Voluntourism in Romania

Several years ago, I joined an international youth organization - AIESEC Hong Kong. I always love to travel, especially a rewarding one. After several interviews, I was provided with a voluntary program in Romania.

As a student, besides some of the top-ranked tourism regions, I do not have adequate knowledge about European countries. In terms of Romania, I know nothing more than the well-known character Dracula and a budget-friendly destination. But this was just the beginning of my unforgettable journey.

Preparation and Hesitation

Broadly speaking, Romania consists of three historic principalities, which are Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia. They are divided into the municipality of Bucharest and 41 counties. My program was located in Târgu Mureș, the administrative center of Mureș County.

The objective of our program was conducting English and cultural-exchange lessons in elementary and junior high school. A total of seven teammates, one from Mexico, and coincidentally, six from Hong Kong. We were split into three groups and I was in charge of the 5th-grade with one teammate.

I was worried about their English capability. They were 5th-grade students after all. We planned indoor activities, such as Simon Says, Ultimate Ninja and Pictionary. We prepared tools and slideshows as well, to share the traditional and modern part of Hong Kong.

Despite our hesitation, their English was so impressive that they were fearless in talking with foreigners in a second language. Even there were some shy students, they prepared some local food, traditional dance, and their hand-drawings. We were even asked to sign their name in Chinese as if we were celebrities.

Grow with the Students

Since it was summer vacation, we could only spend two weeks inside the campus before the school closed. But it was a six-week program, so we shifted the lessons to an outdoor place. We were surprised at how mature our students were without this opportunity.

Whenever we ran out of ideas, the students would suddenly become a local tour guide and provide us with an array of recommendations. What about going on a boat ride or swimming in a pool called Weekend? Visiting the zoo? Or doing some outdoor games in the recreational areas called Platou and Fortress?

Not to mention how interactive we were during the class. We were no longer in the relationship of voluntary teachers and students, but friends who created irreplaceable memories during that specific summer.

Step out of Comfort Zone

Another best part of our journey was that we were allowed to do trips during weekends. Buses are readily available, so it is convenient to visit some of the neighboring counties. We also tried traditional cuisine, Sarmale, Langos and the BEST Shawarma in the world.

Black Church in Brașov. Monument to National Heroes and Salina Turda in Cluj-Napoca. Clock Tower in Sighișoara. Revolution Square in Bucharest. Ruled by the Habsburgs, the Ottoman Empire, as well as the Soviet Union, we could easily find its historical trajectory.

What’s more, never limit yourself within your comfort zone. Get in touch with locals and perhaps you would have an unexpected return. Initially, we were borrowing the matches to cook. It was such a magical moment that we became friends with some university students.

They showed us around the city and treated us as guests in their houses. We still keep in touch after the program, and I even spent another Christmas in Romania. Times have changed, but their hospitality is incomparably awesome.

Savoring a piece of my voluntary journey, I hope your understanding of Romania has been deepened. If you are already bored with a typical eat-play-sleep trip, time for action and turn on a new page of your tailor-made one.

Ma petite collection

Voici ma collection de petits badges. J'ai plus de quarante petits badges. Il y a beaucoup d'architectures, de drapeaux et de symboles.

Quand je visite un nouveau pays, j'achète un nouveau badge. Ça ne sert à rien, mais chaque badge symbolise un souvenir unique.

Par exemple, le pont de la Tour est en Angleterre. J'ai fait mon master à Birmingham. Ça, c'est la tour Eiffel. Mon ami français m'a fait visiter Paris.

Ça, c'est le drapeau de la Tunisie. C'était la première fois que je visitais la Tunisie pour mes recherches de master sur la participation politique des jeunes après le printemps arabe.

Lui, il s'appelle Dracula. La Roumanie est le berceau du vampire. J'ai enseigné l'anglais et la culture hongkongaise en tant que bénévole. Quelle expérience enrichissante !

Quelle est votre collection ? Je voudrais écouter son histoire.