My first masa

While I was at my site visit I really missed my current host family. So, when I got home around seven in the evening, I pretty much intended to kick it, maybe study, and help out in the garden. But to my surprise….we had a birthday to celebrate! In Moldova, celebrations are called masas. I think I’m probably the last person in my group to attend one, but the objective was simple….talk, eat, and drink. There was a ton of special food and sweets on the table, so I attempted to pace myself, knowing my host mom would start her “manic, manic, manic”/ “eat, eat, eat” chant that I tease her about if my bowl was found empty. Somewhere around ten I thought the food part of the event was finally over…but then the boys went out to barbeque the chicken (delicious, by the way), and then around eleven there was a cake and champagne. From my colleagues’ experience, I know these can go on until the dawn of the next day, but somewhere around 11:30 I found myself absolutely exhausted and dreading the next day’s alarm clock.
But aside from the sugar overload, the masa was a blast and my host niece thoroughly enjoyed the candy from America that came in my last care package. I’m learning it’s a good thing to keep on hand for surprises like these.