Paldies, Gracias, Hvala, Obrigada, Thank you.

With the 2013th on the doorstep, i have to say that  blogging and S. won`t go together anymore. I had a lot of fun creating...proud and happy...now the time for new challenges.

Sending BIG thank you, muito obrigada, hvala lepše, milzumlielais paldies...for being part of this last year and a bit more and making me to enjoy sharing the adventures and stories with you.

Create your own adventures, enjoy life and take most of it, its one and only, and your key on shaping life the way you want.
Be courageous and adventurous,

Ate la,

S.

cold is different cold here in Portugal.

as some time I was thought that the time in Portugal runs differently, and it really does in a way, once you are looking on the things and how they work here...then based on that I want to say, that not only time runs differently, but also the meaning of the cold weather and getting cold outside has completely other perspective, its just completely different than on the coast of Baltics. And so far, anything than everything else, i think this is the biggest challenge for my life in Portugal.

These last couple of weeks having the average temperature of around 10 - 15C outside, first it may seem, wow, thats warm, right? Especially if you are coming from Latvia, the very northern country, where the weather the same time is around 0 degrees or getting under it, and snow appearing.

my portuguese family weekend @ Porto

At one of the miradouros in center of Porto.

while this weekend stuck in home, because of the trains strikes and because of the autumn virus which have somehow found me, now is the space and time to share my last weeks great story of how I was thrown into the awesome portuguese family weekend.

It all started with my will to spend the last weekend in Porto, as just traveling for my friday event with the Business Angels would be no fun at all. As with no certain plans, nor certain place to stay at, nor any other agenda for the weekend, at some point I was already considering to skip the weekend there and stay around Lisbon...but then out of nowhere just some days before the other friday to come an old friend writes me telling that he`s coming home from Germany for the weekend to visit his family in Porto and if i want to spend some fun times in Porto for the weekend. A big coincidence or maybe a sign, that i did need to travel for Porto the last weekend.

S. meets the portuguese business angels.

like couple of weeks ago i came across an opportunity to know more of the Business Angels society of Portugal, as they were having a week long events all over the country. being an explorer, and curious of how the angels support works here, i signed up for the two of their events, first one in Lisbon and the second in Porto.

I have to say that the Lisbon event came too fast and too early in the morning the last week, the weather was  so unwelcoming to want to move or travel somewhere, so in the end I did not attend their presentation hours in Lisbon. And as the Porto event was the peak of the week, with many great topics and program for all afternoon long, then being there should to be enough of getting to know better the angels system and how it works.

so the last friday, i took my holiday, the one i did not have in monday the last week and went again for Porto. As more than once my inbox reached the message saying, that we should not be late for the business angels congress, as they will start sharply on time, i planned my trip well and arrived in Porto just in time. Perfect to pass by to drop bag at friends and make the lovely walk from St. Bento up the hill for the central building of University of Porto aka Reitoria da Universidade do Porto. It was a nice and pleasant to really indeed start on time, thank you.

the Latvian independence day in Lisbon - Check.

S. spotted before the start of the concert.

Being not in Latvia for the National Independence day aka the birthday of Latvia this year was the second time for me. If last year I celebrated it in Ljubljana, then this time it was Lisbon. Completely different, still amazing.

If thinking of the celebrations, then last friday, i already saw some photos of the reception of the Latvian embassy in China...the actual and the true "birthday day" or to be more precise the Proclamation day came this last sunday. Yes, 18th of November is the date. As since couple of years, then if the date goes into weekend, we latvians are getting one extra holiday, the following working day, so the 19th of November was an extra holiday, also here for our embassy, and as i`m very lucky, then also for me. Well, it will be this friday, as i spent this monday at the office after all  The day to celebrate the cause and the birthday here in Lisbon happen to be on 20th of November. And today is the perfect day to tell you of how it went.

my legendary 12.11.12 day.

weeks pass and nothing change, then now at one day so many things happen, i was missing this for a very very long time. thank you my legendary 12.11.12 day.

after a three months and some days of my portuguese life, with no official tax payer registration number, neither bank account, finally came a day to change this. Nor that we really need this, but more than its useful. And the registration number is needed both, for our new portuguese classes, the same time to open an account or if you want to do any other process that involves the public institutions.

so yeah, in the morning we gave a visit to Finanças office,

São Martinho day at Alfama with "foot water" and chestnuts.

this year the November 11th brought me new perspective, as till now I used to know it as the Latvian Lacplesis day, that marks a turning point in our history, with the newly formed national army, and help of civilian volunteers, we won a decisive victory in 1919 over enemy troops driving them from Riga, and developing our way to independence. Today while of my Portuguese days, I learnt about their old´n´old traditions of São Martinho day, which asides all other legends of the St. Martin, know as the day with celebration of the harvest, more over Dia de São Martinho has become a day to celebrate the maturation of the year’s wine production.

thursday - living like a local day.

when you are tourist in city you most of the times see just what other see, however if you stay at some place longer, get to know locals, then the city gets completely other image most of the times. And its all that not only because of the traditions or culture, but more over of some amazing places, that are there but you have no idea...or more over, you pass them hundreds of times, but never feel like exploring or going in, as the outside not always is the best advertisement. 

as from this week we are left alone of studying portuguese, as our teacher was not able to continue teaching us further, we had to investigate how to learn the language in other way than till now.

how S. celebrated the halloween two days long.

as it tends to happen with me, then the most best things comes least expected. So it happen this year with my Halloween celebration. Have to say, that in Latvia Halloween became popular just lately, more for the young generations and the tourists, as the public celebrations are done in the clubs, pubs, bars or we like to organize our own house parties. Here in Lisbon, its kind of the same as in general the tradition to celebrate Halloween started not so long ago, so to find something special and extraordinary you really have to look for it around the clubs or bars or just organize it yourself in case you are looking for the costumes and theme parties.

