Social and recreation activities for the orphans in "Rodopski pansion" in Plovdiv

          I wanted to see a different aspect of Bulgaria and help children at the same time. This is a marvelous opportunity.
           I definitely have enjoyed the experience of meeting lots of different cultures. I think this has made me more awake of my own culture failings and strong points.

Emily Hamilton, 19 years /UK/

          I’m happy to have met many other cultures and to have learned about other people’s way of living. That was a very nice experience thanks to the kids especially but also thanks to the group.
          A voluntary workcamp is a very good way to travel, meet people, open your mind… You don’t always know how it works in other parts of the world and it’s a nice experience to have. It’s a good way to realize what you have and maybe how lucky you are to have what you have and to live where you live. Afterwards you’re more willing to help other people who have different needs (maybe more important needs) than you!
          Thanks for that experience.

Laurence Goossens, 21 years /Belgium/

          A camp where a lot of things happened and most of them were fun. I liked most organizing and doing the activities with the kids, like football and painting.
           When time went on during the camp, relations got stronger and stronger. The volunteers were really integrated with the children. We had a close group where nobody was an outsider. This was very special.
           I learned more about working with children, age 14-19, what they are interested in. I learned more about differences in character between people and how that affects working together.
           It was a very special experience for me and it was a great joy to see how the children benefit from our stay. I strongly recommend that these workcamps are continued.
           An excellent opportunity to work in another culture, with different people, have fun and learn skills you otherwise would not be able to learn easily.

Marcel Roos, 26 years /Holland/

         We played with the children, for example card games, board games, and so on. I went everywhere with the children, to the Natural history museum, hiking, festival, etc.
           I taught paper folding to the children and they were very happy.

Kanako Nishiyama, 21 years /Japan/

          Maybe it has brought me a new way of thinking, some experience with kids from another country and made me more open-minded.
           I think I will come back next year and if everything is OK the year after, etc.

Antoine Delage de Luget, 19 years /France/

          I wanted to go abroad during the summer to an interesting country that I had not visited before. I also wanted to go with a group of other people and to do something helpful and constructive for people who are victims of difficulties.
           It was very interesting and fulfilling, I am really glad I did it. I am glad we managed to make friends with some of the kids and have a friendly and playful relationship.
          I liked getting to know the other volunteers and children, carrying out ideas that we had thought of like having a campfire and painting the bedroom doors because it united everyone together.
           Such a workcamp gives you an open mind towards others with very different backgrounds. Also makes you find other ways to communicate in non-verbal ways (with gestures, etc.). I also learnt some Bulgarian.

Rosie Faragher, 19 years /Luxembourg/

          We have been all the time with the kids and I believe that this is the most important. I liked it to have good relations with children, to play with them.
It has learnt me to be more patient and accept other attitudes that from my point of view are not totally right.

Raquel Alsina Armengol, 23 years /Spain/

          The main aim of the workcamp which is to spend our time with children in the orphanage was achieved in many different ways. Our goal of making the orphanage a better place to live for the children was also achieved, through the cleaning and the door-painting. A reasonable amount of trips were taken with the children.
           I personally liked the door-painting and the different trips the most. Communication with children is often enhanced through activities with them. The trips were fun. Free time was great since Plovdiv is such a dynamic city.
           The idea of International Workcamp is such a brilliant idea and have been proven successful through our experiences. Many cultures were shared among new friends throughout these workcamps. Much flexibility in building the programs of workcamps allows volunteers to fully contribute their skills and talents. The idea of International workcamp should be more widely spread throughout the world so more volunteers can get involved.

Wing Man Wong, 18 years /Hong Kong/

          I wanted to return to Bulgaria for this workcamp experience. I am interested in voluntary work and find working with these kids a very positive and motivating experience.
          I feel this is a positive and inspiring place to volunteer and this is all due to the kids. They are welcoming and loving people and make you want to work and achieve together as a group.
          I liked most painting the doors in the corridor. We got the kids ideas and drawings and created personal murals onto the bedroom doors. I feel this has been a nice contribution to the space that hopefully can be carried on by future camps.
I think we achieved quite a lot. We wanted to do something to the environment of the orphanage and we did with bright paintings on bedroom doors but also tried to have a balance with passing time – talking and learning together.
          We made good use of our free time and always going out as whole group and I think this was great for group morale and allowing us to feel we had made progress each day.
          I feel grateful for the experience and feel it has exposed to me many aspects of my character. I enjoyed the group support and have benefited from sharing ideas and working them to activities.

Isla May Currie, 19 years /Scotland, UK/

          Very happy about the workcamp. Very happy about the communication between the kids and the volunteers even if sometimes it’s difficult to deal with their feelings.
           I am more open-minded and I have learned many new things about other ways of living and other cultures.

Anne Huberlant, 21 years /Belgium/

           It’s very interesting and exciting workcamp for me to make friends with orphans and volunteers, to know about Bulgaria and Plovdiv and spend time with orphans and volunteers. We had a wonderful time.
           I liked to play with orphans most. I had a great time with them. I’m very happy because they are very active and try to communicate with us.
           I had great relations with the children. I had great relations within the group too. I could meet different culture and people. It was very good for me.

Megumi Motoyoshi, 19 years /Japan/

          It’s a very interesting project to know other country, its culture and the reality of the teenagers of the orphanage. It has been a great experience for me and it has been great for my professional future.
There are no words to explain this experience. The only way to understand it is living it.

Rocio Del Rio Lorenzo, 19 years /Spain/ 

          I think the project is a very good idea. I liked the times the most when we were active with the children – painting the doors and the treasure hunt were fun.
          I have gained a new experience and I think it was important to have done it.

Eileen Weinert, 23 years /Germany/