Sadly, partially because of a lack of economic opportunities, there has been a growing mass emigration, especially among the educated youth who are seeking out better paying jobs elsewhere. Moldova is very much aware of their situation and the opportunities in the countries around them, which has led to many people leaving the country today, leading to an aging population.
Identity
On one extreme, people in Moldova identify as Romanian and seek union with Romania; others see Moldovan as a unique ethnicity and cling to that. On the other side, Ukrainians see themselves as such, Russians as Russians, and Gagauz and Gagauz (a Turkish minority in the south). Still others see themselves as Transnistrians, a fictional country lying east of the Nistru River which has maintained independence (although not recognized) since the early 1990s. This division and confusion on who they are has caused all this hard ache.
Best Places to See Life in Action:
-Chisinau is the pulse of the country and a great place to see the daily life in an urban setting
-Be sure to make a trip to the countryside to see how most of the population lives
-All of Transnistria offers a slightly different lifestyle due to the population being primarily ethnic Russian or Ukrainian; in the country life is very similar, but in the cities, such as Tiraspol, life reflects that of Russian more than it does Moldova
Learn More about Moldova's Daily Life:
-Read Playing the Moldovan at Tennis by Tony Hawks; it goes into the sports scene, but is, more than anything, a cultural comedy that gives you insight into the people, their culture, and daily life (Buy Now)
Learn More about Moldova's Culture & Identity:
-www.moldova.md