Last Day in Moldova

My students and I at my goodbye lunch on Saturday. Aren't they cute?

I have no days left in Moldova! It seems like just yesterday that I was typing that from my home in Memphis about leaving for Moldova. Now I am packing and saying my last goodbyes. Wow. Does time fly or what??

I leave on an early morning flight tomorrow for Bucharest. (I forgot to mention in an earlier post that I opted(or was persuaded by my colleagues) to take a flight out of Chisinau, instead of the train ride. The flight is only a little over an hour, so it should be easy.

God has been so faithful to bless my time here in Moldova in unexpected ways. I am so blessed to have been afforded this opportunity to live and work in another country. My life no doubt has been changed forever. How will I ever forget all the faces, sights, sounds, and smells?? I won't. I will carry this time in Moldova with me for life. I will always have fond memories of the Moldovan friends I made, the culture experiences I tried to embrace, and the students that made it all worthwhile.

I won't miss: the crowded mini-buses, the heat (no air conditioning), or the men wearing speedos as they sunbath at the park.

However, I will miss: all of my friends, students, and co-workers, all the great food, the cheap icecream and candy, my times in worship with the Moldovan body of Christ, the walking, the easy and cheap public transportation system, and so much more!!

Thank you for reading this blog and supporting me during my time in Moldova.

What's next when I return to Memphis?
I am not sure. I am praying and looking into several opportunities. At this time I am not worried about, but rather I trust God's plans.

Will I continue this blog? I hope so. I think I will turn this into a 'Life After Moldova blog'. Still thinking that through.

God bless,
Shauna

p.s. Next time I blog, I will be stateside. Woo Hoo!

Dinner with Landlords

Last week my roommates and I had dinner with our landlords, Constantin and Nina. They are so much fun. During dinner we discussed how they met each other, what Constantin does for a living(He's an actor among other things), and things we can do to better our health. The conversation was all in Romanian and Russian with Sara translating most of it into English for Jessie and I.

We had spaghetti with sauce and meatballs, salad, and garlic bread. It was tasty. I think the sauce was a little too spicy for Nina's liking though. :)

I am so thankful and blessed to know these two. They are so encouraging, helpful, and sweet. I get the feeling that they actually care for us and about us. Nina has baked me a homemade treat before while Constantin has fixed numerous things around the apartment. They have been so patient with me while I struggle to speak with them in Romanian.


They have a daughter in college about our age. I think they treat us like we are their daughters. I am so very appreciative!

I am especially thankful that Constantin rescued me out of the bathroom last week. Did you miss that post? See the post for June 5th.

Unhappiest Place on Earth

Over the last months, I've heard/read that Moldova is the unhappiest place on earth. According to the World Values Survey and Eric Weiner's new book:Geography of Bliss,Moldova is the unhappiest place on earth.(Just google it!) ( I tried to link both of these to a website, but failed. If you know how, leave me a comment.)In the articles I read about this, the main reasons listed for Moldova being the unhappiest place on earth are: the people are poor and miserable.

The reality of this is sad. I see the poverty and sadness all around me. I'm sure there are many practical and necessary things that would improve the life quality/happiness of the people i.e. clean water for all people, money, jobs, etc.. I am not an expert on social/economic issues though, so I will leave that discussion to someone else.

What I do know is that I have hope for these people in Moldova. This hope is found in Jesus Christ and Him alone. I hope and pray that more and more people would come to the knowledge of Saving Grace.

Roommates!

My roommates, Sara,Jessie and I went out with to eat the other night with some other Americans we met here. After dinner we stopped to take some photo opportunities next to an old Jewish synagogue. You can see the remains in the background. Here are the fun pictures!





Jessie, Me, and Sara

A Meeting with God In the Bathroom

Notes about the picture: The top center is the window(where the green is). The door handle is on the far right.

This will be a LONG,but funny blog, so I give you permission to LAUGH during this story whenever you feel like it!

I slept in today because I can. I have finished my home schooling responsibilities with the Raatz family.( As of Tuesday, June 3rd)Yay! We are all excited to be finished!

The first thing I did when I did woke up: Went to the bathroom.

Last words I heard before going into the bathroom(approx. 5 minutes before as my roommate was leaving the apartment):
My roommate: "Shauna, are you asleep?"
Me: "Yeah, what?"
My roommate:" If Domnul Constantin(Mr. Constantin, our landlord) comes today, will you show him the bathroom door handle?"
Me: "Yeah..."

