Catching Up (Part 2)

This is from our adventures last weekend. We got up early and set out for a day in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. My brother Joe actually came down from Latvia to spend the day with us. It was really fun! We basically just wandered around the whole town all day until our feet hurt, but thats what made it so great! 

This is St. Nicolas' Church---the oldest surviving catholic church in Lithuania! 

Church of St. Casimir---a Roman Catholic church in Vilnius' Old Town

Just some fun shacks we ventured down to...

There are churches literally everywhere!

But, I really don't mind. They sure are pretty!

This one is an Eastern Orthodox church. We went inside and it was quite interesting. Not my favorite... mainly because it just seemed darker inside. Most of the cathedrals and churches we go into are quite well lit, or bright with their architecture. This one was not. But, it was definitely interesting to enter and see!

A mermaid sitting by the riverside!

This river is actually a divisor of Old town and what is called the Republic of Uzupis.

Its an independent artist republic where people think they can do anything. 

Think hippies and lots of drunks. And really weird art... you basically walk into their town center and find (excuse me) boobs and penis sculptures everywhere. 

This is in Uzupis. Yes, it's a huge rocking horse. And of course I was going to hop on that thing. Even if I did need that massive stepping stool.

More churches as we made our way back to Old Town. 

While we were in town we tried some fantastic traditional Lithuanian food! This is Lithuanian borch. 

Its a creamy, cold soup and it is probably one of my favorite soups ever! 

Joe tried the Cepelini. It was pretty good as well!

It was really a fantastic weekend! I'm so glad that Joe got to come down and visit! 

I can't wait to go visit him up in Latvia sometime this summer!

Oh, and I guess heres a little funny story... We were making our way to the City Hall and these guys with flowers are walking down the street. I tried to avoid eye contact as much as I could, but apparently failed. One of the guys approached me and tried to hand me a flower. I definitely thought this was one of those scams where they give you a flower and then try to make you pay for it. Even if you don't want it. But, after he kept insisting, and repeating something, I finally just took it. And we walked away. Apparently he told me I deserved a pretty flower because I had a pretty smile. Aw shucks! Haha I'm pretty sure they were drunk, but I'll take the compliment. And the flower too. :) 

Catching Up (Part 1)

These past couple of weeks have gone by SO fast! And unfortunately, I've fallen behind on posts!!! So... these next couple posts are going to just be a recap (mostly pictures) from some of our adventures and teaching over the past couple of weeks. Enjoy!

Underground street crossings here have some awesome graffiti!

You could say "we went underground and ended up in the rooftops" (To quote my wonderful head teacher, Kendall).

The streets of Old Town are always a fabulous walk!

(Even if we've already walked up and down them a great number of times, we still have 3 more months to continue to walk all over them. I don't think I'll ever get sick of them! )

Schnitzel!

Guys, we have a castle!!! (For those of you who don't already know this, my dream is to be a princess... so having a castle in my city is a BIG deal.)

 

Nothing wrong with teaching a lesson on a Christmas story! 

What kid does not like Christmas all year round?...Exactly, none.  

Old Buildings even seem to be prettier here. 

Dandelions do tend to help make things prettier though. 

So we found this heavenly little place in Old Town called The Holy Doughnut, and I promise it has blessed our lives, even if its a little bit of a curse on our pockets. 

Their bagel sandwiches and doughnut can be described as heavenly! 

"Hello, Teacher Alba"

"Being a new teacher is like trying to fly an airplane while building it." Rick Smith

... while also trying to learn how to fly the plane...

. . .

Lesson planning is lots of work... So Kendall had to give us some stickers of encouragement.

Let me be completely honest---Lesson planning sucks! But yes, it must be done. In the first week of teaching, I really did not touch my lesson plan much after getting it all written down, but it was so nice to have it there as a safety net. It was a comfort!

