I'm so pleased with how work is going right now!
This week I did a short presentation with Valentina for other teachers about effective communication and self-evaluation. Today At the medical center I presented some information with one of the nurses about tuberculosis. We didn't include any activities in either of these presentations, but I'm just so excited that the workload is starting to increase; mainly that I'm able to handle this increase and that my improved language skills have allowed this and boasted others' confidence in my abilities! After the TB presentation, the chef doctor asked if I could present this information to patients waiting to see the doctor, starting next week. YES YES YES! That's what I've been wanting to do! The medical center has a list of different topics they focus on each month, and the list includes about 4 or 5 different health issues/ diseases. (I'm hoping we can start doing a topic of the week!!) I've already started working on a poster/visual to use for a presentation about the importance of hydration/water for next week. I will hopefully present this information with my medical partner, Efimia, to the other nurses and doctors like we did today. I hope that the following week we will then be able to take this information and present it to the patients.
I'm also really excited because Valentina asked if next year I would like to teach extra health classes to students that do not have our optional course. She even suggested that she would be willing to teach some of the classes with me on Saturdays...the WEEKEND. That's incredible for motivation (as compared to the level of cooperation most Moldova health volunteers find in their communities). The course has been randomly given to only a selection of students this year in 5th, 6th, and 8th grade. We have the health club with 7th grade students. Valentina being enthusiastic about this makes me SO excited. I feel incredibly fortunate to be partnered with cooperative, hardworking people. Your experience as a volunteer and the people you are partnered with really IS like a grab bag of surprises. My friend Terri might have to find a completely new set of partners for next year. One of her partners blocked her phone number so Terri couldn't get in touch with her over spring break... The situations can be outrageous... especially since the communities have, from the onset at least, volunteered/committed to have a volunteer work with them. Our partners are paid to work with us, but often avoid us. Life can be tough. I find myself being insulted by people here quite a bit, but you learn to deal with it. People criticize my eating habits, drinking habits, my Romanian every time I open my mouth, my facial expressions, my religious and health beliefs, my relative wealth, my pretentiousness or picky-ness, how much energy or electricity I use in the house I'm living in (apparently that's everyone's business), my exercise routine or lack of one, how much information I'm willing to divulge about my family's financial state in America, how I'm dressed for the day and if my shoes are dirty. People don't see that it's hard for volunteers because they've never been away from home before or had many cross cultural interactions. Often you just want people to recognize that "Hey everyone! This is really really hard for me!" I try to separate my feelings from a lot of what I'm doing. I think I'm becoming less sensitive--a good thing--and think I am slowly being seen as real member of this village. I want to be friends with the people that I meet, though I think I can be a friend to people simply by bringing them information. It's difficult for me to make friends with most Moldovans in my village where we can empathize and have that connection with shared life experiences. Both forms of support and friendship are important, but for right now I give what people are willing to take from me. If people start to consider that public shaming and violence against children might not be acceptable because I was here and gave a different view, then I'll take that.
Anyway, for all of the complaints and issues I have at work and in my daily life I feel fortunate that many of the people I am around are receptive and happy about me working with them.