That’s why, after spending nearly my whole life there, I was looking forward to the adventure of a Moldovan winter!  Now that we’re finally seeing the first signs of spring here, I’d like to share a few things I’ve learned from my first winter in Moldova:

1.    Fur-lined pockets are the bomb.

2.  You wear that cap pulled down over your ears and your forehead for warmth, not back in your hair where it looks nice.

3.   Also, it's not overkill to wear the hood of your coat over that cap.

4.   Respect the ice.

5.   I will survive face-planting in the snow in front of a bunch of laughing children, if I don't follow rule #4 above.

6.   Stuff your hat and scarf into the arms of your coat so you don't lose them in restaurants, stores, offices, etc.

7.   Walk on the edge of the trampled path in the snow; in the middle it's slippery, but off to the side the snow is too deep.

8.   It's possible for the bottom of your feet to get cold, right through your boots, when walking on snow. (Who knew?)

9.   Fur-lined boots are also the bomb!

10.  People pull kids on sleds. (I used to think sleds were only for sliding down hills.)

11.  When exiting restaurants, start putting on all the outdoor clothes about the same time you ask for the check.

12.  Laundry dries on a line in sub-freezing temperatures.

13.  If you drop a wet sock in the snow, it freezes stiff before you can hang it on the line.

14.  Other people are not as impressed by snow as I am.