I'm moving to my new family this afternoon, and I decided it was time for a brief update. Since leaving the hospital I've been in Riga (first at my adopted aunt's apartment, and then at a hotel). On Friday I finally got confirmation that I have a host family! They live in Ādaži (see red dot on map), a small town of 9000 people that is 30 minutes away from Riga. (Interestingly, although functions as a sort of suburb/bedroom community for Riga, there is literally forest between the two.) The family consists of my host parents Jānis and Gunita, two younger brothers, Dāvis (7) and Henrijs (4), and two pets (a cat and a dog). According to the family packet, which was in Latvian and written in handwriting that was very difficult to decipher, they enjoy traveling and skiing as a family, Dāvis likes Legos, and Henrijs really likes to draw.
This is my future school, Ādažu Brīvā Valdorfa Skola (Ādaži Free Waldorf School.) I don't know what the "Free" is supposed to mean, since there's tuition (which, as an exchange student, I don't have to pay.) Apparently the Waldorf school has a reputation across Latvia for being full of stupid kids who can't make it in public schools, as to in the US where it's known for the "creative" and/or "alternative" types. There are 14 kids in the entire 12th grade. 14. My first day of school will be on Thursday. I can't believe that with the exception of 1.5 days, I haven't been to school since before October break.
Speaking of October break and the Liepaja trip, I finally bought a new camera cable and was able to upload all my pictures. Here's a few... if you're Facebook friends with me you probably already saw them, my apology.
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| Rainy street. Note how there were still leaves. (Liepaja) |
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Fontaine Hotel from the back (Liepaja)
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| The canal and still-functioning docks (Liepaja) |
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| The beach (Liepaja) |
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| Sunset on the beach (Liepaja) |
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Beach (Liepaja)
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| Trees and puddles (Liepaja) |
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| Hospital in Riga |
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| And again. |
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| View from Auntie's apartment (Riga) |
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Coffee break @ Cafe Sienna (Riga)
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| Outside the ward (Riga) |
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Ferris wheel in the middle of Old Town.
Jordan and I rode it around midnight. (Riga) |
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| We left a message in the snow for Niks. (Riga) |
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| Jordan and I on the ferris wheel. (Riga) |
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| People actually live on this street. (Riga) |
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| Old Town. It's kind of like a gingerbread city. (Riga) |
Posts
December 9, 2010 at 9:39 PM
send me your new address when you can!
December 12, 2010 at 8:33 AM
Hi
I hope you don't mind me commenting. But I came across your blog, read all the entries and thought I should comment since there are so many things that you've spoken about where I reacted in exactly the same way; phone pin numbers, bus stops, maps and eating a lot to name a few, hehe.
I should introduce myself.
Mani sauc Hannah, es esmu no Anglijas, es esmu brīvprātīgo un es dzīvoju Latvija. Es esmu arī šeit vienu gadu.
I don't know much more Latvian than that, despite having been here almost three months.
Anyway, I hope you're feeling better now and that you'll have a good time with your new family.
Enjoy the snow and Christmas :)