Camping with Beyond Boundaries 2016
Sept 9-11
Mississippi Palisades State Park
Adaptive rock climbing, cycling and kayaking all in a beautiful area in Illinois.
Monday, September 19, 2016
Scuba trip 2016
Scuba Diving in Key Largo
August 21-25, 2016
Its been awhile since I've been on here, but I'll give it a try. I headed down south to dive in the warm waters of Key Largo with RIC's Caring for Kids program. It was incredible! 3 days - 6 dives: 1 turtle, several nurse sharks, lots of fish and coral, Dory! and so many bubbles.
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Here we go again...
I 'spose I only find the time to write when I'm bored and preparing to travel somewhere... I update this blog every couple months...er...years. I don't think 2011 got even one entry! And what a year it was. 4 addresses in 6 months after moving 3 times (Seattle -- Chicago -- Los Angeles -- Portland). But now I'm a master (well I have a masters degree, so it is close enough) and I'm preparing for real life. It doesn't seem possible, but it has caught up to me.
Yet, I will not be won over by life that easily. Its been 3 years since I left Ukraine to come home and start new pursuits. Old students have graduated, gotten married, had children, started working and do all sorts of wonderful things. After 3 years of scrupulously saving my Alaska Airline miles (spending far too much on my credit card thanks to uncle sam's loans and traveling near and far), I had plenty of miles to take me to Ukraine and back.
So I'm off...
I'm off in a couple weeks (10 days to be exact) in a harsh time of year - late January, early February. I remember these months as being the worst...anxiously waiting for spring, tired of winter. But before my grace period with my loans comes, I wanted to see old friends. I'm worried about my language skills, my saaviness as a traveler and my ability to withstand the cold - but I'm going to give it my best shot. This time instead of my gargantuan bags packed for 2 years, I'm going for one month...and I'm going to test my light packing abilities. I'll bring my OT study book along - only b/c I need to pass that test when I come back so I can get a job.
Adventures await around every corner...and my guardian angel is always out of breath trying to keep up with me. But she's quick and there are wonderful people in this world...
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Patience and Little Victories
Patience...it is a virtue. It always has been and always will be. I understand this more and more as I reflect on my time here in Moldova. Working on a team is hard enough, but the cultural and language barrier throws in a whole different set of circumstances to work through and test one's patience. I understand this as I visit the hospitals with the therapists from our team and we are met with either 1) coffee, tea and cookies or 2) frustrated stares because we are making more work for them and they aren't quite sure of our presence. Frankly, I don't blame them for not being incredibly welcoming. If I was told that someone was here to tell me how to do my job (and I didn't know them), I would also be extremely frustrated. Two weeks is not enough to form a relationship with professionals and develop rapport. It is essential to have a long term connection and for that I am very thankful for the continued support from Cyndi (the team leader) to the MTI program here in Moldova over the past 6 + years. She has formed such a bond with professionals here that it makes our job much easier. But there are always barriers to be broken and my patience to be tested.
But as my patience is tested, little victories occur. Today, I taught at the Sports University to 4th year students in the Kinetotherapy program. I co-taught with Catherine, PT student, about community service and a specific community service task that rehab students can help with and implement. I first taught about volunteerism, community service, why it is important and a few important steps to take to implement a project. Though I was met with a few blank stares, I got the students talking about their volunteer experience and how their lives have been impacted by helping others. The "piece de resistance" was watching at least 5 students in the class copy down the steps to take to organize a volunteer project. I couldn't believe it and had a rush of enthusiasm. It made me want to sign up for Peace Corps all over again and teach about volunteerism and community involvement to students here in Moldova. I don't think it will actually happen, but I was completely inspired by the students at the Sports University. Plus their professor was incredibly supportive and very interested in the work we were doing.
So...little victories happen everyday and my patience is growing
But as my patience is tested, little victories occur. Today, I taught at the Sports University to 4th year students in the Kinetotherapy program. I co-taught with Catherine, PT student, about community service and a specific community service task that rehab students can help with and implement. I first taught about volunteerism, community service, why it is important and a few important steps to take to implement a project. Though I was met with a few blank stares, I got the students talking about their volunteer experience and how their lives have been impacted by helping others. The "piece de resistance" was watching at least 5 students in the class copy down the steps to take to organize a volunteer project. I couldn't believe it and had a rush of enthusiasm. It made me want to sign up for Peace Corps all over again and teach about volunteerism and community involvement to students here in Moldova. I don't think it will actually happen, but I was completely inspired by the students at the Sports University. Plus their professor was incredibly supportive and very interested in the work we were doing.
