Busy busy busy

Yesterday was the 16^th of June, exactly 10 months in Estonia, only two months left now . . . 

I have decided to make two parts to this blog, a writing part and a picture part. Both telling the same story but I thought I have so many pictures from my past weeks then why not post a lot of them here to tell part of the story. 

I have had an intensive past two weeks as a friend of mine puts it. It all started on Monday the 3^rdof June. My class trip, we finally got to use the money from the balloon popping at the beginning of the year. We decided to go to Lithuania stopping in Latvia on the way. So we met up early Monday morning then drove down through Estonia stopping at the Latvian boarder to stretch our legs and exchange some money to the Latvian Lats. While in Latvia the weather was warm and sunny, we stopped at an old castle for a tour through its many rooms and neatly organized gardens. After the castle trip we were back on the bus and our next stop was in Lithuania, at the hill of crosses. This is a small hill filled with crosses of all different sizes. The most crosses in one place with over 10,000 and more being added regularly, there was a place where you could get your own cross and put in on this hill with all the others. Lithuania is 99% Christian so it wasn't unusual to see most shops or stalls filled with crosses. 

Castle in Latvia

Hill of Crosses in Lithuania 

After driving another few hours we reached our destination, a city called Palanga. Everyone was excited when we finally arrived at our hotel and then headed out to the sea. The area was very clean and green, we walked down a street lined with restaurants, souvenir stalls, bumper cars and other theme park type games. We followed this street which ended at a long white sandy beach. A dock led out over the water and we all rushed to the end of it for pictures. It was even warmer in Lithuania and the sun was glittering on the sea. It was a great end to our first day. 

In Palanga

The next morning we were up early and once again on our now too familiar bus. We went around the area a bit and came to a sea museum where we wondered around and watched a seal show. After some more driving we went to what is called 'witch mountain' This is the mountain where supposedly the witches go up to meet on Halloween each year. We walked up the mountain and although it was called witch mountain it gave quite the opposite feeling. The light green leaves on the trees provided a nice canopy overhead and the trees felt fresh. All through the forest were wood sculptures made by different artists from Lithuania, Latvia and Sweden. So we were following these sculptures, hearing their different meanings and stories from our guide. After our walk we all set out to find places to eat. A group of us found a place by the seaside and had burgers. It was getting colder though, so we were sitting outside wrapped in blankets given to us by the restaurant.

Sea museum

Witch Mountain

Our final event for the day was another walk, this time over large sand dunes and to a top point where we could look out over sea. As I said before it was quite windy so the sand was blowing around and stinging my face. We took a group picture (one of many group pictures) and then went back to our hotel for the night. 

The sand dunes

The morning of our final day we stopped at another museum, this time and amber museum, which was located in the middle of the Palanga botanical gardens. The weather was a bit rainy but even so the gardens were green and fresh as we walked through them. After a walk around the museum and a stop in the little amber shop we were back on our bus for our drive home. We made one last stop in Riga, Latvia for lunch and some free time in a little carnival. On our bus ride home the teacher thanked me for being in their class, gave me some chocolates as well as a whole lot of little letters from my Estonian class mates. It was strange to realize that school was actually over, that it was the last time I would be seeing my school friends. But with that I hugged everyone good bye, remembering what it was like to first meet them all in the beginning, it still felt like I would be going back to school the next day and seeing them all again. But that was just first of many goodbyes.

Amber museum

My goodbye gifts

The next major good bye came this weekend, at our end of year seminar with YFU for all the exchange students. We went back to that very first place we were at when we first arrived in Estonia. This time only for one night though instead of the four like in the beginning. We had a few workshops about saying good bye and preparing to go back home. We got to spend time together with the other exchange students, taking pictures, sharing our thoughts about our last times in Estonia as well as laughing about our newly made memories in this country. The weekend flew by and all to soon we found ourselfs saying good bye. It seems like we had only met at the preperation week a few weeks ago but actually that first week was a year ago . . . So we said our good byes, most of the students will be leaving on the 28^th of June apart from the few exceptions like me who will be leaving a bit later. I'll be at the airport on the 28^th then for one final good bye to my friends from all over the world.

