Peace Corps Sisters: Ziua Victoriei (Victory Day)

Victory Day marks the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in the part of the Second World War known in the Soviet Union as the Great Patriotic War where the Soviet Union fought against Nazi Germany.

It is honored in Moldova by everyone dressing up and gathering at their respective schools before 09:00. Then at 09:00 the whole school walks to whatever WWII monument is in their village or raion (town) where they then spend the next 1-2 hours honoring those who served in the war.

My village's Primar (Mayor) was the first to speak and also introduced the various other speakers/performers. Below is my host mom reciting a poem.

Here are some of the kindergarteners dressed in traditional Moldovan garb marching on stage to perform a dance...and this is where things got intersant? confusing? odd?

They danced to Boney M's "One Way Ticket (to the Blues)" which, first of all, is in English, and secondly is about a man getting a one way ticket to "Lonesome Town" and staying at "Heartbreak Hotel" to get away from his lover who left him...which has to do with WWII...?

Next up were this group of girls (most of whom are my students) dancing to 10 second sound bytes of different songs including Toni Braxton's "Un-Break My Heart", Ray Charles' "Hit the Road Jack", Lou Bega's "Mambo No. 5", Los Del Rio's "Macarena", C & C Music Factory's "Everybody Dance Now", Justin Bieber's "All Around the World", and Madonna's "The Power of Good-Bye".

Yup...quite the mix for this WWII memorial!

Then my 8th form student, Radu, sang. One song in Romanian and the other in French. He's kinda our village's super star! He really does have a great voice and i wouldn't be surprised if he makes a living from it. He was actually one of my firs students i talked to outside of class. I was walking home one day and he was too and he started singing Frank Sinatra to me, in English! It was before i knew of his super star status :o]

This was one of my favorite performances. Just a dude and his guitar singing old Romanian songs. That's more my style. It was pretty awesome.

Then the Mayor honored the remaining WWII veteran living in our village. While he was paying his respects, a little kid ran up and gave the veteran flowers! It was so sweet!