Travel Talk

Getting to Know Moldova & Peace Corps

Greetings,

This morning was like “What am I doing in Moldova!? This is madness!” Went to the train station with a friend to buy a ticket, he bought one, decided if I wished to leave, I’d just go to the train tomorrow morning. Decided to try and get to know this city, my impression of this place had little to do with the city itself and more to do with mindset when arriving.

Strolled around checking out museums, some touristy landmarks, skipping through parks and eating some local food. While in the park, decided it would be a nice place to kick it for a bit and soak up the sun. That’s when I heard some gents speaking English, muttered something in their direction and moments later joined their party.

It was Peace Corps workers from the USA, moments later a few of their friends joined them. Sat in the park near the cathedral enjoying beverages and laughing for a few hours before heading to a sisha bar. The park in the center of town is world class, it’s brilliant really.

The people I was chatting with said that the capital is NOT a true depiction of the country whatsoever. When they come, they have a host family. One of the gents had not gone to visit them for quite some time and said if I was interested, we could go tomorrow. As a result, yours truly is going with a gent to visit a family in a village about 1.5 hours outside of town tomorrow and probably spend the night.

This is the type of random occurrence required to make my stay in Moldova egregious. Apart from that, strolled around town, really walked around town and got a good feel for it. It feels sorta like Ukraine but different, naturally. Russian is very common and so is Romanian, much more people here speak English than in Ukraine.

Goes to show you really don’t need a plan, just get out there, wander about and do your thing. If you’re the type of person that likes to hang out with people and people deem you the type they’d enjoy hanging with, everyday is an adventure, something out of nothing, yes?

It’s late, one must retire.

Tips hat,

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