31 May...Final Exams are Done...well, almost done as I may have a few stragglers that did not show up wanting to still take the exam. So many things seem different after having been here for almost five months (and not just the weather conditions). You can see on the right, how different my street looks. It is a good time to reflect a little on my time in Moldova and higher education here (its joys and frustrations). I admire good students. I have always admired them in the United States--you know the kind of person that actually does the supplemental reading and asks good questions in class and never misses a class but not because they are a grade-gruber (as I was) but because they are really intellectually curious. I have so much more admiration for students that are that way in the Moldovan system. First, while we sometimes complain about social promotion in the U.S., in the former Soviet systems just about everyone passes--it is just expected. If you are in danger of failing, a bribe can usually solve the problem anywhere in the system (and with many teachers making less that $100 US per month, you can see why a $3 bribe could go a long way). This is a feature of the system starting in primary school and continuing right on through the top levels of the universities. A failing grade is generally seen as the fault of the instructor's fault, not the student. Moreover, since teachers have to tutor a failed student on their own time they are not too keen to fail them. By the time a student reaches university, he or she is well indoctrinated into this sort of culture and when you add in the financial pressures that lead to students needing jobs and universities needing students, the likelihood of corruption only increases. Most classes at the university level are graded on a pass/fail basis and average professors teach 8-12 classes per term, which makes rigorous grading less likely. When a class is not pass/fail it is graded on a 1-10 system with 5 being the minimum passing grade. Nonetheless, I am amazed at students that work hard--take Allia, she not only puts in full effort in her classes but she takes on additional opportunities to learn English (as well as Spanish). Her average score is 10! I am impressed. Then there is Alexandrina, who would challenge me in almost every class but write the most fantastic papers! Other students sought me out for chats and borrowed books and tried their best to impress me--and I was. Still I had some weak students that never came to class and at exam time showed up...I passed them if I could...can't really do much about the ones that never showed up for the exam. One item thing I like about the Moldovan university system is that all seniors must present a comprehensive paper and pass the "state" exam. The state exam is an arduous process where a student must prepare and present answers to pertinent questions for a board of examiners both from the student's university and guests from other institutions. Students study for this and maybe that is why they occasionally will come to a class along the way. I was on four boards for the state exam while I was here and I have to say that most of my Moldovan colleagues can ask some pretty difficult questions. Now that exams are over, I am continuing my lectures at the Academy of Public Administration and preparing for a workshop for English language teachers. The workshop will combine training in techniques such as writing, using films, and service-learning while also emphasizing techniques to improve academic honesty (and given the degree of plagiarism in the papers I read this term, a good place to start). In a nation where there is crumbling physical infrastructure, I am afraid that education gets slighted. Given my experience teaching here, I wonder when I will start telling my American students "why can't you be like my good Moldovan students were?" I tend to forget the bad ones and only remember the good ones. I have to say that I admire my all students that made an effort--I hope good things for them all, wherever they are.
	A little time and the whole world changes perspective...all taken from my balcony in Chisinau.


	ISPRI Students (l to r: Denis, Alionia, Nicolae, Valeriu, Vlada, Natalia,me, Artiom, Natasha, Cristina, Doina, Sasha, and my colleague Dmn. Vazare) just after their exam
		Some IRIM students (Irina, Irina, Ekaterina, and Allia) just about to start...and...Alexandrina, perhaps my most unforgettable student...EVER!

23 May...Pravda means truth in Russian...but Russian news reporting is getting pretty interesting. I am not sure how true it is of late (except for the weather). By the way, the weather forecast is always more accurate for Moldova from Russian sources than others. Problem, in my American mind, is that the Russian media, and Pravda in particular, is running some interesting and disturbing propaganda as news. Perhaps this is politically motivated, because Putin (like Bush) is trying to shore up an internal political base. Perhaps, there is a sense of lost identity for Russians in a post-Soviet world. Perhaps Pravda is right and I am wrong. Here are some links so that you can make your own mind up:

	Title Page: Axis of Evil is Located in Washington...with stories about how the U.S. implementing Israel's strategy, What the Real Reason was that the U.S. Invaded Iraq and Why the U.S. is Thinking of Invading Iran (basically to have 50% of the world's oil supply in our control), and, of course, why the true Axis of Evil is Located in Washington.
	Title Page: It was Only the USSR that Defeated Nazism...with stories on the 61st Anniversary of the End of the War, How Stalin was Poisoned, and how NATO Nurtured Latvian Fascists.