Background information you need to know:

A week or so ago(maybe longer), we started noticing that the bathroom door handle was REALLY loose and it was getting hard to close and open the door. I nonchalantly mentioned to my roommate(without too much afterthought....will become obvious later),"I sure hope no one gets STUCK in the bathroom!"

We had just had dinner last night with our landlords, Constantin and Nina(who speak NO English. We communicate with them in Russian and Romanian). We had discussed a light that needs to be fixed and a fridge that needs to be moved. We forgot about mentioning the door handle. So, anyways, Constantin said that he might come today or sometime later. We weren't sure. Constantin and Nina are wonderful people and great landlords. We knew that Constantin would take care of the problem, we just had to make him aware of it first.

We have 2 bathrooms separate from each other. One has a toilet and sink. The other has the shower and sink. In this post, when I mention bathroom, I am referring to the bathroom with the toilet.

Now, that you have all the background information....

After dinner last night, my roommate and I discussed the door handle and how we had forgotten to mention it....

DO YOU SEE WHERE THIS STORY IS GOING??

Back to me going to the bathroom...

So, I don't know about you, but I don't usually take anything into the bathroom with me. So, I am in the bathroom and I shut the door and lock it. Everything normal so far. (I guess it wasn't necessary to lock it because my roommates were both out of the apartment. I was ALONE. BUT, I think it is good practice to shut and lock bathroom doors!)

So, I go to the bathroom, wash my hands, and grab the door handle which...ARE YOU READY FOR THIS??
falls
off
and
into
my
hands!(along with all nails and apparent parts...)
Oh boy....What do I do? First, I fiddle(is that a word?) with the pieces left in the door...nothing. Then, I start to grab anything that is removable from the door. The nail that holds the towel, well, I pulled that out. Then, I went for the hinges. Nothing. Then, I realized...I AM STUCK. I opened the window. Thank God for ventilation. Then, I looked at the door. OH NO! I decided I would just try to hit the door as hard as possible. I hit the part of the door where the handle had been as hard as I could. What happened you ask? The handle on the other side of the door fell off! OH yeah...I'm really working my way out of it. Yeah right?!? Then, I just beat on the door with both hands out of FRUSTRATION and ANGER.

Realizing that I was so obviously stuck without a clue how to help myself, I fell to the floor in a sitting position. I cried out to God. "God, please help me!!" I had teary eyes, but no real tears. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. My comfort at that moment was that God was(and is) in control(even though I didn't understand or see the solution), I had a toilet in case I needed it(which, since I had just used it probably wouldn't be the case especially since I hadn't had my morning water, cappuccino...etc!) ,and if I became so parched, I could drink from the sink. I was also most thankful for the open window! What I was a little worried about was the fact that I was unsure when my roommates would be home and I could be stuck for hours. I had also read a story online before about a man who was stuck in the bathroom for a couple of days! Yikes.

I do believe that God heard my cry for help. I stood on top of the toilet to lift my head out of the window(BTW we live on the 2nd floor) which had bars on it. The bars made for a nice grip while my feet tried to remained balanced on the toilet. I looked around outside and I didn't see anyone that I knew. I heard a voice from downstairs so I waited. Then, I saw him. The son of the friendly neighbor, Gheorghe. He was on his cell phone, but I didn't care. I am desperate. Also, I knew that this son, Michael(who is probably 20 and speaks English pretty well), I later learned and I had briefly met once before when he started speaking to me in ENGLISH. Oh praise God. So, I started calling out to him, "Hello!?!" (Just like the damsel in distress, you know?) I told him the gist of the story that you've just read. All in English...Oh I am so thankful. How would I ever explain on this in Romanian? I have no idea.

At first, he was like,"Aren't your friends home?" Um, hello!!...if my friends were home, I wouldn't be standing on a toilet and leaning of a window to tell you my problems. No, my friends aren't home and I don't know when they will be home!