Making a welcome sign for next years exchange students

Going back to the beginning of this week. As I mentioned in my last post Piiplipaevad was held on the 7^th to the 9^th in Rapla, an hours train ride from Tallinn. I spent the three days in a big sports school with my youth group and many many others from all around Estonia. We had morning services and in the evenings were the music concerts. The first day arriving I met a girl from America who is staying in Estonia for two months. Basically all the people I have met at the different churches I have been to were at these Piiplipaevad. Our second day there we went off with our youth groups to nearby areas. My group went to Marjamaa, where we had an event day for the locals, with a band, food and games. That evening was the main concert and altogether from little places we went to, 40 people came back with us to be at the concert. The Sunday started as a joint serivce with the Rapla church. I surprised myself with how much Estonian I understand and translated all the services over the days and all the little speaking in between to English for the American girl. It was actually a lot of fun. Challenging but fun. Sunday afternoon we once again had many people from Rapla who joined us for the concert, after which my host Mom and two out of three sisters were there to pick me up. It was a relaxing few days, getting to meet new people and know some of my other friends better.

Bible days concert

Tuesday of that same week I met with some of the other exchange students and we decided to go to the summer capital or Estonia, Parnu. We met in Parnu late morning, unfortunatly though the weather wasn't that great. We walked around the city for a little then headed straight to the beach as you should in the summer capitol. Only to find the beach basically deserted and coverd by thick grey clouds. “Welcome to the summer captiol” we joked. Making the best of our time there we played a game of mini golf near the beach, then when the rain came down we found a little cafe for some lunch. Then we all headed home our seperate directions.

Estonias summer capital

The next day I was again up early and onto a bus. This time I went with a small group of exchange students to Saaremaa, Estonias biggest island. We arrived in Saaremaa late morning and were greeted with hot sunny weather. Ofcourse coming from Tallinn where it was cloudy and cold we were all wrapped up in jackets. So first stop was to a little shop in the bus station to get some clothes more suited to the weather. We spent the day in Kuressaare, the 'capital'of Saaremaa. There we found a little castle surrounded by a large moat, after which we brought food for the next few days. In the evening we went by a small boat to the little island of Vilsandi where we would be staying for two nights. On the island we found our not so little cottage, surrounded by green meadows filled with tall white flowers and surprisingly a lot of sheep. We spent the afternoon relaxing in the sun and wondering around the flowery fields. 

The next day after breakfast we decided to go for a hike around the island. We started out through a forest which then led to a small beach, we crossed some water onto another little piece of island and then were walking on stones most of the time. While out there though the clouds rolled in and the rain came down. We thought it best to go home and have some lunch inside. The afternoon was spent playing cards by a warm fire. On our final day we packed up our stuff, went back by boat to Saaremaa where we then spent some time in Kuressaare again before catching a bus back up to Tallinn. It was a great trip, got some good photos and got to spend some time with some great friends.

Kuressaare

 

End of May

All around now I see bright yellow võililled (dandelions) riddled over thick, green grass. Our gardens apple trees are blooming with little white and pink flowers. Today is the first of June meaning the first day of Summer! Which means a lot of sun and a lot of colour. Even the night sky doesn't actually lose colour and go black as I'm used to but instead just changes colour, from light blue to dark blue, indicating the few hours of 'dark' from 10pm to 4 or 5 am. Yesterday was Friday. Friday of the last week of the school year. Which means my whole school year in Estonia is over . . . I'm not quite sure how to feel about that. I was warned repeatedly during the year that the time goes quickly but I didn't expect it to just run ahead while I was blinking. And yet that is just what has happened, as quickly as school began, it has now ended. I will still have one last time to say goodbye to my school friends on our school trip to Lithuania next week. It's just so crazy to think that a whole school year has gone by . . . it's done, just like that. 

