Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Last note
May 22, 2013
So I've been home from Lithuania a few weeks now, and can finally look at the whole experience with some contemplation. I know that I'm glad I left when I did, there were too many things building up tension with the group and the program for it to have gone on much longer without some sort of serious issues coming up. Only now, I'm not only feeling the torn feelings I was for leaving.
I dearly miss the students, if it weren't for the little demonspawn sweethearts I would be turned off from ever travelling in any group of sorts ever again, and I know that I'm not strong enough for it to be wise for me to go on my own overseas anywhere.
I also miss being in charge of my own apartment - even living with roommates, even being one who had to share a bedroom, I had more space and freedom there than I would have realized if I hadn't made it back home.
But I'm glad to be home as well. I missed my family, I missed my rootbeer. I missed being allowed to walk places on my own unescorted, and I missed having, well, options open to me, I suppose.
I'm missing my phone charger though. I know it came home with me, I remember charging my phone once since getting home, and losing it soon afterwards. A week ago. Don't anybody call me.
Looking back though, I know I was where I was supposed to be, at least in that phase of my life. I'm very glad I did it, and I hope I never forget the good or the bad of all my experience there.
Moving on,
Elizabeth (Zabe) Gibbons
Saturday, March 30, 2013
autocorrect = >:(
March 30, 2013 (past bedtime)
I got a cheap but working European tablet a few days ago to temporarily replace my netbook which crashed on me last week of February or so I recall. I still hate touchscreens so I keep this entry short.
I wanna go home.
Optimism dead
Elizabeth (zabe ) gibbons
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Multi-National Festival
March 2, 2013
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaziuko_mug%C4%97
Today I got to go to old town and walk for eight hours looking at awesome hand-made merchandise from venders who came from many different surrounding countries, as well as Lithuania. It was way awesome. I'm sure I'll pay the price for it tomorrow, but whatever.
I bought five souvenirs and saw a ton of awesome stuff, and I don't even know where to start with it all. I think given how exhausted I am and how my roommate just turned off the light in our room so she could sleep, I will stick to the souvenirs for now and record the adventure in more detail later.
Firsly I bought an awesome necklace that looks like a pair of metal wings, and it has amber dangling from it as well. It's so cool, and inexpensive, so I got it. There were tons of stalls selling gorgeous amber jewelry.
Then I bought a little Lithuania magnet. Not over the top, just something for the fridge to help me fight off the home sickness when I get to America again. Also to help fight the depression and shock of leaving I bought a Lithuania t-shirt. They were both super good deals.
I also bought a little Ocarina and a booklet of songs so I can learn how to play. It's so cute! I didn't buy a big one like the one Link owns in Ocarina of Time, just a little starter one. It's worth it though, and will be even more so if I can actually figure out how to fill my lungs enough to play it. I blame the weather and wind, it's way too cold to fill your lungs enough without them freezing inside you.
Finally, I bought a little ceramic snake. I thought it was so cool, it even looks a little like a trebel clef. I fell in love with everything at the stand where I found it, but decided on the snake because it was only 6 litas and somewhat small, and I didn't want to risk getting something bigger and breaking it.
That's it for now, I need to find some way to de-thaw enough to figure out what stiffness is from cold and what stiffness is from muscle over-use. So until next time, visa gero.
Elizabeth (Zabe)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaziuko_mug%C4%97
Today I got to go to old town and walk for eight hours looking at awesome hand-made merchandise from venders who came from many different surrounding countries, as well as Lithuania. It was way awesome. I'm sure I'll pay the price for it tomorrow, but whatever.
I bought five souvenirs and saw a ton of awesome stuff, and I don't even know where to start with it all. I think given how exhausted I am and how my roommate just turned off the light in our room so she could sleep, I will stick to the souvenirs for now and record the adventure in more detail later.
Firsly I bought an awesome necklace that looks like a pair of metal wings, and it has amber dangling from it as well. It's so cool, and inexpensive, so I got it. There were tons of stalls selling gorgeous amber jewelry.
Then I bought a little Lithuania magnet. Not over the top, just something for the fridge to help me fight off the home sickness when I get to America again. Also to help fight the depression and shock of leaving I bought a Lithuania t-shirt. They were both super good deals.
