So guys, what’s up! Here’s another week of, maybe a bit less but still, exciting stuff in beautiful Preiļi!

Last weekend was basically just a nice and relaxing couple of days, with Sunday afternoon once again spend at the lake at Rasa’s grandparents’ house, because the heat still hasn’t gone down yet. Okay, that’s not completely true, after the weekend it did go down a little bit. Which nobody here didn’t mind, especially me. Because for three days, instead of going to school, I was stuck at the flat for the on-arrival training, being held on zoom. Thank you COVID.

Normally with those trainings, you get to travel within the country to meet at a hotel or whatever, and meet some other volunteers who are here at the same time as you are, but now of course everything happens online. Laptop set, snacks ready, let’s go!
I didn’t really know what to expect before we started, but I guess every opinion and tool to help me out is welcome. Which was exactly what it was about. They helped me to get some new perspectives on my time here and how to set some personal goals and how to achieve them. Then again, it helps when there are other nice people who experience the same thing and to exchange stories. And when the time is right, and it is possible to get a date and place, we obviously will meet up to hang out!

On Friday morning, as I walked to school, I actually brought a sweater with me, because thank the gods it was kinda chilly. How excited can we all be! I skipped Wednesday’s boxing training to relax after the screen time, but Friday night it was on again. Although, like I told you, I don’t usually work out at all, so today was a tiny bit too much. As Rasa and I arrived, she spotted what was in store for us, saying we were gonna die. She was spot on. The warming up on it’s own was literal hell. How many separate exercises can you do, and why. I certainly died many times that hour, Rasa kept fighting bravely. Good way to start your weekend.

Another good thing this weekend, Disney night. I mean, who doesn’t love Disney movies, some really cool new friends and loads of oven baked nachos? Count me in, every time please!
I met with Aija on Sunday, to have a chat and a walk in the park/town. She took me to this little place, like a pop-up summer cafe, where we had some peculiar ice creams. The local delicacies are the cheeses, and I believe mostly the cheddar, so there is flavour number 1 for you. It was not bad, to be honest, but I don’t think I will order it again. Flavour number 2 was better, and came with a little story. Before COVID came in to our lives, people here were of course eating grains and products like it, buckwheat being one of them. When COVID hit the Netherlands, we started hoarding toilet paper. Like, stores were sold out of it completely. In Latvia, it was buckwheat. Nobody really knows why exactly, it was just the case. So now, since it is still popular, there is this little joke, they make everything out of buckwheat. Yes, this means also ice cream. Why not, right?

Well, that’s it for the week, I suppose. On my way to kill a mosquito that’s been haunting me. Won’t be sleeping before it’s between my hands.