So...little victories happen everyday and my patience is growing
Monday, September 20, 2010
Getting to work in Chisinau
After an eventful 44 hours of travel to get from Macedonia to Moldova, I finally landed in Chisinau and met up with the rest of my team from the states. We're staying in an apartment in the southeast corner of Chisinau (Moldova's capital). Though it feels like a big and bustling city, it is fairly small compared to some of the other cities I've visited on this trip. With a team of 9 people, it is easy to stand out while walking around, but we do our best to blend in. The team is composed of mostly rehab professionals and students with one nurse doing her best to break through the medical system. The rehab professionals have been coming here to work for several years and have made some friends at different hospitals and institutes in the area. I'll give a quick run down of what we're doing
The TEAM
Cyndi - team leader and PT from UW
Patti - Orthopedic PT from Eastern WA
Sarah - Orthopedic PT from Missouri
Margaret - Pediatric OT from Eastern WA
Wendy - Trauma nurse from Portland
Ansley - PT student from EWU
Jason - PT student from UW
Catherine - PT student from UW
Kelsey - OT student from UW (me!!)
Once we got here and got a bit more oriented to the town and the time change, we were introduced to our primary working sites and what we'd be doing. Some knew ahead of time...others were in for an adventure
The FACILITIES
The Institute of Neurology - This is the main hospital for neurological disorders, both emergency and long-term rehabilitation. The main doctor who the MTI team has been working with is extremely invested and interested in making the cooperation with the team work out really well. Patti and Sarah have gone to visit the "KT" room everyday (Kinetotherapy - this is the closest approximation to PTs that we've come up with) and offer suggestions and their perspectives on different patients. Jason and Catherine have both given presentations to faculty, physicians and students about Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Fall prevention in elderly. Ansley and I have both taken the chance to follow therapists and assist in the "KT" room. Wendy has had the tough job of breaking into the world of the nursing staff on the ICU and has done a great job (as a fellow returned peace corps volunteer, she understands how to work the system).
Mother and Child Institute - This is the main OB/GYN, maternity, and pediatric facility in Chisinau and probably the country. They work with high-risk pregnancies as well as normal pregnancies. Once the kiddos are born, they have a high tech NICU, neonatal surgery floor, and a step down rehab unit (for kids to get treatment after they've been in the NICU). The campus is huge and there are almost 60 units where they treat kids from 23 weeks gestation up to the age of 18. Margaret has been spending 3 days a week here visiting different units and sharing her expertise from NICUs in the states. Its been fascinating to learn from her about feeding strategies with premies and positioning/handling techniques to ensure proper development. She's also taught on normal vs abnormal development and shared her research on the impact of maternal diabetes on infant development and morbidity. I've been her shadow for the past week and will continue to do so. The staff is somewhat receptive, but very friendly. Since our trip is so short (2 weeks!), it is hard to expect too much more.
Hippocrates - This is an outpatient pediatric rehab facility that was started and funded by a British non-profit organization. There are mostly "KTs" (Moldova's version of PTs) who work here, some of whom function as OTs and one Speech/Language Pathologist. Dr. Diana is a fabulous woman who keeps the facility moving forward. Margaret has also been visiting here and consulting with patients as well as teaching about feeding and assessment techniques. I've been so grateful to have the experience here because the women who work at Hippocrates are so dedicated and motivated to work with the children. All the treatment is for free to the families, an incredible opportunity. Check out these websites for more info and interesting information about Hippocrates : (Wikipedia's post on the center, The main website)
The Sports University - This is the main teaching facility for future physical therapists and PE teachers. They have both a bachelors and a masters program for students to pursue. Sarah and Patti have been doing an incredible job of teaching the faculty and some of the masters students about assessment and treatment of orthopedic conditions. I had the chance to be a guinea pig one day and have the participants practice their assessments on me. From this I found out how different teaching styles are between the states and Moldova and that I have bad shoulders :(
We've all been busy jumping around from facility to facility and enjoying the interaction with the professionals at each place. It is hard sometimes because we're working through translators and trusting that things are translated correctly. Half of the people speak Russian and the other half Romanian, so I understand some of the Russian. But they laugh when I speak my Ukrainian because to most of them it sounds "funny" and they don't understand it. It is amazing that 2 languages that are so similar can have verbs that are totally different and indecipherable when spoken. I do my best and have met a few people who understand my peasant-speak, but it has been a lot of me being mute.