Welcome Almada aka my EVS On Arrival training.

Olja & Sandra @Belem, happily not lost.

Before I go to explain my adventures, i`d like to give small introduction of what the EVS On Arrival training is made for. All in all its easy and simple, as part of every European Voluntary Service Program project happens the On-Arrival training, which for every volunteer is a must to do. In different regions of Europe the training are organized by different bodies and institutions, so they varies. Also in some of the countries, you are lucky that the training takes place in different locations that you are living in, so you have the opportunity to choose not only by date but also by place. Here in Portugal, its all connected with Anime NGO, which on regular basis organizes these training events. As it seems they happen every two weeks, as the volunteers rotate fast and projects are happening all the times. In usual conditions if hosting organization communicates correctly of the timings for the on arrival training, then you should have it on the time when you are three or four weeks here.

But now, well, its time to share the first of adventures...

S. goes to Braga and to Portugal Participa.

Welcome @Braga.

I like to think that one thing leads to another,so if you take action, other actions follows. So this what happened with me when i got the offer to travel to Braga for the weekend seminar of Youth Participation. Since i returned from Slovenia trip, these last two weeks, I have managed to meet bunch of portuguese speaking people, either going out for the party with friends of friend, later on joining the youth round table done by IPDJ or after all finally managing myself to join the Toastmasters meetings. The busy week with portuguese culture lead to get invited to join National Youth Council organized seminar in Braga which was about Youth Participation. For me having the chance to actually experience and see how the youth acts and reacts in Portugal, how they think and if they are any different by taking actions than in Latvia seemed to be a perfect match for my weekend. And more over I had the opportunity to travel to north of Portugal, to visit the European Youth Capital 2012 aka Braga.

a day when things goes other than you wish.

CITIZENS, Flashmob of fashion show @Lisbon this eve.

After a great Braga trip and a great time in Porto, today I woke up in my Lisbon house with a terrible mosquito bite on my face. Not using the anti mosquito stuff just for one night costed me the "lovely" bite.

otherwise, i went to work. Managed to do the tasks very fast and cool, oh, luckily one thing went good and smooth today. 

Then out of sudden i got the message in my FB asking if im going to Fun. concert tonight, as he just got the ticket and has no company...i was amazed...i looked up for tickets two weeks ago, and at wortens they told me that tickets are sold out...and here out of nowhere a guy tells me that he just got one ticket at El Corte Ingles...Damn.

S. finally meets the Toastmasters.

My catch of moment @Toastmasters MBA Club.

I remember myself browsing around and coming across the Toastmasters International name and the time when first time heard, i wanted to know more of this sandwich name and see what is this about. Have to say, got to think of the sandwiches for just a short time as my curiosity brought me the true answer. If im not mistaken, then like year ago this all happened. Then i discovered that its nothing to do with toasts nor any other sandwiches and its all about improving your public speaking. And since some time they also say its about the leadership skills development.

All in all the first time I was curious to join their organization and to see what`s it all up was in Ljubljana.

Dinamo rocks at Round Table about Youth and Mobility.

A new way of Round Table.

As Dinamo, my EVS hosting organization, promotes youth participation and as well likes to lobby their interests within the governmental level, then I got the great chance to go for a round table about the topic of "Youth and mobility" connected with the celebration of the European Single Market, which was organized by the IPDJ or in english saying the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth. Yes, thats right, they mix the sports and youth all in one place.  So yes, we were invited to participate in the round table, where to share the experience and out vision on the youth opportunities and how mobility works from Dinamo perspective.

Bday dinner in Portuguese style.

Lisbon @Night...and all the rest in the story to remember.

I am more and more discovering the Portuguese lifestyles and their traditions. One of the new traditions that  I recently came across my way was their way of birthday celebrations, asides all other activities that they may do, the cool thing that i got to enjoy and experience myself was the having dinner party aka meeting up with friends for dinner and drinks. I joined the friends friends birthday celebration where i manage to be the only foreigner in around fifteen portuguese guys and girls company. So yeah, the perfect way for the perfect experience.

rain and jogging is possible at Cascais

This last week turned to be a nothing much to do week, as most of Dinamo were out again to Amarante for another international youth training course, but i was left home alone. First days of getting back from intense week with many actions and activities to nothing seemed for me as nightmare...plus being home alone as from one side seems to be cool "do what you want" part, from other its indeed boring.

As I am the one who makes my life, then only i can get out of the nothing and do something. Luckily there are cool people around me and its possible to find activities after all.

My meeting with another Robert & PSD.

