Dear Grandma Ree,

I love that you take the time to hand-write letters to me. And this week I was blessed to receive not one but three of them!! It made my day! And I do hope to return the gesture, but today a blog post will have to do ;)

Today is the International Dinner at the school. It's a chance to celebrate all the different nationalities represented in the student body. All the kids sing or perform. And then there is a large selection of foods from around the world (or at least the former-soviet block) to try. The teachers were all asked to bring in a dessert.

This is where not having an oven made for an interesting challenge. Can't really bake cookies in a microwave. Or maybe you can. But I can't imagine that being anywhere as delicious. I did recently attempt to make an apple crisp in the microwave/wantstobeanovenmachine. It was pretty good, but not enough to take to the dinner. Then I remembered that delicious peanut butter cheesecake you made! No baking required!

I found a recipe and headed to the store. That's where the real fun begins! Obviously, things here have different labels. So I shop largely by looking at pictures because all the words are in Latvian, Lithuanian, Swedish, Russian, another language, or a glorious combination of all. Except for English.
Finding 'graham crackers' was easy enough. Sadly, the 'decent' peanut butter was sold out. So I had to settle for the other brand. It's more like peanut flavored sugar-spread. yum. Chocolate chips... hah! I have to buy the bars and then do some demo. But that's kind of fun.

The powdered sugar though, that one proved to be a challenge. I walked around the baking corner several times. I know the words for flour and sugar. But powdered or confectioners sugar is different. I poked and shook several bags. I may have even sniffed at a few. Finally, I took a picture of something I was mostly sure was not powdered sugar and sent the picture to a friend here. It was starch. haha! They sent the words for powdered sugar and I walked around the area again until matching the label.

Everything becomes an adventure when living overseas!

I got home ready to start only to realize I have no measuring cups. :( Guess that tells you how much cooking and baking I have (not) done over the last few months. It was a lot of guessing and creative measuring but I managed to make it!! I even had some left over for an extra little one.

Obviously, they are not as good as yours, grandma! Nothing ever is!! But, I have to say they aren't terrible. ;)

Thanks for the letters, recipe ideas, and continued love and prayers!

Love you. Miss you.
ky

Smelly

Working at a private International school means most, if not all, of the parents are quite wealthy. And on breaks they travel to fancy places and stay in swanky resorts and shop at stupidly overpriced stores. But sometimes, they also bring gifts from those places.... I once had a mom give me some Victoria Secret perfumes. Awesome!

On Monday, a student came in with gifts for both my assistant and I. Perfume from some store in Turkey. I left school on Monday in the middle of a downpour. Thankfully, this time I had my rain jacket ;) On the bus home I was next to an elderly lady and silently accused her of wearing far too much perfume-- a nasty old, musty stench. I also had a headache, which was not being helped by the smell.

I finally got home and out of the rain. I removed my soaked clothes and laid out all my papers and what not that were also soaked. That is becoming a normal routine. I noticed the perfume box was also soaked. I opened it up and took a sniff. It smelled like an old box of clothes that have trapped in a cold and dark space gathering dust and mold for far too long. I laid it on the table with the other wet goods and decided to get rid of it later. 

Later came Tuesday when I walked in the apartment door from school to be greeted by an overpowering blast of that stench. That thick, slightly musty, headache-inducing smell had taken over the apartment!  The perfume box was not wet with rainwater. It had leaked. And the smell soaked box was acting as a strong air 'freshener.' I quickly turned around and took that bottle and box to the dumpster. Then lit seven candles and opened the windows despite the cold air.

A few days later, think my apartment is finally okay. And warm again! 

Sound Bites

I have great kids. And on any given day most of them say something ridiculous. But one little guy manages to stand out a bit more than the others.

Here are a few of his comments from Monday....

One student walks in and says: "Mikyla! I missed you!"
This Student: "yep. That's a lie!"

Discussing text features:
Other student: "It could help you find what you want so you don't have to read to much information"
This Student: "T. M. I. (said with sass and a wrist flip)"

After taking about healthy habits:
"We should add safety to our healthy habits because, you know, you could be walking down the street in India and BOOM (slaps head) You got the Ebola."

