Sabbatical begins the video in Chișinău, Moldova, where he sets the stage for a journey into one of Europe’s least-recognized regions. After briefly exploring the Moldovan capital and navigating local transport, he heads east toward the Dniester River, crossing into Transnistria, a Russian-backed breakaway territory that claims independence but is not internationally recognized. The border crossing itself is tense and unusual, involving temporary entry papers rather than passport stamps, immediately highlighting the region’s ambiguous political status.

Once inside Transnistria, Sabbatical spends most of the video on the ground in Tiraspol, the de facto capital. He stays at the aptly named Hotel Russia, walks through the city center, and documents daily life among Soviet-era architecture, Lenin statues, Russian flags, and aging trams. He visits local restaurants, shops, and public squares, reflecting on how the city feels like a preserved slice of the Soviet past, while also discussing the region’s reliance on Russia, economic isolation, and the impact of the war in Ukraine on everyday life.

The second day takes him to Bender (Tighina), the only major Transnistrian city west of the Dniester River. There, he explores the streets near Bender Fortress, films monuments, Soviet apartment blocks, and an abandoned train station, and notes the visible presence of Russian military influence. Growing increasingly uneasy and low on cash due to sanctions and banking restrictions, he leaves Transnistria and returns to Moldova before traveling to Ungheni, a border town on the Prut River. The video ends with him boarding a train and officially crossing into Romania, setting up the next leg of his journey without yet exploring Romanian cities on foot.

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