I will soon start to think, that every second man in Slovenia is named Robert. as in beginning of the year i needed to go for hair cut, and I found myself at Roberts` Salon. This time of my return in Ljubljana, i did got to see him again, but other than that, upon my arrival from Venice, I got to meet another Robert, the transfer guy.

As life puts me together with awesome people, then thanks to friend of mine, i got to hear of a new shuttle service and with all the great story of him, i was encouraged to choose exactly this shuttle company. If the first impressions may not been the best, as from the story I was told there was nothing such existing. However still the transfer was fast, nice and all in all very pleasant ride. Plus I have to tell, that so far the best price from all the shuttles.
On the way back, well, that was a piece of story to tell.

sum up of my recent Ljubljana days.

eleven days, great conference, awesome people and superb get back to Ljubljana times have finished, as since couple of days I am all back in Lisbon.

did i had any adventures? oh, yeah, I did. here comes couple of them for you to have the glimpse.

I think that peak of the week asides all awesome activities and super busy schedule of conference was the chance for me to present our group idea in front of almost two hundred youth and business people.Thank you my awesome team for such a great idea that brought us the spot light and thanks for giving me the chance to present. I have done public speaking and presentations, however it was my first time of actually presenting a business idea, moreover knowing that there may be investors listening about it. I enjoyed the show very much, hope the all of you who heard it too.

too many happening too less of time.

All of us after the nice arts workshop. We gotta talent.

This is the day six of the conference, and this is the first of the days that i finally have proper hour of just free time for myself and rest with doing nothing or as i am now doing a making a piece for my blog.

Yeah, as you may guess, the conference is amazing, not only because of the superb people that have gathered together, but also by the organized activities for us, that are at the same time not only new knowledge, also a learning process and challenge for our mindsets. So far like seeing some of us being provoked and left outside of their comforts, so finally they can not only speak up but develop themselves.

Ljubljana I am back.

good evening Ljubljana. yes, i am escaping Lisbon and the rainy days there and looking for some sunshines i n the center of Europe. It`s been times but now I am again back here for some short time, to enjoy your beauty. Thank you for treating me so well so far, and than you for many sunshine for these last 24 hours of my so far stay here.

Other than that I wanted to share my travel to Ljubljana story as it turned out that direct flights also may bring you many of the adventures.

bunch of positive energies with street arts in Lisbon.

 

while traveling around Europe, i`ve seen very different types of street arts and performances, some of them been indeed full with passions and obsessions with what they are doing and good at it. this last sunday while passing for a walk around Lisboa, i managed to see and feel one of the best performances so far. Unfortunately i do not know the name of the group of the artists, however I can tell that it was not only something new i`ve seen. 

weekend fun @Tapada em Festa

 

this last weekend was fun in another way than usually, as this weekend me and Olja we signed up for our dear Dinamo promotion within the local communities around us. And two days maybe not spent much in favor for both of us, however, great get to know local habits experience and as well get to know the locals better...well the second part partially worked out, as after all, it turns out we missed the last weekends real party, so this was in a way after party of Tapada em Festa, leaving us not that visited as we would liked to see, nevertheless, people who came to visit us, hope they took some piece with Dimano for themselves and we will meet at least couple of them later during our EVS experience year continued. 

I wanted to point out, that I am proud to tell, that finally I know how the pins are created, yes, just before the Festa, and after the friday night celebration, we got to make the Pins Workshop, which at first seemed to be a real nightmare, as none of us were exactly sure of how correctly Pin Making machine works, however later on we got the skills and managed to do the great work.

beauty piece aka Porto

A random street art in Porto, and me taking the photo, i did not
 know the meaning of the quote, just now it makes sense

Porto is the city i was lucky to visit last year, after finishing my semester in Barcelona. And if before i stepped out in the city of Porto, i thought that wooow, Barcelona is amazing city and indeed a great place to be, then with the first steps around Porto, i got the thought, woooow, Porto and Portugal is way different than I was expecting and nothing really similar with so far seen Spanish culture and cities, Porto is indeed a completely amazing place to be. i especially adore those very old, little and all in all cute houses all over the city center. pure beauty,

am I a vegetarian?

before i go any further with other of my stories of the recent adventures and travels, it asks for the conclusion of my very recent post "Vegetarian Challenge part. 1."

It did happen quite time ago, however when i start on counting the days, then its like only six days since we finished the Training Course in Amarante and since I have returned  to the usual life here around Lisboa.

First of all, as told before, then what first seems to be easy, it did not turn out to be easy at all, as this very specific taste is the thing i will not get used to i believe never really.

vegetarin challenge. part 1.

week in Amarante is full with happenings and things around us, and other than everything the biggest challenge for most of participants is the food during the training. Our dear hosts Youth house of Amarante has the "healthy" vision of life, so therefore all they serve is only a vegetarian dishes.

At first i thought that this week long challenge will be all great, as i do eat meat, however not eating meat is completely fine with me.

