Are hostels hostile?

This past Friday five other international students and I all packed up, made the treacherous cold morning hike to the Tartu bus station, and boarded the 6:30 bus to Riga, Latvia. I was excited because this was my first trip since I have arrived in Estonia. I didn't really know what to expect from Riga, because honestly I had never heard of it. I just accepted to invitation to join this group in their excursion and hoped for the best. As we arrived in Riga, I noticed that the whole ambiance was very different from Tartu. Though both have endured Soviet occupation, Tartu has held tightly to its rich culture and community, where Riga seemed to still weigh heavy under gray block buildings and the burden of oppression. I also noticed the absence of a middle class. It seemed that every person we passed on the street was either clothed in rags or adorned in garments worth a down payment on a small house.
Once we got into Old Town Riga, the architecture was certainly something to admire. The buildings held an old charm with exquisite attention to detail. I was nervous as we were walking from the bus station through the city at first because I had never stayed in a hostel before and had not been prefaced with encouraging stories about them. The Old Town Hostel, however, was nothing like I expected. The hostel rooms reminded me of summer camp, with 6 bunk beds per room. The bathroom was much better than what I had pictured. There was one room with a toilet and sink, and another with a shower and sink. I would say the only difficult thing about a hostel is privacy. With 12 students sharing a bedroom and one toilet and shower, you have to learn to be creative and flexible.
The weekend was a lot of fun over all. We visited many museums. One on the Soviet occupation of Latvia, a beautiful art museum with pieces from many different eras, a war museum, and several others. I also got to ride a double-decker bus for the first time while we listened to a city tour. I'm not sure that we ever actually ate traditional Latvian cuisine, it wasn't strongly recommended. We did, however, try everything from Latvian Mexican to Latvian Thai. It was quite an experience.

Monday was Estonia's National Independence Day. This holiday is held to commemorate the declaration of independence and founding of The Republic of Estonia on February 24, 1918. To celebrate this day many businesses are closed, along with the schools, and a special soup and cream pastry are the common dish. In the evening the citizens of Tartu gather at the local sledding hill (which looks like a huge crater in the earth - perfect for sledding!) and, well, sled! This year they filled the middle of the "bowl" with water and stuck a hot tub in the middle of that. For those who were really brave, you could sled into the water and swim to the hot tub, with your soaking wet clothes. It was exciting to me to be able to celebrate this day with the Estonians.

No Need to Schedule an Excursion

For me, shopping for meat and ordering food from restaurants always has a surprising outcome. I have yet to learn the Estonian word for turkey, which is mainly what I eat back home, so meandering through the deli-sliced and sausage-filled meat aisle can seem quite intimidating. I recently bought a packet of sausages that I thought would taste like the Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage but it didn't. It tasted like sausage one would put in a pasta sauce, not an egg and cheese sandwich.

However, there is hope here in Tartu, Estonia. The farmer's market contains some meat of which I know its origin. Obviously there are different types of fish, a couple of eels, and of course, the pig's head. At first, I was pretty shocked to see a pasty looking Wilbur gazing up at me from inside his glass coffin. Then I thought, "Wow, what would someone do with THAT?"

I suppose, I have yet to experience authentic Estonian cuisine but I'd like to think my expertise is in the Tartu restaurant scene. Due to my uneasiness in the kitchen, I tend to eat out a lot. Restaurants range from Italian, Russian, Chinese, French, and pub grub. When I do go to a restaurant where I recognize a dish, I've learned not to expect the "Americanized" version. As for the Estonian version of American food, one would have to order the bar snacks at The Kissing Students or Big Ben. For around $10, one can buy a plate containing chicken wings, ribs, fried cheese that resemble tator tots, pickles, onions, mushrooms, cheese (not fried), olives, and the ultimate "American" food, fried bread. I know at home I often joke about everything being fried in America, but never have I considered frying bread slices. I think the rye bread is generously coated in a garlic butter than dipped in a deep fryer for a moment or two to become extra crispy. It's appalling and appeasing all at the same time.

