Istanbul (not Constantinople)

So...we got back on Sunday. It was a good trip. A week away was great. The weather in Istanbul was not THAT great...but it was better than Riga. Although it was sometimes cloudy and rainy, the average temperature was around 20C, so that was nice. Many days it worked out really nicely...it would stay dry while we walked around for most of the day, and then just as we got back to the guest house for siesta it would really pour. Then by dinner time it was dry again!
So, here are a few pictures showing the highlights of the trip. Joel took 200+ pictures, but I just don't have the energy to upload that many...so here is what you get... :)

The group of us

This is me with my friend Tiffany. She lives in Istanbul and teaches at an international school there. We met in Madrid this summer in the masters program. She played a great host to our intimidating group of 9 people! She took us to a spot with a great view (picture coming up) on our first night when this picture was taken. She also took Joel and I out a couple other times. It was great fun, and wonderful to see her again! Thanks Tiff!

This was the view from the terrace of the restaurant where we ate. That is, our table had this view! That is the famous Blue mosque. It is called that because on the inside it has lots of blue tiles. Some also say that from the outside it has a blueish tint.

Opposite the Blue mosque is the Hagia Sophia. It is a cathedral/mosque/museum. It has a long and complicated history which I am not going to get into now. It in my opinion is less impressive from the outside than the Blue mosque, but far more impressive from the inside.

This was a view inside the Hagia Sophia. The mosaics have real gold in them. They were beautiful!

Now all that old stuff was cool, but, the markets, well, they were something else! Here is a pic of me at the Spice Market. Look at all those spices!!! Latvia, do you KNOW what you're missing out on???? Anyway...we spent a lot of time in both the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market. I love the feel of the market. I don't know why. There is just so much stuff, and you can pick and choose and barter. It's good. I went a little overboard and got myself some bowls at the Grand Bazaar. But I bartered a good price. Tiffany was impressed when I told her what I got for the price! Along with spices they sell a lot of teas. I fell in love with the apple tea and ended up buying two 1/2 kilo bags of tea to bring home! :)

Ah, and another delight of Turkey...the baklava! I'm sure that at some point in life I had tasted baklava before, but I don't recall that I ever thought much of it. Then I saw this type of shop! We bought a couple boxes during the week and just shared them around. Oooooeeee!!! That is some good stuff!!!

For those of you who don't know, Istanbul is a big city. Tiffany told us that it has 17 million inhabitants. It is also split by a river, the Bosphorus. On one of our last days we took the ferries across the Bosphorus and to an island off the Asian side of Istanbul. This is the view from the top of that island. Let me tell you...it was a STEEP climb up to the top. But the view made it worth it!

And here is what I think may very well be the only picture of me and Joel together taken the whole trip. Maya, the 6-year-old, took it and she did a pretty good job! :) Too bad that like usual, I am making a semi-dumb face.

And here are my spoils! These are the bowls I bought in the bazaar. I LOVE them! :) They are all handmade, hand painted and completely unique. We had a couple different guys explain to us what made these so special, because this was a very particular look/pattern/color compared to all the other ceramics, but I don't really remember the whole deal. I just know that of course, I had to love this look, which happened to be the most expensive and rare kind. We spent a long time searching for, bartering for and buying these 15 pieces. But I am so happy now! I served a curry out of one bowl tonight, and it was just so beautiful! I can't wait to have people over for dinner now! :)

So, that's it. I'm sure Joel will eventually get around to posting lots more pictures on his flickr site, and when he does I'll let you know.

For now it's back to school, back to work, and on with life. :)

30 silly questions and answers...

1. When was the last time you shaved your legs? Saturday

2. What were you doing this morning at 1am? sleeping soundly, possibly waking up Joel

3. What were you doing 15 minutes ago? helping a student write some words

4. How many people have you slept with? well, wouldn't you like to know?

5. Are you mad at anyone right now? Not that I can think of

6. Have you ever smelled moth balls? I'm not sure that I have

7. Last time you made-out? made-out? It's been a WHILE.

8. Do you know the words to the song on your myspace profile? Proud to say I do not have a myspace

9. Last thing received in the mail? A package from my mom- that was GREAT

10. Do you have any famous relatives? Nope

11. Have you ever stolen something? Yeah...I can remember stealing slap bracelets when I was in elementary school

12. Have you ever been searched by the cops? Of course not

13. How is your hair? My hair is chin length, in need of a root touch-up, and too thin

14. How many different drinks have you had today? 2 different kinds of tea and water

15. What have you eaten today? Vegemite toast, a banana and some raisins and nuts

16. Are you any good at math? Usually

17. Do you have plans on Saturday night? Not yet! Considering we have a PYP workshop during the day I'm assuming I'll be doing something relaxing.

18. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach? I have done it twice that I can think of...initials anyway. It's not something I usually do at the beach.

19. Most painful dental procedure? I had my wisdom teeth out. The procedure didn't hurt because I was totally out. Actually to tell the truth, just getting my teeth cleaned hurts like a bitch because I have receding gums! I wouldn't mind going under to have my teeth cleaned!

20. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight? I have come close, but it was a LOOOONG time ago.

21. Do you like the ocean? I love the ocean...but I like all those tropical seas more.

22. Do you stay friends with your ex's? Not generally

23. Something you are excited about? Going to the States in March

24. What did you do today? I've been working mostly. :)

25. Are any of your great-grandparents still alive? No, the last one died when I was in grade 5 or 6 I think.

26. Where do you keep your change? In my wallet or the bottom of my bag...sometimes in a pocket

27. Do you remember the most naughty night of your life? Umm...I guess.

28. Would you rather sleep alone or with someone else? Definitely with Joel.

29. What was the weather like on your Birthday? It was a fairly nice day, but not as warm and sunny as it could have been in June

30. What are you gonna do now? Count down the minutes until home time! :)

Old Man S

Happy Birthday Joel!