Then, he became really helpful and started asking smart questions. He started to understand my dilemma more. He did think my story was really funny and he had to share it with others in the home and those passing by. Thank you very much.
It took him a while to understand that I was really stuck. I picked up the broken handle and showed him that there was no turning the knob. I think he understood more clearly when he saw the broken handle. I asked him to call my landlord Constantin. Neither Gheorghe nor Michael had the number. I thought it was worth the try. Once before when I lost electricity in my apartment, Constantin had called Gheorghe and sent him up to check on me. So, I thought, maybe the two were friends. Well, they couldn't find any numbers for Constantin. I do feel like they dialed a lot of numbers though. Gheorghe and Michael suggested that I kick the door out. "Like in Mortal Kombat," Michael added. I asked him to show me what that looked like. He did some moves.Priceless. Before trying out my karate moves, I asked Michael if there was a phone book with Moldovan residents listed. There is. Great! I suggested that they search for Constantin number there. THEY FOUND IT. Oh praise Jesus.

If he couldn't reach Constantin, Michael told me that he was just climb up. Okay. Maybe that will work. There are bars on my window here, but however you think you can help. I am open to suggestions here.

If I had been outside of the bathroom, I would have all the important numbers listed for my landlords, my roommates, my colleagues etc. All in my cell phone. I don't know any of them by heart.

Back to the LONG story. So, Michael contacted Constantin and he would be on his way to my apartment and probably reach my apartment in a half hour or so. I was thankful for the time frame. I asked Michael what time it was. At this time, I had already been in the bathroom for an hour..at least.

While I waited for Constantin, I PRAYED. I think God wanted my complete attention. Well, he had it. I was talking to him about life and praying for many friends and family members(maybe you). I sang some songs. All in all it was a great meeting with God. I had cried out to Him for help and help was on the way! So thankful...

I also thought about these things: 1)This story is going to be a great blog post. 2)People that know and love me are going to find this hilarious. 3) Bathrooms are really dirty places(Even though I had just cleaned our bathroom 24 hours prior) and 4)I really need to repaint my toenails.

Then, I hear my name being called from outside. Michael asked me, "Are you lonely?"
I said, "Well, I am here in the bathroom alone and I'm praying to God." He said, "Very good!" He decided that he would stand there and talk to me, because if he were in a similar situation, he would want me to talk to him. So, he started asking about what I did in Moldova and how I felt about Moldova. I was thankful for the conversation because it took my mind off of my current situation. Then, he called Constantin one more time. I was assured that Constantin would be at my apartment within 15 minutes. Michael had to leave to go swimming. I thanked him for all his help and we said goodbye.

More waiting....Thank you, God for teaching me patience. More prayers. More singing. Then, I heard a beautiful sound. Keys turning in the door. CONSTANTIN! I hear his voice and I can see him approaching the door.(There is now an open hole from where both handles have fallen off either side of the door). He is laughing. He says in Romanian, "Oh, this isn't a big problem. Small problem." Music to my ears. He has a tool that he is turning. I am getting super excited! Then, FREEDOM!! The door is open. Oh praise You, Lord. I am free. You provided help for me. Thank you.

I have never been so excited to see Constantin...I patted him on the shoulder and said, "Thank you very much!" He is looking over the broken parts and surveying things. He says, "These are not good. " I laugh as I say, "I know!" He then moves to put the toilet seat back on correctly. It slid off while I was standing on the toilet. As he is working, he says," Girls, Girls....they need boys!" I couldn't help, but agree with him more.

Sorry this story is so long, but it is truly helping me put the hour and a half I spent in the bathroom in perspective. I'm thankful that God grabbed my attention and then showed Himself faithful. I am. But next time, God, "If I have to get stuck somewhere, can I please get stuck in the kitchen?"

Got Allergies?

No, this isn't snow on the ground in May. It's the stuff from Cottonwood trees. Oh yay. Two and three weeks ago, my head hurt SO bad. All I wanted to do was lie down. I went to the ear, nose, and throat doctor because I thought maybe I had an ear infection. No ear infection. Then, I went to the dentist to see if any more wisdom teeth had come in. No more wisdom teeth(for now). The dentist said, " It's outside. The weather and the stuff outside." Okay, I guess I believe him. Sights like this picture just outside my apartment make me believe him. Thankfully, my head is much better now, BUT the ground still looks snow-covered.

June 1st

The t-shirt reads: God Loves Families. (The guys in the background are in a youth group that I frequently enjoy here).

