Morocco & Germany

May 18
Today I have started my last big adventure during my year abroad. I am waiting at the Frankfurt Hahn airport. The hidden price to pay for cheap ryanair tickets is long waits at the airport and flights at inconvenient hours. I am going to wait in the airport over night as my flight to Fez, Morocco leaves tomorrow. Luckily, Mum brought me lots of books to read when she came to visit me!

May 19
I am starting to get quite bored. I have walked around a lot, read a magazine and novel and have slept intermittently. Dad would like the viewing platform that this airport has. It is pretty much on the runway. Anna, however, would not like their water selection. It is all fizzy water, no normal water! I am not a fan either.

I have had some amazing first experiences in Morocco. At the airport I met three guys in the line up to get our passports checked and stamped. We decided to take a taxi to the medina together and now we are staying at the same hotel. They study computer science together in England. Dave is from England, Harvey is from China and Christian is from the Phillipenes. They are all really nice and I am very happy that I met them! We went for a walk around the medina and the experience was literally indescribable. Totally different from anything I have ever seen and so much more interesting and unique than I could have ever imagined. The atmosphere, smells, people and sounds are all combined into an intangible experience. We went out for supper and ate couscous and drank mint tea. Very Moroccan! Then we took a petite taxi to the city center to a shisha bar. Morocco has two taxi systems; Petite taxis are little cars (usually fiats) that hold 4 people (although 5 could fit) and grand taxis are old, Mercedes with "character" (probably stolen at some point) which are meant to hold 5 people but 6 people are allowed to be squished in. The shisha bar was another Moroccan experience. We were the only foreigners there. So all in all, a great start to my time in Morocco. The guys and I will stay together tomorrow as well and then the day after that they are going to head off somewhere else. I will probably stay in this hotel seeing as it is a good location and only costs about $10 a night.

May 20
Today has been another amazing day in Africa. I love the sound of that! Africa. I woke up quite early, I guess I am still used to Latvia time. Last night was quite noisy and it was hard to fall asleep. During the night we were awoken by the call to prayer which is played through various speakers in the medina. The call to prayer happens five times a day and it is unlike anything I have ever heard. Today we went to another city 60km from Fez, called Meknes. It was the capital of Morocco from 1672 to 1727. We took a grande taxi from Fez and if any of your have ever driven in Dad's jetta, my drive was very similar! The taxi driver asked one of the boys if they wanted to roll their window down. When he said yes, the taxi driver handed him the window knob! The whole car shared one knob to roll down the windows. The drive from Fez to Meknes cost 120 dirhams in total ($16, so $4 each). I thought that was great! We walked around Meknes and saw a castle. An extremely friendly police guard came over and had a chat with us. Then we decided to go to Volubilis, an archaeological site that features preserved Roman ruins. The Romans evacuated most of Morocco at the end of the 3rd century AD but, unlike some other Roman cities, Volubilis was not abandoned. However, it appears to have been destroyed by an earthquake in the late fourth century AD. It really reminded be of being in Rome! Then we went to Moulay Idriss, a town and important religious site. For many centuries it has been a place of pilgrimage, due to its tomb of the city's founder, Moulay Idriss el Akhbar, a decedent of the Prophet Muhammad. Once we were dropped off by the taxi we were approached by a guide. There are many men in Morocco who work as "tour guides". They approach tourists and then you choose whether to ignore them or walk with them and at the end you pay whatever you think is reasonable. This time we took him up on his offer and it was definitely worth it. He showed us the famous minaret of the Idriss Medersa, took us to the best viewpoints of the city, told us information and history and took us to a bakery where we bough freshly baked bread that had been baked in an old oven heated by fire. Then it was time to go to Meknes and further to Fez. We had supper and went out for a few drinks (something that definitely not typically Moroccan).

May 21
Dave, Christian and Harvey left today to continue their travels through Morocco so I am on my own again. We woke up late and had breakfast/lunch together. My trip definitely wouldn't have been nearly as fun without their company! After they left, I went to use the internet to let everybody know that I am alive and well :) The weather today is actually perfect. My absolute favorite weather. It is somewhere between +25 and +30 with a light, cool breeze. As I write, I am sitting on the roof of my hotel (that sounds dangerous, but it isn't at all, almost all roofs in Morocco are flat and used as a terrace). I am going to spend the rest of the day relaxing and tomorrow I am going to explore more of the medina.