Yeah, I know he's not that old yet, but, actually, it's my place to make fun of him for being 31. :) Hence today I, along with all my students who remember, are calling him Old Man S.

It was about a year ago that all our hard party planning came to a culmination in a great 30th birthday party at Salt n' Pepper. This year we're just having a birthday dinner with the boys (nephews) and M&J (their parents). I guess at 31 there is no need for a big party anymore... but that is besides the point. My point was that last year at this time we were already pretty darn established as a couple. Amazing how time flies!

Although it's not a present from me, on Sunday we are going to Istanbul for a week. It's October break at school. It's going to be the biggest group Joel and I have traveled in...two other couples (two teachers from school and their spouses) and their three kids. Should be interesting. ;)

I guess that is it for today. I just wanted to wish Joel a very happy birthday. I can only hope that my presents and my presence made it a little bit more special! :)

I love you, boops. :)

What love will do to you...

Growing up, I was sure that my future involved being married to a Latvian-American. Maybe a Latvian-Canadian. I was pretty sure that no one else would ever be able to understand me, and what my life was about. Certainly, none of my American boyfriends had really ever been able to.

It wasn't so long ago that I was adamant that I would never date a meat-eater again. Ok, well, it must have been pretty long ago. But anyway...at one point (and I must admit that it seems forever ago, in a really unimportant past), I was sure that I would only ever be able to find true happiness sharing my life with another vegetarian.

I also remember having a conversation with my friend AW sometime more than a year, but less than 2 years ago. It involved talking about her husband's sports-watching habits and how they affected her. It wasn't so much that I cared, but I was glad that that wasn't my life. Sports were always so unimportant to me. She said to me then (don't think I've forgotten!), "Someday, I hope you meet a man who watches every sport under the sun." Or something along those lines. I of course, couldn't imagine ever falling for a guy like that. I mean really, WHAT WOULD WE HAVE IN COMMON?

But here I am now... seriously in love with a non-Latvian, meat-eating, sports fanatic.

But my point...it's not so much about eating my words (although, some people out there seem quite eager for me to do so...and don't worry... I don't mind admitting I didn't know...). Yes, I was wrong. But, at the time I made such statements, I hadn't met Joel yet. I didn't know that a non-Latvian, meat-eating, sports fanatic came in a package like this one. I didn't know that it was possible for us to have so much in common. I didn't know it was possible for us to love each other, even if we had so many things NOT in common.

Love can change you. And not in a pathetic, I'll do anything for you because I can't bear the thought of losing you way...but in the way of, if this is that important to you, then it's ok by me to do it your way, or to accept this in you...in the it's more important to me that you are happy kind of way.

Yesterday morning we rose before the sun (on a SATURDAY!!!) to get down to a hostel-bar to watch the Geelong Cats kick Port Adelaide butt. When the alarm rang at 6am, I thought, as I pressed snooze, of the one thing I would rather do than get up and go watch the Cats...mainly, stay in bed and sleep! But I got up anyway. And we went, and were a couple of the first people in the bar ready for the game. Joel was a nervous wreck. This was REALLY important to him.

Now, I don't get watching sports on tv and cheering right there....to the tv. What's the point? It's not like the team can hear you. But I have noticed that men have an almost innate need to clap, cheer and talk back to the tv. At least they all do it, and therefore do not find each other odd. Works for them. Watching Joel watch the game was fun. He was so excited. And as Geelong progressively kicked more and more ass, it was only more and more fun. It was fun to watch him clap and cheer and call out to the players by name (because yes, he knows all of them). And, at times, I even found myself ready to clap for what I saw on the screen. (Yes, I did also watch the game... AFL on tv ain't bad...)

The final score on the game was 163-44. The Cats cleaned up. It was the biggest victory in AFL grand final history (so I am told). The look on Joel's face when the game came to an end and it was official was the purest happiness I have ever seen on his face. I'm pretty sure that he was actually holding back some tears. I even thought to myself (and might have mentioned out loud) that I could only hope he would look as happy on our wedding day (which I'm also hoping will happen).

This is turning into a long story, but what gets me, and gets back to the point, is that I enjoyed that game, and the morning because Joel enjoyed it. No, if Joel hadn't been there, I wouldn't have been there. But, because Joel was there, there actually wasn't any other place I would rather be. I would have regretted sleeping in and missing seeing him be so happy.

This is what love will do to you (or me actually). It's not that I have put aside what is important to me. But it's that I have found that what is important to me now is different than what was important to me then.

Yes, I cook meat for Joel. That happened somewhere between my love of cooking, my very real desire to provide for him in this way and the realization that he just wasn't going to eat much of my sort of out there totally veggie meals. No, I don't cook him something special every night. Yes, on many nights I make a meal that I can eat, and I cook a piece of chicken on the side. It's not difficult, and I know that we will both be happy. I do foresee that there will be some friction around this subject between us when/if our offspring ever come into the picture. I say now, that I don't think I will be as willing to cook meat for them, as I am for Joel. But again, this is what I say now. We'll see what happens then (but he is forewarned).

As for the sports... he's out there watching some American football game now... I could care less, so I am in here writing and reading. I do have other things to do, and way better ways to spend my time than to sit by his side for every game he watches (please!). But, when it comes to the Cats, and the grand final, I'm there. When it comes to his basketball team, I'll be there too. Last season I figured out most of the rules, this season I'll get em down. It's not about the game, it's about being there to support him. And he doesn't mind if sometimes I bring alog a book to read. :)

The thing that makes it all ok is that today we shared the most amazing do-nothing day ever. We slept in, laid around in bed talking for an hour or so. Then he got up to watch the first half of the game again, and I read in bed. Then I made breakfast (at 2pm :) ). Then we curled up back in bed and watched 5 episodes of our favorite shows. We laughed and cuddled and relaxed. I said to him, "I like today." Then, even though he had a plan of staying inside the whole day, he took me to the grocery store because I needed fruits and vegetables for the week. Pretty soon I'll be getting in bed for the night, and as soon as I'm there, I'll need something (this happens often). I'll call out, and Joel will get off the couch and come, and he'll get me a drink of water, or plug in my phone to charge, or turn off the hallways lights, just because I don't want to get out of bed since I'm there already.

