y efforts to learn the language and to get my library research finished by spring, in time for my field work, have taken a greater share of my time, to the point where I must now discard the 'luxuries'--and this weekly report is one of them. The leisurely chats over coffee, the dabbling in poetry and prose, the juicy gossip about local events, and the soccer matches are all relegated until future conditions allow their return. Perhaps, if I find the time and inspiration, I will write more frequently come the spring. Perhaps not. If these reports were my job, they would take precedence (and probably be much less fun). But they're more or less a hobby, and so now they have to suffer along with the rest of the hobbies, in the interest of scientific (!) progress (?).

he most I can promise is a report at the end of each month, starting with February. That means five more. Maybe I will write more if I find the time. But time can be pretty elusive. Expect some of my research to crop up in the reports that I do write, as well.

f it's any consolation, the pictures from my circuit trip should be on the Web site (http://www.applicom.com/iasi/) and eventually in the KU geography display, sometime in March. Also, I will take the opportunity here to ask you all to give me some help. Those of you who have traveled to Romania, or are from Romania, I would appreciate your insights on the places or aspects of Romania which I haven't yet discovered in my brief time here (an academic year really isn't very long to absorb a whole culture). In particular, I am interested in what Romanians from Moldavia (Suceava, Botosani, Neamt, Iasi, Bacau, and Galati counties) think of the Republic of Moldova (also known as Bessarabia); and vice versa--what Bessarabians think about Romanian Moldavia. I know there are family ties, and a shared historical legacy, but I'm afraid I can't become Moldavian myself within a year. So to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be 'Moldavian' on either side of the Prut, I will need some help. What makes the two 'halves' divided by the Prut both 'Moldavian'? What is keeping them separate?

inally, in the local news, the hot water has been shut off for the ENTIRE TOWN OF IASI due to non-payment of the city's energy bill. Iasi is in debt to RENEL, the state energy/electricity authority, for about 84 billion lei. Let's see, drop 3 zeros, divide by three, that makes, umm... 28 MILLION DOLLARS!?! Apparently a few 'Iesenii' ('Iasi-ans') haven't been paying their monthly bills. It may be a week or more before we see 'apa calda' again...

Gata! Totul va fi bine!
See you on Leap Day!
THIS IS IASI SIGNING OFF.