Greece photos: Number six

Okay so here is the last picture set from Greece, enjoy enjoy.


This first picture is from Olympia, I really enjoyed our time at Olympia and realized though I wasn't fond of Mythology last year in English I actually remembered a lot from the class and it was really nice to put places and people that we learned about in visual sight.
The next to pictures are from San Marino, the entire place is history the old city and the towers and the views and the landscape were incredible. The pictures are views from and of some of the towers.



These next two pictures are also from Olympia.

Can you imagine people building things like this such a long time ago? (with no modern machinery, these were massive structures)

until next time ->Corrine

Greece photos: Number five

I think just one more set of photos after this, I could be wrong though...maybe two.
oh well, enjoy enjoy.

These first three pictures are from the Orthodox monasteries built in the cliffs of Kalampaka . The 24 monasteries form the community Meteora, which means 'suspended in air'. The rock cliffs shaped by wind and water over the years were beautiful, and you couldn't help but wonder at how the monks first made there way onto these cliffs to build their chambers. These monasteries are what are called ''living monasteries" and it simply means that they are still actively used by monks who live there through the year or weeks at a time. I got to talk with a visiting monk...he said that he comes to these monasteries for 4 or 5 days at a time a few times a year...the history on those cliffs was beyond overwhelming.

Also there were a large number of goats being led around by two or three dogs freely grazing when and where they liked...even if that meant walk down the middle of the road against traffic.

The mountains of Austria, Northern Italy and Greece were all too lovely.

On the ferry cruising the Adriatic Sea with no land in sight, only water and sky.

More tomorrow

until next time-> corrine

Greece photos: Number four

Okay here is the 4th set, enjoy enjoy...more to come still.


This is from the base of the hill we climbed in the Czech Republic.


Me in San Marino, the town was beautiful with the most amazing views.

On the road in Lithuania.

This is where I left my heart. Austria.

Sunrise in the Adriatic Sea; Loutraki Greece.
Honestly I woke up to this, and ate breakfast and watched it in all it's beauty.
"The health of the eye seems to demand a horizon. We are never tired, as long as we can see far enough." Nature by Emerson.

More tomorrow.
until then->Corrine

Greece photos: Number three

Sorry I didn't get this up yesterday, here is the third set...I think I have 3 or 4 more sets left for you guys. Okay here it goes.

Kalampaka, Greece. The cliff top Orthodox monasteries were full of cats and kittens. You can call me a sap I guess because I feel in love with a kitten with three legs.


SuperFast, the name and speed of our ferry that took us from Italy to Greece.

Honey we shrunk the car!?

"Kid on a spit" okay really bad humor.

The landscape was one think that I really really loved about my trip, I saw things and could finally imagine what inspires painters. It would take your breathe away...the mountains, the cliffs, the orchards, the sea...How would it be like to live with olive, apple, orange, peach and pomegranate trees growing in your yard? Grapes growing off your deck? Out of this world.

until next time ->Corrine

Greece photos: Number two

Okay so here is the second set, more and more day by day, please hang in there for me.
enjoy.

From the roadway out side Delphi.


Greek Dancing.

(these next two) Early morning in the Czech Republic.

"We speak English" (yeah, sure you do...)

Okay I will post more tomorrow after shooting practice/training intervals. (woozah)
Maybe I will even tell you a story, oh I think so.

until then ->Corrine

Greece photos: Number one

Pictures from my trip to Greece, you know you are pumped.
Forgive me these are in no order, because this blogger likes to make things a little difficult at time so just stick with me, please and thank you.


This is supposedly the deepest canyon in the world (and no it's not the Grand Canyon either...) Vicos Gorge, Greece.
This is Corinths' Cannel, it was beautiful the sea honestly was the most beautiful shades of blues and greens that I have ever seen.
Athens; changing of the guards. And yes those are wooden clogs.
This is before Dace and I climbed up the 1000+ stairs to the top.
Oh amphitheater, at Epidaurus.

Snapshots from Sōderkoping

So, I know you have all been waiting for this...I am long long overdue to post something.
Here are pictures from my trip to Sweden, in well...October. (sorry about that)
This would be Sōderkoping, it was beautiful.
This would be Taylor (representing Arizona in Sweden) & this is how we dance to Irish music. Lovely Rotary dinner in Sweden.
Part of the gang (25 exchangees in total) exchanging "see-you-soons."
This would be the boys practicing their ribbon dance to ABBA's Dancing Queen. (we were all having a fit watching them do this)


Hoped you enjoyed the snapshots from a terrific weekend.
Corrine

Wait Latvia is a real country?

Okay okay, so you want to know what comes from Latvia? The Womens Champion of the NewYork City Marathon!!!! (that's right go team Latvia, wait do I mean to say the country really does exist? oh yes I do.)

I was meaning to finally getting around to telling you about my trip to Greece, but once again my time has slipped away, another week, does it feel this fast to anyone else?
but I don't have school the next two days, so I guess tha means I can find time to update.
I pinky promise.

