Labas,

It has not even been a week yet since I left the States and I am now at my new “home” for 4 months in Klaipeda, Lithuania after spending a few days in Vilnius. It is a beautiful, calm, and peaceful country. It is also surprisingly extremely inexpensive as well (100 litas= 38 USD). One thing I would change is the weather, it is freezing. Right now it is 13 degrees (F), it is usually in the negatives in Celsius. The snow is always here along with its best friend ice which means you are going to fall.

I am still getting use to everything. I am not one to get homesick or anything so I am having no trouble there, it is more of getting use to the culture and the stares. At first, the stares were something I could handle, but now it is like I am so sick of it, but I cannot change it. The cutest thing is the reaction from children. I was at Iki (market…grocery store) and this little girl kept staring at me and proceeded to get her mom’s attention and point at me smiling. It happened a couple of times, but I actually smiled, it was too cute.

Another trouble I am dealing with  is Americans. I know what you’re thinking, how is it hard for you to deal with Americans when I am myself an American. I do not know, but I am very happy orientation week is over and I no longer have to be around Americans. I think it is because I get annoyed easily. The guys are cool, but the girls…can’t do it.

So far we have eaten traditional food which broke my heart the first day. I love meat particularly bacon so I ordered a sausage with mash potatoes. Guess where the potatoes were? Inside the sausage, turns out potato sausages are really popular. I also accidently brought ice cream syrup thinking it was fruit juice, you should have saw my face. It was too sweet and then an intern told me it was syrup. It is hard because you are in a country where you do not know the language which only pushes you harder to learn to be able to communicate with those living here. We also went to a castle, KGB museum, various churches, and a few other local landmarks.

Tomorrow I start classes and I am looking forward to that. Well until the next post.

At a castle…

A church, the Catholic churches are beautiful.

Christina