Laying on the "hospital" bed this morning, I become acutely aware of the fact that I was in a completely different place than where I grew up, from "my culture". I used the word hospital in quotes because it was actually an old military hospital and the office I was visiting was that of a massage therapist. The room was large and stark with separate "booths" for the massage therapist's patients. The furniture was old, straight out of the Soviet 70's. There was a light buzzing sound and the light sound of the radio in the background further compounded my recognition of "foreignness" by producing elevator-music-like Russian ballads.
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Last Friday marked one-year since I arrived here in Moldova as a Peace Corps Volunteer. It was a nice reason to celebrate and also to take some time to reflect on what I have learned this year-about Moldova, about life, about my Self. I quickly realized how comfortable I am here. I truly feel "home". However, there are certain incidents that pop up to remind me that I am definitely some place different. (More below). Here I have compiled a short list of the top 10 interesting things I have either learned, or solidified my belief in, over this past year:
1. People are People-no matter where you live, people have the same basic fears, hopes, desires, and needs. These fluctuate in types and sizes based on culture, socio-economic status and background,of course, but BASICALLY...we all want to belong, to have fun, to be acknowledged, to be loved.
2. Life is Life-no matter where you go, life has ups and downs, dark and light, the good and the bad. Our experience as to how profound or dramatic this wheel of life is, depends more greatly on our inner state, than on our outer environment.
3. Food is yummy-no matter where you are, you will find food you like and it will taste good. (Well, maybe this is one I learned about myself!). My favorite foods in Moldova are: Голубцы (cabbage rolls), mamaliga (a kind of cornmeal-like polenta), борщ (borscht-red with beets and a dallop of sour cream), халва (halva made from sunflower seeds), the pumpkin seeds, and all the fresh local veggies and fruits found at the базар (outdoor market)
4. Friends are important-back home, if I was having a mental breakdown, there were a handful of close friends and family I could easily call. Now, I have to check to see who is on Skype, what is the time, wait for an email reply, or trust the new people around me to not judge and just share with them. In these kinds of situations one quickly realize how important close and trustworthy relationships are. You also realize the importance your relationship with your Self.(the most important!)
5. Language is a big deal-You wouldn't think it's such a big deal: "ok so my family grew up speaking Russian, yours Romanian, maybe we both don't speak each perfectly but..." Well-it IS. I am constantly asked why I am learning to speak Russian in Moldova, a predominantly Romanian-speaking culture. I have to explain first that is wasn't my choice, it was assigned to me, and then I try to go into the fact that there are people in this country who don't understand Romanian that actually need assistance as well. My idealistic side says, "Hey look we all speak the language of friendship and understanding". But that view gets kicked in the butt every time...
6. I could probably live anywhere and be OK-I suspected this about myself, and now I know. Давай! (let's go!)
7. Massage is important-I have three different massage therapists in my phone. No matter how much yoga, sleep, water, sunshine ect. I get, I find I need touch and my muscles require some work. Some might say it's a waste of money, I say they're missing out!
8. Transparency is king-It does NO HELP to hide one's feelings. This is true EVERYWHERE, but when you're in a foreign place and people act differently culturally, there is no "reading between the lines" to figure out what the heck you want/don't want. You HAVE to SPEAK UP and be clear. Wow, that's a tough one coming from America where we tend to sugarcoat everything.
9. Russian music is fun- Elka-Provence Tочна! And so is Romanian! Kamelia-Prima oara
10. Soviet Winnie the Pooh is cuter than the American version.
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I hope you have enjoyed reading this list as much as I enjoyed writing it! I had a rough weekend this past one. After the joyous one-year anniversary celebrations, I discovered that my bank accounts had been hacked. I won't go into the details, but needless to say, such an experience can set you on a spin. After one night of lost sleep, I decided to not let such a "life experience" get the best of me. It was my second bout of theft while here and that is certainly more frequent than when I lived in the U.S. However, life is life (as mentioned above).
Good and bad things happen. There are "good" and "bad" people everywhere. However, it is our inner life reflected out that will shape our experience of the world around us. We can spin, we can be stagnant...we can BUZZ a harmonious and joyous vibration. I chose to stop the spinning, to put on Vinnie Pooh (promise me you'll watch it-I laugh each time) and laugh, to get a massage in a room that buzzed...buuuuuzzzzzzzzzzzz!
LIFE HAPPENS. How will you BEE in that?
XOm!