Love can make you do things that you didn't think you would. And it makes you fight for things that you always knew you would. And it helps you let go of things that aren't really important, and opens you up to things that are. Love is, as I've always said, a gift. And for this love, this particularly unpredictable package of love, I am very very grateful...even if, by appearing in my life when it did, I had to eat my words. It's a small price to pay really.

(Oh, and obviously, I might as well worry about the color of Joel's skin, if I am going to worry about whether or not he is Latvian. In a way, he's more "latvian" than lots of the Latvian-American guys I dated back in the States, just for having lived here for a few years. But THAT is a whole other story...)

Why I love this man

Just heard (Bumbi heard it!) in our living room:

Joel is watching a show called Dirty Jobs on the Discovery channel. A segment is currently showing about a bee-keeping family. They were showing how they get the honey.

Me: You don't even like honey.

Joel: Yeah, but this show rocks. It's like going on a field trip every week!

I love this man. I really do.

Contacting the Mother Ship

Yeah. Every morning, from 5-6am. This is what is going on in my bed these days. At least, it's what I assume. I'm woken up by sounds that I can't make sense of in any language I know (I don't generally speak in clicks of the tongue, snores or grinding of the teeth). So I have decided that my beloved must be indeed having some sort of very important communication with someone or something out there. I mean, why else would I keep getting woken up every morning around 5?? I try to get back to sleep. I try to silence the communication by nudging the body or literally holding the jaw of the communicator. I've even attempted early morning communication in English, but apparently, the section of the brain that understands English is switched off from 5-6am.

The thing is though... I'm not really complaining. We've made progress here. When we first started sharing a sleeping space, we struggled with adjusting to one anothers sleep needs. Me, I'm a cuddler. I'm happy and quite willing to be enveloped or enveloping the whole night through. My dear communicator, not so much. It used to be that if I touched him in the middle of the night (which I'm sorry, but I really did quite unconsciously) he would practically jump out of his skin. Needless to say, he was NOT used to me being there.

These days though, we have a bigger bed, but we're not using as much of it. Somewhere along the line, *someone* got used to another warm body...and now, must apparently REALLY like it. I sleep on the edge of the bed these days, with my boo snuggled up quite near me (mostly still in what might technically be called "my side of the bed"). But, this is pretty much a dream come true for me (no pun intended! :) ). I sleep wonderfully, knowing/feeling that other body is there, and also knowing that if we roll, and I end up throwing my arm over him, it will no longer be the end of a good night's sleep for him.

So...as I said, I'm not complaining. I guess I just wish that the communication with the mother ship (or whatever stage of sleep it is that elicits this sort of noisiness from him) didn't have to happen in that very last hour of sleep, when I look at the clock at 5 and disappointedly think, "Oh, I only have an hour left to sleep!" and then lie there desperately wishing and hoping that I could ignore the clicking, the grinding, and the snoring.

Ah well... let's hope that this need for communication with the mother ship is just a phase...and pretty soon the message will get through, and we'll return to cuddled up, uninterrupted sleep for the lot of us. That would be nice.

UPDATED LATER THAT DAY: I thought, and someone else mentioned, that this could be stress related. Yeah, ok... but if you know Joel, you know that generally, he kind of lets things roll off his back. He doesn't tend to get too stressed. It's just not his style. Well, this really has been happening like just this week. And it just hit me like a ton of bricks that the Grand Final is this weekend, and Joel has been able to think of little else besides his beloved Cats. Could it really be that the things that drives Joel to have disturbed sleep is worrying about a football game? Why is it, that I feel like I might actually have hit the nail on the head? :)

Ah....

A sigh of grateful, satisfied relief.


Between school starting, realizing that my class is made up of who it's made up of and how much that takes out of me, grad school classes starting as well, and the rainy, cold dreary weather I've been finding it pretty unattractive to get out of bed lately.

Today was our annual all school field trip to the Open Air Museum outside Riga. I have to admit that for the past two years I have dreaded this trip. I didn't know why before...I just knew that I felt it was a miserable long day without much focused academic purpose. I figured out why I felt that way today. The last two years the day of this trip was cold and mostly rainy. I remember the first year it wasn't actually raining...it was misting. But that meant that basically it was like walking in wet air...it was thick, and you couldn't protect yourself from the rain...it was everywhere. Last year it was slightly better...it rained in the morning and was really cold, and then the sun only came out for a little while just before we left.

Today, Mother Nature threw me a bone. THANK YOU!!!!

Here are some pics of what we saw today....

A beautiful, beautiful blue sky spotted with fluffy white clouds. This provided enough sunshine to actually cause the sensation of warmth! :)

Some ducks who swam to shore possibly because they thought we would feed them. No, but I did snap a photo! :)

Golden reeds blowing in the wind.

This picture doesn't really show it, but the pictures that do have kids in them, so I can't post them here...but there was this area by the lake where we walked that was SO green today. It was almost glowing. Between the ridiculous amount of heavy rain we've been getting lately (which comes down so hard it must really be like a massage for the trees and grass...if there is such a thing as a massage for nature...) and the sun being out today, I think that everything alive was shining out its inner light. :)

I have to add, that some people in Latvia like the saying, "There is no such thing as bad weather, only being inappropriately dressed." I realized today that I just DO NOT agree. I DO think there is such a thing as bad weather. If it's cold AND rainy...that is BAD weather. I don't care what I'm wearing...it's still bad weather. My cousin has invited me out to her country house this fall, and I have to say, I have NO desire. Hanging out in the country where there is nothing really good to do but BE OUTSIDE, and having it be bad weather outside... just doesn't sound good to me! Not to mention that I have tried to get warm out at country houses before when it's not exactly warm outside...and after wearing two shirt and a sweater, jeans, thick socks and I'm still chilly...then I'm sorry...but I just don't see the point, when I have the option to be in my properly heated warm city apartment. Clearly, I am not a country girl. Give it to me in the summer...I'll take it...not in the BAD weather. :)

So, thanks Mother Nature for this gift of beautiful weather on this day where it made such a difference. Even though when it was times to line up today Miss E's class lined up in a quiet paired straight line, but mine were still running around screaming like banshees and wrestling each other....even though when all the kindergarteners were supposed to be building little houses out of the materials they had collected on their nature walk, two of my boys ran away into the woods, so that I actually had to go look for them because other children were telling me they were "lost"...even though... even though all of this... it was still a wonderful day, it flew by, and it felt so much like NOT a school day, that I just about feel like I've already had one day of weekend. And God knows THAT is a good feeling. :)

So... this morning when I woke up...

