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12/13/2005 - Bacau: Here Romanians Work Together Beautifully by Cristina Merrill

CM ROMANIA Cristina Merrill John O Crane Memorial Fellow Institute studying Ceausescu communist Romania Bacau Here Romanians Work Together Beautifully By Cristina Merrill DECEMBER BUCHAREST Romania I shall always remember Bacau opening beautiful things happening country Last month I wrote about visit there painter Ioan Maric charmed world creates countryside living I stayed inspired unbeatable cooking hostess where I lodged kinder gentler existence hours outside capital The longer I stayed I appreciate merits mulled peppery brandy The freezing weather seasonal enough indoor jubilance One early morning I I ready anything after eating through hearty breakfast thick slices fresh homemade bread generous portions several marmalades three melet enough stubborn frequenter locales As I found there sitting without wanting With taste strong sweet Turkish coffee still nudging tongue grinds prove I arrived Ovidiu Rom Association headquarters downtown witness another miracle unfolding Moldavian three hours north Bucharest organization works disadvantaged families mostly Gypsy origins helping parents career training suading education begging answer their children future The program helps empower impoverished mothers their children pioneered Leslie Hawke mother U S actor Ethan Hawke Maria Gheorghiu dynamic Romanian educator With several programs Bacau Bucharest become Romania successful nongovernmental organization The association named after Roman Ovid spent years Romanian Constanta wrote The Metamorphoses Its programs according founders about personal metamorphosis Rom meaning referring Romania Roma The association model collaboration between public private domains The issues Ovidiu Rom deals highly complex elements specific world poverty induced begging prejudice against Gypsies better Roma increasingly called avoid stereotyping Com munist legacy authoritarian teaching methods encourage creativ incentive The mostly Romanian joint effort opposed charity import commonly found after Revolution toppled Nicolae Ceausescu regime proves fertile another democracy community spirit Le Hawke famous helped licity mileage funds Ovidiu Rom short amount Ms Hawke experienced fundraiser public private U S funds The association first fundraiser which produced close billed social event Held around Halloween passionate teacher whose mother educator traditionalist wanted start thing helped advance possibly change fashioned Romanian centered school atmosphere lacking basic student teacher interac She undergone Step Step training which billionaire investor philanthropist George Soros foundation Open Society Institute pioneered The Step instruction reform education systems Eastern Europe fostering interactive dynamic ronments parents teachers dents ultimately encourage children sufficient confident ative decision makers I nothing against traditionalism I always possible better cation beyond school based learning teaching Ms Gheorghiu association Ethan Hawke center together Romania prime minister ecutive director A common friend Halloween Charity Ball hosted Ovidiu Rom Bucharest American International Palace Parliament eyesore former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu behind legacy madness three affair featuring actor attracted Romanian expat elite And irony having major Communist monument festooned talist glitz organizers T shirts occasion carried wording People Palace Bucharest The world second largest building dictator fantasy change The press raved about M Hawke confident Peace Corps volunteer assigned Ro mania instead choice Ecuador She decided something after first street children begging Bacau named Alex As herself recounts story I wound taking Fundatia Sp rijin Comunitar Community Aid Foundation NGO I worked stayed there three He seemed thrilled there third mother showed absolutely taken primary breadwinner family first introduction complexities child begging Roma these tually supporting their families So institution things better At Ms Gheorghiu School Ms Hawke touch match worked start Child begging When cannot proud Child begging unpleasant urban problems facing Communist Romania It heart breaking children working subways Bucharest tourist areas sometimes carrying newly babies lambs clutched Christmas effect Some drugs Recently looking young passed passen subway correspondent His raised blessed crowd Whatever their miserly conditions these children always Maybe because still young haven learned bitter instinctively Solomon words Pleasant words honey Sweet healing bones His seemed light remembering still child caught sight woman poodle He smiled fraction second direction He quickly regained severe composure Retreating empty corner train pulled started sniffing He existed world The regime permit handling which would embarrassed glorious system though solve hidden prejudice either All Roma nians obligated schooling necessarily learn along Worse Gypsies being marginalized their Romany language forbidden their children schools people special needs inferior education cause perform culturally biased tests Once Ceausescu deposed sudden arrival unchecked capitalism unemployment caused Roma resort desperate means When cannot afford proud Catalin Manolache Ovidiu Rom teacher Romany language history Bucharest described product ghetto Roma beginnings Self preservation kicks think anything A human becomes inhuman Tough causes these children Necessity pushes juvenile petty crime I witness young rascals harassing tourists Helplessness indifference rather indignation public attitude response I stopped police officers something begging Under Romania child protection child exploitation prohibited parents making their