I believe it has been about five months now since I've posted anything but it's hard now to know what to post.  My life here seems so normal that I feel like nothing I write would be interesting.  People ask me if I miss America and if I want to go home, and it's hard to for them to understand/for me to explain that Moldova is now my home.  I have a job, friends and family here.  There are people, both Moldovan and American, who I feel closer to than most people I know from back home.

People in my area have more or less gotten used to "the American" in the neighbourhood.  I do still have random people stopping me and asking, "are you the American?  Why are you here when you could be in America?  Do you like Moldova?"  A couple weeks ago I had a man come up to me with a large bunch of grapes he had just picked for his wine and gave them to me.  I think I teach his child, but I'm not sure.  Most the time people are curious and friendly, although this past week I did have a different man get upset at me because America has all the money and he has none.  Most of the time life here is great.  There are those times though when you have to just forget and not dwell on what people say to you and this was one of them.

In my entire raion I didn't get a single M25.  Last year four of us came to Ungheni.  This year some raions got as many as six new volunteers.  because the other three volunteers in my group have ETed, there is only me and a friend in a village outside my city.  It's strange for me not to have a site mate anymore.  I rarely go into the center anymore.  I was told by a host uncle that I need to go to the discotechs (where teenagers generally hang out on the weekends) in the center to find a man.  I don't think I'll be taking that advice.  

I have my first break this coming week.  Last year I remember September and October going so slowly, now the first two months of school have flown by.  I am amazed by how easy my second year of school has been compared to my first.  I have a good working relationship with two partners that just continues to grow.  I have taken my materials I've made to school and see my partners using them.  This is great because it shows that all my time spent making those activities and materials were well spent and that what I leave behind will be used.

There really hasn't been a fall in Moldova....other than about one week.  SInce the beginning of school it has been either rainy or cold, with the exception of one week of nice fall weather.  Lots of rain means lots of mud.  I have gotten much better about walking on these dirt roads when they're muddy, but I still have the dirtiest boots in the classroom every time.  There's been talk that this winter is supposed to be the coldest winter in Europe in over a hundred years.  And how lucky am I that I get to experience it?  I was looking at an online store the other day at their "winter" clothes.  All I could think of was how cold I'd be if I only wore a sweater.  I've already been wearing about three layers a day.  I think I've forgotten what it's like to have a building be above 50 degrees.

This time of year my host mom has the chickens and ducks out of their coop to eat all the left-over vegetation in the yard.  Needless to say I am not happy about this.  Every time I go outside those damn birds follow me around.  I have to refrain from running away too quickly.

I'll try posting an entry soon about events of this summer and the prasnic (ceremony to celebrate a deceased loved one) my host mom had for her husband.