The Cold has Returned – Report from Moldova

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Samuel Scheurich

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• Late June in the DOV
• Moldova; New group arrives
• School is out for summer, Alice.
• Life in Moldova
• Moldova and spring

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            It was a was a droozily cold-morning, as I slogged my way to school. The birds in the trees chirped, mocking me with their ability to break the bonds of gravity and flit through the air. The cold had come back to haunt us; it was mother nature getting back at us for her slip-up last week. No more 50 degree, December-weather and no more jogging in shorts; no more dry roads and no more clean footwear.

            Confusion ensued this week as well, due to the fact that 'winter session' tests have begun at Lyceum M.P. Guboglo. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday testing will begin at eight and classes will be shortened to 35 minutes to accommodate. I worked all last week, typing up tests for my students and  those of some of my colleagues. Tomorrow, the 12^th graders have their English exam and the 10^th graders go Friday.

            To complicate my week, my partner is out for the mean-time with various illnesses and so I am covering for the classes I teach with her and some of her eighth grade classes (which I don't normally teach). I am not exactly sure where she is in the book and so – given the fact that the eighth grade classes fall on test days – I think we'll play some English games in class. Goal!!!!!!

            The countdown is still going for Turkey and, by the time you read this blog, it should lie around 15 days to go... I am rather excited, as you can probably tell by the ellipses.

            Speaking of Turkey; my host-mother's sister-in-law is in town from Istanbul and I have been chatting with her about her hometown, seeing as I will be visiting said city soon. Apparently, Istanbul is rather 'dead' over the New Year, due to a major Muslim holiday (Please don't make a comment about my ignorance or cultural insensitivity; I barely know anything about my own religion as it is). Our plan is to be in Istanbul and welcome the new year in style but, it appears that there is going to be a bit of a 'cramp' in said style. The sister explained that the place to be over the night of December 31^st is Antalya... that or Moscow, Russia. I explained these problems to one of my travel-mates and he responded by pointing out that we should be able to find something to do in a city of 14 million people, not to mention we are staying in a youth-friendly hostel. Hopefully it all works out because, for some reason, I had a wild image of Istanbul over New Year's Eve... Just read it in italics: New Year's Eve in Istanbul. Sounds pretty sexy doesn't it?
            That's it for now. Пока!