ROMANIA

I received an email yesterday asking me to answer a few questions about my Alternative Service Break trip to Romania. My reply is the first time I have written down my thoughts from the trip since we have been home and I thought I would post them here. There is so much more to say about the trip and I plan to blog more on it in the future but for now here's a sampler.


I understand that you went to Romania. What were your first impressions?
When we landed in Bucharest and de-boarded our plane, I was excited to get to the orphanage where we were going to be staying for the three weeks. It was my first time in an eastern European airport and was surprised by all the cigarette smoke in the air and how dirty it first appeared. I thought, "what in the world have I gotten myself into?" We were met outside of baggage claim by our hosts, after easily clearing passport control and not having our baggage claim slips checked. All 15 of us and our luggage piled into a mini-bus and a mini-van. When they first showed us these relatively small vehicles I thought, "how in the hell are we going to fit?"

I was amazed by the broad mix of other vehicles in the parking lot, they ranged from new Mercede's and BMW's to old, eastern European brands I had never heard of before. As we left the airport, I definitely felt like I was in former communist country. The power poles were made of concrete and all the apartment buildings were gray, drab and seemingly identically. Even on the major roadways, horses and carts traveled along side autos. After driving about two and half hours we arrived at our destination, Valea Screzii, a small town of about 600 people located in a valley of the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. We turned off the pavement and headed down the lone dirt road that runs through the town. After passing a few farm fields we came to the first few houses and stopped at the house we would be staying in. The valley was absolutely gorgeous, rolling farm fields, mixed with hardwood forests extended as far as the eye could see. I felt much less like I was in former communist territory and more like I was at home on the Palouse. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly and excited to have us. At that point I knew we were going to have an amazing stay!!!

Do you think this is something that changed the way you look at the world?
I spent my sophomore year of high school in Germany and have traveled to Europe a couple other times, but never learned as much as I did on this trip. After staying for three weeks and interacting with a broad age group of people (from the very young to the elderly) I learned that no matter our differences in views, culture, and way of life people are people. A friendly smile will go a long way even when no spoken words are understood between to people. Communication is much more non-verbal than verbal.

Would you recommend others to volunteer for Alternative Service Break?
This was my third ASB trip, I had been to New Orleans during Spring 2007 and Pikeville, KY during Spring 2008. All three have been life changing trips. I feel that every university student should make time for volunteering and that ASB is one of the best ways to volunteer. It provides an experience that is larger than yourself, something I feel we all are looking for whether or not we realize it.

Now that your back home in the States, what did you take away from this experience?
Every time I have volunteered I have had that rewarding feeling afterwards. Often times I have also wondered if I volunteer to help others or simply to have something to pat myself on the back for. After this trip I am not worried about that feeling anymore. I know I gained more from the trip than the people I helped in Romania and I am OK with that. I know it was a give and take. I helped them some and they taught me so much about myself and life. I didn't realize how stressed I had been these passed few semesters until I finally slowed down and truly enjoyed life. Being back I see a huge change in my attitude. I am not sure if others see it or not, and I don't care, because I feel it. I am still motivated to do well in school and all other activities I am involved but I am doing it with a smile and without stressing out. I have finally learned life is what I make of it. I learned this from the children I met on the trip. The difficulties they have faced are unimaginable. They all have been through more than I ever will, yet they wake up every morning with a smile on their face and grateful for what have. I have slowed down, am making more time for the people that matter. I am a much happier person.


I hope to have some pictures posted sometime soonish.

I miss Valea Screzii, Marian, Adrian, Alex, George, Eugene, the little twins, all the childern, Mihail, Melanie, Dillon, Chrissy, all the other volunteers, toilets that don't flush, doors that close so loud you can hear them miles away, breakfast-lunch-dinner as a team, boiled wine, hot tea, cinnamon in my coffee....