Student Testimonials
2009 Summer A Fabulous Success
Months of preparation, excitement, anticipation -- on both sides of the Atlantic -- came to an end in late June as we gathered at Logan airport to await the young teens flying in from Bucharest. Would they be shy? Nervous? Overwhelmed? Not a bit! Within a few days, Cristina, Ana, Iulia and Roberta seemed as if they had been here for months!
Four vibrant young people, full of energy and with boundless curiosity and optimism -- a perfect reflection of the European Union's newest member country! They hit the ground running. Two of them began camp the day after their arrival, while the other two had a week to acclimate. Thanks to scholarships generously donated by the respective institutions, two girls attended Middlesex Academy's Summer Arts Program in the town of Concord, and two others, the College Academy Program in the town of Maynard. The teens lived with host families in the nearby towns of Sudbury and Carlisle, a short distance outside of Boston. The Floru family held a welcoming party and barbeque for the children on, appropriately enough, the American Independence Day weekend of July 4. The symbolism of dining on mitiei and hamburgers, with guests chatting in both Romanian and English under an American flag on a warm summer day -- was lost on no-one. Guests enjoyed a "Welcome to the USA" cake made for the girls, and each child was presented with a journal entitled "My American Summer." What would be written in them by summer's end?
At camp the children reveled in the wealth of classes and activities available. They each chose specific classes that met daily. Which was more interesting: Theater, Web Design, Multimedia, Biology, Digital Photography, something else? No-one could decide -- it was ALL wonderful! Weekends were often a whirl of activities. The EERC community -- host families and program 'fans' -- took the girls to the Museum of Science, the Boston Harbor waterfront, Faneuil Hall, Harvard University, and more. A special highlight was seeing the gorgeous Romanian barque Mircea, admired in the Boston press as one of most spectacular of the Tall Ships that visited Boston on their worldwide tour in mid-July. The host families were remarkably welcoming, often inviting the other girls over for sleepovers, playdates, and family parties. One weekend, all four teens were generously invited to spend the weekend at one EERC member's beach house on Cape Cod. There was also much to learn from "everyday" experiences such as trips to the local town recycling center, an animal shelter, and the Boston Waterfront, a beautiful example of the successful urban redevelopment of a once-blighted neighborhood. All of these led to stimulating conversations about, for example, environmental stewardship, community service, the importance of enlightened leadership, and one's own personal civic responsibility. Above all, the warmth with which the students were met made a deep impression about the value of doing something generous for others, even those you do not know. At the same time, the students left behind an enduring image of young Romania's vibrancy, open-ness, and optimism about the future. A local newspaper, The MetroWest Daily News, featured the girls and our program with the headline, "Romanian Teens Find Similarities with Sudbury Youth."
Returning home in early August was an occasion for mixed emotions. Each girl returned with a lifetime's worth of memories, photos, and contact information for new friends carefully stored away. A few months after the children returned home, EERC formed an Alumni Club, operated by Cristina, one of the participants, as a way for EERC students from 2009 to keep in touch with each other as well as with alumni from years past, who are now young adults.
Five short weeks, and yet a world of things had happened, leaving impressions and changes that will linger years after everyone involved, on both sides of the Atlantic, returns to their usual life. The students and their families extend their deepest thanks to the EERC community for offering this mind-expanding summer program. EERC, as well, would like to thank all those who made the 2009 summer possible: the Aspera Foundation, the Principesa Margareta Foundation, the College Academy, the Middlesex School, the host families -- as well all those who contributed funds, time and their talents. .... "Opening minds, opening doors .... one child at a time."
What will the summer hold for the EERC Class of 2010?
