SLI

SLI: "Memories from Summer Language Institute, Klaipeda"

SLI 2010

SLI 2010: "The people of SLI"

Stories from around the town

A few little stories that really have nothing in common except Lithuanian and the people who we teach with.

First, one of the teachers, Laura Enns, went to Palanga with Erwin as her driver to pick up her husband from the airport. Palanga is about 25k from here. Erwin got to about 3k from Palanga and the road was blocked off..no one could get through. Luckily, Erwin spoke Lithuanina, so he went to the man standing by the blockaid
and asked why no one could get through. The man replied, "There's a road race here for cars and the road is closed." Erwin asked when it would be reopened again. The man replied, "Three days." A little surprised, Erwin noted that they had to pick someone up at the Palanga Airport and asked what roads should they take. The man replied. "If you want to know that, you should ask a local person. I'm not from around here."
The finally did get to the airport and Ed, Laura's husband did get back to the dorms...
On our way to Venta Sunday, we noticed a field of wind turbines--maybe twenty of them. I asked Kel, our friend who lives in Lithuania, why they were not working. He replied that they had not been properly commissioned yet. He also noted that they all have to bebuilt and working before one of them can be turned on...

On Saturdays, we see many weddings. The tradition here is that the groom must carry his bride across seven bridges. This is very interesting to watch. A newer tradition is that the bride and groom attach a padlock to the bridge and then throw the key into the water, so it can never be taken off. Last week, the city officicals cut off all the locks, so new ones could be added. Lucky for the bride pictured above there was room...

And an oldy but goodie that some of you may remember...Erwin went to the flea market to get some things. He noticed some cool shorts and he wanted to try them on to see if they fit. He asked the lady where he could try them on. She placed a one meter square of cardbord on the floor of the open tent and said, "Stand on here." He said, "You want me to change my pants in front of all these people walking by." Then she grabbed a towel and held it in front of Erwin's face. She said to him, " Now people will not recognise you. He then replied, " Well, I don't know anyone here." She said, "Then you won't need this towel."

And finally...Jude and I were changing sheets one day and we wiped up some water in our bathroom with one of the sheets before placing it in the laundry. The next day there was a sign which read, "Please do not place wet sheets in the laundry."

Cows are tetherd in the fields so they is no need for fencing. We saw a sing along a gravel road in the middle of no where that said "Cafe is open." For miles around, all you could see was fields and water...And would't you know it...four mile up ahead on this gravel road, there indeed was a cafe and it was open...


We met the St. Peter clan for breakfast this morning at 10 am. They have twin 3 year olds, Emma, a 10 year old and then Heather and Tim. We ordered our food and it started to pour--so hard that we spent the next two and one half hours waiting for the rain to stop. Heather said the twins walked over eight miles the day before. Their stroller doesn't fit into the busses, so when they go places, they need to walk. She did say they sleep well at night, though.

Once back at home after going to the square, Courtney came to our room looking for a can opener. We said we had one in our freezer. "It's in your freezer," she retorted. "Yes, we use it to break apart our ice cubes, " Jude replied.

A day at the orphanage and a walk on the beach

On Saturday, Jude and I took a bus to the orphanage. Kel and Erwin drove the two cars filled with five students and five other teachers. Once at the orphanage, we met the social worker and other volunteers from the Vineyeard Church who help out each week. Kel and Sharon let their Vineyard volunteers lead the group. Jude made bubbles for the kids and brought bubble wands and little pipes for the students to blow bubbles with. Another group of us took to the baseball field, literally a field where we played baseball. There are holes littered all over the field. In fact, I stepped in one up to my knee. Kel reassured me that all the metal had been cleaned up and taken out of the kids at the hospital already. Cheerful thought. While we played, one of our group prayed over these kids at half hour intervals. We recognized several of the students from year's past. Daimante, a 17 year old who just had a baby, recognized Becka from the years she worked at the orphanage. Erv, one of our friends from BC, had made friends with Jonas four years ago. It's a touching story. Neither speak each other's language yet they communicate through love. Jonas even asked Kel when Erv was coming this year. The day ended with farewells. It was extrememly hot by Lithuanian standards--around 88 degrees and humid with little breeze and nowhere but the seaside to cool off.

Several of us strolled the beach on Sunday. We took the ferry across the spit, jumped onto a bus and rode down to the first town. From there, we hiked about 3 k to the sea and then walked the beach until we reached Klaipeda, about 12 k. The first part of the morning was in the pine forest, so it was cool. Then we reached the giant dunes before the sea, climbed over them and then down to the beach. We were ready for our first dip. The water was like glass. I went in first followed by Erwin and then Robin. As we walked back to shore off the sandbar, I noticed a streak of bubblers on the water. Were we really that dirty? We chuckled. On the beach, we ran across a dead seal. We have never seen a seal in the water around here before. It must have come down from the northern currents. As we walked, we looked for amber. Since it was over 90 degrees out, we decided to cut our walk short. Originally, we were going to go 22 k. That night, my legs were glad they only trudged the 12 k. We passed an assortment of swimming beaches--nude males, nude females, nude families, clothed males, clothesd females and clothed families before making it to the end and a refreshing liter of Kalnipolis. Erv and I stayed on the beach until 3 pm and Robin headed home. Along the route, whenever we got hot and tired, we jumped in the sea. It was refreshing, around 72 degrees. Check that one off the bucket list. Jude was smarter. She and some of her friends took the bus to Nida, a quaint little town at the end of the spit. There, she AMBERED around.