Go Go Team Latvia

This is long long long overdue, and I'm so very sorry about it.
You could say I've had a very busy last 3 weeks? last month? (oops)
Let's just say I've seen a "bit" of Europe since the last time I wrote to you. I'll start from the beginning I guess.
Sweden:
Three weekends ago(?) I traveled to Sweden with three other exchange students living in Latvia and Guna, the person responsible for us. The other three exchange students are all wonderful people two girls from the US; Katie from Illinois, and Anne from Missouri. (representing the midwest for sure) Then the last member of our party would be Felix a very nice boy from Germany. We all met in Riga (the capital of Latvia) and flew from there to Stockholm, it took just over an hour. Once in Stockholm we had a little over an hour and a half bus ride to Soderkoping, which would be our final destination. Atfirst the bus pulled us into a campground (at the time none of knew where we would be staying), all you could here from the back of the bus was gasps of, "No way," and "you've got to be kidding me!?" Well the joke was on us I guess, we had in fact pulled into the wrong place...Our actual home for the weekend would be a youth hostel down the road.

Now the word hostel might provoke images of dirty rooms where things are falling to pieces with total shady characters renting out the rooms around you...but to put aside your fears European hostels are actually very nice and this one was completely rented out to the Rotary. When we arrived we were greeted by the head of the Swedish district we share, Jaun Eric, we found out then that we had the hostel to ourselves that night because the Swedish kids wouldn't meet up with us until the following day at lunch. After explaining to him that we were virtually dieing of hunger (okay not dieing but we could cry wolf a little bit), he offered to go out and buy us Chinese. So that was dinner and my first Swedish experience, "Swedish Chinese", need I say more?
The next day at lunch we met up with the 21 other rotary kids, who were all as hungry to speak some fast English as we were. The group was made up of mostly Americans and Australians, do you know how nice it is to not worry about using the wrong words which could lead you to explain the word needy for half an hour? (oh it is so nice) There were kids from else where as well: Japan, Taiwan, Brazil, Switzerland, Canada and France. Because our Latvian group was so largely out numbered by the group from Sweden we were deemed "Team Latvia" and referred to as a group more than individuals the remainder of the weekend.
After lunch we headed off to work on our acts for the "talent" show that would be performed at the next meeting. To give you the idea of the "talent" the boys decided they would like to all do a ribbon dance to Dancing Queen by ABBA, ABBA being the most cultural thing about it...but it was really funny to watch them prance around with toilet paper. The evening included bowling, dinner (which was very tasty), and then free time. They told us to not leave town and try not to get back to the hostel to late, so the group decided to hit a Disco, which in the end put us back to the hostel just shy of two in the morning...and led to us all sitting in the kitchen talking until right around four in the morning...We all agreed the next day that our bodies hated us.
After the refrigerator turned to be just full of cheese, sausage and bread Taylor(Arizona), Katie and I headed out to find some "Corn Flakes"...We found our cereal, danced with it across a bridge, we were then unsuccessful in locating any hot chocolate and so headed back to the hostel to enjoy our find.

It was really hard to see all the kids head out their separate ways, I guess it was kind of like a home away from home for a weekend. We really really enjoyed ourselves, the company was truly amazing. You really realize how alone you are in Europe having 24 less exchange students around you the next day.

And that was my adventure to Sweden, a whole lot of good good fun.
Until next time.
From Latvia with love

Korina Malkoma, wait...who is she?

Can you believe it’s october already? (I don’t) Homecoming week is upon everyone at the high school this week at home, and I miss the nonsense of it all for sure...I mean no one ever needs an excuse to dress up in ridiculous things or anything, but since sports and such aren’t part of my school here that well equals no Homecoming for Corrine. (I guess that mean next year is all or nothing)

The track meet last tuesday went well I guess. My heat of the 100M took four times to actually start for a number of reasons but I did enjoy the wooden blocks, I don’t remember what I ran but it wasn’t too fast nor was it too slow, I made finals! (whatever that means) I then realized why the director of the sports school told me it was a bad idea to run both, it turns out it wasn’t a full track meet and well I had about 20 minutes and then ran the 800M, I won...but that doesn’t matter what matters is that I won a box of chocolate as my prize! (yeah that’s right my best prize so far) So after the 800 I sat down to take of my shoes and had just changed my shirt when girls walk by for 100M finals, a boy from my class points to them, “shoot!” So I jump up trying to tie my shoes so I’m kind of hoping and trying to change my shirt back to the one with my number on it, I’m sure I looked pretty. I have no idea how I finished in the 100M, but it doesn’t matter the whole deal was pretty entertaining.

Because October 1st (Sunday) was International Teachers day all the kids once again reported to school bearing arms full of flowers for there favorite teachers. The teachers had a meeting all morning so our first three classes were taught by kids from the oldest class, you can only imagine the chaos. My english class was run by two boys from the 12th grade, and of course we all had to introduce ourselves. I introduced myself and as soon as I got “Hi, I’m Corrine Malcolm and I’m from the USA” (in latvian ASV) I was interrupted with a “Oh baby...” from one of the boys to which the entire class broke out into practically hysterics. My Russian teachers for that day were not so well into the idea of teaching and we just managed to say what our names were. We held a huge presentation in the main hall which basically was just thanks you to all of the wonderful staff at school.