On the 11^th of May ( a few weekends ago) there was a special event happening in Tallinn, it was Euroopa päev (Europe day). Stalls and booths being set up on vabaduse väiljak (freedom square) where most big events in Tallinn are held. One of the German exchange students managed to get a group of us a tour in the German Embassy as well as the national library. We spent the morning wondering around the different stalls and around oldtown where some of the other embassies (from the European union) were open for people to visit. We got a good view of the city from one of the tall, old buildings where the finish Embassy was (unfortunately I didn't actually have my camera with me so I can't share the view) We eventually arrived at a very modern building in a park that seemed tucked behind the main city. This was the German Embassy where we met a lady who worked there, she told us a lot about how the Embassy works and whats involved in working there as well as

answered all our questions. Just before we were leaving, the Ambassador himself came down to greet us. He heard that someone was from New Zealand, when I said it was me he looked at me, slightly surprised and said 'oh you look normal' Everyone laughed and then he asked about New Zealand and Australia, interested in the two very distant countries. After which we headed off to the national library. A large building standing between the German embassy and the city. We were given a tour of the place, shown around many different rooms, all with different themes. Again I tried translating to the same German girl who came on the trip to Latvia with us just a few weeks ago. This time though my translation 'skills' failed me a bit but I did what I could. After the tour I finished off the day by going to the movies, a nice break from all the walking around.

I've spent the past few weeks helping organize a concert with YFU. This was a concert put on by the exchange students for our host families, school teachers, our support people and friends. After planing and organizing, emailing, calling and a lot of time spent in the YFU office after school, it was time for the show. We were to have two concerts, one in the main city hall in Tartu and the other in an art school in Tallinn. The first concert in Tartu went be well. Everyone was energetic and ready for the show, it was exciting that the day had finally come and things were coming together! Everything ran smoothly, students got to show their talents; singing, dancing, playing various instruments. We even had one student drawing a live portrait as the show was happening. When the show was over most of us headed up to Tallinn. Friday came and a few of us were in the YFU office in the early afternoon before the show in Tallinn doing some final preparations for the concert that evening. As the starting time drew near more students arrived. We got things set up and ready and in no time our second concert was underway. My family came to watch too and it was great to have them there. A video I had made from our Latvia trip was played as well as another one I made with the other students in the film program, this one was about our Narva trip. It was cool to see my movies up on a big screen being playing in front of many people. Overall things went really well, after all the planing the shows seemed to go by so quickly. We all had a good time and I was glad for the opportunity to help organize.

I was given a chocolate and card to say thank you for helping organize the concert

So my last week of school flew by and the first weekend of the summer holidays began. I was in the city again helping with another YFU thing. Today was maailmapäev or world day. Once again in Vabaduse väiljak there were a whole lot of stalls set up, each for different international organizations including YFU. So I spent the day with some of the other exchange students at our stall and walking around the area handing our fliers about YFU and YFU balloons. It was a very hot day so walking around in the sun was tiring. We were aiming for potential host families for next years exchange päevad, Bible days, which is basically a huge Christan music concert which lasts for three days. We were told pretty much how things would run on the day and where we would go, who we would meet, all that sort of thing.

students so we used a whole lot of balloons to attract children, so when the kids came for
balloons we were able to give some information about YFU and being a host family to the parents. It worked well and we were soon out of fliers. After the long day outside, I headed to a church in a nearby area. This evening was talking about an upcoming 'outreach' day which is happening next week. This is happening on the second day of an event called Piibli

I'd like to end by saying head lastepäeva! (happy childrens day)  because believe it or not in Estonia there is a day for children. Like mothers day and fathers day, there is a childrens day too. I woke this morning, headed downstairs to find a big chocolate for all of us 'children' and a sign saying "head lastepäeva". I laughed and thought this is defiantly a tradition I need to introduce to my family in New Zealand! 

To Latvia we go

The only snow left now is the small pile in out empty swimming pool in the garden, the ground is officially green and the trees are starting to  become green too. A whole lot of little spring flowers have been popping up these past few weeks. I realized I've never seen a Spring so distinct before, back home the seasons just roll into each other, not too much different than the last one, but here after such a long, dark and cold winter all life is literally springing up, leading into summer.This weekend was sure proof of summer, 22 degrees in Tallinn . . . not that I was in Tallinn. This weekend we had another YFU trip. This time to the capitol of Latvia, Riga.

