The following are strictly personal views/observations and in no way reflect the views of the Peace Corp nor the federal government of the United States.
Random Thoughts From Moldova - Part 2
- Now that I have now spent a little time outside the United States, gotten to know another culture, and met a diverse group of people hailing from many different parts of America. I feel that my perspective on American culture has changed. I think I can now say, with total honesty and sincerity: I am American by birth and southern by the grace of god.
- Sunflowers are ubiquitous in the summer, they only bloom for about two weeks but their presence can be felt long after they are gone; because, people here are perpetually eating sunflower seeds. Moldavians have a technique for eating sunflower seeds, they put a seed in their mouth and a few seconds later shells begin to emanate from their lips. But it is a continuous and rapid action. Seeds are constantly going it, and a steady flow of black shells are issuing from their mouths. When eating sunflower seeds Moldavians do not think twice about where they allow the shells to discharge from their mouths. There are shells everywhere, on the street, on the bus, in buildings, in bathrooms. Sunflower seed shells are such a problem that on some buildings there are signs on the outside that say: no dogs, no bicycles and no sunflower seeds permitted.
- The radio is always playing in my host family’s house. What is unusual about this is the selection of music that is played. One would expect to walk into a traditional Moldovan residence and hear polka style music. Not at my house, maybe we only get one radio station, but upon entrance of our house a person is serenaded by the melodious tones of rap. I can never get over the incongruity of eating traditional Moldovan chicken soup with my 40 year old, widowed host mother while listening to the lyrics of 50 cent, crooning on about his magic-stick.
Random Thoughts From Moldova - Part 2
- Now that I have now spent a little time outside the United States, gotten to know another culture, and met a diverse group of people hailing from many different parts of America. I feel that my perspective on American culture has changed. I think I can now say, with total honesty and sincerity: I am American by birth and southern by the grace of god.
- Sunflowers are ubiquitous in the summer, they only bloom for about two weeks but their presence can be felt long after they are gone; because, people here are perpetually eating sunflower seeds. Moldavians have a technique for eating sunflower seeds, they put a seed in their mouth and a few seconds later shells begin to emanate from their lips. But it is a continuous and rapid action. Seeds are constantly going it, and a steady flow of black shells are issuing from their mouths. When eating sunflower seeds Moldavians do not think twice about where they allow the shells to discharge from their mouths. There are shells everywhere, on the street, on the bus, in buildings, in bathrooms. Sunflower seed shells are such a problem that on some buildings there are signs on the outside that say: no dogs, no bicycles and no sunflower seeds permitted.
- The radio is always playing in my host family’s house. What is unusual about this is the selection of music that is played. One would expect to walk into a traditional Moldovan residence and hear polka style music. Not at my house, maybe we only get one radio station, but upon entrance of our house a person is serenaded by the melodious tones of rap. I can never get over the incongruity of eating traditional Moldovan chicken soup with my 40 year old, widowed host mother while listening to the lyrics of 50 cent, crooning on about his magic-stick.
posted by Klharmon | 7:44 AM
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