I have no idea how long this blog will stay on the Internet. When I started it eight months or so ago I barely knew what a blog was or how to make the technology work. Eight months on and I am still pretty clueless. I am one of life's natural losers - by that I don't mean that I have a poor opinion of myself and am the opposite of a winner. I mean that I lose things a lot. Part of the reason for doing a blog was to record what was going on contemporaneously and not lose it - as I would have done with a paper record. Hopefully it will stay around and I will be able to review it in my dotage. You might have found this blog in 2021 by accident through googling 'Romania', 'Mental Health' or even 'Vlad the Impala'. I can only hope that things in the hospital have changed beyond recognition by then. I really hope that the patients I know well as friends will be in the community being supported in a way where they can start to have a life and become themselves.
Being Back
I have been back just over a month now. It still feels strange. There was a charity meeting (http://www.vfmh.org.uk/) soon after I got back. It was lovely to meet up with people who truly understood what it was like to work in the hospital because they had done the same themselves. It was also good to discuss and plan the future strategy of the charity - all for the benefit of the patients. It was really nice to see Kiki, my co-volunteer, again. We live at opposite ends of the country, so it is difficult to just drop round. One of the 'new' volunteers came to the meeting. She will be going out in January. I am so jealous, but wish her all the best with her preparations. I am sure she will love it.
Most of my time at the moment is being spent job hunting. I have had a couple of near misses and have some interesting things in the pipeline.
Olivia
The picture of Olivia wearing a fake pink fur stole (check out a previous blog entry) is now my desktop on my laptop and I get to see her everyday. She really was a living metaphor of the whole experience. Cruelly rejected and totally dependent on someone to save her, she nevertheless grew into a strong loving and playful kitten. Kiki and I really wanted to bring her back to England. Unfortunately UK rabies control makes this nearly impossible.
We have heard that Olivia went missing from her new home two weeks ago. There were a group of children seen playing near Olivia's new home on the day she went missing. One theory is that they might have picked her up and taken her home. We really don't know. It is very upsetting.
Photos
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| I used to meet goats (and geese) all the time out jogging in Romania. This is a sign in the UK highlighting the danger of the 'untethered' goat. |
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| beware of low flying motorcycles. Explosion? - I'll let you work that out for yourselves. |
I often commented that Romania has never heard the phrase 'health and safety gone mad', in fact they have probably never heard the phrase 'health and safety'. it is one of the things I like about the country. You really notice this when you get back to the UK. Signs, barriers and restrictions all over the place.
I also noted one of my highlights in Romania being invited on a police car chase by the same policeman who had just booked me for speeding (I was doing 71 kph and really thought it was a 70 limit - it wasn't). In London the other day I saw a illegally parked police van outside a police station being towed away. - Wouldn't happen in Romania.
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| You thought I was joking didn't you. |
I miss Romania. It is a lovely place. I miss the patients. they are lovely people. I miss my co-volunteer. She and I shared a very important and unique experience. I miss Corina, VFMH's only employee. She is just an absolute star and helped Kiki and me more than she will ever know. I miss Olivia. Just watch the video in a previous blog, you'll understand. I am very lucky to live in a nice place in UK next to the sea. it is nice to be back by the sea.
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| Taken from the end of the pier. Sea good. clouds not so good. |
Anyway, that really is it.
If you haven't done already, please do take a look at the charity's web site and have a good read.
Te Pup
Paul