May 22
Another beautiful day in Morocco. It is going to be really difficult to go back to my normal life again. I spent the day in the medina. I have noticed quite a difference between talking around with Christian, Dave and Harvey and walking around by myself. Moroccan men are much more assertive when I am walking by myself. They should out comments, but it is harmless... I just ignore them and keep on walking. It is no worse than it was in Spain, really. The comments escalated when I took off my sunglasses due to my blue eyes, so I put my sunglasses back on and kept them on! I saw the famous tanneries of Fez today. It was incredible. I found a guide and he told me all about the leather making process. I was given a sprig of mint leaves due to the pungent smell. The leather-making techniques have remained pretty much unchanged since the Middle Ages. Men walk the narrow paths between huge vats, water wheels creak as the leather is rinsed, and buildings facing the tannery are covered with pelts hanging to dry. After walking around for a few hours I was parched, so I returned to the hotel and drank 1.5 liters of water as if it had been merely one glass. Then I went for another walk, bought some jewelery and had a delicious salad for supper. I went out for one last glass of Moroccan mint tea and then it was time to go to sleep.

May 23
Today is my last day in Morocco. I honestly hope to return to Africa some day in the not-so-faraway future. I have always wanted to travel here and now that I have had a tiny taste of it, I want more! I spent the morning shopping. I very seldomly buy souvenirs but I really like the style (and price) of Moroccan jewelery. Up until this point, I ignored the shop keepers who tried to lure me into their shops but this morning I was ready and willing. I am usually not one to bargaining, but in Morocco it is assumed that bargaining is going to happen. Their attitude about selling things is unique. Most of the time when I asked how much something cost, the shop keeper would respond in asking "well, how much do you want to pay?" And so, I bought a pendent and earrings for 70 dirhams and my pen and at another place I bought a scarf for one third of their initial price (I started to walk away and then a boy ran after me saying that I could have it for 50 dirhams because I was beautiful and it was his first sale of the day and I would bring him good luck!) Despite the hassling that tourists experience, Moroccan people are very friendly and warm people. They genuinely care about their products and customers. When I walked by a shop where I had bought something, the shopkeeper would smile and wave and say "Hello! I remember you!" Today I also saw Bou Inania madersa:a breathtaking 14th-century religious college. It is supposedly the best example of Islamic architecture a non-Muslim can see in Fez. The last thing I have to note about Morocco is the amount of donkeys/mules and how much I love them! They are everywhere, carrying all sorts of loads. I feel like the majority of my photos have a donkey or mule in them. They walk in the medina along with the rest of the crowd and they walk on the roads along with the rest of the traffic. It is awesome! And so, after five unforgettable days in Morocco, I am off to see Monica in Germany :)

May 24-27
I had a great time visiting Monica. It didn't feel like we had been apart for over a year. We walked, talked and laughed a lot! She arrived in Mainz last week, so we discovered some things in the city together. The first evening I was in Mainz there was a soccer game and almost everybody was dressed up in red to support their local team. There was lots of drinking, yelling, singing and garbage, but the strangest part was that Monica and I couldn't figure out if they won or lost! Apparently they won though. It was really hot in Germany too. It felt just as hot as Morocco! In Morocco the heat is dry and there is a breeze but in Germany it was really humid, which added to the heat. Monica and I went to a barbecue with the people that she works with.I never pictured myself being at a barbecue with physicists from Canada, Germany and Russia. It certainly was interesting. Walking in the medina with donkeys one day and eating sausages and drinking beer with physicists in Germany the next day! HaHa. The next day, Monica had a day off of work and we spent the day in the center being tourists and shopping. We prepared a delicious supper together and then went for an adventurous walk. Our visit was short, but sweet. It was so much fun to catch up with one another and make many new memories as well.

And so my year abroad is coming to a close. As I am typing this, I am "working" my last shift at Riga Hostel (what a difficult job it has been... just kidding!) I only have a few days left to enjoy Latvia and I am going to make the most of it!

See you all soon :)

Mum, Linda and Kathy's visit

Mum's favorite- AmberLunch at John LemonHappy to be together :)The ladies in St. Peter's Church towerIn the countrysideAt the Baltic Sea

I just had a wonderful visit with Mum, Linda and Kathy. I am so happy that they came to Latvia. They arrived on Thursday morning and left on Saturday evening and we took advantage of every minute that we had. We all agreed that it felt like they were here longer than three days because we saw so many places and things.

