I've been home for just over a week now, and I have a feeling the last couple of days I'm home are going to fly by incredibly fast. They always do. It has snowed just over a foot of snow since I've been home which has led to some incredible skiing on the Birkie Trail. Christmas afternoon I went for a long classic ski with my old coach and honestly I don't think I have ever seen such perfect tracks in my life. The trail was hard and fast, the kind of conditions that make it hard to slow down. Right off the bat when I came back from Bozeman the temperature was hovering just below zero with overnight wind chills in the -25F to -40F range. Far too cold for my taste. I've decided it should be 26F and lightly snowing all the time, with clear blue skis and never the threat of freezing rain, or what we got yesterday...freezing drizzle. Nasty stuff.
Right now it's 35F, and pretty darn dreary. Hopefully the temperature will drop a little so that skiing today on the Brule trails won't be miserable, of course with the company I'm in it's hard to find skiing miserable but these warm temperatures are kind of pushing it. I've got my fingers crossed that the weather will take a turn for more winter like conditions later on today.
Merry Christmas
Dec 27, 2008
Dec 7, 2008
Show us what you're made of old man winter.
In just under two weeks I will be back home in Wisconsin, and I can't describe how excited I am at the idea that I will soon get to sleep in my own bed in my own room in my own home again. I love Bozeman and it is slowly becoming a place I like to call home but when I look out my dorm window the river isn't waiting for me, and outside my dorm door isn't the little yellow hallway that leads past my brothers' bedrooms to the kitchen where I can cook whatever I want whenever my heart desires. Hopefully wisconsin will get some snow this next week and a half so I can put in some quality hours on the trails where I first fell in love with skiing once I'm back in the north woods again.
West Yellowstone has come and gone but the week with my team up on the plateau was worth every minute. The week before west I did some treadmill testing in the lab in part of their Zoot compression tights testing, I spent around two hours running on a jumbo treadmill getting my fingers pricked, anything for that lab, and I also did a upper body out put test. The upper body test simulated double pole sprint of 10 seconds and one minute, it will be interesting to see how the numbers they gathered correlated with the classic race in West.
The normal day in west looked something like this.
7:20am: morning wake up run with Dan and Eileen
7:45am: breakfast, yum.
8:30-9am: 2 hour classic ski
12:00pm: lunch
afternoon: lounge around, do homework, watch movies, occasionally avoid getting anything accomplished.
3:30pm: 1.5 hour skate ski
6:00pm: Dinner, more importantly dessert
7:30pm: Team meeting
Night time: Sleep
Repeat.
It was a week of awkward re-introductions to how skis move on snow, technique analysis (or rather my lack of technique), hours and hours on the white stuff, the consumption of large quantities of food, and of course the first two races of the season.
The races went really well, I'm "befriending" the pain, and trying to ski as relaxed as possible while attempting to kill it all at the same time. I finished 29th in the 11.5km classic and 25th in the 9-9.5 km skate, that put me second on the MSU ski team both days and the fourth junior both days. My coach asked me how I thought my races went, when I responded, "I'm happy, I think I skied relaxed, but my technique was pretty darn crappy..." her response was, "Your technique is usually pretty crappy." Just what I like to hear. So okay I have a long way to go, and it is going to be a long season, but I've got all the determination in the world and the heart to back it up. Hopefully this is just the starting point for the season and I can post some really solid results. I'm confident in our training, and I think we are prepared to lay the hammer down this winter.
Game on.
Nov 15, 2008
Winter is knocking.
Two weeks later I've run another cross country race (Conference Championships in Portland), completed eight intensity work outs in ten days, rested, completed numerous quizzes, finished a major project/paper, taken three exams, and VO2 Max tested in the lab. It's been a busy handful of days, but good none the less.
Conference was an experience as I once again attempted to fill the shoes of a runner at college level. The race in Portland was a rainy 5ks through a park. It fit my image of a cross country race to a tee, the trail was covered in leaves, it was a cool 50 degrees cloudy with rain drizzling all around us. The team did alright, I believe the boys finished 5th and the girls 6th...not as well as they had hoped but they've moved forward. I finished 7th on the team which gave me a spot on the regional team to compete in Fort Collins, CO in the NCAA mountain regionals today. However I didn't end up going and instead stayed home in Bozeman to get ready for snow. I enjoyed getting to race a little bit, I love running races, but it was very clear that I wasn't training or peaking for championship season like the rest of the spandex clad harriers.
Our biggest intensity period of the year finished up this past monday with bounding intervals, and never have I been more excited about having a rest day. My intensity week started with the race in portland and was followed with classic team sprints on Sunday, ski walking/bounding intervals monday, a 20 min running time trial on wednesday, natural intervals on friday, classic intervals on saturday, skate sprint intervals on sunday, and finally bounding with the cows on monday. It's awesome to have such a supportive team to push you through each and every interval, and it was incredible to watch everyone make it through what I would say is one of the hardest weeks of training I have ever completed in my life. Most importantly I was really happy to see that I made it through the entire week with out falling apart.
