| 2 Mar...Spring Hope???...I think at some point in
every long term abroad experience, you have to adopt to the local culture.
Some parts are wonderful and other parts not but to understand a place you
have to understand it all. Last week as almost all the snow melted,
I was thinking that Spring was close at hand but Baba Dochia had other
ideas--a wonderful legend. There is a myth in both Russia and Romania
that gives a special significance to March and the struggle of the old
woman winter (Baba Dochia) and her rival the young, beautiful woman, Spring.
As the legend goes, the two fight in March for who will have control over
the earth and that the battle turns a little bloody and the old woman injures
Spring's little finger causing her to bleed into the white snow (her blood turns to red
flowers, common here in Spring). So the colors of March are
white (alb in Romanian) and
red (rosu in Romanian) and they
symbolize both the battle of the seasons but also the friendship of
people.
All over Chisinau there are venders selling little bits of red and
white thread made into designs of flowers, mostly. The custom here
is to give your friends these little lapel called "martisors" (as signs of friendship
and reminders that spring is on the way).
Supposedly, only males can give to females and vice-versa.
Everywhere you look people have these little designs on their lapel (I
have been fortunate to receive three already). People continue to
give them throughout the month. As the month comes to a close, you
tie all your stings to a newly sprouting tree limb and make a wish.
I think each little ornament means that someone cares about you and that
is terrific!.
Another part of the myth is that Baba Dochia cleans her house in March
and shakes all her rugs to get ready for the new season. Since Baba
Dochia is the old woman of winter, she gets snow in her rugs. So any
snow from here on out is the leftovers from Baba Nochia's house cleaning.
On March 1st, we got a good snow in Chisinau--meaning that Baba Nochia
must have had a very dirty house (or so everyone here said)! More
snow in the forecast for tomorrow--but it is warmer now so it starts
melting sooner.
On another note, orphanages are also a part of the Moldovan reality, a
very tragic part. Over 11,000 children here live in orphanages--most
are abandoned by their parents and many have special needs. I have
come into contact with an organization called Clipa Siderala (something
like Shooting Star) that works with orphanages all over Moldova to help to
improve the lives of orphans. It is a completely local initiative
under the direction of a fellow named Salavat Jdanov--who thought orphans
needed to go to summer camp, so he loaded some up in his car and too them
to the Crimea 17 years ago. Today the organization is filled with
energetic young people that "brainstorm" ways to make life better.
Next week, I will be going to visit an orphanage near Cahoul in the
southern part of the country where I will be telling the children a little
about American life. My friend Irina Nocorich and her sister, Nadia
set up the visit for me. Irina has been involved with Clipa Siderala
for several years now and has been a camp counselor and brain-stormer.
Her sister was the counselor for the kids from this particular orphanage
last year. I really appreciate them taking me on this adventure (my
first trip out of Chisinau). It will involve a couple of buses, a
long walk, and no doubt some soul-searching. You can click on the
Clipa Siderala link at the top of the page to find out more--but I am
warning you, it is not a pretty picture. |
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"Martisors" are on my sweater to remind me that I have friends and that
Spring is on the way!
Baba Dochia had a dirty house on March 1st and shook her rugs...by March
3rd there was almost a foot of it!
 ISPRI
students (I have the nicest room at the institute).
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