Salo

I'm considering giving up my vegetarianism in Ukraine and Moldova, mainly so that I can feast on the national specialty, salo, or pork fat. Here are two articles/recipes that have left me salivating at my desk.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3825221.stm

http://www.russianfoods.com/showroom/
product0136F/vendor003E7/default.asp

Pocket PC Crisis

I don't know what kind of technology I want to buy to take with me. Right now I am leaning towards a handheld pocket PC with these features: lots of memory for my word files and contacts, MP3, voice recording, Wi-Fi, and possibly camera. I really like the PalmTX, but it doesn't have a microphone, nor is there a microphone attachment for it - this makes me mad. I need to be able to record interviews. Also, no camera capability, though I am leaning more towards carrying a separate cheap and small digital camera. Problem is I HAVE NO SPACE on my body to carry all of these devices. I need 1)word processor/file carrier 2)MP3 player 4)cell phone 5)voice recorder 6) camera. I would like to consolodate at least three or 4 of these into one device.
Another option which lots of techies have been pushing for me is something like a Treo650 or IMate K-Jam which can double as cell phones. I have issues with the cell-phone PDA combination though, one being that I don't like to carry all my files with me as often as I'd like to carry my cell phone with me in a scary foreign country. Another issue is finding compatible service abroad: while the Treo650 would require me to buy a plan over there, the IMate apparently would just need a SIM card (please correct me if you know better, I have no idea how these things work even though I spent all day researching this). If I go with one of these cell-phone type things I will go with the IMate since I really like the design and it has a camera and voice recording, and this dude offered me one for half the retail price.
I welcome advice on this matter.

Good News From Kishinev

Today I called our back-up contact in Kishinev and introduced myself. He's a guy named Vitalii who is a good friend of the brother of one of my father's most reliable long-time employees, Fima. Fima likes me -- we used to play pick-up soccer together with my dad and a lot of other Brooklyn Russians in Marine Park-- and so he got me hooked up.
Vitalii sounds like a pretty neat guy. He's been in Kishinev his whole life and has worked for the Embassy to the US in Kishinev for the past 11 years. It was a bit awkward talking to him since I don't know him and our connection is not much of one. I also insisted on speaking my broken Russian, though it was obvious that his English was really good. He was quite helpful, offering to take a few days off of work to show me around Kishinev, some Moldovan monasteries, and maybe some of rural Romania. He told me he knows of apartments for rent in the center of the city, in a good neighborhood for 30$ a night (two bedroom, full apartments). I told him that was more than I needed and I could do with less and cheaper and he said he'd look into other options for me. It seems that heating and hot water are issues in more short-term type housing.
The impression I get from Vitalii is that Kishinev is pretty safe - safer than we hear in the news and read in the papers. I realize, however, that people don't usually perceive their home town as unsafe.


I wish I had someone close to travel with in Moldova so I could just rent a car and go, but I don't think that person is going to come along. It is theoretically possible that my trip might get held up in other areas (maybe if I get some volunteer positions) and then I might be there late enough in March that Matt will come visit me there, and Matt is the only person I know who'd be willing and excited to take such an adventure.

Bad News from Kishinev

This morning my mother called me from work and told me she had bad news: Miron, my distant relative and only contact in Kishinev, Moldova had died of a heart attack. That's why he didn't answer my most recent email about getting that letter of invitation sent over to me. Kishinev, being the most underdeveloped, corrupt, crime-filled, and generally messed-up city I will be visiting, is one place where I was really counting on connections. Miron, my second cousin, was a top executive in Kishinev who owned a duty free company at the Kishinev airport and another company which encouraged foreign investment in Moldova. It always sounded like mafia to me, and it probably was sketchy in some way since nothing in Moldova is what we would call "legitimate" in the US. The thing is, Miron sounded like a really sweet guy in emails and on the phone. (We hadn't seen him for 10 years, and my contacting him two months ago was the first contact since then.) He was really excited that our families had re-established contact and he hoped that I would be "the link that would bring us closer again after the diaspora". Miron said he would totally hook me up with a driver to take me anywhere I needed to go in Kishinev and even to Odessa, since the trip through the dangerous, secedeing, Transdniester region can present problems if ventured alone. He offered me a big room to stay in with my own bathroom in his house in Kishinev, for free. All in all, it was just an awesome hooked-up deal, and the dude was being really sweet and nice to me, telling me he was willing to go through whatever paperwork would need to be done to get me a visa.
I shouldn't be preoccupied about all the things he offered me that now I will have to find elsewhere and pay for. Instead, I should really be mourning the death of this guy for more important reasons. Though I didn't really know him, he was the absolute last family member left in Kishinev; everyone left for the US and Israel long ago. He actually went to Israel too and then returned to Kishinev when he saw he could make some money there (according to my mother). He was our last connection to left over Soviet-era corruption but also our last connection to the town where my parents were born and grew up.

My Electronic St. Petersburg Penpal

This is the first letter my penpal, Genya, wrote to me in September. Since then, we have decided to write eachother in our respective first languages and our dialogue has been much more frustrating, with much reference to fat Americans and drunkard Russians.

Hello Dear Robin
My English quite well and I understand all information from you letter but Sorry for same grammar and spelling mistakes in my letter.
I'm study at Financial University - one of the best F.U. in Russia
You want to know about myself-OK. I was always fond of playing football I support St-Petersburg team Zenit ,Italian Milan, and Chealse from London,Barselona from Spain Twice a week I play tennis and visit gym also I lean English and Italian because I like Italy very much And I dream to live in Milan or Rome for some period of my life. In my free time I prefer go to the cinema, booling, cafe, disko with my friends -I think all young people have the same interests-not matter were they live St-Petersburg,Paris,New-York or Sidney I love travel and I have been in Egypt and all over the Europe except Great Britain
I had been visit all city's which you plan to visit -Kishinev-Kiev-Tallin-Prague- Budapest-Odessa-Helsinki - My favourite city in EUROPE IS PRAGUE-Iwas there three times-IT's fantastik city which we called 'ZLATA PRAGUE'' zlata-means gold"-for me Prague better when PARIS or VIEN -there I had been .I also liked Barselona very very much and very luxury place MONAKO
Now a few words about my native city St-Petersburg .I like my city very much .
When I rest in Europe I see Americans canals BBC AND CNN AND not all information about Russia
True for my opinion -we have some crimes but I think in Garlem more crimes.-that is why don't worry
St-Petersburg very fashion city with a lot of boutiques, luxury restaurants , Ferrari and Porshe in the streets but of couse not every one have this beautiful life Now about Moldova. Mоldova and Albania the most poor country's in Europe
Kishinev has only one normal trading centre (mol) and several streets .Some times they haven't gas or hot water- if you want to visit Moldova spend in Kishinev several days but don't think about a month-you mother told about this period .
You told about volunteer work -in Russia IT'S не принято(I FORGOT ENGLISH word may be not taken )-I think in Eastern Europe too- Israel best place for volunteer work.
IT'S cool travel in Tallin with you but I think I can't I have my final exams in university in June

Do you support NEW-YORK RANGERS or AILANDERS?
I Like ATLANTA TREASERS WITH RUSSIAN PLAIER Kovalcuk -may be you know?
I also like USER and P.D COMS very much- and Andry Agassi in tennis
I don't like Eugine name call me Russian name Gena Soon I want to buy middle-aged BMW OR AUDI TT -now I have Audi A4-Have you got a car?

P.S. Send me your foto -OK


BEST WISHES
GENA

Cozy Monster Hat

I wish I owned this cozy hat to wear in Kishinev. I'll have to do with my grandmother's babushka kerchief.