Spring is Here!

In Romania, we celebrate March the first as the first day of spring. Now it may not look it from the photograph, but it is the first day of spring, sometimes there is still snow lying around, andsometimes the sun is beating down. This year we have a little of both, but one thing we do know is that summer will soon be upon us.

At this time, we buy or make Martisoare, these come in different forms, such as cards, pins, jewellery or simply a bunch of spring flowers, but everyone enjoys to give and receive these as a sign of agreement that the winter is now behind us and the blue skies ahead.

If the temperatures are low on this day, you can be sure that within a week they will start to rise, almost as if the community has told the earth how it will be. The literal translation for Martisoare being March-Sunshine!

Here is a little March Sunshine from us to you, have a beautiful first day of spring!.

The Thaw

What a beautiful and hopeful time of year this is.

The birds are chirruping in the tree tops as the sun streams through to warm the earth and wake the struggling buds. People are slowly waking up too and risking a brisk walk along the country lanes without the fear of getting stranded in a snowdrift or slipping on the rock hard ice.

 

It is also the time when we hear the putt-putt of the neighbours’ tractors as they take the first opportunity to work the fields ready for the springtime sowing.

Soft smiles return to faces that have been frozen by the chill and everyone starts to slowly take off their thick winter woollens and replace them with a simple jumper.

The snow starts to slowly drip off the trees, the streams begin to flow and the house’s aluminium guttering plays the familiar spring thaw tune welcoming the spring after a cold hard winter.

Spring Carnival on Dragobete Day

Yesterday was Dragobete, Romanian Valentines’ Day you may remember this from a recent blog, so how better to spend the evening than at the school spring festival, this is an event that happens every year, in which the whole school participates.

With short plays, music and dance from each class, sometimes funny, sometimes a little crazy, but always delightful.

In addition, the school has a bazar, at which they sell items that have been made by the children and local crafts people. The main items for sale at this time of the year are martisor, (but more about these in a future blog).

It is a wonderful event, as well as a time for the children to show-off what they have been learning over the dark months, it is also perfect for wiping away the winter cobwebs.

Prislop Monastery

A short drive from Hunedoara Castle, past the Gypsy village and across the rolling countryside you will find Prislop Monastery

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The monastery dating back to the 14^th Century is still occupied by nuns and priests of the Romanian Orthodox Church and services are still held in the monastery chapel.

Prislop is a very special place of pilgrimage for Romanians and visitors alike. Entrance is free, but it is normal to leave a small donation at the kiosk, where you may also buy a guide and postcards, but please don’t expect anyone to speak to you as many have taken a vow of silence.

The monastery is famed locally for many miracles, one of which is its cave, which you can enter by taking a long walk up the hill past the beautiful burial garden, through the forest and down the rickety staircase. Whilst you are doing this, think about Saint John who is known as Ioan the Hermit who it is believed lived in this cave in isolation for twenty years and before the staircase was installed.

Ladies if you are visiting, be prepared to wear a long grey wraparound skirt if you are wearing trousers, shorts or a skirt above the knees, gentlemen trousers only or you might get to wear one too!

It is definitely worth a visit and whether you feel stressed or not when you enter, when you leave you feel very, very relaxed.

Hunedoara Castle

When in Romania, it is of course a must to visit one of Dracula’s castles. Dracula is known around here as Vlad the Impalar, and we have one of his castles just up the road.

Hunedoara Castle is beautiful and impressive.

Located in the town of Hunedoara, in the county by the same name - Hunedoara forms part of ancient Transylvania, popularized worldwide by the name of Count Dracula.

Vlad was imprisoned in Hunedoara Castle by Matthias Corvinus. He stayed prisoner for seven years, after which he was pardoned, declared a national hero, (which he is to this day) and given the official title of ‘Vlad the Impaler’, and married into the Corvin family who took ownership of the castle in 1458 and locally the castle is still known as Corvin Castle.

The legend of Vlad states that during his seven years of imprisonment, he continued with his favorite habits by decapitating mice and sticking their heads on small stakes, and by also constantly asking his jailers to have more blood for his dinner.

The castle was greatly extended and improved by Ioan of Hunedoara, who was Vlads’ nephew, but was largely destroyed by a major fire in the early part of the 20^th Century. Since then, the castle has been entirely renovated and stands as one of the most beautiful Gothic buildings in Romania, and it was declared as the most beautiful palatial building in Romania .

Today,as well as being full of history, it houses museums and galleries and a number of gift shops, and is well worth a visit, with, or without our local guide. (Source: travelinos.com)

Dark Skies Looming

.....and the snow lingers on too, but even though it’s a Sunday the daily routine doesn’t stop.