First Amarante adventures

@Amarante, next to Tâmega river,
with the famous cathedral behind us.

here been already couple of days of my Amarante life, and i finally have some time to share few of the recent adventures.

first of all want to tell that I am super happy of the chance to join the organizing team and be part of the background work for the training. Gives me more and more the feeling and discovery that i really like the logistics sides of the projects.

if looking back to yesterday, then well, it was fun fun day, the first working day for most of participants, the arrival day for couple of participants and challenge plus adventure for me.

up we go, Amarante it is.

who can find me gets a cookie.

greetings from the north of Portugal, the beauty piece of Amarante. i have to tell, its as amazing as the fairy tales tells. after crazy last night, of experiencing the unpleasant crazy neighbors around our Lisboa house and managing the fourth night fight with mosquitoes, all in all not again having much of the sleep after-all all four of us, managed to catch the bus for Amarante this morning. Not mentioning that two of us were super lucky as they got into bus the very last minute.

I very much enjoy travels with bus, as mainly thats the only alternative asides the planes if you want to go abroad from Latvia usually, so i am so used to it. However as its southern countries, then here people like to travel by trains, and as they are way faster mostly and also super cool inside.

september in Portugal just like july in Latvia

I have to admit, no actual pictures from the beach.

and ready or not but the friday have again reached us, ready or not, summer is around Portugal and so much enjoy it. Yes yes, the great fact of southern weather is true, it does exist and surprise all locals too, as usual september is colder than the weather we are having now. Thanks to the nice and lovely outside temperatures, there is no better way how to use time than to go to beach :) yeah and not to catch the heat during the day time, more better is to catch the afternoon / evening sunshines and have the nice swim in the cold cold ocean, just like the baltic sea in the summer times, today the ocean felt just perfect.

Portuguese understanding of Latvia&Latvian

i very much enjoy being form the small and beautiful country Latvia. If you are now wondering where it is, then have a look here. And being from small nation many times is advantage, however there comes times of disadvantages, as well you get yourself into fun situations way more often due to explaining of your nationality and country.

while living in Spain and trying to use the english name "Latvia" it was clear that nobody really knows, as for them Latvia is Letonia and latvian is Letona. And fun, but in Barcelona they produce milk with exact the same name Letona.

When arriving here, i already knew that i should skip the english version and should better adapt the spanish name. However here it comes with different accent so it also sounds a bit differently. nevertheless as I learned during my portuguese classes, then our nationality is called Leta or Letao. So yeah, you get quite lost with all of this.

my childhood memories

even though i`ve been born in Riga and nowadays cannot imagine myself not living in big cities, my childhood routes goes all way to countryside life and its pureness and beauty.

Thank you for the place for me to be during the tough times of Latvia and the barricades, even if i was too small to remember...thank you for all the small pieces of great memories i hold of these short times spent at your home in the middle of forests and pure nature. Thank you for making me learn the touch of snail mail beauty even nowadays and the nice postcards and words for my birthdays. R.I.P. Aunt Daina.

S. and O. hosts the Game Night.

there is watermelon & Rum bottle. What do you do?

there is no better way of celebration than to gather your friends and organize a fun night for all of us. As on my arrival here we had the Lazanja workshop, then to celebrate the first month of our EVS and being here, we thought of playing games.

One, two ideas gathered, games collected, invitations sent and party is there.

as some of you may already know then timings for meetings, parties and everything work way much different than timings in Baltic countries. So yeah, we set one time and were already sure that everyone will come late anyways...but well due to friday night out and the busy saturday morning, we did not though of us being late.

Bairro Alto aka friday night out.

after every hard working week its good to reward yourself. Oh well, yes, right, i am not actual employee, but a volunteer, so I do less and carry less responsibility. Nevertheless this new not employee status makes life sometimes more complicated for me, as i get lost inbetween all the small tasks given from different persons, plus with missing some information with those tasks. what seems easier not always indeed is the easiest. And I did not came to look for easiest, but to gather new experiences, and i am very happy of my EVS experiences here..anyways, about the EVS, ill tell you later more, now wanted to share of the friday happenings.

so yes, as one of my international and always traveling friends came back to Portugal, so nothing else to do than to meet up. And as for the welcome no better place to go than Bairro Alto. I have to admit that this actually been my first night out @Bairro, as till before there were other parts of Lisboa and outskirts for my parties.

S. goes to see the Sporting football game.

coming a bit delayed, but here is the story of me going to see the Sporting football match this monday @ the green stadium in Lisboa. yes, yes, its Football, and yes, i am surprised myself, as all in all football is far away from my sports of interest and i tend to think that the one and half hours could be spent way much more useful, watching the ice hockey for example.

however miracles happen or more like unexpected happenings, and that`s what really happened this monday. By morning this monday i could not imagine finding myself in fan zone of the Sporting match among couple of hundreds of the crazy team fans and actually watching the match. Thanks to the recently made friends, the big fans of the green team aka Sporting, i ended up at the game.

I was told, Portuguese policemen are handsome.

Volta a Portugal, here it is.

Sunday at some time i had this spontaneous idea, to go for the coffee at Lisboa. one, two and i was on the way from Sintra to Lisboa. Big was my surprise when reaching the city center, i found that some of the streets are closed for the cars. However there were no signs of what was happening. After a walk, a coffee and enyoing the sun, the empty streets got crowded by the bikers passing by, as it turned out to be the part of Volta a Portugal happening this last weekend in very city center of Lisboa.

