Projects Abroad, Newsletters from Romania

Here, in Romania, pickles are amazingly abundant, and I’m not just talking about cucumbers. Because it is currently the dead of winter fresh fruit and vegetables have to be imported. This is too expensive for many Romanians and not too long ago importing was not even an option.

I was a little apprehensive at first when I found out I would be working with physical and mentally impaired children but I had no need to worry as the staff were friendly and welcoming. I quickly realised that all children, no matter what disability they have, all want to be treated the same and that every child is different in their own way developing its own unique personality.

Oh Romania, where do I begin? I guess it all started when my grandmother’s family came to Illinois from Satu Mare in the early 1900’s. Coming from a large, multicultural family, I’ve always been interested in my various origins.

Homemade hair treatments are easy, cheap and chemical-free, and simple hair dyes can be made with household products. A rinse, similar to a very strong tea, can be made by boiling water with chamomile –to enhance the colour and shine of blonde hair – or chestnut leaves for auburn and red hair.

In today’s vivid and fast paced society many people live through a screen. A fourteen year old in Australia rushes home from school to turn on her Facebook profile and update her 500 so called friends. A fifty year old American man wakes to log onto his virtual cyber life in the avatar program, Second Life.

"One hundred percent of people die." Ok, I'll be honest. When this was the phrase that welcomed me into ‘Hospice Casa Sperantei’ on my first day of work, I was pretty nervous. I had done a little research about the hospice, as it is one of two primary placements given to physiotherapy volunteers.

Romanian culture is like a pool of water, Doru Munteanu, the president of the writers’ association of Brasov, told me. Being born in Romania means dunking into that pool repeatedly until permanently drenched; no matter how one might try to wring the water out, the Romanian will still be at least a little damp.

Talking with a couple of the other volunteers we decided on a version of Beauty and the Beast. After reading the original story as well as taking aspects from the Disney version I came up with a script. I imagined the lights, the sounds of thunder, the Beast coming in terrifying even the actors. Okay so maybe my expectations were too high, but this was a slight example of the over dramatic part of my mind.

Travelling to far away places is always a leap into the big unknown. Having recently graduated from a Philosophy course and not knowing exactly what to do next, I rather abruptly decided to spend some time abroad. Because of my long lasting fascination with communist history and a preference for little trodden paths, the choice for Romania was an easy one. Still, I didn’t quite know what to expect.

Everybody has experienced people coming in and out of their lives whether it’s the postman who delivers our mail every morning, or that brief encounter of meeting someone random on the streets; the flickering presence of someone that once lingered in your life. Within these two months volunteering in Romania, I’ve had many people coming in and out of my life. Some are merely passing figures that I would not remember as time transcends, others are impactful passing figures that have become part of me.

Hello everyone and nice to see me again on your desktop, this time in different weather conditions; let’s say on +10 degrees Celsius and not on minus 10. As you probably know by now spring is coming, slowly but surely and with it more volunteers are also on their way. Li Min, for example, our first and only Malaysian volunteer, will share some of her experiences with us here. In her article, which opens this edition of our newsletter, you can read about food, her travels and work.

I woke up too early on a Saturday morning, and Lunca Drama Group remembered that two of the other volunteers, Sally and Leanne, were going to Poiana Brasov to walk around the ski resort. With my injured ankle I was sad that I would not be snow boarding, but I decided to go along for the ride. So I got up and ran out the door to meet the others.

Since the 1400’s Brasov has been a walled city, thanks to Saxon settlers who fortified the city for protection. Positioned along the walls were bastions and towers that represented the different trade guilds of the city; such as The Blacksmith’s Bastion. Nowadays Brasov has broken out of its walled confines and is a sprawling modern city. Yet the old town still has the remnants of the walls and several of the towers still stand.

'Happy Birthday!' Ana says on the phone, and this is the little snowball that soon turns into an avalanche. My dear friend Ana, former high school colleague and the director of The Village/Satul magazine (the Projects Abroad journalism placement in Romania), goes on to say that as a present she has arranged a public exhibition of some of my photos from India, Nepal, Ghana, Jamaica and Thailand.

The small village of Holbav is only twenty minutes away from the city of Brasov but the trouble it takes to get to it makes it seem much longer. It is as though the village does not want to be found; there are no signs for it and we considered several identical track roads, not knowing which one to take. We had to ask for directions several times before we found the right one. Holbav is ringed by hills, which makes it difficult to enter.

On the outskirts of the city of Brasov, lies the small village of Sanpetru. Before the revolution in 1989, the area was home to many T r a n s y l v a n i a n Saxons, most of these, however, immigrated to Germany during the nineties. Today, the population of the village is approximately 4,100, most of which are Romanians, only a small percentage are Saxons, with the remaining small proportion Hungarian and Rroma.

If you are longing for tranquillity and want to experience a place where time almost seems to stand still, a visit to a Romanian village is truly recommended. The fascinating and colourful countryside is worth visiting for a variety of reasons. It offers the visitor a meeting of traditional customs and rural life, a unique world waiting to be discovered. The villages in Romania have every chance of attracting those tourists in search for something authentic, people who are curious to visit places that have not yet been globalized.