On Saturday I had a rotary dinner, and we had a huge German club as our guest. (about 50 people) The food was good as always, the real reason behind any Rotary meeting good food. I ended up sitting with a nice elderly couple, in their 70s at least, and then a older swiss man. It was very entertaining and they had a lot of questions for me...I don’t mind other international guests, I tend to luck out with the international language being English. My table was the last to get to go get food, and well there was no potatoes left and needless to say my international guests were very disappointed (I on the other hand was not so dismayed, I’m swearing off potatoes when I get back to the US)

Sunday I went to Riga after training in the morning, which involved four 4K repeats with bounding, of course with my luck (yes luck) there was a BMX race getting set up and the boys were going over the course so I had a few close calls but finished with all my limbs. In Riga we walked around and around and up and down the streets of the old city, it was, it is so beautiful. It was like it was out of a picture book I mean there are buildings from 1664, kept up over time and through wars of course but beautiful. All the streets are done in stone, with some really amazing old churches. We went in one church that has gone back and forth from being a Catholic church and a Lutheran church, can you imagine all it’s history? The pipe organ was both gigantic and beautiful, both in appearance and sound. There was someone playing the entire time we were there and I had to just sit in a pew and listen for a long time, it was so peaceful. I don’t know if anyone could go in there with out feeling this overwhelming calm flood them. We were planning on going to the Latvian Occupation Museum, but sadly we did not have enough time, another day...there will be plenty more days to Riga.

Monday lessons were all short because the teachers were leaving at 1:00pm to go and see an opera in Riga. (once again part of the whole international teacher day thing)
But I’ve got to say be in the boys gym class has been a lot of fun, we got to throw javelin! I thought we were going to kill someone, but all in all lots of good fun. My gym teacher handed me a number with safety pins and said, “You run tomorrow 1K, Ja?” How could I turn that down? “Ja!” of course I hand not a clue where it was or at what time, but I was up for whatever races they wanted me to run.
For English class I move around to different classes and different grades, and during class on monday I went to one of the 12th grade classes where I was just suppose to answer questions for a few mins...I ended up answering questions all lesson, where I was finally approached with my first “opinion of bush and the war in iraq” question, I think I handled it all pretty well.

So I ran today, it turned out we got to leave school really early, we walked 30 mins to the trails we would run on and well ran. The high school girls were in 2 or 3 groups (there were 60 girls in total) I led my group and took a wrong turn running give or take an
extra of extra 75 meters or so...not a lot, but when it comes to seconds in only 1000M it matters, I won my group but took third overall by 4 seconds. The best part was that I won a T-shirt, so as long as I keep getting stuff like this I’ll run in any race they ask me to, who wouldn’t run for chocolate or a T-shirt?

And well that is that I guess. On Friday I will go to Sweden for the weekend to meet up with the other kids in my rotary district (4 kids from latvia and about 20 or so in Sweden)...so Stockholm better be ready because well here I come.
I miss you all very much
you best be showing some hurricane spirit.
until next time
Corrine (or in Latvian Korina Malkoma)

Stay On Your Feet Kiddo

One week later and Latvia is still treating me well. Sure being an exchange student has been a pretty constant roller coaster of ups and downs, but my Uncle David told my mom something which I have learned to live by. He told her you have to push through the bad days because the truth is they never last forever and live in the good days because you never know when a bad day is right around the corner.
Oh yeah and keeping busy while in a foreign country away from everything familiar helps too, and with school and training in full swing I've been doing just that. I wake up early and take a shower grab a bowl of yogurt and granola and watch a little CNN. (that's another thing since being here I know a lot more about what's going on in the world around me, I've begun to pay attention I guess.) If it's not a Tuesday I head off to school with my first class starting around 8:10. After school I hurry home grab a snack (normally from my jar of peanut butter) and shortly head back out the door for practice. Normally I get home from practice around 6:30, grab a banana and hit the couch with some books and try to figure out what it was I was suppose to learn in school that day. Suddenly it's 8 and we are eating dinner...And the last few nights I've fallen asleep reading "The Human Blueprint" a crazy book about genetics as I'm taking my schooling into my own hands until I really know what's going on in class.
This last week I fought off a cold, actually the doctor told me no sports all week! At that I broke down, I couldn't do that, it was just a cold, I'm supposed to be tough right? In the end we worked it out, I kept an extra close watch on my heart rate, continued to load up on my vitamins...And promised to drink lots of fluids and make it to bed at a reasonable time. I have to say I followed the rules and I'm proud to say I've gotten over the sniffles of the snotty nose and such.
Saturday I ran a 5K race, I was pretty excited about it. It was a road race, but man it had some hills, a lot of hills actually...Okay so the last 1.5K was all up hill. (Great joy!) The night before I sat down and figured out what I wanted to run and my pace per kilometer. I figure 20-21 minutes would be ideal, and decided on 4 min K's. The race came and though it was quite the stampede I managed to make it across the start line with all my limbs. Until 3.5 K I was running just almost perfect 4 min K's...The town had forgot the race for that day and were at the time of the race laying new blacktop on half the road. Well it was a down hill and being klutzy little me I managed to slip on the curb and take a pretty good tumble banging up both my knees, and one shoulder. I got up and hoped not too many people had just witnessed what I had managed to do so gracefully and kept running. The ending didn't go as well as I liked on the last long hill and did put out the energy I normally do in a final kick to the finish. So I ended the race pretty disappointed in myself running almost three or four seconds over 22 mins. I ended up placing second in the oldest age group. I got a nifty medal and a pink towel and 5Lats prize money (about $10 us). Oh and I was the only person who required medical attention after the race because the doctor insisted that she clean my scraps and cuts that had caused blood to run all the way down my right leg. (It looked pretty good, though I didn't know I was bleeding until 5 mins or so after I finished the race) We finished the race in the center of the castle park where a small festival was taking place with Latvian choirs, folk dancing, crafts and plenty of food for sale.
Actually after the race my coach came to make sure I was alright and said, "I put you on fast roller skis with big hills and you don't fall down, I put you in a running race and you fall?" I nodded my head and said, "It happens a lot...Just wait until we get on snow..." For all you nonskiers out there, my group of lovely salties(Molly, Erica, and I) and I at least all face planted or totally wiped out once every practice, we got pretty good at it.

