Welcome to Moldova!
FFCNC arrived in the capital of Moldova, Chisinau, on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014 where we were greeted by Alina with a traditional Moldovan welcome.
Hosts and ambassadors met each other at the airport.
Aug. 27 is Independence Day in Moldova. The evening was spent at Vatra Ethno Cultural Complex, site of an open air festival and concert. This young Moldovan girl was enjoying herself.
We quickly learned that, though streets are crowded with cars and sometimes the sidewalks, too, walking is often the order of the day. The Norths’ host does not own a car, but that did not slow them down!
Thursday began with a tour of city hall and Ray was well prepared with his Moldovan bow tie and lapel pin.
Natalia Lipca (center), who visited FFCNC in Sept. 2012 as an Open World delegate, gave us a tour of city hall. Notice the flowers are blue, yellow, and red like the Moldovan flag.
The first of many group photos.
While sitting in the city council chamber Natalia told us more about the city government.
After our visit at city hall, Daniel gave us a walking tour of the sites nearby. We paused by a park while Daniel explained the symbology of the Moldovan flag which Peter and Ray are holding.
Moldova
The river Prat separates Moldova and Romania. The bridge over it was built by Eiffel (of the Eiffel Tower.) Photos were permitted upstream, downstream, and into Moldova, but not Romania. Here Mariana is making sure she does not cross the wide red mark on the bridge which marks the actual border, while a Moldovan border guard stands nearby. Not seen in the photo is the Romanian guard standing at the far end of the bridge watching closely.
The reason to wait for the train was to observe how the train wheels are changed in order to adjust for the difference in railroad gauge between the two countries. Steve T. made a Moldovan friend with a gift of a smiley sticker.
After visiting the bridge we went to the train station to await the Bucharest train. You can see why Jane acquired the nickname of “the queen” as she was always given the royal treatment. But she was a real trooper as she dragged her boot around!
The Tindalls enjoy dinner with their hosts.
Moldova
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Moldova
On Saturday we traveled to Ungheni, a small city on the Romanian border and a sister city of Winston-Salem. Martha, representing WS, presented Ungheni Mayor Ambrose with a letter from WS Mayor Joines and gifts from FFCNC.
Moldova
After the mayor’s presentation we were treated to a reception in his office where the mayor shared his homemade wine with the group.
Moldova
Moldova
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Chisinau, Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova
Returning to Chisinau on Sunday we stopped to visit a monastery. This couple had just been married in the monastery’s church only minutes before our arrival. In this photo the celebration continues while they enjoy a carnival ride outside the monastery walls.
Chisinau, Moldova
Our presentation Sunday morning in Ungheni about Friendship Force went very well. In this photo, Mariana is getting us started.
Sunday night the Norths enjoyed a home cooked meal with their host and her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren.
Sunday, August 31 is Language Day. In 1989 on this day, while still part of the USSR, Romanian (written with the Latin alphabet) was declared the official language once more. The celebration pictured here took place on the town square of Chisinau.
The North’s host, as the head of the university’s library, included them in the festivities at her university where there were many dignitaries speaking to the students.
September 1 is always the first day of school in Moldova and it is a very special occasion. Nancy P. had the privilege to walk her host’s son, Christi, to school that morning.
Monday afternoon we enjoyed a tour of Milestii Mici which holds the largest wine collection in the world. Ralph and Ray are looking forward to our tour.
Evelyn is attempting to pour herself a glass of wine.
Oleg Tulea and Oleg Sirbu, who both visited FFCNC in 2012 as Open World delegates, were our hosts this afternoon and sponsored our tour as a very nice gesture of thanks for FFCNC’s previous hospitality.
Dinner that evening was FFCNC’s treat; however, Susan T. and Barton P. needed help with the menu and Iurii Arian was glad to assist.
Our bus driver, Vitaliya (r), not only became friends with Barton P., but the whole group as he did a wonderful job dodging pot holes, squeezing through the limestone tunnels at Milestii Mici, and changing a flat tire!
At the end of our American dinner, FFCNC taught our Moldovan hosts “Carolina in the Morning”…….
….. and they did a wonderful job learning it.
Then Steve T., from Colorado, taught the group a line dance.
By the end of the week, Ray was looking forward to his daily walks with Ragna, his host’s dog seen here with Doris
Tuesday morning began with a group photo in the lobby of the Parliament building.
Ralph C. took a moment to imagine the work of a member of Parliament.
There are 100 members of the Moldovan Parliament and we were privileged to have one of the Deputy Ministers as our guide this morning.
Oh, yes. Did we mention that flat tire? We were ten minutes from our destination of Orheiul Vechi.
No problem. We adjusted our schedule and conducted our feedback session in the shade by the side of the road. It was really quite pleasant.
Then finally we made it to Orheiul Vechi and lunch. Mariana is serving Susan T. the traditional Moldovan dish of mamaliga.
Tuesday ended with our farewell dinner where all members of FFCNC and those who hosted us were given a special gift
….seen modeled here by the daughter of the Kiszelys’ hosts, Bianca,………
….. and Barton P., our exchange director, shared his final thoughts and thanks from all the ambassadors.