Waiting

While September signals the beginning of the school year, that hasn't been the case for this Peace Corps Volunteer.  The Romanian education system is in a flux this year following the results of the end of year baccalaureate exams last year.  The Economist covered the results last July saying, "...the results of the Romanian school-leaving baccalaureate exam were released. They did not make for pretty reading. Following an anti-cheating initiative that saw CCTV cameras installed in schools, pass rates plummeted. Over half the students taking the exam failed; just two years ago, the pass rate was over 80%. In some schools, not a single student passed."  This has lead to different start of the school year across Romania with students now having to take initial tests in each subject to try to help establish a baseline of student's ability.  

For me this has meant that I haven't been able to do anything in the classroom yet.  There has been intense pressure on the teachers in my school to create the initial tests, review the previous year with the students and give the tests.  My counterpart told me that all the reviewing and testing needs to be done by Romanian teachers; so it's easier if I am not in the classroom.  

I took my queue and have been engaged in other activities.  The second week of school I learned that I will have a new classroom this year so I spent time clearing out the old one and decorating the new one (I'll get some new photos eventually). The nice thing about having done this once before I feel quite a bit more calm about the process.  

Outside of school, I have also been cooking a fair amount. I enjoyed the bounties of the late summer harvest making peach pancakes and then started right on fall produce making apple sauce and roasted butternut squash.  I also enjoyed the bounties of a care package from home using cranberries and walnuts from my parents to make cookies to take to the NGO where I volunteer.

Peach pancakes

Roasted butternut squash and pasta

Cranberry walnut oatmeal cookies

Next week looks like I will finally start working in the classroom.  The end of this week we should have the results from the initial tests.  I still do not know how this will play out in terms of what I will be teaching, but I am learning patience is a necessary virtue, especially as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Catching Summer (continued)

As mentioned in my previous post, I spent the middle of August in a small village in the mountains working at a day camp centered around creative arts.  In the afternoons we had optional activities with the kids out of the classroom.  We played games on the field behind the school and hiked in the local hills.

red light, green light

 

a trek up to Ghimes to see an old border tower of the Austro-Hungarian empire

   

a hike up in the hills

 

Mr. Cojacaru, the school director, telling the students about what happen in the community during WWII.

 

back to the school for a bonfire and roasting pig fat (a Romanian delicacy) 

Romanian twister

Red Rover

more hill hiking

 

looking down at Palanca (the school is housed in the green and yellow buildings in the middle)

 

At the end of the week we had a exhibition for the parents and community members to show off what the kids had done all week. The visual arts group displayed their paintings and drawings, music sang songs in Romanian and English, and theater performed a short play.  Diplomas were also handed out to everyone that participated in the camp.

Mr. Cojocaru, the school director, opens the performance.

  

The music and visual art students sing a song to open the play, a modified version of "The Wheels on the Bus"

 

Students in the play

 

The audience and VIPs in the front row, including the mayor.

 

music

It was a grand ending to a lovely week at camp.

Catching Summer

In the middle of August I had the privilege of working at a camp designed by a fellow volunteer, Mil, in her small mountain community.  The camp was focused on creative arts, letting children choose what they wanted to focus on for the week.  We had three groups, theater, music and visual arts, run by Peace Corps volunteers.  Sadly, Mil had to leave Peace Corps due to medical issues and couldn't be there for the camp.  Luckily, Mil's school colleagues stepped in to finish planning and make the camp a reality.

The camp was hosted at the şcoala generală with a daily program of art from 9-1, then a lunch break until 4 when we would meet back at school for games or a hike.  We worked on projects to present to the community in a showcase at the end of the week.  The music group performed songs in both Romanian and English, the theater group performed a short play in English and the visual arts group had an exhibition.  The Peace Corps volunteers were hosted by local families for the week.  I worked with the visual arts group for the week.

The school director and Crina, the main camp organizer, opening the week and having students pick their interest.

the visual arts group

 in the art room

 our first project, a group collage

 the music group hard at work with Julie and Ben

 one of the amazing lunches that were prepared by teachers and parents

 doing portraits of friends

 day 3, a few more students

 the theater and art groups doing morning warm-ups in the gym

 making individual crests

 

 PCVs in props for the play

 music and arts groups practicing the opening song for the play in the showcase