On Thursday we saw a few sights in Riga, went to the occupation museum, had lunch at my favorite restaurant, did some grocery shopping, had supper with Zane, Raimonds and Irbe at Lido and went to sleep at the hostel. The weather was quite cold and rainy, but our spirits were not dampened.

On Friday we were greeted by a sunshine and blue sky! We walked around Old Riga, and had planned to go on an alternative tour of Riga, but decided to go on Emma’s alternative tour of Riga instead because we were all hungry. We went into a restaurant that I have never even noticed before and had delicious food that was presented beautifully. Then we went up the tower of St. Peter’s church for a great view of Riga.

Then we went to the central market to check out the assortment of things that it offers: vegetables, pig heads, piles of sauerkraut, seeds and much more. Then we walked to the art nouveau district to admire the beautiful architecture. It was time for a rest and so we relaxed and had some tea at my favorite little tea house and then rushed to the hostel to pick up our rental car. Makonis and I acted as Mum’s co-pilots and our flight was successful! We almost missed an exit on the highway and Makonis made a great comment about Mum’s driving: “You just seemed so sure of yourself that we thought you knew where you were going!” We arrived in Rimeikas and were greeted by many smiling faces and delicious food. Later in the evening, more people arrived and we had a wonderful night around the fire with singing, food, laughing, drinking, and talking.

On Saturday we got up early and drove to Rujiena, the town where my grandmother, Mambu, grew up. I had never been there before. We saw her church and went to the cemetery to try and find her mother’s grave. We were unsuccessful in finding it, but it was nice to walk around the beautifully kept cemetery. We then drove on towards the Baltic Sea. Then we took a quick stop in Old Riga so that Linda, Kathy and Mum could buy some amber and then it was time to go to the airport and say good bye!

Their trip was very memorable and I will forever be thankful that they came to visit me in Latvia. We had a fantastic time together and when I return to Canada and talk about my life in Latvia, they will know who and what I am talking about. I think that is really meaningful.

And so I had a quiet evening to relax on Saturday, work on Sunday and on Monday (tomorrow) I am flying to Germany and after a very long wait in the airport, I will be on my way to Morocco. I am looking forward to the hot weather and sight seeing. Morocco is different from anywhere else I have traveled and I have taken, and will take, many precautions. Then, I will be going to Germany to see Monica :) After my adventure I will add some more photos and write again.

Spring and Easter

Some choir members, director and I after our concertEaster-Lauris and I

Lieldienas! Easter! Swinging!

It is a Latvian tradition to swing on Easter (so that mosquitoes don't bite you in the summer)

Little gardeners

Hang in there!

Spring has arrived in Latvia! The grass is green, flowers are starting to bloom, frogs and toads are leaping and the only snow to be seen is hidden deep in the forest.

I spent Easter in the countryside with my relatives. It was wonderful! Great weather, lots of time spent outdoors, delicious food and good company. A Latvian Easter isn't too much different from Easter in Canada, except that a Latvian Easter does not involve candy. It does, however, involve swinging and egg wars (hitting your boiled egg with an opponent and if your egg does not crack, you are the winner! I find it strange that the "winner" is unable to eat their egg because it is not cracked)

My choir concert went well. Linda came to watch me and most of our songs were sung successfully. My favorite part was wearing a traditional Latvian costume! The concert was recorded, so I will be able to listen and remember our music when I return to Canada.

I am beginning to get excited (but not TOO excited) for visitors in May! My godmother, Linda, is coming to visit me for a few days and so is Mum (as long as she gets her passport and tickets in time... that is why I am not getting TOO excited haha). I really hope the plan will happen :)

I have spontaneously decided to go on one last big adventure of the year. I am going to Fez, Morocco and Frankfurt, Germany at the end of May! I had sort of planned to go to Frankfurt to visit my cousin, Monica, as she will be working there for the summer and then I thought that maybe I would go somewhere warm for a few days and after looking at the ryanair website and seeing that this dream trip would only cost me about $200, I couldn't pass it up! When am I ever going to get the chance to do something like this again? The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea and a few hours later I booked the flights. I am really excited!

And so, the majority of the next month will be spent at the hostel (with one countryside break), then visitors, then adventure, then one week in Latvia doing all of my favorite Latvian things and then HOME!

February and March

Stockholm

Vasa museum

Little islands

Just me

The months of February and March passed quickly. Two months from today and I will be in Canada with Linda. I would describe February and March as being... gray. Yesterday, the sky was a clear blue, the sun was shining and I felt like dancing and singing in the streets.

