1. video post Sat, 18 Feb, 2012

   We had almost three feet of snow practically overnight last week.  See, I’m not a fan of winter after the initial first snow, everything-white-and-beautiful time, but big snows like this never get old.  They always get me into snow day mode - sledding, snow ball fights, hot chocolate curled up in bed warming up and reading.  But Moldova doesn’t do snow days.  So Colita and I had to trek to school as apparently the first people out that day - the path to school was completely untouched for the first half and so we had to pave the way, literally. Then when we got to school, maybe one-sixth of the students were there.  After my first class of ten or so (where we watched a movie in Russian and played Mafia in Romanian), none of my other students showed up.  So I sat in on a French class before eventually giving up on anything academic and venturing outside to take pictures with my partner teachers. 




Comments
blog comments powered by Disqus

Somehow life has brought me, Kerry, from what I had once considered the middle of nowhere, New York, to the true middle of nowhere - a rural village in a country in Eastern Europe called Moldova. Chasing my dreams of joining the Peace Corps, I am currently an English Education Volunteer serving from August 2011 to summer 2013.

Republica Moldova is a small country between Ukraine and Romania that has only been independent (most recently from the USSR) since 1991. Prior to that, it was part of Bessarabia, a region that has been historically handed back and forth between Russia and Romania for years. This has had an enormous effect on Moldovan life, culture, politics, and language, and every person you ask may have a differing view on Moldovan national identity.

While Moldova has incredibly rich soil and can grow practically anything (most famously its grapes, used for wine), it has been difficult to break into the international market. Additionally, many Moldovans have been unable to find work in-country and have resorted to working abroad, usually in Moscow or some EU countries.

Despite all this, Moldovans are often with a smile on their face and are always looking for a reason to celebrate - almost every day here is a celebration accompanied with delicious food, wine, and dancing.

As for me, I live in a village of 3000 called Taraclia in the southeast of the country, just 4 miles from the Ukrainian border.

Learn more:
» CIA World Factbook
» New York Times
» BBC
» Moldova Azi - news in English

I teach Moldovan students in the village schools in forms 2nd to 11th. Most of my classes are partner taught with Moldovan instructors for the purpose of sustainability. After school I volunteer at the local center for children, a place dedicated to children from poorer economic status and broken homes. I'm also working on some secondary projects to help my school and community.

» Official Peace Corps Website
» Peace Corps Moldova Blog
» My Entry Archive
» My Peace Corps Reading List
» Need Inspiration for a Care Package?

Send mail to:
PCV Kerry Coughlin
Str. Grigore Ureche 12
Chisinau 2001
Republic of Moldova

Skype: thekerilator
Gmail: kerry.q.coughlin@gmail.com
Google Voice: 845-232-1421 Moldova Cell: +373.605.66.286

The views expressed in this blog are my own, and are in no way intended to represent the views of the Peace Corps or the United States Government.