ROMANIA RE-VISITED '07-'08

In January 2007 Romania, along with Bulgaria, was admitted to the European Union. However conditions still have to be met and the Romanian Government continues to work to eliminate corruption, put acceptable legal practices in place and meet objectives connected with farming issues. Most Romanians are happy with the move, but some regret the restricted access to labour markets in some EU states.

We have been fortunate to maintained links with Romania through our colleague Dr Nicolae Muica, a retired Geography academic. He has been central to helping us with support for the hospital and communities of the Patârlagele Villages in Buzau County, some 200 km
north east of the capital Bucharest.
Patârlagele gained ‘town’ status in 2004. EU funding is helping to improve communications. Many houses now sport a Sky dish and mobile phones are hugely popular. However,many villages are remote and cut off from main routes by rough dirt tracks. The horse and cart is still a major means of transport. In remote villages much of the water is collected from nearby wells and the earth closet is still in evidence. Most rural pupils’ education is completed at 14 years, unless they have the ability and means to travel some distance to the lycée.
In the summer of 2007 we visited Romania with our caravan. We travelled as far as the western city of Cluj-Napoca where we met Nicolae.
Nicolae continues to visit to Patârlagele. Funds have been used to buy a photo copier for a remote school at Muscel. At another village, Valea Sibiciului, a donation was made to the poor of the village to provide food and clothing.
At Patârlagele Hospital comfortable chairs have been provided in the adult dining room. Last year Nicolae travelled with one of the hospital staff to the nearby town of Nehoiu. They purchased a cooking stove for the adult wards. Hospital staff are delighted with the purchase which has greatly improved their ability to provide meals for the patients.
In the distant village of Mânasteria, reached only by a rough dirt track, some of the money is helping to build a new church to provide much needed spiritual support.
We would like to thank Nicolae for his continued support and interest in the communities of the Patârlagele Villages of Romania where his help is much appreciated.

Marion and David Turnock – January 2008