Today is a rainy rainy day in Chisinau and half of the team is feeling a smidge under the weather, but I think we'll pull through. More to come on perspectives and impressions soon!!
The TEAM
Cyndi - team leader and PT from UW
Patti - Orthopedic PT from Eastern WA
Sarah - Orthopedic PT from Missouri
Margaret - Pediatric OT from Eastern WA
Wendy - Trauma nurse from Portland
Ansley - PT student from EWU
Jason - PT student from UW
Catherine - PT student from UW
Kelsey - OT student from UW (me!!)
Once we got here and got a bit more oriented to the town and the time change, we were introduced to our primary working sites and what we'd be doing. Some knew ahead of time...others were in for an adventure
The FACILITIES
The Institute of Neurology - This is the main hospital for neurological disorders, both emergency and long-term rehabilitation. The main doctor who the MTI team has been working with is extremely invested and interested in making the cooperation with the team work out really well. Patti and Sarah have gone to visit the "KT" room everyday (Kinetotherapy - this is the closest approximation to PTs that we've come up with) and offer suggestions and their perspectives on different patients. Jason and Catherine have both given presentations to faculty, physicians and students about Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Fall prevention in elderly. Ansley and I have both taken the chance to follow therapists and assist in the "KT" room. Wendy has had the tough job of breaking into the world of the nursing staff on the ICU and has done a great job (as a fellow returned peace corps volunteer, she understands how to work the system).
Mother and Child Institute - This is the main OB/GYN, maternity, and pediatric facility in Chisinau and probably the country. They work with high-risk pregnancies as well as normal pregnancies. Once the kiddos are born, they have a high tech NICU, neonatal surgery floor, and a step down rehab unit (for kids to get treatment after they've been in the NICU). The campus is huge and there are almost 60 units where they treat kids from 23 weeks gestation up to the age of 18. Margaret has been spending 3 days a week here visiting different units and sharing her expertise from NICUs in the states. Its been fascinating to learn from her about feeding strategies with premies and positioning/handling techniques to ensure proper development. She's also taught on normal vs abnormal development and shared her research on the impact of maternal diabetes on infant development and morbidity. I've been her shadow for the past week and will continue to do so. The staff is somewhat receptive, but very friendly. Since our trip is so short (2 weeks!), it is hard to expect too much more.
Hippocrates - This is an outpatient pediatric rehab facility that was started and funded by a British non-profit organization. There are mostly "KTs" (Moldova's version of PTs) who work here, some of whom function as OTs and one Speech/Language Pathologist. Dr. Diana is a fabulous woman who keeps the facility moving forward. Margaret has also been visiting here and consulting with patients as well as teaching about feeding and assessment techniques. I've been so grateful to have the experience here because the women who work at Hippocrates are so dedicated and motivated to work with the children. All the treatment is for free to the families, an incredible opportunity. Check out these websites for more info and interesting information about Hippocrates : (Wikipedia's post on the center, The main website)
The Sports University - This is the main teaching facility for future physical therapists and PE teachers. They have both a bachelors and a masters program for students to pursue. Sarah and Patti have been doing an incredible job of teaching the faculty and some of the masters students about assessment and treatment of orthopedic conditions. I had the chance to be a guinea pig one day and have the participants practice their assessments on me. From this I found out how different teaching styles are between the states and Moldova and that I have bad shoulders :(
We've all been busy jumping around from facility to facility and enjoying the interaction with the professionals at each place. It is hard sometimes because we're working through translators and trusting that things are translated correctly. Half of the people speak Russian and the other half Romanian, so I understand some of the Russian. But they laugh when I speak my Ukrainian because to most of them it sounds "funny" and they don't understand it. It is amazing that 2 languages that are so similar can have verbs that are totally different and indecipherable when spoken. I do my best and have met a few people who understand my peasant-speak, but it has been a lot of me being mute.
