Fulbright Update:
Journalism school teambuilding interactive, fun, useful
When I was invited to a teambuilding weekend retreat with students and colleagues from the Moldova Journalism School, I had mixed reactions.

Costesti resort, Moldova

I was curious to see what this was all about, and also to experience the Costesti resort on a pretty lake about 30 minutes from Chisinau. I did have some trepidations, however. As team building, I wondered how much I would get out of the event. And I was worried that my crummy Romanian would be insufficient for me to fully participate.

The Costesti resort was the perfect venue for our group from the Moldova Journalism School, which is not a part of the university but rather a separate academy that offers a 6-month crash course in journalism for those a bit older. The weather was perfect—mid 80’s in mid-October, unseasonably warm. The setting was great, as was the food—lots of fresh fish, which I love.

Teambuilding session

The teambuilding sessions were fun,  interactive, and useful—games designed to get us to cooperate in teams to complete a task of some sort. We also had a session where we read proverbs off of cards, then discussed what they meant to us. My card, translated, read that it’s difficult to acquire wisdom in a life without a little craziness. I said that I disagree with this statement since it takes more than a little craziness to become wise. Based on their feedback, the Scoala team found left the weekend feeling more connected with one another.

My favorite part of the weekend was the after-dinner gab session on Saturday night, when we discussed a little of everything, including media and the Israel-Hamas war. It was nice to learn more about the students and about my fellow instructors, none of whom I had met before the retreat. I hope to collaborate further with these professionals, one of whom told me harrowing stories about reporting from Ukraine.

My Romanian was adequate, barely. I understand pretty well, and read my card without help. I still struggle to say what I want to say. It’s frustrating trying to communicate complex ideas with a fourth grade vocabulary (with apologies to Moldovan fourth graders). I am improving, but not nearly fast enough for someone who is allegedly intelligent.

It was a weekend well spent, and makes me anxious for my next lesson to the students at the school of journalism.