Luckly it was also very warm in Riga, about 20 degrees, which meant that finally after months of cold we no longer needed to wrap ourselves up in bug jackets and hats.
The trip started early Friday morning, I met with some of the students coming from Tallinn and we took a bus down to Tartu, where we then met all the rest coming on the trip. We had our own little bus waiting for us, so we all piled in and were off driving further south. We spent our first night in Estonia, staying in a local school in Rõuge, which is a small countryside town. On our ride down to the school we stopped in a few places. First was a little village museum. We got a tour around and I did my best to translate some of the stuff into English for a girl who had come with from Germany. She is a new intern at YFU so she doesn't yet know Estonian.

Part of the village museum

We found a nice park where we stopped to have some lunch and then drove on to a sandstone cave somewhere near our destination in Rõuge (On the map I've put up Rõuge is not shown but it is just a bit South of Võru)  By the time we arrived at the school, we were all very glad to be out of the little bus for the day. We went to a cute little bed and breakfast for dinner and then did some exploring around the area.

Our group stretching our legs after a long bus ride

The next morning a few of us were up super early and out in the little town again, all with our cameras out and clicking. Back to the bed and breakfast for some food and then again into our little bus for another long drive to Valga. Before catching our train, just for a bit of fun, we drove across the boarder into Latvia, exchanged some money and then drove back into Estonia. It was just passing a little pole which was stuck in the ground to say this side is Estonia and this side is Latvia. On one side people speak Estonian and use Euros and on the other side people Speak Latvian and use Lats. It was cool to just drive through to another country, if I tried that in New Zealand I would drown! Back in Valga we caught a train which then took us to Riga. It was a hot day and we were on the train for about 4 hours on our journey. When we arrived in Riga we found our hostel where we would be staying for the night, found our rooms, dumped our bags and then got a tour through the city.

Latvian flags flying

Riga is a big city, well bigger than Helsinki but still smaller than Stockholm. Buzzing with people and noise. A lot like Tallinn's old town, Riga was also set up and ready for tourists with restaurants setting up tables in the old streets and a lot of little wooden stalls everywhere selling amber made items like jewelry and other little souvenirs . Latvian flags were flying everywhere. As it turns out it was the 'restoration of Independence day' in Latvia and to celebrate, a large stage had been set up, live music flowing through the streets. We all found our own places for dinner, I stopped with a group of Germans at a pizza place, the waiter laughed when we ordered, all talking out at once because we were so hungry.

Large screens set up to show the stage

Sunday morning our breakfast consisted of all our left over foods and snacks from the previous day, which we laid out on the table and everyone just helped themselves. We went out for a quick walk around the city again, then back to the hostel to clean up and get our bags. The people who had come from Tartu or South Estonia had to leave then by train but the rest of us still had the afternoon in Riga. We decided to go for a boat ride on the river. To get to the river though we had to pass through the big city market. We made a line and hurried through the city market to get to the boat on time. The market seemed to go on forever, past souvenirs, clothes, food and fruit and fish and flowers (a lot of flowers) and eventually made it out the other side and to the river. After our ride on the river it was time to get to the bus station and start our journey back up to Tallinn. We crossed the boarder into Estonia without even realizing it and were then driving alongside the sea and home again

The concert still going as the sunset

Riga from the boat

Where did the snow go?

As my title suggests the snow has officially gone, one week of almost non stop rain washed away every last piece of snow. It seems really strange now after about 7 months of complete whiteness everywhere there is now only the beginning green shoots of spring.

So with the snow melted we did get to go canoeing. We went on Sunday to a national park called Soomaa. We ended up with me, Külliki and Epp in one canoe and Jaak, Piret and Mari in another. It was a very cool experience, we were literally paddling boats through a forest and over roads! This is an anual thing, each year when the snow melts this particular area gets flooded, and there is a small window opportunity to go for a canoe through this flooded park. Last weekend there was snow all around, this weekend was flooded and next weekend the water will all be gone. After our day of canoeing, we went to visit my host moms dad who lives in a village called Võhma, this is in south west town Estonia.  After some cake, berry tea and plenty of talking we were in the car on our way home again, the sun only just starting to go down at 8.30 in the evening . . . I think this is a sure sign of summer! 