The headlines tend to me more sensationalized than the stories. But the effects are interesting as I have friends here that worry people in the U.S. forget that the Soviets lost more troops and suffered much greater damage than we did in WWII. This is true the suffering was great but I find the second headline suggests that the U.S. suffered no losses! Egads! Yes, the Soviets sacrificed much in WWII but so did the Americans, British, French, and others--we fought the war and won together and it seems wrong to me to suggest otherwise. A few weeks ago President Putin suggested that a second cold war was starting--why? Because Vice President Cheney made a speech in Vilnius, Lithuania that the U.S. supported her allies in Eastern Europe to retain control over their territorial boundaries. I agree with the Vice President. But our Vice President should have the wisdom to realize that this fueled the perception that the U.S. is trying to surround and contain Russia rather than to engage her. Media here suggests that growing gap is emerging between the U.S. and Russia. Some Moldovans interpreted the speech as a clear sign that the U.S. would support Moldova if a conflict emerged over Transnistria (a conflict that I doubt the U.S. would become involved in and one that I hope will not emerge again).

I find the rhetoric, both Cheney's and Putin's, disturbing and irresponsible. I do not believe that the broad interests of people in the U.S. or Russia or anywhere else would be well served by a second cold war--I am sure it makes for good political rhetoric but it makes for bad policy. It is unfair to lead Moldovans and Georgians to believe that the U.S. will support their sides against Russia if a hot war were to break out. Further, such ideas stir up nationalist sentiments for among certain sectors of the Russian population living both in Russia and abroad.

My students seem to get much of their information about world affairs from Russian sources (even the Romanian speakers). This is worrisome when you look at how sensationalized it is. I know American media is less-than-perfect but it is competitive and in most cases (even Fox News) attempts some objectivity. The media in the U.S. is responsible for opening our eyes to many ills in our society and when they get it wrong we are quick to jump on them. I say GOOD--responsible consumers help to create more responsible media and that helps to create more responsible government. The more critics the better but I am grateful to have information that in general helps us to find truth rather than lead us away from it. Pravda was the largest newspaper in the USSR and many people in the former Soviet Republics continue to read it as if it were truth...alas, it does get the weather right.

A montage of May 9th celebration themes. May 9 is the day the former Soviet Union celebrates the end of WWII and on the right a retired Soviet Mig jet that is now housed in a park in Chisinau.

22 May...The Academy of Public Administration of the Office of the President of Moldova...a new lecturing gig for me! As a part of my original grant, I asked to work with the Academy of Public Administration. As a part of my one month extension, I have been invited to give a series of lectures at the Academy. Last week I gave my first lecture on "Planning at the Local Level" for officials working to improve the nation's roads. I wish them lots of luck--it is a primary need of Moldova. Next week I will be giving two talks one on "Women in the Public Sector" and another on "Ethics for Local Government Administrators." I get to work with translators for these talks but I have found the attendees very receptive.

My first day at the Academy was also its 13th anniversary and I got to attend the celebration and the reception afterwards. I have to say that I have never seen children dancing to "We Will Rock You," which was the entertainment for the event (that also included lots of speeches and flowers being presented). The academy is established as a means to insure that the quality of government is enhanced in Moldova. This is a difficult task considering the Communist heritage of the administrative in Moldova. I met people that are trying to make a difference and that always excites me.

The academy is located on the edge of Chisinau and overlooks some lovely farmland. I noted that spring had really come to Moldova on my ride out to the Academy on two accounts. One, the trees are blooming and green and the whole place seems more alive--it is gorgeous, here in Spring. Two, it is insanely hot when cooped up in the Marshrutka with 25 other people! The windows on the little buses are typically sealed shut--I think I will be walking more.

The gates to the Academy of Public Administration of the Office of the President of Moldova.

Me with Christina and Sergiu my interpreters at the Academy of Public Administration.

View of the fields from the Academy of Public Administration.

The rector (woman in pink) of the Academy of Public Administration leads toasts celebrating the 13th anniversary of the Academy.

