October gave us the opportunity to host two more volunteer teams from the U.S, and the first, led by Jolene Hartwick, made lots of progress on our newest project, duplex no 12, whose foundations we had poured earlier in the year. With ages ranging from 36 to 78, Jolene, Kicab, Marta, Brenda, Suanne, Kathleen, Janet, Arthur, Crystal, Richard, Lara, Kari, Nancy and James proved that hard work and dedication have no age limit.
On Monday after morning coffee, a short induction and a more lengthy safety briefing, our worksite manager Viorel Dodea kicked off the week with hands-on demonstrations of all the tools the team would be using, making sure everyone was comfortable with the workflow. Under constant supervision and guidance, the volunteers made visible progress, successfully raising the walls of an entire apartment in the duplex—six walls in total, plus one double wall. And they did it in just five days, with 14 highly motivated volunteers.
On the 5th day, we made the most out of the rainy weather and, when it didn’t allow us to build homes, we built connections. Two young families who are waiting to find out if they’ll be selected for the project joined us on the worksite to put in volunteer hours. The rain was the perfect break for volunteers to meet families —through games, honest conversations, and plenty of humor. That’s how we learned that some of our volunteers work (or have worked) at places like Meta, the U.S. Navy, Reuters, the Associated Press, and even a jazz radio station in New York.
On that same final day, we also visited one of the families who have been living in the community for years. We shared cookies, answered questions, met their dog, and admired their creativity in organizing their living space.
Somehow, despite all the hard work, the sense of accomplishment fuels our energy for more exploration. We always find ways to organize small trips to show our guests from across the U.S. a glimpse of our world. This time, the volunteers enjoyed guided tours of Cluj’s historic center, Salina Turda, and Banffy Castle in Bonțida. This cultural exchange is one of our favorite parts of the project: sharing experiences, discovering new foods, and diving into serious conversations.
Want to join an incoming US team? Check out our page and discover Cluj!