This past thursday I got to VO2 max test in the motion science lab on campus. VO2 max tests are painful, verging on brutal, and require an athlete to bound, run, or rollerski until absolute exhaustion. The real catch that gets me is that during this 10-20 minutes of pain you have a tube/mask/head gear contraption shoved in your mouth and attached to your head, your nose plugged and your finger pricked every three minutes...not exactly the most natural of activities. But as a skier I thrive on this kind of stuff. This is my fourth VO2 max test and although they never get easier (both physically and mentally) I've begun to really look forward to my next opportunity to test. The test can give us some important information which will help me evaluate my training to see if what I am doing is effective or not. This past summer when I last tested I had just come off a fairly draining track season and my numbers showed it's effect on my fitness levels. But after being attached to my heart rate monitor and listening to my body the last four months I'm glad to say I am on the up and up. This time last year I was faced with a potentially season ending surgery, and I'm really feeling the benefits of actually completing a dry land training period. I'm excited to be going into the winter racing season with a base and months and hours of training behind me, rather than the fear of trying to rebuild myself. West Yellowstone is a week away and have been dreaming about snow every night.
Am I ready to go? Yes. Are you?
Oct 27, 2008
A Little Taste of Winter
A bit more than a lot has happened since the last time I updated you all. Now where to start?
One: It snowed!!! (twice actually) It snowed so much we got in three days on snow, that's right the first college in the lower 48 on groomed ski trails. Bohart Ranch, which is about 18 miles out of Bozeman just past the Bridger ski area, received almost two feet of snow. I don't think I've ever been on snow this early, and that was October 12th. Eileen and I went out skiing with Sarah Willis for a solid three hours and then monday and thursday we had ski practice on snow. The transition from rollerskis to the real deal is always a little tricky but it gets easier and easier every year, plus it was a nice taste of winter. Rumor has it takes three snows for the white stuff to stick and we've already made our way through number one and two.
Two: I was recruited onto the women's cross country running team. That's right me, a division one college runner, what? That rather close to my reaction as well. After running well at the Homestake Lodge race near Butte the running coach (coach Kennedy) talked to Grethe and I about running a few of the meets for the team, and it truly is few as we are now well into the last part of the cross country season. I ran a race on the 18th of October for MSU in Pocatello, Idaho, and it went better than I expected. It was very strange dusting off the old racing flats and pulling them out of retirement, and of course it was hard to convince my legs that going fast was truly ideal, but it was fun. The course was an horridly hilly 4kms, to say the least I was relieved to cross the finish line. I think I ended up finishing as the 5th or 6th girl for MSU, and I'm ready to race harder and more aggressively next time around. This friday (yes Halloween) I will fly out at 7am from Bozeman for Portland, Oregon for the Big Sky Conference Champions on Saturday. It's been quite the ride, but I'm enjoying myself, hopefully my race this weekend will be even better than the last one.
Three: We just finished up our second intensity week as a team and I'm incredibly happy with how it went. My week started a little early than the rest of my team mates with the race in idaho, but I was still able to hold my own through out the rest of the hard work outs and time trials as the week wore on. Monday greeted us with classic rollerski intervals up Hyalite Canyon, I did one less set than the girls team but I still felt strong throughout my three sets. Wednesday brought us our Jackson Creek skate rollerski time trial, and lets just say it was a little bit colder than the last time we were there. We might have been able to ski in the fields along the rode we were barreling down, I could see my breath, and everyone walked away with the early forming-s of skiers hack (yum). My time trial went alright, I was a little disappointed with my time but it seems that everyone's times were slower this time around, perhaps it was the 30 degree drop in temperature...who knows. I really have to pull it together and focus on my technique because when I get tired it really does fall to shambles. We finished up the time trials with the run to the "M" on saturday morning, the weather wasn't exactly ideal, windy as all get out, but we managed to pull through. Bernhard led the entire men's team, and I brought it in for the women's team followed by Mellie and Claire. We finished off the time trial with 3x3min L4 which were surprisingly pleasant after the up hill effort we had just finished. Yesterday I finished off my week with a run up Bear Canyon with Ryan and Eileen, it is one of the last trial heads we haven't run yet and it was cold and beautiful. We made it up to this ridge that looked out over the valley to another mountain ridge and lake, supposedly you can run from Bear Canyon all the way to Bozeman Creek so we've put it on the lists of early season runs for next fall.
That's about it from here. Bozeman is beautiful as always and I starting to really have to fight my lack of patience itch to get on snow, but I know winter is right around the corner...after all in a little less than a month we will be in West Yellowstone!
