THE ROCK FROM OLISCANI

When we were in the village of Oliscani, the birthplace of my grandfather, I bent down and picked up a rock from the middle of the street. Three years after our trip I wanted to make sure this rock was still with me. Today, I opened the little wooden box where I had first placed it. The rock was still there. Unlike the time, it didn't change a bit.

This rock came from the soil where a lot of my relatives originated. I should keep it and protect it.

A LECTURE ABOUT MOLDOVA IN PORTO ALEGRE

My father Mauro Tolpolar was invited by the writer Paula Taitelbaum to lecture about our journey to Moldova and the documentary Mamaliga Blues. This free and open event took place at the annual Porto Alegre book fair this November. Some footage of the film, maps and cemetery pictures were shown on a big screen. People that listened and watched it were very interested, asked many questions and even got motivated to search for their own roots. Because Moldova is unknown to most of Brazilians, it is perceived as an exotic and distant country. Mauro was glad to bring to attention a little bit of History in this part of the world.