What to do?

It looks like I'm not going to Italy for break. It's not that big of a deal. I can't say that I'm too fond of the idea of having 6 girls along with me anyways (if any of the girls from the study abroad group are reading this, this isn't measuring your character at all). Actually, of all the people that could go I was quite pleased with the group that wanted to join me. I felt pretty bad when I saw tears stream down their cheeks when they heard that I wasn't going. I think a few of them are still going with another group. I wish you the best of luck. There are some people sticking around for break and I think we are going to plan something fun. Maybe a bike trip down to Russia? That would be fun...

I wasn't feeling too happy when I had to break the news to them. It also turned out that I had forgotten all of my lunch money at home. I wanted to buy a ticket to the school cocktail party, but couldn't get the vendor to accept my bus ticket (same value!). On my way home I ran into a coffee shop and bought some FRESH breads. One had pork in the center and the other had mushrooms. So tasty and warm. It made me feel better. Oh, I also got to make french-press coffee for a few people at my Bible study on Wed. It brought back lots of warm feelings. I told all of the girls (out of 10 people I am the only guy) that it will put hair on their chest. They didn't seem too happy about that.

This will be my last post during the month of January. So much has happened during this month, hard to believe really. During this month I was with Sara, David, Miriam, Amy, Ruwe, Ben, Rubber Duckie, in Chicago, and eating cow tongue tacos. 37 days more and I'll be in Russia.

The coffee shop where I buy my "tasties."

These are the people that I will be hanging out with during break.

I took this photo this morning...I sort of wanted to be on that train.

Random Sentence

I'm currently reading through a book entitled "The Lithuanians" by Juozas Kudirka. It is in English and I'm supposed to read it to figure out how Lithuanians write in English (my internship consists of editing articles). I am currently reading about holiday traditions and ran across this paragraph on page 38:

At the Christmas Eve table people behave gracefully and respectfully. Grandparents and parents are the first to speak. They remember the dead and absent members who cannot take part at the supper. The conversation centers round the birth of Jesus, the coming holidays, the most important events of the past year and the harvest. People look hopefully to the future and their visit to church on Christmas day. Beekeepers discuss the industry of bees.

I think that the last sentence is out of place, even in the Lithuanian language.

Argh (Milan)!

We have a long weekend coming up because of a national holiday. I couldn't think of any better way to spend this free time than to travel. I looked at ryanair.com and found that they fly to England, Ireland, and Italy! Wow. Cost to fly to Milan? About $120 round trip from Riga, Latvia. I've always wanted to go to Italy and see the sights. I wasn't really planning on staying in Milan since Venice is quite near. Some problems have arisen though... The guy I was originally planning on going with decided not to go (leaving me with 5 girls). I can't find anywhere to stay that is affordable. The cheapest hostel is about $30 a night...way out of my budget. My sister has a friend who's parents currently reside in Milan and I am trying to see if I can make a connection with them, by either staying with them or with someone they know. The cost of the tickets are going up steadily and will probably cost about $150 in total now. I'm tempted to almost fly there and just sleep in the train station or church doorsteps. It would allow me to have quite an adventure...and most likely leave me feeling miserable. I'm preparing myself to not be disappointed if this trip doesn't work out but it was sort of thrown together last minute. There is another group of students going who have already bought their tickets. I feel bad for them though...they can't find anyplace to stay (it's fashion week in Milan!). Please pray for me. I might feel bad if I let these girls down.



I could always go to Vilnius and stay with a friend there...

And on third thought we have a two day break in March. This is a possibility as well. Oh...guess not. I just checked the prices and they cost about $300, and it's still January! :P

Ha ha Thursday

I thought this video was funny. There are discussions on the Internet trying to decide if it is real and if adults have a hard time learning jumping jacks, etc. All I know is that the three guys on the far right are pretty funny. :)

Also, here are three more drawings on how to be a good uncle:

We all know that I didn't draw these cartoons. These guys did.

I don't work for Mastercard...

Bowl of soup: 2,50 LT
Bilieta for the bus: 1 LT
Sending a text message: ,25 LT
Calling a land line through Skype: ,05 LT por minuto
Load of laundry: 5 LT
Dryer: 4 LT
Getting caught on the bus by an officer without a bilieta: 10 LT
Receiving a package in the mail: a walk to the post-office.


Ok...saying "Priceless" is WAY too cliché! I feel like a 6 year old before Christmas who just can't wait for the morning to show up so that he can run downstairs and fulfill his little greedy desires. I hear that there is a Spanish speaker in the post-office. I'll find out tomorrow! For the address to mail me stuff look here.

My Pizza, My Love (numero dos)

My sister shared this recipe with me. I've tried it a few times...and it has passed the test of time. So:

1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped fine)
1 lb ground beef
1 large can tomato sauce (with no seasonings in it if possible)
salt pepper
olive oil
oregano (2 tablespoons)

Saute onion and garlic in about 2 tblspoons olive oil.
Add beef and cook until browned.
Take out extra grease with spoon.
Add tomato sauce and oregano salt and pepper.
Heat until sauce begins to bubble.
Simmer on low for at least 1/2 an hr.
You may need to adjust how much onion or tomato sauce you put in... maybe have another can of tom. sauce on hand to add to it just in case.

