Kent East Senior Section – International trip to Romania - 2007

Kent East Senior Section - International trip to Romania

We are a group of 7 Senior Section Guides from East Kent; Becky and Cheryl from Ashford, Anny and Katie from Deal, Imogen, Jess and our leader Paula from Faversham.

We went to Romania to work with Roma children through the local charity, FAST, (Fundatia pentru Asistenta Sociala si Tineret) from 22nd July to the 3rd August 2007.

We were not sure what to expect before we arrived and were all a little apprehensive. We were especially worried about the language barrier and the possible behaviour of the children. The minute we arrived we were welcomed and made part of Ema & Daniel`s family. This made us feel less apprehensive about the next two weeks.

We had two main projects, the first was working with Anca, Alina and the other teachers in the Tarlungeni Summer Kindergarten during the mornings, and the second was at Ziurel, the newly established Family Centre in Sacele. Here we worked with the children of the families who benefit from the Better Homes Project established by FAST. Our sessions were based around art and craft activities; for example making carnival masks or bigger projects such as creating village scenes.

We also taught the children simple English songs and games; Ring a Ring a Roses was especially popular. Supported play was an important part of the sessions which both adults and children enjoyed.

To start with, these sessions were challenging as the children were still shy of us and we had no Romanian vocabulary at all. However, after a few days, we discovered and developed some vital vocabulary and built a relaxed, trusting relationship with the children.

A very special time was when we were invited by the families to visit the children in their home environments. Through this close relationship we saw an increasing number of children visiting the centre and even some of the mothers joined us for coffee on our last day.

Becky:
I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the children faces light up and seeing their confidence grow. Seeing the children wave us goodbye was a heart-warming moment that will stay with me for a long time.

Katie:
I really enjoyed the feeling that I fitted in with these children and I was making a difference. Before I'd arrived, I was worried that the sessions would be awkward, but I never felt that at all. The effort they put into learning my name and the running jokes and daily games were really touching. The appreciation for everything we did was wonderful and by the end I felt

Jessica:
It has been a really special experience for me watching the children grow in confidence over the two weeks we were with them and I was amazed how readily they accepted us; not just as teachers, but as friends. This wouldn't have been possible if Daniel & Ema hadn't so readily welcomed us into their family and without the family atmosphere at the centre in Sacele.

Cheryl:
The first time that I met the children at the centre, one young boy came up to me and went to shake my hand and said: Buna ziua! There was no fear in this boy's eyes, or any of the others. The way that they accepted us as their own, helped me to play with them more easily than if this one boy hadn't shaken my hand. This experience has helped me as well as the young children.

See more of our photos in the Photo Gallery