Sundays are also for...

Laundry!  I don't think I am going to make it to the park today, as I have a few loads of laundry to do.  First up was boxers...

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I am lucky enough to have a machine...

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 ...and something I forgot to point out in the original tour I gave you all: right outside my kitchen window...

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 you can find the fruits of my labor.  :^)

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Just finished bringing in my boxers and hanging a load of darks (order of importance:  boxers for cleanliness, dress socks for work, whites for tee-shirts and continued cleanliness, jeans for lounging... etc.)  It is okay by me to have chores to do around the house, because I also have a bit of reading to do for both my clinical work and my language lessons.

I hope you all have a fabulous Sunday, laundry and all!

Sporting

This last Friday, my language professor (Alexei Acsan of Casa Limbii Române) called to invite me to go sporting with him and his son Daniel on Saturday.  So, when Saturday rolled around I packed my towel and bathing suit, and at 14:00 I hopped on maxitaxi #129 to make my way to Casa Limbii Române.

Alexei and his son showed up with duffle bags slung over their shoulders, and off we went to the rec-center of the Universiatea de Stat din Moldova (USM to locals.)  Once there, Alexei and Daniel changed into tee-shirts, shorts and tennis shoes in the vestiar (sort of like a locker room, but without lockers... a changing room.)  Then we hit the courts.

The rec-center has a multi-use gymnasium, with two parallel basketball courts that double as either two volleyball courts or can be used across the width for indoor soccer.  When we arrived, one of the courts was in use for volleyball, and the other was split into 3 badminton courts (I forgot to mention that the gym also accomodates badminton...) So we grabbed a volleyball and a soccer ball and putzed around in a little bit of free-space.  We bump-set-spiked the volleyball between the three of us until the badminton players were finished, and then we cleared  the nets away and took shots on goal with the soccerball.  Futbol is Alexei's passion, and his energy level is as entertaining on the court as it is in the classroom.

It turned out that Alexei meets a group of 9 other men each saturday to get in a few volleyball matches.  The originators of this group have been meeting every Saturday for 12 years; Alexei joined up with them 8 years ago.  Daniel and I continued to bump-set-spike, and also spent a fare share of time watching the matches.

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Bump!  (Alexei is the gentleman in the foreground, white shirt...)

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Tracking down the ball for a spike (ball is up near the right-most light)

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After volleyball, it was time for a quick sauna (which is also the Romanian word for it) and shower before hitting the pool...

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 The pool entrance from the locker room.
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An outdoor view...
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And "Hello America!" from Alexei and Daniel
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After an hour in the pool, it was off to have beer with the guys.  We took a short jaunt down to a bar, where Stefan ordered up some grapes, peanuts, tea and beer for the group.  I would tell you the name of the bar, but as Valeriu explained to me, they had been coming to this bar for 12 years and never found out its name.  To them it is "the gas-station bar" (because it is next-door to a gas-station.)  What's in a name, anyway?  For these guys it is just the perfect place to finish off a perfect day of fitness.

We toasted cognac to one of the men's mother (her 76th birthday was on Friday,) later toasting to three more as-yet-unidentified occasions (I'm pretty sure it was just to shoot more cognac)... and after four shots of cognac, a beer and some fine Moldovan cuisine, I was off to home for the Michigan game against the Indiana Hoosiers.  It was a great day, and some great insight into how similar Moldovan and American men really are.

Ride it Like You Mean It! Lesson #617 from Brian's Guide to Living in Moldova - Mastering Moldovan Maxitaxis

An essential component of living in Chisinau is to master the public transit system.  My first instinct was to use taxis to get to my important destinations.  Why?  Because I was assured that I would step out of the cab onto the right doorstep.  But, such convenience feels a bit like cheating... and at some point a person should try to do as the locals do.  Locals do not pay 35-60 lei ($3-$5.50) to ride around alone in a taxi cab!  Quite the contrary, they kick it up a notch and pile into what is called a "maxitaxi."