What about police you may ask? well, this all started the first time when we went out this last friday, as somehow the topic of the handsome policemen appeared and the point of that Portuguese policemen are handsome than any other European country have them started. If thinking back in times, then till sunday i had not really and encounter or did not pay any attention, whatsoever, as policemen in latvia...well, ok that`s another topic, sure not for now and sure some of them are handsome too, however not the most of them...

the best Pasteis de Nata @Belem and that`s not it

@Belem, S. having sardinhas.

its time to sneak back in this last saturday and to see the small happenings, as i`d like to keep notes, afterall  it is fun returning months after and see the nice memories noted and not slipping my mind and left in past. other than i hope its also small inspirations for you or at least making some fun times reading.

after the friday night out at Lisboa (the part i don`t remember the name. names just don`t stick at my head) with my colleagues and friends of theirs, as noted here earlier then saturday afternoon i was running late for the meeting with one of the old friends of mine. As it turns out that we not only met for the first time in other side of Europe aka Greece, but we have been living abroad for the same couple of countries, and we even managed to share our ways in life of Barcelona times, and afterall i am here now at her home country. Small world it is, once again approved.

Taguspark Adventure

@Taguspark, the big science center,
where dolphins hang in trees

before its fallen out of my head and left behind, i wanted to share the nice adventure i got myself into yesterday as i think it has to be noted after-all.

couple a weeks ago just short after getting to move to Lisboa, and discovering the amount of free time, i had the thought of maybe finding some new free time hobby to do or small part time kind of job, as being in EVS there is no legal option of being employed even if its part time or anyhow... so yeah, it all came to that one of the days browsing the expat site, there was the add of looking for different native language speakers to translate from english to their language just pieces of short text for the online game. As with short search i found no latvian translations for the site, i decided to give a try and offer my skills and knowledge. E-mail sent...couple of days passed...no reply...couple of more days passed...i already left this behind and it was forgotten.

However with the other culture and with the august vacation times, like two weeks or so passed and my mailbox received an e-mail of stating that they would like to offer me translation/community manager internship within their company, i should just send the CV and then they will see of the interview time.

27 things for 27 days.

Thank you for the lovely present, now its up on my wall

Seems that I don`t know how to not be busy with things and doing something. And whenever I come to the empty time situations i get myself out of usual good mood.  Since before coming to Portugal the first month were supposedly to be more get to know the new life and less actions, and the first week went good for me, all in all when everything`s new for you, its exciting. then when you discover that the new gets old and then the spare time appears...it takes some time to figure out how to spend it so i am happy after all.

And as first set but then changed, pfff and the end of august plans just disappeared i have the empty spot to fill in...so here may be useful the 27 things for 27 days that i got before arrival here... Have to admit, that some of them ill already tried and it was amazing...pastels de Nata could be part of my every morning habits unless they would not be so unhealty after all, however superdelicious. Seen couple of beaches, still looking for my the perfect one. Oh what else, i tried to give a try to listen Fado, but seems that it may not be my thing...will check back with this, to be sure i like it or not. Other than everything, friends, do you have something else to add in this list on what to see in spare time?

Atē amanhā,
S.

Beach, sun & trying to catch the Cascais Festival.

@Somewhere walking by the coast from Cascais

when having time for yourself, it just passes...pfff...and its gone. So that what happen during the weekend while aside sleeping there happen sleeping in beach, sightseeing, coffeeing... as saturday after waking up with the "lovely" mosquito bite next to my eye and managing to look more or less as i usually use to look, i found myself not staying home and going to take a rest in beach. As maybe the murphy was there on saturday, then at first the weather seemed not that encouraging to even think of beach, however i decided to give a try, so i found myself on going to nearest spot aka Sintra beach and if first thinking of Praia Grande i ended up at Praia das Marcas (sorry for not using the superb signs for the c and a letters, just don`t have them on my latvian keyboard). And if maybe not with a good start of day, all in all the beach time turned to be just perfect, as the sun was there, great waves were there and i got my spot at beach just before it got really crowdy. So catching up with summer and tan went very well. oh, right thanks to my current work in Dinamo, i also had "the best" read - getting to understand and know of European Court of Human Rights, which after all was a nice piece to get to know. But thats enough of the saturday...as during the weekend there was also a sunday, the first day of week for portuguse, still holiday.

Latvia & Serbia = Portugal

Can you solve the equation? Seems a bit silly, isn`t it? Well, actually everything is simple as it is.

As you already know then since couple of weeks I work for Dinamo, and yes, its right, I am not the only one here. Here are two of us doing their EVS projects - me from Latvia and Olja from Serbia, so that sums up for our new adventures in Portugal. So you got the answer, not that difficult after all.

Dinamo - an ice hockey team for Latvians, a youth NGO in Portugal.

So far i`ve mentioned previously that the reason on my current location is the challenge i accepted, joining the EVS program and becoming part of European voluntary work service. As all projects has place or at least host, then as well this is not much of difference. So basically there is always an sending organization and most importantly the hosting one, that gives your daily chores and works and becomes your new home for your period of stay...

So this all ends up for me as working in the local NGO named Dimano, that is aimed to work for and with youngsters to improve their life and their opportunities in the local Sintra region of Portugal.

Portuguse national holiday & public strikes - my new adventures.

