Emily in Chisinau: The Beauty is in the Details
A sense of curiosity can turn the ordinary into extraordinary
DISCLAIMER: “My views do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Peace Corps or the U.S. government.”
The spice of life is finding intrigue in the ordinary. I’ve been living in Chisinau, Moldova for about six months now, and — with February 24th marking the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine — this somber milestone has reminded me to appreciate the little things about this small but thriving city.
Chisinau is in a very interesting moment in time. With over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees who have either passed through or made Moldova their new home, the rapid population growth has injected a surge of wealth into Chisinau. This contrast is most obviously manifested through shiny BMWs and Audis parked beside 1980s model Lada Rivas on a pothole-infested back-alley road. On the one hand, this is great — a sudden increase of working-class individuals means more apartments are being rented, furniture purchased, not to mention all the new businesses that have been started.
On the other hand, Moldova in general, and Chisinau specifically, is going through a bit of an identity crisis. With a pivotal Presidential election and EU referendum scheduled for November 2024, the future…