In the middle of a math lesson:
"Hey. Hey. HEY! (Frantically poking my arm) Look at my eyebrows. They're almost IN my eyes! (wiggles his surprisingly thick eyebrows)"

FALLing in Love with Latvia

We had a break recently as well. Normally, I would travel if given a week off. But this time I chose to stay and see more of Latvia. I have to admit, I am in love with this place! It's absolutely gorgeous. Here's a bit about what I did and saw...

I started the first weekend off with the always exciting apartment cleaning! I love cleaning. Except vacuuming.... it's so loud. I am sure my downstairs neighbors really appreciated that at 8am on a Saturday. heheehe! It actually rained for a large portion of the break, but I love the rain. I did some shopping on Saturday! Found some lovely boots, just in time too because the temperatures started dropping as fast as the rain fall! 

We ventured to Lithuania on Monday. We being myself, two other teachers, their visiting friends, and the school's director. It took a whole 2.5 hours to get there. Half way there we realized we didn't have our passports, but it's okay since the border consisted of a small building, a few flags, and two officers (who, I think, were asleep!). haha. There is spot in middle-of-nowhere, Lithuania called the "Hill of Crosses." It was set up as a memorial and sign of defiance and resistance centuries ago. Over the years more and more crosses were added for various reasons and causes. It was also completely demolished a few times by the soviets but has always come back. Now, there are hundreds and thousands of crosses there from all over the world.

On Tuesday we went to Turaida near Sigulda. The name means God's Garden and I can see why- it was beautiful. It's an open air museum featuring some castle ramparts and ruins. It felt a bit like Greenfield Village just showcasing a different era. Latvia is very flat, but this castle is situated in the one hilly region the country has to offer. The day we went was rainy, and there was lots of steam rising off the local river and low hanging clouds that made the setting even better.

After exploring the castle and museum for a bit we decided to stop for lunch. The place we found was empty except for one other group. We sat down and began looking at the menu. It was then I realized the family was speaking English. And that I recognized their voices. I peeked around the corner to see not one, but two of my students. To be fair they are twins, but that still counts as two. They spotted us on the way out and said a quick hello. They even offered a recommendation for the shrimp.

On Wednesday, the others toured about Riga's Art Nouveau district. Riga is actually quite a popular destination for architecture nuts and Art Nouveau enthusiasts especially. Since I live in that district, I opted to do other exciting things like go to the bank and the grocery store. I also made some delicious soup and attempted an apple crisp in my microvenish. I also thought about doing some of that work I brought home. It's the thought that counts right ;) 

On Thursday we were back on the road again, this time to the Koknese castle ruins. The castle sits a the meeting place of two large rivers. It changed hands a few times between Poles, Swedes, Russians, and everyone else who likes to beat up on little Latvia. In the 1700s it was blown up and never rebuilt. Instead it was flooded for bit after a hydroelectric station was put in. Now the ruins go right down to the water, but not in. From some perspectives, I'm sure it looks as though they rise up out of it. It was super cold on Thursday, so we didn't stay out for long. Instead we found a quaint little cafe for lunch. It was traditional Latvian food, some of which we couldn't identify. But it was good. And it was warm! 

The last place we visited was the Salaspils Concentration Camp memorial. It's hidden away in a forest only a few miles from Riga. You could take a city bus out to it, it's that close. This particular camp was more of a transitional and 'work education camp' but still a somber place to visit. Many of the memorials were covered with stuffed animals and children's toys because of the large number of children who were at the camp. Most of the memorial was built by the Soviets, which is interesting since evidence was found that the Soviets were guilty of committing crimes there as well.

On Friday I finally started looking at the work I brought home and that largely consumed my Saturday and Sunday. It rained all day again on Sunday so I stayed in my cozy (and clean) apartment. Even after a week and some odd days off, the break still went too fast!

Can't get enough

I don't think I knew how much I loved the autumn season until I had a few years without it.

A lot of people love the spring because the weather is getting nicer and there are bright flowers and what not popping up after a dark, dreary winter.

