We Are No Longer In Kansas

October 9, 2012

Yesterday we arrived in Chisinau (pronounced Kish-In-Now) Moldova. Clearly we are in the former Soviet Union. It is easy to imagine what life must have been life during the Soviet era. We drove into the city from the airport under a gray, rainy sky. The gray apartment blocks and other buildings, the gray streets and sidewalks, all seemed cast in a gray pall.

We were met at the airport by the Zgardens, Elena and Alexandru. They are both very active in the social and economic development of Moldova, the poorest country in Europe. When preparing for our trip I was surprised to learn that there are many US Peace Corps workers in this country. The Moldovans are struggling to rebuild (build is probably a better word) their economy and infrastructure. As we walked with Elena from our hotel to her office, we saw a bustling city with many electric buses and numerous cars, all with people going home from work, rushing from one part of the city to another, going about their business. Drivers honked their horns when cars in front stopped for inexplicable reasons (e.g., pedestrians), as if the loud noise was a laxative for stalled traffic. A British man we met at breakfast this morning told us he'd heard that all Moldovans look depressed because they walk around with their heads hanging down, but when he got here he saw the real reason they do this is to avoid falling into uncovered manholes or tripping on the decaying streets and sidewalks. We also assumed this cautious posture as we walked through the city for the same reason.

I've been taking photos of the view from each of the hotel rooms where we have stayed. Here is one from our room in Chisinau. The satellite TV dishes on the rusty metal rooftops speak to the contrast between the relatively modern electronic technology and some of the older structures here.

Sharing a delicious traditional Moldovan dinner with our new friends, Elena and Alexandru Zgarden, at La Plaçinta Restaurant in Chisinau.