Training and Basketball

I spent this past weekend in Chisinau for an IST (In-Service Training), one of several 3-day trainings organized by PC during our two years of service. Usually they are for language - as was this one - but occasionally they're organized around technical classes (for PCVs working as teachers, health workers, agri-business volunteers, or in my community/organization development field). They're also good times for PCVs to enjoy each others' company, eat out, and take hot showers.

This time we also had the added benefit of basketball. And when I say basketball, I mean real American basketball. Don't get me wrong - Moldovans know how to play and I have enjoyed games with them - but the pick and roll, defense, crisp passes, and not reaching-in are just not part of the culture here. So on Friday night 6 PCVs played three glorious games of 3x3. We are pictured here, from right to left: Brad "one leg is enough," Craig "my last name contains the word 'height' so clearly I must be good," Dan "no concussion or pneumonia can keep me on the bench," Adam "No shoes, no service," Scott "I play better with a bum knee," and "Stewart "I play like I'm half my age."

We were also treated to an excellent chili dinner at one of the departing staff member's houses, and got to watch the BoomersTV episode (mentioned in an earlier entry) that features a married couple currently serving in my group. Yours truly makes a short appearance in the b-roll - watch it if you can but no need to tape it and send me a copy now that I've already seen it.

Lastly, through some discussions with other PCVs this weekend, I realized that we do a pretty poor job of sharing information between each other. I have no idea what projects my peers are working on and they don't know what I'm doing. For example, I've finished an Excel class and at dinner one night another PCV said he would be interested in doing the same. He's working on getting solar-powered street lights for his village, a great idea that I had never thought of but would love to copy for my village. And through an informal discussion with my Program Manager, I found out that there are already typing lesson plans from a previous PCV's project - and I've been working on getting a typing class together. So, next project is
figuring out the best way for the 130-ish PCVs to easily share information with each other every couple of months. No point in reinventing the wheel at each site.