Blogs from Tartu, Estonia, Europe - page 3

Brothers from different Mothers When I crossed over the border into Mongolia, by train a month or so previeously, I realised that I had in fact never really crossed a border before. Taking planes, illiminates the ability to actually see border crossings and how close together most countries live. It makes you realise that in the UK we have been lucky in the past to never really have borders and no doubt it has saved out bacon on numnerous occaisions. In these fragile relationships, always held together or pushed apart by geography, politics and cultural difference, it is interseting to see when one 'country becomes the next' and what changes or, in fact doesn't. Take for example the poor old Mongolians, sandwhcihed between a rock and a hard place with Russia to the north and ... read more

So I did a really bad job explaining some stuff during the last entry- sorry guys. Usually Rotary exchange students get two to four families that they stay with during the exchange. They change when their new club tells them that they will and it goes from there. I will be changing after Christmas and I will move to the Island of Saaremaa (the biggest island that belongs to Estonia). I will stay with the family that I am with in Tartu now until then. No worries- I can't exactly run away because it is so cold. Plus my host mum makes these really tastey potaoe caserole dishes that I just couldn't leave them. I hope that answers most of the questions. ... read more

Last weekend I went to Helsinki to attend a district conference. While there, I met some kids who have been there for eight months already. All of them Aussies and Kiwis (New Zealanders) of course. All of the Estonians that are living here now attended as well (except for the my Mexican friend Mariandrea), and it was a blast. We had five hours to ourselves in Helsinki... sounds like trouble, I know. The only thing was that it was way too much time. Sure two hours or even three would have been perfect, yet we get five. Alright. What do you do with a time limit of five hours in Helsinki when you don't know the place, don't speak Finnish, don't have that many euros, and it is a pretty freakin cold day. Well... first you ... read more

School, as it turns out, is not hard... yet. I imagine that it will be and very soon too. From what I hear, people who go to my school are loaded down with homework and have to do loads of tests all the time. Kids come from all around Estonia to come to this school because of how fantastic it is. I am taking my classes and I am not really understanding most of it yet I am getting there. I have found my dream class! I have a BRITISH STUDIES CLASS!!! How freakin amazing is that?! I get to learn about all of Great Britain! While in Estonia. Fantastically beautifully marvelous! My teacher in that class is hilariously too! He is so animated! Like someone else you know... no hints to who that is. :) ... read more

In the evening around 6pm Mikk's brother picked me up from the hostel. I grabbed my stuff and was ready to go. The drive took about 2 hours i think and then we were at Mikk's campus.That night we stayed in the new room Mikk was moving into that semester. After helping Mikk unload all his stuff we went out to Tsink Plekk Pang for dinner for Chinese. One of his mates came by and from here the four of us went out to a bar nearby. It was pretty good fun we had a few shots and then we headed out to Maailm. Tartu is a pretty fun student town. The next day we went out and about on the town, checked out Mikk's campus, the sculpture of kissing students and the Dome Church ruins. ... read more