I celebrated my birthday in March by going to the water park and out to supper with Gunda, Irbe, Linda, Zane, Raimonds, Lauris and Saiva. It was a lot of fun :)

On March 28, Irbe, Linda, Linda’s friend, Laila, Zane, Raimonds and I took the ferry to Stockholm. The ferry was huge and there were many forms of entertainment (definitely more interesting than the ferry to PEI). There was a dance show, music, shops, bars, restaurants and sleeping cabins. On the 29th we arrived in Stockholm and went to the Vasa museum and walked around the town. The Vasa museum was really interesting. The Vasa was a ship that foundered and sank after sailing less than a nautical mile into her maiden voyage on 10 August 1628. She was salvaged in 1961. In the evening we got back on the ferry and headed back to Riga.

This week my life is choir. We have a concert on Friday and I have had practices every day this week.

My 10 favorite things about my year in Europe (in no particular order):

1: Latvia: where almost everybody speaks Latvian, knows Latvian folk songs and celebrates Latvian traditions (instead of in Canada, where many people don’t even know that Latvia is a country).

2: Being in a room where everybody is speaking a language I don't understand.

3: Eating: gelatto and pizza in Italy- chocolate, beer, waffles, fries in Belgium- croissants, crepes and wine in France- bratwursts in Germany- fresh orange juice and tapas in Spain- buying pīrāgs and kliņģeris in the GROCERY store in Latvia *I thought only Nina (my grandmother) made those ;)*

4: Six weeks of traveling with my sister through Germany, France, Italy, Latvia and Finland.

5: The sights: Mt. St. Michel. Colosseum in Rome, Notre Dame Cathedral, Palm trees in January, World’s largest cathedral, streets and waterways in Venice, Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Versailles, Beethoven’s house, the Vatican, Auschwitz, Leaning tower of Pisa, Pink and Lime tiled houses in Portugal and more..... this all fits into one category, doesn’t it?

6: The highest point of a city for a great view (stairs, elevators, hills, mountains, church towers, viewing platforms, Eiffel tower, parks...etc)

7: Markets. One of the things that I am going to miss the most about Europe. Canada has too many regulations. Sure, the man selling you the fish may have a cigarette hanging from his mouth and his muddy rubber boots are on a shelf behind him... but you know the fish is fresh!

8: Not having a plan is sometimes the best plan. Just start walking and you are bound to find something good (an old fashioned movie wedding in France, good food and a funny waiter in a random restaurant in Italy, old Jewish cemetery in Poland, beautiful parks and statues in many countries... and all sorts of other interesting things!)

9: Going to grocery stores. It might sound a bit bizarre but it is always interesting to see what people eat in different countries. I don’t like feeling like a tourist all the time while I am traveling... this is one of the places to escape and see the real way people live!

10: Making friends from all over the world (literally: Latvia, The Netherlands, Germany, United States, Poland, Brazil, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand.....)

Spain and Portugal

Palm trees in JanuarySangrada Familia ChurchMarket in BarcelonaChristo Rei on a misty morningColorful LisbonAija and I at the beach on a gray dayPlaza de Toros

Plaza de Espana

View from the cathedral tower in Seville

Malaga

I had an absolutely amazing trip to Spain and Portugal! I kept a journal while traveling and here are some excerpts:

January 13 (I had written June 13 by mistake):
-I left Latvia this morning. Right now I am flying over magnificent mountains without a cloud in the sky. It is the most beautiful view from a plane I have ever had.
-I arrived in Barcelona and it was sunny and +15 degrees. I walked around all day without too much of a plan (one of my favourite things to do in a new city). I walked up and down La Ramblas, Barcelona’s famous boulevard and saw some very unique things. First there were outdoor pet stores, then flower markets, then artists and street performers all along the way.

January 14:
-I took the metro to see Sangrada Familia Church. I am really thankful for the experience of traveling with Anna for six weeks in May and June because it was then that I learned all the basic of traveling within Europe. The church was remarkable. It began construction in 1882 and it continues to this day. The style is unlike anything I have ever seen. Afterwards I walked to the Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau. The hospital was amazing. It may sound a bit strange that I went to visit a hospital and that it is one of the coolest things I have ever seen in my travels but the hospital was founded in 1401 and it is Europe’s oldest functional hospital. It is so neat to see the old medieval buildings and the new technology and doctors in the same area. Fantastic juxtaposition! Another cool thing about the hospital is it’s design. It is not one huge building, but rather a complex of small to medium buildings that are connected by underground tunnels.
-I just made my traditional hike to the top of the city. Whenever I see that there is the opportunity to have a great view of a city I always take it. Sometimes it is a church, a tower, city hall, park, hotel, mountain, costs 2 euros, 20 euros or is free. This time I opted for Guell Park. A metro ride, a walk up a steep hill, a few outdoor escalators and some more walking and I had reached the top! I took off my jacket and sweater and sat in the sun in my t-shirt.

