February 12, Lesson # 2

Lesson # 2

In my last entry I said I’d learned two lessons last Tuesday. I wrote about the first in that entry and now for the second.

The second lesson is that I don’t have to figure all this out alone. I can trust our CTE partners to help.

One of the issues Vadim and I needed to work on as I said before was how to work out internships for the CTE MSW students. The CTE undergraduates have 4 practicum and it was in his describing these that I discovered that some of the MSW students were the field instructors for those “internships”. As we explored issues--not being able to take time off from their own agencies and the lack of qualified field instructors by USA standards--it occurred to us that perhaps they could do peer supervision. So, what we came up with is a plan that over two semesters they will meet as a group every other week. They will take turns presenting cases, program designs, research issues and other challenges to the group and get feedback paying attention to theories, skills etc. Vadim will be the designated leader but they will take turns being the facilitator. It certainly won’t CSWE standards but for now it is probably the best we can do. When we get this cohort of students through then we may move to a model that comes closer to meeting USA accreditation standards.

OK, you wise souls out there give me feedback on this innovation.
i

February 12, 2009

Today is a rather cold and rainy day. Fortunately we are staying at the house and don’t have to get out in the weather! We are so glad that we have had relatively warm weather so far—at least much warmer than it was two years ago at this time. Everyone keeps saying, “I can’t believe it is February.” Lucia had several pots of tulip bulbs planted and they have begun to come up. I am afraid they will be ruined as it is sure to freeze again. In fact snow is predicted for tomorrow.

More about the children in the family we stay with. There are 7 children and young adults here from 22 to 6 years old. Two are from the boarding schools. I am so impressed at how respectful they are of the parents and of each other. As long as we have stayed here I have hardly heard a cross word. Not that I can understand all they say because their first language is Russian but you can tell by the tone of the voices that they are speaking kindly to each other. If Lucia or Alex asks them to do something they do it immediately and each does whatever they need to do to contribute to the family-cooking, cleaning, feeding the dogs, working in the garden, etc. I would think they are just on their good behavior for guests but when we are here for several weeks it makes me think they are always good to each other.

With as many people as live here and others who come to visit family members, it seems there is always someone eating. Lucia cooks so much food and it is all consumed! They start with breakfast at 7 or so in the morning and some folks are usually eating when we go to bed at 10:30 or 11. Lucia is such a good cook it is no wonder not only the family eats here but their friends as well. We had pumpkin pancakes, cereal and fruit for breakfast this morning and homemade ravioli for lunch. She cooks most of the day!

Chisinau streets are not good at all! Some are worse than others and this street is really bad. There is one place in this street that is a huge hole and when it rains Vitali is afraid to drive the car through it. However, a couple of days ago they were working on the street. They brought in gravel and poured it in the hole. It didn’t look like enough to do much good but since it has rained all day we will see if it helps. Otherwise we will be walking down the street to the car when we go somewhere.