children They shrugged their shoulders manpower serious problem without fixing deeper roots People generously children think twice about helping situation Many simply When thirty beggars fails impress Mr Manolache Poverty especially among Roma which largest minority Eu Romania estimated fourth European Roma Romanian officials minority percent country million population nongovernmental organizations experts number percent million people That number considers level their inadequate access education birth becomes escalating social problem According World Bank between Roma living Europe primary school education Fewer percent higher education Poverty rates Roma range between times Roma Bulgaria Hungary Romania nearly percent Roma Romania Bulgaria As Ovidiu Rom literature explains A young child begging often primary source income these families younger child effective obtaining money strangers Many children street school pletely illiterate They range majority between In inspired The Doe Fund New York based nonprofit assists homeless obtain grant United States Agency Inter national Development USAID Ms Hawke started training program mothers She U S Ready Willing Able In other words offered opportunity created those commitment change their proposition always accomplish because complex issues involved The Decade Roma Inclusion finally reaches Romania I trust readers aware reputation Roma nonconformists Believed descendants INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS early nomad tribes northwestern India known Punjab settled throughout Europe centuries enslaved until 1800s De pending politics Roma eccentricity viewed reason conse quence their having grated mainstream society Roma women exotic beauty colorful pleated skirts their renowned talents musicians master metal craftsmen helped create times inspired fairy tales enjoy Roma But jects themselves experience crimination prejudice daily basis The stereotype Gypsies caravan travelers often washed prowl sisted until modern times In world Roma children warned correspondent recalls childhood beware knife yielding Gypsies looking their limbs begging The Romas peculiar traditions danger disap pearing result cohesion across borders education unique Mr Manolache important Roma rekindle spirit their culture proud their creative talents He heeding advice Two years station going nowhere while enrolled Bucharest University college Romany language civilization Gypsies talented His pencil portraits members staff prominently displayed association Bucharest headquarters Some musicians Romania wedding playing lautari Gypsy As Mr Manolache music performed Roma turies living Gypsies their different songs Lately music trend become controversial Manele singing inspired Turkish Arabic music origi nated among Gypsies after being quickly absorbed young Roma attracting criticism Gypsies being taste Let Gypsies their music Mr Manolache Why cannot Roma accept Gyp listening manele Over Gypsies formed types music Gypsies themselves This Gypsies Ovidiu Rom students serenaded correspondent couple occasions improvised manele performances Mr Manolache advised correspondent proper usage Gypsy Roma It fusing especially since reporter recently rected Sarah Scheele European Union chief delegation being using former Gypsies identify another Gypsies Nobody offended depends intonation When write articles Roma In order Romania worthy entry European Union nation strongly encouraged adopt mainstream politically correct Roma taken Ro Roma related issues become integral European Union member process In Romania currently chairing tiative launched backed Open Soci Institute Endorsed countries Central Eastern Europe including Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic Hungary Decade Roma Inclusion major effort designed ensure Roma equal access education housing employment healthcare Even before became trendy about Roma Ms Hawke decided something needed She decided getting mothers education important first She called Mothers Pro Many Roma women pregnant early school Couples rarely marry legally because birth babies outside reach health civil systems their children birth certificates The behind Ready Willing Able program bringing income mothers would forced their children street cover basics medicine In addition women accepted Mothers Program which operates Bacau Bucharest receive counseling training ongoing services emergency family planning services advocacy intervention agencies their behalf Costs Bucharest programs about School Second Home Much More Alongside Ready Willing Able program mothers Ms Hawke Ms Gheorghiu started multi tiered program children educated Dubbed First Chances otherwise sidelined mainstream school system Depend level child preparation program provides intensive grade acceleration courses older children missed school years In Roma children grade three times kicked school system Because poverty culture induced barriers Roma children situation Through Ovidiu Rom I handfuls teenage first graders The Bucharest program enrolled first grade according center director Daniela Stoicescu The association offers remedial teaching kindergar services scholarships homework support children proper conditions study considering households running water basic furniture Staffers Bacau Bucharest actively recruit kindergarten grade school summer school Once child deemed ready stream these employees local officials educators students integrated regular classes Every children vitamins catered lunches They teacher You concen trate stomach growl On I visited Bucharest center which operates rooms within local school considered crime ridden delivery brought steaming plates cooked chicken mashed potatoes pickled peppers fresh The children proved wonderful hosts brought separate portion Eat urged proudly Romanian Impressively