anyway...
We helped ourselves to some very traditional rye bread, potatoes, cabbage, and mushroom soup and sat back enjoyed the music on a nearly perfect sunny fall day.
After checking out the crafts and wears (mostly wooden spoons, silver things, honey, and lots of amber) I got to take part in my first Latvian folk dancing experience. I'm not exactly what most would consider graceful or a dancer, so it was pretty interesting and mildly amusing...probaly more amusing for anyone who was watching. Latvian folk dancing is very much like American square dancing, but with no caller (for all you faithful duck for the oyster fans) We danced for about a hour and a half, slow and fast songs alike. One of the last dances was like a polka expect after shaking for finger at your partner and a slap the girls ran about to their next partner...One of which was a little lost Japanese man who wasn't terribly found of the polka. Another dance consisted of shouting and running in circles and lot of spinning and clapping hands, oh and of course some good old latvian bum bumping? I have to say it was quite the experience but I'm not sure if it's a one time is enough kind of thing or not...We will see what other festivals I can run around at.
My other big accomplishments have been taking a nap on a Sunday afternoon, because all good Latvians like to sleep, eat, and dance. And my other accomplishment big accomplishment is, last night I made potato pancakes all by myself, I feel so Latvian it's scary. (but they were "yummy in my tummy" so nothing gets much better than that.
Oh and I am pretty awful at aerobics, okay that's because everyone else knows what is going on...I'm like the kid who can't clap on beat and instead claps on the off beat all by himself.

And one of the highlights of my week. I received a very lovely card from Deanna Perssons, I love getting mail...And unexpected mail is even better so I was pretty excited.

Tomorrow I run in some crazy schools track meet like thing...And I have no idea what to expect, my sports teacher at school told me I was running the 100M, 800M and high jumping...Can you say "girls just want to have fun..."?

That's all for now,
I miss you all very much.

Until next time

Grab Your Sweatband and a Latvian Dictionary and Meet Me at the Gym

I hope you enjoyed the pictures from yesterday I'm hoping to get ten or so more pictures posted tonight. (cross your fingers)
Alot had happened since the last time I wrote, and I'm sorry that it's been so long.
My school classes have officially started, and it's much different than at home.
I have eight 45 min. Classes everyday, except for Tuesdays where I lucked out getting put in the first English group and don't have to report to school until almost 10am! (though if my latvian teacher doesn't have a class those two periods I might find myself coming in for some extra latvian classes Tuesday mornings) Our breaks between classes vary from 5 to 20 mins, with our lunch break from 12:05-12:55. Breaks grow as we get closer to lunch and are much shorter after lunch. I get out of school at 3:15 everyday, and then hurry on to whatever I have in the afternoon. My easiest classes right now, besides English, are physics, Math, and of course sports class. And my hardest class is Russian, I don't get a whole lot right now in Cultures and economics, but that will change as the year goes on. (one boy told me that even the kids who know latvian don't get alot from those two classes)
My training has now started at the sports school here in Cesis, and at the training center(ski track) in Prekulle. I've changed coaches so I'm no longer practicing with little boys, and it's going very well. My new coach is Angela Brice, she is a former Latvian Olympic biathelte, and her husband competed in Torino this past winter on the Latvian Olympic Biathalon team.
Because I'm training with biatheltes we do alot of running as well as roller skiing, so it's been great. The training center, roller ski track, and trails at Prekulle are beautiful and challenging. The other day I ran/imitation skied some killer 4K repeats...I thought our home cross country course had some nice hills, this trail kicks even its bum. It's like running up and down the hill at telemark over and over again with some hair-pin curves...skiing could get pretty interesting this winter, and I'll even get to try my hand and aim at some biatholon!
The Prekulle trails are around 7K from the sports school, so after school I'll walk into the center of town and catch a bus to Prekulle (the town/village) and then from there I will hike through the woods for about 10 mins or so. We don't really drive a whole lot here, just because everything is in walking distance.

