So I am home already for few weeks. (But actually I just returned from Greece where I was with one Grundtvig project). Croatia and EVS already feels so long time ago.
However I have thought a lot about this experience, was it worth it because all our problems, etc. And one thing I know is, if I would knew all the things that will happen, I would never choose this project. Probably I would choose other country, most probably - EU country with national agency, so all the processes would be much shorter and I would get my Youthpass, which as it turned out in last weeks, is not possible in centralised projects as ours. But that the cost you pay for not wanting to choose easy and better known ways.
Anyway it has been a very good experience - I have learnt a lot about Balkans, about people and about myself. And I have met some really great persons - like Federica and Magdalena (after trip to Austria where we visited Magdalena and we had really great time, we are already planning to meet in Latvia next year on August!) and guys in Osijek (thank you for the very last night! It was sooo great! :) ) Of course it's a great pity that we didn't learn the language - it would be a great plus in my CV in my future carreer, but never mind. Now I have decided to renew my German language knowledge. In Austria I understood that their really, really bad :)
Next week I am starting to work seriously - I will be working in Latvia's Association for Family Planning and Sexual Health "Papardes zieds", where I ahev been volunteer and peer educator until now. And I am also going to apply for Master studies in my old university - feel like studying again! Actually I am little afraid because for a year I have worked only with project type things, so to do something more stable and regular will be a challenge. But it's a good challenge.
Good bye and good luck everybody!
And those who are planning to do EVS - do that! Don't be afraid! Every project and every experience is different. Only don't forget - check, check and double check everything! Don't trust everything you are told, check it! :)
Saturday, 26 July 2008
Thursday, 26 June 2008
Still hot
...but until now this day has been perfect! Ansis changed my flight home, so I will return in Latvia on 9th of July, and one of my ex-course mates invited me to her wedding in August! Cool! I have never been to wedding!
We have also done a lot for tomorrow presentation about our EVS. Textual part is ready, we just have to finish visual (pictures, pictures, lot of pictures...)
Yesterday it was Croatian Independence Day, so we were not working, actually nobody was working. We tried to find some open shop, but of course, we did not succeed. For me it was a surprise that there in Croatia they did not have a National flag to every house in Independence Day as it is in Latvia. You can call it too much nationalism, but I think it is really nice, it gives a festive and solemn feeling and it makes us to feel prouder about our country. But Croatians are proud of their country anyway :)
So we spent yesterday at Valpovo at Federica's friends. It was great! Although very hot... We had a very, very great meal and we spent a nice, relaxing day. And I will never say that public transport is expensive in Latvia, because for 40 minute travel by bus we paid almost three euro, in Latvia I pay for that less one euro... For the price I paid to go from Osijek to Valpovo in Latvia I would go from my home town Valmiera to capital Riga, which is 100 km or 2.5 hours in the bus.
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Such a perfectly hot day...
It's hot. It's very, very hot.
But we have done a lot today already. Me and Federica we went to Radio Osijek to tell about our experience here in Croatia - what did we do, what are our impressions about the country and the people, and, of course - our photo exhibition.
Yesterday we partly finished to put on the pictures
of the exhibition. All together there are 99 pictures (33 from each of us) about all our adventures - life here in Osijek, work in the youth centre, trainings and seminars we have took part in. Yesterday we put on the most important parts - about Osijek and centre, there are still around 20 pictures left, mainly our 'dreaming' pictures, that's how we called them. There were also a reporter from newspaper, who interviewed us and photographer, so we really felt like stars.
Yesterday in Latvia it was midsummer's night festival, the most important festival in whole year. I did not thought that it will be so hard for me - to be away at this time of a year. But then my mother sent me sms that it's raining, that she has made traditional cheese, and they had been in the wood for birch-trees to decorate the house and I got soooo depressed! We had a plan for going to
other side of Drava, making there a fire and celebrate midsummer's night there, but finally we changed our plans and did it in our backyard. We had a variation about the fireplace (blue ball with leaves around in the picture), but we had beer and cheese I brought from Latvia with me and I even made some variation about shaslik, which everybody loved! And Magdalena even made me a small flower decoration instead of traditional flower wrest (it's very hard to find flowers in this city). It was a very nice party, but we are planning to redo this in Austria with all the appropriate attributes.
On the weekend we were at Plitvice lakes. That was so great! I had not feet so peaceful and
harmonic for a long, long time... We found a very nice place to stay, the nature was just adorable and we met a really fantastic guy - Mirko, who worked at the park. He was so nice and helpful! One of the nicest people I have ever met! He has worked in Afghanistan and Kongo detonating mines and doing similar stuff. He showed us also the pictures of the places he has been at - just amazing. As he was Serb, he also introduced us about how Serbian minority lives in Croatia and what happened in Plitvice region during the war. It was very 
interesting.
