Noroc readers. Salutations are in order to everyone that has somehow stumbled upon this blog, either purposefully or unintentionally. If you’ve been an avid reader thus far, I’m impressed at your tenacity to read all of my mindless journeys through the second world. If this is you’re first time, I guarantee you there is better things to do with your time, but I hope you go to the beginning and check out the linear story of how I ended up here.
This past week has been a whirlwind of highs and lows- not so much emotionally, but rather successful meetings, encounters, and adventures contrasted with broken appointments, frustrations, misunderstandings, and waiting hours on end for people to show up. The good news is that our sanitary water project proposal was sent in last Friday, and it marks the completion of writing my first grant. We have to wait until March 27th to hear if we won the grant or not, but I’ve got hope. Second, work has really been picking up. I have a meeting in another small village outside of town that wants to do a compost/fertilizer demonstration plot. The details I’ve been given so far are quite vague, but I’m finally starting to see projects in agriculture come my way. I hope that we can transform this demonstration plot into a teaching aide for farmers, kids, and anyone else interested to show the benefits of compost and natural fertilizers. There is a mentality not only here, but also worldwide, that the latest and greatest industrial pesticides and fertilizers are needed for successful farming. Often you’ll hear farmers here complaining that inputs are too expensive, but they’ve never considered the alternative to these often times harmful substances. Not only that, but soil erosion is a major problem in Moldova, and my theory is if certain agriculture practices such as clear cropping and plowing are revised to keep some of the left-over plant waste in the fields for mulch, this could help combat the erosion problem and add necessary nutrients back into the soil without having to purchase additional inputs.
I had lunch at the orphanage yesterday. The family we are working with is a family that out of the kindness of their hearts has adopted ten children. Due to insufficient heating, new gas lines will be hooked up to the house and new heaters added. Instead of having to raise funds by hitting all of you up for donations, an organization has agreed to finance the full amount of the project (minus 25% beneficiary contribution) and work should begin soon. A new project has also presented itself and it is one that I am passionate about seeing through. Next to the elementary school there is a local kitchen/day care center for impoverished children. This center hosts an after school program where kids can come to eat a hot meal, have a place to do their homework, play with their peers, and have structured daily activities. Currently they are cooking with propane canisters, but don’t have the money to get a gas connection to the main gas line, which would be cheaper, and more reliable since the gas canisters run out and it can be problematic at getting refills. The total cost of the project is only $300 USD, but we first need to get state approval for this gas line since it is non-profit center. It’s not a big project, but it will be rewarding.
Lastly, I STILL haven’t seen the apartment that I am supposed to move into. There is somehow a complete meltdown of coordination between the carpenters finishing work on it, the landlord, my partners, and myself. Allegedly, the days that I am busy and have prior engagements are the times that the landlord calls saying that I should come stop by to check it out. I have my doubts on the accuracy of these reports though…
This afternoon I am leading a seminar for local NGO and community leaders about technology and new forms of communication. The last part of the seminar will be an interactive workshop helping the people setup email account, and teaching them how to use the accounts. The district is trying to make the switch over to digital, and it’s pretty cool to be able to help in the very early stages. Thanks are due to my almost computer illiterate mother for helping me hone the skills useful in teaching the basics of technology.
I hope you enjoy the pictures. I’m off to lunch. La revedere!
Waiting on the trolley
The communist mayor's office in Balti.
Gotta love Soviet tanks in the middle of the town.
You're guess is as good as mine.
Selling flowers for International Women's Day
Fish market.
Hello Ladies.
Egg sellers
Pickled carrots, my favorite.
Olive seller.
At the piața
This is a picture in the village where we are doing our clean water project. These are really teenagers waiting for second period.
Entrance of the village where the water is going.
Kids summer camp and the Grounds Keeper.
One of my agriculture consultants standing at the site where the water towers will be.
Selling cakes out of the back of a van.
No comments:
Post a Comment