Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Chișinău, Orașul Meu
Living in the capital during my three years in Moldova has sometimes made me feel that I was missing something of the "Peace Corps Experience." I'm not in a remote village, carrying my water, riding in horse-drawn carts and pitching in with the grape harvest and wine-making. Integrating into the community for me has meant learning to navigate the public transportation system and smiling at my neighbors in the elevator. I don't get invited to weddings or baptisms and I've never celebrated Easter by going to the cemetery and having a picnic with departed relatives. However, as I begin my last three months in-country, I realize that I've been able to share something important with my Moldovan community: their love for their city and their pleasure in living in the greenest city in Europe.
Chișinău is not a large city, 750,000 or so, but every one of the five districts has a huge park, with lakes and forests. All are easily accessible on foot or public transportation. There isn't an "old town" because the city was heavily bombed during WWII, but there are old trees and a botanical garden where couples come to take wedding photographs.
Like most post-soviet countries, there are huge blocks of apartments built for utility rather than beauty, but there are always trees. Children play on monkey bars, but they also climb trees and jump in pile of leaves in the fall. The city is hot in the summer, but in Chișinău, people leave their apartments and sit outside under ancient shade trees.
In my area of the city, in addition to the regular sidewalks, there are broad parallel walkways lined with trees and meadow grass which drown out the noise of the busy street 20 meters away.
In each huge block of adjoining flats, there are convenience stores and small service businesses, a kindergarten and several cafes and restaurants. All the things people want from a neighborhood.
I have a small apartment without many of the accessories we take for granted in more developed countries (like hot water in the kitchen), but the view from my window is of tree tops and the hills.
So, I may have missed a few things not living in a village, but I've gained honorary citizenship in Chișinău and can say honestly, Chișinău e Orașul Meu: Chișinău is my city.
Chișinău is not a large city, 750,000 or so, but every one of the five districts has a huge park, with lakes and forests. All are easily accessible on foot or public transportation. There isn't an "old town" because the city was heavily bombed during WWII, but there are old trees and a botanical garden where couples come to take wedding photographs.
Like most post-soviet countries, there are huge blocks of apartments built for utility rather than beauty, but there are always trees. Children play on monkey bars, but they also climb trees and jump in pile of leaves in the fall. The city is hot in the summer, but in Chișinău, people leave their apartments and sit outside under ancient shade trees.
In my area of the city, in addition to the regular sidewalks, there are broad parallel walkways lined with trees and meadow grass which drown out the noise of the busy street 20 meters away.
In each huge block of adjoining flats, there are convenience stores and small service businesses, a kindergarten and several cafes and restaurants. All the things people want from a neighborhood.
I have a small apartment without many of the accessories we take for granted in more developed countries (like hot water in the kitchen), but the view from my window is of tree tops and the hills.
So, I may have missed a few things not living in a village, but I've gained honorary citizenship in Chișinău and can say honestly, Chișinău e Orașul Meu: Chișinău is my city.
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