I also bought a little Ocarina and a booklet of songs so I can learn how to play. It's so cute! I didn't buy a big one like the one Link owns in Ocarina of Time, just a little starter one. It's worth it though, and will be even more so if I can actually figure out how to fill my lungs enough to play it. I blame the weather and wind, it's way too cold to fill your lungs enough without them freezing inside you.
Finally, I bought a little ceramic snake. I thought it was so cool, it even looks a little like a trebel clef. I fell in love with everything at the stand where I found it, but decided on the snake because it was only 6 litas and somewhat small, and I didn't want to risk getting something bigger and breaking it.
That's it for now, I need to find some way to de-thaw enough to figure out what stiffness is from cold and what stiffness is from muscle over-use. So until next time, visa gero.
Elizabeth (Zabe)
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
I Should Probably Blog, Huh?
February 19, 2013
Yeah, so it came to my attention that this isn't so regularly updated. Oops. I guess the problem is that I don't really have much new happening I can talk about.
The girls went to Poland for vacation this last weekend, since we were exempted from teaching Friday. Apparently the main group had loads of fun and they all got very little sleep.
I'm behind in my lesson planning, mostly because the method we use for teaching is severely lacking in quality and execution. Well, it's also just optimistically unrealistic as well, I guess.
I don't really like the atmosphere/attitudes from the other girls here sometimes. It's real uncomfortable having to share an apartment and classes with girls who grow less and less optimistic as the weeks go by. They don't have to be real chipper, but my goodness please don't shut me down when I try to help lighten the situation over here. I know they say it's all sarcasm, but sarcasm does not have to be spoken in bitter tones, I assure you.
I then recoil and backtrack to say that granted, what can I say about it? It annoys me, sure, but being annoyed gives me no right to whine about the faults of others when I'm not perfect.
Ugh. Can I just slip into a small coma-like state and keep from teaching and interacting with people for a few days? No? Well, alright then. In that case, hand me that BoM, will you? I have some peace-finding to get to.
Probably will write more later,
Elizabeth (Zabe)
Yeah, so it came to my attention that this isn't so regularly updated. Oops. I guess the problem is that I don't really have much new happening I can talk about.
The girls went to Poland for vacation this last weekend, since we were exempted from teaching Friday. Apparently the main group had loads of fun and they all got very little sleep.
I'm behind in my lesson planning, mostly because the method we use for teaching is severely lacking in quality and execution. Well, it's also just optimistically unrealistic as well, I guess.
I don't really like the atmosphere/attitudes from the other girls here sometimes. It's real uncomfortable having to share an apartment and classes with girls who grow less and less optimistic as the weeks go by. They don't have to be real chipper, but my goodness please don't shut me down when I try to help lighten the situation over here. I know they say it's all sarcasm, but sarcasm does not have to be spoken in bitter tones, I assure you.
I then recoil and backtrack to say that granted, what can I say about it? It annoys me, sure, but being annoyed gives me no right to whine about the faults of others when I'm not perfect.
Ugh. Can I just slip into a small coma-like state and keep from teaching and interacting with people for a few days? No? Well, alright then. In that case, hand me that BoM, will you? I have some peace-finding to get to.
Probably will write more later,
Elizabeth (Zabe)
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Thinking
February 4, 2013
I am not looking forward to gym class today. A great way to start off the week: letting the children stand up and go crazy.
Oh well, I'd sooner teach then spend another day in the apartment, at least.
Elizabeth (Zabe)
I am not looking forward to gym class today. A great way to start off the week: letting the children stand up and go crazy.
Oh well, I'd sooner teach then spend another day in the apartment, at least.
Elizabeth (Zabe)
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Best Weekend Yet
January 26, 2013
Okay, I love this country, and I love its people, and I love the program... yeah...
Today I got to meet Dima's (our native coordinators') grandmother. She's super nice, I wish I knew enough Russian/Lithuanian to communicate with her though.
Then I got to see how they make a cake-like dessert, I forget what it's called. My batteries in my camera are all dead now, but my camera is also full of pictures and videos about making this spikey, hollow cake, so it's worth it. I will post the pictures another day, it's nearly midnight here.