So I'm not so sure of how on topic this will be, but hey. It was experience.
This past week has been incredible; I learned lots of new Polish phrases and I've made lots of new friends. I've adventured new places and sampled new foods. Well, maybe a little more than sampled. I am completely in love with how many cultures are present in this one building alone...there is a constant hum of life in this city, much like in Greensboro, but here it is so different. You don't walk by someone on the street and immediately realize that they are talking to their friend in English, or even in Spanish. I hear so many different languages in this place, I feel like I live in the tower of Babel.
The market place has probably been the only place I have felt rather uncomfortable. This past week, our Polish teacher took us to the local market to teach us what kind of food was what and how to say it in Polish. One woman had a plate of oranges as a sample out on her stand, and many of my classmates moved forward to taste a slice. She became angry and began rambling off at us in Polish, and our Polish teacher went to rambling back at her. After we had moved away from the stand, our professor explained to us that the woman had been upset because we were taking our samples and not buying her product. It was a bit awkward, because it was true, but my understanding of a sample was a free taste with no obligation to buy. I wouldn't call the definition of sample a cultural difference, but I found her reaction to our actions interesting. Our lack of ability to communicate or understand the way the woman felt must have been frustrating...
I'm finding that grunts and pointing are about the best universal language.

The question is...Have you seen Gabriel's Hat?

I haven't been prejudiced by the locals for being foreign, but I have been blamed by another out-of-towner for the world's problems.

Being an American abroad is insightful. My image of European political debates has been deleted and the truth has been put in place. Well, they're much like anywhere else. They consist mainly of blame, broad generalizations, and are based on controlled media aka loose fact. I've never had my individuality stripped from me so quickly and a stereotype put in its place. As I said, insightful. 

The event burned my bottom at the time considering I was just trying to eat a dang Kebab at 2am but looking back I'm not too bummed. People like this exist everywhere, including the states, and they like to sputter the same smutter that everyone around them is. They just have a different name back home, Republicans. 

Hee hee! I kid,I kid!

Truthfully the lesson learned was not to get down by this event and to remind myself that I do attempt actions which are in my power to make things better for those around me. And that's all I need to live with. :-)

Have you seen Robert and Gabriel?

If you ladies see our UNCG guys in Poland, will you give them a nudge to join the blog? I also need a scan of Gabriel's passport...could you pass that along?! Hope all is well, I'm enjoying the blog posts...keep up the good work!

Sometimes we go to class in college

It took about two weeks, but I think classes are finally starting to get off the ground for me. Apparently it's common at Tartu University to not hold the first class meeting of the semester. Not for every class of course, but during the first week of this semester I only had one full class out of five if that tells you anything. The university structure here, while holding many similarities, is also very different from UNCG. At home I am used to many reminder e-mails or RA's to post reminders on the hall, but here you are entirely responsible for your own course registration, and anything else you need to sign up or apply for. I feel that I've stumbled through most of it these first weeks, but the learning experience has certainly made me more independent and capable I think.
The classes themselves are also different. Usually each class only meets once a week for one and a half hours. All of my classes this semester are very small, ranging from 6 to 20 students. I'm not sure if this is because my classes are in English and perhaps there are larger lectures for the Estonian students, or if this is the common for every class. During each class period, the professor lectures for the entire time. At home if a professor gets through the material they had planned before the assigned class time is through, they will dismiss the class early. Here, however, it is rare that the professor finishes early, and if they do, they continue on to next week's subject to fill up the time. There is nearly no outside work compared to what I am used to. It is common for a class to have weekly readings to accompany the lecture, and a course may require several papers, but there are no weekly reading quizzes, in fact, there are really no quizzes or tests at all. For the most part, only writing assignments to show what knowledge you've gained.
I am enjoying learning so much about other countries from the other international students here. Just the other night while several people were gathered in our kitchen just hanging out, the subject landed on the current situation with EU expansion and Turkey. It's common to find ourselves comparing cultures, dialects, languages, and all sorts of things about our homes on a daily bases.
The weather has continued to be cold here, although it's been sunny and a little warmer today. For the past two days we've seen nothing but snow falling outside our window. I love all of the snow though, because growing up in North Carolina this kind of weather is truly few and far between. We've already found a great sledding spot, and reclaimed childhood making a sport of it. Along with snowball fights of course. Despite all of the winter fun, I am eagerly looking forward to the famous Estonian spring.