I was all confused, and I couldn't decide... shall I wear a dress, or pants (trousers that is)? Well, I just couldn't decide, so I wore both!

If you know me at all, you know that this was the line I would utter in a stupid girly-bimbo-voice anytime I saw this "ridiculous" fashion walking the streets in the last 10 years or however long it's been happening. Don't know what I'm talking about? Wearing a skirt or dress over pants? Well, there's an example at this link. Very nice skirt. Very nice pants. Should they be worn together? I don't see why!

But alas... today's fashion trends are doing me in. I want new clothes, and since I live where I do (and maybe even if I lived elsewhere) I have only a limited choice of what I can buy. Mostly, I have to get stuff that follows the latest treads because they don't carry too much "classic" fashion round these parts.

The worst thing is that most of today's fashion trends involve waistlines that make size 0 girls look pregnant (never mind me, who regularly gets asked when I'm expecting even when I'm NOT wearing these fashions) and shirt hem lines that reach mid-thigh, so when you're in the store, you're thinking to yourself, "But is it a shirt or a dress??? HUH???? Which is IT???" And let me tell you, I know I'm only a kindergarten teacher, but generally, I pride myself on being able to tell the difference. So not only are today's fashions confusing, but, they aren't exactly made for every body (I guess hottest trends never have been). So it seems I am losing the battle at not wearing things I generally don't think I look good in, simply because I want to wear something new!

I fear that at my ripe old age (what? Sarcasm....) of 27 I am actually already looking down on current fashion, and thinking back on the "good old days" when we used to wear clothes that I find more comfortable and flattering. Could it be??? Am I already that old (meaning, not hip and cool anymore)? That out of touch with what's hot? Is it just that as I do age, I couldn't give a rats about what's on the runways, or what today's hottest stars are wearing, and do just want to be comfortable? Jesus... I have no hope once I have a baby, huh? Am I already one of those people whose clothes date me, because I obviously didn't buy most of what I wear THIS decade?

Well, whatever it is (and I do feel it must be SOMETHING)... I can no longer make fun of people who wear dresses over pants because this morning I actually got up, and I couldn't decide what to wear...and so I wore both. Yes it's true...as I write, I am wearing jeans and a black baby doll dress all at the same time. Or wait... maybe I'm not... who knows! This could just be a long shirt I have on... :)

Hi

Have you noticed that I haven't been around...that I haven't posted in what seems like years? Well, I have. And there is a good reason. School started. I've got 15 little ones to run after all day every day now. And they are LITTLE. No, wait, they are not...some of them are actually quite big...but they ACT little... BABIES!!!

I can't even formulate proper sentences. I'm drained of energy, and I have an aloholic drink pretty much every day after work. At least I'm (still) not smoking (cause I promise I'd be doing upwards of a pack a day right about now...).

I'll be back...someday...when somehow I figure out how to catch up on sleep and patience. :)

Laters.

Just one thing

The other day, much to Joel's dislike, I watched a program on E! called something like the 50 fashion don'ts. Do you know what WASN'T included on the list? Wearing stilletos to the beach. Are you surprised? Well, I'm telling you, it wasn't on the list!!! I know!

Oh wait, what's that you say? The reason why is because NO ONE in their right mind would EVER think to wear high heels of any sort to the beach...so it's not even something you have to tell people not to do.

Ah.... that memo didn't reach Latvia. Would somebody kindly send it out again?

HIGH HEELS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE BEACH WEAR!!!!!

A new beginning

The time came again. As I write I am into my fourth day smoke free.

It wasn't an easy decision...because let's face it... I love to smoke. I just LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

But, there are things in life that are more important... things like breathing, having babies, being active, living to hopefully meet my grandchildren.

Some people don't seem to think I can do it. And to them I say, thanks a lot. I do need all the support I can get here. Some people also don't think it's a very big deal that I have gotten as far as I have... well, pshaw! To go from nearly a pack a day to nothing, is pretty freaking good people! Although, that being said, I have not at any point in the last 4 days gone anywhere near the pack of cigarettes that Joel still hasn't moved from the coffee table. I left them in his lap after I smoked my last one on Sunday night. I have noticed that somewhere around 8pm every night I get a little twitchy...like I'm going through a little withdrawl spasm...but, other than that, I'm really not even thinking about it.

So, there you go... some of my readers probably didn't even know that I had picked up smoking again, but for a little less than a year, I have been... but not any more. I'm done. That is my new declaration, my new beginning.

Ow!

I hurt. I hurt a lot. I can't really sit. It hurts!!!

Joel and I went for a bike ride today. Along with the new apartment, I got a lease on a bike as well (the landlady left hers behind, and said I could use it- thanks GG!). Well, Joel's been pumped to ride his bike that his generous folks had sent over for him from Oz. So, first chance we had... we were off on our bikes.

Now, I have to say, today was a redeeming day for Latvia in my mind. There is a bike trail (fairly well maintained) all the way from Riga to Jurmala (the seaside) which I had heard of, but only saw for the first time today. Pretty nice! And the weather today was beautiful!!! Thank you, Mother Nature, for this small gift!