Then I visited the hill of crosses. At 5 pm. It was dark and incredibly awesome, but then we heard a woman's voice speak quietly from somewhere even though there was nobody there, and Dima got spooked and we left. I couldn't take pictures, but it would've been too dark for that anyway. It really was amazing though, I never would've expected so many crosses, and just when you think you've seen them all, you reach the top of the hill and see more paths you can explore. I'm so going back.
Then I went to a genuine Lithuanian food restaurant, and got to try some zeppiline(sp?). It's so good, I have yet to meet a food here I don't like.
Now I sleep, tomorrow perhaps I write more.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Okay, I love this country, and I love its people, and I love the program... yeah...
Today I got to meet Dima's (our native coordinators') grandmother. She's super nice, I wish I knew enough Russian/Lithuanian to communicate with her though.
Then I got to see how they make a cake-like dessert, I forget what it's called. My batteries in my camera are all dead now, but my camera is also full of pictures and videos about making this spikey, hollow cake, so it's worth it. I will post the pictures another day, it's nearly midnight here.
Then I visited the hill of crosses. At 5 pm. It was dark and incredibly awesome, but then we heard a woman's voice speak quietly from somewhere even though there was nobody there, and Dima got spooked and we left. I couldn't take pictures, but it would've been too dark for that anyway. It really was amazing though, I never would've expected so many crosses, and just when you think you've seen them all, you reach the top of the hill and see more paths you can explore. I'm so going back.
Then I went to a genuine Lithuanian food restaurant, and got to try some zeppiline(sp?). It's so good, I have yet to meet a food here I don't like.
Now I sleep, tomorrow perhaps I write more.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Busy Busy Busy
January 23, 2013
Ugh, between being sick and being behind in my lesson planning, I haven't been getting much else done. I'll write a quick word in here before I forget though.
Lesson planning is ugh. You don't even hardly use your lesson plans anyway, so I have trouble seeing the point. But it is mandatory, and it is mandatory the Thursday before you start teaching the next week. (kill me now).
I think something must be wrong with my computer, it likes to tell me I clicked on something when I did not. It's not bad, it's just annoying. Hopefully it doesn't tell me I hit delete on this post again, that's already happened to me once.
I swear I'm going to look like Cousin It by the time I get back home - I knew I should have brought a lint roller or twelve. Oh well, at least I have shampoo and conditioner here, as well as body wash.
I think something is wrong with their water though, even getting clean, my hair is more damaged over here.
I have been having some trouble with being left behind alot. I hardly blame the other girls, why would they want to slow down for me when they are in Lithuania? When will that happen again? Let's just say it's fine by me unless it's getting dark, and until they get mad at me for it, I am officially hoarding one pair of our 'shared' keys so I don't end up locked out.
I wish I felt like I could do more out here, like exploring and such. For now, I am teaching.
And y'no, all whining and pouty humor aside, there's nothing better I could be doing out here than that.
Elizabeth (Zabe)
Ugh, between being sick and being behind in my lesson planning, I haven't been getting much else done. I'll write a quick word in here before I forget though.
Lesson planning is ugh. You don't even hardly use your lesson plans anyway, so I have trouble seeing the point. But it is mandatory, and it is mandatory the Thursday before you start teaching the next week. (kill me now).
I think something must be wrong with my computer, it likes to tell me I clicked on something when I did not. It's not bad, it's just annoying. Hopefully it doesn't tell me I hit delete on this post again, that's already happened to me once.
I swear I'm going to look like Cousin It by the time I get back home - I knew I should have brought a lint roller or twelve. Oh well, at least I have shampoo and conditioner here, as well as body wash.
I think something is wrong with their water though, even getting clean, my hair is more damaged over here.
I have been having some trouble with being left behind alot. I hardly blame the other girls, why would they want to slow down for me when they are in Lithuania? When will that happen again? Let's just say it's fine by me unless it's getting dark, and until they get mad at me for it, I am officially hoarding one pair of our 'shared' keys so I don't end up locked out.
I wish I felt like I could do more out here, like exploring and such. For now, I am teaching.
And y'no, all whining and pouty humor aside, there's nothing better I could be doing out here than that.
Elizabeth (Zabe)
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