My host mom asked me about helping earlier this week so I have had this to look forward to since Monday. Unfortunately, I thought I was not going to be able to help when I got sick. Boo. No fun being sick in a country where you don't know how to say "cough drops". Thank you Peace Corps for having those in the medical kit they gave us at the beginning of training!! Happy day that I woke up yesterday (Friday) feeling much better and more human than I had the previous days. It was nice to have the rest, but I felt bad missing school during the second week. But I hear that I was missed and some of my students were concerned. Aww, they like me, they really like me!!
So, this morning roles around and I am feeling even better with the excpetion of needing to blow my nose every 10 minutes, but hey, I figured a little sunshine, manual labor and time with the host family will do me good. And indeed it has. Even my nephew Cristi helped, but the novelty of it wore off after about 10 mintues, then he started eating the grapes and eventually found friends to play with. We only picked the white grapes and I watched as they crushed the grapes into a large container. I was able to fill about 12 buckets of grapes. Very proud!
My bucket
Me picking grapes-hurt the knees after awhile.
My sister-in-law Ina was helping too!
My host brother, Octavian pouring our buckets of grapes in the container and mashing them up
I am interested to learn how they will make the wine. Staci-let your dad know when I get back, I'm happy to help out with his grapes!!
The funniest moment however came when a man pulled up next to our gate and offered to sell us a set of pans. At first I just kinda laughed and went back to work on my section of the vines. A few minutes passed and I realized I was the only one still there. Everyone went to check out what he had. So curious, I joined them. I was never able to understand anything that was being said because they were speaking in Russian and the only thought I had was that Willy Loman is still and kicking here in Moldova. The door to door salesman is such is thing of the past in most parts of America, transformed more into the Tupperware party/Pampered Chef party host format. It was interesting to watch my sister-in-law and host mother haggle with the guy. It was most entertaining! But the transaction was made and he sold two sets! It was a good day for him and for all of us.
Our curbside side service (literally curbside - this was on our road right outside our gate!)
