From schoolmates at QSI in Chisinau - and classmates during Saturday morning art lessons -- to award-winning art [Cat] now at home in our Madeira Beach, FL bungalow

During my first Fulbright to Moldova, back in 2010, my daughter accompanied me. She started Kindergarten in Chisinau -- at QSI international school.  Through her participation in school events and activities, I had the opportunity to meet other parents and children.

One of the first families that we met was the Director of the Peace Corps and his wife and their two daughters.  They provided a real sense of support and comfort, especially in those early days, when everything was new and different.

See this blog post for one of our early "play dates":

Sunday afternoon playdate blog post

Their older daughter was quite a gifted artist, from a very early age.  The mother organized weekly art classes for her and invited all interested friends to join in as well.

See this blog post

blog post about Saturday morning art classes

Thanks to social media, we have been able to keep in touch with our Moldovan and our expat friends we met in Moldova over these last 12 years.

Fast forward to today, and my reason for posting on my Moldova blog.  

This darling girl has grown up to be a young woman. And she has been developing her talent as an artist over all these years.  I have enjoyed following along, and clicking "love" on her mother's posts whenever she shares pictures of her daughter's artwork.

I inquired if there were any of Sabra's pieces that we could add to our collection. And, much to my joy, she responded that Sabra would be willing to part with this piece.  "Cat" was the winner of an art competition and was previously on display at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

I absolutely LOVE it -- and am just so pleased and honored that we have one of her beautiful cat paintings on display in our home.  

I wish you could see the texture of the painting - the fluffiness of the clouds and the radiance of the golden halos. If you listen closely, I believe you'll hear them purr.

And this beautiful piece also reminds me of our Fulbright experience in Moldova, and all of the special friends and colleagues we made during that time -- relationships that continue to flourish to this day.

Thank you, dear Sabra!

 

getting ready to ship to us in Florida

On the night of the event reception

 

BBC Radio 4: The Bear Next Door: Moldova

This BBC Radio 4 Program -- The Bear Next Door -- Moldova -- is a beautiful piece of storytelling about Moldova's history, culture, traditions. Definitely worth a listen.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/ 

Paula Erizanu (Moldova) - arts critic, political commentator and former Culture Editor of The Calvert Journal

USF St Pete - ULIM - Joint Research Collaboration - Spring 2022

 

So delighted to be partnering once again with ULIM!

During this Spring 2022 semester, students in my US Constitutional Law 2: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights class will be partnering with law students at ULIM, under the direction of professor Elena Mărgineanu.  

Students from USF and from ULIM will be working together in research groups, comparing and contrasting decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States and the European Court of Human Rights on similar legal questions.

Special Thanks to my long-time ULIM collaborator Larisa Patlis and to the Vice Rector of International Cooperation Dr. Valentina Ciumacenco for making this collaboration possible.

You can follow our project by checking this blog:

https://comparativelegalresearch.blogspot.com/