Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sites and Spaces
Here is an initial view of the areas that surround me. Right now the pictures don't have much meaning attached to them, but as my journey continues I hope that the "sites and spaces" turn into "people and places". As a note, most Romanians listen to music from America; our culture has considerable influence on many aspects of Romanian life. Yet I find comfort in the fact that when I go grocery shopping Jack Johnson echoes throughout the store. Enjoy!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Voices of Discernment
Yesterday provided a unique opportunity to meet with an "occupational therapist" who works with adults with mental health issues (a co-worker of Madalin's). While occupational therapy as we know it does not exist in Romania, many people practice similar principles with a variety of populations. Right now a group of occupational therapists is working towards creating a national association to gain recognition and developing a professional degree-- the process is inherently slow.
During the sessions with his clients (they just come freely and interact as a group), he works on a variety of craft/woodwork projects that provide a sense of accomplishment and purpose. His clients love coming to see him everyday because of his warm, encouraging attitude, his sense of humor, and his genuine instillment of self-worth in his clients. After explaining the general concept of occupational therapy in the US and how we specifically work with mental health issues I couldn't help but wonder what the long-term goal of his sessions were. He replied that the goals of therapy would theoretically be similar to what I mentioned-- independence, productive living, and community integration. However, many barriers exist in the current system. Most of the clients live at home and cannot find employment simply due to their diagnosis. Many of the limitations placed on these clients are socially constructed due to misconstrued biases, fear, and misunderstanding (and tend to be more blatant than those still in existence in the US). Additionally, the therapy sesssions are funded by the European Union that demands specific projects to be outlined with the inclusion of their ideals, standards, and expectations. Unfortunately not many of these principles align with the improved performance and participation of the clients served.
While discussing these issues I couldn't help but relate my current situation with the language barrier to that of the clients with mental health issues. We all have a voice, but depending on who is listening we are not always understood. And so we stumble through our current situation, making the most of what we can, using our resources to the best of our abilities, in hopes that something will change. Fortunately as occupational therapists we have the ability, nay responsibility, to serve as a translator for our clients so that they can be heard and their participation can be augmented. When we better understand the needs and situations of our clients, as well as the perceptions and inner-workings of organizations that influence our practice, only then can the current standards of practice be influenced. Advocacy in our profession is not an option-- there are too many voices that remain suspended in the air.
This first meeting marked the beginning of many interactions and opened the door to a new area of work while I'm in Romania. I hope to shadow the therapist, learn more about his work and ideologies, and provide foundations towards the future of occupational therapy in Romania. Already he has shared ideas of developing camps/programs for adolescents with mental health concerns, primarily social deficits, that open a door of opportunity for me to collaborate with him. Excitement abounds with this new relationship!
Oh, I cannot neglect to mention a wonderful strategy he uses that every therapist should employ on a daily basis: to prepare his mood and sense of humor he watches 2-3 humorous videos on YouTube. Try it someday and you might be amazed at how much it improves your relationship with your clients.
Today I finally met with the caregivers for the first time to discuss (interactively, of course) the principles of occupational therapy, how we work with children and caregivers, the basic concepts of the practice model I developed, and to get their feedback. Using PowerPoint, I composed a variety of slides with roles and occupations that might encompass them, asking them to raise their hand if it was true of them. Then I showed them slides of some assistive technology we teach clients how to use, again asking them if they had seen the devices before (a reacher, ACC, universal cuff, TTB, and commode were some of the devices they did not know). Finally, while I went through the practice model I gave them handouts that had blank spaces for them to write as they followed along. Most of them seemed to like the visual representation of child development and how they can influence the outcomes of a child.
