One Swallow Makes No Summer

On August the 27th Moldova was saying farewell to its teen spirit. Having 18 years of independence, like most of the young spirited children do, she still enjoys being a bad girl that likes getting into bigger trouble such as driving fast without a seat-belt while drinking a beer, playing with neighbors and deciding whom to date today: Russia, Romania, Ukraine or EU.

Later after hangover, the country wakes up to take small steps toward developing but the image is already spoiled - and then people complain about journalists and all the world having a bad attitude and a low appreciation with Moldova. With political performance today few are advantaged by being Moldova's citizens. Seen as depicted and written about as the poorest country in Europe it gives no credit for future generations. People move to better destinations - Italy, USA, Germany, France, China, Canada, Russia, Turkey, and wherever they get chance to. It is not an option of big choice or thinking. It is the sole opportunity they find.

Then comes the question what is Moldova famous for - Wine, Hospitality, Beautiful People? or rather Poverty, Anger, Trafficking and Immigrants... Changing 3 Presidents after a Soviet Collapse and making all their children reach, that what Moldovan people are "proud" for.

Today this country needs more tolerance and patience. Today it needs a better President. For many years the concept of Moldova is being influenced by language, minority, nationality, religion and Geo-political principles combined with Politics. Such a mixture play as beneficial to some leading figures, while the masses are conducted after the famous "divide and conquer" quote.

The hope comes back with the new formed coalition "Alliance for European Integration" but masses of Russian speaking population are revealing fear towards the new elected speaker of Parliament who declared himself Pro Romanian and has never changed his concept. The stigma infiltrated among population about nationality is contestable and politicized. If speaking Romanian, the person is so called unionist. No question will come if a Russian Speaker would lead the discussion.

Irony, sarcasm, stupidity, awkwardness all combine with the fear to express an opinion makes people judge and invent stereotypes towards each other on what language they speak and what they consider themselves to be. Identity definition equals to "Everyone but me knows who I am and what is the language I speak."

How can a country get reach when every individual thinks about his status in the society rather than finding solutions and ways to govern Europe’s poorest state in times of an economic crisis. The civil society is in heavy depression, obviously suffering from the 8 years of Communism Regime. Every country’s transition from socialism to democracy had its unique set of models and circumstances, Moldova has chosen its own - underground tunnels and escape to a better living...

Moldovans have to go abroad in order to survive. Almost half of population due to closed borders, choose to pay the money they borrowed with the price of their kidney and still to escape. Moldova was part of today's EU member - Romania. Many families in Moldova have relatives in Romania, who speak the same language and share a common history. The speculation with visas and borders brings lack in cooperation among people, and 2 neighboring sister countries divided by fence .

Stuck in the middle of Europe, without right to have a decent working opportunity - many are obliged to forget their professions and degrees and become against their will victims of long roads. Brain Drain transformed young lawyers, doctors, architects, teachers and businessmen that could not accept to become communists or play their game (the easiest way to have or maintain a job in this country) into refugees or immigrants.

On a 33,800 sq km (13,050 sq miles) area and approximate 3.8 million (far from reality) number of people there are 17 ministries with 17000 employees, cops "begging on roads", embassies - all the saints of our society that are living like parasites on behalf of those poor classes that have no decent access to information, no good salaries, no work, receiving remittances and still believing that Moldova is well governed and that for the past 8 years the situation improved.

What positive things can we invent about Moldova? To fix or to replace? There is no universal solution to all these problems. But one important part of any solution is international support. Moldova is not very often mentioned in the international news. But there is hope - being young, the country can learn fast. After its independence in 1991, this former Soviet republic with a Romanian-speaking majority adopted a constitution which has been many times forgotten by the Governing Power. The respect of some basic freedom of the citizen, of the press and an end to one-party political repression is a solution that we all wait for. Progress is still possible.

One swallow makes no summer, but it can warm up the spirit of those that believe that summer will come! One day, if not tomorrow tomorrow those that care will start building nests. It is time to grow up!

This article is part of a writing assignment for Voices of Our Future, which is providing rigorous web 2.0 and new media training for 31 emerging women leaders. We are speaking out for social change from some of the most forgotten corners of the world. Meet Us.