And Plitvice lakes - it's something fantastic! It is not possible to say how wonderful it is and also pictures does not fully discover their beauty. And we were happy that there was not a very lot of tourists yet. After Plitvice muscles of my legs was so hard and painful I could hardly walk. But never mind, it was worth it, also 14 hour ride from Osijek and back was worth it. I would really like to go back to Plitvice one more time.
But we have done a lot today already. Me and Federica we went to Radio Osijek to tell about our experience here in Croatia - what did we do, what are our impressions about the country and the people, and, of course - our photo exhibition.
Yesterday we partly finished to put on the pictures
of the exhibition. All together there are 99 pictures (33 from each of us) about all our adventures - life here in Osijek, work in the youth centre, trainings and seminars we have took part in. Yesterday we put on the most important parts - about Osijek and centre, there are still around 20 pictures left, mainly our 'dreaming' pictures, that's how we called them. There were also a reporter from newspaper, who interviewed us and photographer, so we really felt like stars.
Yesterday in Latvia it was midsummer's night festival, the most important festival in whole year. I did not thought that it will be so hard for me - to be away at this time of a year. But then my mother sent me sms that it's raining, that she has made traditional cheese, and they had been in the wood for birch-trees to decorate the house and I got soooo depressed! We had a plan for going to
other side of Drava, making there a fire and celebrate midsummer's night there, but finally we changed our plans and did it in our backyard. We had a variation about the fireplace (blue ball with leaves around in the picture), but we had beer and cheese I brought from Latvia with me and I even made some variation about shaslik, which everybody loved! And Magdalena even made me a small flower decoration instead of traditional flower wrest (it's very hard to find flowers in this city). It was a very nice party, but we are planning to redo this in Austria with all the appropriate attributes.On the weekend we were at Plitvice lakes. That was so great! I had not feet so peaceful and
harmonic for a long, long time... We found a very nice place to stay, the nature was just adorable and we met a really fantastic guy - Mirko, who worked at the park. He was so nice and helpful! One of the nicest people I have ever met! He has worked in Afghanistan and Kongo detonating mines and doing similar stuff. He showed us also the pictures of the places he has been at - just amazing. As he was Serb, he also introduced us about how Serbian minority lives in Croatia and what happened in Plitvice region during the war. It was very 
interesting.And Plitvice lakes - it's something fantastic! It is not possible to say how wonderful it is and also pictures does not fully discover their beauty. And we were happy that there was not a very lot of tourists yet. After Plitvice muscles of my legs was so hard and painful I could hardly walk. But never mind, it was worth it, also 14 hour ride from Osijek and back was worth it. I would really like to go back to Plitvice one more time.
Thursday, 19 June 2008
Police day
Today we went to police again (we were there also yesterday) to finally solve all documentation about our stay i
n Croatia. Of course, we had to wait for almost hour and a half until everything was solved, but anyway - hopefully this was the last time when we had to visit this police station.
We spent this week working on a booklet about non-formal education activities. We called it 'Playground' and it looks quite good. Unfortunately it is too expensive to print it 'for real', like a real booklet, but probably we will have it printed in color and made with a spiral. We are also working on our photo exhibition - it will
take place in the club during next week and there will be 100 pictures telling about our experiences during this EVS time. We will close our project next Friday with a presentation about our EVS.
Tomorrow we are going to Plitvice lakes! We have had no touristic adventures during this stay in Croatia, so we want to use the time which is left. Until now only places I have seen in Croatia is Osijek and Zagreb, and I wouldn't say that it gives overall impression about Croatia.
n Croatia. Of course, we had to wait for almost hour and a half until everything was solved, but anyway - hopefully this was the last time when we had to visit this police station.We spent this week working on a booklet about non-formal education activities. We called it 'Playground' and it looks quite good. Unfortunately it is too expensive to print it 'for real', like a real booklet, but probably we will have it printed in color and made with a spiral. We are also working on our photo exhibition - it will
take place in the club during next week and there will be 100 pictures telling about our experiences during this EVS time. We will close our project next Friday with a presentation about our EVS.Tomorrow we are going to Plitvice lakes! We have had no touristic adventures during this stay in Croatia, so we want to use the time which is left. Until now only places I have seen in Croatia is Osijek and Zagreb, and I wouldn't say that it gives overall impression about Croatia.
Monday, 16 June 2008
Raspberry day
Today we were at the market and bought some nice and fresh fruits and vegetables. And raspberries. Got to know
one cultural difference regarding berries and worms - I was afraid to buy raspberries because of worms, but Magdalena said that it's ok, that there are no worms. That cherries have worms. I never heard that cherries have worms! So we bought raspberries and they are really good. And really cheap - only ten kuna for quite a big box. Maybe we should eat only raspberries :) I would like to have some strawberries because I will miss strawberry season in Latvia, but seems that it is over here in Croatia. That's a pity!