Found today on the way to Bairro Alto

Since ever of my Spanish life experience of "random" holidays appearing, here i mean the ones that I did not know before due to the new culture and no previous information....anyhow,  i hope you got the point...so yes, these random appearing holidays is a great stuff, and not knowing everything sometimes turns out to be an amazing surprise and new adventures, like it happen with me today.

So as I got to know yesterday, then today`s the national holiday of Portugal, where they celebrate a religious day for one of the Goddesses. A great chance for me to take the middle of the week day to do some fun stuff. That what I thought yesterday...

Oh well, things changed on the morning when the portuguse language class was cancelled due to fact that my evs/flatmate Olja got stuck in Lisboa, as went there yesterday and no trains coming to Sintra this morning...yes, as i found out today, then workers got on strike due to changes of law that terminates they payouts of overwork hours, If hearing of the changes, then who likes to work extra and not get paid double but just quarter of it, i wouldn`t...anyhow, the strike took all day long and no trains there...

My plan of maybe going to beach, maybe to Lisboa instead or maybe finally checking out some fun things in IKEA puffed out just like that...that what i first thought.

So what to do within the National holiday and with no transportation to move around from Sintra side? I made the pre-research of any option to get myself to Lisboa with busses instead of trains, but the current public transport weirdness did not allow me to find any decent way for it, as they like to have each of the city parishes their own bus services and no place to check or plan the complete trip, neither even google could do anything of this...

out of my comfort zones, welcome portuguese reality.

Sabado a casa de Juventude

It`s been more than a week for me already in Portugal, since the first days i`ve been somehow dropped out of my comfort and comfort zones and even though i am already experienced with life abroad or fresh starts in completely new locations, i have to admit that this time its harder than i was imagining, as the third time in new place abroad should be the easiest, however it turns out that its not at all. 

If previously i was making my decisions, and choosing what and where i want, then this time its different. Yes, i choose myself the country, and yes I was happy to be inbetween Sintra and Lisboa, however as previously never been in Lisboa nor the current place I live in, I did not though on how different of the things i am used it will be...as fun outcome of this last weekend spent with old and new friends in Almada, then came to conclusion that in a way I live in the small Africa actually, although its still Portugal and more over its still Europe, however this particular region on where i am living is something completely other than you imagine when thinking of Portugal, as mostly citizens here are afro-americans and as told then around 15 nationalities gathers here.

stand out of the crowd.

the far away, that`s the Sintra castle view of my balcony.

 if you ever traveled around Baltic countries, then you may know of how white and blonde and blue eyes many people are. its all nature and its all there, we Nordics are so used to it then nobody really pays any attention. When the Afro-Americans shows up around Baltic, its not that rare anymore, however comparing  of the total amount seen its still kind of different, therefore you can see not only little children pointing but also other to talk or pay more attention than usually...however with nowadays life and the tremendous migration and international environment it all should be with much less attentions...

and coming from Baltic and living in south it all works opposite way, as it turns out that the blue/green eyes and the blonde hair (even if you in your country are not really a blonde, just lightener hair than brown) are not common after all and like we used to stare for the different ones, so now i am catching all attentions, as not that many of blondes are living in the outskirts of Lisboa.

Good morning, afternoon and evening Portugal.

Greetings from Sintra region of Portugal, last week i packed my bag for the third time of my recent two years of life abroad and chose to move to another country, this time living near the ocean in the sunny cost of Portugal and as the tourist guides says, then the most romantic place of all Portugal the Sintra area.

Out of all my departures i think this been the most easiest one in a way of that I have finished the studies back in Riga, managed to perfectly measure the bag sizes without any scales and most of all, becoming a EVS volunteer in one of the European countries been my dream since many years... all dreams comes true one day and now it have happened with me, for the upcoming year I will be around the ocean cost of Europe, working within the local organization here and the same time enjoying and trying to understand their way of lifestyles.

I have to admit, coming from Baltics it made me think of going to south means much less of the warm clothes to pack, however it turns out that not only the ocean is super cold - like the usual baltic sea - but also the nights gets quite chilly, and most of everything if talking about the weather is the super strong wind, that i really dislike as no hairstyles are possible to make. As well the new time zone -2 hours from the Latvian time recently have made me couple of headaches, made me miss some skype meetings and also i`ve been always too late to call home. Well, by a time i hope to get used for all these small thingies.

How my working as an European Volunteer experience develops, you are welcome to follow me and see the upcoming posts as i`ve decided to pimp up my blog and return for the daily entries.

All the best for you,

S.

Before new adventures.

New adventures are in head of me, just a bit of patience and they will be all there and just around me. Other than that seems that blogging of your day to day life adventures while being back home is not really possible, as the priorities are set differently, too many of daily chores or tasks or just to do`s that in the end i just did not feel of writing anything.

Yes, I am taking still some more break of blogging. See you soon back online.

And don`t forget to catch and enjoy the summer time.

S.