cleaned after eating I heard toddler delicious freshly scrubbed uniform thank teacher Sarut Translated I hands polite Romanian thank women It sexist I highly pardonable fence muttered dimpled munchkin For almost children Maria Bold favorite Bucharest program Ovidiu Rom second godsend As Mr Manolache explained mother doned Maria grandmother raising conditions running water TV He before visited understand loath leave classes ended Instead preferred around herself useful clean school water flowers Maria seems blossomed As grateful opportunity Ovidiu Rom provided Maria wears permanent She constantly laughs dances engages others conversation After visit I stopped telling I understand comes school feels should Mr Manolache representative about Ovidiu Rom In previous children couldn Here It proves children In every loves everybody As about organization spread program offerings increased As initiative launched summer sponsored U S telecommunications company Nobel impoverished children benefit after school interactive puter English courses Ovidiu Rom neered program encourages rebuilding urban ghetto areas grassroots level The possibilities almost great enormous demand Ovidiu Rom services On employees field calls social workers eager their clients Ovidiu Rom classes mothers access cation themselves their children Just recently mother Bucharest location enroll classes Space tight stretched staff juggling families mostly single women their children Ms Stoicescu always finds Several programs sometimes simul taneously throughout rooms She heart They Employees encouraged Ms Hawke Gheorghiu creative resourceful extraordinary Roma Roma educa exceeds expectations Staffers including Ms Stoicescu involved literally aspects lives women children serve including paying bills itself commitment given bureau cracy quagmire personal visits people homes workplace The encourage women sufficient initially staff minutiae freeing mothers Staff duties start first thing morning classes begin never really Children washed water combed dressed sometimes loused sanitary worker When necessary Ovidiu Rom provide child wardrobe forms underwear coats shoes Children taught themselves their clothes which bathroom pecially designed No detail spared including physical pearance which helping women esteem Women enrolled program entitled incentive bonuses keeping certain amount Ovidiu staff Bucharest clever using these bonuses toward local hairdresser women pretty In addition Ms Stoicescu suaded stylist children When visited Ovidiu Rom sponsored primary school outskirts Bacau shoddy haircuts pretty little heads Ms Stoicescu would there Bacau teacher defended himself saying cutting unisex machine The staff energy creates accomplish Ovidiu Rom mission getting needy Romania school That Hawke Gheorghiu emphasizing collab oration between private public sectors calling everyone together order share ideas their respective communities The newly renovated space Bacau serves state kindergarten turned educational resource center entire Bacau community Several instructors Ovidiu Rom local public school trict additional preparatory training covered association itself And recently staff Bucharest presentation their modus operandi national school officials The founders philosophy stake claim education model pioneered encourage others follow spread interests children Already private donors cooperated assisting sponsoring Ovidiu Rom programs fortunately corporate social sponsibility If success Hal loween Ball proof company Most funding USAID those funds early Romania closer entering EU As result imperative association other reliable income sources nothing women children association helps educate Going forward slightly change public image Ovidiu Rom Ms Gheorghiu Ms Hawke remain fundraiser Ms Gheorghiu emphasize grown element A people Ethan Hawke organi zation It because program ninety point ninety percent Romanians She portray mirrors times I confident Romanians affect change education their responsibility actually The foreigners change things longer valid someone doesn Romania works today believes things Echoing I heard regarding avail potential there young Romanian leaders ready shape nation Maybe others haven opportunities Gypsies Romanians working together beauti thing Narcisa Cumpana proof Ovidiu Rom ceeded already The first eight children Roma family outside Bacau As child companied grandmother trains ninth grade arranged marriage school By pregnant child abusive derelict husband prison robbing kiosk In order money cigarettes begged walked streets collect scrap metal which would peddle money She after birth second child She entered Ovidiu Rom gates years When I first class children I something breaking heart I those begging street school Later night I cried myself sleep Resplendent black evening outfit baubles framing proud Ms Cumpana story cheering crowd Halloween Ball A graduate Ovidiu Rom Mothers Program rising educator Bacau She laughs boogies Her energy infectious confidence receives platform deserves I place I visited organization Bacau I Gypsies Romanians working together It beautiful The beauty Ovidiu Rom creates whenever touches something someone looks deceptively success anything facile A I about minutes Bacau Buhusi enclave solely Roma families Romanians still refer colony brought lifestyle Ovidiu Rom students mothers starkly different anything I I typical rural Roma ghetto In Bucharest other cities Roma Communist apartment buildings unimaginably dirty conditions Ovidiu Rom school center Bucharest right urban ghetto students Garbage piles these children grounds Short grimy clustered other makeshift homes Buhusi teeming children about I learn Many street children Bacau According local children hitch train Bacau morning after fruitful enough money splurge Few adults sight