19 de decembrie: Mos Craciun

On 19th of december, Santa Claus, sooner than normal, came to Slobozia to give presents to our kids. But why did he come so soon? And how did he know about our kid's wishes? I will explain you:

At the end of november the kids wrote beautiful letters full of their wishes and colors. They used glitter, tempera colors and markers to do amazing letters to impress Santa Claus. 

They did envelops too, and they wrote Santa Claus's adress on them, as you know, Santa lives on North Pole. So we put the letters in a big package and we sent it to the North Pole.

Everyone knows that Santa Claus has a lot of work on december, so to help Santa we try to collect as more toys as possible with the support of Slobozia citizens.

For this, the volunteers created a big poster to hold on different schools and high schools around the town. 

We made pictures of the letters and a big list with all the wishes of our kids, so everyone can see what they wanted for Christmas. We asked for support for the project we called "A smile for Christmas" to bring presents for our kids to the schools.

To spread the project we collaborated with other young volunteers of the Direction of Social Assistance and Childhood Protection. We went with them to the schools and high schools and we talked with the students. This was a good part of the project, and the feedback was amazing: on 19 of december, with the help of Santa and Slobozia citizens, all our kids had their "smile for Christmas".

To welcome Santa Claus, the educators and the kids prepared a big party in the Direction's building. Other volunteers and workers were also there to see our kids perfomances.

Vila Cristina started with a traditional dance and a Christmas poem. Vila Marian and Vila Raluca sang and recited poems too.  Even TV1 were there to record our kids and show them to all Slovozia through television. 

After educator's performance volunteers sang with the kids. First older kids sang some carols like O Tannenbaum with Miriam playing trombone. Then the smaller kids sang romanian and spanish carols with Daniel and me playing guitar and some kids playing intruments like triangle, maracas and bells.After the party all kids could enjoy their toys, games and new clothes with a big big smile!

Al :)
 

Christmas!

On december we did a lot of Christmas activities, crafts, games, cooking... 

-At the beginning of december we did an Advent Calendar made of penguins. And

every morning, if the kids were good last day, they could find sweets in the penguin.

-One day we cooked a Santa's face with salami and cheese, and a snowman with oreo and color chocolate:

 We made crafts to decorate the Vilas, like snowflakes, Santa Claus faces, stars and little Christmas trees, and even a Chritsmas crafts competition. We learn a lot of romanian Christmas carols, and we teach the kids german, english and spanish carols too. At the end we can sing Silent Night in 4 languages! 

Al :)

6 de decembrie: Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas, also called 
Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic Bishop of  Myra in Lycia. Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus, whose modern name comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas, itself from a series of elisions and corruptions of the transliteration of "Saint Nikolaos".

Saint Nicholas primary virtue came to be seen as generosity to children—rooted in the stories of rescuing the desperate maidens with gold for their dowries and of saving three children or schoolboys from an evil fate. Nuns in France began leaving treats on Saint Nicholas Eve, December 5th, for the small children of poor families. St. Nicholas' gifts were usually: apples, oranges, nuts, and eventually sweets.

Nowadays, good children receive treats, candies, cookies, apples and nuts while naughty children receive lumps of coal. In Germany, children put a sock outside their bedroom doors on the eve of Saint Nicholas Day, and hope to find candy, coins and maybe a small gift in them. In the Netherlands, children put their shoes in front of their chimneys in hopes of finding chocolate or a small toy in their shoe when they wake.
Saint Nicholas Day children's gift-giving custom spread through the Low Countries, Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland and England. It took root across most of northern and central Europe, as far east as Romania.

On 6th of december we wanted to do this tradition with our kids, so we started making our own socks: each kid drew, painted and cut a  Christmas sock.
In the evening all the kids together sang Christmas carols in english, spanish, german and rumanian, and suddenly Saint Nicholas appeared!!!

 









 




Saint Nicholas had a golden book with the names of the good and bad kids, so he talked with the kids to remind them that there is some behaviour that they should change or keep if they are good. He fullfilled the socks with oranges, peanuts, juice, chocolates and a little toy and he gave socks to everyone.