*Tanitari (Vicu's Village)***		7 May...The "Real" Village People...I have been truly fortunate over the last three weeks to have been invited into Moldovan several homes over the school breaks. First, my friend and colleague, Irina Nicorich invited me to her home town for Easter dinner and then I accepted three invitations from students to their homes to meet their families and see where they grew up. I always learn so much about my students back home when I get that rare glimpse into their "native" environments and meet their parents and the same is true of my Moldovan students. I do need to explain the difference between a town (like where Irina is from) and a village (like where my students are from). A town is distinguished from a village by having modern conveniences such as electricity, gas, running water, paved streets, and apartment blocks. A village will not have all of these conveniences--in fact it may have none. Plumbing for a family living in a village is always an outhouse (sometimes people do not have indoor plumbing in towns and cities, as well). It is also quite common to see a horse drawn cart in a village but not in a town or a city. For centuries, villages have existed in much the same way in what is today Moldova with villagers farming the surrounding lands. Everyone in the village raises their own food. Chickens, geese, and pigs are common for protein sources (fish if there is a stream or river nearby). To round out the diet, villagers plant potatoes, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and other vegetables as well as locally grown fruits and nuts. Meals are hearty and chicken seems to be the centerpiece in my village meals. Candy and bread seem to be the only food staples that villagers regularly purchase in stores. Life in the villages was greatly disrupted during Soviet times, especially under Stalin (1924-53). Stalin greatly feared the ability farmers had to disrupt the food supply and under him, collectivization was accelerated. Meaning that private farms were taken by the state and rather than being farmed by landowners, the state appointed managers to direct the production. Villagers were left with small plots of land that they could use for their own purpose but most were forced to work on the collective farm. Today, collective farming has been abandoned and the former facilities are ramshackle and litter the countryside. Most have been ransacked for whatever materials could be carried off and used in a nearby village. Farmers, themselves, were ill-equipped for the transition to the market economy and a fair portion of Moldova's very rich soil has been either unused or underutilized since the end of collective farming. One person working in agriculture aptly summed it up by saying that Moldovan farmers are very good farmers but have not always been good businesspeople. Corporate farming is entering local village life and many young people from the village are moving to the city--or away from the country. Of the three students whose homes I visited, all have ambitions that could take them away from their villages but each has a deep commitment to Moldova. Vicu wants to be a politician and he would be a good one--there was never a baby unkissed when Vicu was around. He will be working on a farm in Great Britain this summer so he can save money for his tuition next year. Silvia, who is a bundle of energy, wants to be a diplomat and I can see it. She will be working in New Jersey this summer to save money for school and maybe a graduate degree. Costia has more of an interest in returning to his village--maybe as a mayor. He also will be spending the summer in Florida this year and will be saving his money to buy a car and put a new roof on his parents' house. Changes will need to come to Moldova if it is to harness the vibrancy, energy, and ambition of its talented young people--I hope these changes come soon. Since both Costia's and Vicu's villages are near the Dnister River, both remember the war of 1992 when missiles flew over their boyhood homes and tanks could be seen in nearby fields. As I was leaving Costia's village, I saw UN peacekeeping forces just down the road where Transnestria begins to exercise authority. I have never seen UN peacekeeping troops before! War is not new for villagers. Moldova was at the center of conflict for generations with Turks, Hungarians, Romanians, Russians, and Germans all vying for the land at one time or another. Every village has a World War II monument which commemorates both the victory of the Soviet Red Army over the Nazis in 1944. The names of village boys that died as soldiers as well as the names of soldiers from the Red Army that died fighting in the surrounding area are listed on plaques. In most cases, there are 20-30 names on the plaques--some soldiers were as young as 15. Being able to visit the villages and spend time with Moldovan families has been eye-opening and rewarding all at the same time. One of my hosts remarked to me, " we have had foreigners visit the village before, but only at rich people's houses, I never thought a foreigner would come to a peasant's house like mine." I feel so privileged to have been able to have been that foreigner. That does not mean that I find village life to be easy or that I think I would be successful in it--only that I feel so privileged to see a world that while only a few miles from my comfortable apartment in Chisinau, seems so far away. Altogether, my visits in the villages have taught me a great deal about Moldova--its strengths and challenges. I have also learned to be more grateful for the comfortable and safe childhood that I enjoyed in America. Sometimes it takes a village to teach you a lesson or two...
Victor (Vicu at home) with his mother and father and his sister, Natasha. Vicu is a natural politician and I hope that he will go far. His Mom is the village medical doctor.	Statue and sign welcoming traffic to Tanitari. All Soviet villages seem to have one.
*Ermaclia* (Silvia's Village)
One of hundreds of abandoned collective farms that dot the Moldovan countryside. Most villagers used to work the collective farms under the Soviets	Vicu (with Silvia's nephew), Silvia, me, Silvia's sister-in-law, and sister. Silvia's parents had already gone to work--her Dad drives a bus--sometimes as many as 12 hours a day and her Mom teaches English at two schools. Silvia is a dynamo full of positive energy and grace--a worthy ambassador of Moldova, which one day I hope she will be.
*DUBASARI VECHI* (Costia's Villa)
Costia (in orange) with his father, mother and friend, Sergiu. Costia would make a great administrator--may when I come back he will be mayor of his town.	Costia and Sergiu fishing in the Dnister for something to put on the SHA-SH-LICK (grill in Russian)
Typical sight in a village--sometimes it is a car that seems out of place. Often on Sundays, you can see whole families traveling by cart to visit relatives	A World War II memorial--every village has one to commemorate the many Soviet soldiers lost in the war for liberation, here.