mothers grandmothers tending another generation I Buhusi members Ovidiu Rom Bacau Bucharest teams accompanied guide trained Ovidiu Rom state ployed social worker known health mediator Ovidiu Rom enclave under taken children program The guide Roma origin She inspect newborn later vaccinate Her overall mission serve mediator between Roma munity families necessary medicine perwork their children order mainstream health standards We newborn Although freezing outside children women clothing proper shoes Homes running water electricity One great strength order become completely broken Ms Stoicescu Bucharest center director Inside house found generations mother grandmother great grandmother older Because ceilings coming clothes airing nearby sphere heavy The small almost other piece furniture The women however cheerful They looked happy I thought perhaps Roma lifestyle derided because misunderstood Of course children deserve vaccination education white society placed emphasis changing Roma lifestyle Roma model As Mr Manolache later Roma physical location cherished spiritual place Roma attached place INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Above Many students Ovidiu Rom Bucharest program urban ghetto Right The enclave Buhusi example typical Roma ghetto where nature Som Roma tends attached abode possessions His greatly impacted possessions stolen whereas Roma would laugh something similar happened Roma reason laugh What important happiness Non Roma Romanians understand Such differences across ethnic lines compound accomplishing anything today Romania It takes especially since involves breaking habits working against ingrained preju building entirely models professional cultural social ethics Education example needs overhaul David Martinez Peace Corps volunteer works Ovidiu Rom Bacau leadership among students teachers problem observed Roma schools Poorly themselves brought institutional educational environment teach children things Worse money makes competitive another Mr Martinez roommate Peace Corps educator offered bribe teacher school where worked wouldn offer tutoring after school instruction become another source income strapped teachers Romania Corruption another problem encountered A telling example story about organized students local It closed reason prevent children offering bribe money guards inside Leadership Mr Martinez taught sports field there inter school competition Romania foster school pride example course during after classes He hoped Ovidiu Rom enterprising sphere would allow instill personal ership children Ovidiu Rom founders careful encour creativity openness smallest details Their operating spaces arrangement officials Bacau Bucharest association rooms charge public schools completely repainted tastefully redone contrast Ovidiu Rom facilities glaring As opposed public school amenities association spaces bright cheerfully decorated Colorful signs drawn encourage children follow certain rules school without reason I spect people nature things I assume responsi bility blame someone The kindergarten Bacau serves resource center community instance purposefully crammed child creation photographs dents bright shelves In empty space dency toward aggression greater according Ms Gheorghiu It could learning facility anywhere United States Western Europe Romania private kindergartens about whopping given standard living The battle Ovidiu Rom about cosmetic makeovers The children women difficult grounds Many known street vagrancy beginning Keeping school means taking street first The I visited Bacau staff members meeting several local school officials cators discuss upcom Say No Begging media campaign educate public about their generosity giving money children street quick dictive works children there It Christmas everyone wants their money campaign advance Ms Gheorghiu This explained attempt change public behavior order children lifestyles Studies minors bring income sometimes twice three times average Romanian salary panhandling which reinforces vicious cycle parent dependence children which dependent their working school hours This Bacau officials identi children streets The campaign Ovidiu Rom working collaboration other public private organizations designed alert press Bacau residents instead money should contact facilities cluding Ovidiu Rom equipped Available space children problem woman works community relief nization operates residential center street being stretched limit spots available However would anything together night But recognized street Bringing change means changing behavior among children parents society Of course changing parents attitudes hardest That Ovidiu Rom accepts program mothers ready willing towork A complex system administrative procedures potential applicant shows Ovidiu Rom employees social workers assess family financial situation parents their spouse partner order qualify money possible counsel Depending individual situations parents receive educational professional training And parents children school Ovidiu Rom ensure offspring cared No seems overlooked Some these children times through cracks because their previous teach these school failed perfor mance handicaps speech vision Ms Stoicescu fitted several children glasses Bucharest Ms Gheorghiu hoping bring speech therapist children Bacau It nonstop expensive games children Ovidiu Rom employees however The staff encourages their clients their circumstances their teachers We people instructor piece paper Another teacher agreed saying countryside where learned count using seeds beans chestnuts Ms Gheorghiu often commutes between Bacau Bucharest spends working velop staff skills Her instructors young educated system still emphasizes learning expense critical nking She plays games teachers develop their spirit observation