Last weekend my host families family friend from Norway came to visit. He is there daughter Liga's host father from when she was an exchange student in Norway years ago. He is a very smart and funny man, who loves to ski, so we got along just fine. (he actually invited me to over easter go mountain skiing at there cabin!) The entire weekend he wouldn't let me forget about Norway or skiing or the fact that there is a high school about 1.5 hrs from his house just for skiers and biatholon. (the teasing was hard) Well on Sunday we ventured to Sidgulda to WildCat where for a little over three hours had a blast on a high ropes course...it was so much fun. I've been wanting to do a high ropes course for a long time and so when my host mom asked if I was interested in going I jumped for joy!
On thursday of this last week my class went on it's first excursion, which was alot of fun. And where did we go? To Sidgulda to the high ropes course and then bowling in the center of the town. (I bowled a 134!) But besides it being alot of fun, it was really a good thing for my class to do. You see half my class is new to the school and the other half has gone to this school for the last three years, so there has been this akward rift between the two groups. One half was very loud and talkative and the other very shy and have kept mostly to their selves...Until this trip. It allowed my class to really mix, and make us more of a "class". So what I'm thinking is that we should go on more excursions...If you get what I mean.

Last week at school one of the boys at lunch asked me if I would like to go the folk dancing thing on Friday, and I said yes, because I can always be up for some good ole latvian folk dancing. I was actually really looking forward to it...Until I was over taken by a cold, and a cold is a very serious thing here in Latvia?...Actually any remote sign of sickness is...So I spent my Friday evening and a good portion of my Saturday wrapped up in my blanket drinking tea on the couch.
My host mom is very funny, she doesn't like chemical medicines so instead I've been taking my vitamins and loading up on some good old fashion vitamin C. Along with some good hot foot soaking, and I mean hot. And afterwards you proceed to wear big wool socks (very itchy and slippery) and roll up in a blanket for a bit more.
It is now Monday morning around 11:45 am here and I'm sitting in my computer class, but the teacher has given me some other work to do at home so I sit here freely rambling away to cyber space. (which is okay with me, and probaly you as well.)
I awoke with a mighty fine cough this morning, so Inese's insists I go and see the family doctor at 1pm with her, and I will, maybe I've caught some rare Latvian potato cough...I don't know.
When I get back from the doctor I will have mathematics and Russian, and after that I will hurry home grab a snack and go to practice. Today my training will include a little over one hour of circuit weight training and then aerobics, so I'll make sure to grab some bright colored tights and a sweatband before I hit the gym...Okay maybe not.
Well I believe that is all I have to tell you for now.
I love you and miss you
until next time

Snapshots (number one)

Labdien, good afternoon to everyone back in the states. I thought I might finally post some pictures, unfortunately they are out of order and I can only post five pictures in one entry so I guess you are lucky, because I'll post more than one blog.
Okay here it goes:


This is my mom and I in time square in NYC, the night before I left for latvia.
They have very happy yogurt here in Latvia, enjoy, it is yummy as well.
This is my lovely first house in Latvia, it's right out of a story book.
These are little bells with wishes attachted to them from the top of the church tower in Cesis, from the 800th year celebration this summer.
This is from the plane on my way to amsterdam.

One Little Jar of Peanut Butter.

Okay so school "started" this past Friday (sept.. 1st) here in Latvia, but my first official day of classes starts today (wed. sept. 6th). I guess I lucked out you could say, three fake days of school for Corrine.
The first day of school here was nothing like the first day back home at old Hayward High. At nine o'clock all the kids reported to their schools carrying loads of flowers. My school is called The Cesis Friendly Appeals State Gymnasium. (there is a shorter name...but it's the abbreviation of the school in German I think...?) We then stood outside for almost two hours of speeches and welcoming. The school gave awards to those students who had a average of 9 or higher in their marks from last year (roughly 4.0's). There were also gifts and awards given to the people who had helped repair the school over the summer holidays. I was introduced and welcomed to the school being presented with a little stuffed toy owl (the school's symbol), information on the school (in English), and a kiss on the cheek by some nice boy with a funny name. We went inside and gave our teachers flowers, and lots of them, and then were dismissed for the day. (so my first day of school ended at around 11:30, not too bad)
Monday we reported to school at nine, some classes earlier some later. The first thing on the list to do was to set the teams for Tuesday's Sports Day, with the big event being a huge orinteering contest. There were two team captains; Martinš (who is about 5'3''), and Mia (who is about 6ft)..Itt was a pretty funny picture, the two of them standing in front of the class. After the teams werechosenn (I was put on Mia's team) the teacher pulled out a map of the US and had me talk all about it, Wisconsin, Hayward, and myself. When I was done they asked me questions, about what kind of music I liked, my favorite movie, sports and classes at my high school, but my favorite question was from a boy named Helmut. (I keep wanting to call himhelmett)
His question was this, "Is your high school like it is in the movies?..Youu know, thequarterbackk, thecaptainn of the Football team is the coolest kid and he always dates the head cheerleader?"
We then went to the library and got our books for the year, and then the school day was over at approximately noon.
Tuesday was Sports Day, and was a great deal of fun. My team had a lot of trouble getting started, for some reason we didn't have a compass and couldn't read the map very well, so we spent roughly 20 mins going in circles. Finally something clicked, it was simple, follow the map! It shows you exactly where to go..Okayy maybe some little boy pointed us in the right direction..Butt I did first say we had a rough time getting started...
We managed to finish the course in a little over an hour reaching all 12 check points, and today at school we'll find out just how bad or good we really are. And so once again my school day was till just about noon, but hey, I'm not complaining or anything.

