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Claire Bignal writes...

...about her experience while volunteering in Romania.

Am starting to settle in now and kind of get used to this way of life. I am based in a small village - everyone is very poor and most live off the land - most of the village kids seem to spend all day working rather than go to school or play. I am now used to avoiding horse and carts, bulls on heat, herds of sheep and wild dogs on a daily basis! Even the 2-3 showers a week and wearing no make up doesn't seem a problem anymore!

The villagers are really intrigued by volunteers and most just stare - some ask for money. The men are generally friendlier than the women! It really makes you appreciate what we have at home - and realise how wasteful we are - these people don't throw anything away and water is so precious - any wasted water means another trip to the well so naturally they don't waste it!

The Mission is split into 4 homes - each run by Romanian house mothers but all the kids think of the American couple - Bruce and Sandie as their parents. I am in Casa Elisabeth which has 9 girls and 2 boys. The kids are great and are already really attached and asking me to stay longer - I'm already dreading leaving! They absolutely love volunteers as it gives them someone new to talk to, show off their rooms and photos to and learn about different cultures from. They are a real mixture - some speak really good English, some none at all. Most are in their 20's but with a mental age of 6 year olds. They don't interact with each other at all so it's really tough doing activites with them. Sandie wants me to do sports to get them to lose weight but it's hard. They love football but they won't pass to each other - only to me so it's exhausting - all these balls flying at me! As soon as I stop they stop - same with basketball - they love shooting hoops but stop as soon as I do. They love going for walks - we aren't allowed to go far but just getting out of the house is exciting for them. I try to make the walks more interesting by doing silly things such as skipping, jumping on each others shadows, singing etc - they love it!

It's really upsetting to think what they have been through - we've all heard about the horrible treatment of Romanian orphans but its differet actually meeting them. I hate thinking about what they have been thorugh. They are all easy to get on with though and have loving personalities and great sense of humours. I bought out some kit donated from Tottenham Hotspurs Football Club - they were thrilled to bits and are always excited to receive even the smallest present. (The most popular present was actually a water bottle - which I thought was the dullest!)

The volunteers all live together in an apartment above Casa Hannah. It's surprisingly well equipped with shower, tv, video and stereo. The other volunteers really make the experience as you spend every evening and weekend together. Sandie encourages you to travel around Romania. Myself, Noirin and Kirk spent a long weekend in Brasov (Transylvania) which is well worth seeing. It's a much nicer part of Romania with mountains, castles etc. We saw Dracula's castle which is quite stunning. Its nice to get a chance to have a drink as well - and at £1 a bottle you can't go wrong!