But what do you do, Melissa?

My program exists to build and sustain individual and organizational capacity. My day planner currently tracks the following projects my various partners and I are working on. I hope soon there will be some posts on the progress of these activities!

[+] Drafting formal job descriptions for public employees that work with youth.
[+] Redefining the roles of the youth council's leadership team (i.e. president, vice-president)
[+] Holding an organizational development day for the whole council where we will distinguish between who we are and who we want to be--then come up with a plan to get there.
[+] Teaching adult English classes for three individuals who already spend time in the United States, or are applying to.
[+] Revamping the recruitment strategy for youth volunteers in my community.
[+] Helping organize an awareness event with an NGO in northern Moldova that aims to prevent instances of human-trafficking...we're talking two-hour gig. Live music. Poetry slams. Guest speakers. THE WORKS!
[+] Recruiting other PCVs in northern Moldova to work with this anti-trafficking NGO in their communities.
[+] Working with other PCVs to reboot the Gender Workgroup Peace Corps Moldova.

Vino progres!

Spring in my step | The Randomness

I am anxious for spring and can't help but notice all the randomness in my life this week. Here's what I mean:

-I think I just agreed to help an eleven year old neighbor boy with his homework twice a week in exchange for homemade honey.

-I played hours of the card game Uno with three neighbor kids. In order to appease the parents and make it more English based, I made them say a simile for every turn they took (ex: red like sour cherries, green like the grass)

-I broke both my Yaktrax (like snow tires for your boots) over a period of three days.

-The snow melted away and I no longer need my Yaktrax.

-Grant money we've been waiting on since October FINALLY arrived from a donor in Hungary.

-I ate potatoes in crepes, pastries, and pasta.

-I switched back to coffee from tea and now every morning is like an adrenaline rush.

-I decided Moldovan cottage cheese kinda leaves the American stuff in the dust.

-A colleague called and asked if I would consider joining the leadership team in charge of this summer's girls empowerment camp.

-I booked a plane ticket to Greece for May, and already previewed some ticket prices for this time next year.

-Having late night tea with my host aunt, I learned that she once considered going abroad illegally to work. Now she is so glad she didn't because of the stories she is hearing about poor working conditions and human trafficking.

-My nine year-old cousin asked me if he could write a report for school about me. The topic is "someone I admire." Aaawwww.

-I still haven't finished reading Three Cups of Tea.

-Via the always trusty Facebook I learned about another college friend's engagement.

-Just now, I overheard my host Mom telling her son that she is making a dish I requested to eat. Hmmm....don't recall that one :)