On the journey we travelled through the night, on the Saturday. We had breakfast on Sunday morning, just west of Vienna. We didn’t see much of Germany as it was dark! On Sunday we travelled through Hungary and passed into Romania for a shower. How I needed that and how prized, I would come to learn that was, long with beers, dinner and sleep.
To back track a little, a 40 tonne articulated lorry, an 18 tonne lorry and a large van had left Britain two days before us, loaded with everything we would need on the trip. Septic tanks, toilets, basins, paint, piping, lights, lots of wood and the Billericay Town purchased hand dryers! The lorries left earlier as they are slower, and they take time to get through some borders – 36 hours to be precise into Moldova.
The third day, Monday, we spent driving across Romania. It was lovely scenery, and we had time to see it as the motorways changed to single lane each way roads which certainly slows you down. We stayed in a border town on Monday evening and had the last chance of using a fully fitted out bathroom and toilet for a week. The next morning, we passed into Moldova. I was excited and a little nervous all at the same time.

All the trucks and volunteers finally met up around 3pm on Tuesday afternoon in our first school, in a village called Bursuceni. We had fourteen Brits from as far away as Somerset, Middlesborough, Kent and Yorkshire. An Irish girl called Clare, two Swedes and a Dane – quite a collection! Add to that the local TEECH representative, Romeo, and a couple of schoolgirls who translated for us.
A special mention should at this point be made to the head of TEECH Rob Brown. He has done these trips for the past 27 years. A great guy motivated and driven by something more than I ever had. He works and breaths TEECH, not only on these trips but all the hard work during the rest of the year, putting these trips together.

We made the school in Bursuceni our home for the next four days. We had two classrooms and two small offices as our collective bedrooms. There was no air conditioning, and it was 36 degrees each day! The toilets were outside and best described as holes in the ground.
Martin, our chef, cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner for all of us, every day – homemade bread and cakes amongst them! Fresh water at the school was supplied from a well and pumped into the school. Its sulphur content was high – it smelt like bad eggs, a smell still in my nostrils today.
Over four days we dug a large hole and sunk a septic tank into it. We painted ceiling and walls in a room allocated for indoor toilets. Plumbed in two boys’ urinals, five toilets and four hand basins. Connected new electric lights and two hand dryers, partitioned off the toilet cubical and fitted the doors. A special thanks to carpenter Brian, plumber Barry, electricians Carita and Bjorn and project manager Andy.

In addition to the main project Phil, who collected 50 bicycles, and myself also serviced some 25 bikes. We presented them to local children from about 4 to 16 years old. These children, instead of walking miles to school in some cases – can now cycle there.
There was a shop set up that provided clothing, toys, walking frames, glasses, shoes and books to locals that had been selected by the local major. Lastly food parcels were delivered to the elderly and needy selected by the local council in conjunction with social workers. All of this was done in searing heat and, as I mention, below, the evening shower was very welcome!
Apart from the local Chisinău beer , the shower at the end of a hard working day was great. Shower tents were supplied, and each volunteer had to supply a shower bag. It’s black, holds 5 litres of water and you fill it up in the morning, lay it in the sun and use the hot water after work. Shower heads were supplied which, with the use of a car battery, pumped the water up from a bucket onto the recipient. Luxury that’s for sure!

Our time in Bursuceni ended on Friday night when the local school mistress and villagers put on a feast and dancing for us. The schoolteachers really took a liking to us smiley westerners and the caretakers best palinka and homemade wine was produced.

On Saturday morning we packed up and moved about an hour northeast to our second school in Moara de Piatra. A slightly larger village and a little more affluent, being nearer to Balti, we repeated our tasks again. The existing toilets were marginally better but best of all no sulphur!
Here I went out to deliver food parcels to the needy locals and some of the housing was beyond what I had seen before, outside tropical Africa. Principally there are two rooms, the living room/bedroom and a kitchen. They live a lot outside in the summer months but confined to their houses in winter, where temperatures are typically -17^oC.

I left one day, Romeo kindly drove me to Chisinău, the capital city airport and I Whizzed home by plane in 3+ hours on Tuesday 20th August. The rest of the team returned by road – arriving home on the 25th.
To be part of this project was just amazing. I didn’t know what to expect. The volunteers were just great. I think only two of us were first timers. I was very proud to be part of the TEECH family for 10 days. It was hard work, unpleasant at times, uplifting at times.
It makes me reflect on how comfortable we are here in Britain and if all we can complain about is losing our winter fuel allowance, we’ve got it made. If the opportunity arose to do it again. ‘YOU BET I WOULD’.

I would like to thank every member of Billericay Town Rotary club for the kind donation of the hand dryers and a special thank you to Jan and Barry for showing me what they have been doing for years. Lastly – thank you Angela – for letting me go!
Kevin Smith – Past President