We are so happy that Santa Nicholas came to visit us and gave us presents. It was a funny and exciting evening that we hope the kids won´t forget.

   Al :)

1 de decembrie: Ziua Unirii

First of december is the national day in Romania, celebrating and remembering first of december of 1918. On this date, in Alba Iulia, the union of all provinces in Romania: Transilvania, Valaquia, Moldavia, Basarabia and Bucovina, was signed by the "Big Assembly of Romanian people of Transilvania and Hungary". Thus territories on both sides of the Carpatians were united. 

Every first of december there are military parades and masses in honor of romanian union.

Here in Slobozia addition to parades, it was a big party in Union Square (Piata Uniri) with traditional music, dances and food. Everyone had a romanian flag and a big smile.

We danced and enjoyed romanian spirit. :D

Al :)

Treisprezece, un japonez dj, cel mai rău kebab si lingură

Last weekend Daniel and me made a trip in the direction of Moldova.

We started at 5 A.M preparing a backpack and chesse sandwiches, and we went to the bus station. We arrived to Braila at 9 on a cold morning (well, not for Daniel, a true german used to german winters) and we walked at main streets.

Braila has 168,389 inhabitats. The old center of the city has many 19th century buildings, some of them fully restored.
The most important monuments are the Greek Church, erected at 1865, the Sfintii Arhangheli Church,built during the Ottoman rule (until 1831), the 19th century Sfântul Nicolae Church, also from the 19th century, the Maria filotti theatre, the Palace of Culture and its Art Museum, the History Museum, and the old Water Tower. Another important site is the Public Garden, a park situated above the bank of the Danube with a view over the river.

   

We left Braila on afternoon in the direction of Galați. We went to the main road with a big paper with the name of the town and a big smile, waiting for someone generous who wanted to pick us up. Luckily we found Viorel. 

Viorel likes snow. He doesn´t understand why it is not snowing now. All winters he goes with his family to Brasov to ski. He worked in Germany, Moldovia and Holland, so he can speak german but he feels more comfortable speaking english. He was born in Slobozia (coincidence?) but his family moved to Braila when he was 1 year old. 

Viorel picked us up in his big car and he drove to Galați center. He explained to us the interesting places of the town and he left us in the Danube riverside. 
To say us goodbye he told us this sentence:
"Remember that comunism is not in the buildings or places, comunism is in minds, enjoy the town".

Galați has 231,204 residents. Its name means "fortress". Its a cultural city with a lot of palaces, monuments, theaters, museums and universities. In Bram Stoker´s novel Dracula, Galați is the port at which Count dracula disembarked on his way back to Transylvania.

 We walked through the town. We were in a book shop where Daniel bought Alice through the mirror (romanian edition, of course) and we decided to eat in a fast food. We order, like always, one kebab and one vegetarian sanwich ("fara carne"). We ate it watching on tv a romanian dancing program. It was the worst kebab ever. 
We decided to go to watch a play in the Drama Theater at 7, so until this hour we spent time in a bar drinking wine.
In this bar a japanese dj was making a soundcheck for her performance at night, so we could drink the wine enjoying japanese tecno music.
At 7 we went to the theater but unfortunately it was full. When we were walking to the exit so disappointed, a man came to us and he said: okay, there are two seats free that you can use!
So we could watch the play, and for free! The name of the play was Treisprezece (thirteen)and it was about adolescence, this complicated stage.
We didn´t understand mostly of the words but we understood the argument and we really liked it.

After the play we had dinner in a cool underground restaurant and we came back to the bar. The show was starting and we could enjoy the techno party with Ruca Apple, the japanese dj.

As you can see, Daniel was so happy and motivated in the techno party, like a true german.
We left Galati in the morning. On the way to Braila (we walked a few kilometers) we found a little dog so slim and hungry. We gave to her little pieces of cheese and water and she followed us all the way.

You can call her Spoon.
Al :)

Music week

After our theater week with the kids, we made a music week.

 

 This time we made rhythm games, music with everyday objects like cups, music with our body, dancing and singing, crafts to create own instruments, improvisation with real intruments...

Kids love music so it was a funny week and very creative!

Here you can see a video of Vila Raluca kids playing different instruments:

 

Al ;)