Anne’s experience with Care2Travel

My name is Anne, and I’m from Aarhus, Denmark. I decided to volunteer as an English teacher in Romania, and my time here is soon coming to an end after 3 incredible months.

My volunteering experience has been great. I’ve been assisting a local English teacher, where we taught English in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8.

Something that I’ve found especially interesting while teaching in a foreign country, is how different it can be from teaching back in Denmark. A few observations include, for example, the teacher’s way of writing on the blackboard: using differently colored chalk, writing solely in cursive, and having a generally neater-looking blackboard. 

I’ve also observed the lack of using electronic devices in the classrooms – this would be very unusual in Denmark, where students have laptops and the classroom has a whiteboard with a computer connected to it. These observations have put my own teaching into perspective and will be useful for my future endeavors in teaching.

It is also possible to take part in extracurricular volunteering. That could be going to teach adults from Roma communities, as well as a local English club hosted by Care2Travel and young local volunteers. This broadened my experience with teaching more informally.

A few weeks into my placement, I went on to have the cultural part of my introduction week. This included a trip to the Praid Salt Mine, a fascinating underground salt mine with many activities for children (and adventurers) especially. We also went to see an incredibly high statue of Jesus located on top of a mountain – it was not for the faint of heart to climb all the way to the top and have a peek through the “head” of the statue, but the view was so worth it.

The next day we went to The Red Lake, a beautiful lake with a terrifying nickname: The Killer Lake. There are many legends surrounding this lake but despite the eerie nickname, it was nonetheless a gorgeous landscape. Close by were many vertical cliffs, where you could be lucky to see a mountain goat, but alas, no goats in sight this time.

On the last day of the cultural introduction, we went to Sighișoara, where we visited a traditional citadel and an interesting museum, as well as the Clock Tower which provided a beautiful view of the city with its many pastel-colored buildings. In Sighișoara, we were also treated to the street food snack Lángos, a delicious fried flatbread topped with sour cream and cheese – yum!

Of course, I have also done some traveling within Romania. A few highlights of my trips around Romania include Peles Castle, hiking up to the Brasov sign and going to Therme, which is the biggest spa in Europe located outside of Bucharest. Also, being a history nerd, I’ve also been really interested in hearing about the Communist era, both from locals and from guided tours.

I’m really happy I ended up working with Care2Travel. The informal and relaxed relationship between the employees and us volunteers made me feel a part of something bigger. I was also very pleasantly surprised by the fact that many local, young people choose to partake in showing us volunteers around the city as well as for example joining the monthly quiz night held at the local café. There has also been hosted a French evening, and during my last week I hosted a Danish evening. Here I served strong liquorice, and a traditional Danish desset called “koldskål”, and I taught everyone a few Danish words and useful (some more than others) sentences. This was a lot of fun!

I am now home in Denmark, and I am missing all the lovely people and Csikszereda. It was truly an amazing experience, and I would recommend anyone who wants to have an experience they will never forget, to volunteer in Csikszereda! Köszönöm Szépen!

Results of the “Practicing Solidarity in Children’s Homes”project

Our third European Solidarity Corps Individual Volunteering project “2020-3-RO01-ESC11-095165”, titled “Practicing Solidarity in Children’s Homes” has come to an end. 

Between the 24th of August 2021 and the 23rd of June 2022 Care2Travel Association hosted 3 European Solidarity Corps volunteers from the European Union who worked with children in foster care homes to try and help them develop themselves and to teach them English through non-formal learning activities. 

Our volunteers Geneviève Cooper from France, Manuela Gurmann from Austria and Emilia Luna Ludwig from Germany have organized and participated in numerous programs to reach their goals. 

Here we list their achievements, which they reached by their dedication and work and can be proud of. 

“Practicing Solidarity in Children’s Homes” is a European Solidarity Corps’ project run by Care2Travel Association. The project is funded by the EU through the European Commission.

The results of the “Practicing Solidarity in Children’s Homes” ESC volunteering project are the following: 

The Activity Booklet has arrived!

We are thrilled to announce that the Activity Booklet for our European Solidarity Corps volunteering project “2020-3-RO01-ESC11-095165” called “Practicing Solidarity in Children’s Homes” is finally finished! 

Our volunteers Geneviève Cooper from France, Manuela Gurmann from Austria and Emilia Luna Ludwig from Germany created the booklet throughout their 10-month ESC Volunteering project. All the hard work payed off – congrats to them! 

It contains lots of non-formal learning activities which you can play with kids to help them develop themselves and learn some English. These games were all tested and approved by our volunteers. 

“Practicing Solidarity in Children’s Homes” is a European Solidarity Corps’ project run by Care2Travel Association. The project is funded by the EU through the European Commission.

The content of this booklet does not reflect the official opinion of the European Union. The responsibility for the information and views expressed in the video rests entirely with the author(s).