Magdalena is back from Macedonia! She came back on Saturday. I was at the club Saturday morning, there was LAN, so I had to be there to take money from people, to give out coffee and juice, etc.
And on Friday evening Mrki's performance was canceled because of the weather, so I spent whole evening at the club, sitting at the bar, giving out drinks and trying to communicate with people. Later Ivan took me to St. Antony's day carousels at Tvrđa, as St. Antony is patron of Tvrđa there was kind of festival with market and carousels. We also took a ride with one of carousel like things called 'Crazy Surfer'. It was fun!
On Saturday evening me and Magdalena went to see 'Sex and the City' or 'Sex i Grad' how it' s in Croatian. We were
really surprised that they made a break during a movie. That was a first movie in my life with a break :) And I still don't understand why they needed a break - 2.5 hours is not so much I think.
Anyway, movie was entertaining and we had fun.
Rest of the weekend was rest, peace, walks, football and food. So this week I started new life - with a morning run and without eating after 18.00. Hopefully it will work :)
And now - back to our beautiful energising booklet! :)
one cultural difference regarding berries and worms - I was afraid to buy raspberries because of worms, but Magdalena said that it's ok, that there are no worms. That cherries have worms. I never heard that cherries have worms! So we bought raspberries and they are really good. And really cheap - only ten kuna for quite a big box. Maybe we should eat only raspberries :) I would like to have some strawberries because I will miss strawberry season in Latvia, but seems that it is over here in Croatia. That's a pity!Magdalena is back from Macedonia! She came back on Saturday. I was at the club Saturday morning, there was LAN, so I had to be there to take money from people, to give out coffee and juice, etc.
And on Friday evening Mrki's performance was canceled because of the weather, so I spent whole evening at the club, sitting at the bar, giving out drinks and trying to communicate with people. Later Ivan took me to St. Antony's day carousels at Tvrđa, as St. Antony is patron of Tvrđa there was kind of festival with market and carousels. We also took a ride with one of carousel like things called 'Crazy Surfer'. It was fun!On Saturday evening me and Magdalena went to see 'Sex and the City' or 'Sex i Grad' how it' s in Croatian. We were
really surprised that they made a break during a movie. That was a first movie in my life with a break :) And I still don't understand why they needed a break - 2.5 hours is not so much I think.Anyway, movie was entertaining and we had fun.
Rest of the weekend was rest, peace, walks, football and food. So this week I started new life - with a morning run and without eating after 18.00. Hopefully it will work :)
And now - back to our beautiful energising booklet! :)
Friday, 13 June 2008
Lime trees blooming in Croatia...
Hi, hi, hi! Guess who' s back?
Yap, that' s me! Finally got my resident permit in Croatia and here I am! I am aloud to stay in Croatia until 15th of July. This is my second day in Osijek. It is little bit strange, because I am all alone at home - Magdalena is at mid-term training and Federica still in Italy - coming back next week. But it's so nice to meet all the guys and see that there are also new faces in the club. Just met Mrki - he invited me to his performance tonight. It' s at open air, so I hope it won' t be raining.
This morning I put together all the receipts regarding my resident permit. Lot of receipts, lot of numbers! Worked very hard on converting Latvian lats and Swedish crones in Croatian kuna and euro. This is one reason why I wouldn' t mind one unite European currency.Yesterday Croatia won Germany in football. That was a great fest in all the Croatia I think.
Almost a half of all the cars had Croatian flags, people were going around with cars and making noises. The same what happens when Latvia wins somebody in ice-hockey :) I did not see the game, I spent evening at the club, chatting with guys, my brother once in a while announced me result through skype. That was fun :)I also started to work on the booklet that we are going to make - about energizers, ice-breakers and other activities we have taken part in during all the trainings we have been at. Magdalena has already started to work on it, I am searching for pictures we could put in there and some other additional information.
Monday, 21 April 2008
Day 97
Haven’t been writing in my blog for a very long time. And so much things has happened!
Firstly, we are not in 
We left 
nice and they said that it should not take too long for my residence permit, as I had all the documents needed and even too much – they were quite surprised that I had my birth certificate with me (and in three languages – Latvian, Engl
ish and Croatian of course).
Now everything depends on how long will it take for people in 
ship was staggering from the waves, I pictured us trying to get out of the ship, but all the gates are closed and water is coming closer and closer. Brrr! J
But of course, nothing happened and I am still alive J and
It is nice to be home. I have been quite busy meeting all the people - friends, family, colleagues, etc. And it does not seems at all that I have been away for three months. Spring is arriving also here. Although it was quite shocking to leave 
getting better and better. This is one of my favorite seasons – to see how land is getting greener, how burgeons bloom, how birds start to make their nests. And it’s nice to wake up in my bed, see the maple near my window and hear the cranes screaming at the meadows.
Anyway – on 23d I am going to
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