After the lesson I wanted to gain their insight and opinions on various topics. Several groups have been here in the past year that taught Montessori methods to the caregivers, but not many of the methods lasted long-term after the instructors left. To prevent from making similar mistakes I wanted to gain an understanding of the challenges of using the methods, as well as what they didn't like about the way they were taught the methods. They, too, have a voice that deserves to be understood. Luckily the one lasting impact made was the notion that the children need to be encouraged to do activities independently-- they will not learn if the caregivers constantly do things for them (even if it gets done faster). Also, knowing what difficulties they face on a regular basis and their opinions on the needs of the children serve as a valuable starting point for the development of my programs. I assured them that we will work as a team, teaching each other, and that it will require give-and-take from both ends. Change is difficult.
Overall they tend to be eager to learn effective strategies that will benefit the children and themselves alike. Some topics include: behavioral interventions, development of empathy amongst the children, and teaching rules/responsibility. Other topics that I feel would be beneficial include: introducing sensory modulation, relaxation techniques for the caregivers, and discussing developmental concerns in adolescence. Many concerns that I hope to address align with those Iulia (a psychologist) would like to address as well. This will serve the children and caregivers well-- working in the same direction is always easier. My next steps are compiling a needs assessment, creating my next lesson plan (probably regarding the development of empathy), developing activities for the children to learn different skills (again, starting with empathy/social interest), and continued observation/communication. Stay tuned!
During the sessions with his clients (they just come freely and interact as a group), he works on a variety of craft/woodwork projects that provide a sense of accomplishment and purpose. His clients love coming to see him everyday because of his warm, encouraging attitude, his sense of humor, and his genuine instillment of self-worth in his clients. After explaining the general concept of occupational therapy in the US and how we specifically work with mental health issues I couldn't help but wonder what the long-term goal of his sessions were. He replied that the goals of therapy would theoretically be similar to what I mentioned-- independence, productive living, and community integration. However, many barriers exist in the current system. Most of the clients live at home and cannot find employment simply due to their diagnosis. Many of the limitations placed on these clients are socially constructed due to misconstrued biases, fear, and misunderstanding (and tend to be more blatant than those still in existence in the US). Additionally, the therapy sesssions are funded by the European Union that demands specific projects to be outlined with the inclusion of their ideals, standards, and expectations. Unfortunately not many of these principles align with the improved performance and participation of the clients served.
While discussing these issues I couldn't help but relate my current situation with the language barrier to that of the clients with mental health issues. We all have a voice, but depending on who is listening we are not always understood. And so we stumble through our current situation, making the most of what we can, using our resources to the best of our abilities, in hopes that something will change. Fortunately as occupational therapists we have the ability, nay responsibility, to serve as a translator for our clients so that they can be heard and their participation can be augmented. When we better understand the needs and situations of our clients, as well as the perceptions and inner-workings of organizations that influence our practice, only then can the current standards of practice be influenced. Advocacy in our profession is not an option-- there are too many voices that remain suspended in the air.
This first meeting marked the beginning of many interactions and opened the door to a new area of work while I'm in Romania. I hope to shadow the therapist, learn more about his work and ideologies, and provide foundations towards the future of occupational therapy in Romania. Already he has shared ideas of developing camps/programs for adolescents with mental health concerns, primarily social deficits, that open a door of opportunity for me to collaborate with him. Excitement abounds with this new relationship!
Oh, I cannot neglect to mention a wonderful strategy he uses that every therapist should employ on a daily basis: to prepare his mood and sense of humor he watches 2-3 humorous videos on YouTube. Try it someday and you might be amazed at how much it improves your relationship with your clients.
Today I finally met with the caregivers for the first time to discuss (interactively, of course) the principles of occupational therapy, how we work with children and caregivers, the basic concepts of the practice model I developed, and to get their feedback. Using PowerPoint, I composed a variety of slides with roles and occupations that might encompass them, asking them to raise their hand if it was true of them. Then I showed them slides of some assistive technology we teach clients how to use, again asking them if they had seen the devices before (a reacher, ACC, universal cuff, TTB, and commode were some of the devices they did not know). Finally, while I went through the practice model I gave them handouts that had blank spaces for them to write as they followed along. Most of them seemed to like the visual representation of child development and how they can influence the outcomes of a child.
