Alecu Russo University, Balti

I was pleased to be invited to deliver 2 guest lectures at Alecu Russo University in Balti. Each was about integrating civic engagement into the curriculum; one presentation was for faculty and one for students. More about the lectures in my next post.

For more information about the state university in Balti - Alecu Russo University -- click here

http://www.usb.md/

The university is about to celebrate its 65th anniversary this month.

Love is in the air

On Friday afternoon I walked to our real estate agency to pay our rent and utilities. Of course, I passed more brides

And this is the Puppet Theater. I must learn the schedule and take Peggy to a show here

Aula SUA

At the conclusion of the tour, the students from Washington State met with students from ULIM in Aula SUA (Statelor Unite ale Americii)

ULIM Tour, cont.

But wait, there's more!

ULIM has tennis courts! A fitness center! Boasts many Olympic athlete-students!

Our Chinese lecturers/Confucius Center will be hosting tai chi here (on the 10th floor) next week. How cool is that?!

From ULIM's balcony

On Friday a group of business students from Washington State University (the US Ambassador's alma mater) visited ULIM. I was invited to join the group for the tour and the exchange between the students.

It was a pleasure to participate in the activities -- and I was able to see parts of ULIM that I had not yet visited.

Here are photos of Chisinau, the Central Post Office, City Hall, Roberts Coffee, and my apartment (and the "ice cream cone playground" in our courtyard) from the balcony of ULIM.

enfranchised

I mailed my absentee ballot back to Florida! From the Central Post Office in Chisinau. Was a mob scene. Looks like you can pay electric bills, phone bills, water bills, heating bills, you name it. I was trying to pick a line that had the fewest options for services rendered. All I wanted was to mail my absentee ballot! My line did not seem to move. But, a small price to pay to participate in our democracy.

There's a lot at stake for Florida voters -- open Governor's seat, US Senate seat, Supreme Court Justices, constitutional amendments, and more.

I voted from Chisinau. You still have a month to cast your ballot!

Florida friends: Monday (October 4) is the last day to register to vote if you want to participate in the 2010 election.

See

www.votepinellas.com

to register to vote or to vote by mail or to check the status of your absentee ballot.

This message paid for and approved by Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan, citizen. Ramsay McLauchlan, Treasurer.