Wine casks like this one are used to age Moldovan wine at Milesti Mici--the largest wine cellar in the world!

Sticlas (bottles) aging in the vault.

Cars drive in the underground wine city.

Yours truly on a visit to a traditional Moldovan basement wine cellar.

5 May...When wine is serious...I have mentioned before that Moldova is a wine producing nation and I can testify to the fact that the production is good! But wine is more than just a hobby for Moldovans, it is a significant part of the culture, the economy, and even the political life here. Moldovan red wine is considered medicinal and as it is supposed to increase red blood cell counts according to local lore, it is an effective combatant to radiation exposure. I have been told that Moldovans give their children a little red wine in the summer in order to minimize the UV affects of the sun on them!

Every Moldovan home has a cellar and every cellar has a couple of barrels of wine fermenting in it at any given time. It is a tradition that goes back centuries and the homebrew stuff is a deep ruby color and is made from the local red grapes that are grown all over the countryside. When you visit a Moldovan home, you are greeted with a glass of wine and it is a sign of friendship to drink it, though most Moldovans will understand if you do not drink alcohol for religious or personal reasons--they will think you a bit odd--but they will understand.

The Sunday after Easter, it is the tradition to go to the cemetery and celebrate Easter with your relatives that have passed away. Part of the ritual is to pour some wine on the grave for the departed family member, as it is supposed to help them to "see" the visitors. I was invited to participate in the ritual last weekend at the graves of one of my students' grandparents. Both had died before the collapse of the Soviet Union--so what the poor people thought when they "saw" Americans hovering around their graves, I can't say. Maybe they were happy to see us with wine in our hands since in the Gorbachev years an anti-alcohol campaign led to the burning of vineyards in Moldova (Gorbachev is not remembered fondly here). Maybe they were happy the Cold War was over. Whatever they were thinking, I nonetheless enjoyed some homemade wine in their honor. It is also traditional to have a picnic lunch at the cemetery. As the afternoon progresses, other people from the neighboring gravesites start to mix and mingle and share wine as way of socializing and remembering those that have passed on.

Commercially, wine is produced in a number of wineries that have been developed here over the last two centuries. The Queen of England is reputed to buy a steady supply of Moldovan wine. Wine is Moldova's largest export and Russia was the largest buyer until recently. Russia has banned the import of Moldovan and Georgian wines claiming that they may pose health hazards due to the sanitation practices of the local wineries (claiming that mercury and lead may be contaminating the wine). No one else is banning the wine, not even the U.S. Coincidentally, the restriction coincides with the decision of Ukraine refusing to recognize Transneistrian exports that lack a Moldovan customs stamp. Georgia also has had conflicts in recent days with renegade regions claiming allegiance to Russia. Nearly 75% of the wine exported from Moldova has gone to Russia (and this represents 19% of Moldova's total exports).