Maxitaxis are tall vans that accomodate upwards of 20 people... tall so that you can stand in the aisle (and fit more people.)  There are multiple routes, and riders are basically sharing cabfare to go anywhere on the route.  A rider is able to get on and off at any time along the route, and the cost is 3 lei ($0.25) to do so.  The cost of 3 lei is unrelated to distance traveled (one block or thirty... 3 lei.)

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A maxitaxi at 4:00pm; not yet rush hour...

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 Routes...

The first thing you have to know:  the route you need.  If you are meeting someone at a specific address, do not be afraid to ask them which route you should take.  But, if you are feeling exceptionally independent, and do not feel like bothering someone to design your route for you, here is a helpful link I found:

http://www.md4ever.com/maps/index.html

1.  To the bottom right corner of the map, click on "find street"
2.  Scroll through alphabetical street names, select your destination
3.  The street will be highlighted in flashing red, and a list of the maxitaxi, bus and trolley routes will be displayed to the right of the map
4.  Click on the number of any of the routes, and the route will be highlighted.  Note the cross streets the route hits, as most routes will not run the entire length of the street you highlighted.
5.  Find the route that comes closest to where you want to hop on and off... presto!  You are ready to ride... almost.

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Route #162, as indicated in the lower-left corner of the windshield... the next van back follows Route #110.

 Hail Yeah!...

I know, you're getting excited... you have your route ready, you know which corner you are going to stand near...  now we hail the maxitaxi.  First, please understand that there is more than one maxitaxi running each route.  I have no idea how many, but you will only wait a few minutes between opportunities (actual time depends on route and time of day...)  Also, the route numbers are not going to be in any sort of sequence:  all vans are in a free-for-all on their route.  With that in mind, keep an eye on the vans as they approach... you will not have much time to react (the drivers start, stop and drive with great fervor.)  When you see your route number, make eye-contact with the driver and stick your hand out.  To prevent confusion, and multiple vans stopping, hold your hand in the direction of the van you are hailing.

"What?!  I did exactly what you told me, and that van just kept on truckin'!"

Welcome to rush hour... I have watched many people get passed up at 7:30 am because the van is already full.  But don't fret.  Often a packed van has "scrubbed the route" and the next van may be close to empty... which is why the drivers are so aggressive in jockeying for position.  Know when the city is bustling, and give yourself extra time during those hours... business and school hours overlap in Chisinau, and there are a lot of students in this city.

But, when the van stops...

Get On and Get Ready...

As mentioned before, the van will come skidding to a stop.  At this point the driver will be simultaneously pushing a button, or pulling a cord he has rigged, which opens the door.  Hustle!  Leap up the steps, with one hand on the door to close it behind you (if no one else is following of course...)  If you are hustling, the driver will be more patient with his start-up... but don't think he is going to turn and look to see that you are ready to go.  When it is time to go, there is only one speed... fast.   So, plant your feet, grab onto the handrail and brace yourself for acceleration.  Worry about paying the driver after you are acclimated to the motion.  And keep in mind that acceleration may be followed by rapid stopping at any moment (next pick-up, drop-off, competing drivers, etc.)  By the way, I like to have my fare ready in my pocket before boarding, such that I am not scrambling with my money clip, etc. while the van is moving.

The Stance

Riding a maxitaxi is much like surfing... except, it is probably more akin to surfing in a typhoon.  Most sudden motions will occur in the front to back direction (starting and stopping.)  So, imagine that the aisle is your surfboard.  You are going to put your feet perpendicular to it's length, with your legs slightly spread in the parallel plane... your back leg will absorb pressure during acceleration and your front leg will brace against sudden stops.  For the normal lane changes and swerves, your core muscles (abdomen and lower back) will do most of the steadying... but use your arm strength and the railing to brace yourself through more violent changes in direction.