January 15 (again, I had written June instead of January):
-Another gorgeous +15 degree day. I don’t think the sun has ever felt so good! Long hours at Riga Hostel without windows were definitely worth it. Yesterday I was on a roll and saw everything that I had planned to see, so today is a relaxing one. I walked around and periodically sat in the sun to read my book. I also went to the market, which was fantastic! I bought 1kg of fresh strawberries for 2 euros. I was really, really happy :) One of the things that I am going to miss most about Europe are the markets.

January 16:
-Today I flew to Lisbon. I arrived in the evening and walked around the center. What a beautiful city! The architecture is so bright and colorful. It makes me want a pink tiled house! I met my couchsurfing host and we went out for supper. She is a piano teacher with a degree in psychology who is studying to become a veterinarian, so we had a lot of talk about.

January 17:
-Today I walked, walked, walked, walked from 9:00 until 20:00. Sight-seeing can be a lot of work. They say that Lisbon is a city built on seven hills. If so, I climbed four of them. The coloured houses are phenomenal. I went to an old monastery that was huge and the chapel was beautiful. I also saw a famous statue and tower. I walked around the city center some more and before I knew it, the sky was getting dark, so I walked back to my host’s apartment. We made supper and relaxed. She was very friendly and kind. Tomorrow morning I am going to Huelva to see Aija :)

January 18:
-The bus trip to Huelva wasn’t too bad considering it was a 6.5 hour bus ride. I was so happy to see Aija! We talked and talked and talked. I told her about what was new in my life and in Latvia and she told me what was new in her life and about all the oddities she has experienced in Spain. My favorite thing she told me was that when there were loud parties in her apartment the neighbors didn’t come over and tell them to be quiet... they threw eggs! There were marks on the walls to prove it. Her flat mates are really nice. She lives with a girl from Sweden, I girl from Germany and a Spanish guy. A very international house! Aija and I walked around Huelva in the evening.

January 19:
-Well Aija had warned me that her apartment was cold and she wasn’t lying. I woke up in the middle of the night to put on my sweater and jacket (in addition to long sleeves and numerous blankets). I also killed two mosquitoes during the night... Spain is crazy!

January 20:
-Another relaxing day. The weather hasn’t been the best... but I keep reminding myself that it is still far better than Latvia. I walked around Huelva while Aija was in class, in search of a bookstore that we had seen a couple days ago. I didn’t find it but I found something even better called”The English Bookstore”. Perfect! However, when I walked closer I saw that it was closed for siesta. Ah, even”The English Bookstore” has siesta. No fair!

January 21:
-Today I went for a walk with Aija and Marcos to a hill overlooking Huelva... funny to think that +10 degrees feels cold in January. I made nachos for supper and everybody enjoyed them. I can’t believe I will be back in Latvia in a mere week.

January 22:
-This morning I went to class with Aija. It was fun! Students were doing presentations about different countries, some in English and some in Spanish. I find that I can understand quite a few words in Spanish with my English/French/Latvian and very minimal Italian knowledge. Then we all went for tapas and had a siesta (very Spanish!) I read my book and drank lots of hot tea to keep me warm. Tomorrow Aija and two of her flat mates are leaving for Granada at 6:00 tomorrow morning.

January 23:
-Marcos, Aija and I stayed up until 3:00 in the morning talking a laughing. I have had such a great visit. This afternoon, Marcos drove me to Seville, his hometown is just outside of Seville. We had quite the fun time communicating with a mixture of English, French, Spanish and Latvian. Now I am in Seville and it is +22 degrees, my warmest day so far. As I write, I am waiting for a tour of the bull fighting ring. Bull fighting originated in Seville.
-The bull ring was really interesting. Afterwards I went to Plaza de Espana, which was the site of the Spanish pavilion from the 1929 exhibition. In more recent years it was used in the filming of the new Star Wars episodes. It was incredible. Then I walked around the city for a while, bought groceries and went to the hostel. I met three nice guys from Canada! I haven’t seen Canadians since the summer and suddenly there were four of us in the same hostel (and there were only seven guests that night). It was a chill out, relaxing evening.

