Expat Interview: Marc Jenner of Hospice Casa Sperantei

“Nobody who has ever visited me in Bucharest has gone home having not had a brilliant time,” says Marc Jenner, director of fundraising with Hospice Casa Sperantei, in an interview forRomania-Insider.com.When he's not running the marathon raising funds for the Hospice, or running the Edelweiss Charity Ball auction, he'll be found at the charity's quiz night at the MoJo bar in Bucharest’s Old Town. We've asked him a set of standard Expat Interview questions and here's what we got. Interview by Corina Saceanu Name, occupation, where are you from? Marc Jenner, Director of Fundraising at Hospice Casa Sperantei. Born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK. How long have you been living/working in Romania? What brought you here in the first place? I moved here in June 2010, following a short 4-day trip the previous month. My purpose was to help develop the fundraising initiatives being undertaken by the Hospice. What do you do here in Romania? As Director of Fundraising it’s my job to seek out and develop new opportunities and partnerships that will benefit the charity, whilst also educating the general public on the work we undertake and fundraising best-practice. I also support the hardworking fundraising team in Bucharest. Where else in the world have you worked/lived or just traveled? For what projects? My work in the charity sector has taken me to a number of diverse places ranging from Peru to China to Tanzania. Prior to moving to Bucharest, I had just completed 2 years working with an NGO in Hollywood, California. This role was very hands on and I spent the majority of the time working with underprivileged and sick children, making fun films with volunteers from the movie industry. The children got to choose their own character, background, plot, costumes and were then involved in the whole process of making a real movie. This would be followed up some weeks later by a ‘premiere’ which they would attend with their families or carers. It was incredibly good fun and unbelievably fulfilling. I even got to ‘star’ alongside the kids once or twice! What is your favorite place in Romania and why? When and how did you discover it? The one place that I tend to take friends and family when they visit is the balcony on the top floor of the Intercontinental Hotel. It offers spectacular views of the city that just can’t be seen from anywhere else. I’m lucky enough to be a member of the hotel gym that has the same view.