Driving into the village of Malancrav, I wipe the sleep from my eyes and survey the desert-like surroundings. There is what appears to be a river trickling lazily between two hills that the city was built around in a long strip. But the village had no beginning, no middle, and as far as I could tell, no definite end. There was no town hall or centre, or even a good parking place I observed as we pulled off the worn part of the sandy dirt road.

Four kilometres from Crit in the county of Rupea lies the quaint village of Mesendorf. As we parked the car, being particularly careful not to hurt the numerous geese that roamed freely around the streets, I was overwhelmed by the tranquility of this village.

For the Archaeology project in Romania in 2010 we have a few placements on different archaeological sites. These sites are of different historical periods including: Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman Empire period, 7th and 8th Century A.D, and the Medieval period.

The Şoseaua Kiseleff is an impressive piece of road. Coming into the city from the North the first building on the boulevard is a landmark of the Stalinist architecture and the second highest building in Bucharest, the Casa Presei Libere. Heading south alongside Herăstrău Park, which harbours the 100.000 m2 open-air Village Museum, the next roundabout is made up of the Arcul de Triumf, a triumphal arch built after World War I and measuring almost thirty metres.

Brasov is hardly the place one would expect to experience the village traditions of Romania. With a population of about 280,000 people, Brasov bustles with the energetic vitality of modern life. Cars and buses fill the streets, the young dress fashionably, and internet connectivity is plentiful. In other words, Brasov will never in a million years be mistaken for a village.

Like many others before me, my initial impression of a little country sewn rich in Western altered myth and tucked away on the eastern edge of Europe, laid at the forefront of my short journey from Bucharest to Brasov.

The people of Romania definitely know how to enjoy food. That is one thing I have noticed during my stay in the country. The Romanian cuisine has been influenced by different countries and cultures, such as Germany, Hungary, Turkey, Serbia, Austria and Greece. Beef, lamb and chicken are common ingredients in Romanian cooking but the preferred meat is pork.

When asked if I wanted to attend a traditional festival in the rural village of Halchiu, I became very enthusiastic as I had never really seen Romanian dancing, singing or even the costumes worn by people on special occasions before. I was going to get my first taste of a traditional event during my stay in Romania, so how could I refuse?

When December comes around in Romania, the anticipation of Christmas is thick in the air. Christmas, or ‘Craciun’, is generally considered to be the second most important religious holiday in Romania, after Easter. Many rich traditions are observed during ‘Craciun’, which include customs that date back more than two thousand years to Romania’s Dacian ancestry.

Visiting the Saxon region of Transylvania, encased by Sighisoara, Brasov and Sibiu, is a surreal experience and a must for everyone who wants to explore the soul of Romania. Traditions and habits from the past have been preserved so faithfully that exploring one of its small villages represents a real time jump into the past.

Sirnea reveals a soul you would not expect. This small village, part of the Fundata commune, together with Fundata and Fundăţica, does not owe its fame to a museum, a castle or a church. Tourists do not come here to pay a tribute to an old hero or a historically relevant event. What makes Sirnea a tourist attraction is its inestimable natural heritage. Walking down the un-tarmaced streets, pine and walnut trees, wild berries, nettles and willows welcome the visitor.

The medieval town of Brasov, where our journey begins, is very much a magnetic point within the Carpathians. Tourists looking to discover Saxon Transylvania are drawn to its picturesque historic centre, where a vibrant cosmopolitan life-style thrives within its 15th century walls. However, those looking to experience the warm heart of rural Romanian life must look further afield, and so, it is the quest for the bucolic romanticism that Romania is famed for that brings The Village magazine to Viscri.

The school system in Romania is extremely dogmatic, often the teacher reads out of the textbook and the children copy it down or repeat. Luckily most of the teachers we were working with were really open to new ideas and receptive to our input. The children were so eager to meet someone new and to have a chance to really explore the language. We were astonished at how grateful the teachers were and what a difference they said it made even to the most truculent of pupils.

The Seven Stairs refers to the levels of the waterfall, framed by a grouping of ladders that lead you up along its different levels. It is one of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done.
The ladders next to the different sections of waterfalls were so neat; you could feel the mist from the waterfall as you made your - sometimes completely vertical - ascent...

Wandering through the ancient streets of a city as old as Brasov, visitors enter a setting so steeped in history it may feel intimidating, especially those not used to the old world setting of Europe. Plaques proclaiming the construction of town squares, streets and buildings over 500 years old can be somewhat daunting (historically speaking) to a newcomer.

The Junii Pageant in Brasov takes place every year on the first Sunday after the Orthodox Easter. It’s a colourful and fun event, and people from all across Romania travel to see it. During the parade, crowds cram the streets of Brasov, and it’s almost impossible to see your feet if you happen to be standing in the Council Square. Everyone wants to see the proud men, dressed in exquisite costumes, riding on horseback through the town.

