Blogs from Centre, Moldova, Europe - page 9

Hello everyone! It's Adrienne and I'm happy to report I am vertical and not sick today. I spent all Monday night being sick (To Mark and Sara: #3 and #4) and not sleeping. Before the fun actually started, I remember sitting at dinner, trying to eat what they call pizza (they put corn and ketchup on it), and thinking "there is no way I am hurling in that toilet." But you do what you gotta do and thinking about it was much worse than actually doing it. I finally fell asleep around 3:30 am. (Look the ENTER key works!) Wendy was the greatest caregiver on Tuesday morning. She brought me apa gazoasa (fizzy water, my new favorite thing), petit beurre crackers, and Coca Cola Light. She also made many glasses of chamomile tea. I don't know ... read more

Hello everyone! It's Adrienne and I'm happy to report I am vertical and not sick today. I spent all Monday night being sick (To Mark and Sara: #3 and #4) and not sleeping. Before the fun actually started, I remember sitting at dinner, trying to eat what they call pizza (they put corn and ketchup on it), and thinking "there is no way I am hurling in that toilet." But you do what you gotta do and thinking about it was much worse than actually doing it. I finally fell asleep around 3:30 am. (Look the ENTER key works!) Wendy was the greatest caregiver on Tuesday morning. She brought me apa gazoasa (fizzy water, my new favorite thing), petit beurre crackers, and Coca Cola Light. She also made many glasses of chamomile tea. I don't know ... read more

Hi, All our friends and family -- wendy here. Adrienne is down today ... having spent last evening hugging a moldovan toilet. i'm sure you'll find this ironic, given our views of toilets over here in general. She is okay today, a little weak; so we skipped the orphanage morning session and will go this afternoon if she is up to it. She has had tea and toast, and is sleeping, rebuilding her strength. i slipped down to the street to jot notes, and get some more water and crackers. Some of you have asked about the time difference -- we are eight hours ahead of Central time. And yes, we plan to load photos, but that seems impossible until we can get off a public computer and to a better connection. Turkey is the earliest ... read more

I just read your comments -- thanks so much for those. So, to answer a few questions and make more comments ... we actually had warm water today at our place. However, Adrienne and I had both decided that the cold water is quite livable. We've learned how to make this work, and are totally fine with it. The best potties in Moldova -- coffee shop on Pushkin Street, and McDonalds. We didn't see the orphanage potties, but think they will be fine. We are in Chisenau. The language is a mix of Romanian and Russian. Many people speak one or the other or both. I have communicated with a couple of people in Spanish. Romanian is a Romance language, and many words are Spanish-sounding, and we are getting by with our knowledge of Spanish and ... read more

Hi, this is Adrienne and my keyboard is worse than Wendy's. Not only does my ENTER key not work, but additional spaces are inserted as I type for no aparent reason. I hope to catch them all. Wendy pretty much summed up our time here so far. We were able to see the countryside today and it is really quite beautiful. Next to cars barrelling down the road at what seems like 70 MPH you have horse -drawn buggies. It is like being in a different time. On our monastery visit today, we experienced the worst bathroom in all of Europe. I had been warned about European bathrooms but nothing prepared me for this: 2 holes in the ground, no TP, and the worst smell ever. Think of the grossest thing you've ever smelled in your ... read more