Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Speaking of which...

In one episode of 'Cheers', Cliff is seated at the bar describing the Buffalo Theory to his buddy, Norm...

"Well you see Norm it's like this...A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.

And that Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

Monday, February 19, 2007

What I have I will share with you

I've been here nine months now and things are going pretty well. There is a "Life Cycle" on how most PCVs feel during each portion of their service, i.e. during the first three months, then during months 4-6, etc. The Life Cycle was compiled by surveying PCVs in all the regions and countries where PC serves. I found out some interesting tidbits, such as in months 9 and 15 are when PCVs typically exerience the most depression, and when many PCVs decide to go home.

Letters from friends and family help a lot, as do comfort foods from home, connecting with new friends in country, and seeing how our contribution here is valuable. But ultimately, it is up to the individual volunteer to decide what kind of stay he/she will have.

I am doing well but it is still hard. I consider myself good with languages and cultures, but I'm still self-concious when I speak so that it's hard to be relaxed enough to make friends. I was talking with some of the other volunteers this weekend. We all agreed that when you move to a new culture/country, you give up so many things... one of which is your voice and your personality. You literally don't have the words to express them. It's coming back slowly, as my language skills improve.

You've heard about stress scale that gauges how much stress is in your life by assigning points to particular events that are considered more or less stressful, right? For example, losing a job might be 100 points, moving to a new house might be 80 points, etc. Losing a spouse (by death or divorce) is the highest amount of points on this scale because it is considered the most stressful thing that can happen. Something interesting that I heard recently was that the PC experience is around 3-4 times as stressful as losing a spouse!

I have no idea if that statistic is made up or real, nor where it comes from. But I don't doubt it. Not that I feel like I've lost a spouse, by any means! But the stress seems more like an accumulation of just a LOT of little things, for example the loss of having friends and/or family close by, plus the stress of leaving my old job and learning a new one, plus... At times I feel like I'm on top of the world. Other times, it's wicked hard. It's all day by day.

There are a lot of things that keep me going though, through the hard times: For example, seeing my kids (my students) smile at me. Knowing that I'm showing them something that they've never seen before: someone who's decided to stay in a hard place in order to make it better for everyone, rather than leave to someplace else where it's better for just me. Giving them ideas of how things in their lives and their country COULD be different. Showing them that if I can hope, they can hope too!

Monday, February 12, 2007

When the big bosses come to town

Big Brother is looking over your shoulder. Quick! What do you do?

You remember that he is just another human being like you are: you turn around, shake his hand, and ask him how his day is going... like any good American would do!

Everyday I'm finding out something new about the Moldovan educational system. My school has been hosting various government officials who have been scrutinizing every aspect of our school for the past month. This week, the Ministry of Education is auditing my school.

My school director and vice-director seemed to find it VERY amusing that I shook hands with the Ministry officials (both women) when I met them in the stairwell. And I also asked them how they were... Evidently, only men shake hands in Moldova, and you NEVER get so cozy with your superiors that you ask them "How're you doing?"(!).

Lol! Oh well. It's a well known fact that the best way to improve the standard of living in any country is to empower women, even Ministry officials! If that means I must shake the hand of every woman in Moldova to show them they have equal status with men, and are capable of challenging the status quo, then so be it!

Today in our staff meeting, my beleaguered school director and colleagues discussed the good things and bad things found by the most recent round of observations and audits. Several teachers were recommended to be promoted to the next level of seniority due to their excellent teaching. Others were chastised for not conforming to some regulations.

And I found out what happens when discrepancies are found between the lessons written in the catalog and the lessons written in the "Long Term Lesson Plan" that each teacher writes for himself... It's the same thing that happens to students when they do not conform to an institutional rule: They are named in front of their peers and publicly told how they must do better. Public humiliation works pretty well in a communal society, even IF it grates on the individuality-loving American's sense of propriety, decorum, not to mention "common" decency...

This reminds me, I need to devote the theme of at least one lesson in each of my classes to the apparently "American" idea of 'privacy'. PC is a cultural exchange, after all.

As far as I know, this is all that happens to the teacher (as well as they are not recommended for promotion by the Ministry officials). But ALSO the school directors/principals are chastised and have a penalty letter entered into their personal files (at the Ministry?) saying how they are not doing their job of keeping their school and teachers in order. Bummer.