Did I mention that I hadn't been on a bike, like for real on a bike, in probably more than 15 years? Sure there was that one time in China that Eileen and I tried to do the Chinese bike riding thing (her riding, me sitting side-saddle on the back) only to end up wiping out in the middle of a thankfully not so busy bike lane with our stuff all over the road. And there was the one time in college that I rode my bike to campus, only to nearly get killed. Ok, maybe I didn't, but it sure felt like it... enough to make me abandon bike riding!

Anyway, needless to say that my behind is NOT used to sitting on a bike seat.

The way there (20km) wasn't so bad. In fact, the sun was shining, I had energy, and I was fairly impressed with how well I was doing in general so far. The way back was another story. By that point, my butt was sore. My legs were ok...in fact, they still are. But my butt, OW!!!

For the first 18km, we made it with me going pretty slow only because the bumps don't hurt as much when you go slowly over them. By the last 2km, I was standing more than I was sitting. When I got home, I sat down on the couch without thinking, and squealed in pain! We have to go into work tomorrow...but I'm thinking I might have to skip the bike ride for a day. And I might just have to stand in meetings. I'll figure something out.

Point is, my butt is SORE!!!



But, pretty impressive bike ride (40km in one day) for a girl who hasn't ridden a bike since her childhood!







(How you like THAT for a post?)

Back in Riga....

It was a long day of travel... I left the apartment in Madrid at around 9:30 Sunday morning, and did not land in Riga until 11pm that night. Long day. But it was all made worth it by being met at the airport by my wonderful, immensely missed boyfriend who greeted me with a lily because he knows how much I love the scent.

Being back in Riga has been interesting. I haven't been feeling 100%...dragging around, sleeping a lot, tummy issues... not nice. None of it is helped by the fact that Riga is rainy and (relatively) cold at 12 degrees. I'm quite frightened that we will not see any more nice weather before next spring. Please Mother Nature, prove me wrong!!!

Upon my return Joel's brother and wife were in town visiting. It was great to meet another of Joel's brothers (and his wife!). Until now, I had seen pictures of the two that don't live in Latvia, but they weren't all that real to me, since I hadn't met them. It was just plain cool to watch a bigger group of this rather large family together. It was also very cool when one evening after dinner, we women moved into the kitchen to "clean up" (ok, so the dishes got done, but when it comes down to it, we were talk, talk, talking!) and the boys got to have some alone time as well. I have to say, that this is one great family (trying hard not to jump the gun) I've gotten mixed up with! We said our goodbyes to the visiting couple tonight as they jet off very early tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow Joel and I begin the task of cleaning and packing... it's time to move again. On Saturday we will be moving into a new (much larger) apartment, nearer to school. The downside is that it is located the other side of the river, which means the stagger home from the bar on Friday night will no longer be a 5-minute deal, but rather will involve a bus/tram/taxi ride. But, the additional space will really make a (highly positive) difference. I'll send out the new address to those of you who might want it soon.

Since coming back to Riga my mind has been swirling with thousands of thoughts on being here. Even as I was sitting in Copenhagen at the gate listening to all the Latvians and Russians gathering there, I wondered to myself if they were feeling happy to get home, excited to return to the streets of Riga, or whatever small Latvian town they call home. Did they miss the "way things work" here? Did they miss the food? Or was it just their friends and family that they are happy to see again?

When I got through customs to the baggage claim, I was faced with a what looked like the whole flight massed shoulder to shoulder around the baggage belt, so much so that I could not see through them. I stood back, unwilling to be one of them fighting for a spot at the front. And the thought that ran through my head next, "Welcome back to Latvia, the land of the fashion victim." I was looking at disturbingly skinny women dressed in next to nothing (outfits that I would expect only someone who is awaiting her musical cue to hit the pole to wear), and even more normal-bodied women wearing clothes so extremely ill-fitting or just plain unflattering. (As a side note, a few of us discussed this issue of fashion victim one night, and came to the conclusion that the thing that makes it so obnoxious here is that it seems people of all ages get sucked into it... where in other countries it seems that generally, it's teenagers who wear ALL the bad trends, get the bad haircuts, and torture themselves for fashion, here it seems that it's everyone-and of course, when I say everyone, I do not include people I actually know, but rather people I see on the street!)

So first there was the annoyance of how people treat each other here, how they treat strangers, then the fashion and the anorexia... after the airport, it was the weather... ugh, this is summer? I know, from having been here last summer, that this is not normal per se... but, I have to say it sucks either way.

Then, in the next few days, Joel and I engaged in several conversations about money... especially revolving around trips we'd like to take and paying for this whole masters thing (which of course is completely my responsibility, but effects him anyway because it limits me). I'm not one to live with a scarcity conversation about money, in fact, I wholly believe in generosity and that things happen to meet not only my needs, but also my desires. But in this next year, I just don't see it all adding up to make everything we'd like to see happen happen. Which really sucks, because I would really like to make it to Australia, and I would really like to get myself and Joel to my "home" too.

So all of these things which have been right there in my head...not to mention the little things that are always there (the thought of the approaching winter, wondering what to do about wanting to get back into yoga and not having the options I would like, and facing going grocery shopping again with the oh so limited options). Initially, it makes me want to scream at Joel for wanting to stay here at all, when there are so many options available to us out there...options in which many, if not all, of these issues would lessen if not disappear.

But then, there are other things, like Joel's sister in law's (the one who lives here) reaction to the thought of us leaving. And there are Joel's thoughts on it as well. He's happy here, and isn't that what I want for him, to be happy? (Yes, it is, it really, really is.) And what about wanting to raise my future children (at least speaking) Latvian someday...will that happen elsewhere?

In the end, certainly no decisions have been made. And they probably won't be made anytime soon. But the thoughts are there, currently making me wonder how I will make it through the next school year.

So here I am back in Riga... thoughts swirling.

