Four Months!!

Four months! Unbelievable! Must get that resolved!

So, what's been happening?

Lots and lots and lots.

We have been non-stop since our last blog....here is a quick list, the detail will follow:

• Invitations from local organisations to run workshops with them (all very exciting, but the word "planning" in Romania, means giving someone a telephone call half an hour before you're supposed to start!).
• Special Needs Holiday Camp - A really big hit.
• Autistic Holiday Camp - Very trying, but very worthwhile.
• Community English Holiday Camp - Teaching English, Arts & Crafts.
• International Art Camp - Always great fun and superb work.
• Holiday - Yes, we managed to get away for a week!
• And now of course website updates! (Do check it out).

Here are a few pics just to keep you going.

 

Work hard play hard.

We don't just work. You too could be signing up for x factor very soon!

Getting your 5-a-day.

We all know that we should eat lots of fruit and veg, but how many do you eat?

A quick snack here, another there in the middle of a working day grabbed on the run, we know that we're not good at it, so these past few weeks, we've set to changing that.

Here in Romania we have a fairly large plot, so 144 sq metres of that have now been turned into a veggie plot - and we are very proud to say that the spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, peas, onions (red and white) beans, garlic, carrots and potatoes are all growing very well with the wonderful weather we have been having.

Unfortunately, this weather also grows weeds very well too! So following this blog it will be a weekend of gardening again.

Today we will be planting peppers, cucumber, courgette, cauliflower, cabbage and chillies (for summer salsa and of course curries!

Now, these will take a while to grow, so what do we do until then? Eat cake! Lovely healthy carrot cake, packed with 3 of your 5 a day! I'm sure that's not how it's supposed to work really, but it is nice to have a treat too!

Have a look at the recipe, it's on our latest news page http://volunteerromania.eu/News--and--Events.php 

Every summer at the children's home we also help out with their garden, the kids love it and know what they're doing, we are learning! The best part about the day of course is the BBQ at the end of it, which is a real treat, but well deserved. As you can see, there is a fair bit of weeding to do, but with carers, volunteers, friends and 160 children we get through it quite quickly.

If you would like to help this year, please give us a shout contactus@volunteerromania.eu

Poafte Buna!

Eat cake and have it too!

The weather held up - though overcast for most of the day, so off we went for a pre-Easter party with our neighbours and presented our contribution - the cakes!

(Well, just because we're in Romania, doesn't mean that we can't take a little bit of British culture, after all Coke and Pepsi have flooded the world with American culture).

We also took a 'Duggy-Egg' salad and toast to nibble on before the main meal which was also well recieved and a nice, savory start to the banquet which followed.

Anyway, the cakes were very much appreciated and eaten before, during and after the main meal, even though the Simnel cake was cobbled together with ingredients which could be found in Romania. In fact, they were so much appreciated that our host was seen to eat a total of 8 pieces and growled if anyone else moved in.

Everyone had a good time, and left with very full tummies or just fell asleep where they were sitting.

(P.S - We did leave some cake at home, so more today following a lovely roast lamb dinner which is just about to be popped in the oven).

Easter Saturday

Well, today the weather is a little wet and drizzly, but not too big a problem as Easter Saturday is the day for cooking in Romania. Many people will fast today, so to get their fill of food, they will prepare the banquet which will be eaten after the midnight service of celebrating the light in the world.

So, we have dyed the eggs, made the Simnel cake (a little tradition from the UK needs to be kept), banana-choc cup cakes for the children and we're off to the neighbours for the start of Easter festivities.

Together at two o'clock in the morning we shall make our way up to the church on the hill and welcome the light together, circling the church with our candles before taking communion.

Happy Easter.

Easter in Romania (coming soon!)

Whilst many of you celebrated Easter last weekend, here in Romania, we have Orthodox Easter on its way this weekend!

So now the children are all off school and having fun in the sunshine, whilst the family prepare the house and food for a wonderful Easter feast.
The children are very excited and want to be a part of the Easter celebration prepa-ration, so the programme is all about Easter, Easter tradition and of course Easter eggs!

In other areas, Easter is a very busy time of year, the planting has started and all around the gardens and fields are sprouting new growth. The painting and spring cleaning is well on its way too, everyone is busily working so that the house is spick and span for any visitors that might arrive during the holiday.

Lamb is the main dish here for Easter (and in fact the only time of year that you can buy it, which disappoints be lots!) Eggs are leaping of the shelves as they are bought to dye ready for everyone to play ‘egg tapping’ on Easter Sunday, but more about that in a few days’ time!


Happy Easter!

May Madness - Volunteer for Less than £220/week

May Madness
Volunteer with children in Romania for less than £220/week** with our May Madness Programme.

You’ll have to run to catch this one!

Volunteer with a friend between 1st and 31st May, and you both get the experience for half price, on all two and four week stays within this period.

So pay only £635** each for 2 weeks, or £875** each for a 4 week stay.

The programme in May is quite different to the summer programme. You still get all of the necessary pre-departure support, on programme training and in country support.  Everything remains the same with the exception of the length of the day, which stops at 13:00 instead of 17:00.

Why not take a look at this and other offers on http://www.volunteerromania.eu/Special-Weeks.php  for more details, or drop us a line on contactus@volunteerromania.eu and we will have a chat with you about your options.

*Pick-up for 1st May start is 3rd May   **Usual price £1270 for 2 weeks, £1750 for 4 weeks.