In the link below you can access the entire Activity Booklet: 
https://drive.google.com/…/1khMPbT0DUXi8nq3ztGYKpi…/view

INTERVIEW WITH LILLY SCHMIDT

Lilly Schmidt

Lilly Schmidt is 19 years old and is a volunteer from Berlin, Germany. She is volunteering in Harghita County in the community garden, in the sustainable agriculture program for 3 months. This interview is about Lillys’ experience with Care2Travel and Romania.

What was your general impression of the area?

• ‘The first thing I noticed was how small the town was, I come from a big city in Germany so it was very different from what I’m used to.’ 
• ‘Other things that left a good impression on me were the location of the accommodation, as well as the friendly and safe atmosphere of the town.’
• ‘As a nature lover, I also noticed all the greenery and trees, which I liked.’

What work have you been helping with? 

• ‘We worked on a lot of different projects. When I arrived the fence had to be remade, as well as the gate. We had to remove the old fence that separated us from our neighbors. We worked with metal poles and concrete to create the new fence and place horizontal and vertical planks together to finish the fence.’
• ‘We had also built a new gate, but once we were finished, we realized it was too big, so we redesigned it with the right measurements. We then painted the new gate and fence.’

BEFORE

AFTER

• ‘We also worked in a local school by helping to build a new playground! We had to dig holes in the ground and then We filled them up with concrete. We built a swing set and a seesaw. It took around three weeks for us to finish the whole playground.’

SWINGSET

SEESAW

• ‘We also did some planting and I created signs and shelves for the greenhouse. When we recognized a plant we cultivated it and then had to figure out which plant bed we could use.’
• ‘Some of the work was quite demanding like building a water pump and making the shelves. Since the water pump wasn’t used out of season, we had to take it apart and put it back together again with some new materials like cables.’

BEFORE

AFTER

Where do you like to go/do in your free time?

• ‘When we arrived here at the beginning, we spent a lot of time in Cafe Palermo, which is right next to the accommodation.’ 
• ‘I also spent some of my free time going on walks to the mountains or walks in the evening around the town. If you go on a long walk out of the town you end up in some fields, I like to bring a book and read outside in nature and admire the views.’ 
• ‘On the weekends some of the volunteers plan a trip to Brasov. The train is around two hours and costs 50 lei or around 10 dollars. In Brasov, there are interesting hikes and lots of cool castles to see.’ 
• ‘There is another restaurant beside the accommodation that is popular with the volunteers where you can try ‘Lángos’ which is typical Hungarian street food. We all eat here and hang out outside in the evenings.’

LILLY ON A WALK

What is your best memory from volunteering?

• ‘Earlier on when I arrived, there was a youth festival in the park near the accommodation. The festival was on the weekends and there was music playing, and a DJ was set up in the park. It was a fun way to spend time, experience Hungarian culture, and also get to socialize with the other volunteers.’

What did you learn? 

• ‘I learned a lot of ‘handyman skills.’ A lot of my tasks included practical work like learning how to saw a plank of wood. I also gained experience from living with people from different countries which helped me step out of my comfort zone. 

Do you have any advice for future volunteers?

• ‘Be open. Your first few days or weeks might be hard to get used to, but it gets better. Also, don’t have certain expectations about what you will do or who you will meet, be open to everything and try new things to gain new experiences. 

By Bamidele Olukayode

The Care2Travel Summer Camp

Summer Camp

The Summer camp, which makes up an integral part of Care2Travel’s local volunteering, is a day full of excitement. With around 30 neighbourhood children attending, there is rarely a dull moment. The main aim of the summer camps is to create a fun environment for the children to learn English while being supported by volunteers in games and challenges.

The Children playing a game of Evolution

One local volunteer, Tündi, began helping this spring and loves seeing campers’ progress with their English in a week. The day starts with the children splitting into their teams for the week and practicing English with the volunteers. It was interesting to hear about their favourite foods, movies, and colours.

The Children Playing Secret Conductor

The progress the children have made is momentous, and this summer camp gives the children a step ahead through an eventful and fun day. After an English test that was set the night before, the games began. These ranged from tug of war to bingo; there was something for everyone to enjoy! One of the games had everyone stand in a circle holding flashcards of animals while someone in the middle had to touch the person with the animal that was called out. The game acted as an amusing way for the children to learn about many animals in English while playing a game. Speaking with some of the children made it clear that they adored the time they spent there and enjoyed the opportunity to practice their English.

The children playing Gaga ball

Another volunteer, Alyssa, had previously worked with Care2Travel in 2019, teaching English. Having had such a fantastic time before, Alyssa was eager to come back and do it all again! She believes that mixing fun with learning means the children are more willing to return and improve each day. “Attending the summer camp as a volunteer was something I would love to do again, and I can’t recommend it enough.”