Today is a rainy rainy day in Chisinau and half of the team is feeling a smidge under the weather, but I think we'll pull through. More to come on perspectives and impressions soon!!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
A recap of Tirana...in pictures
Bunkers, intended to protect the citizens of Albania from attacks from the outside world now are unique reminders of a complex history
The main "circle" (its not a square) in Tirana, Albania, complete with the statue of their regailed hero, Skanderberg
Even with all the oppression and isolation, Albanians took it upon themselves to give their cities a face lift (in Tirana and other places) by painting the large blocks of apartment buildings with bright colors and unique designs
A street view in Tirana. Please note the cars (mercedes and BMWs) as well as the complex organization of power lines. I'm glad I'm not a bird flying through the city - it would be difficult to navigate!
The trans-balkan travels
The adventures here in E.E (Eastern Europe) continue and I'm never without a good story. This post will hopefully catch up through my travels to Moldova and the next one will fill in on the day to day experiences of our work in Chisinau (Kishinau), Moldova's capital.
September 9th - a monestary and a walk
The monestary that I attempted to go to my first day into Macedonia was the last thing on my list for my last day at Lake Ohrid...that and a swim in the beautiful water. I woke up, had a run around the lake again (and was met with the wide eyed stares of locals) and then grabbed my stuff to sit by the lake. It must have been only 8:30 or 9:00, so a bit early, but the sun was already warming the air and I was in the mood for a swim. So I threw on my suit and walked down to the beach - don't think white sandy...think dark with pebbles. Nonetheless, it was time for a swim. I walked in about knee deep and giggled at the little fish pecking at my calves. I started to go a bit deeper, but stopped when I saw the water snake creep in front of me. He/she was about 5 or more feet away from me...but it didn't matter. There was still a snake in the water. We both froze for a minute and then he/she squiggled along its merry way and I took a breath (I think I held my breath during that time). I can't say I'm afraid of snakes, but snakes in water are a different story. I surveyed the water for more snakes and then dove in to the clean and refreshing water of Lake Ohrid. What a beautiful place. I swam out past the boats for rent and thought about jumping on a fishing boat, but figured I would just enjoy the solitude of the morning. I knew people would start to crowd the beach and the water, so the early morning swim was perfect. I sat and enjoyed the company of a family who had also come for an early morning outing.
I packed up my things before too long and headed back to the hostel - Sveti Naum was on my list of things to do that day. Back at the hostel, two other travelers decided to join me on the trip to the monestary and after we grabbed lunch at the local fruit market, we walked to the spot where I picked up my cabbie the first day. I had a hunch he'd still be there and what do you know...there he was. He was more than happy to take us to the monestary and back and agreed to swing through a small town along the way for a few photos. Now...I don't speak Macedonian and he certainly wasn't speaking English, but we made do. The monestary sits on the edge of the lake and has a clear view of the surrounding towns. We tried to figure out where the line was, dividing Macedonia and Albania, but decided that it was fruitless. The endangered trout that live in the lake probably can't figure it out either - though illegal to fish for them in Macedonia, the rules are a bit more lax in Albania and so there is still a problem with over-fishing.
We only stayed a short time at the monestary, but it was great to see locals and tourists alike enjoying the sights and serene atmosphere of the monestary. Priests still live there and there was holy water for all to taste. Our personal taxi driver agreed to wait for us and so we took our time walking around and made it back in time for him to take us back. Along the way, he swung into his home-village. He showed us his old school and the cliff where we got a view of the most gorgeous beach I've seen in years. Water so clear we could see the kelp swaying back and forth beneath the surface.
Once back in the city, I took a walk back to this jewelry stand that I'd seen the day before. I had some Macedonian denar to spend and it was burning a hole in my pocket (especially as I was leaving the next morning at 5 am ish). There was something about the look of the display that I knew it would be special. It was...I didn't get the name of the woman and her husband but they had been making jewelry and other forms of art for almost 25 years. She helped me choose a few things and told me before I left that all she asked was that I wear them with a smile and joy in my heart. Done...very do-able.
I was sad to leave Macedonia and the sights of Lake Ohrid - a beautiful place with kind people. The English boys that I met back at the hostel kept me laughing while my clothes dried and then it was off to bed
September 10th - let the adventure begin
Like it or not, 4:30am, I left the most wonderful Sunny Lake hostel to walk to the bus station and luckily hailed a cab that was speeding to the bus station with other passengers (otherwise I wouldn't have made it). The plan for the next 2 days was this....