Now let me back track...
Saturday was the Cesis District Roller Ski Sprints, it was an up hill skate sprint that was just about .5K. I showed up at the course early was handed a pair of roller skis and a bib and told to go try them out. They were fine, I was a littleshakyy...I hadn't been on roller skis for over two weeks, and had done a little to much classic this summer. Myqualifyingg round was good setting me high in thewomen'ss rankings, and in my semi finals I was racing the best skier in Latvia my age. We skied head to head the whole way, at the peak of the hill I pulled ahead, but with about one meter to go I tripped up and got beat by a nose..Itt was a pretty good photo finish. I went on to take third place in the women's finals, and got to stand on thepodiumm and get a pretty medal.

Later that day we(Dace and I) went to Liva's house, one of Dace's friends. Liva's dad owns and runs a big brick factory here in Cesis, that has been operating for a very very long time. The red square in Russia is made from the bricks from his factory. So, well...their house is huge...I mean really big and they even have a great big angry dog to go with it. As soon as we got there we had to wash our hands and were showed into thediningg room to eat, and eat a lot. (Liva warned us not to eat before we came...she was right) Her mom made a ton of food, ribs, salad, potatoes, some more pork, some more pork, some more potatoes and a giant water melon. It was one of those table's where you were like "woah" and then knew that you had to eat everything before you would be allowed to leave the table..Wee ate everything, as Liva's mom watched us from the doorway.
We then took a sauna...because well they are crazy about their saunas here in Latvia, and it just so happens that Saturday is sauna day at Liva's house...so we took a sauna...
After getting out of the sauna and putting on our normal clothes we were ushered back up stairs to eat pancakes, lots of pancakes, but these were Latvian pancakes filled with meat. And once again we ate everything as Liva's mom watched from the doorway with a very pleased look in her eyes...I did say when I first got to Latvia and they gave me plate of food, just looking at it, I knew that they expected no one to starve here.
After we were completely over full, Liva's dad took us home were we immediately found the couches and both agreed that was much too much food for anyone.

Okay I think that is it for now.
I will post later about my first day of real classes
Until then, I miss you.

oh yeah about the peanutbutter, which I've missed so much...when I got to Liva's house her mom ran up to me and gave me a jar of peanutbutter. They searched all over Riga for it, and found one small jar of it just for me!

You say Nacho...I see Macho

The last few days have been very very busy.
Yesterday we spent in Riga, and I saw the city from the highest point, the St. Peter's church tower. It was pretty amazing, and pretty windy as well.
We ventured to the country house a while back, which I should say is beautiful. Their grandparents live there and they are 84 and 82 years old. They are the sweetest souls, and knew no English...I really wished I knew more Latvian right then so I could of said more. They have an amazing garden full of carrots, onions, tomatoes, beans, cabbage, potatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, herbs, peppers...apple trees, and berries...I can't imagine how they manage it all by their selves. (we ate all of our meals there straight from their gardens) The grandpa was so kind and gave me about a dozen hugs or so before I left, he has this little lap harp of an instrument ( I will try to find the English name for it later) and he learned to play the US national anthem on it just for me. Afterwards he kept apologizes for how bad he thought it was, and wants me to learn the Latvian national anthem so I can sing it for him next time we see him.
Also at the country house, inese my host mom, has a couple of bee boxes...So I got to make honey! It was a lot of fun, even though I am not a fan of bees, and we made a lot of really really good honey...I have never eaten it fresh like that, it really is something else.

On Monday I went to the weight room again to lift at night, and it worked out just fine. (I was told I most go at night when the trainer is there) Well I walked in, and the room is full of very very very large body builder/power lifter types, all guys....Even the trainer was gigantic. They all looked at me as if to say, "You...Weight room? Do you know where you are?" But I got my work out in and the trainer was really very helpful (though I don't think he really knew what to do with me). The best part was that this European radio station was playing "Air plays greatest hits" (all American) and I'd be lifting and in the mirrors I would see these huge macho guys dancing around to American pop music. (It took a lot of control to not totally burst out laughing)

I met with the sports school today and the head director was very very nice, and a skier!
Kids here focus on one sport so I will be enrolled as a Nordic skier for the next ten months or so.
There are 150 kids in the program (from 7-20 years old) and I will hear from my coach later today. We will then set a day and time to meet and start training with my group. I will race in the national championship races here this year (there will be 4 stages) and also other races in the Baltic area. So I guess it was mostly good news, I was disappointed a bit about the one sport thing but I will make do with what I have. Also this Saturday their is a roller ski sprint in the center of town and if they can get me some skis by then I will compete in it as well!

School starts Friday, and with classes and more kids I will have more and more to tell you...
I'm hoping next time I will be able to post pictures!

Oh and I saw the Baltic Sea yesterday...It is beautiful and peaceful, it was chilly but we went for a little swim.

I'm missing you all still...But school will start and I think that time will fly by...Maybe
until next time

It is only 15 degrees, wait...what?