After the lesson I wanted to gain their insight and opinions on various topics. Several groups have been here in the past year that taught Montessori methods to the caregivers, but not many of the methods lasted long-term after the instructors left. To prevent from making similar mistakes I wanted to gain an understanding of the challenges of using the methods, as well as what they didn't like about the way they were taught the methods. They, too, have a voice that deserves to be understood. Luckily the one lasting impact made was the notion that the children need to be encouraged to do activities independently-- they will not learn if the caregivers constantly do things for them (even if it gets done faster). Also, knowing what difficulties they face on a regular basis and their opinions on the needs of the children serve as a valuable starting point for the development of my programs. I assured them that we will work as a team, teaching each other, and that it will require give-and-take from both ends. Change is difficult.
Overall they tend to be eager to learn effective strategies that will benefit the children and themselves alike. Some topics include: behavioral interventions, development of empathy amongst the children, and teaching rules/responsibility. Other topics that I feel would be beneficial include: introducing sensory modulation, relaxation techniques for the caregivers, and discussing developmental concerns in adolescence. Many concerns that I hope to address align with those Iulia (a psychologist) would like to address as well. This will serve the children and caregivers well-- working in the same direction is always easier. My next steps are compiling a needs assessment, creating my next lesson plan (probably regarding the development of empathy), developing activities for the children to learn different skills (again, starting with empathy/social interest), and continued observation/communication. Stay tuned!
Well-adjusted
(NOTE: Each time I post there will be a general post about life and a more specific post about my OT apprenticeship-- I have confidence you can make the distinction on your own.)
This first week has been a series of many blessings.
As I'm sure many of you are wondering, my luggage was delivered to me on Tuesday (surprisingly) and was completely intact.
All the children, staff, and caregivers have welcomed me with open arms and wonderful hospitality. Each day I am showered with hugs, kisses, and questions from the children-- they are all very curious to know who I am and why I am here. After work we play games together ("4 in linea"), play outside, or teach each other our native languages. One of their favorite games is, "What is this?". Thankfully the children are graciously forgiving and patient with my poor Romanian skills. They are quick to correct my pronunciation and grammar, and (most) understand they need to speak very slowly and simply.
At each meal the cooks prepare ample amounts and varieties of food to assure that I will not go hungry. My typical diet consists of: warm milk and an apple with peanut butter (brought from home) for breakfast; fresh salad, an apple (or banana), and a rice/potato dish with veggies/beans for lunch and dinner. Most of the meals are served with meat, but I choose not to eat it. The head cook gets a kick out of my basic Romanian skills as we struggle to communicate. Generally I eat with a few of the sisters in a dining room separate from that of the children. Silence tends to dominate our time together with a few attempts at communicating sporadically-- I hope this will change soon. Because the orphanage is funded by a church in Italy and accommodates many groups of Italian volunteers both the children and staff know Italian as well. While this can be helpful at times because of the similarities with Spanish, I find that it is mostly confusing because they switch back and forth without warning. Similar to our term "Spanglish", I have dubbed this "Romaniano".
Each morning I get up around 6:15am to run-- another topic the children love to talk about. "We saw you running this morning", they always tell me. The cool, refreshing air and the beautiful view of the mountains makes a great start to my day (that is, until I must run back up the hill). A new adventure awaits me every morning as I navigate through the town and find a suitable route (an apt foreshadow for my day at the orphanage). Plus, in the US it's not everyday you see someone walking their cows up the road.
At night (after I finish interacting with the children) "Google Translate" becomes my best friend as I work hard to learn the language. New words, phrases, and grammar lessons inundate my brain, but I am well prepared to face the flood. If anything, my impatience in learning the language is the biggest barrier-- I want to learn all of it right now! Slowly I move through the process until my skills have increased. Then I take some time to unwind, relax with Jesus, and reflect on the day. And glorious, indeed, is every day.