Where this all goes is anyone's guess since 43% of Russian wine comes from Moldova and Georgia--maybe there will be an outcry from Russian consumers? Maybe Moscow will decide that currying favor with Chisinau is easier with honey rather than vineger. Here is a link to an April 6 article from the Washington Post for more information about the wine controversy.

Rumors abound of the wineries closing operations but I was able to visit Milesti Mici a couple of weeks ago and they are still producing. Milesti Mici's biggest claim to fame is that Guiness has certified as the world's largest wine cellar with over 25 kilometers of roads. It was a real experience to drive through the winding ways with rows of aging barrels and bottles lining the sides! The roadways were named Cabernet, Riesling, and Merlot. The only downside to being the driver was that I did not get to taste too much.

Picnic lunch in the cemetery with my student, Vicu and his family.

Typical Moldovan cemetery.

My very own collection (from left to right): a bottle of home brewed stuff, Merlot, a sweet dessert wine called Cahor, and Cabernet Sauvignon--much better than that stuff that comes in a box back home. 25 U.S. states sell Moldovan wine. Don't know what it costs but a bottle of the good stuff goes for about $3 here.

*Orhei Vechi*		4 May...Touring Moldova...over the Easter break, in-between wonderful visits in Moldovan homes, I did all the "touristy" things that there are to do in Moldova. I actually took the plunge and rented a car and DROVE in Moldova (not as bad as I thought it would be). The most famous historical site is Orheiul Vechi (Or-hay-ule Veck) a cave monastery which is located about an hour's drive north of Chisinau. The monastery was carved into cliffs high in a bend of the Raut River by monks back in the 1200's and was operational until the 1700's. During Soviet times, a great deal of archeological work was done in the area and evidence of 1,000 years of life were found. Today, there is classic Moldovan village house set up for tourists to see and the monastery church is being restored. Soroca (Sew-rr-o-ca) is a fortress that began construction in the 1300's and is located in the far northeast corner of Moldova overlooking the Nistru River and Ukraine. The strategic location of the castle on the river made it the site of sieges and battles during the Ottoman conquests of the area. The design of Soroca is similar to fortresses built in Italy and England at the same time. The best part of the visit was Domnu Nicolae, the curator of the site. Irina called him in advance and he made a special effort to be at the castle when we arrived and gave us the most enthusiastic tour I have ever had (in English, even)! Soroca is also the site of the largest concentration of Roma people (gypsies) in Moldova. Large and beautiful mansions line the hilltop where the community is centered. There is a great deal of suspicion about the Roma because of their wealth and supposed magical dark powers--most fortune tellers are Roma. The mansions of Soroca and the refusal of many Roma to allow their children to complete school fuels these suspicions. Pretty cool Spring Break, eh?		*Soroca*
We met a bull walking up to the entrance to the monastery. Church alter in the cave monastery. Irina and Lee stand on the ledge outside the monks' quarters.				The fortress at Soroca. A view inside the fortress and way down at the bottom, you can see Domnu Nicolae giving a tour .

SOME COOL LINKS: Mostly about Moldova Moldova.org good for news and events in and about Moldova. Clipa.Siderala works to provide better lives for orphans. Peter Myers' Blog contains the adventures of a Peace Corps teacher in a nearby village. Mary Magoulick's Blog a colleague of mine from GC&SU, who is on a Fulbright in Croatia this semester. SPIA the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia--my graduate alma matter.	The Moldova "Quasi-Blog" V: The Adventure Continues...and continues...and then continues some more...

	Links to all of my on-line ramblings and other useful information.	My preparations to come to Moldova and my first impressions of it	More on Moldovan Economics, social realities, transportation	More on Communist architecture, Martisurs, and Int. Women's Day	Spring finally comes to Chisinau and I am making trips around the country.	The end of the semester and exams at the university.

Adventures of Dr. Chris Grant of Mercer University/2006 Fulbright Scholar
Moldova Patria Mea means Moldova, my homeland...my guess but my Romanian to English translations are imaginative if not always accurate...	E-mail me: chris_grant1234@yahoo.com or grant_jc@mercer.edu IM me on Yahoo: chris_grant1234...