Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova
The afternoon silence is torn by the rolling thunder of wheel on rail as the train trundles into the station in Chisinau, Moldova, the capital of Europe’s poorest country. The locomotive chokes to a stop, towering over the central platform. Patient, a woman waits as the hiss of the diesel engine fades to silence and stillness reclaims the afternoon. Deliberate, she stands and walks purposefully to the train’s door. Slow. Steady. She grabs the handrail, steps up, and boards the train. All are aboard, waiting to depart.
– Leo D. Redmond ©2009
Peace Corps Volunteer (Agroforestry/Food), Paraguay 2002-04, Panama 2006, Guatemala 2008
Republic of Moldova/Republica Moldova
In Eastern Europe; moderate rolling steppe, slopes south to Black Sea; 33,851 km2 (slightly > MD), 54.5% arable.
Capital Chisinau (.07M)
Population 4.3M (53/km2)
Life expectancy 71 years
HIV/AIDS 0.4%
Literacy 99%
Languages Moldovan (official), virtually like the Romanian language, Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Religions Eastern Othodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5%
Ethnic Groups Moldovan/Romanian 78%, Ukrainian 8%, Russian 6%, Gagauz 4%, Bulgarian 2%, other 2%
Gov’t Republic
GDP/cap $2,500
PCVs 1993 to present; economic and organizational development, English, health education, agriculture & agrobusiness (Volunteers in country: 117; total to date: 1,033)
Nat’l holiday Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
Adult Books
Lost Province: Adventures in a Moldovan Family
by Stephen Henighan
Paperback: 184 pages
Publisher: Dundurn; 1 edition (November 15, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-0888784322
Book Description
One of the best travelogues about Moldova, it follows a Canadian’s experiences teaching English in this forgotten country and is humorous and touching while bringing up astute, even disturbing points about Soviet cultural colonization and the inter-ethnic tension he finds there.
Kids' Books
Moldova
by Patricia Sheehan and Lynette Quek
Format: Library binding, 144 pages
ISBN: 978-0-89239-150-9
Interest Level: 5-8
Age Range: 10–14 years
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, p2011, c2011
Films
Film: Lullaby
Director: (1960)
Music
Focus Word
Focus Word for 2012 - "Freedom"
Moldovan/Romanian: libertate (lee-bare-ta-tay)
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Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Wisconsin-Madison is a public charity registered under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States. Its EIN is 39-1669348. It is also an affiliate group of the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA).
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