A Naked Blog Post

Last Thursday, I had the my most interesting experience thus far in Moldova.

On Tuesday during dinner, my host mom invited me to go to the sauna with her and her lady friends in celebration of her birthday. I had to have her both repeat the word sauna and explain the word sauna, just to make sure that I had understood correctly. I said that I would go and then I began to investigate what would be involved in the sauna trip and level of nakedness this event would entail.

I originally imagined a bunch of ladies sitting around in towels and maybe a few would choose to bear it all. Turns out that I had no clue what was actually going to happen.

On Wednesday, we started preparing food for our trip to the sauna. My host-mom prepared sarmale and a roasted chicken. We also bought meat, cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers to make appetizer trays. In addition, we took grapes and pears to snack on as well as beer, wine and cognac to drink (Yup, we took alcohol to drink in the sauna).

Finally on Thursday, I left work early because we had to leave for the sauna in Chisinau at 3:00. On the way we bought some bread and we arrived at the sauna about 4:15. We took all the food to the sauna's kitchen and started putting it out on plates (Yes, the sauna provides plates). At 5:00, I actually got a peak into the “sauna.” There was a large room with a table for dinner, a room with some arm chairs and a pool table, a room with a bed (“wink wink”) and the bath area. The bath are consisted of a sauna, showers and a pool.

We had all our food an the table along with some contributions from the other ladies by 5:30. Also by 5:30, all of the other ladies had undressed and were wrapped in towels. We all ate dinner and the ladies went around giving toasting my host-mom. After each toast they sang a song or two. They had even changed the words to some of the songs so they would be about my host-mom. I gave my toast and then, upon request, I sang “Happy Birthday.”

After the dinner, the ladies told me to change so we could go in the sauna. I did so, wrapped myself in a towel and then came upon a dilemma: should I take off my panties? Then I saw one of the other ladies walking around completely nude and decided: Yes, I should take off my panties.

Then I went into the bath area where the rest of the ladies were all completely nude as well. For the next few hours everyone went from the sauna to the pool to the shower and back to the sauna. My host mom brought exfoliant and a home-made body mask for every one to use. By the time we finished, my skin was smooth and moisturized!!!

So yes, in short I spent several hours hanging out, singing and eating while naked with other naked ladies.