Situated 160 miles from Brasov, Cluj- Napoca is an ideal destination for a weekend break. Here’s a quick guide to narrow down the city’s many options. Upon your arrival, discard your belongings. This is not to suggest, of course, that you alight your transport of choice (see below) and cast your bags aside; the best place to keep them, if comfort and excess is the theme of the weekend, is at the Continental.

Boil the potatoes in their shell. When ready peel them off and leave them for a few minutes to cool down. Then mince the potatoes and mix them up with flour, semolina, some salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar. The dough should be soft and a bit sticky. Take the seeds out of the plums – if you wish, according to your taste, you can put some sugar of some jam inside. Snatch pieces of dough, roll them in a quadrate shape, put a plum inside and then form medium balls of dough. Your hands have to be wet so the dough will not stick to your fingers.

The day of February 24th celebrates Dragobete, the Romanian mythological god of love and well-being. The myth that follows Dragobete is one of revenge and ill planning mother-in-laws. The mother of Dragobete, Baba Dochia, sends Dragobete’s wife to pick berries in the month of February. The young woman is helped by God, who helps her find berries to bring back to Baba Dochia. Upon seeing the berries, Baba Dochia believes that spring has arrived and so dons 12 lambskins for warmth to make her way up the mountain with her goats.

Being situated at the bottom of the Tampa Mountain, at the crossing of two ancient roads which linked Transilvania to Tara Romaneasca and Moldova, Brasov does seem like a Fairy Tale City. This is the name that our city has received during all winter holidays, as a proof of celebration.

The group at Pedagogic High School chose ‘Angels and Demons’ as their theme and performed the play called “Angel in Training”. Info High School divided into two groups, one taking the theme of ‘Angels and Demons’ with their play “Devil in Disguise”, and the other taking the theme ‘Shifts in Time’. Through a series of improvisation sessions and with direction from us, the volunteers, the groups eventually developed three scripts. The next step was memorization and rehearsal.

My flight landed in Bucharest on October 1st, just in time to see a beautiful, red sunset. I had four weeks of Care work ahead and, although a bit nervous, I was looking forward to getting stuck in. After a warm welcome from my host family and a couple of days of orientation from The Projects Abroad staff, I was feeling settled and eager to begin.

The Golden Stag Festival, a fixture in Brasov since 1968, has attracted some of the world's greatest performers, including James Brown, Christina Aguilera, Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles, and Pink. Brits Simply Red headlined this year's festival. These big names might draw crowds, but the heart of the festival is a competition between amateur performers for a 10,000 euro prize.

I’ve found that the Projects Abroad staff is always eager to help you make the most of your time here, as long as you express what it is that you want out of your experience. Overall I have enjoyed my time in Brasov. It has all of the characteristics of a Western European city, but you don’t have to look very far to find quite a lot of differences either. My one regret is that I wish I had made more of an effort to travel within Romanian early in my trip...
"My advice to any of the volunteers here would be to make the most of your time in Romania right from the start."

While I spent the majority of my placement at a small animal veterinary hospital to gain more experience in a clinical setting, I nonetheless observed the multi-faceted role that veterinary clinics play in a country greatly influenced by the presence of domestic and feral animals alike. Within the first week of my placement, a dog came in with a deep laceration alongside its flank; the laceration was caused by a stray dog in the neighborhood, so the cut needed to be properly treated with antibiotics to prevent the spread of bacterial infection.

Mmmm... food. There is a list of favourite treats to be found in Romania, from sweet to savoury. The most popular I have found is Mamaligia cu Branza (or Polenta with cheese). Made of boiled corn meal topped with cheese, the description doesn't sound appealing, but trust me it's good stuff. Other dishes to be tried are Sarmale (small pastries from a local chain called Fornetti), and Ciocolata Calda (a wonderfully thick hot chocolate, usually topped with whipped cream).

A group of volunteers arrive every morning at 9 o'clock at Sacele Hospital, for a new day of work. As usual, the main activities are: changing diapers, wet sheets, bathing the babies (if needed), and feeding the babies. They then go with them to the Hospital's playroom where the babies have a chance to play with their favourite toys and games.

In mid October, a Canadian veterinary volunteer from Kitchner, Ontario arrived in Brasov completely oblivious to the fact that she would shortly be falling in love. Placed at ‘Millions of Friends’ a local dog shelter, Laura Nutt spent her days assisting vets with the care of approximately 800 dogs housed at the shelter. Her role involved assisting with procedures, prepameals, and caring for hundreds of abandoned animals (including a house full of cats). It wasn’t long before she found love in the form of a young puppy named Marianna. Laura felt an instant bond...

The Junii Festival parade took place in Brasov on April 15, continuing a tradition dating back centuries. Consistently held on St. Thomas's Day (the first Sunday after Easter), the festival, lead by the seven brotherhoods of Junii, commemorates the spring season and the rejuvenation of nature. The brotherhoods, originating from the old Brasov district of Scheii, practice their time-honoured rituals and customs for weeks preceding the highlight of the festival: an elaborate display of Junii men dressed in traditional, colourful costumes on horseback through the town square.