Etiquette

1.  Do not crowd the door.  When you get on, move out of the view of the driver's side-view mirror... he needs it.  And as people get off the van, move to fill the back.  When you are nearing your stop, move to the front again.
2.  Pass the money.  A pretty interesting phenomenon is the passing of money.  Riders will pass their fare from anywhere on the van, up to the driver, after getting themselves situated.  The driver will then make change which gets passed back to the original passer.  I am not sure yet as to how the driver knows who has paid or not, but I'm guessing the system involves a lot of honor.
3.  Little old ladies...  if you are sitting in the front row and a little old lady, or mother with an infant, boards the van, please stand up and give them your seat.  Chivalry is not dead on public transport.
4.  Armpits... do not worry about body odor.  Although moldovan women wear perfume, the men are distinctly deoderant free.  So when you raise your arm and have to put your armpit near someone's face, do not fret:  you're pit is probably much less odorous than what they are used to.  :^)

Well, you are now ready to ride.  Good luck, and have fun exploring!

What's for Lunch?

I agree, it has been too long since I last mentioned food.  A few notes for you:

Number one, the diet here seems to consist mostly of dairy (milk, cream, butter, hard cheeses, sour cream and yogurt,) pork of some variety, and vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, cucumber, cabbage, carrots and mushrooms.)  An example of a vegetable dish I tried recently:  Ciuperci grătinate în sos de smântână... grilled mushrooms in a sourcream sauce.  A very good dish!

Number two, every salad I have had here is a chopped salad of some sort, be it mayonnaise or oil-and-vinegar based.  By chopped, I mean made with julienned or shredded vegetables... not a bed of lettuce.  An example:  I went to an Irish Pub (which played American hits from the eighties, and offered neither Irish- nor pub-food...) and ordered a salad with salmon and avocado... how's that for Irish?  :^)  Well, this salad was served as a large scoop of chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, topped with some sort of cream/mustard sauce, and on the side are five slices of smoked salmon complemented by five slices of avocado and whole black olives.  I must admit, it was a fairly strange assortment of flavors.

And the third note?  Pelemeni is fantastic!  When Artiom and I sat down for a beer the weekend before last, he was nice enough to accompany me to the Fidesco afterward.  One of the best pieces of advice he gave me to date:  "try the pelemeni."  The pelemeni I get from the grocery is frozen... just add it to boiling water for 5-7 minutes, drain, add a bit of butter, and... presto!  Dinner is served.  Pelemeni is either ground chicken or pork, stuffed with finely chopped onion and black pepper into a pasta shell, which is crimped to make a sort-of miniature dumpling.

Alright, a couple more quick notes before I move on to the actual topic of this post (lunch.)  The traditional soup I couldn't remember the name of last Monday... zeama.  Zeama is a semi-sour version of chicken noodle soup.  It is fantastic, and highly recommended. Also, I have noticed that a lot of menus have rabbit... a good way to keep them under control out on the farms, I suppose.  I tried the "iepure în vin cu sos alb" (rabbit in wine with white sauce) and it was quite tasty.

Now lunch...
I decided to stop at the Fidesco on my way home from the hospital today, and while inside I came across some pre-made salads I had not noticed before.  Well, my curiosity quickly turned into "I'll try them all..."

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Alright, from the left:  salată de vinete, an eggplant salad (like Mama Ica makes;) a salad named asorti "solaris," which is basically an assortment of vegetables pickled to a sweet flavor much like "bread-and-butter" pickles; salată din varză, a vinegar-based cabbage salad spiced with dill; morcov potrivit picant, sweet-n-spicy shredded carrots; and on the other side of the plate, sarmale rolled in two varieties: with sour cabbage and with grape leaves. 

And on the plate?  Well first, a nice piece of crusty French bread (21 cents for a small loaf!)  And that chocolatey thing-a-ma-bob?  OK, you got me... that is a gogoase (doughnut) coated with condensed milk and cocoa, and filled with some sort of caramel-like cream.  Mmmmm....  A man cannot live on vegetables alone!  :^)

And that was lunch today...

Sundays are for Dancing!

Well, yesterday afternoon I made my way down to the park again.  As you may recall, Dr. Cetulean suggested that I check out the band in which her husband plays... open air + free music = I'm there.  :^)

Just as the weekend prior, I found the sidewalks along the first 5 blocks of the route to be nearly deserted.  But once again, within 2 blocks of the first park (with flower vendors) the activity picked up.  It is obvious that Chisinau-ans love their parks...

