Ten points if you know where Moldova is. No, make that 100. In fact, I don't think any amount of "points" would be a sufficient prize for knowing the whereabouts of this small and semi-forgotten state. Without wanting to be demeaning, Moldova is perhaps the runt of the former Soviet-state litter. Squeezed between heavy-weight elder-brother Ukraine and aspiring middle-child Romania, Moldova is the smaller, weaker sibling, struggling to establish it's unique significance in the landscape of Eastern Europe. Moldova is not a member of the European Union. The reality of this becomes immediately apparent on crossing from Romania (where our flight arrived) into Moldova, where road conditions immediately deteriorate, and there is a sense that we've lost some of the structure that gives Europe its "common-ness".
Why travel to this most obscure of Eastern European countries? Our purpose is in one part clear, and on the other quite loose. The Australian pastors of our church in England, left their homeland and moved across the other side of the world to start a new local church. Their driving motivation is a vision to fund and build charity organisations in Moldova that would support, encourage and empower it's vulnerable people, of which there are many. This is our long-term purpose, which is clear. The short-term purpose of this current trip is to start to figure out the "how" to this giant goal. Practically, this meant simply to network, build relationships, and start to understand the culture, the people and their challenges. This task was made easy by our hosts from a local church in Balti, (pronounced "Belts") our destination and Moldova's 2nd largest city (though a distant 2nd in size to the capital, Chisinau). These hosts were warm, open and welcoming, and lavished us all week with the most amazing Moldovan cuisine!
Moldova is a poor country by any measure. GPD per capita is $5,000 in round figures (adjusted for PPP) - you can compare that to $41,000 for the UK. This gap (or should we say, gulf) though is not immediately obvious. Herein begin some of the paradoxes (and I must say I love a good paradox - they fuel my desire to get "under the skin" of the culture).
If you were to judge the Moldovans by their appearance, you might say they were more prosperous that the English! For both men and women, their every day clothing would fit with what we'd wear for a night out, and a special one at that! Smart jackets and pants for men; classy dresses, hand-bags, and boots for the women. Whether from a healthy pride or their outlet of materialism (one of the few available) it's not so obvious, but it is clearly an important part of their culture. My guess is a mix of both, but I will give my backing to more of the former, as I observe a healthy pride reflected also in the lack of littering. It's the same paradoxical theme continuing, where despite the visibly obvious "infrastructure poverty", I feel more endowed to the urban environment here than in many parts of Britain, where litter is rife. Balti has plenty of green spaces, all of these are well kept. With the many trees showing off their rich Autumn colours, I feel no shame in calling the surroundings beautiful.
My endowment is no doubt bolstered by walking (and running!) among the crumbling legacy of Moldova's Soviet era: dilapidated-looking apartment blocks where a large portion of Baltians (?) live, abandoned factories that once hummed with communist workers, faded and rusting playgrounds that seem to feature in Soviet urban landscapes, and a government building that still has a sculpture of prominent communist figures (Lenin, Marx and Stalin?) as it's frontage (this is apparently "about to be removed"). While most Moldovans would much rather see these buildings bulldozed for modern, sparkling replacements, I selfishly relish the opportunity to walk among this modern history that is kept alive through these remaining structures, all be them in their state of disrepair.
Balti though is not all crumbling cold-war concrete. There are plenty of shoots of new life to admire. The stand-out success story in Balti is the Draexlmaier factory. The German automotive component giant invested in a brand-new factory 8 years ago that manufactures automotive wiring harnesses. It is a shining example of "compassionate capitalism". Despite the norm in Moldova being very long working hours (12 hour working days is common) and low wages (with unreliable pay-days), the company has chosen to provide abnormal employment conditions that are much closer to European standards. Wages are well above average for the level of work, hours are appropriately restricted and lunch is provided, as are free buses to transport workers to and from Balti's outlying villages. Even with the "cost" of these much more humane conditions, the factory is very profitable to Draexlmaier, due to the low relative value of the Moldovan currency (the Lei, for anyone interested). The flow-on effect in the town from its hundreds of employees is significant. Modern businesses have emerged selling every kind of tech available in our own high-street shops, as have "mega-mart" stores and funky restaurants serving cuisine that would make Jamie Oliver's mouth water (except without eye-watering prices). Our own hotel in which we stayed our first 3 nights was brand-new in June.
These businesses are developing, but their growth is severely inhibited by a soil contaminated by corruption. Later in the week our hosts explain frustratedly how it affects almost every sphere of Moldovan life. To receive almost any form of council or government service, including medical services, a bribe is expected. Civil servants are experts at procrastinating with elaborate excuses when one is not forthcoming, and there is no immediate hope from current political leaders. Moldovan politics is a "you either laugh or you cry" affair. The current president is "imprisoned" under house-arrest in his mansion for some scandal or another; the new mayor of Balti has been in prison for 3 days on a trumped up charge, due to being part of the ring that whistle-blew on the President...
For the majority of Moldovans, who have very limited discretionary income, paying a bribe for something required may mean going without heating for a month (or longer), reducing food consumption to only the most basic staples, or worse, taking on a debt which they struggle repay. It makes saving for investments, improvements or new enterprises extremely difficult. The saddening result of this means the many Moldovans who are well educated and know their potential, save what little they can to emigrate themselves and their skills to an alternative European country where they can flourish.
Our challenge then is starting to become more clear. It's not as much to rescue people from a physical danger (though this may still be part of the charity work), but to rescue Moldovan minds from their hope-less mentality. The challenges of development in this country are real, but I believe it is worth persuading and empowering them to rise above these and create a brighter future for this beautiful country.
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| On the day we arrived, a free concert was happening in the town square, promoting exercise and healthy eating |
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| They got some locals up dancing! |
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| Fresh, local speciality bread from a market stall |
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| Typical apartment block, probably of lower-income families - the Russian motor is the only one I spotted in the block |
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| A lot of Balti's gas pipes are above ground |
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| Our host church saved it's 18-year celebration for our arrival |
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| This is the feast we were honoured with |
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| We felt at least as much humbled as honoured |
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| Balti restaurant menu - 30 Lei is approx. 1 GBP |
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| Can you name these 3 communist figures? |
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| Getting sized up for a belt from "Belts" |
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| We spent a morning in a local school teaching an English lesson, and getting to know the kids |
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| They spontaneously invited us to a graduation ceremony for the students moving from Year 4 to 5 (approx age 10-11) |
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| An early king of Moldova, who first brought Christianity to the nation |
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| Moldova, like Britain, could do with a few less of these |
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| Children's playgrounds feature a lot in both urban and suburban landscapes |
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| Balti once had a large population of Jews, some of whom are remembered in this war memorial. The population almost emigrated almost entirely en-mass in the 1990's "aliyah" |
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| Jean helping to make this delicious Moldovan desert, Gagutsa |
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| One of a number of half-finished houses around Balti - this one has been abandoned for 5 years |
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| This is in fact one of the better-off suburbs of Balti, but still without any street paving |
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| Last hurrah goes to this symbol of Moldova's former manufacturing might |
