Where do I begin? The facts are usually a good place to start, 2 lecturers, 2 undergraduate students, a recently graduated student and a representative from an Arts Charity spent 4 days in Timisoara, Western Romania looking at how collaborative links could be developed with an Art Therapy Centre and other institutions within the area. During the visit the students had the opportunity to run groups for some of the children that centred around the concept of identity. A there ends the easy part to report. The visit became a very intense role emerging placement with each stage challenging the fundamental principles of OT and the fundamental beliefs of us as a team. We met very welcoming people, some who were directors of their institution, who would have been more than happy for us to 'do' activities with their children and it was apparent this is what they thought OT would do. We also saw several other 'professionals' 'doing' occupational therapy and acknowledging that they used the principles of OT. And yet they were asking for OT, they want the profession to develop and be recognised within their country, so the questions that this posed to us are'what would 'true' OT do that would be different?' 'Why should a country invest money into a separate profession when it would appear to be incorporated within others jobs?'
Thank fully we came to some positive answers to those questions but it would be interesting to hear the thoughts of others.