33 days challenge of not using social media profiles - Day1

sometimes you get addicted to silly things and even do not notice of how much your time they eat. Sometimes you get addicted because you have no choice, as its part of your work, and you like your work more and more, so spend more and more time on things you should be doing with limits.

inspired of couple of my friends, some who managed and some who failed...all in all they gave a try, so i decided its also time for me - since yesterday 07.06.2012 i am taking exactly 33 days off from social media profiles that i use - the super popular FB, which i use a lot, but still don`t know how can i loose so much time on actually doing nothing there, and the top social site in Latvia - draugiem.lv - which believe it or not rocks over Facebook in Latvia, one of the rare countries where just 300 000 people knows of FB and are there but almost 2 million of latvians having their profiles up on draugiem.lv. All in all the challenge is set. I know i can cope with my addiction and instead of loosing time use it as i want and gain something out of it.

and yes, this is day 1, will keep it short and say, i am lucky i have work and friends. got home quite late today, so had not much of time of doing nothing. and even though the fingers were inpatient to type in the web my favorite sites, managed to get myself limited and it feels good. day 1 is over and luckily passed. a bit anxious, and feeling the "need" to check whats new, however seems promising that i will survive :)

Stay cool,

S.

Welcome higher education diploma and life after student life.

i may seem to be missing from the blog this last month, but be sure i`ve been thinking a lot of writing some new entries on what`s happening around Latvia. Nevertheless thesis writing, preparing for presentation and my current employment won the last month over blog writing.

at some points during the last month, i was also rethinking the point of my blog and if i still want to do it. The writing is the smallest part, the other one and eats almost half as much of time is the thinking of what to put up and what better to keep with me and so called "normal" life. some short time ago i came across the article regarding blogs and writing, and there was an interesting theory pointed out - you write online blogs, couse you lack the usual communication or your "usual life", so it`s like a way of express yourself. And once you get your life interesting around you locally, there is nothing much of you want to put up online...

flashbacks of my Tallinn adventures.

after complaining of the misfortune friday night, i had to make it up saturday and so it happen. first of all, can tell you, i`ve been in Tallinn too many times, and still even this time a new discoveries been made. not only because Tallinn changes with the time, but also couse my perspective and things i prefer changes with it.

Pieces of Tallinn 2012

the first amazing discovery was Tallinn just reconstructed and newly opened TV tower. strange but i think i`ve never till this weekend had paid any attention to it. so with great recommendation and with cool people saturday after having the amazing Kompressor pancakes, oh right, first i still have to share of my favorite food place. For you to know, Kompressor is the always amazing place with njam njam pancakes in heart of vana tallinn, and one of the just few places where only cash is money there...and yes, so we went to the TV tower, with perfect timing we were with the last round for the tickets, as it turn out also some people like to rent the place for private parties during the night. so yeah, 175m above Tallinn with view of 360 degrees panorama and super modern interior, plus also educative, the knowledge mushrooms (check the pictures) spreads a lot of information.

Tallinn it is.

i have lost my counting of total times i`ve visited Tallinn. each of the trips always been in a way unique. And as well this time. yesterday arriving i was ready to party and have a lot of fun, but it turn out that most of friends were "boring" or busy and friday out not going to vanatallinn was kind of strange happening. however, as it have proved before, the best things happen least expected, and barbecuing season is now for me officially opened. being in the middle of nowhere outside of near Tallinn with cool people and a smart dog, late night grilling and having fun. and rain appearing was not destroying it. Nice to be back in Tallinn.

Now going to enjoy the city. See you.

S.

GirlPowers

today i am again enjoying the spoiled girls life, traveling to Tallinn and having a wifi in the bus, so here comes the brand new blog entry directly from a move, somewhere between Riga and Tallinn, locations constantly moving, atm near by my summer house location.

all in all i felt like sharing of yesterdays great meeting with my GirlPowers. With GP it happen like 3 years ago or so, when I was lucky to be the perfect place and time, with the right conditions, that there were 5 of us ready to change the world and to start it all from a quite small thing, leading an european level NGO branch in Riga...

there is a day you just grow up.

wow, are these really almost two weeks with no posts?

anyhow, this weekend, after being kicked in face, i realized, it is time to grow up...keep doing the amazing things i have started and i like so much and look around for new ones to come, life`s too short to do nothing or do stupid things.

believe it or not, this blog been also amazing adventure for me, so I promise to focus more and find a time for some nice entries to share.

good night,

S.

i don`t know to be happy or upset.

today i started my day quite early, if talking of it being saturday, as today was the day to pass one of the two left works, to be finally done with my university studies. Had some lovely time with nice preparations for my presentation speech, get nicely dressed and was on the way all across Riga to be on time in university. An almost hour of travel i reached it, and as expected a crowd of students already waiting. BUT...it turn out that they were not waiting to do presentations, just to deliver work, get signed and that`s it the work is passed.

Of course i am happy of less work for me or no waiting, as i managed to get it signed in less than 5 min being there, so I should be happy, that once its done...

S. writes an internship report aka 2nd week being home

being back home even though from one side is super great, from the other side, i more and more find myself busy. And if that would be it, there are some certain decisions, I have to make very soon, and yes, its all about my closest future. When things happen, then they happen all the good ones in the same time with me...and then they turn into decision making and some of the good things are left behind. But who want`s to leave the good things? Well, definitively not me.