5 am - 8am : travel from Lake Ohrid to Skopje (capital of Macedonia)
8:30am - 1:30pm : travel from Skopje (Macdonia) to Sofia (Bulgaria)
7:30 pm : hop on a train from Sofia that would take me to Chisinau (Moldova)
plans never really work out:)
The ride to Skopje was perfect...nice roads, beautiful sunrise and I got to see the sights of Macedonia that I was missing out on. It gave me a taste of the rolling hills, quaint towns and villages along the way. Skopje was a big capital city and though it would have been nice to visit, I think I saw enough driving through to the bus station. Another time, I'll come back. We got there early so I had a few extra minutes to go to the bathroom before my 5-ish hour bus ride to Bulgaria.
The ride to Sofia was easy enough. There weren't many people on the bus and we drove along roads that again showed me the sights of Macedonia. It is a country moving closer to ties with the European Union, but I think it will still be some time before they are ready to fully join. The border crossing was easy, but I'm glad that I had been to Sofia before. It made the process of figuring out where to go and what to do a bit easier. But this is...of course...where things get interesting.
As it turns out, the train that I thought would take me straight on through to Chisinau is of course, not running. It only goes to Bucharest (Romania). From there my options were another train to Moldova or a bus. I begrugingly bought the ticket to Bucharest and hoped for the best. After getting some food and sitting in the sun at the bus/train station, I decided to walk to the center of the city and at least get some exercise. I walked to the center (20 min or so) and wandered around and then decided to head back "early". I figured I'd get back to the train station, grab my bag and sit for an hour and read. As I approached the train station (what I thought was 90 min early), I swear I heard my name. I would realize only later (15 min), that as we passed from Macedonia to Bulgaria we had in fact jumped forward a time zone.
AHHHHH. I almost missed my train - unknowingly. I walked to the platform where my train was 10 min before it left. I had NO idea that the time changed and have NO idea what I would have done had I missed this train. My bed was on the Sofia - Moscow train car so I at least could understand 50% of what the conductor was saying. I made my bed, ate my dinner and snuggled into bed. The soviet style trains are my favorite: a bed sheet set waiting for you, hot water for tea, and being rocked to sleep by the lull of the train. I slept perfectly and tried to imagine how on early I was going to get to Chisinau the next day.
September 11th - traveling with my guardian angel in tow
We stopped in Bucharest at 6:30 - 1 hr behind schedule, so the option of flying to Chisinau was out. I asked around, but most people were not helpful and my goal (and i'm stubborn) was to get to Chisinau by the evening. I found an internet cafe (after walking for like 40 min) and contacted the team in Chisinau to tell them that the original plan to take the train was not going to work. The new plan...
Bucharest-->Iasi (pronounced Yash), Romania-->Ungheni (border town)-->Chisinau
Bucharest to Iasi would be by train and the rest was via slow mini-busses. The train was exactly what I needed and made me realize that I want to travel by train more often in the US. Romania is quite beautiful...rolling hills, lots of fields of grain and corn. The towns are fairly small, but not miniscule. I was happy that I chose the train car I did because the rest of them had a fairly pungent smell - I'm not sure exactly what from, but fairly smelly:)
The plan in Iasi was a bit less solidified. By the time I arrived, it would be almost 7pm. My lonely planet book said that there was a parking lot that mini-busses waited for passengers going to Chisinau. It was late in the day and I was taking a chance. Thankfully, Lonely planet seems to do its research fairly well and after asking around a bit, I found a mini-bus (i.e. mini van) that was headed east and surprisingly, there was a young woman who spoke incredible english. Anna was my helper for this part of the journey.
Though I thought we'd leave soon after I arrived, the disgruntal driver finally took off around 9pm because no one else was coming with us (his car wasn't full and so he was angry that he wasn't going to make enough money). He got us to the border...but then decided that he wanted to go home. So there we were - Anna, me and another fellow, standing on the border between Moldova and Romania - looking for a ride at 9:30pm. There was a van-style taxi who was headed to Chisinau but had to make a "quick" stop on the way to drop off some building supplies in a village. hmmm...