The theater

Us girls in my family got to dress up a little, we went to the theater to watch opera, "The prince and the pauper." It was in Estonian of course but had a large screen above the stage translating everything to English too. After this we went to watch another of Maris circus performances, this night was a little different to her usual, it was an 'open stage' so there were plenty of other acts too.
We then wondered around old town taking photos. I noticed the town is now getting ready for the new batch of summer tourists. Cafes have many tables and chairs out especially in the main square, Raekoja pläts, which only a few months ago held the Christmas market and was covered in snow. Many of the old town shops have people dressed in the medieval style and out on the cobble stone streets shouting to draw attention and draw tourists into their shops or restaurants. When I see a group being guided through the streets of old town I can't help but remember my first day walking those same streets, then crowded with many people all speaking different languages. I remember how overwhwelming and exciting it was to see this town which dates back to the 13th century. I had never seen anything like it, we don't have the narrow roads and stone churches will tall spires back in New Zealand. It was a very strange feeling then and now I know these roads, I know the names of the many churches which have stood here for centuries. I know how to get to the main square hidden in the middle of all the buildings and I know where all the little side streets leading away from this square will take me. It will be strange to have to leave this place in 3 and a half months.


I was recently asked to write an article for a travel magazine, so I have been working on that, this will be published in June in Esttravel.

The weekend before last I basically spent the whole weekend at church. Saturday was a mission conference, which ran the whole day, morning to night. It was mostly in Estonian but some English speakers as well coming from Romania, Germany and Brazil. 
Then Sunday morning Epp and I did our usual trip to church, staying behind so Epp can help in the cafe. I was then invited to another small church where I met some new people. Including one Norwegian girl who was in Estonia visiting a friend for a few days. We got talking and I mentioned that my sister is in Norway at the moment, I tell her shes staying in Gjeving and this girl replies very excitedly 'that's my home town!' As it turns out she used to babysit my sisters host siblings when she lived there. I passed this information on to Gypsey who then said she had actually met this girls mother on a number of occasions. What are the odds of me meeting someone in Estonia who is from a tiny town somewhere in Norway, which also happens to be where my sister is spending a year on exchange? How small is the world?!

Sum up of March

I am sorry for the long time since I last posted. I won’t go week by week but I’ll sum up what has happened in the month of March, this being my 7^th month in Estonia. 

We had our ‘spring’ holidays mid-March. My week was mostly spent getting together with other exchange students. Two of which came to stay one night, we had a late night playing a long and intense game of monopoly, then spent the next day in oldtown ice skating, before rushing everyone off to the bus station for their journeys home. I also joined forces with the other two exchange students who came to Estonia on a film program, we spent some time working on a video about the YFU Narva trip. 

Now with holidays over, my last term of school in Estonia has begun. It’s scary to think that I only have about 9 or 10 weeks of school left in Estonia . . . 

Another exciting thing that happened in March was Epps 17^th birthday. We celebrated with the usual, having some family over for a BIG lunch, Epp making all sorts of different foods and snacks for everyone to enjoy. I have now got to celebrate all three of my host sisters birthdays! 

The last two Friday nights my youth group have been in English. The one was promoting an English camp which is happening at the end of July. This is an American camp so there will be some Americans over here, which seems to be quite exciting for the Estonians as one of my friends told me while jumping up and down.  Another evening we had a guest speaker from America so it was in English translated to Estonian. I got to speak to the guest. This has sort of become my ‘job’ now, any English people or guests at youth on Fridays or Church are sent to me as an English speaker. Which is great! I have met so many different and interesting people from ALL OVER the world and gotten to know them and their stories of how they have ended up here in Estonia. Whenever I do meet new people they still find it surprising that I’m only 16 and spending a year on the other side of the world . . .  

I find I have been meeting so many different people here, from so many different places. On Thursday evening I went to my usual home group that I’ve been going to for a while now. We have a pretty multi-cultural group. Norwegian, American, Estonian, Danish, Brazilian and then me from New Zealand. 

For Easter we went to Kose to visit my host grandmother. We painted some boiled eggs, each chose one and then had a competition to see whose egg was the strongest by hitting them together. The winner then is the one whose egg doesn’t crack after competing with everyone else, they then get all the rest of the eggs. 

