Moving on from this tragic piece of news...
I am now at my permanent site. My first day at work was Monday (big surprise). Monday was also a large religious "celebration" at the largest monetary in Moldova, Monestary Hincu. It was a celebration of the "Holy-Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon." Basically, on this day sick people and/or their relatives come to the Monastery to be blessed. My partners decided to take me to Monastery Hincu, so I could see the "celebration."
Before I write ant more, I would like to state the I am not religious in the least, nor am I extremely knowledgeable of many religious practices. So, this whole experience was slightly awkward for me.
To begin, I did not know we were going to the Monastery until we parked right in from of it. Then it took my partners some explaining to inform me that this was a monastery we were standing in front of (for some reason they chose not to explain where we were my using the Romanian word for monastery, which is "Manastirea" and when spoken sounds a whole lot like Monastery). On the way up to the Monastery there were a few people sitting on the ground, who appeared to be asking for money. Apparently, San Francisco has hardened my to anyone sitting on the ground asking for money because I walked past them with out any remorse. Turns out that they were all asking for money to build a new church and I was probably the only person who walked by all day who didn't give them anything. My partners gave money to each of them and then proceeded to say that I was American, as if that was a legitimate excuse for my insensitivity and lack of generosity.
Next we proceeded the the "gift shop." Here they sold pictures of all sizes of all the Eastern Orthodox saints. They even had, what I would equate to, Baseball cards of saints. My partner showed me Saint Ecaterina, because that is my name now (I will talk more on this subject later.) After spending way to long in the gift shop, we headed up the hill to, what I think was, the actual church. With out saying a word, Alexandru (is known to everyone as Sasha and works in my office as a "Jurist" (which is a lawyer, kinda). He is kind of cute, but married to a dentist, and speaks minimal English.) gave me what looked like a really long birthday, then proceed to grab my hand and drag me through the mass of people trying to get into the church.
Saint Ekaterina
At this point I feel super awkward. I have no idea what is going on, I am in a really old church with a long candle thing and everything is happening in a language that I don't understand. Then I realize that I am the only woman in the entire place that does not have her head covered. One of my LTIs was married to a priest and she told me that it was a myth that all women should cover their heads in a church, that only the married women had to. However, I am obviously the only woman who's head is not covered. I tried to be inconspicuous but, apparently only short women wearing flats came to church that day because, I felt about a foot taller than everyone with a head full of uncovered flaming red hair!
I lit mt candle and put it in the stand next to Sasha's without a clue of it's significance. Then Sasha continued to drag me over to a line of people who are being somehow blessed. He grabs both my hands shoves them through the line of people out in front of the priest and proceeds to loudly say something about me being American. (Great, more attention that I don't want!!!) The priest then uses a smallish paint brush to paint oil on my hands and then a cross on my chest (right between the girls). He is then followed my a priest that paints an oil cross on my forehead. All i can think is that I was probably breaking a million eastern orthodox rules at this point and on top of that my forehead was going to breakout. Let the awkwardness continue...
After some minimal praying, we finally excited the church and walked down to a pool. We rejoined my other partners, Angela and Valentina, who explained to me that people dipped their feet in the pool and walked around it nine time. When I asked why, the just of their answer was: "because its good." I chose to forgo this activity. And, finally, to my relief, we left.
We begin to drive to what I thought was home. False!!! We end up at...
Another Monastery!!! Monastery Capriana!!! Luckily, there was no religious "event" happening at this monastery. It was a quick tour, quite enjoyable and quite beautiful.
We finally make it back to the office. I am thankful not to have caused a religious/cultural/international incident and feeling confident with my Romanian language. I ask "Unde pot sa comprar cosmetice pentru ochi? Am nevoie de creion pentru ochi," which is horrible Romanian, but the point got across. I need eyeliner!!! Apparently, I am speaking the universal language of women....MAKEUP. My partner Valentina says that I could buy my eyeliner at the piata, but I might me allergic; therefore she will call....
her Mary Kay Lady!!!!
It was all I could do not to laugh out loud. I am in the Peace Corps and calling a Mary Kay lady!!! We then discussed the Mary Kay pink cars (I doubt they are Cadillacs in Moldova, probably BMWs). And that about sums up my most awesome, yet awkward day ever!!!
And Finally, as I promised, the story of my name. Since coming to Moldova, my name has been somewhat of a problem. No one can seem to say "Katie." I have been Katherine, Kerry, Kat, Katea, Katerina, Ekaterina and finally, Katusa. As of today, it seems that everyone has settled on Katusa. I have chose to embrace this and from this day forward, please call me Katusa...
La Revedere
Dear Katusa,
ReplyDeleteEven here in SF, there can be a language barrier. Today I decided to splurge and get myself a mani-pedi at the new salon near the apartment. I was the only customer and the little asian ladies were happy to receive me. They are a little fancier (more expensive) than Center Nails down the street so once i sat down in the massage chair, they started offering additional services for free. I really didn't understand but was agreeable. I ended up with my first French Manicure and a serious foot massage/scrubbing! Not a negative experience, but not expected...