100 Questions

A few days ago students voted for me to be the subject of a “game-show” called “100 Questions.” For this game, I sat on a swivel chair in the center of the gym and students sat in a circle surrounding me. I was given two minutes to talk about myself, and then the students could ask any questions they wanted. I had to answer honestly, and was given three passes (which I never used).

I believe I’m only the second person to participate in this activity, the first being the mayor, Oleg. So I feel a bit honored to be considered a VIP of sorts. I think a lot of locals were concerned that I would want to keep some things secret, but I actually loved the idea of this game – it’s exactly what Peace Corps is all about: sharing of oneself and of America with the host community.

I can’t remember all of the questions, but here are a few that I do:
1. What do you like and dislike about our Gagauz culture? I said I liked that there was a real sense of community, that people help their neighbors when there are large projects at home. I also said that I don’t really drink, so I didn’t like how alcohol is such a large part of the culture.

2. If you could live in Copceac with all the amenities that you have in America, would you stay here, or would you still want to go back to America? I said I would still want to return to America because that is where my family and friends are. Frankly, it doesn’t matter what kind of house I live in – ok, well, it matters a little. Much more important is my proximity to those I love.

3. If you were rich, what would be the first project you would do to improve Copceac? I said that I think a common mistake of many projects is that the donor simply gives something without first surveying the community needs, and without involving the community in the completion of the project. So, my first project would be to survey the residents of Copceac to see what was most important to them. That being said, I think two important project ideas would be (1) to complete the school that was started during Soviet times and is currently an empty frame and (2) to improve the computer literacy of the community – especially among students – in typing, Word, Excel, and the Internet.

4. Do you believe in love at first sight? I said that it hasn’t happened to me yet.

5. Where did you learn Russian? Uzbekistan and Moldova

6. What is the goal of your website (this blog)? The main goal is to keep my family and friends in America informed about my life in Moldova. It would be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive to write individual letters or make individual phone calls to every person that I want to stay in touch with. Through my blog, friends and family can see what’s going on with me whenever they want. At the same time, it is certainly open to anyone who can read English and wants to see what I am doing in Moldova. [I didn’t say the following, although I wish I had: I think in general my blog tends to make people nervous. In a culture in which outward appearance is very important, they don’t like the idea that I might present an unflattering picture or opinion to the world (or more realistically, to the 4 people who read my blog). I’ve tried to present things honestly, but I would never write something that I consider inflammatory, derogatory, or embarrassing.]

We ran out of time, and so I was only asked 43 questions instead of 100. At the conclusion, I was able to ask three questions to any members of the audience. I asked #1 to the same boy who asked me, #3 to the same girl who asked me, and finally I asked if another PCV were to be placed in Copceac in the future, how would the people here make that person feel welcome?