Hello everyone,I trust all is well with everybody, (apart from the humiliation of the English football, in failing to qualify for the European Championships... I assure you it was taken particularly hard in our house... I think the neighbours thought we were killing a pig early, from the amount of squealing coming from the living room, but never mind...
To more pleasant matters.... Monday of this week, I left my sister and her boyfriend to navigate their way from Turges Mures, to Cluj, (by train) ad I'm proud to say they managed no problem. I on the other hand got the 0515 maxi-taxi (mini bus) to Brasov, and I am pleased to say I got a seat, and was saved from three hours on a moving beer crate, as on the previous journey. The journey was pleasant enough, and as we came into Brasov, I was greeted with several inches of snow... I must recommend Brasov to anyone that comes to Transylvania... and you are guaranteed snow in winter!!!
I was met by Luiza, at the train station and taken to the community mental health project which I was due to be presenting at. I met the rest of the staff, and some clients, who also sat through my presentation... (it was translated in Romanian, though most of the people spoke some English). The presentation itself was on my experiences of Occupational Therapy in my career so far, and some additional discussion was held on 'narrative therapy'... (I won't go on any more about this, unless any of you really want me to???... no, I didn’t think so!) The day centre itself was well resourced and any different creative type activities were available to clients, along with professional contacts from psychologists, nursing students, unofficial Occupational Therapists, and social workers. It's a real fantastic set-up, with lots of social inclusion projects....in true customary style I was taken for lunch after the presentation, which was not only paid for, but some warm desserts were bought for me, and wrapped to take on my journey home...and oh was I thankful! The last train journey I took from Brasov took 8 hours to Turges Mures!!! (Just a 3 hour bus ride away!). I was fortunate to find a 1615 train that would get me to Medias (close to home) in just over three hours. I arrived at the train with just 5 minutes to spare to see almost all the seats were full, so I hopped up the standard 3 feet to the carriage platform, and sat for the first hour on a small radiator, by the carriage toilet!!! Nice! But the radiator was keeping my food warm. Now trains here are very interesting places to be... the doors to the carriage are big heavy slide door (not automatic!) and basically most of them are left open, even when the train is moving... due to the cold weather and snow, the doors were closed, but later when opened I kept expecting someone to fall out of the doors along the way.... after getting off the train I was fortunate to randomly see a bus that took me home after a 40 minute ride....Other events this week have included the fateful England football game on Wednesday night, made worse by the fact Romania have qualified top of their group, and last night we had a kind of farewell drink for my friend who assures me that she is indeed leaving today, which was conducted in one of the few local bars, underground and full of smoke as everywhere is here!
At the hospital we have embarked on what I can only hope will be a Xmas event to be remembered for years to come. As in previous emails, we have talked about some of the patients past skills and jobs, including, music professors, championship chess players, opera singers....and the love of the people here to sing and dance, we decided to try and arrange a performance of the Xmas nativity story. of course this has no end of barriers, namely that to perform on the locked wards, with very ill people could be risky, and how we go about selecting which patients perform in this 'play' could be tough! And perhaps the biggest issue, as no male can go to the female ward & vice versa... how we get a man to play a female role, in what is a very homophobic society, is a challenge we must overcome... I think my fellow volunteers, who have cast me (in my absence I must add!) as the donkey which is going to carry Mary & Joseph, thought this may add a comedy element to the performance! I'll let you know how it goes! We are still trying to clarify if the story is much different here from that which we all now...we have also had the patients make a giant advent calendar, which has pictures of the past volunteers on, as we are unable to give out chocolate on mass!
That’s about it from me, as I'm glad to report have been having a much more relaxing few days, but there is a prospect of a game of football in 2 hours, which I have been waiting four months for, so hopefully, that will provide some fun to today!Regards from Romania!
Dan
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