Right now life is very interesting, I need a better word, it's just that everything right now is so new. The house is new, the family is new, the country is new, the words are new, the cars are new, the food is new, the smells are new, the view is new, this life is so new. (oh and 15 degrees...It was Celsius...Yeah)
Sometimes it is hard to handle everything being new, so now I just sit back and watch, I've been doing a lot of watching you could say. I just got back from my first Rotary meeting here, my host mom is the president of the Cesis club, where once again I watched. Sure I pick up on a few words, a few sounds, a few eye brow raises, but for the most part I am so lost.
I'm sure the rotary meeting would of sounded just like the ones I've gone to back home...If it were in English...
I don't mind going to Rotary meetings, because Rotary meetings mean food, good food, (they are always held as lunches) and today very good desert as well. But the thing was is the they put the deserts in front of us, they were these great big fluffs of white with a hint of cinnamon sitting in some sauce, but instead of digging in the governor had to speak. I think it might of been easier to keep my mind off the dessert the whole second half of the meeting, but I only caught the words good afternoon, four, thank you, and good. (but I could tell everyone else would of rather been eating the dessert instead too)
Life is slow in Cesis during the summer, but people walk fast. Last night there was a street jam down by one of the parks, with loud hip-hop music, I did enjoy watch a few kids breakdance though, and today they are doing something with, "The towns strongest man"...or something like that, I will go see after I write this.
The food is good, I'd avoid the homemade cottage cheese type stuff if I were you though...it is a little bit, well sour. And the milk is strange it kind of tastes like onions so instead I will drink my tea and water ( and some milk) but I can stick to cheese and yogurt for now, or until my bones turn to dust.

I got to lift weights today at the sports complex, which I was very happy about, and I'll meet with the head of the sports school this coming up Wednesday, but it looks like I might have a ski team, and maybe some track...But I'll let you know as soon as I figure it out here.
I met with the school as well, and here I will be in the "10th grade" (they only have three years of high school, and kids start school a year late), so all the kids in my class are my age, older and younger. I'm just ahead here. These are the classes I'll be taking...
Latvian Lit.
Math
History
English
2nd lang. (russian or german)
gym
computer class
business
more Math
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
History of Art
Geography

yeah all year, they might move me with the older kids later in the year when my latvian gets better.
Oh, and I thought I had a little sister, she is not so little in age...she turns 16 in one week, so only 4 months younger than me...yeah not so little I guess.
I leave tomorrow for my family's country home, to make honey, they have bee boxes.
I hope to have pictures up next week.

Until then...
I miss you all very much

Hello from latvia!

(I won't be able to post pictures for a few days I must figure out my host mom's office still)

Hello, from Cesis Latvia with love...that by itself is very weird. Everything is new and a little overwhelming, but I know all things will come with time. In the mean time i should introduce you to the new characters in my life.

Inese my host mom is 45 years old, and is very kind and welcoming. She is like most moms I think, she wants to know where her kids are, and wants the best for them, and for me. She wanted to host a child because her daughters have been exchange students and she has seen how they have grown and changed for the better. I love her because she hugs me, and is trying so hard for me.

Tallis is my host dad, he turned 50 this last year, and is as jolly as Santa Claus himself. He is a very busy Man and works alot (sound familar, yes?), but he works alot so that he can give his family the very best. He is helpful, and proud or his history. I tried to carry my bags in from the car but he insisted on carrying them by himself...I really tried.

Dace is my host sister, she is 15 but will turn 16 at the end of august. Dace is a doll and has been my biggest help so far in Latvia. I'm pretty sure she was more excitied about me coming than even I was. We are very much alike and yet at the same time we are very very different. She is as serious about the piano as I am about running and skiing, which is nice.

There are two older sisters Ilze and Liga, but they live in Riga together where they study. Hopefully they will come visit Cesis, or we will go visit them in Riga.

The plane trip was was fine, my bags made it through and my planes were on time. (It was just very long) I got on my plane at the JFK airport around 5:30 pm, it was very hard to say goodbye to my mom at the security check, but she managed to get through and hug me at my gate again. (getting on that plane was very hard) I arrived in Amsterdam at 7:20 am, after getting rougly 3 hours of sleep, my next flight was at 9:20 so I went and got some food. My flight to Riga went out of gate D6...now gate D6 is a wing all by itself, a floor below all the rest of the terminal. (It's divided into 6 or 7 seperate parts) We ( me and about 30 other people) took a bus out onto the runway where we boarded the little plane from the ground. That flight was just under two hours long. The Riga airport is not very bug, but that was nice, we made it very quickly through customs and the baggage claim, and right through the doors the entire happy Jaunzeme family was waiting for me.

After bringing my luggage to their van, we went back inside to eat. There was so many choices, but I made up my mind (amazing i know) and had beet soup (which is the most amazing pink color) and chicken with vegetables. After seeing my plate I've decided they want no one to starve here, becaues my plate had more food than two of me could ever eat! The rest of the day consisted or unpacking, sleeping, eating and some more sleeping. ( you can imaine how much my clock is off, they are seven hours ahead here)

Monday:
I was sure I would end up waking up very early, but i most of been very tired because I slept until 12:30 in the afternoon. After eating a very late breakfast Dace and I walked into the center of Cesis, it is about a ten minute walk. It is very beautiful here, with old buildings and narrow roads, in the old part of Cesis the roads are made of stone. There are two large parks with ponds and fountains, full of ducks and a few swans. there is a big castle in one park, I will take pictures of it some time...I've never seen anything like it in the US before.