As I approached the intersection of Stefan Cel Mare I could hear quite a commotion to the left.  Approximately a block down the boulevard I could see a massive crowd gathered around a soundstage, complete with a DJ hurling encouragements to someone brought from the crowd to dance onstage... and by "dance" I mean "crazy-dance."  I filed the soundstage away as a place to come back to.

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 This is a shot looking back toward the crowd... (the soundstage is out of view to the right...)

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Inside the park were numerous little vendor tables, some that seemed planned, and some that seem to have been set up spontaneously.

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A photo booth:  Dress up like royalty (dresses on left...) and have your picture taken on a throne.

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An organization of some sort, promoting something historical, of some sort, with a golden bell and golden statues of some sort... sorry, wish I could read Russian...

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And in the heart of the park, I found the band.

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And what do you think all of those people do when the band fires up a tune?  That's right...

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...they waltz.

It really was a beautiful day in the park.  And there is something liberating about watching 100 people gather for no reason other than to dance with their loved one.

Now, as I was taking in a few Russian oompa-waltzes, I could hear some bass off in the distance... and if my ears didn't deceive me, it was the all-too familiar tune "In da Club" by 50 Cent (...for those not down with the lingo, pronounced "In da Club by Fitty Sint.")  OK, follow this link for reference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vXgpBVK24o

After listening to the first 2 minutes of the song, you can see why it stands out in a Moldovan park.  Yes, it is a very American song.  And yes, it created a complete dichotomy of my moment in the sun.  I'm watching a generation who is enjoying every moment in the arms of their lover... and off in the distance is a song with the chorus of:  "I'm into havin' sex, I ain't into makin' luv."

So, I take a last glance at the band and its congregation of waltzers, and head off to find out what activity in the park requires an American anthem.  I'm half expecting a birthday bash with Moldovan champagne poppin', half expecting a random BMW defiantly parked with a bunch of hippsters gathered around.  But, on just the other side of the central fountain I find... 

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 ...an organization promoting awareness for African refugees.  This young man grooved up and down his little patch of the sidewalk, and plenty of people were intrigued enough to stop and watch.

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So, one stop left... it's time to go back and see what is going on with the "crazy dancing."

To set the scene... Stefan Cel Mare is a six-lane boulevard, and opposite to the two parks there is what I can only describe as an extended shoulder to the road... a very-much-exteneded shoulder.  Imagine that solid white line to the side of the road, and instead of 4 or 5 feet of pavement, give it 50 or 60 feet.  I only mention this because on Friday I noticed this "shoulder," with a police car or two parked in its confines, and wondered to myself:  "What do they do with this little strip?"  Well...

First, they close down the street...

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...otherwise those lackadaisical pedestrians would last about 5 milliseconds before being mowed down by a ranting maxi-taxi driver, a steamrolling trolleibuz or your garden-variety, lead-footed, curse hurling, Audi driver...

...then, they set up a stage and put on a show...

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Apparently the "crazy dancing" was only an intermission.  The main show was a whole lot of wheeled stunts.  And yes... I tried taking at least 30 pictures... caught literally no tricks mid-air... and these are the three most action-packed photos I have.  I'm not a photographer... work with me people.  :^)

For those of you interested in the town's architecture, I'll leave you with a random photo I took on my way home...

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Next post:  "What's for Lunch?"

Flash!!! And so went my Thursday and Friday... Happy Saturday All!

I last left you all the night before my first big day... and how did it go?  Very positive, and a great couple of meetings!  (Don't worry, all of these meetings really are going somewhere...)

First I had a short meeting with the academians at the TB hospital (Dr. Ustian is the head of the Chisinau branch, so to speak.)  I chatted with the two pulmonology fellows who I will be learning from and shadowing for the next 5 weeks or so.  We talked about the goals for my study in Moldova, I explained where I was in my schooling (which required an explanation of K-12, Undergraduate, Graduate and Professional schools... a somewhat different structure than the layout of Moldovan schooling - K-12 followed by 6 years of medical school,) and of course there was time to talk about wine.

