A Different Kind of Day

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Fidanjik’s decorative swan. You’ll see such tire sculptures in many kindergartens and playgrounds across Moldova

Fidanjik, a partner organization of Miras-Moldova, organized a small spectacle to celebrate the country’s “Day of Invalids.” I attended with my Peace Corps friend Ray, my two European Voluntary Service (EVS) volunteer friends, and another former French EVS volunteer who had worked with the Center.

Fidanjik is a Rehabilitative Center for disabled youth located in the middle of Comrat. The organization was founded in 2001 with the assistance of the local government and supports children with both physical and mental disabilities through activities designed to develop life skills. Services include interactive play, literacy classes, cultural activities, sports activities, exercises in motor skills, a focus on personal hygiene and meetings with the Center’s psychologist. EVS volunteers from Miras Moldova work with the children three or four times per week, assisting with the above activities. They have also organized field trips outside of Comrat and performed humorous skits for the children. Continue reading “A Different Kind of Day” →

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Thanksgiving in Comrat

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I’m away from family, dear friends: scents, sounds, even the colors of Gagauz leaves spark snippets of memory. Holidays do the same. I recently recalled that Thanksgiving, that time I experimented for the “perfect” turkey… we bag them in all-American plastic, for succulence! But my bird wept and wilted, and when placed on the table, the meat slid from the bones to the serving platter. There was no room for the traditional carving that night… oh no, wicked marketing scheme, you did us no good. But here, in Comrat, a different story unfolded: a turkey massacre, a gathering of helpers, an opportunity for exchange, and to learn.

Continue reading “Thanksgiving in Comrat” →

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A R(o)ug(h) Escapade

As he traced that heart in the air with two fingers, I knew… love had struck… again.

Or perhaps not. Here, where time flows and contracts like the accordion song of a Comrat native (never mind the occasional wheeze), a few busy weeks can marinate a day’s experience. Some memories stare back, more assertive than others; conversation ensues, and humorous reflection, and our common experiences distill a slick truth. Continue reading “A R(o)ug(h) Escapade” →

Haley Bader1 Comment

Hello Again: Comrat, Gagauzia, Part 2 (Extra-long for you hardcore fans)

Now isn’t it about time we reintroduce ourselves, you and I?

The separation certainly hasn’t been intentional. The whirlpool of novelty has that unavoidable side-effect of blurring boundaries, catching you up in those sensory details and new perceptions (I believe they refer to this as “culture shock”). The introductions, invitations, adjustments, meals, new friendships…. The loneliness, the uncertainty, the exhilarating highs of new discoveries, the struggle for patience, the challenges of new forms of communication… Have you ever yearned for touch? Does it hit you beneath your breastbone, or is it a ghost hand resting gently on your shoulder? Do you know the glow of welcome and surge of warmth when you share that first hug with your new host mother? Continue reading “Hello Again: Comrat, Gagauzia, Part 2 (Extra-long for you hardcore fans)” →

Haley Bader3 Comments