Fun Facts You Should Know About Moldova:

  • Always take your shoes off when you enter a home
  • Don't sit or walk barefooted on cold concrete (women become infertile and men get sick)
  • Water can be carbonated or non-carbonated
  • The exchange rate is about 11:1. Which means a liter of water is only about $.50
  • They do not believe in crosswinds, which means that they don't have opposing windows open.
  • Pan baths are a normal thing.
  • Squatty-potties are also a norm: embrace it!
  • Most all of the cars around are much older and kinda look like James Bond cars.
  • Water comes from wells: don't drink it. Your digestive track can't handle it.
  • They walk everywhere.
  • It is possible to fit 19 people into an 8 person van (just did this)
  • Toilet paper goes into the trash
  • No ice
  • People don't start their cars until they have to, they let them coast.
  • Saying "Hey Friend" and when they respond, saying "Nothing" is a big joke for them.
  • Toilet paper resembles party streamer here.
  • A surprising amount of people speak French
  • It has no official language. Both Romanian and Russian are spoken.

Pronunciation Guide for Common Phrases:
boo-nes-si-wa: hello (formal)
sa-lute: hello (casual)
oh-zi-boona: have a good day
tay-u-besk: i love you
multa-mesk: thank you
pa-ka: goodbye
boona: good
fwar-tay-boona: very good
kiss-kiss: how you call a cat
cooch-cooch: how you call a dog
da: yes

Ok, that's all I can think of right now. I just wanted to share a little of what I've learned and give you a taste of the norms here. Love you guys!