Closing up shop

Well, the year is coming to a close! Graduation is tomorrow and checkouts will finish up on Monday. Then a roller coaster of a week next week, finished with a long trek back to the States for the summer. What a year it has been! I would have never thought that my first year as a Resident Director would have been abroad...and to think I will be coming back for another year...cool! I am sitting in my quaint apartment/room, and I think, "Wow, you have to pack everything up and put it in storage for the summer." Next year I will be moving to a new dormitory on campus. I have enjoyed my time in Karklu, the basketball court, the sound of cars, the shipping docks, and the location of being near to downtown. At the same time, the idea of starting fresh again in a new building will be full of adventure again. For now, this is all to say. I go home in 10 days! Looking forward to summer.

Easter in Latvia...and Birch Juice

Last weekend I went to a home in the bordering city of Latvia...which is about a 50 minute drive from Klaipeda. I had the most incredible time. It is one thing to experience culture from the "outsider looking in" perspective...but what a treat to actually be a part of the inside for a weekend! It all started out with a drive to Liepaja, Latvia. A car packed with 5 passengers and their weekend luggage...it reminded me of the weekend road trips I took my freshman year with a select group of five individuals...we decided to visit everyones house in our group. Oh the memories! Anyway, we drop everyone off one by one, and then we travel out of town to a small, country area, where the grass is greener, and the air is cleaner. What a lovely sight! We arrive a home in the country, and immediately life is different! For once, it is quiet. No more hustling and bustling of car stereos, no sirens, and no high heels that are making noise when they walk down my hallway in the middle of the night!

First things first...we enter the house...and we eat. Pancakes are on the menu this early evening...so we load up with jam or sour cream. Yes, sour cream people...it seems that my taste for that smooth, creamy, white goodness has really taken shape, and now I can have it on anything like every other Eastern European! After pancakes, we spend the rest of the night with the family at a local cafe where we learn more about one another.

The next day...BIRCH TREE JUICE!!! Yeah, who knew? Apparently, after the winter months and when the ground thaws...one can drill a hole in a birch tree and then drain out the watery liquid from within. Yes, I had the opportunity to dip my cup in the bag that was catching the lovely liquid, and drink it straight away from the tree. What an interesting experience! It seems that this beverage is a hot commodity in this part of the world, and can be found being served with sugar and lemon. I sat in awe trying to realize how someone figured out that the birch tree can give you a cool refreshment. Who knew?

During the weekend, Easter was upon us. I learned of traditions of cracking boiled eggs against other boiled eggs, and eating salted boiled eggs on Easter apparently saves you from lying for an entire year! Yeah, the salted eggs were definitely on the menu. :)

Overall, Latvia is beautiful, and a place that I hope to visit again in my time here in Lithuania!