203. Jeans

Within two weeks three of my jeans ripped in different locations.  I told my host mom that I have had these jeans for around two years and I cannot believe that they are all ripping.

My host mom said that they knew I was leaving Moldova somewhat soon so they decided to call it quits.

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202. We'll give you a house

My host mom told me today that if I cannot find a job and if things do not work out in America I should come back to Moldova and my host family would give me their house.

She said that her children did not want it and there was not anyone else to give it to.  So, if things do not work out when I return to America, I'll just move back to Moldova.

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201. Basketball Project

You have seen a few of the projects I have worked on/am working on over the past 1.5 years, I want to show you a project that a fellow Peace Corps volunteer is working on. You can see the details of the project on this website http://www.indiegogo.com/AneniiNoi and get the overview by watching this video:

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200. Scar

I was on vacation in Bulgaria and decided to go skiing.  Due to many factors I crashed at one point and my one of my ski poles struck my head.  Then I received my first stitches (five) ever, and I got them in a foreign country!

I completed the last five days of my vacation and returned to Moldova.  My house family what thankful that the only damage I did was five stitches, but I think they found it kind of funny.  I have not recently had the best of luck medically.

This conversation took place over one meal-
Host mom:  There is a kind of cream that you can get that will help reduce scarring.
Host dad:  No, Tim does not need that.  There is a Russian saying that goes, what kind of man does not have a scar? (Meaning, that true/real men have scars).
Host mom:  But he has such beautiful skin, like a woman's.
Me:  Thanks, I guess.

Leia Mais…

199. Butchering, number 2

We butchered our second hog since I have lived with my host family.  This time I swore that I would be the one to end the hog's life.  But due to not getting directions, being a little nervous and my hesitation I got the knife taken away from me.

This is when we got 'Vasilica' but when we butchered him he was around 300 pounds

So, I did not kill this pig.  But I was afraid that I would not get the knife in the heart.  I did not want the pig to suffer, plus the more stress put on the animal affects the meat quality.  The last time we butchered a pig, my host dad missed the heard and it took a long time for the pig to die.

But this time, the guy that took the knife from me and efficiently and quietly killed the pig.  After the pig was dead the said, "Next time, you just take your hand and feel where the heart is beating and that is where you put the knife."  I appreciated the advice/direction... I just wish he would have done that a little earlier. 

If you want to see the process, you can check out my photos from the first time we butchered a pig: Post 150.  Here is some of the things that we made from the hog which was my gift to take with me on vacation:

Leia Mais…

198. Moldovan Food

Here is a blog with a few photos and recipes of Moldovan food:  TasteofPeace.wordpress.com

Leia Mais…