Ms. O Brien our School Chaplain sent on these pics of our TY students in Romania who are currently doing charity work with the Aurelia Trust. They have worked in three orphanages over the last few days. They are working with TY students from St.Geralds of Castlebar who are there with their Chaplain, Ms. Shelly Rice, former Chaplain of St.Fachtnas De La Salle.
Alicia O Sullivan sent on this report on the week's activities.
Erasmus+ Project 'Changing Minds'
Romania 7th-14th March 2018
On our first day we make our way to Negru Voda where we are introduced to the Romanian partners Negru-Voda Theoretical High School, we get presented with flowers by the Mayor of Negru-Voda, Mr. Petre Urzicenu for International Womens Day, which seems to be taken very seriously. We then get to see a performance of traditional Romanian dance by "Sanzaiene dobrogene" ensemble, with the clients and then visitied the Group Home, where we were welcomed with salt and bread, a welcoming custom in Romania. The clients performed a wonderfully happy dance for us and presented us with gifts which seemed all but a bit too ironic. As a group we were overwhelmed with emotion.
On Friday we meet the beneficiaries of the Techirghiol Protected Housing and we all visited the Folk Art Museum and the Marine Museum in Constanta. We then went back to their home and we made arts and crafts, danced, shared stories. It was amazing to see the clients calling Christina and the people who had been before by name, these wonderful connections and friendships all in thanks to The Aurelia Trust Foundation. We spent the evening spilt into groups working on the Conference, our social medias, and the documentary.
On Saturday we visited Lazu Protected Houses. These people are the happiest people I have ever met, we meet one man with cerebral palsy who writes all of our names into his notebook and uses this to identify all 20+ of us! We then go to the Dolphinarium and the Zoo in Constanta, everyone enjoyed themselves.
On Sunday we were given the option to visit a Pilot Centre, Artemia Center. The teachers were a little restrained and were warning us of how our reactions may be once inside, all five girls from Skibbereen and six boys from Castlebar decide we will all do it together, and we do. It was not an easy nor a comfortable experience but I met the most amazing people who have had very difficult lives as a result of the Institutions and how cruel society can be on those who are different.
On Tuesday we held a Conference in Galati where we heard from Niall Seymour who created the project, Marie Creegan founder of The Aurelia Trust and Skibbereen, Castlebar and Romanian young people all spoke about the work we had done, our reflections of the week and the new relations we had made.
This week I Iearnt alot about myself and the world I live in. This world can be a cruel and unfair place but with activists like Marie Creegan and Niall Seymour it gives us young people the opportunity, maybe not to change the world but certainly make a difference. A huge lesson we learnt was that that small changes can make a big difference, there's no better feeling than putting a small on someone else's face. This trip has made me appreciate the good things in my life and that even a 16-year-old can make a difference.