Be Significant. Be a Lifeline of Hope for Children in Romania with Global Volunteers!

My husband & I went on the Orphanage Adventure in Service trip to Barlad, Romania 🇷🇴 May 19-29, 2017 as a way of celebrating 26 years of marriage! The nurses at the Municipal Hospital allowed us to feed, change, and care for infants & children who had been at the hospital getting their checkups! The nurses didn't speak a word of English, but we learned murdar scutec & umed scutec which meant dirty diaper & clean diaper! We enjoyed our work group, as well as going on walks and eating out at night in Barlad. We will recommend the infants & children of Barlad to anyone who can provide loving care!

Global Volunteers is incredibly organized. I always felt like the site coordinators were available and very helpful, with everything from changing money to internet access to weekend excursions. Working with the children was a very special experience. The nurses were supportive, the aide in the children's room is incredible, and the kids themselves were very cute. I was so lucky to be connected to past volunteers so that we were able to communicate and share ideas, and we were literally able to coordinate the delivery of a splint and adapted equipment for one girl that enabled her to color and to feed herself independently for the first time! I felt privileged to work with these kids.
The weekend trip allowed us to see another part of Romania, the famed Transylvania. We were referred to a driver (one of the nicest people on the planet), and a beautiful bed and breakfast. We were able to see the gorgeous Carpathian Mountains and the historic (but misnamed) Dracula's Castle, the summer palace of the Romanian King and Queen, and a fortress from the first century BC.

My first "visit" to Romania was on a river tour and provided a brief overview of Bucharest. I found Eastern Europe very interesting but was haunted by images of street children and stories of human trafficking. I knew the history of the horrendous "Romanian Orphanages". I received a call from Global Volunteers asking me to work with those children. The stars aligned!

Global Volunteers.org is based in Minnesota and has an excellent reputation for international volunteering. The work day is 8:30 to 1 and 3-6, followed by dinner. The children can be new born to age 10, most with Special Needs. Each child is so special in his or her own way and hugs abound! Do you need special skills? Only the ability to love, hug, and comfort a child! This service is perfect for children, teens, students, adults and seniors!

The work week ends on Friday and the team or individuals usually travel away from Barlad and experience the warmth of Romanian hospitality and learn about the culture. The Romanian Team leaders are excellent, personable and excited about sharing Romania with you.

I never planned to go to Romania; I was planning to go to Crete. Each day I think of the children, see their smiles and tears, and wish I were with them. I went a stranger, left my heart, and will again return as familia. Following my heart to Romania is the best decision I have ever made!

I volunteered in Romania with Global volunteers in March/April of 2015 and it was honestly one of the richest and most rewarding experiences of my life. I highly recommend Global Volunteers if you are considering volunteering. I was supported every step of the way by Global Volunteers staff and our hosts Mihaela and Dan. I felt safe and taken care of every step of the way.

Seeing the children respond so quickly was very encouraging. We saw children try to stand and sit on their own, engage more in sharing behaviour, become more vocal and we even had a lovely woman on our team who knew infant massage and was able to help ease the tight muscles of the less mobile children. Even just making the children laugh and smile made the whole experience worthwhile.

I will say, however, that it can be exhausting; physically, mentally and emotionally. It will test you at times. Be prepared for the fact that there are things that you cannot change; situations that you can only approach with love and support. Just always do the best that you can and forgive yourself when you feel like you may be falling short (I assure you, you won't be!)

I've done this program 3 times now, I'm from Australia. I absolutely love it. The impact of what we do can be seen straight away, with kids responding positively very quickly. I've seen children sit up, smile, become interested in their surroundings and so on within two weeks. One highlight this trip was a child learning my name. Our hosts are local people with huge hearts who work tirelessly and consistently - and they're fun, too! All fun times are what you make them, and can be found in attempting the language or in the antics of the kids. We were perfectly safe at all times. Equally as important, the coffee is great! ;)

Be aware that no matter how fit or young you are, you will be extraordinarily tired by the end of your very worthwhile trip. This is normal. Plan some recovery days!

In 2003 I enjoyed two weeks in Barlad and felt like I made a difference teaching English to middle school students and tending to the young children at Tutova Hospital. Each day was filled with meaning and satisfaction and offered opportunity to form relationships and experience the local culture. The GV leader and staff that I encountered were well prepared to handle volunteers and their friendliness and support made a great experience even richer.

I highly recommend Global Volunteers to you if you're looking for a meaningful travel experience combined with beneficial service and authentic cultural connection.

I volunteered in Tutova twice and continue to support the program.
It was a pivotal and rewarding experience. As a busy professional I do not have much time for volunteer work at home. I loved GV because in two weeks I could give back to society in a concentrated effort. I made lifelong friends with several of my fellow volunteers. As a female solo traveler, GV is terrific because it enables one to travel to "exotic" or off-the beaten path regions and meet up with like-minded travelers/volunteers. The team leader Mihaela in Romania is terrific and English speaking. The work with the children was the most memorable, emotionally hard and most enjoyable vacation of my life.
Hard to believe diapering, running after children, dressing children and picking up toys would be a vacation but it was the best for me!

I spent 3 weeks at the Tutova Clinic working with the infants there and found it a heartwarming and fulfilling time. The Global Volunteer staff was wonderful as well as the clinic employees. Even though I was sick with a cold for a few days I had excellent care. Weekend excursions were a lot of fun, especially the trip to the painted monasteries. All in all a wonderful experience which i hope to repeat someday.