This first week has been a series of many blessings.
As I'm sure many of you are wondering, my luggage was delivered to me on Tuesday (surprisingly) and was completely intact.
All the children, staff, and caregivers have welcomed me with open arms and wonderful hospitality. Each day I am showered with hugs, kisses, and questions from the children-- they are all very curious to know who I am and why I am here. After work we play games together ("4 in linea"), play outside, or teach each other our native languages. One of their favorite games is, "What is this?". Thankfully the children are graciously forgiving and patient with my poor Romanian skills. They are quick to correct my pronunciation and grammar, and (most) understand they need to speak very slowly and simply.
At each meal the cooks prepare ample amounts and varieties of food to assure that I will not go hungry. My typical diet consists of: warm milk and an apple with peanut butter (brought from home) for breakfast; fresh salad, an apple (or banana), and a rice/potato dish with veggies/beans for lunch and dinner. Most of the meals are served with meat, but I choose not to eat it. The head cook gets a kick out of my basic Romanian skills as we struggle to communicate. Generally I eat with a few of the sisters in a dining room separate from that of the children. Silence tends to dominate our time together with a few attempts at communicating sporadically-- I hope this will change soon. Because the orphanage is funded by a church in Italy and accommodates many groups of Italian volunteers both the children and staff know Italian as well. While this can be helpful at times because of the similarities with Spanish, I find that it is mostly confusing because they switch back and forth without warning. Similar to our term "Spanglish", I have dubbed this "Romaniano".
Each morning I get up around 6:15am to run-- another topic the children love to talk about. "We saw you running this morning", they always tell me. The cool, refreshing air and the beautiful view of the mountains makes a great start to my day (that is, until I must run back up the hill). A new adventure awaits me every morning as I navigate through the town and find a suitable route (an apt foreshadow for my day at the orphanage). Plus, in the US it's not everyday you see someone walking their cows up the road.
At night (after I finish interacting with the children) "Google Translate" becomes my best friend as I work hard to learn the language. New words, phrases, and grammar lessons inundate my brain, but I am well prepared to face the flood. If anything, my impatience in learning the language is the biggest barrier-- I want to learn all of it right now! Slowly I move through the process until my skills have increased. Then I take some time to unwind, relax with Jesus, and reflect on the day. And glorious, indeed, is every day.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Bun venit
After more than 24 hours of travel I finally arrived safely at Casa Sperantei! Unfortunately my luggage was left in Nashville due to a confusion of dates on my check-baggage information. Luckily they know where it is and expect it to be delivered within 3-4 days. Thanks to my parents and my history of being a Girl Scout I have adopted the motto "be prepared" and double-packed many items in my carry-on, including toiletry items and several changes of clothes.
Once I arrived at the airport, Iulia (my supervisor) and Madalin (her fiance) graciously met me there and subsequently took me on a brief car tour of Bucharest (the capital city) where I saw many historical buildings with beautiful architecture and wonderful parks. Madalin dubbed this part of the city as the "Beverly Hills of Romania". As evidenced by my intermittent yawning and dreary eyes they both gathered that I was rather tired from my long journey and suggested we head on to the orphanage. Following a quick bit to eat at a pizza place we finally arrived at our destination where I almost immediately went to sleep.
This morning I awoke after almost 12 hours of much needed rest. Iulia took me on a tour of the orphanage where I met many of the sisters (it is a Catholic-based orphanage) and caregivers. Of course they were curious to know if I spoke Romanian-- "putin" (a little) I replied. I am eager to interact with them more in order to improve my speaking skills and develop relationships with them. The building is much larger than I expected with adequate space both inside and outside for the children to run and play; it is clean and well-maintained. Outside there is a playground area and a garden.