Then I was off to meet Dr. Cebotarenco and Dr. Cetulean.  I cannot express how lucky I am to have made successful contact with these women.  As it turns out, Dr. Cetulean is basically the CEO-equivalent of the TB hospital in Chisinau, as well as the lead organizer for all things TB in the Republic of Moldova.  And I should not leave out that she is the consummate host.  Meanwhile, Dr. Cebotarenco speaks perfect English, and is one heck of a networker across borders (she heads CoRSUM.)  Their combined abilities and energies are quite an inspiration... and with people like this fighting on the frontlines against TB, I really fail to see how TB stands a chance.

My meeting with them involved lots of coffee, many chocolates and long conversation.  All in all, we conversed for about 2.5 hours.  And in the midst of it, I also had the opportunity to meet a group of Finns who have been instrumental in the rebuilding of the children's wing of the hospital, as well as establishing regular on-site schooling for them.  During farewells, the stocky gentleman and I grappled forearms as a "true Finnish handshake."  :^)

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Within our conversation I found out about two locations of interest to my study.  One, there is a special school in Chisinau to which children who were "contacts" of TB cases are sent while they are treated prophylactically.  Aside from separating them from other children in the city's schools, they also receive a special high-calorie diet to ensure their overall immune status remains high.  Secondly, there is a small town in Moldova which is dedicated to housing patients with XDR/MDR-TB.  Drs. Cebotarenco and Cetulean have already agreed that I should board there for a few days.  Obviously, I am excited to see/experience both facilities.

How about locations of non-medical interest, you say?  OK, I give in... well, each Sunday Dr. Cetulean's husband (a professor from the School of Music) plays the trumpet with a band in the center of the park I explored last Saturday (the park with the fountain... not the park of brides.)  She invited me to check it out this Sunday (which of course I will oblige!)  Also, aside from talk of wineries and caves... did you know that the capital of April Fools Day is Odessa, Ukraine?  Me either... but I am going to try to get over to check out the festival this spring and see if I can't get a little background info on this strangest-of-strange holidays.  Dr. Cebotarenco says it is quite a blast.

Thursday Night...

After returning home from the hospital, I was immediately out the door to get over to "The House of Romanian Language" for a two hour session with Alexei Acsa, my new Romanian instructor.  It went really well, although by the end of the lesson I was certainly ready for some sleep.  I think the lessons will really help hammer home what I learned this summer at Indiana University, and will leave me speaking Romanian in no time!

On to Friday...

The next morning, I returned to the hospital at 8 am to join up with Dr. Veaceslav Culev (he's one of the pulmonology fellows who is guiding my time at the hospital) and take part in case-presentations (which all staff are required to attend each morning.)  Together, they examine x-rays and discuss individual patient progress, as well as deaths... a fairly somber reminder of the danger of MDR-TB.

Next, we walked over to the patient reception... and no patients were waiting.  So we took a tour of the grounds:  one building is shared with a drug-rehab clinic and is shared by the TB hospital's administrative offices, the bronchoscopy clinic, and the laboratory (where cases of TB are confirmed and classified;) a second building houses the patient reception office as well as in-patients, with two floors for children (infants on one, and school-children on another,) one floor for MDR-TB patients, and another floor for "regular" TB patients; a third small building houses the kitchen; and, finally, a fourth small building serves as the morgue.

After the tour, we itemized my studies for the next two weeks.  Over that span I will be put through the same course of two-week clinical lessons that Moldovan med-students experience on a rotation in the winter.  Luckily, I was given an English translation of the 100-page manual on Tuberculosis.  After planning, it was back over to the reception area, where a new patient was being examined.  I will have to give this topic its own break-out post.  From there, it was back onto an autobuz (of which I am now a regular rider...) and home for the evening.

Well, now I am off to study (maybe I will find a coffee-shop of some sort) before I join Deano and Tricia tonight at 8:00 for our second official "Skyped U of M Game"... should be a fun game to watch, and of course the "noon" kick-off will be much easier for me to cope with this week.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Tomorrow is Officially a Big Day!

Well, with all the meetings leading to further meetings, I feel like tomorrow is the "real" start of my work here.  After sending a written copy of my proposal to Dr. Vilc following yesterday's meeting, she circled back to present it to Drs. Iavorschi and Ustian and they all decided that they could offer me help immediately.  So, tomorrow I will have my first day at the Municipal City TB Hospital!  I am going to guess that it will begin with an introduction to other members of the University teams... and maybe some rounding from there.  Who knows?  I'm just excited to get started.