Also there is a big old church, we climbed to the top of the tower and from there you can see almost all of Cesis. We walked to our school, which is also very pretty, but very small. The sports hall next to my school is not what I thought it would be, but there is good news, across the street there is a bigger school (about 1000 kids) and a very very nice sports complex! Something interesting I learned today is that instead of there being music, art or sports in the schools, there are instead music, art or sports schools that run in the afternoon...so on wednesday when I meet at the school we will ask them about that as well.

Almost everything I have eaten so far has been grown by my host family or the grandparents, even their own honey. This coming weekend we will go to the country house and make honey from their bee boxes.

So far it is hardest for me at night, when the whole family is home and when I go to bed, because that is when I miss my family the most and the smell of my own room and bed. And also, I wish that my books on Latvian had a section about how to deal with adults who aren't your host parents because they are a little itimidating and overwhelming. My host family sometimes worries about me, "Because I am so quite," (and I'm not quite at all, ever) but it is hard when i know little latvian...I just don't want them to think there is anything wrong with them...but I am learning so much already.

Today/Tuesday:
It is 1 in the afternoon here...but 5 am back home.
we are just getting things around town today. I will meet some of Dace's friends tonight...
Inese is in Riga today for work, where she will work on my visa as well.
Talis is leading meetings for all the school teachers.
I will write again in a couple of days...then I hope to have some pictures for you.

Until then
much love

Leaving on a Jet Plane

The hardest thing up to now has been trying to pack my life into two suitcases (even though one did go over the limit by 15 pounds), that was up to now...The thing is, it's just now slowly setting in that tomorrow I'll be getting on a plane and leaving the country. The plane door will close and it will finally be official, my adventure will begin. It seems like such a long time ago that I first decided to go abroad, and now it's finally time, finally now.
This last week has been a blur, but I've managed to enjoy every bit of it. It's hard for me to find the right words to explain what everyone means to me, and I hope you meaning the world is alright because that's what you are, my world. I've spent a lot of time this last week with a lot of people shedding a good deal of tears, and I know I should of shed more, but somehow I'm sure that tomorrow I'll be shedding the most tears by myself on the plane.
I'm going into this with no expectations and I'm sure that is the best thing to do, to expect nothing but look forward to everything. I'm nervous, excited, and mildly terrified but I'm going to jump into this with everything I have because I know this is meant to be amazing.

I've spent the last few days in New York city with my mom and it has been wonderful. (and a nice transition) We've spent a lot of time walking around the city which has been pretty fascinating by itself. I guess I'm just a small town girl caught up in the big city, but it's been nice just the same. We saw two Broadway shows, Dirty Rotten scoundrels and Phantom of the Opera, both were absolutely incredible. Oh, and last night they were shooting the movie A Perfect Stranger informs of our hotel (pretty cool).

I'll try my best to keep you updated.
Thanks to everyone and all their support and kindness.
I'm sorry this one is short, but I have this feeling I'm going to have a lot to tell you the next time I get the chance.
until next time...

X's On My Calendar

So the count down begins, and I'm down to less than two months before I'm leaving everything for a year. So you see I'm going to be an exchange student next year and as much as I'm excited to go I'm also terrified beyond the point that anyone will ever know [because no one will ever feel this]. When I first decided to do this I saw it as my ticket out of Hayward, a way to escape [if only momentarily] from the ignorance and drama...as if teens are somehow so very different millions of miles away.
and I say I'm excited to come back "that" much stronger...
I am truly in love with life and everything it gives me. I'm not really afraid of being somewhere where I know no one, but really it's putting my life on pause back home. This year I've worked so hard and I don't plan on stopping, but sometimes I worry it won't be the same somewhere else. It's hard to imagine running for anyone other an Hayward and coach O, true I run for myself, but that team has become my family. And Mr. Pierce, I was not really sure why I was going to miss him until this last ski season. He has this way of pushing me, making me want it that much more, now whenever I race it's only his voice I hear yelling over the murmur of everyone else. And Mr. Morales, I would be the worst skier ever without him, he's pretty much my ski dad. There are all these people that I think I'll miss because well, I'm just so used to them being there everyday in my life.
It's really hard...it is just so much easier to "be brave" or "fearless", so much easier to make it seem like ten months isn't that long at all, in reality...It's anything but small.
Some people are supportive, others are supportive only because they care about me, but really they don't want me to leave. I seem to enjoy making things complicated, and that is just no good.
People have come to surprise me every day, some good some bad.
Some people can't help but make me feel guilty for leaving... They make me want to scream, "But I'm coming back!"
Some people will be glad to see me go.
Some people will make leaving so hard, so very hard.
Some person keeps me tongue tied. (as if avoiding comes naturally)
As if some people never cease to amaze me.
These people have never been more Human before.