24hours

The first twenty four hours of my trip were incredible. 

First of all, I had never been out of the states before. Second, I had never even been on a plane before. So there I was in Charlotte, at the airport, by myself, with no clue of where to go or what to do. I must have asked fifty questions to twenty different people all in under thirty five minutes. I was terrified and ecstatic all at the same time. 

Once I was on the plane and we had taken off, my nerves began to settle down. I was on my way to Poland, there was no turning back now. The flight was quite long (about 9 hours) but it wasn't too bad. I touched down in Munich around 8:30 am and waited for my next flight to Wroclaw. 

After arriving in Wroclaw, I boarded a van with several other students. Two from Turkey, one from Scotland, and Danielle and myself from North Carolina. I was in the back seat next to the luggage, and though I was being crushed by it, it made for interesting conversation. 

We all ventured out to the grocery store after being assigned to our rooms, and we cooked dinner for ourselves. We understood nothing that was written on the box, so we mostly just identified food by what it looked like. After dinner, we ventured out to the mall for internet access to announce our safe arrival to everyone at home. We then returned to the dorms to get some sleep.

Overall, I think I'm in for an excellent stay.....

What does Erasmus mean?

"Wow, it's not that cold."

"Frankfurt's ariport was a lot easier to navigate than I thought it would be."

"These Polish students are really nice and speak really good english."

"I hope Mandy doesn't die by avalanche of suitcases."

These were the first thoughts I had when I stepped onto Wroclaw's runway. The first twenty four hours were pretty awesome. I was thrown into a room with new people but we were all in the same situation so we bonded instantly. I love it when this characteristic comes out in human nature.:-)

I thought it was weird that the dorm doesn't have wireless internet and that my laptop has to be  plugged in to access the internet. I had to go down to the food court in the mall about two blocks away to get onto the wireless there. I realized that I needed to talk to my credit card company, view my bank statement, pay a bill, and that I really don't want to do that over a mall's wireless internet. So I've come to love being plugged up so long as it keeps hackers away from my important passwords and information.

 The afternoon consisted of doing errands, filling out forms, and finding dinner. I fell asleep at 10pm. 

I like it here a little more every day

The funniest thing happened yesterday. It was such a small thing, but it still makes me smile to think of it. There is a bakery in the town square that I had passed several times and a friend had recommended to me. After visiting the International Student Office and library that morning, I still had quite some time before my class began, so I thought I would visit the bakery to kill some time. After finally deciding which dessert looked absolutely the most delicious, I noticed one of the young workers standing behind the register with a slightly frustrated look. When I looked down I couldn't help but let out a laugh. There on the counter top laid piles of small coins being sorted by a small bundled-up boy. With his tongue sticking out to the side of his mouth in concentration, he preciously counted his meager treasure. By the time I had found a table and eaten half of my pastry, the little boy was finally successful in his endeavor and marched victoriously out the door with a bag of chocolate cookies in tow.

As I sat and observed the people coming and going through the antique bakery door, I couldn't help but think that my view perfectly described Tartu in a nutshell: Through the window I could see snow, trees, cars passing, and people walking on cobblestone streets. Inside I sat at a table charmingly adorned with a floral red Christmas clothe and a small basket of flowers. I listened to the sounds of the kitchen, watched a worker cleaned off tables briskly and thoroughly, and all the while these melodies played to the rhythm of a woman typing on her wireless laptop at a nearby table.

I am amazed and delighted at how this town has managed to advance at a furious rate in technology, yet still hold firmly to the old charm from which it has come.

Narnia

First of all, I'm sorry it has taken me this long to post. Although Estonia is regaled for its Internet, I did not efficiently get Internet in my room until just today.