I also will meet two of my advisors, Drs. Cetulean and Cebotarenco, for the first time tomorrow at 2:00pm (also at the Municipal City TB Hospital.)  Hopefully I will leave tomorrow with a better idea of my daily schedule going forward, because...

I have also tracked down a language tutor.  His name is Alexei Acsan, and he is quite the lively instructor!  After talking to him for a bit in Romanian, he told me that he would be able to take me to fluency within 3 months.  Our first lesson is tomorrow at 5:30pm... I'll keep you posted!  I'm off to iron a shirt :^)

Tuesday's Meeting

I had another meeting today, this one over at the "Institute of Physiopneumology."  I met with a ring of specialists who are very involved in academic pulmonary research and are also connected to the Municipal City TB Hospital in Chisinau (which is where my contact Dr. Cetulean is a doctor-in-chief.)  I was thrilled to be able to meet with both the present head of the department as well as the former head, Dr. Constantin Iavorschi MD, PhD, PhD and Dr. Aurelia Ustian, MD, PhD, respectively.  Dr. Valentina Vilc, MD, who is a physiopneumologist in the department, was a key to the meeting's success, as she spoke English extremely well and translated the conversations back and forth.  There was a fourth physician there, who is apparently the primary TB researcher in the department... I am quite disappointed in myself for not having written his name down, as he, along with Dr. Vilc, will probably be my two main contacts in the department once everything is squared away.


My main impressions:  all four doctors were very excited to have me here in Moldova, were quite open to my presence, and seemed pleased to offer their services.  While I have yet to see them in clinical/academic action, their comport was very professional (as expected) and left me very excited that Dr. Topor introduced us.  I am still in disbelief that the four of them would all take a half hour out of their day to talk with me... it reminds me not to take this special opportunity for granted.  I think I will be able to learn a lot from this group of specialists, and that has me very excited!  Now, I just have to wait for my special ID and diplomatic letter...



I did learn another lesson today, and it is one that is not easily fixed.  I have always considered my face-to-face communication skills to be a major strength; it is probably why I have never been partial to phones, e-mail, etc.  In today's meeting I found that without being able to communicate fluently, I lost a lot of my efficacy.  I really felt quite disarmed.  Even having someone present who is able to translate with near perfection does not make up for the loss of response to social cues, and reigning-in and unfurling of the tone of conversation.  I was not mentally prepared to be out of control of presenting my proposals.  I can only hope to gain new strengths while waiting for my new language to develop further... otherwise, it will be a long 279 days.  Lesson #813 from Brian's Guide to Living in Moldova:  find a language tutor!  ...I will be finding mine tomorrow.  :^)



On the lighter side, about half-way through our meeting I really felt like I should apologize that I wasn't able to speak their language.  The Moldovan response?  Without blinking, they apologized that they did not speak mine... Moldovan kindness can be quite astounding at times.


Until the next time!

My Moldovan-in-laws

Well, my Moldovan parent in-laws came over again... yes, I am now going to refer to the landlords Ana and Dmitrii as my Moldovan parent-in-laws.  The "in-law" part is a technicality that I am including because of our official residence documentation.  They really are a cute couple.  I hope I have not disparaged them too much in the name of humor, because they have certainly taken a keen interest in my well-being (for which I am grateful.)

I should take a moment to give a better description of them (if I had known I was going to write about them tonight, I'd have taken a picture with them... I'll remember to do that at some point.)