Lest I come across resentful at being here let me add.... I'm not against Latvia. I'm not against living here. I have friends here. I have a job that brings me joy (when we look only at the working with the kids part of it). I love the idea of being in Latvia, the country that my grandparents came from. I think it's really cool that I get to know relatives who previously were just "the ones who lived over there." And even more cool that one of these is now my goddaughter (which surely would not have happened had I not moved here)! I am still delighted at the fact that I live "overseas" with greater access to the rest of the world. I love that I can speak Latvian here, and have people pronouce and spell my name correctly.

And most of all... I am glad that I came here, and that I stayed after that first pretty difficult year, because I did meet Joel. Another thought that rose out of thoughts and conversations over the last few days is if I may be one of those people for whom "home", truly is, "where the heart is." Perhaps this is why Michigan and surrounding areas (where friends and family live) are still very dear to me, and why Shanghai holds a special place in my heart. And why, no matter what else, I will stay here, if Joel wants to stay here. Those who know me well, know that I have always put a great deal of worth on loving. And those who know me well, also know that even when I am happy I let all my other thoughts out as well, all of the ones that question, dislike and search for change. Maybe, quite possibly, I give those thoughts too much voice, more voice, than I give the others.

None the less, happiness dwells quite abundantly inside of me. I enjoy the charms of every day life in Latvia... without them, or the charms of any other place, life would be boring. And if nothing else, the long, cold Latvian winter will be good for staying inside and studying/writing papers this year as I continue to work through my masters!

It's all over

Whew. A month has never gone by so fast. I swear. It really feels like just yesterday that I was still waiting for my luggage, or worried about research methods. But then again, there was so much to experience, so much to take in, on each and every day I was here...that looking back on it, this month has also seemed very rich and long.

Last night was a blast. I got all dressed up in a little black dress and red lipstick, and got several people saying they didn't even recognize me! I'm not sure if that is because I was so extraordinarily beautiful or what... but let's guess that is what it was. :)

The graduation ceremony was only about an hour long, and for as small as it was, it was very nice. The graduates were in their caps and gowns, and speeches were made, and diplomas handed out all very official like. It was good. It got me very excited for this next year to go by quickly, so I can be the one wearing the cap and gown! :)

After the ceremony, there were refreshments served in the garden. It was actually really nice, and the booze just kept coming and coming and coming. And then it stopped. So we left! We went to a bar where the music was loud (but mostly pretty good) and the drinks were good. It was really fun to have this night out with almost everybody.... most of them hadn't seen me let go like this, because let's face it, I tend to be a little stress ball when there is a lot to do. My feet hurt today from the dancing and the shoes... but, that is worth it. It was a ton of fun.

We did switch bars at some point...and then next thing it was 4am, a couple other people were fading, and we decided to leave. It was a night well played. :) By the time I got home I was weary, promptly got the hiccups, and fell asleep jerking every few seconds. :)

Today I've already started packing.... my roommates are gone (one left in the middle of the night, and the other this morning) so I'm pretty much on my own today. I think I'm going to go find some other people who don't leave until tomorrow or Sunday and hang out. Oh, and funny this.... I am actually washing clothes to go home. The washer here is big, so I can do two loads (one lights, one darks) instead of 10 like I have to do at home. And, it is so hot here now (it's gotten much hotter in the last few days) that basically things dry in less than a day. So I'm going to come home with a suitcase full of clean clothes! How nice is that? I'd say it's not the norm for sure. :)

OK... I guess that is it for now... I'm going to head out, see if I can find some people, and maybe some cheddar cheese to bring my boyfriend. :) It's what he wants!

A sad, sad state of affairs...

So the other morning I'm on my way to school, and I stop in at Starbucks for a morning coffee. I'm cranky, as I have been all week, because this class is just plain pissing me off. But, that is another story... a multitude of other things had already gone wrong that morning... I woke up late (or rather, couldn't pull myself out of bed on time), simply could not pick out what to wear (I'm so sick of the same clothes I have been wearing for the last month!), realized when I had gotten downstairs that I had forgotten something upstairs, and there wasn't time to go back up the 7 flights... it was one of those mornings.

So anyway, I get into Starbucks, and the thought of the caramel macchiato that would soon be filling my mouth with tasty pleasure perked me up just a bit. (Of course then I thought of this class again, the professor specifically, and my mood dropped again...oh wait, that's another story, right...) Anyway, I get my coffee, with my 30 euro cent discount (yay!) and I'm headed out the door...

And then it happens... my flip flop (thong for you Aussies, and SLIPPERS for you from India!) catches on the last step out the door. I stumble, but regain my footing. Then I start walking.... something doesn't feel right here.

I look down to see that my flip flop has come apart... the part of the strap that goes between your toes and down through the sole of the flippy has come out. Well, this has happened before, and because of the durable nature of these shoes, I have been able to push it back through, and continue to wear my favorite pair of summer shoes.

Not this time. :(

I realize with horrified disgust, that this time, the pull was so forceful that part of the sole actually ripped out and is dangling around the strap of the shoe. There is a hole in the sole, just the size of the little part that keeps the strap from coming out, so basically, there is nothing to keep it in anymore.

I try to walk a few steps anyway. Kim, one of my classmates, looks on in sympathetic amusement as my shoe flails and it is apparent that I will not be able to walk like this.

What could I do? I took the darn thing off my foot, and walked the block to school with one bare foot. Of course I'm in a big dusty, dirty city here, so by the time I get to school, my bare foot is now a black-bottomed foot. Ew.

The one good thing this professor did for me this week was offer me some tape about an hour into class (when we had to get up to break into groups and I started grumbling about my shoe again...).

So gosh darnit, I taped up my shoe. I taped it up really well. And I wore it for the rest of the day, my foot sweating profusely against the packaging tape. Ew.

So, here are my shoes now...

the sad pair...

And a close up of the extremely sad flip flop

This is my last homage to them... before they hit the bin. I mean, it's not like I can keep them now. These dear, dear shoes, imported to me in Latvia from America by a caring friend, worn just about 99% of days since summer arrived this year (and maybe last!) are done. They are just plain done. As I said to my roommate who asked me what I was going to do with them, "You wouldn't wear shoes that look like that, would you?" No, you wouldn't. Bye bye flippy flops.