Other than that, the all last week, since friday 13th I`ve been into writing my internship report, as its one of the two works left in order for me to finish up the student life. have to say that this last week been quite a fun writing, as i set my mind clearly on starting to write on saturday. well, but saturday instead of opening up the laptop and starting to type, i found myself into presentations of my ERASMUS experience in university open days and then in the evening once in the very long time, i found myself into going to a theater. and then the day was over and came sunday. Yes, i opened the laptop and started the work, however more than the first two pages i did not manage, as the sunday i still had no internet at home, had to wait till monday when the good guy would came with my internet. But well, then the monday i had to go to university again, all in all wanted to make sure i am in the list for the presentations and i will be allowed to present, that was double checked and all fine, date stayed the same. So the tuesday arrived and just four more days were left to finish... i went for a second round for the job interview, two hours of the round and i was in, got the job...the report still just barely started. i know i am last minute person, and somehow till now the clear time deadlines always are the best motivation to finish, and so i locked myself into room on wednesday and it started to move and from previous 6 pages, i managed by the almost morning of thursday to almost finish up the report.

how cool is my report, well that cool that nobody else have read it aside me, but i successfully passed to get the signature for the evaluation to be able to present my work. Will see tomorrow, how it all end up.And yes, indeed, we all thing we are so different, but at some points, we all end up doing exactly the same old things the same style. So are we so different after all?

Good night thinking,

S.

One week in Latvia.

Friday 13th some of you will say. Well for me it`s been exactly one week since i`ve left Slovenia. Sometimes even for me one week means not a big time, however this all week now feels like a month already being back in Baltic's, as my so usual and so great daily life just got cut one day just like that.

My travel home, it all started with a late night arrival in the airport and in the end nobody waiting for me to pick me up, so had to manage myself to get home...as i live completely other side of Riga than airport is, not that easy if you don`t want to take the silly priced taxis from airport after there is no more public transportation. as i am used in other airports with door to door shuttles, then that you cannot expect here, this business haven`t developed yet here. Maybe one day ill have my own door to door shuttle service as it`s really handy and not that expensive from passengers perspective comparing with the "lovely" taxi prices.

Easter is Easter and there is no better place to celebrate it than with a family, doing the Latvian typical style egg paintings and overeating, as having a delicious meals is one of Easter traditions. If i heard that back in Slovenia it was quite rainy and cold then i am happy to tell that the easter was amazingly sunny and nice. Well just one day out of all it was actually snowing. Yes, its right, here is no spring yet, we are just starting to expect it, everything`s still grey and quite unpretty but its slowly getting better.

As my studies till now have taken me more time than i ever imagine, i am so eager to finish up them and forget of being student but move forward. However this all week, since four days seems nobody in my university cares much of ERASMUS

no matter where.

even though my expat life at the moment is a bit over, soon enough ill be in new adventures, just have to make the decisions and up ill go. I so enjoyed my blog writing experience while being in Ljubljana, (and not only because of all great readers and more than 11 000 page-views)  that as soon as by monday ill get internet in my place ill be back here and from Sandra lives in Ljubljana it all will change to Sandra lives life.

happy Easter from Baltics.

it`s quite strange to be back in Baltics and Latvia from an awesome spring in its flourish time now being back in time in last moments of winter and spring just starting here. all in all now i am enjoying Easter with family. happy Easter everyone.

yesterday egg painting results. Happy Easter everyone.

Sandra leaves Ljubljana

till couple of months ago, i still could not imagine how big impact on me will leave the tiny little country Slovenia and my life and adventures in Ljubljana. seems that once you loose something, you start seeing the values, i wish it would be different, but well that`s sometimes the stupid, silly life which don`t stop to bring in new surprises.

the study and work abroad experience for sure widen horizons, however the same time i somehow sometimes dislike it /i believe there will be couple of you that will agree/ as once you get used to a new way of life or start clearly understand the local language and culture, your time there have runned out and its time to return home. Nevertheless, i so enjoy being abroad, it`s worth giving a shot to try out something new. And as my own experience, then i can tell, no matter where you decide to go, there will be adventures, learning, new friends and happenings that will leave important footsteps in your life.

for myself, the year and a bit abroad has been not only great learning experience, but also same time had time to think and re-think of life goals and which direction i would like to see myself going.

time for packing has arrived.

ready or not, but the time is unstoppable and every adventure once comes to an end. Now it`s my time, as i am leaving Ljubljana for a bit longer time than at the moment i would really want. It`s been a great journey with amazing people around, with always surprising Slovenian culture and nature and of course with great work and learning experience.

But now I go, as there are new adventures to begin...

Postcards from Bosnia&Herzegovina

the experience and the trip to Bosnia was magical and life learning experience, that wanted to write more, but decided this time to share some pictures, so you can also see yourself a small part of the beauty.

Bosnian experience part 2 - Stereotypes

The beautiful mountain riverside in Bosnia.

For some of you this may sound as first April jokes, however a huge part of ex Yugoslav nowadays life are  based on stereotypes between the new set countries, and of course there exist also many of the jokes but still, somehow based on the same stereotypes.

What`s been my experience?

Well, just before going for my trip to Bosnia, i got warning from a Slovene telling me, that i should better watch out as in Bosnia there are many mine fields. And telling this to me, i had this image just straight into my head...but well, of 8 days and Bosnian experiences, there were exactly 0 mine fields i got to see. The truth is that the couple of mine fields still exist, however for sure not MANY.

Before i went to see Bosnia myself, and telling to others how much i want to visit it,