My friend Natasha(who paints BEAUTIFUL cards) and I enjoying the festivities. Yes, I know....I NEED SUNGLASSES! You can't see my eyes for my squinting. :)


Today, June 1st, marks 10 months for me in Moldova!! Woo-hoo! (I have less than one month left in Moldova. That is so hard to believe!)

It is also my dear friend, Casey's birthday! Happy birthday Casey! I hope you have a wonderful day.

Today many countries around the world will celebrate International Children's Day. Moldova is celebrating today. I just returned from the center of the city. There were TONS of people, lots of balloons, music, and free ice cream(which I especially enjoyed). It was fun to see people from the various churches that I've visited, other missionaries, and friends.

There were many organizations represented today at the celebration. The evangelical churches were well represented. Many churches passed out flags that read: God loves families.

To mark my 10 month here, I'll share a quick story to let you know just how far I've come with dealing with the cultural differences.

As I was waiting for the trolley bus, it began to rain some. It was a light sprinkle and one that caught me unaware as it was an absolutely beautiful day. I knew that the trolley buses would fill up fast as people tried to get out of the rain. After skipping out on the first two buses that I could have jumped on(they were FULL), I got tired of waiting and just got on the third bus despite how full it was. Man, was it full! It wasn't even 80 degrees today, but in those buses it is HOT. Well, it was the typical crowded bus. I will spare you all the details, but let's just say I have never been so thankful for clothes in all my life. Just when my sweaty arm couldn't stand to grip the overhead bar(I'm so short) any longer, the bus approached my stop. I squeezed my way through the people and got off. Fresh air!!

Back in the beginning of my public transportation experiences here, I would have been stressed out by the lack of public space! Thank the Lord that I have adjusted to many things here. It has made my time here much easier!

God bless you, friends,
Shauna

p.s. I am not looking forward to riding the public transportation as the temperatures increase. Lord, help me endure the heat!.

Leftovers

I grew up eating leftovers. I don't have a problem eating leftovers. I actually enjoy it. I have a problem with NOT eating leftovers. My thought is: Why be wasteful?? (Especially when you have a mother who can cook!)

I usually don't eat other people's leftovers. In general, I wouldn't just go over to a friend's house and ask for their leftovers. On occasion I have stayed at someone's house and they offered leftovers. AND I'm thankful.

BUT I certainly wouldn't eat leftovers from complete strangers. The point I am getting to is this: The other day I saw someone eating leftovers. Except this individual, a Moldovan man,wasn't eating from a friend's table. He was eating straight out of the garbage dump.

It makes me so sad that people are so hungry that they will eat the leftovers and scraps that others have thrown out with the garbage. Yet, this is often the case. The other day wasn't the first time I saw someone eating from the trash. I see it often here. For this reason, if I have food that is leftover or stale, I will put it out on top of the trash lid so that someone searching for food can grab it.

BUT people aren't just searching for food to relieve their physical hunger pains, I believe people are thirsty and hungry for life. For salvation. I pray that they will know God and his everlasting life through His Son Jesus who is the Bread of Life. I pray that they would come to know Jesus, the very one who is the living water. Jesus says in John 4:14, "But whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty. The water I give will become a spring of water gushing up inside that person, giving eternal life."

Clothing Styles

Just a quick note today to share about some of the clothing styles I get to witness living in Moldova. Although, I am sure these same trends are common in a lot of other places. These are the ones that are most interesting to me. Sorry there are no pictures. I think that would just be highly inappropriate for this blog.

Some of the styles that I see here on a daily basis:

Women:
see-thru shirts

really short shirts, shorts, skirts etc.

low-cut shirts

the long shirt with the leggings

and many others...

Men:

short shorts

the biggest thing I have noticed lately....man capris! I am told these are called 'ports'. These are the p(ants)(sh)orts that come to about calf-length on men. No offense, but I don't like them.

AND...last, but not least....my favorite(NOT!): spandex!! Yes, you read that right. Men at the public park swim/sunbath in spandex!....Oh, gross!!

