Care & Community - MOLDOVA Volunteer Stories

Care in Moldova - Rebecca Pitt

When I first looked into volunteering abroad, there was so many different organisations that I was very unsure of who to go with. However, after looking into it I decided that Projects Abroad were definitely the people that I wanted to go with. I found the people in the UK office extremely helpful and they were very willing to give me all the information about the countries I was thinking of travelling to. This help only increased after I applied to go away. I was regularly contacted by both staff in the UK and staff in Moldova. This allowed me to ask any questions I wanted and made both my parents and myself feel confident that this was a safe, well-organised trip.

When I first arrived in Moldova, I had no idea of how much of a life-changing experience it was going to be. Arriving in a strange country at the age of only 16, home seemed a long way away! However, after a very short time, home was the last thing on my mind! I was met at the airport and it was a 45 minute drive to the flat in which I was staying. The flat was very comfortable and I was made to feel very welcome. My host family went out of their way to help me settle in and make my experience in Moldova the best it could possibly be.

The family had two children around my age (14 and 16) which also really helped to make me feel more at home as we were able to form a good friendship. I loved staying with a host family as it allowed an insight into Moldovan culture by living amongst the local people and eating the local food. The food in Moldova was very different, and it took a while to get out of the usual routine of having cereal for breakfast and eating the minute it turns 12 or 6 o'clock (as we English like to do!). The Moldovan attitude to food was very laid back and there were times when dinner wasn't until 10pm. However there was always a lot to eat and a large variety of new foods to try.

Trolley buses definitely made my trip that little bit more interesting! It seemed that every evening the Moldovans were attempting to break the world record for how many people you could fit in a trolley bus! However, this was always a very reliable way to travel around and there seemed to be a route to everywhere we needed to go.

While I was in Moldova I worked in a rehabilitation centre (Casa Gavroche) which housed around 15-20 children, aged 3-14. We arrived at the centre every morning at about 10 o'clock and stayed until lunchtime. However, it wasn't long until we decided to come back after lunch too! Our role was to play with and generally entertain the children. Daily activities included water fights, treasure hunts, face painting, movie days and simply colouring in also seemed to work really well! Working with such a wide range of ages allowed every day to be different and there was never a dull moment. Time could be spent helping the older children learn some English, or simply having a cuddle with one of the younger ones.

It was lovely to see how quickly the children warmed to me and I was able to form some really strong bonds with them. Once they knew and trusted you, they wanted non-stop attention the minute you entered the door and although this was exhausting, it was great to see how much an impact you are making by just being there to play with them and showing that you care. I was able to witness amazing changes in many of the children, even in the month that I was there. One example is of a 3 year old boy who was quite aggressive and isolated when we first met him, but went on to not only trust us but to also bond with his prospective adoptive parents. This is only one example of many, and it was also an amazing experience to get to witness two adoptions whilst we were there.

Although there was the language barrier, we were still able to communicate and bond with the children very well through the use of hand gestures. If the children wanted something, they'd make sure they found a way of telling you. We also had a translator who came with us to the centre which also helped a great deal.

Whilst in Moldova there were also many opportunities to visit other places, and also just look around the centre of Chisinau. It was very easy to get into the city centre (about half an hour by trolley bus) and there were many good places for something to eat, somewhere to shop or somewhere to go for a drink. Both traditional Moldovan food and typical English foods were available and there were many shopping centres. There were also plenty of opportunities to meet up with the other Projects Abroad volunteers.

I had the opportunity to visit the Ukraine, Soroca and the Cricova Winery during my trip. The Ukraine proved to be a completely different experience to being in Moldova. It was a relief to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city and relax on the beach. We were able to work on our tans and have a well earned rest before returning to the city. I visited Soroca with some of the other volunteers, and really enjoyed having the time to meet new people. We visited a monument, saw some gypsy houses (Soroca is a gypsy town) and visited a monastery. Although this trip was exhausting it was well worth the time and also allowed us to see the beautiful countryside of Moldova. The Cricova Winery proved to be a great day out. We drove down into a huge maze of wine cellars and even got to see Herman Goering's wine collection.

Along with all these trips we also spent many evenings just having a drink or a meal in one of the many different cafes, bars and restaurants in the city. I also had the opportunity to attend two birthday parties, one being the birthday of another volunteer and the other being the birthday of the Moldova Projects Abroad staff member, Igor. This was another great time just to socialise and of course, have a free meal!

I was also lucky enough to witness the Moldovan Independence Day, and celebrated it with what seemed to be the entire population of Moldova in the city centre! The evening began with a concert of traditional Moldovan music and dance and ended with a spectacular firework display over the heart of Chisinau. There were also separate concerts put on during the day in the different sections of the capital. Along with the other volunteers, I went to Riscani to see one of the other volunteer's hosts perform. It was really enjoyable to see the traditional Moldovan dance and music mixed in with some of the more modern dance groups that have formed.

My month in Moldova with Projects Abroad proved challenging, diverse and wonderfully enjoyable and going to Moldova was the best decision I could ever have made!

Rebecca Pitt

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