Along with lesson planning, there is also A LOT of lesson prep. My lessons included a lot of stories this past week, so I had to make several props to bring with me to class. If you know me at all, you know that I am 1) not creative at all and 2) artistically challenged. I seriously get upset at my own doodling! And how does one mess up doodling? Anyways... so it was really hard to prepare my props. But with some help I managed to get everything I needed done for my weeks worth of classes---a wolf mask, some goodies and a basket, granny glasses, and an ax. As well as some piggy snouts and tails, and 3 houses. 

(Can you guess what stories we talked about in my class?)

This is one of our cute little classrooms. Actually..they are pretty huge!

Some days, I just really wish I had a smaller classroom so I had less space for the children to escape to, but when I want to stand up to do an activity it really is quite convenient. 

(Teacher Sammie, Teacher Kylee, Teacher Alba)

Excited for our first day of teaching!

(Teacher Kendall decided to join us)

But then again, we were super nervous/worried/scared.

So, usually when I'm nervous about things I just close up, stay quiet, and sit still. That was definitely not the case on the first day of school. I was fidgeting with literally everything and could not stay in one place! 

I was almost relieved when our first set of children began to show up and walk in. Weird huh?

But, oh my dear goodness, these children are so stinking cute! I just wanted to run up and hug each and every one of them!

...And then I taught them and learned that all children are still little stinkers...

But, it was actually quite a fun first day. Exhausting, but fun.

Notice, I said the first day. Honestly, I feel like it got much harder throughout the week, but we did survive it in the end. And man was it like angels singing from the sky as all the kids ran screaming to greet their parents Friday evening. 

. . .

I guess I never realized just how hard it is to be a teacher---until I became one. (And, remember, this has only been the first week.) Now I feel sorry for all the things my poor teachers that had to put up with me. Especially my first grade teacher, Teacher Johnny. Oh dear did that man put up with me. All the mornings I was dragged to school kicking and screaming, throwing an even greater tantrum when I arrived to the classroom. With my hair tangled up and my shirt not tucked in. He'd drag me out of the bathroom, where I had locked myself in. Brush my hair. Make me presentable for the day. And he somehow managed to still be kind and patient with me through this entire process that occurred several times throughout the school year. I'm sure it wasn't easy, and I really am not sure how he did it, but I am so thankful that he did. And I hope that while I am here teaching these children I am able to be the teacher then need. I not only want to accomplish the goal of ILP, which is to teach them english, but I want to make a difference in their lives. And if it takes a lot of hard work, then I guess I'm just going to have to do it. Because one thing I've learned so far about teaching, is that it is all about the students. And I hope that as I set them as my number one priority, I will also grow and learn a lot as well. Thank you to all the teachers who put up with me, and put in those several hard hours of effort to make a difference in my life!

Sunday Fun Day :) (May 1)

"We are stuck with technology when what we really want is just stuff that works." 
Douglas Adams

So I had this awesome post all ready to publish the other day, and then our internet was being screwy and I lost everything :( And as much as I really wanted to re-write all the clever things I had down, I really just cant, so here's some pictures from our adventure...

. . .

We tried to make our way to church early Sunday morning, but got totally confused by the bus system. In the end up, we gave up and successfully found the route to Old Town instead. It was our first day out on the town and we had lots of fun!

The streets of Old Town are so cute! I don't think they are usually so populated with cars, but since it was Mothers day in Lithuania that week, everyone was attending church as a family.

This is the old City Hall, which is now a museum. We didn't get to go in since it was closed (probably because it was Sunday and Mothers Day).

Also.... I LOVE that cobblestone! So pretty!!!

The typical peeing babies in Europe ;)

Kylee was quite intrigued by them

House of Perkunas

"Together <3 Kauna"

I'm not sure if these little carts run during the week, but they weren't running when we were there. So... we walked up a lot of stairs. I guess the 7 flights of stairs at our apartment was just preparing us for these adventures we are having.

The climb was worth it, in the end. The view was fantastic!

Like REALLY fantastic!

I am so thankful to have this opportunity to live in another country for a couple of months and to explore someplace new. It truly is an adventure! And I really love adventures :)

(Sammie, Kylee, Kendall, and Yours Truly)

I'm glad I get to share this experience with these cute girls as well :)