United Nations Millennium Development Goals

As with every Global Volunteers team, our projects in Romania are geared toward meeting our commitment to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Our Romania Partnership addresses three of those goals: To Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger; To Reduce Child Mortality; and To Achieve Universal Primary Education.

Every volunteers works eight hours a day in project preparations and on-site work. We're committed to full-time assistance to the work project. During the July team:

19 children were fed and cared for
1720 Hours of childcare provided by volunteers
$800 USD in food was donated
20 students were taught English
8 Childcare workers salaries were provided
$1800 USD provided for childcare worker salaries

Wednesday, June 3rd

Hello again! This week has been going very fast and I can hardly believe that we only have 2 more days here! The weather has been chilly and rainy here, so we mostly stay inside with the children. Pretty much the only outside time has been taking walks. However, Cristi prefers to be on the floor rather than in a stroller or being held. Today I took him on a long walk and we got to the end and he started crying, he wanted to be on the floor. It was a long walk back trying to entertain and calm him! We also had a rough morning as Cristi's biting his lip upset him and the crying continued because he was constipated. Following this hour of crying, he slept for the rest of the morning:( After lunch though, he was ready to play and work on standing up.

I don't know if I said this earlier or not, but the kids have been slowly getting sick since we got here. (They were showing symptoms when we arrived.) Andre and Juan were both in isolation and got an IV today because they were sick. I hope no one else gets sick before we leave! We definitely miss them when they can't play! Not much more happened today.

Monday, June 1 - Free Time Summary.

This posting by a Global Volunteers team member describes an optional weekend activity during our standard service program. For a description of our service program work projects, please refer to previous posts available through the "older posts" link.

Hello! I have so much to write since I last blogged!

Saturday morning Erin (my roommate) and I hurredly got ready (because we both overslept for the first time since being here.) We met our driver and tour guide at 8:30 in the parking lot of the hotel and departed for our weekend. It was a VERY long trip to the painted monasteries, however watching the beautiful countryside of Romania was enjoyable along the way. There are hills here that are beautiful! It seemed as though we traveled through a valley most of the way, so there were hills all around us. The road was very windy and bumpy (2 lanes the entire way). I can't remember the names of the painted monasteries, but we arrived at one and got to look around at the little stands outside. The monasteries were incredible! Painted on the inside and outside of the monasteries where pictures that told biblical stories. Also, on the inside of one of the chambers were 365 pictures (each representing a day of the year). I could go on and on about the things we learned about these monasteries, but it is too much to type.





Next we had lunch at a Romanian home. We started out with a "shot" of plum brandy. Whew! That warmed my insides! We also had homemade wine that was good. The food was also good, but much like what we have had everywhere else. Then we shopped at their little stand. They have beautiful shirts that they sew. I saw one that I thought was cute (looked like a baby's dress). Apparently, it was a shirt. My team members urged my to try it on, and I did and then they talked me into buying it. It was 60 leu (translates into 20 bucks). I guess it will be my Romanian souvenir for myself. Next we went to the black pottery workshop. Again, many beautiful items for very good prices. Our last stop was at another painted monastery. It was a short stop because it was raining fairly hard. I think we were gonna stop at another monastery, but we opted not too because of the time. We went to Iasi ("yash") and spent the night. Most of the group stayed at a 2 star hotel, which according to American standards would probably be a 3 star hotel. Our tour guide, Radu, is my same age (24) and was kind enough to accompany the girls out to a local pub. He also brought his roommate with him and we all had a great time. I'm pretty sure that without their help, we would not have been able to order anything from the menu or find our way home! It was obvious that we were Americans, because when songs in English came on, we were the only ones going crazy on the dance floor! We got home pretty late, but Radu let us sleep in since we were on "vacation". We met Radu and the other women (who stayed in different, 4 star hotel) at 10 on Sunday and began our tour of "Iasi". It is a very beautiful city and there is much to do and see there . We saw many different places of worship including a Catholic church. We were not able to go inside though. We ate lunch at a nice place and souvenir shopped for a few minutes in the mall there. We arrived back in Tutova around 6:30 and had a relaxing evening.

Friday, May 29th

Hey everyone! I have so much to say, but little time. It is 10:30 here, and Bogdan (our hostess) wants to shut down the lobby I think. First, I just wanted to share our daily schedule. We really have it easy here:

8:00: Breakfast with the team in our hotel restaurant

8:50: Arrive at the clinic in time for the 9:00 feeding

9:00-12:30: feed the children at 9:00 and noon, play, take walks, etc.

12:30: lunch at the restaurant and break while the kids are napping

2:30: return to the clinic for another feeding and more play time

4:00: return to the hotel5:15-6:15: one group goes back to the clinic for another feeding time and more play

6:30: dinner

7:30-8:30: my favorite time!!! My group returns to the clinic for bedtime!

Today, Cristi laughed and smiled while standing which is a breakthrough considering he basically pouted every other time we work on standing. He was sooo happy today. He has been eating more by spoon, which is really great!! I am going to miss him so much, "mush" (boogers) and all! I swear that kid produces more snot in one day, than I have in a lifetime!

I also held Emma tonight (whom Erin usually cares for. She is 15 months and I'm not sure of her exact diagnosis, but it is something neurological. She has spasms that make her entire body stiff as a board. This is very painful for her.) She laughed and smiled which was great as I have not seen this before. I think Erin's "miracle hands" soothe her much better than mine, but I gave it my best shot!!!

We had a new arrival at the clinic today, a one month old little boy. I didn't get to have much time with him today, but I hope to next week because I miss being around all the little babies!!

I have had several "epiphanies" since being here. Most of them are while I'm playing with the kids and cannot write them down. I do my best to remember them though. One is regarding "love". I have realized that love and affection are truly a "universal language". We are separated by cultural, language, and other barriers regarding the condition of these children. However, the love we give and the affection they share with us overcomes any barrier between us. I feel so blessed that I had this opportunity. I miss everyone at home, cold milk, and beef (we always have chicken.....every night.), among other things, but I will be very sad to leave this experience behind me. I will have many great memories and new friends though! I definitely feel as I will have a healthier mind, body (I have never ate so many veggies in my life), and soul when I return!

Another thing that I love here is that everyone walks everywhere. The clinic and hotel is on a highway much like the one I live on at home (B). Everyone walks on this road, and I'm assuming it is safe. Yesterday morning ,we even saw a parade of school children walking somewhere. I will say, I get scared and almost jump in the ditch when a big truck zooms by.

Well, I should probably get to bed. I think my lack of sleep and time change keeps catching up with me. It probably doesn't help that my roommate and I (Erin) stay up and talk so late everynight! Tomorrow and Sunday we are visiting Iasi to see the painted monasteries! We will also have lunch in a Romanian home and will get to try their homemade wine and plum brandy. I am very excited, but sad about leaving the children for the weekend. (The clinic is much less staffed on the weekends.) Talk to you all soon!