And in other news... while I was taking pictures of my shoes on the balcony, I thought I would take a picture of one of the very cool buildings that is just down the street from me. There is another building just across the street from this one, that leans in towards this one. Kind of freaky!



In good news, I'm done with that paper that I couldn't get out the other night. Which means I'm done with all assignments for this summer's courses. WHOOO HOOO!!!! Tomorrow it'll just be a bit of revision and such in class, and then off to party the night away! :)

(Of course, preserving a slightly mournful state over my dead shoes...)

World Traveler

Look at this cool map... it shows the countries in the world that I have visited... it's 19 by the way, which is 8% of the countries in the world. Pretty cool...but I wanna get that number UP UP UP!!! :)

You can make your own map at World66!

the words just won't come out

There is another paper to write.
Ugh.
And the words feel stuck.
I sit and stare, and stare,
and check my email (nothing new).
I just need to get through this last paper.
If the first word flowed, and more followed.
if I got the first one out
so I could figure out which direction I'm headed.
It's been three and a half weeks;
two articles reviews,
one research proposal,
a lesson plan,
four change journals,
and one change project.
My words feel all used up,
and any talent I have for THIS kind of writing.
I'll stop procrastinating now (maybe just check my email one more time),
Please words...come out.
Please, please, first word,
just flow.

Before the last week starts...

It's Sunday night... the night before my last class starts for the summer... a perfect time to reflect...

It's funny now, to go back, and revisit how nervous I was a month ago about all of this. Being in Madrid, and going to school every day, feels so normal now! I've figured out the grocery stores, how to get places, some words in Spanish to keep me afloat when service people don't speak English (which, by the was is NOT something I expect, but rather has simply been a nice perk)...I never did eat a roommate, I have not gotten locked out of my apartment or gotten lost. My classes have been intense and challenging, but also, not anything I couldn't handle.

One of my classmates left this weekend. He had taken a course previously that covered the content of the one we're taking this week, so he opted out. It was really sad to say goodbye on Friday... it's hard to believe that this group of people that have been around for nearly every waking moment the last 3 weeks, will soon not be a part of my every day life anymore.

One thing we've all kind of come to agree upon within this masters is that the content of the courses does not stand alone. It wouldn't be half of what it is without the conversation that every working professional in our class brings to it. It's amazing to learn from others in the field. I'm so glad I have gotten, and will again next summer get, face to face time with all these amazing people.

Not to mention that they live in all sorts of wonderful places around the world... I've met a Filipino woman who works in Shanghai (at a different school than I worked at), but we've reminisced about me being there. I met a Lithuanian woman who works in Rome, and we've discovered that we can connect on so many things... we've shared pictures and stories of our travels through each other's countries... and she might even come visit this fall! I've heard lots of details about great schools, with great packages out there... opportunities for the future!

Of course, I'm still nervous about the school year, and having to work full time, and do online courses on top of it...but, I'm sure now, that this was the experience I was meant to have. England might have been easier... but, Madrid was where it was at for me!

So the next week brings the last class which will hopefully be another great learning experience.... and then on Friday, we celebrate the graduates! We will all attend the ceremony, and then party with those who started this program only a year earlier than we did! It's hard to imagine that in a year's time, I'll be accepting the same honor. But, oh what a cool thought!

On Saturday, both of my program roommates will already be leaving to enjoy the rest of their summer, before returning to their working countries to start the school year. I will head back to Riga, back to Joel, on Sunday. I can't say I'm not just a little more than ecstatic at that thought. When I get back, Joel and I will be moving into our new digs, and soon thereafter starting the new school year. Time flies. :)

I hope this last week will be as great as the previous three have been... and just remind me, next time I start flippin out about traveling somewhere to start something new, that I have nothing to worry about. :) I do ok...and not just that, I enjoy it. :)

Not for nothin...

but I'm bored out of my mind. I really didn't think it was a bad idea to get my paper done last night. I finished everything. So, I get to school this morning, print my papers at our first free time, and hand em in. Now I'm thinking, I'l hang out, particiapte in group discussions and what have you until lunch (remember Friday lunch?) and then go home!

My professor thinks otherwise.

So far today of the 5.5 hours we've been at school, he has given us 5 hours of work time. Seriously. WHY DID I DO ANY WORK LAST NIGHT???

But, of course, he is saving coming back togther for one last group activity until AFTER lunch. Grr. So I have to come back. My dreams of an afternoon nap are crushed.

But, at least it's 1:45 now, and I can head down to the ole' lunch place where they will fill me up with overcooked, not so good veggie food and all that 1 euro a bottle wine I can drink. And then I can endure the last hour or so of class in a nice semi-drunk state.

Off to lunch... see you on the flipside.

Ha!

So I just looked at that last blog post... did anyone else notice that in the first paragraph I actually just didn't finish a sentence, and kept going? I was definitely tipsy when I wrote that! Ha!

So... Saturday's trip was very good. First of all, there were no emotional traumas food related or otherwise during the day. The city that we visited, El Escorial, was much more appealing to me... it was bright, and colorful and village-y feeling. I liked it. It was a beautiful day too... no rain or anything like in Segovia, so that helped.

Have you ever had a churro? Well, I have. But only in California... until Saturday! Come to find out that this place where we were is like the birthplace of churros! This fried tube-shaped donut type bread is absolutely delish, especially when dipped in the warm gooey chocolate that they sell on the side! :) The churros I had in California were covered in cinnamon and sugar, and these were not, but I think they had sugar on offer just like the chocolate. Anyway... besides my Starbucks*, it was the first thing I consumed that day, and it was good.