regularly holds staff discussions lunch train rides discuss ideas screens cational movies The I visited Bacau showed videos The first A Class Divided based school teacher famous notorious experiment third graders Riceville Iowa combat racism One teacher Jane Elliott instructed class brown children superior reverse following The results apparently astounding Children believed whatever acting their superiority inferi ority respectively Children previously confi became themselves supposed inferior because their color Watching movie I thought Romanians would benefit going through experim lighter still considered better An adjective derived Gypsy times denote negative sense Roma children being therefore inferior Romanians But color accurate predictor whether Roma measure holds longer Centu inter breeding produced blond Roma And Roma Romanians especially southern country cause Turkish Slavic roots I caught Ms Cumpana poking herself couple times One jokingly children class their belief sibling blond teacher What I mother birth laughing The other movie Ms Gheorghiu played Pay It Forward Kevin Spacey social teacher challenges class change world One student devises which helps three people three others forward The necessarily those shaped further further Ms Gheorghiu We trying develop concept equality among generations She product liever chain generosity Ms Gheorghiu fessed during interview parents biological parents spiritual latter retired couple apartment build whose house child ideas openly This admitted rebel haired beauty child voice amounts energy person break rigid bonds Romanian education parenting vance concept community civic spirit education Romanian parents grandparents exaggerate their parental duties overprotecting their children their children perpetuating fiercely guarding still legacy Commu survival tactics She allowed other people beyond herself teachers daughter Diana She encour openness which together harmoniously There boundaries Ovidiu Rom people involved ready their horizons INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Current Fellows their Activities INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Richard D Connerney January INDIA A lecturer Philosophy Asian Religions Logic Rutgers University Rick Connerney spending years Phillips Talbot Fellow studying writing about intertwining religion culture politics India described former U S Ambassador John Kenneth Galbraith functioning anarchy Rick B A M A igion Wheaton College University Hawaii respectively Kay Dilday October FRANCE MOROCCO An editor New York Times Op Ed years Kay holds M A Comparative International Politics Theory Graduate Center City University New York Bachelor degree English Literature Tufts University graduate Universiteit Amsterdam Netherlands Cours Civilisation Sorbonne She traveled written Haiti began journalistic council reporter Somerville This Week Somerville MA Cristina Merrill June ROMANIA Born Bucharest Cristina moved Romania United States mother father Learning English retaining Romanian majored American History Harvard College there became captain women tennis She received Master degree Journalism New York Uni versity worked several U S publications Adweek New York Times spending years Romania watching emerge darkness Ceauscescu regime presumed light membership European Union NATO Nicholas Schmidle October IRAN A journalist researcher Pew Forum Religious Public Life Nick finishing Master program Comparative Regional Studies Middle East Central Asia American University Washington DC He studying intensive Persian fiancee Rikki Bohan anticipation departure Iran after marriage autumn Andrew J Tabler February SYRIA LEBANON Andrew lived studied worked Middle East since Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Fellowship enabled begin Arabic language studies toward Master degree American University Cairo Following Master editorships Middle East Times Cairo Times before moving Turkey Lebanon Syria working Senior Editor Oxford Business Group correspondent Economist Intelligence Unit His ICWA fellowship bases Beirut Damascus where report Lebanese affairs Syrian reform Jill Winder July GERMANY With B A politics Whitman College Walla Walla WA Master degree Art Curating Bard College Annandale Hudson NY Jill ICWA Donors Fellow looking Germany through ideas viewpoints contemporary artists Before months intensive study German language Berlin Thomas J Watson Fellow looking communist practice cultural politics transition former Soviet Czech Republic Slovakia Poland Croatia Hungary Latvia Romania Slovenia Ukraine Institute Fellows chosen basis character previous experience promise They young profes sionals funded spend minimum years carrying designed programs study writing outside United States The Fellows required report their findings experiences field month They write subject formally informally The result unique reporting analysis periodic assessment interna tional events issues Author Merrill Cristina Title ICWA Letters Europe Russia ISSN Imprint Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH Material Type Serial Language English Frequency Monthly Other Regions South Asia East Asia The Americas Mideast North Africa Sub Saharan Africa ICWA Letters ISSN published Institute Current World Affairs Inc exempt operating foundation incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 The letters provided charge members ICWA available libraries profes sional researchers subscription Phone Fax E Mail valley Web address Executive Director Peter Bird Martin Program Administrator Brent Jacobson Publications Design Management Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Af fairs The Crane Rogers Foundation The information contained newsletter reprinted published without express written consent Institute Current World Affairs