to see up close the production, cleanliness, marketing, sales and quality control aspects/requirements of US food production companies.  After my third year of college I worked at the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) as a contractor for the Food Export Association and because of those contacts at the ODA this program was possible due to their help and planning.

The Moldovans were in Ohio for less than three days and two nights.  They were able to visit the ODA and hear about how the ODA supports and monitors food production activities in the State of Ohio.  They were also able to visit a flour milling, breakfast cereal, pasta and a corn chip manufacturing companies.  As an unplanned bonus, they were able to visit my uncle’s 500 acre grain and 3,000 hog finishing operation.

During the two nights that the Moldovans were able to spend in Ohio they stayed with my family.  They prepared a traditional Moldovan meal and were able to meet a few of my aunts, uncles, a great aunt, parents and sibling.

From what I hear it went very well.  It has been exciting to see the improvements and ideas for the pasta company that has been born because of this visit.  The milling company in Ohio enjoyed the visit from the Moldovans enough to take the time to mail a baseball cap to their visitors.

Leia Mais…

104. Boy, what can I get you?

I was at an open air clothing market and I was looking around at some shoes that one man had for sale.  After he finished talking to another customer he said to me, “Boy, what would you like?” in Romanian.  At first I was a little annoyed.  I thought to myself, I am 24 years old… why are you calling me a boy?

But after some discussions with my tutor and more observations I see that calling someone, ‘boy’ is not an insult in Romanian.  Plus, I do not think I get ‘man’ status until I am married.  Yes, the salesman could have been more formal, but at the same time he was not insulting me.

I also need to remember that the customer service aspect of sales in Moldova is different than I am use to.  You can see the difference between large chain/foreign sales companies and local companies.  When entering the store of a foreign clothing store chain you hear a ‘hello’ and ‘can I help you?’ and also a ‘have a good day’ when you leave.  When in the local chains or the open air market sometimes you are ignored unless you ask a question or buy something.

Leia Mais…

103. Moldovan or European?

I was with my host family eating dinner and my host dad was saying how I was becoming a Moldovan.  According to him I am eating, dressing and acting more like a Moldovan.  I was pretty happy with that statement, one of my personal goals is to try and fit in with the crowd.  I am proud of who I am and will not change some things about myself, but at the same time I like changing to try and truly fit into the culture.

But then my host father took it a step further, he said that I was not only becoming a Moldovan but also a European.  That comment I did not enjoy.  The first thought that came to mind was, “I’m an American, not a European”.  I do not have anything against Europe, I have enjoyed my time on the eastern side of it, but my upbringing or patriotism or something made me not like being called a European.

I find it funny how my mind works.

Leia Mais…