*I just want to say that I am not really a fan of Starbucks. Ok, I love their thermal mugs, because they are cute and practical...however, their coffee, in my opinion is over-roasted and burnt tasting. That is, when you get plain coffee. However, when you order some concoction like the caramel macchiato, it is so full of milk and sugar and caramel, that you can't even taste the coffee, and it becomes heaven on earth with a shot of caffeine. So... there you go... THAT is my excuse for going to Starbucks ever. They are good at the coffee concoctions, and since I can't get that type of stuff in LV, I'm enjoying it while I can... and when I go in with my own mug, which I always do, I get 30 euro cents off my purchase, just for that! It's a deal! :)

Anyway... back to Saturday...

There were two reasons for this trip... the first of which was visiting the still functioning monastery in El Escorial. Monks still live there, but I didn't see any. I'm not sure if they are allowed to be seen or not. Anyway... the place is huge... and it's all dedicated to San Lorenzo (St. Laurence? maybe?).

I gotta tell you... this is one of the places where I have a HUGE disconnect with Christianity. This guy was a martyr. He was grilled to death over a fire... and I say grilled because they literally put him on a grill over a fire. Anyway, I guess he was made a saint due to his martyrdom. So this whole monastery revolves around grills... the physical shape of the building is a grill, there are little miniature grills on the weather veins and fence posts, etc. They are everywhere. But worse than that... the place is just plain chock full of blood and gore paintings depicting his death, Christ's death, etc. Seriously, some of it made my churro want to come back up. I don't know... I just don't get it... like I said, it's a disconnect for me.

Anyway, there were a couple of things that were creepy cool, like that this monastery is where all the kings and queens of Spain from a certain time to present are buried. And of course when I say buried, I actually mean that there is a round room in the basement of the monastery that has walls stacked with coffins. So, like, you walk into this pantheon as it's called, and you just look right at the coffins, they are just right there with the names on em and everything. And more creepy still? There are two empty ones, ready and waiting for the current king and queen. OK, death is a part of life...but I think I like to think of people as returning to the earth from which they came upon death, not sitting in a room in a basement where people can go look at the boxes containing their remains. Oh, AND, this is even more gross... back in the day, there was a room behind the pantheon called the rotting room... and that is where they would put the dead bodies for like 50 years while they decomposed! ugh.... shivers....

Sadly, there was also a pantheon of princes, and then there were 9 more chambers full of all the children of the kings and queens and maybe other royal families (I don't remember exactly). But the last one was just full of babies. And on the audio guide they actually played the sound of babies crying as the intro to this room full of baby coffins. :( Like someone I was with said, you wouldn't want to go through that part of the tour if you were pregnant.

So, the monastery was cool. But towards the end we were getting very hungry, so we sort of rushed through the last rooms, including the basilica. It was impressive... very large... etc, etc... but we were hungry...

So off we went to find lunch... we knew we had little time, and that we had to find food for me! :) Well, we found a place, and although it ended up being super expensive for me, I got some soup, some fried veggies (think thinly sliced veggie tempura... very good!) and a beer. Everyone else got off cheap because they were able to choose the set menu for the day (which included meat). Anyway, I was just happy that the chicken everyone else was eating didn't still have it's head on... so I enjoyed my lunch!

After lunch we walked very, very fast to the bus station where we were supposed to meet everyone to head to the next destination... but of course, we didn't actually know where we were in proximity to the bus station! We stopped and asked directions when we had gone only a bit too far. We were the last ones, everyone was waiting for us... but, we weren't so late that they were mad. :)

The second stop was Franco's tomb overlooking the Valley of the Fallen. I don't know much about this history, but I can tell you from visiting this place that this man was sick, very sick. Thousands of people died building this tomb for him, which is literally carved into a mountain. There is an entire basilica inside the mountain, and on the outside of the mountain directly above where the alter is on the inside stands a cross that is nearly 153 meters tall. That is a football field and a half! Franco purposely built the tomb where he did so that his dead remains would rest physically at a higher elevation than those of the kings and queens buried at the monastery. No ego there.

Interesting facts related to this place... apparently on the day Franco died, the champagne in the whole of Spain sold out within hours of the news... it was a big celebration. Also, our Dean, the ever impressive teller of random facts, told us that there are many Spaniards who still visit this tomb just to spit on it.

At neither place were you allowed to take pictures inside so I have nothing to show (not that I had a camera with anyway!). But I did find a couple pictures on wikipedia, so you can get a basic idea. :) I'll post them at the bottom. Oh, and at the tomb, they took my swiss army knife away from me... but only the big one, not the one that is on my key chain. I don't know if they thought maybe I was planning on spilling my own blood on his tomb or something... I wasn't. I did get the knife back, which I was very happy about!

After the tomb, we went home...

Got home only to find out that our water heater is broken, and no one knows why. I used the no hot water excuse to stay at home ALL Sunday. I didn't leave the house again until this morning. :) But, bad news is, water heater still not fixed, which means another cold shower (and when I say cold I mean like FREEZING!) in the morning. :( If only I was one of those people who didn't need to wash their hair everyday.

Anyway, we're in the third week of class. This week's class seems like it will be more work than last week's class was, but not nearly as bad as research methods (what could ever be as bad as research methods?) Tomorrow night we're planning on going out for Chinese, which I am very excited about. Someone else told me that they went out for Chinese sometime last week, and that there was tofu on the menu. Whoohoo!! :)

Those are my highlights. I keep getting sms's from Joel telling me just how many days until we're together again... last one said it was 13... might be 12 today. :) How cute. It's hard to believe though... I'm so entrenched in what is going on here...it's hard to believe that in two weeks time I will be half a world away from my most of my peers in the program, and back in Riga, and back to TEACHING instead of learning. Although of course, the joke is that I will continue to learn within this program throughout the whole next year, and that is going to be fun... really. Ok, I'm trying to talk myself into it. Whatever...I'll deal with it when I have to!

Ok, I'm officially blabbering... going to go post the pictures now, and sign off! Hope you're still enjoying my stories!

The monastery from afar.

The monastery up close.

Franco's tomb from the outside.