Suntem nemti si suntem mandrii!

My first national allegiance will always be to America, but for years I have also felt a cultural connection with my German heritage. I also have English, French, Polish and even Dalmatian blood, but I feel much closer to the family names Myers, Tiffenbach and Kress than I do any others.

When I arrived in Mereseni a year ago, people told me that they had heard my last name before, since there was a family in the village called Maier. The first Maier had settled in Mereseni around the time of the first World War, and his German blood had mixed in with Moldovan blood through a few generations of descendents.

A week and a half ago, I was in the hall when three fifth graders came up to me and asked what days we had class. I asked them their names. The first one to respond said that she was Victoria Maier.

"Maier? So you're German?" I asked in Romanian, smiling.

"Nuuuuuuu!" she replied, continuing in Romanian. "I'm not German."

"Yes you are," I said. "Your last name is Maier. I have the same last name, Myers, and I'm German."

She and her friends giggled and I noticed how much blonder Victoria's hair was than any Moldovan's I'd ever seen.

"Ask your mom tonight," I said. "She'll tell you that you're German."

The girls went off down the hall, laughing. The next day, I had class with the fifth grade. At the end of class, Victoria approached me.

"Did you ask your mom last night?" I asked. Victoria flashed a huge smile.

"Mr. Peter," she said. "I'm German!" She giggled and ran out of the room.