The cockerel struts around in clear knowledge that he will be fed. He might have to wait until the cows are bedded and milked, so in the meantime, makes the most of the scraps he and his mates can find lying around the barn. Goats need feeding more now as they await their new-borns in the spring and of course Sunday lunch needs preparing.

Whilst all of this is going on behind closed doors, minus fourteen outside, (and thanks to the hard earned logs), plus 28 inside, of course neighbours need to be checked on and kept up to date with everything else that is going on in the village, so a quick pop outside to freshen up and pass the time of day is a necessity.

Keep warm.

.......it just keeps on coming!

The snow continues to fall and the village continues to get on with daily life. Obviously at this time of the year the crops are unworkable, but the winter brings with it other work, such as I mentioned the other day, chopping wood, cleaning hearths, lighting the wood stoves and of course clearing the snow so that you can get the work done. Our neighbours too have the pigs to tend, chickens to feed, eggs to collect, goats and cattle to milk. Life goes on here in the village despite the weather. If it doesn’t you freeze or starve.

Snow Day!

Snow day has arrived and these four just love to play in it!

The rest of us, well maybe a little sledging and skiing, but only after the logs are chopped, the fires are lit and the stew is bubbling away on the stove.

Tomorrow, we’ll possibly have a lovely winter barbeque, jacket potatoes and hot chocolate or perhaps mulled wine.



Valentines Day

Next week here in Romania, we have Valentines’ Day celebrations too, like much of the world. However, this has only appeared in recent times with commercialism from the west, prior to this Romania celebrated ‘Lovers’ Day’ on 24^th February. This day has been celebrated following the legend of Bete Dochia, who was ‘known’ to be the cupid and godfather of the animal kingdom and at this time of the year the birds got engaged. The day is known as Dragobete, who was the son of Bete Dochia, described as a handsome and loving man.

On this day, people would gather outside of the church and go picking snowdrops. (Weather permitting), then at the end of the day the girls would run home and the boys would chase them, if the girl liked the boy, she would let him catch her and kiss her, they were then engaged for a whole year – which usually turned into the real thing and marriage.

Older people would take even more care of their animals on this day and spend time together with their neighbours at one house telling stories and feasting. This day was treated as any other religious holiday, people did not work it was so important.

Legend says that if you take part in this day, then you will be loved every day of the year, have a more successful year and be protected from illness too.

So, don't forget to look after the birds and have a very happy Valentines or Dragobete Day!

Great Easter Offers

Today we have launched our very first News Letter so check out the News and Events page to learn a little more about where we are and some great Easter offers.

So, if you think you would like to work with these cheeky monkeys and have the stamina to work with up to 160 children, check out our website, especially the EasterSpecials and book with us for a wonderful, not to be forgotten Easter.

Where Life is Good

Nestled in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, we are well protected from the worst of the weather, so summers are generally hot and dry. But we’re not in summer now, we’re slap bang in the middle of the winter season, which means that all around us is white with snow and it’s beautiful.

As with most of our neighbours, we spend quite a lot of the day chopping wood for the two wood burners and a little extra for the open fireplace in the lounge where we settle down in the cold evenings. It might be minus 18 outside, but inside it’s lovely and cosy, curled up with the dogs on the sofa.

The roads are generally very good and of course cars built for the weather, so a trip into Deva is easy, unless we meet a stranded car and tow it up the hill to safety. Weekends are B-B-Q’s in the snow, either at home, the neighbours or after a day skiing in the mountains at the side of the cabin with hot wine and tuica.

Make a Change for the Better

Whatever your reason for choosing Romania, you will find it here in Transylvania.

Get the full cultural experience in the knowledge that your Romanian speaking English hosts are fully qualified to make your stay safe, enjoyable and an experience that you will never forget.

Whether it’s volunteering, just staying or living the Romanian life to the full, you will find it with us

Romania is a country just waiting to be discovered. You can search out the hidden secrets that the Carpathian Mountains have in store, or relax on one of the many city terraces sipping an iced coffee watching the world go by.

Our objective at Volunteer Romania is to put smiles on faces, whether they are the faces of our guests or the community. To do this you have to either be a little bit crazy (like us and our friends), or a very special person. Either way if that is what you think that you might like to do and make a change for the better, then just drop us a line and we will get right back to you.

Choose from one of our stay plans, or build your own from the many options available……..if you don’t find what you’re looking for, just let us know and we will do our best to find it for you.