So off we went - pitch black roads and a very cold night (okay...cold for me). I had no idea where we were going, but I trusted the driver and my helper Anna. Turns out the village stop took a lot longer. The 2 hour drive turned into 3.5 hours and I finally arrived in Chisinau at 1:00am. Anna helped me get a cab (and money because I had no Moldovan lei) and after waking up the rest of my team members, I arrived at the apartment. I had no idea that my travels to Moldova would be so long - almost 44 hours all together. So next time...I'll either go straight to Moldova or travel through a country a bit closer to the border.
more on my experiences in Chisinau to come!!
September 9th - a monestary and a walk
The monestary that I attempted to go to my first day into Macedonia was the last thing on my list for my last day at Lake Ohrid...that and a swim in the beautiful water. I woke up, had a run around the lake again (and was met with the wide eyed stares of locals) and then grabbed my stuff to sit by the lake. It must have been only 8:30 or 9:00, so a bit early, but the sun was already warming the air and I was in the mood for a swim. So I threw on my suit and walked down to the beach - don't think white sandy...think dark with pebbles. Nonetheless, it was time for a swim. I walked in about knee deep and giggled at the little fish pecking at my calves. I started to go a bit deeper, but stopped when I saw the water snake creep in front of me. He/she was about 5 or more feet away from me...but it didn't matter. There was still a snake in the water. We both froze for a minute and then he/she squiggled along its merry way and I took a breath (I think I held my breath during that time). I can't say I'm afraid of snakes, but snakes in water are a different story. I surveyed the water for more snakes and then dove in to the clean and refreshing water of Lake Ohrid. What a beautiful place. I swam out past the boats for rent and thought about jumping on a fishing boat, but figured I would just enjoy the solitude of the morning. I knew people would start to crowd the beach and the water, so the early morning swim was perfect. I sat and enjoyed the company of a family who had also come for an early morning outing.
I packed up my things before too long and headed back to the hostel - Sveti Naum was on my list of things to do that day. Back at the hostel, two other travelers decided to join me on the trip to the monestary and after we grabbed lunch at the local fruit market, we walked to the spot where I picked up my cabbie the first day. I had a hunch he'd still be there and what do you know...there he was. He was more than happy to take us to the monestary and back and agreed to swing through a small town along the way for a few photos. Now...I don't speak Macedonian and he certainly wasn't speaking English, but we made do. The monestary sits on the edge of the lake and has a clear view of the surrounding towns. We tried to figure out where the line was, dividing Macedonia and Albania, but decided that it was fruitless. The endangered trout that live in the lake probably can't figure it out either - though illegal to fish for them in Macedonia, the rules are a bit more lax in Albania and so there is still a problem with over-fishing.
We only stayed a short time at the monestary, but it was great to see locals and tourists alike enjoying the sights and serene atmosphere of the monestary. Priests still live there and there was holy water for all to taste. Our personal taxi driver agreed to wait for us and so we took our time walking around and made it back in time for him to take us back. Along the way, he swung into his home-village. He showed us his old school and the cliff where we got a view of the most gorgeous beach I've seen in years. Water so clear we could see the kelp swaying back and forth beneath the surface.
Once back in the city, I took a walk back to this jewelry stand that I'd seen the day before. I had some Macedonian denar to spend and it was burning a hole in my pocket (especially as I was leaving the next morning at 5 am ish). There was something about the look of the display that I knew it would be special. It was...I didn't get the name of the woman and her husband but they had been making jewelry and other forms of art for almost 25 years. She helped me choose a few things and told me before I left that all she asked was that I wear them with a smile and joy in my heart. Done...very do-able.
I was sad to leave Macedonia and the sights of Lake Ohrid - a beautiful place with kind people. The English boys that I met back at the hostel kept me laughing while my clothes dried and then it was off to bed
September 10th - let the adventure begin
Like it or not, 4:30am, I left the most wonderful Sunny Lake hostel to walk to the bus station and luckily hailed a cab that was speeding to the bus station with other passengers (otherwise I wouldn't have made it). The plan for the next 2 days was this....
5 am - 8am : travel from Lake Ohrid to Skopje (capital of Macedonia)
8:30am - 1:30pm : travel from Skopje (Macdonia) to Sofia (Bulgaria)
7:30 pm : hop on a train from Sofia that would take me to Chisinau (Moldova)
plans never really work out:)
The ride to Skopje was perfect...nice roads, beautiful sunrise and I got to see the sights of Macedonia that I was missing out on. It gave me a taste of the rolling hills, quaint towns and villages along the way. Skopje was a big capital city and though it would have been nice to visit, I think I saw enough driving through to the bus station. Another time, I'll come back. We got there early so I had a few extra minutes to go to the bathroom before my 5-ish hour bus ride to Bulgaria.
