Oyster Worldwide

It’s absolutely fantastic here. The atmosphere is brilliant and everyone, from the staff to the other volunteers, has been so kind and welcoming. I’ve loved working with the kids and being a part of something positive. It’s been a rewarding and enriching experience so far, and I’m grateful to Oyster for making this opportunity possible.

LOVED my time in Braşov and at the sanctuary. The fact that it’s a different set up to previous volunteer work that I’ve done took a quick minute for my brain to adjust - but this small scale, utterly unique experience was really special. I’m totally happy working on my own, especially with a view out to the adolescent bear’s enclosure. Brilliant. Razvan is obviously the key factor in why it works so well despite the language barriers on site. I’ve never met an on-location rep with such attention to detail and proficiency…….especially seeing as he is completing these duties alongside a full time job! I made zero effort top learn any Romanian and to be honest I think even if I’d invested hours of time my capabilities would have been poor. Google translate, bad miming and Razvan at the end of the phone from the 1990s is enough to get by. Some of the sanctuary workers are more keen to interact than others but that’s all fine - just an observation. Personally I would have liked more to do. The vagueness of the arrival time for the afternoon delivery was a tiny bit frustrating but that’s just the way it is. Not the end of the world……I’m just not good with feeling that I’m not being 100% productive ALL OF THE TIME. More my own OCD totally neurotic character trait. I could definitely do with being a bit more Romanian Laid Back!! My suggestion would be to have a back up list of extra/optional jobs that could be done around the food prep area………perhaps cleaning based - scrubbing down the walls, hosing out the food crates, organising stuff inside the fridge. The flat was great, everything I needed, warm and comfortable. Loads to do around the town, culture, restaurants, people watching, hiking. I was never bored and it was easy to fill any time off. Bolt transfer was efficient and I really liked the driver Ovi, we discussed every topic under the sun. Very amusing, great company - I learnt a lot about family life in Romania with 2.4 children.

I'm doing really well here—it's a very peaceful and beautiful place to be. The surroundings are stunning, the work is meaningful, and the elephants are incredible to interact with. Thank you to Oyster for facilitating this amazing trip and making the whole process so smooth. I’m learning a lot and truly appreciating every moment here.