Gay Romanian & Broken Bicycle

It has been slightly over two weeks since I arrived to Romania. Whole team has been busy. Here's a quick overview about what's going on:

Workwise:

* We are working on a powerpoint presentation which will be used in local schools,universities etc as an educational tool.

* We created and currently editing a video about ourselves,which will be shortly on Youtube.

* Created and translated documents,contacts etc for social partners

* Created a press release,which will be sent shortly to local media channels

* Created an initiative letter to the mayor of the city of Arad

* Established ourselves on social media 

* Ongoing Romanian language lessons

* Designing a team T-shirt

* Meeting the principals of local universities,faculties

* I am a Facebook page administrator with Rebeca

The whole MFOTB ( Many Faces of the Bicycle) team is working hard and steady in the office.

Aside the work:

The Big Cock

A week ago I was walking around the town with My "Estonia" t-shirt. Apparantly I came across as an foreigner and one older man approached Me.

The man: Hello.. Ce faci..? (How are You)

Me: Ee.. Hi..? Bine,Multumesc,si Tu..?

I was pleasantly surprised that local people are approaching Me to have a chat.

The man: I like meeting people..

Me: Well,great! Me too,especially local people from Arad * Explaining about volunteering and what I am doing etc*

The man: I mean.. I like meeting people.. I'm gay..

Me: Uhm..ee.. hehe.. well..      I'm not gay,but I'm cool with meeting people..uhm.. in general *awkward*...

The man: *Interrupts Me*   ..I have a big cock.. Do You have a big cock..?

Me:  *Impulsively* No ,I dont have a big cock...ee..anyhow..I'm in a hurry now with getting to work.

*Thanked the man for the awkward chat and moved on*

Corruption

In My first week already I ran into a quite huge crowd protesting on the streets of Arad against corrupt goverment ,after the tragic accident in the night club of Bucharest. Politically interesting times here,as Romanians are concidering implying technocrat goverment.

Market by the Prison

Our cool Romanian language teacher Narcis took Us to the local market to have a language lesson. We indeed expanded our vocabulary and practiced interacting with locals. The market itself is located right behind the prison wall.. Gypsy grannies selling apples under the prison guard towers. 

Locals themselves were really friendly and helpful though as they were happy to teach us new words etc.. despite some of them were bald guys in leather jackets and gold chains.. selling old Nokias and spoons..   Narcis promised to take us to the gypsy area for one of the lessons!

The Short Ride

Finally received the bicycle! Not very well maintained and the tires were not full,but I was willing to take care of it once I get time for that.

I was enjoying the ride to the dormitory from the office. It was 20 min. ride... Had 5-7 minutes left,being close to the dormitory. Then the pedals comes off. The whole leg of it. 

We tried to fix it with Adria,but with no result. Ended up walking with the bike by My side.

Our partnering bike repair center is in the downtown,so I need to make time to walk with the bloody bike to the downtown,which is a roughly 40 minute walk even without a bike by my side.

In General

The weather is nice and I walk to the office and back. 8 km daily.  On some quiet evenings I go jogging.. or more likely end up drinking casual beer with the other volunteers at our place or in a place called KF in the downtown.

Week 1

Three members of our team were present. Antonio,Rebeca and Dora were about to arrive later in the evening. Adria,Patricija and I met our faciliator Roxana at 10 am.

We took the tram to the city center to open a bank account. The price of the ticket is 2 lei's, which is 45 euro-cents and he ticket is valid for 60 min. 

It took ages to open a bank account due to local byrocracy. Spent few hours for sure there. We have a Romanian bank account now,but we are getting a card after 3 months because..  well.. thats the policy here. To get money,I need to go to the office with My ID. 

Antonio,Rebeca and Dora arrived later on Monday evening,so We had all our team together now.

On Tuesday We went together with Roxana to the town again to open a bank account for the rest of us and aswell get a Romanian phone number from Vodafone. Another eternity of time spent,but got it done.

Rest of the week We were meeting the people from the organisation,getting to know each other and the place and the people involved etc.

We are not getting the bicycles yet though because most of them were previously stolen from the student campus. We need to wait until older volunteers leave,which is during this week,so We will get their bikes.

On Friday We made a pairs and had a game to discover the town.I was by lottery paired with My roomie Adria. We had to interview random people in Arad and take photos of local attractions and important places etc.. Happened to have an interview with a principal of the local college.

By the weekend,the older volunteers are organising a welcoming-party for us!

Welcome to Romania!

Getting to Arad was an adventure within adventure. Adventureception. Plane Tallinn - Stockholm - Budapest  and the train Budapest - Arad.

Took time to look around in Stockholm and Budapest before getting on a train to Romania. I arrived to the train station of Arad at 20.22 on 1st of November. I forgot that Hungary and Romania live in different time zones,therefore I was lucky to accidentaly notice that I am in Arad. Grabbed My luggage and rushed out of the train.