January 24:
-It is extremely strange that my life seems completely normal despite the fact that I am in the south of Spain, was in the largest cathedral in the world and saw the tomb of Christopher Columbus (all before noon). I am so fortunate that I have the opportunity to live life to the fullest and do what I love. I can’t even describe the cathedral and pictures do not do it justice. It was incredibly huge and filled with beautiful art and priceless treasure. The ceilings were 37 meters high!

January 25:
-Today I took the bus from Seville to Malaga. It was raining in Seville and in Malaga as well. I was greeted by Pedro at the bus station. I met Pedro in Latvia during the summer and he is good friends with my friend, Lasma. Pedro and his friend, Alvaro, showed me around Malaga and they were excellent tour guides. We ate typical food from Malaga, went to the Picasso museum (Picasso was born and retired in Malaga), and walked around the center. Pedro’s flat mates are from Germany, Italy and Denmark. Again, an international house! They all speak Spanish and I helped prepare a typical Spanish dish- potato omelette. It was delicious and I am going to try to make it again on my own someday.

January 26:
-Pedro and I hiked up a hill that overlooks that city today. We also had a nice, long walk along the sea. Then we went to his apartment, made supper and some of his friends came to visit. It is a strange feeling to be in a room full of people who are speaking a language you hardly understand. Sometimes I try to figure out what they are saying and then other times I just zone out completely.

January 29:
-I am back in Latvia after an awesome vacation. I flew from Malaga to Frankfurt, waiting in Frankfurt for 6 hours overnight and then flew to Latvia. I have traded palm trees for snow and + degree weather to – degree weather. In a way, it is nice to be back though. Back to Latvian language, people and ”normal” life. Latvia has really become a second home to me.

So now I am back at work and getting caught up with people and hostel life. I believe that the majority of my big travels are over. I am starting to look forward to my return to Canada and my Latvian cousins visiting.

That is all for now :)

Ziemassvētkus/Christmas

Beautiful Christmas!

Christmas Market

Lauris and Gunda- so cute! :)

Gunda and I

Present Time! -Taiga

Latvija is a beautiful place to be at Christmastime! There is a big Christmas market with all sorts of handcrafts, food and karstvīns (mulled wine) One night I went to buy my last presents and there was music playing, people bustling about, snow began to fall, the smell of gingerbread and wine and a Christmas spirit in the air. It was just like a fairytale. I spent an evening walking around and taking pictures and sipping wine :)

I just got back to Riga after having a wonderful Christmas. I celebrated Christmas in the countryside with my Latvian relatives. I spent Christmas Eve at Taiga's house together with Taiga, Zane, Raimonds, Linda, Irbe, Gunda, Saiva, Eriks and Lauris.

It was a very traditional Latvian Christmas and it was really interesting to experience. I went to church with Zane, Linda, Irbe, Lauris and Gunda. I had been told that the church would be cold, but I didn't expect it to be as cold as it was. The church didn't even have a heating system! Everybody just stays dressed in their warm winter jackets, mittens and hats, with the church door open. It felt like I was in the olden days. In Latvia, presents are opened on Christmas Eve and in order to receive a present you must recite a poem or sing a song. Little Gunda and Lauris put everybody to shame by knowing the most poems from memory. We had a huge, delicious feast and a beautiful Christmas tree decorated with candles. Along with my gifts from my Latvian relatives, I got to open my Canadian Christmas presents that Erik had brought with him in November. It was so lovely to have some reminders from home :) I especially enjoyed reading the cards!

On Christmas Day I went to church again to sing with Silva, Uvis, Silva's organist friend Ilze, and another man . Again, it was in a very cold church! I was happy to have the opportunity to play organ, even if my fingers were a little cold! Then I went to Silva and Uvis' house and all the rest of the family gathered there for some more food, singing and good company :) There were 15 of us in total! So then I had 2 more days of relaxation and now I am back in Riga, starting to think about sunny Spain and Portugal in a few weeks! Time has just been running by. I am already thinking about summertime and the following year. I have been accepted to Acadia University :) Linda, Makonis and I have already started to become excited for our "trip" to Nova Scotia. Also, I am going to visit Anna for the last 2 weeks of August, which I am really looking forward to!