Enjoy!


P.S. Coming up on the next Pizza, My Love (numero tres), some good pizza toppings. If you have any sweet ideas for pizza topings, email them to me and I will share them on my next pizza post.

LCC Saltshaker

"Saltshaker 2008 unites young people from Christian faith communities throughout Lithuania and Eastern Europe in cooperation with LCC International University. Leaders from Christian churches and organizations combine resources and vision to equip young people to live for God in their countries."

I'm a volunteer for this year's Saltshaker session. There are between 50-100 high school aged kids (as far as I can tell) from all over Lithuania, and even some from Latvia. Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to hear "As the deer" sung in Lithuanian at a Catholic church (which was founded during the counter-reformation). Today I was able to sing other familiar songs in Lithuanian. What a blast! Tomorrow (Saturday) our small groups are going out and discovering new ways to spread the love of God. I think that this is more of an opportunity for the teenagers to learn how to get involved in their communities. My heart was torn between working in an orphanage, at a soup kitchen, hanging out with elderly disabled folks, walking through Klaipeda while praying, and giving free hugs. Guess which one I chose? I hope the Lithuanians warm up to some nice bear hugs from a bearded man...

Those crazy Naciremas!

Can anyone say that a culture is weird? Some may say so. Others say no, but would still feel uncomfortable in in different cultures. This is natural and totally understandable. The unforgivable sin is when we start judging others... How can we compare one norm to another?

Start out be reading this. What did you feel as you read the description of of a self destructive culture? This is what I think.

Being a Good Uncle (numbero one-o)

We all know that it takes practice being a great uncle (it took me a year and half to perfect it!). Here are some easy tips to follow:






We all know that I didn't draw these cartoons. These guys did.

Biological Anthropology Pondering...

Truth: over time our bodies have adapted to our surroundings. This accounts to some people being really hairy, having darker skin, having larger chest cavities, not being able to drink much alcohol, etc. Even though it is bad to stereotype people groups...some generalizations can be made. People with Swedish ancestry will be more likely to be burnt by the sun than people from Kenya. Yes?

These traits are passed down from generation to generation, and even accented upon over time. We discussed in class how Kenyans are known for being good runners and some think that it is because they live near the equator. Now the question that I present you with is: The Japanese have been able to live on their own for many many years without outside interaction. Throughout time there has been and still is a huge emphasis on education and discipline. Much like the effect of high altitude on some people's bodies, have years of education and discipline effected the Japanese' minds?

I believe that measuring intelligence is cultural, there are different ways of doing so. A person in Africa or the Amazon jungle might not be able to perform well on standardized tests but the smarter ones prove their intelligence by coming home with more food and by building better huts. The Japanese has a whole are not faced with such challenges, but are able to perform well in Western academics.

I understood that the way that someone is brought up effects their smarts. Middle and upper class people get into better schools. I'm not discussing that at all. Have years of discipline and emphasis on "brain power" have an effect on the actual brains? I asked my professor today...and he said that he would get back to me on my question. Leave a comment on what you think.

Isn't she cute?

Monkey see... monkey do? A video of my niece Miriam doing some exercises, just like her papa. This video was taken a few days before I left Chicago.

A Trip to the Baltic Sea

It was a cold and windy day...so we decided to head over to the beach and have a mini picnic.




Yep, I got my feet SOAKED. Irina and I got too close to the waves...Natalijas's mom thought it would be cool to randomly stick her foot into the picture. ;) Not sure what the salt water is going to do to the leather. Poor me...those were my last pair of clean pants too.
And for those of you who like videos...here's one that has terrible lighting and terrible sound:

Big Boy

I'm a big boy now. I just washed two shirts, a bunch of "undergarments" and two pairs of socks BY HAND. Yes siree. I'm pretty sure that they are clean now. Most of the people reading my blog have probably been using washing machines for the past few years of their lives. To refresh your memories on how to wash by hand:

1. Try not to wear too many clothes. The cold will keep your clothes stink free for longer. The colder culture will keep people to themselves and away from smelling you. Change your "undergarments" daily though...my mom says so.
   
2. Get a big tub to put your clothes in, fill it with hot water and soap.
3. Put your clothes in and let soak for about 20 minutes.
4. Make believe that you are a washing-machine and swish the clothes around. *Swish swish swish* Swish the "pit" areas of your shirts a lot to make sure you get the stinks out.
   
5. Rinse your clothes out at least twice. *Swish swish swish* ALL of the soap out. I have a friend who had a friend who was studying in Russia who got an allergic reaction because of some soap left in the clothing. If only she would have read my blog in time to know how to rinse all of the soap out...
6. Wring out and hang up your clothes.
7. Yay!

Repeat as often as needed.

A time for change...

My mother always tells me, "A new day, a new pair of pants." I've been wearing the same pair of jeans for such a long time that they feel like diapers or something. While I'm at it I think I'll get out a clean shirt too.

Info on the practicum coming soon.