My Estonian phone nr is not working here and I am not blessed with free wifi here in these countries,therefore being at the right place at the right time was crucial. 

Hopped out of the train and was excited to finally be in Arad. Had a chat with a local taxi driver who was baiting for costumers in front of the train station. He tried to pusrsue Me into taking a cab,but I had an agreed meeting with a representative of Multisport Experience.

And the president of the organisation ,Delia,personally picked Me up from the train station,which is located comfortably nearby the city center. She took Me to the fast food place and let Me choose My dinner and paid for Me. Free dinner,eh.

We took the snack with Me to the dormitory. You could hear the noise,laughter and buzz in the corridor,rooms,kitchen. I was introduced to the other volunteers living in the dorm. There are people from Turkey,Italy,France mainly. Everyone were awesome and fun.

Multisport prepared a little welcome-pack consisting of some Romanian sweets and a cap..which I will prolly never wear.

Soon enough I met My roommate,who arrived earlier in a day. Adria - a catalunian guy with a beard and FC Barcelona logo tattoo'd on his chest. A real cycling guru,who have cycled all the west coast of france and published a book. We are likely-minded and share motivations,so we click really well . Had a fine evening and went to sleep into the week one.

Bed & Food

Volunteers are provided with a free accomodation in a local student campus. The whole floor,with a kitchen and washing machine is for us and the other international volunteers who are working with our organisation,but different project (The Habit of Running team e.g.)

We are sharing the dormitory by two volunteers per room. A small simple room with two beds,table,cubboard,chair. University students may know. Kitchen,bathroom etc are all in fine condition. During the evenings volunteers gather in the kitchen for mutual beer and chat and fun.

EVS provides us with the monthly allowance and money for food in a value of 700 Romanian Lei's. It will make around 150 euros,which is more than enough to get by in Romania.

Many Faces of the Bicycle

The name of the project is "Many Faces of the Bicycle". Our objective is to promote health benefits,environmental advantages and convenience as the mean of transportation of cycling.

We are looking to organise informational workshops in local schools,universities and other establishements whom are interested. We try to create a community of cyclists of different age and level and have regular gatherings to cycle together and recruit new enthusiasts to the sports club.

Here is our team of volunteers for the next 9 months:

Anton - Estonia
Patricija - Poland
Adria - Spain (Catalunia)
Dora - Portugal
Antonio - Italy
Rebeca - Spain

We are being tutored,guided and supported by the Multisport office members Michal,Roxana and Andreia.

Twice a week We are having romanian language courses with Narcis.

Volunteers will receive physical preparation by professional sports coach Dan.

As the members of the sports club We have free access to the other local sports establishements and activities in the town as the swimming pool,ultimate frisbee training etc.

Each volunteer receives a bicycle for personal use.

Multisport Experience Sports Club

My hosting organisation is named Multisport Experience Club or Clubul Sportiv Experienta Multisport in Romanian. 




http://experientamultisport.ro/

Multisport is a non-profit organisation in Arad,Romania which is promoting and organising public sports events and workshops in a local community. The main emphasis is set on running,swimming and cycling,aswell duathlons and triathlons.

Multisport is working closely with the city hall of Arad and other local organisations on improving infrastructure for the sports activities and discovering new routes,paths for running and cycling within the city and promoting active lifestyle in general.

My name is Anton and I am an EVS volunteer.

* What is this blog about?

This is a blog about My 9-month stay in Romania as an EVS volunteer from 01.10.2015 - 31.07.2016

* What is EVS?

European Voluntary Service (EVS) is the European Commission's project that allows a young person (18–30 years) to become a volunteer in another country for a specified period, normally between 2–12 months. The service activities can be, for example, in the field of environment, arts and culture, activities with children, young people or the elderly, heritage or sports and leisure activities. Each project has three partners, a volunteer, a sending organisation and a host organisation. The project has to take place in a country other than where the volunteers lives, is non-profit-making and unpaid and lasts for a limited period (maximum 12 months).An EVS project involves a triangular partnership: a volunteer, a sending organisation, and a host organisation. One of the countries involved in a project must be an EU Member State or an accession country
he volunteer's allowance is fixed per host country and is paid in full to the host organisation to be given to the volunteer weekly or monthly
All volunteers are insured for sickness, accidents, permanent invalidity, and repatriation in case of serious illness, accident, and death through Cigna. The insurance also covers civil liability. This insurance complements the protection provided by the national social security (if applicable) which is proven by the E111 (or similar) form of the volunteer. All insurance costs are paid directly by the European Commission and they are not included in project budgets

*Where am I located?

I am doing My volunteering project in Arad,Romania.

Romania

The City of Arad