They are both very friendly.  Dmitrii is a bit quieter, but very hands on.  He does not just explain something, but will physically do it as an illustration and then watch to make sure that I am able to mimic it.  When I told them that I broke my first key (which was part of my explanation of seeing a lot of the town) they became very concerned.  Well, today Dmitrii showed up with a copy of ALL THREE keys (one of which is a major piece of steel... the "push-lock" I call it.  Another is a very "secret" key... his daughter referred to it as her dad's FBI key... I guess I am in the "circle of trust.")  He also brought a metal file... when explaining how I broke the key last Thursday, I showed him how the lock sticks just a bit and requires a push on the door.  Well, I'll be danged if he didn't start filing down the door!  Apparently the "push" is not an official part of turning the lock thrice.  :^) 

Ana is quite a bit more talkative.  She also wants me to be a bit more talkative (she was impressed that I was able to converse much better today... I'm on-again off-again with the language right now.)  But if I say something with the wrong pronunciation, conjugation or accent, she will correct me (she really does want me to be able to speak well.)  She is more of a mother hen... took a look around the place, checked a third time to make sure I understand how the gas in the kitchen works, let me know that the window blinds should be left shut (for security reasons... something about people being able to see whether the lights are on)... she even brought fresh pillowcases and a new tablecloth.  The other tablecloth was white and a bit summery, this one is yellow and will be better for the fall.  I think she takes great pride in this apartment, and she should.  As you have all seen, I am lucky to have a very nice apartment.

Anyway, just wanted you to know that although sometimes I feel like I am on "Meet the Parents" and laugh about it, the Tafis are very nice people and hopefully some of you who are reading this will one day get to meet the little couple that keeps me well!

First Day of Work

Hey all... I had my first day "on the job" today - sort-of.  After four days of exploration and adventures, it felt pretty good to put on some business clothes and get on to my research.  I met with Dr. Topor this afternoon at his office in the Anatomy and Surgery division of the Nicolae Testemitsanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy.  After introducing ourselves and conversing for a few moments we got down to business.  He set up a meeting for me with both the current and previous Chair of the university's Tuberculosis Department, as well as a third physician from the department (who speaks English.)  Dr. Topor was a visiting Fulbright Scholar at the University of Louisville School of Medicine for the academic year of 2000.  While there, one of his faculty advisors told him that he didn't see why Dr. Topor should not be able to complete one or two publications while in the States... so, Dr. Topor returned the favor and told me that he saw no reason that I should not be able to complete one or two publications while in Moldova.  :^)

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After our meeting, Dr. Topor offered me lunch and we wound up at a cafe that is about three blocks from my apartment.  We met a gentleman by the name of Igor Fonari, who runs "Projects Abroad" in Chisinau.  This is very fortuitous, as I had researched into Projects Abroad last May in case anyone was interested in visiting Moldova and coming away with a more interactive/fulfilling experience.  Projects Abroad specializes in organizing volunteer-tourism in many different countries:  volunteering opportunities in the morning (orphanage, hospital, school, or even journalism/businesses) with housing accomodations and meals with a host family.  Pretty neat company, and the founder of the Moldovan branch is a very nice man; I would definitely recommend looking into it if you are at all interested.

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www.projects-abroad.co.uk/volunteer-destinations/moldova/

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But, back to lunch...

Today I tried a traditional Moldovan soup (sorry, the name escapes me... I'll find out at a later date), salată castravete (a cucumber salad, creamy with dill,) bifstroganov (one of my family's favorites, beef stroganoff,) and mămăligă (semi-firm balls of corn "grits-porridge"... best way I can describe it, served with homemade cheese and sour cream.)  It was all very good!

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Now I am home, and it is time to prep for the week.  Before tomorrow's meeting I need to re-read my materials from the World Health Organization (The Stop TB Strategy, and the briefing of Key Bottlenecks in M/XDR-TB control and patient care.)  I also need to contact Drs. Cebotarenco and Cetulean to set up meetings with them this week.  Then I am going to start working through the Moldovan medical journal (Curierul medical) Dr. Topor gave to me today; this should help both with my professional language development and understanding of the formatting used for its articles.  And finally, I think I will try to get in a bit of general language studies tonight as well... I will only become fluent if I work at it!

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I hope everyone back home has a great start to their day...  La revedere!

And with that...

I hope you all enjoy today's posts!  I'm only going to have time to Skype with Bailey tonight (she probably woke up around an hour ago... it's now 9:00 AM in Louisiana...) as I have just gotten off the phone with Artiom and we're meeting for a couple of bere.  His and Julia's luggage was delayed in Frankfurt (they just resolved that issue this afternoon) so I'm sure, along with my couple of adventures, we will have plenty to talk about. :^)

After that, I am going to get started on the presentation of my project to semi-prep for tomorrow's meeting with Dr. Topor.