Have a super weekend...and if the weather is nice and you take a stroll through the park, I hope you don't have to witness any spandex!!:)

Another's Perspective

*With the permission of my roommate, I am copying and pasting a post from her blog. She put into words what I have thought about for a long time and had not been able to put into words quite yet. I wanted to share her thoughts with you.*


The Moldovan People

Often when I am out on the public transportation, or walking to the market, I find myself with a straight face and furrowed brow. It is not because I feel unwell, or the culture shock has so permeated my body that I simply cannot manage a smile. It is not even because of how awkward I feel about the way many people are dressed. It is simply because everyone else is serious too. The Moldovans do not smile at strangers. They always seem so serious and even angry. There are often arguments on the mini-buses when the driver yells at someone for slamming the door. And the cashier at the grocery store always seems put out by having to make change. I've decided that people aren't like this because they hate each other, it is because they hate life. It is a hard and almost hopeless existence in Moldova. Prices go up and up, but incomes do not seem to change. Oil, food, and clothing are all close to European prices, and trying to give your family their basic needs is more and more challenging. The concerns of life show on their faces.

And if this was all I knew of the Moldovan people, these scowls and this hopelessness, I may feel very discouraged indeed. But the people here are truly loving and kind. They are the kind of people who greet their friends with such joy and excitement that it seems as though they have not seem them for a year. I have seen my community gather around in the courtyard and try to help me find the place to pick up my package. I have heard of men closing their shops to help a nice American girl find an adapter in the market. My landlord greeted me on the street with such enthusiasm: two kisses to the cheeks, and with pride introduced me to his friend. The women selling produce always have a kind word about how my Romanian is improving. These people love each other and there is a place in their hearts and in their lives for me. My hope is that when I get to inhabit that place, I get to bring the hope and joy of Jesus Christ with me.

Visit her blog at: www.saratady.blogspot.com

Shoe Shopping

Today I went shoe shopping. It was a little hard...Ok, a lot hard! What am I saying? I have a hard time shopping for shoes in America. There are just so many shoes to choose from. Well, there are many shoes here, too. They are just DiFfErEnt!


My friend's shoes

more shoes...

I really wish that I had pictures of random shoes that I see around the city when I am out and about. There are all kinds of sylin' shoes. Most of them I would never wear. There are shoes of all colors, designs, patterns etc.

I don't think that shoes are worn for comfort here, but rather for fashion. There are lots of fancy shoes here. I am in the process of trying to find comfortable, inexpensive sandals of some sort. (I brought American flip-flops and other shoes that don't stay on my feet well from America. I had not anticipated the amount of walking I would do here. I also did not give any thought to the fact that because I drive or ride to most places in America, that I don't pay attention to how well my shoes stay on my feet.) So, needless to say, my American summer sandals/shoes will most likely not work here. These new shoes that I am searching for should be made for a lot of walking. I know that I will be home soon, but I want to wear them when I go to the retreat in Turkey next month. Today I found some for a good price, but I couldn't find the right size. It was fun looking though. So, just be warned that I may come home with some shoes that you have never seen before! Wish me better luck next time I go shoe shopping.

Day by Day

I heard this song, Day by Day by Point of Grace the other day while I was riding the minibus to work. It is not an incredible thing to hear songs in English on the bus. I hear songs in English on the bus quite frequently. It was incredible however to hear a Christian song in English on the radio. As I listened to the words I thought about several things.

First of all, I wondered, "Does anyone understand the words of this song on the bus besides me?"

Secondly, I pondered the fact that God IS returning soon. We are getting closer...Day by Day. The song reminded me to focus on God as each day brings us closer to His return. The song put life in perspective for me again. I love it when God uses such simple ways to wake me up! After looking up the lyrics online and reading them, I have a few more thoughts.

I see several similiarities with the lyrics and my time here in Moldova. The song talks about a mission, world travel, and being open to what God wants. That's me. I just want to be used my God in whatever small(or big)way He chooses.

Lastly, I just really want to see Moldovan faces(any faces that don't know Christ, really) to be turned to the LIGHT so that they too may fall on their faces at His glory.

