Going home for a visit...

Wow. I can't believe I get to go home in a week! I just emailed out my schedule for the week. I hope I will be able to keep up with it. I want to spend time with everyone but a week could never do justice to the amount of time I owe these amazing people.

I am a little nervous. Lots of things have changed at home. I know I'll be fine... but wow things have changed!

I've just wrapped up a lot of work and have much more to go. I just hosted a Travel Club visit this past weekend. I had around 25 people to haul around and show my village and some nearby cliffs and caves (Orhei Vechi). There was a lot of planning involved. I'm discovering that making plans in Moldova is pretty damn difficult. Nothing matters! I could say, "Sir, you are the rutiera (bus) driver I reserved 5 minutes ago, right? I am just confirming for the 10th time." and he would say, "Yes, yes I am. But I am not driving that day. it's a holiday." "Oh, but sir, WHY, didn't you tell me that when you reserved that time with me." "Oh, well miss, it was probably a holiday when you were speaking with me."

I feel like I am Alice lost in Wonderland ALL THE time. This place is great, but it is SOMETHING ELSE.

But anyway, despite no electricity, rainy weather, late rutieras, and random little rifts...I think the overall weekend with travel club went really well. The overall goals were met anyway.

The students were able to socialize with students from other locations in Moldova....see another place in Moldova...and have a little fun! I loved watching their minds expand. It was so amazing, you could really just sit back and WATCH it happening.

I actually started doubting myself and the club halfway through. I was thinking after this weekend I would never do this again. I mean, we didn't even get our concert due to the lack of electricity!!! It was really hard work and at the time I didn't think it was really worth all the stress. But at the end, i was able to see that it totally was worth it and I will stick to it. The volunteers who came with their students all stayed with me and we had fun too.

Currently, I am working on my Model United Nations team. They are competing while I'm in America, I'm a little bummed about that. But they will do awesome!!!! They have worked soooo hard!!!!! Thanks again for those of you who donated to make the conference happen.

Other than that, I've just been teaching and still pushing (with a handful of other volunteers) on that HIV/AIDS benefit concert. We had some organizations shoot us down for some really ridiculous reasons.

I invited MoldovaTip, an anti-trafficking organization, to come to my school tommorow to put on a seminar for my students. I am happy about this and can't wait to see how they do their seminars.

Health is good overall, friends and fam are well as far as I know, and life is good. I am ready for a visit home. Lil sis is getting married. Mom just got married. Host brother's wife is having a baby in a week or 2. I am learning about meditation and Buddhism. Personal life is well. I feel like I've definetely emerged myself and am successfully living with/in another culture. I am 24 and feel young. I am really embracing it. As a side note: I am beginning to understand the timeless quality in life. I also enjoy noticing things about my self that are very "adult"like and I enjoy standing outside of myself and watching the changes take place: my self resisting sometimes and accepting other times. It's interesting growing up. But either way, resisting or accepting, I know that I am special. A very small part, but special and very necessary.

and it's time for bed....sweet dreams!

xoxo
Ry