I hope you are all in good health and spirits.  Pe mâine!

Saturday's Pictures

Two Blocks from my house:  Pharmacy and Bank (where I exchange currency)

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And across the street...

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Center of Family Medicine #11

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Three blocks from my house is the little market from which I bought oranges (the day of the "broken key")

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In the windows on the left, you can just make out some fruit.  That is where the fruit window is.  The windows on the right enclose a little patio cafe, and straight through the door, down a short hallway is a market counter.  This is the type of store which houses its merchandise behind a counter, you tell a clerk what you need, and he/she gets it for you.

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A school of commerce is on the next block...

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...and five blocks from my house...

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... The Supreme Court.

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Kitty-corner from the Supreme Court (or Catty-corner, for the New Orleanians) but sitting more at the junction of blocks 5&6...

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The Academy of Economic Studies

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On the block 6 is the electronics store where I found my speakers...

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And then we arrive at a self-serve grocery market:  the food is on shelves, you pick what you want, and take it up to a check-out counter (like we shop in the states.)  Fidesco is open 24 hours!  I'll be headed there right after I finish posting and skyping Bailey...

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On the same block is an open air cafe... one of these days, when my time is not consumed by some unplanned adventure, I am going to try the food...

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An old door on block 7 that looks like it hasn't been opened in a couple of decades...

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Just thought it looked cool... on with the tour!

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Street signs are either hung or painted on the sides/corners of buildings... here is a one which has been hung across from ye olde door.

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And after 7 blocks, we are now at the edge of the park which is lined by florists (picturesof florists posted under "Crisis in Chisinau.")  On two of the corners you will see these little kiosks and carts... they are at every major intersection.  The kiosks vend cellphone minutes (either "Orange" or "Moldcell") as well as candy, lighters, etc.  The carts sell beer, juice, water, etc.  Other carts and kiosks sell foods, or perfumes, or newspapers... (I found a French bakery stuffed inside a kiosk about twice as large as the kiosk in this picture.)
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...or cigarettes.

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There are also many, many pizza places; which I guess makes sense given that Moldova is renowned for its tomatoes (and grapes, apples, wine and dairy...)

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These are the signs you see indicating monetary exchanges...

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And we've finally made it to the corner of Metropolitul G. Banudescu Bodoni and Boulevardul Stefan Cel Mare Si Sfint

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A more formal street sign  :^)

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In the distance you can see what will later be described to me as "the place where the president goes when there are problems..."

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And across the street...

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... is another park:

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Above:  Check out that Oak Alley...

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(In the interest of Joe and Michelle's ongoing debate as to whether that is a "Space Walk" or a "Bouncy Room"... the man told me it is a "Balon" = Balloon.  There were quite a few of these in the park.)

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And after passing the cafes on the edge of the park, we have looped back onto Stefan Cel Mare; about 2 blocks down from G. Badunescu Bodoni

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Here I find a cinema...

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..with an open air cafe.

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mmmmm....

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After getting directions to #192 Stefan Cel Mare, I come to the "President's Offices"

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*****HIJACKED*****

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And now from here I am no longer on my own... if you haven't read the "Hijacked on Stefan Cel Mare" post, some of this won't make snese... but here goes.

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 A church...

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Mass...

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...and the park filled with brides...

(sorry, these pictures were all a bit rushed... but I wasn't exactly on my own time at this point.)

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Hey, I'm getting good at this... :^)

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Wow, your beautiful.  No, don't get up!  This Journalist would like to take more photos of you!

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I think the groom wanted to choke me... :^)

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 My buzzed up tour guide... the one and only... Marina!

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And, just in case you didn't believe that I was wearing a jersey, jeans and sneakers in that beautiful church during mass...

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Yours truly, not allowed to smile (Marina's orders...) looking as silly as my day had turned.

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Hope you enjoyed the tour... sorry I didn't get pictures on the trolley or autobuz; I was in a bit of shock at the time.  :^)