Yesterday we returned to our Peace Corps workplaces and learned, after more than five years, that our impact has endured more than we’d realized.

Champa’s big project as a Volunteer was to help her school’s drama program create a magnificent wardrobe of costumes and props, which were unveiled in a colorful public ceremony in 2018 (see video).

When we returned to the school yesterday, current students greeted us wearing some of the same costumes — Romeo, Juliet, a king and more. The school has been using them regularly and added to the collection.

Champa stopped by an English class and reunited with some of her old students.

Earlier we visited the library where I worked. The librarians proudly showed us a trophy room they’ve created to display all of the awards won by the robotics team I helped to establish with Lidia Rusu (above).

One of my younger robotics students, Alexandru, dropped by to thank us, too. He is now a high school senior, serving as a community youth leader.

Valentina Plamadeala, the library director, in white blouse, hosted a champagne reception for us (at noon; I love Moldova). She posted on Facebook a list of the many projects we did together, several of which are still thriving, notably the Bebeteca room we created for local moms (see video.)

Our reunions in Ialoveni, the small city near Moldova’s capital where we served from 2016-18, were intensely emotional. We were moved to see how we’d touched people’s lives.

At Champa’s school, one of her fellow English teachers, Elena Antociuc, read a certificate saying, “We sincerely appreciate the time you spent guiding us to new perspectives by collaborating with us in search for the best solutions.”

The certificate concluded: “We’re proud to be part of your international family.”

Ialoveni, we’re even prouder to be part of your family, now and forever. As we told Champa’s costume collaborator Ana Doschinescu, at a dinner her beautiful family hosted for us, our lives are so much richer because of all of you. Thank you for keeping us in your hearts.