More sun, melting snow, blue sky, a little bit of grass . . . must be the real spring now. The snow is very slowly disappearing, dripping from roofs and leaving large puddles around. The days are now lighter and longer, the sun higher. Everyone is getting ready for summer including us. If the snow continues to melt within the next few days my host family and I will be going canoeing with some of the other exchange students and their families too. So fingers crossed!

My sister, Gypsey, who is now almost 3 months into her exchange  in Norway has started a blog! http://agypseyinnorway.blogspot.com/?spref=fb Check it out :)  

 

I've realized I have very lame titles for my posts . . .

 The 24^th of February, Estonian independence day. The family all woke early and went to watch the Estonian flag rising with the sun in one of the old towers in Toompea (in oldtown). Everyone stood together with Estonian flags to celebrate the countrys 95^th year of independence.

While there I saw another one of the exchange students with his family also there for the event. We stood amongst all the people in the cold morning and after a few speeches and watching the flag rise we went home again for some breakfast. Then Epp and I left for church again, this time Mari joined us to help Epp in the Church café after the service. After Church there was a parade going through the city which we hoped to get a glimpse of, not that we saw much because of all the people though.

 

Thursday night I went with a friend to a little café for a movie night. The café is owned by an English speaking family so everything is in Estonian and English. At the movie night there was a good mix of Estonian and English buzzing around, heard a lot of English and it actually felt quite strange to hear so much English at once, to be able to fully understand what people were talking about. Usually I have to listen hard and then decipher some words before getting the topic of a conversation in Estonia, but Thursday night I didn’t have to do so much work. 

This weekend we had another YFU trip. This time the exchange students met up in Narva, an Eastern city in Estonia. This city is right on the Russian border so is mostly populated by Russians as we found out when the lady at the till in the grocery store couldn’t even speak Estonian, only Russian. We went for Friday night so we spent Friday in the only Estonian school in Narva. We watched a presentation about the history of the city and then some of us made our own presentations about our home countries.

That evening we spent playing some games and meeting some of the students from the Narva school.

Everyone laughed at me when I said I brought a pillow with for the night, but no one was laughing anymore when it was bed time and we all had to sleep on the floor in a classroom.

Saturday morning we had some breakfast and then headed off to a castle right on the Russian border. There is only a river separating Estonia from Russia at the part of the country with a little bridge jammed with a long line of cars connecting the two. Two castles stand facing each other like a bit of a stand off on each side of the river, one in Estonia and the other in Russia. We had a bit of a tour of the one in Estonia and form up in the tower we were looking over Russia. Everyone with their cameras out and clicking (mine too of course)  After our tour we had some free time, so we all went to get some lunch and then were off in little groups wondering around Narva. Most of the buildings are in the old soviet style, tall grey block houses. 

As afternoon came we started heading home in groups. My group was first, taking about a 4 hour bus ride to Tallinn where I was met by my host parents. 

The Estonian castle

the bridge connecting the two

and the Russian castle

This is one of the YFU volunteers taking a big group photo with every ones cameras

Another view of the Russian castle.

I managed to get some shots of the sunset on the bus ride home from Narva

Saturday night my host cousin, who is 5, stayed the night so early Sunday morning I was woken with a colouring book and pencils because he wanted to draw.

I went to help collect food for another food bank with a group from youth. We then spent the day in the city together. The group enjoyed mocking each other on their English speaking and sort of ‘grading’ each other but I’m still impressed that so many people speak a second language so fluently.

Well what can I say, we are defiantly heading for spring . . . or so I thought. The cold has suddenly come back, this week being the coldest in a long time, here in Tallinn getting to -17. We do have sun though, blue skies and ‘cold’ sun. It's very beautiful, the blue sky and white ground. It is also getting lighter now in the mornings and in the evenings it gets darker later, around 6pm. I can’t believe that only two months ago it was getting dark at 3.30. I have now one week left of school and then it’s school holidays for me, already planning to meet up with some of the other exchange students and friends. I actually cannot believe how quickly everything has gone. I have a little over four months left in Estonia, I’ve realized that’s how long I had to prepare before coming here and I know that went very quickly. I’m trying to get as much as I can done and do as much as I can and spend time with as many people as I can because before I know it I will be  back in NZ again.