12:15 - 1:15 pm Pisey Sok is speaking on "Mentoring: Relationships as a Leader" in Kaminskiene Hall.

*Possible* information on a new Spanish club coming soon.

*Russia trip is in 50 days*

Cebando maté

Cebando maté in Lithuania is very different from cebando in Argentina. Of course the people here have not had the years of practice to know the "rules" of maté. What are they exactly? Funny you should ask...

Do not...

1. Take the bombilla (metal straw) out of the maté to look at it. This will only cause little sticks to go up the straw. Also, it is hard to put the straw back, making it close to impossible to finish all of the liquid.
   
2. Blow on the bombilla. Air will not get down the straw to cool down the liquid. This is rude and in non-verbal language tells me that you have a problem with me.
   
3. Wait for it to cool. If you do other people won't get a chance to try maté. Also, by the time it cools it will be too strong to enjoy. It´s not my fault you can´t stand boiling hot water.
   
4. Complain about how hot it is. Who likes luke-warm water? Yuck.
5. Pass on the maté only half finished. I made it for you...not your neighbor.
6. Say thank-you unless you really are finished.

First photo, my roommate Oleg from Belarus. Second of his girlfriend Natasha from Moldova. Third is of Natasha´s mom Sveta, who was visiting. I made it clear to them that I do not hold them to my rules. I guess they thought my matés tasted like grass. They might be right. ;)

Long awaited information

Joshua Greenman
Karklu G. 5
LT- 91001 Klaipeda
Lietuva

Don't send anything ensured over $20. ;) Oh...and make sure you look at the comments.

Walk with a view

This is what I see on my way to LCC:





P.S. I couldn't get into Economic Politics and instead will probably take Math...which is probably better because the credits will actually transfer to Taylor.

First day of school

Today was the first day of school. I guess I've been ready for quite a long time now, ever since I we drove to Klaipeda. I can't really comment too much on them since they were just introduced today. So far I am only enrolled in three classes but I am planning on adding a fourth this Wednesday. The classes that I am taking include: SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology, THE 341 Introduction to Theology, and PSY 221 Interpersonal Communication. I need a minimal of 12 credits to be considered a full time time student and with my 2 credit internship I only have 11 credits, so I've decided to add HIS 315 Political Economy. I'm not sure how much is focused on politics and how much is focused on economy, but this class comes highly recommended. I'm told that it should create a challenge...

The walk to school is roughly between 25 - 30 minutes long. Today I walked to and from school twice, equaling two hours of exercise. I've decided that since I don't run on a regular basis any more, I might as well take advantage of the weather and try to keep my heart in shape. This also creates time to be alone, or have a good conversation with someone who lives in the same dorm as me. I'll post photos of my walk to school soon before the weather turns bad again. The sun actually peeked through the clouds today, the first time since I've been in Lithuania.

HBH!

We went to a really cool restaurant today. After attending mass at a Lithuanian church the LCC folks took us over to a restaurant with a "natural" theme park. The name of the restaurant is HBH and it has all sorts of games to play on. Even the walk through the woods was amazing due to all of the art made out of logs and sticks. While at the restaurant I ordered a litter of gyra, a drink made out of fermented bread (note: NOT alcoholic...just in case some profs at Taylor are reading this or something...je je je). Sadly, I couldn't finish the drink so I had to receive help from a friend. My goal is to be able to drink the whole litter the next time we go back to the restaurant at the end of our semester.

Dorm with a view

This is the view of the neighborhood from the front of the dorm:





The view from my room overlooking the neighborhood:



Some would say that the neighborhood is sort of rough. Rumor says that a few students have been robbed in this area...which means that it is actually safer than my neighborhood in Jujuy where there have been some shootings. Our first walk to school brought on jokes that our neighborhood is still going through the Cold War. Je je...maybe. You can definitely tell which building were built during Soviet occupation and which were built afterwards. Our location isn't that bad, only about five or six blocks from a main avenue AND a mini-market.

Language Lessson

A teacher from LCC taught us some useful words today. All I have to do is memorize them. I'm not going to brag and say that my accent is perfect...but I feel sorry for some of the people trying to communicate. ;)

Kaip sekasi? How are you?
Neblogai. Ok.
Nieko. Nothing.
Viskas. Good.
Vienas. One.
Du. Two.
Ar jus kalbate angliskai? Do you speak English?
As nekalbu lietuviskai. I can't speak Lithuanian.
Tu turi grazias alkunes. You have beautiful elbows.

Bowling in Vilnius

Sometimes you see some pretty weird things while you are suffering from jet lag...

Welcome to El Castillo

Culture stuff

(in front of old KGB HQs in Vilnius)

Some observations today:

• People are colder here, even than in the United States
• Argentine restaurant on the main stretch
• Mullets (nice ones)
  
• Two people told me that I don't look Lithuanian
• Two people thought I spoke fluent Lithuanian
• I get annoyed when large groups of tourists take pictures in Catholic churches while people are trying to pray
• Catacombs here are very clean and dry
• They have pastries that look like empanadas in supermarkets
• They serve maté in coffee shops