I arrived in Tartu this past Tuesday afternoon. The first impression of Tartu that I was able to take in was the 2.5 hour bus ride from the airport in Tallinn, the capital. I was exhausted from the trip and fell asleep shortly after the bus left the station. When I woke up a little later and looked out the window, I felt as if I had woken up on a train to Narnia. I saw crystal white snow for miles, tall evergreens, and charming small farm houses. I was quite relieved, because I had been prepared to arrive to a dark, wet, cold city. I had also been told in advance to expect Estonians to keep to themselves. Although an American may perceive them as rude or unfriendly, this is simply just "the Estonian way". They are quiet people, but extremely kind and helpful when initiated to.
Finding dinner the first night was interesting. The food here is quite different. I do not know how to explain it, accept that although many things are similar, they are just different. Everything seems to be in smaller portions, and glass bottles are quite as common as plastic ones.
I have enjoyed very much meeting so many students from so many different countries. My roommate is from Spain, and my 3 other flatmates are from the U.S., Paris, and Georgia. I love to talk to others about their culture in relation to mine and to Estonia. I have learned so much already just from these informal conversations.
Classes and registration begins tomorrow, so I will have more to say about academics soon.

Bye for now
Leigha

Oops!

Well, I have been living here for the past five days, but had no reliable internet access. In which case, I will pretend I arrived today.

When we, Leigha, Kaylee, and I, tried to find what bus to take us to Tartu from the airport I found out that people did not/would not speak as much English as I thought they would. Of course, I could not fathom the Estonian accent in my imagination, but to some degree I thought it would be like living in Wales, where people know both English and Welsh fairly well.

The Estonian cities themselves were not what I had anticipated either. From the pictures I have seen, which were of the statue "Kissing Students" and old Tallinn, I was surprised to see the different styles of architecture. On one street, a person could see a house composed of wooden planks in a decorative design, a brightly coloured stucco house, and a "Soviet" building.

That's most of my first impressions, I suppose, I will post later.
Tootles.

Your Course HSS 315

Sorry to have delayed getting this to you...your course work this semester will consist of posting to this blog. As I said, I would like for you to post on your observations of the first 24 hours...when you visit your UNCG pals in Estonia or Poland, keep a record of that "first impression" too. The rest is up to you. There are some suggestions below!

HONORS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE:
A Study Abroad Program in Estonia, Poland, and Russia
HSS 315

Kathleen Ahern 2009


SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION ON BLOGGING

Weekly Reports
Once a week you will be expected to write a brief blog on some aspect of life in the city or country in which you are currently staying. The first blog should be written within 24 hours of arrival either in Tartu or Wroclaw. This first blog should simply be your first impressions of the place. Among the things to think about are the following: to what extent is the place what you expected (does it relate to the readings you did prior to arrival?); how you feel about being there; expectations; concerns; excitement.
Every other weekly blog is more under your control; we simply require that you write about one or other aspect of your experience on a weekly basis. The following is simply a list of possible topics. Some of them can be about the sorts of things that you might typically do.
Visit to a local market (equivalent of a farmers’ market in Greensboro)
In a supermarket
Food and drink
Trying to buy [sausages] without yet knowing any of the language
Evening life
The university
Impressions of the students and the classes
A day in my life
Comparison with a typical day in my life in Greensboro

Other topics focus more on your thoughts about life in this society, and the changes (or lack of changes) over the past decade or so.
Life outside the city
Inside someone’s home
What’s life like for children?
What’s life like for students?
What’s life like for the elderly?
The past is still present (continuing impact of “state socialism”)
Things that are just like home
Unbridled capitalism?
Who visits museums, and what do they see?


You don’t need to restrict yourself to these particular suggestions, but the idea is that on a weekly basis you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on the realities of life in this city.

After you’ve visited the “other” city (those of you from Tartu have been to Wroclaw, and vice versa) you’ll have three cities to compare—these two plus Saint Petersburg. Your later blogs should include a comparison of what you’ve seen in the three places.