Here are the lyrics:
I'm not unhappy but I'd take the train today
If you'd let me
If you'd let me
They may be clapping for me but I wait for you to come get me
Come, come get me

Cause day by day you're coming closer
Making our way clearer and straighter
Turning our faces into the light
And I can't wait to fall at your glory
On my face down in the morning
You're coming closer
Day by day

Somebody told me I could travel the world
To find beauty
To find beauty
But to behold it I would have to keep it within me
Yeah well it's in me

Cause day by day you're coming closer
Making our way clearer and straighter
Turning our faces into the light
And I can't wait to fall at your glory
On my face down in the morning
You're coming closer
Day by day

Give me a mission if I've still got the time
Cause I'm open
Yeah I'm open
Be my vision and I'll be your delight
Cause I'm going wherever you're going

Turning faces into the light
And I can't wait to fall at your glory
On my face down in the morning
You're coming closer
Day by day

Cause day by day you're coming closer
Making our way clearer and straighter
Turning our faces into the light
And I can't wait to fall at your glory
On my face down in the morning
You're coming closer
Day by day

Cause day by day you're coming closer
Making our way clearer and straighter
Turning our faces into the light
And I can't wait to fall at your glory
On my face down in the morning
You're coming closer
Day by day

I don't want to step on anyone's shoes...

Yesterday was a good day. Earlier in the day I did laundry, dishes, vacuumed under the couch, and many other little things around the apartment. Fun stuff....I know!

Later on, I went to pay my internet bill, but the business was closed due to a holiday here. I believe it was a day of remembrance- Day of Victory. I enjoyed my venture out into the city. It was a very beautiful day weather-wise, too. There were a lot of people out and about. There were celebrations in the main square downtown complete with the traditional Moldovan dancing and costumes.

While I was on the trolley bus, I stepped on a man's shoe while trying to scoot into a new spot to make room for someone else. I have been told that Moldovans take great care in keeping their shoes clean. I have witnessed this with my own eyes. While standing on the sidewalk waiting for a bus, a young lady will bend town and wipe her shoes clean with a cloth. My attitude towards the matter is quite different. My thought is,"They are just shoes and they will get dirty again because I am walking on a muddy sidewalk." So, as if I didn't stand out enough with my casual, western dress, one can definitely tell that I am not Moldovan if they look at my shoes. But, I do respect the fact that Moldovans take great pride in their appearance and how they dress-even down to their shoes. So, I would never want to offend anyone by stepping on their shoes! This is bound to happen though in taking public transportation. So, I said to the man, "Sorry(in Romanian)." His reply,"It's okay (in English)."
Wow. It brought such calm to me. I thought...It is okay! Little things are going to happen in life and I should not let them stress me out. Somehow, hearing those words in English, really spoke volumes to me about resting and trusting the Lord with all things. God is in control and He is working my last several weeks out in Moldova for HIS good.
I need not stress or worry about finances, plans, accomplishing tasks, etc.
Everything is going to be alright.

It's okay. It's okay if I don't get everything on my list done. It's okay if I have to be flexible in my plans. And the occasional stepping on some one's shoe, really is OKAY.

Chocolate Chips and Sour Cream

chocolate chip morsels



sour cream

I try everything once. This is a phrase that I say here a lot. I would never want to offend anyone, so I will always try whatever is prepared(except the fish...I never eat the fish here...).

The other day, a Moldovan by the name of Victor, suggested to me in conversation that I should try sour cream and chocolate chips together. He said, "It is SO good!!" It sounded pretty crazy to me (not crazy as a lot of things though). I told him I would try it.

So, we had chocolate chip morsels in the apartment. Don't be fooled. We cannot buy them here. A team from America brought them in abundance and lavished them upon the missionary community. THANKS. One day I will use them to make some dessert that is right tasty.

But TODAY....I had other plans for those choc.chips.I wanted to try them with the sour cream.

Now, the sour cream here tastes way different to me than it does in America. The sour cream here kind of reminds me more of yogurt. BUT I like it. Strange, because I don't like yogurt at all(here or there). In spite of my dislike for yogurt, I have grown to really enjoy sour cream or smintina/smantana as it is called here. It has been my experience that most Moldovans LOVE sour cream. You can put it on a multitude of things i.e. bread, soup, meat... here.

ANYWAY, I tried it. It was not out right NASTY, but let's just say it wasn't good!!

Lesson: So, if you are ever in the mood to mix two random items just for kicks, don't mix chocolate chips and sour cream.

Question:
What are two things that you eat together that is tasty but unusual?? Please comment...

FrUsTrAtIoN...

This is the oven in our apartment. While it frustrates me to no end, I am thankful for it!! It is a tool that helps me eat, which I like to do!! :)

One of my almost daily frustrations is lighting the gas stove in the apartment.

It is so fickle. Sometimes it will light right from the start and other times it takes many tries.