The ride to Sofia was easy enough. There weren't many people on the bus and we drove along roads that again showed me the sights of Macedonia. It is a country moving closer to ties with the European Union, but I think it will still be some time before they are ready to fully join. The border crossing was easy, but I'm glad that I had been to Sofia before. It made the process of figuring out where to go and what to do a bit easier. But this is...of course...where things get interesting.
As it turns out, the train that I thought would take me straight on through to Chisinau is of course, not running. It only goes to Bucharest (Romania). From there my options were another train to Moldova or a bus. I begrugingly bought the ticket to Bucharest and hoped for the best. After getting some food and sitting in the sun at the bus/train station, I decided to walk to the center of the city and at least get some exercise. I walked to the center (20 min or so) and wandered around and then decided to head back "early". I figured I'd get back to the train station, grab my bag and sit for an hour and read. As I approached the train station (what I thought was 90 min early), I swear I heard my name. I would realize only later (15 min), that as we passed from Macedonia to Bulgaria we had in fact jumped forward a time zone.
AHHHHH. I almost missed my train - unknowingly. I walked to the platform where my train was 10 min before it left. I had NO idea that the time changed and have NO idea what I would have done had I missed this train. My bed was on the Sofia - Moscow train car so I at least could understand 50% of what the conductor was saying. I made my bed, ate my dinner and snuggled into bed. The soviet style trains are my favorite: a bed sheet set waiting for you, hot water for tea, and being rocked to sleep by the lull of the train. I slept perfectly and tried to imagine how on early I was going to get to Chisinau the next day.
September 11th - traveling with my guardian angel in tow
We stopped in Bucharest at 6:30 - 1 hr behind schedule, so the option of flying to Chisinau was out. I asked around, but most people were not helpful and my goal (and i'm stubborn) was to get to Chisinau by the evening. I found an internet cafe (after walking for like 40 min) and contacted the team in Chisinau to tell them that the original plan to take the train was not going to work. The new plan...
Bucharest-->Iasi (pronounced Yash), Romania-->Ungheni (border town)-->Chisinau
Bucharest to Iasi would be by train and the rest was via slow mini-busses. The train was exactly what I needed and made me realize that I want to travel by train more often in the US. Romania is quite beautiful...rolling hills, lots of fields of grain and corn. The towns are fairly small, but not miniscule. I was happy that I chose the train car I did because the rest of them had a fairly pungent smell - I'm not sure exactly what from, but fairly smelly:)
The plan in Iasi was a bit less solidified. By the time I arrived, it would be almost 7pm. My lonely planet book said that there was a parking lot that mini-busses waited for passengers going to Chisinau. It was late in the day and I was taking a chance. Thankfully, Lonely planet seems to do its research fairly well and after asking around a bit, I found a mini-bus (i.e. mini van) that was headed east and surprisingly, there was a young woman who spoke incredible english. Anna was my helper for this part of the journey.
Though I thought we'd leave soon after I arrived, the disgruntal driver finally took off around 9pm because no one else was coming with us (his car wasn't full and so he was angry that he wasn't going to make enough money). He got us to the border...but then decided that he wanted to go home. So there we were - Anna, me and another fellow, standing on the border between Moldova and Romania - looking for a ride at 9:30pm. There was a van-style taxi who was headed to Chisinau but had to make a "quick" stop on the way to drop off some building supplies in a village. hmmm...
So off we went - pitch black roads and a very cold night (okay...cold for me). I had no idea where we were going, but I trusted the driver and my helper Anna. Turns out the village stop took a lot longer. The 2 hour drive turned into 3.5 hours and I finally arrived in Chisinau at 1:00am. Anna helped me get a cab (and money because I had no Moldovan lei) and after waking up the rest of my team members, I arrived at the apartment. I had no idea that my travels to Moldova would be so long - almost 44 hours all together. So next time...I'll either go straight to Moldova or travel through a country a bit closer to the border.
more on my experiences in Chisinau to come!!
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