At noon the children return from school for lunch (pranz). The younger children attend school from 8am-12pm and the older children (5th grade and above) attend school from 12pm-5pm (there are only a couple that fit this category). Like the other workers they are curious to know my name and what language I speak. Their vast smiles and sincere hugs communicate what words cannot; I know we will get along just fine. In the afternoon the children spend much of their time completing homework (Iulia says they have more than she thinks is appropriate). When they finish they have time to play; then it is time to bathe (around 6pm) and eat dinner (around 7pm). Watching TV after dinner is usually their activity of choice until bedtime around 9pm.
Much of my time this first week will be dedicated to getting adjusted to the schedule, routines, language, and culture, as well as figuring out all the logistics of a new country (cell phone, groceries, currency exchange, safety, etc.). Iulia has already briefed me on some of the political issues surrounding the orphanage and how the orphanage system tends to work. For the next several days I hope to observe the interactions between the sisters/caregivers and the children, as well as converse with the sisters/caregivers regarding their hopes and expectations during my time here. This is the start to a wonderful adventure that will be both challenging and rewarding, encouraging and frustrating, and satisfying and discouraging. Here we go!
Once I arrived at the airport, Iulia (my supervisor) and Madalin (her fiance) graciously met me there and subsequently took me on a brief car tour of Bucharest (the capital city) where I saw many historical buildings with beautiful architecture and wonderful parks. Madalin dubbed this part of the city as the "Beverly Hills of Romania". As evidenced by my intermittent yawning and dreary eyes they both gathered that I was rather tired from my long journey and suggested we head on to the orphanage. Following a quick bit to eat at a pizza place we finally arrived at our destination where I almost immediately went to sleep.
This morning I awoke after almost 12 hours of much needed rest. Iulia took me on a tour of the orphanage where I met many of the sisters (it is a Catholic-based orphanage) and caregivers. Of course they were curious to know if I spoke Romanian-- "putin" (a little) I replied. I am eager to interact with them more in order to improve my speaking skills and develop relationships with them. The building is much larger than I expected with adequate space both inside and outside for the children to run and play; it is clean and well-maintained. Outside there is a playground area and a garden.
At noon the children return from school for lunch (pranz). The younger children attend school from 8am-12pm and the older children (5th grade and above) attend school from 12pm-5pm (there are only a couple that fit this category). Like the other workers they are curious to know my name and what language I speak. Their vast smiles and sincere hugs communicate what words cannot; I know we will get along just fine. In the afternoon the children spend much of their time completing homework (Iulia says they have more than she thinks is appropriate). When they finish they have time to play; then it is time to bathe (around 6pm) and eat dinner (around 7pm). Watching TV after dinner is usually their activity of choice until bedtime around 9pm.
Much of my time this first week will be dedicated to getting adjusted to the schedule, routines, language, and culture, as well as figuring out all the logistics of a new country (cell phone, groceries, currency exchange, safety, etc.). Iulia has already briefed me on some of the political issues surrounding the orphanage and how the orphanage system tends to work. For the next several days I hope to observe the interactions between the sisters/caregivers and the children, as well as converse with the sisters/caregivers regarding their hopes and expectations during my time here. This is the start to a wonderful adventure that will be both challenging and rewarding, encouraging and frustrating, and satisfying and discouraging. Here we go!
Friday, May 13, 2011
A preview of the orphanage
In one short week I will finally be on a plane to Campina, Romania-- after over a year of planning and anxiously waiting! Casa Sperantei ("House of Hope") is home to 42 orphaned children (primarily aged 6-12 years) and a handful of caregivers. I will be living at the orphanage during my time in the country. With God's love, patience, and knowledge guiding me, it is my intention to implement a "train-the-trainer" program that targets the caregivers in order to improve the quality of life for the children. My gracious supervisor (and translator) has also initiated a program to integrate computers into the orphanage-- an exciting endeavor I hope to facilitate as well. Clearly I have much in store for the next four months!
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