Life is good.
Oct 5, 2008
A Handful of Adventures
We finished up our medium volume week today with a two and a half hour run out on the Bozeman Creek trail this morning. Bozeman Creek trail is an old logging road that follows a creek eleven miles up to Mystic lake in the Sourdough Canyon, of course we didn't make it near the lake but it was none the less a beautiful run. It felt like fall today, cool, a little damp, with that crisp october breeze...excellent. The fall colors are in full swing, a whole lot of yellow that is (aspen I believe). It really makes me miss the red and orange maples we have at home. And since this in reality is just a facilitator or a "non-guilty form of procrastination" I won't say more and just post some pictures from a few of this last months adventures.
These first two are from the Yellowstone "lets go camp under the stars and make rice pasta" adventure the first weekend at school. We spent the day hiking in Yellowstone (Mt. Washburn) and geyser gazing, tarp-camping under the stars, and spent the following day smelling like camp fire and surprise middle of the night fall rain storm.
[photos courtesy of Ned Gall]
(From left to right: Ian, myself, Karina, Ned, David)
post script:
The police station had its annual bike auction yesterday and I managed to pick up my official college junker, she's a real beauty grey with black and white paint speckles for that ultra textured look and a pale purple fork. $20 of stunning power, quiet the catch, I'll try to get a picture of it soon! Eileen and I also ventured on the streamline bus service across town with the hopes of finding a new beta fish (xena warrior princess,RIP, passed away in her sleep this last week and so a replacement was necessary). And so the beautiful blue Kikkianimal came into our life, and fills xena's once empty bowl nicely. Not to mention the gator hunting warmth seeking mountain men we met as we waited in the rain to catch the bus back to campus...
Life is good.
These first two are from the Yellowstone "lets go camp under the stars and make rice pasta" adventure the first weekend at school. We spent the day hiking in Yellowstone (Mt. Washburn) and geyser gazing, tarp-camping under the stars, and spent the following day smelling like camp fire and surprise middle of the night fall rain storm.
[photos courtesy of Ned Gall]
(From left to right: Ian, myself, Karina, Ned, David)
post script:
The police station had its annual bike auction yesterday and I managed to pick up my official college junker, she's a real beauty grey with black and white paint speckles for that ultra textured look and a pale purple fork. $20 of stunning power, quiet the catch, I'll try to get a picture of it soon! Eileen and I also ventured on the streamline bus service across town with the hopes of finding a new beta fish (xena warrior princess,RIP, passed away in her sleep this last week and so a replacement was necessary). And so the beautiful blue Kikkianimal came into our life, and fills xena's once empty bowl nicely. Not to mention the gator hunting warmth seeking mountain men we met as we waited in the rain to catch the bus back to campus...
Life is good.
Sep 29, 2008
Big Sky Country
I've been in Bozeman for just over one month and honestly (whole heartedly) there is no where else I would rather be. How's that for happy? In the past school was always much more closely related to treading cold water than retaining relevant knowledge, but I think school is definitely on up and up. If I can somehow now trick my brain into thinking chemistry is really has easy for me as biology my studies will be much less stressful. The key will be staying motivated, which is roughly 75% up to me and 25% up to my professors. I believe a good professor has the ability to ignite a passion in individuals for their studies and accumulating knowledge...even in math.
The plan is to ski for Montana State University this year, it should be quite the adventure, and we will just have to wait and see how it all plays out. I'm going into the season with open minded expectations, simply I want to train and race to the best of my abilities. I enjoy training just as much as I enjoy racing, even a summer of some long lonely training weeks can't change that. I love my new team, it would be awesome to get to travel around the west with them this winter. Although I'm a bit spoiled as far as having good rollerskiing at home is concerned I love training in and around the Bozeman area. I think my favorite part of the training week is still the weekends, because when the weekend rolls around that means adventure. We've already gone on some pretty spectacular runs! A few weeks ago we went on this epic (epic in the Midwest mindset) run up the Bridger ski area along the ridge to the "M", intense. Standing on top of the ridge with the ground falling away all around me I could begin to realize how inconceivably miniscule I truly am. Nature is pretty powerful like that.
More recently we went running in Cottenwood canyon, up the switch backs and across creeks we got our first taste of the fall colors and weather. On campus everything is still incredibly green, but up Hylite or in any of the surrounding canyons fall is definitely upon us.