Not me. I like the fall... the weather is getting chillier, but not really cold yet. It smells of leaves and apples and warm baked goods.  It rains leaves (I got smacked in the face by one yesterday. hehe) And the colors in the fall are far better than those of the spring in my opinion.
Silly confession: Those "What's your season?" make-up and clothes color guides make me nervous because I am pretty sure if I found out the burnt, warm tones of fall weren't for me I would be devastated. Perhaps that's odd, but it's also pretty accurate.

It is SO nice to be back in a place with all the seasons fall. Let's be honest, I don't care about the others. This past week I ventured around Latvia and saw lots of nice things. But really, I was just enjoying the beautiful fall colors.

Here are some pictures.... I hope you enjoy looking at my new home as much as I do!!!

  

Sometimes....

...it's just best to smile.

While attempting to help one student with her math assignment...
boy: Whoa, your earring... its just... oh my gosh!.... its like... whoa. ...
me: side glance. teacher look.
boy: sorry. (momentary pause) but seriously, your earring... it's.... it's like reflecting on your skin.... and is .... shinnnnnyy......
me: [boy's name.] teacher look
boy: okay... yeah.... sorry...
*seconds later as a little ET-like finger floats toward my ear*
me: please don't touch me.
boy: gasp! How did you even know? oh my..... but.... that earring.... ...whoa


Waiting for a student to be picked-up...
girl: What test will we take tomorrow?
me: The language usage test
girl: What is that?
me The language test is about things like punctuation, subjects, verbs and nouns
girl: Is that why we learned about verbs today?
me: Uhmmm. We didn't learn about verbs today.
girl: Oh....(confused look)
me: You're gonna do great.


During a plan period....
boy: Miss I have a question... I don't know where the other kids are.... Are they at recess?... I was washing my hands...
me: Did you look in the music room?
boy: No. But are they at recess?
me: Nooo, look in the music room
boy: Okay I'll go look outside for them just in case.

Fall Time Fun

I love the fall. 

I don't think I truly realized just how much until living in Morocco and not having it. No changing leaves. No crisp air. No apple cider. No harvest festivals.

It's just not right.

What is also potentially not right is the joy I get in now seeing these things. I have genuine glee when I see a path covered in yellow and brown crunchy leaves. Watching the sun shimmer and dance through the trees and having to zip up my jacket a little bit more is bliss. Perpetual fall... I want that to be my next destination.

As much as I love fall, I have to admit I've been really bad at actually enjoying it. Sure, I see the trees every morning on the drive to school. And I breathe and shiver in the wind during recess duty. And last week I tried to walk home through the park each day to see those trees and leaves before burying myself under piles of papers and lesson plans at home.

Thankfully, I was able to actually enjoy Latvia's beautiful fall this past weekend. And in style too...

Several of us ventured to the edge of the city to a Mezaparks. There we rented little pedal carts and spent a few hours roaming about like a group of small children. I guess when you work with them long enough, it starts to wear off. 

 The scenery was absolutely beautiful!! The paths go around a lake and since Latvia is super flat, pedaling about for a few hours was plenty easy and relaxing. We did stop for a while to enjoy the view and quiet and snacks. And drinks ;)

As we started packing up and getting ready to hit the road again, a van of police officers pulled up. We played the foreigner card! (minus the one and half natives we had with  us.) Once the officers saw that we were moving on (and speaking English) they didn't really care anymore. 

We stopped for lunch at a meat shack. I don't really know how else to describe it. It was delicious though. Everything in this country comes with pickles. It's amazing!! I ordered a quesadilla the other night.... it had pickles in it!! Don't knock it-- it was great. Not very tex-mex tasting, but great.

After lunch, we ventured back to the city to the 'hipster area.' We went to a micro-brewery and sampled some tasty beer. Yes, I said 'tasty beer.' The bartender read me well as I stood there looking at the choices thinking, "I don't like beer." He gave me one with a raspberry hint to it. I even had a second one (granted we were there for several hours.)

After grabbing some dinner and being hit-on by a dirty mechanic with poor English, we left the hipster brewery and headed for home totally exhausted.... it was 9:30pm. haha!!

It was a great Saturday though. And I am so happy I enjoyed the beautiful weather. Because this morning..... let's just say it was Not warm. Not warm at all. I think my next adventure will involve buying boots. Maybe a few pairs.