Interview+JOY

Interview with Sharon E - Olivia Edwards For this project, I was able to get in contact with an old family friend, Sharon. She has spent the last few years in Moldova doing charity work. She agreed to give an interview about her time in Moldova. She also has a travel blog which can be found online.

S: Yes it has Livvy! I can't believe you're grown up! I have been wonderful thank you. I'm living now in Moldova with a charity organization, Crusaders. S: Oh, it must be about 5 years now. A long time. Although at the beginning I wasn't as committed to the project so I was staying in a hostel. S: I live in with the community that I work for. It's very refreshing to be honest. I suppose the colloquial term would be a "peasant" but I tend not to use that term. Everyone lives the same way here. Very simple, thin walled home that I built along with other people. I stay with a few people. S: Well, that's what I was trying to do, exactly. I wanted to "give up" the material things in life. It means nothing in the end really. My three kids had grown up and me and my husband grew apart although we are still very close friends. He really encouraged me to go after something i've wanted to do for a long time. I always talked about doing more charity work abroad. So I did. S: Yes. Only briefly though. I've been connected to Crusaders for about 15 years now. They sent me out to a few places. And then when one of my daughters went with them to Moldova she always talked about returning. She did eventually, and met a Romanian man and married him! She lived there for a few years and thats when I decided to go and visit for a few months. S: That's right! Your mother used to work for us too, and so did you on your sick days. You used to make a fine envelope sticker! Now, I call it Crusaders for your benefit but we've actually had a re-name. We are called Urban Saints now. S: I work in Straseni. It is a very rural part of Moldova. Although, it is hard to find places that aren't! In Straseni the unemployment rate is at about 64%, there is no education for disabled children and the average weekly wage for those who are lucky enough to get a job is about 7 pounds sterling. Over 30% of Moldova lives below the poverty line. It is a beautiful country in parts but it is a very difficult place to live. S: Well, I live like them. I spend my day working in the very handmade office building. It is really just a room with a few tables in it and we organize charity payments. We then go off on different locations and help building of houses and buildings. We look after the elderly, the disabled. I teach English to those who did not learn. I teach and read to the disabled or unfortunate children who can't attend school. Things like that. We also do a lot of cooking for the others in the neighbourhood. S: No not really. Although it depends on what you want from the holiday. If you want to lie on a beach and drink cocktails all summer, you won't have much luck out here. But if you want an adventure holiday where you help people and build things, put smiles on unexpecting faces etc, then it is perfect. S: You are very welcome. Yes I encourage you all to get involved. Information on training and donations and more can all be found on the website: http://www.urbansaints.org/ Thank you!
 * O: Hello Sharon, It's been a long time! How have you been?**
 * O: And how long have you been there?**
 * O: Where are you staying now then?**
 * O: Wow! You really are dedicated! I remember when you lived down the road from us, your house certainly wasn't like that then! Why give that up?**
 * O: You've done other stints abroad then?**
 * O: Wow that's quite a story! Now, correct me if I'm wrong but Crusaders is a Christian charity organization that helps countries all over the world right?**
 * O: Oh yes of course. So tell me about Moldova. What's it like out there?**
 * O: So what exactly is it that you do out there? How do you live your life?**
 * O: Well that is very admirable. So i'm guessing Moldova isn't much of a "holiday destination" then.**
 * O: This has been great Sharon. Thank you. I'm sure everyone will be very interested to research more. Not only into Moldova but also into your wonderful charity organization Urban Saints.**

Brief Biography on Sharon E: Sharon was born in the South East of England and moved to St. Albans a few years later with her family. She began working at Cafe Des Ami in her twenties. There she met her husband who talked her into joining his church. There she met the people who run Crusaders, now called Urban Saints. This is where she met my mother and many of the other members of Urban Saints. She worked there for 10 years before being sent to Moldova for a few months with the charity. She ended up staying and has lived there for 5 years now. Her daughter also lived there for 2 years with her Romanian husband but ended up moving back to the UK once the Visa passed. Now Sharon lives the life of the average Moldovan woman out there while still working with the charity. Since talking to her, Sharon has had to fly back to the UK for a few months due to the death of a friend but will undoubtedly return once she has attended the funeral. Many thanks to Sharon E for all her time.