A Nice Post From John

Luckily we had John with us in June 2022. John had helped us in the dog shelter. Not only had he supported us there, but he was also capable of writing a photo post on their blog about his experience and the Székely Tradition. Located below is the link to John’s Post.

https://meticulousmick.com/2022/07/13/szekely-tradition/

Students for Netherlands Build Playground

Corlar College – June 5th – 10th, 2022

On June 5th, twelve students, 3 boys, 9 girls and 3 teachers arrived at Miercurea Cuic/Csikszereda Romania. They, along with volunteers from Care2Travel, a local NGO, began refurbishing and building a new playground at a Roma Elementary school.  The students  from Corlar College, a higher secondary school from the Netherlands raised all the money to travel to Romania. According to Merel, an English teacher, the students were  determined to raise all the money for the trip with minor support from their parents in the planning and execution of fundraising events. For example, one event offered was a wine tasting at a students home and anyone over 18 could drop to buy wine. Another event was selling bread at school. 

Additionally, Merel said her hope for the kids would not necessarily to gain knowledge such as mathematics but life experiences to see and experience new cultures and build a sense of community.

Andra, a 14 year old, has been coming to Romania with her family and other groups for several years doing various projects but this is her first project working to help Roma kids. She said building the new playground equipment  for the kids will keep them from fighting over the swings. When asked, what this experience will do to help her when she is 25 years old. She replied knowing that some people do not have everything they need at school to excel and do not have an amazing life. Andra wants to study science when she finishes school.

Elias, a geography and  social study’s teacher, has been coming to Romania for 5 years on various projects. His goal for the students is to show them the world and see they have a good life back home. Also, he is hoping students will stop complaining about doing homework, put away their telephone and will be more open to new experiences and appreciate what they have. This experience will help with their English, learning to build and work with their hands, also to would within a team.

When asked if kids have an understanding of Roma culture. He said no. They have Roma’s in the Netherlands but they are very different and living in slums which are called traveling homes or driving houses. 

Gwen 15, the last student interviewed, said proudly they built swings, painted the kindergarten fence, a basketball area with a new hoop, new seesaw and just finishing benches.

The third adult, Sjoerd, with the group as a travel guide for founded in the Netherlands called Eastpackers.

During the 3 ½ days of work the group has managed to build 4 double swings, a seesaw, 4 outdoor benches, a little playhouse for small kids, cleared up the bushes by the fences, painted 150 meters of fence and renovated multiple playground elements.

In speaking with some of the kids waiting for the train to leave it was clear they felt a great sense of accomplishment and pride.

Results of the project titled “Teach English in Villages through Non-formal activities!”

Our second European Solidarity Corps Individual Volunteering project 2020-1-RO01-ESC11-079435, titled “Teach English in Villages through Non-formal activities!” has come to an end. 

This project was co-funded by the European Solidarity Corps of the European Union. 

Between the 3rd of August 2020 and the 18th of August 2021 Care2Travel Association hosted 8 European Solidarity Corps volunteers from the European Union who taught English in villages through non-formal activities in form of Summer Camps and After School Club activities. 

Our volunteers Joy Marie Weller from Germany , Maude Volon from Belgium , Meggie Gudrun Sowa from Germany , Nell Callthrop from Belgium ; Borbála Csenge Gönye from Hungary , Boris Creijghton from the Netherlands , Maily Catherine Stanzeleit from Belgium /Luxembourg, Teun van der Aa from the Netherlands  have organized and participated in numerous programs to reach their goals. 

Here we list their achievements, which they reached by their dedication and work and can be proud of. 

The merits of the “Teach English in Villages through Non-formal activities!” ESC volunteering project are the following: 

The Activity Booklet for the project titled “Teach English in Villages through Non-formal activities!” is here!

We are thrilled to announce that the Activity Booklet for our European Solidarity Corps Individual Volunteering project 2020-1-RO01-ESC11-079435, titled “Teach English in Villages through Non-formal activities!” is finally ready!

Our volunteers Joy Marie Weller from Germany, Maude Volon from Belgium, Meggie Gudrun Sowa from Germany, Nell Callthrop from Belgium; Borbála Csenge Gönye from Hungary, Boris Creijghton from the Netherlands, Maily Catherine Stanzeleit from Belgium/Luxembourg, Teun van der Aa from the Netherlands created the Booklet throughout their combined 12-month ESC Volunteering Project. 

It contains lots of group games & non-formal activities which you can play with kids. These games were all tested and approved by our volunteers.

This project was co-funded by the European Solidarity Corps of the European Union. 

In the link below you can access the entire Activity Booklet:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S_FkOIQJUywWAX4qaGBIBOomUaVW7JRl/view?fbclid=IwAR31NJBz8Ssk6sNa5qDJ0CBBJY4tlSGfaoWkprBmfnW0qB4X-SmhmzMa_94

Teach English in Villages through Non Formal Activities – 6 months done, 6 months to go

Care2Travel’s second ESC project 2020-1-RO01-ESC11-079435, entitled “Teach English in Villages through Non-formal activities” is ON! The first half of the activity period of our project is between 03 August 2020 and 02 February 2021. This album contains all the learning, fun & all activities our lovely ESC volunteers bring to the community of Miercurea Ciuc.
This project is funded by the European Solidarity Corps of the European Union.