To light the stove you must first open the oven door, then you must hold in the oven knob, and lastly you must insert the igniter/match into the hole(while simultaneously holding the oven knob in because it's childproof). Sounds simple enough right? WRONG.

Just when you are about to jump for joy because the oven is lit and you release your hold on the oven knob, the flame goes out!! This is due to the fact that it is childproof(nice for those with children)and it requires a good 20-40 seconds of hold once you see flame. So, to succeed one must WAIT and have PATIENCE. Yay.

If a child can light this oven and keep it lit, then he should be renamed Baby Einstein!!

Another Stroll in the Park

The weather here has been so beautiful lately. I was able to enjoy a couple of strolls through the park this weekend. YAY!

I love temperatures in the 70s. It's my favorite kind of weather. Not too hot, but some sunshine and a nice breeze. What I like to call: perfect!

My Decision

I don't think I have updated everyone on my decision regarding whether or not to stay in Moldova for another year or return to America.

So, I will take the opportunity now to share.

After a lot of praying, talking, thinking, weighing all the factors involved(and there were a lot), and wise counsel, I decided not to return to Moldova in the fall. (There are too many details regarding how I made my decision to go into detail here. Just know that my experiences in Moldova have been wonderful and life-changing. I had to make a decision though and this is the one I came to.) I will be staying in America for the time being. Who knows what God has in store? Only God right now. I am still seeking and praying about any further plans.

I will most likely return to Memphis sometime in early July. I will most likely be staying there for at least a couple of months. I have some ideas in mind, but that is all they are-just ideas.

I look forward to seeing family and friends, sharing about my time here in Moldova, and transitioning back into American life(although I think it might be difficult now that I have life experiences outside of America).

It is strange to think about coming home and not really having any plans. I have had a plan or known the next step since I was in high school (2002). I knew I was going to college. I knew which college. I had my degree to work towards. Since 2006, I had Moldova to plan and look forward to. Now, I have no for sure plans, but to go home. So, this is both exciting and scary at the same time. I look forward to what the Lord has in store.

Thank you for your support, encouragement, and prayers.

I still have 3 months of this exciting journey. The journey is far from over!!

God bless,
Shauna

What Do You Want To Know?

What questions do you have about Moldova, me, or my time here??
Somtimes it is hard to find things to blog about or rather it is hard to know what would interest people. SO, if you have any questions, please feel free to post a comment to this blog.

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On a side note.... I will give you eight statements in honor of my 8th month here:

1) I am really addicted to Coca-Cola.
2) I was able to put a baby to sleep the other day-it was really a sweet moment.
3) I don't like walking through the rain and mud.
4) I am usually afraid to cross the street. (I never know if the cars will stop even though they are supposed to).
5) I wish I was on time to work more frequently.
6) I actually got at least 8 hours of sleep two nights in a row this week.
7) I ate too much cake and icecream the past two weeks.
8) I haven't had a Romanian language lesson in the past month. (I'm not sure if I will have any more either).

Rain, Rain GO AWAY!!

Today I went to meet my friend at my favorite restaurant in Chisinau: The Patiseria. It is a nice french restaurant that serves quiche and great desserts.

After lunch we had planned to take some pictures around the city, BUT it started to RAIN. Nothing new about this. It rained all week. I meant to get a picture of one of the many puddles of mud, but I forgot. So, instead of taking pictures we had to go to plan b and go inside to a bookstore. Here are a couple of pictures from outside the bookstore after I was caught unprepared(yes, I forgot the umbrella) by the rain.

I can't wait for the rain to go away and the sun to come out! I am ready for nice spring weather, walks in the park, and more picture-taking opportunities.

Better Late Than Never

Today I blog with not just good news, but GREAT news!! Today, I have another reason to praise the Lord! TODAY... are you ready?

drum
roll
please....
Nancy and I received our LIVING PERMITS. *8 months in Moldova and we finally have them* woo HOOO!!!

The Lord is always worthy of praise, glory, and honor, but today we CELEBRATE the fact that He is in control and that He brings all things to pass in His timing. The WAITING is over. This long process is over. I am not writing with news that we will receive the documents tomorrow or next week. I have the documents in HAND. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Thank you for your faithful prayers concerning this matter. A huge weight has been lifted and it feels really good! God is faithful.