Playing the Moldovans at Tennis

Finally, almost a year into living here, I came across a copy of Playing the Moldovans at Tennis in the PC library. There was a bit of a stink over this book among volunteers back before we'd come to the country, with some volunteers complaining that it was culturally insensitive and commanding us not to read it. It was written by a Brit named Tony Hawks, a man who while being a rather mediocre comedian does accurately sum up certain aspects of Moldovan life and culture.

p. 20, following his arrival in Moldova:

"Darkness had fallen so I couldn't see much as we bounced our way along uneven roads to my hotel, but to my right I could make out some shabby-looking high-rise blocks of flats. I looked across to the left over the shoulder of the taciturn drive and saw shabby-looking high-rise blocks of flats. Finally, we arrived at the Hotel National which was situated alongside some shabby-looking high-rise blocks of flats. I paid the driver, got out and surveyyed my hotel. How should I describe it? Well, it was shabby-looking, and it bore an uncanny resemblance to a high-rise block of flats."

This is the hotel where PC conferences are held. And spot-on, as the Brits would say.

p. 115:

"I learned that a primitive and unofficial social structure had developed in which patients brought gifts of food or money each time they made a visit to the doctor. They had to -- all that was on offer from the government were empty promises, and they were difficult to live off."

Reading this section about how government employees sometimes go months without being paid, I felt slightly less mad about my host mom's doctor openly requesting chocolates when she came for a physical. Slightly.

p. 120:

"Unlike Romania, Moldova has no tourist industry. Only one consideration has hampered its development, and that is its total lack of anything whatsoever to offer the tourist. No mountains, no coastline, no water sports, no transport, no quaint little villages, no nightlife, no streetlights, no cuisine, no smiles..."

I disagree. I think some of the villages are quite quaint.

p. 128:

"...how hard could it be to buy a ticket and take a bus somewhere? The ticket hall and waiting room were packed with people, the hurly-burly of Saturday morning travel being something I hadn't witnessed before. I joined the queue for tickets at kiosk number fourteen and after 10 minutes found myself at the front. However on each occasion when I was about to begin my transaction with the woman in the booth, a fellow traveler barged unceremoniously in front of me. This continued until there was no one left to slide in front of me and I was finally able to address the woman seated behind the scratched piece of glass which separated us."

Any of you who have had the poor luck of speaking to me following a visit to the post office know all about this.

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Playing the Moldovans at Tennis was written in 2000, and I think some real changes have occurred since then, and are occuring right now. Recently I've noticed various improvements throughout the country, such as building renovations, anti-littering advertising campaigns and campaigns against child abuse in the capital, the sudden appearance of signs saying tabacco sales are illegal to those under 18, and the painting of street lines here in Balti. It may not be as fast or complete as I would like, but by jove, I think this country is pulling itself together.