Yesterday we went to Homestake Lodge, something like 80 miles away by Butte...I believe, and ran a 5 miler on the brand new ski trails they are constructed there. They've done an absolutely amazing job out there, the trails are beautiful and so is the lodge they've built over the past year or so. The owner used to be on the ski team at MSU and just two years ago purchased the land with her husband with the hopes of bringing cross country skiing to the Butte area, and from what I could see on Sunday they are doing an incredible job. The race reminded me of running my home cross country course on the Birkie trail, only 5,000 feet higher and two miles longer, my favorite type of terrain. I've never done a 5 mile running race before, so the concept of pacing never even crossed my mind, instead I simply went for it. It took me 36 minutes and some change, 5th or 6th women and first MSU girl, not too bad for my first official race at altitude. Our ski boys put up another dominating performance with Bernhard placing first and Ryan placing second. Instead of prize money they both accepted the molasses cookie/twizzler rope medals.
Winter seems to always be looming around the corner here, every time it rains the Bridgers and other surrounding mountain ranges' peaks are blanketed in snow. I keep dreaming about getting on the white stuff and my skis are sitting ready in my bag in the ski room, the only obstacle now is my lack of patience and the time it will take the weather to turn cold.
Now I must be off to warm up before hitting the weight room with the team and our strength coach Dallas. What a bad ass name.
Life is good.
The plan is to ski for Montana State University this year, it should be quite the adventure, and we will just have to wait and see how it all plays out. I'm going into the season with open minded expectations, simply I want to train and race to the best of my abilities. I enjoy training just as much as I enjoy racing, even a summer of some long lonely training weeks can't change that. I love my new team, it would be awesome to get to travel around the west with them this winter. Although I'm a bit spoiled as far as having good rollerskiing at home is concerned I love training in and around the Bozeman area. I think my favorite part of the training week is still the weekends, because when the weekend rolls around that means adventure. We've already gone on some pretty spectacular runs! A few weeks ago we went on this epic (epic in the Midwest mindset) run up the Bridger ski area along the ridge to the "M", intense. Standing on top of the ridge with the ground falling away all around me I could begin to realize how inconceivably miniscule I truly am. Nature is pretty powerful like that.
More recently we went running in Cottenwood canyon, up the switch backs and across creeks we got our first taste of the fall colors and weather. On campus everything is still incredibly green, but up Hylite or in any of the surrounding canyons fall is definitely upon us.
Yesterday we went to Homestake Lodge, something like 80 miles away by Butte...I believe, and ran a 5 miler on the brand new ski trails they are constructed there. They've done an absolutely amazing job out there, the trails are beautiful and so is the lodge they've built over the past year or so. The owner used to be on the ski team at MSU and just two years ago purchased the land with her husband with the hopes of bringing cross country skiing to the Butte area, and from what I could see on Sunday they are doing an incredible job. The race reminded me of running my home cross country course on the Birkie trail, only 5,000 feet higher and two miles longer, my favorite type of terrain. I've never done a 5 mile running race before, so the concept of pacing never even crossed my mind, instead I simply went for it. It took me 36 minutes and some change, 5th or 6th women and first MSU girl, not too bad for my first official race at altitude. Our ski boys put up another dominating performance with Bernhard placing first and Ryan placing second. Instead of prize money they both accepted the molasses cookie/twizzler rope medals.
Winter seems to always be looming around the corner here, every time it rains the Bridgers and other surrounding mountain ranges' peaks are blanketed in snow. I keep dreaming about getting on the white stuff and my skis are sitting ready in my bag in the ski room, the only obstacle now is my lack of patience and the time it will take the weather to turn cold.
Now I must be off to warm up before hitting the weight room with the team and our strength coach Dallas. What a bad ass name.
Life is good.
Aug 14, 2007
A long time going.
I had almost forgotten how nice it was to ski one, two hours in the same direction. I spent so long on that little track, I could have skied it in the pitch dark if it became necessary.
Aug 13, 2007
The perfect 'fix'.
I've gotten myself really deep into the world of nordic skiing and biathlon for the time being (and potentially and hopefully a long time yet to come) and I couldn't be happier. You have to really love what you do. I was born a competitive person and love to race but I love even more to train. I feel in my element when I can hit the road or trail for two, three hours and just go. My goal, lofty but reasonable, to get better everyday to finish each workout an improved athlete. True...there are days when "everything goes horribly wrong", and all you can do is take a step back, breath, let the frustations go and live for the next day. The next chance.
I've gotten in the rythm of training, of eating, and of resting. We go off to training camps and live in the alternate world when you don't have to hold a 'job' and really good food appears in front of you without spending the time sweating over pots and pans. I come home after each camp and feel the same way. Every morning, after each work out [easy or hard], at the end of each day I feel the same way.
I'm hooked.
Dec 8, 2006
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.
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
Dec 6, 2006
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.
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
Dec 5, 2006
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.
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
Dec 4, 2006
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.
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
Dec 2, 2006
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.
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
Dec 1, 2006
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.
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.
Nov 30, 2006
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
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
Nov 6, 2006
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.
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.
Oct 30, 2006
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
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
Oct 3, 2006
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)
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)
Sep 25, 2006
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
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
Sep 18, 2006
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