Soul Outpost...a Kiwi concoction

Today, we visited Soul Outpost, which happens every Tuesday and Thursday at noon. Kel, our chaplain, came up with the idea about three year's ago. James, the guitar player and a very good one, plays modern Christian songs and the students who are on their lunch break, gather around and sing. There's also a message that someone sahres with the students. This all falls within 30 minutes of their lunch. Today, Meka, an LCC first year student, shared her journey.
Meka's story
"I came to LCC last year. I didn't really know about LCC, but a friend gave me an application, I filled it in and I got accepted. I just knew I had to get out of Kyrgyzstan, where I lived. So I came here. For me it was different, for I was a Muslim at a Christian university. I noticed that everyone smiled and seemed friendly. I didn't understand At nights I would cry myself to sleep. This went on for about 4 months. Around Christmas, I found myself crying around 4 hours each day. Some of the students on my floor, and some people I didn't even know asked me one night if they could pray for me. I said yes. They circled around me and prayed. All at once, I felt the Holy Spirit take me in his hands. I had purpose. I had hope. I found myself...a more happy person. I'm still here this summer because I can't go home. It would be certain death for me to return home as a Christian." She talked a little bit longer, and her story struck a chord with all who were there.

In the afternoon during my classes, I gave my students a reading comprehension test. They are doing very well, improving with each one. That evening, Jude and I met Erv and Lilly, our dear friends from BC, Canada for dinner and then went to Movie and Chat to finish "Once" and share in discussion. Once I figured out how to set up the DVD player to the TV, all went as planned. An American DVD player with a Lithuanian version of the movie does not work. Next week our video is "Whale Rider," set in New Zealand.

Movies and chat

Tuesday night, Jude and I had dinner at the school and then got ready for our first movie and chat. We show a movie and then discuss the themes found in the film. Our first film was "Once," a modern day musical set on the streets of Dublin. Featuring Glen Hansard from the Irish band "The Frames," the film tells the story of a street musician and a Czech immigrant during an eventful week as they write, rehearse and record songs that reveal their unique love story. The movie's song "Falling Slowly" won an Academy Award for Best Soundtrack in 2006. The first part of the film is shown on Tuesday and then finished on Thursday night followed by disussion. "Once" is a great film to discuss, especially focusing on the suble love affair between the couple through their music. We had a full house the first night as you can see in the photo. If you're interested, you can hear the music at the following address: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/once/ Our next film is "Leap of Faith" with Steve Martin and the "Chariots of Fire." Our purpuse is to get the students talking and listening to each others; responses.

Even though the weather has been between 72 and 80 degrees, it's been extremely warm in the classrooms. By the day's end, we are quite withered and wet. The first floor windows only open a crack, so with all the students, it does get warm. Classes have been great, students are doing their homework, and the teachers are really ahving a good experience. Nadine, Becka's friend from high school, has been woring at the orphanage on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and then jumping a bus to get tothe school for her afternoon classes. She's been great with kids. Next Tuesday, Sharo, who works with the orphans all year, is taking Nadine to a needl exchange which will be a new experience for her.

Tonight, we had dinner with Roman and Ksenja. He works at the university in IT and she works in our dorm at the desk. She just came off a 32 hour shift, no overtime. Get this, they took us to a Chinese restaurant. It's located in a mall on the main street of Klaipeda not far from our dorm. The restaurant closes at 10 pm but the building closes at 7 pm. In other words, you can only get to the restaurant by walking through the parking lot under the building and walking up the back stairs. And, not many people know that. Needless to say, we dined alone.

Coming up: the orphanage on Saturday and my bucket list on Sunday.

The first day of school

Even after 33 years of teaching in the States and 8 summers here in Lithuania, the first day of school is still thrilling. We got up way too early and arrived at school way too early. We had plenty of time to chat, check on our rooms, help new teachers, and still get to the opening ceremonies on time. Suddenly, at 9:00 am, our quiet, calm morning took a turn. 300+ students, 44 staff, 1 director, and several officials from the university materialized in the gym. Robin, our wonderful director had all the staff line up from net to net behind her facing all the students in the stands. She then gave a brief welcome which included three main ideas to keep in mind during SLI: Make progress, Make wise choices, Make friends.

Following the ceremonies, students all went to class, except for the 30 or so that had not yet registered. David and I helped Robin test, grade, and place students. Then we walked them to the correct class. We had time to eat the lunches I packed before our afternoon classes began. I, Jude, have 3 classes. One starts at 1:00, the next at 2:00 and the last at 3:00. David also has 3 classes starting on the half hour. David has HUGE classes of 24 or 25 and is using the book THE TRUE STORY OF HANSEL. Here's my first day. I, Jude, am teaching the book ON MY HONOR, a Newbery award book from the 80's. These books were all purchased on Amazon and packed in our suitcases before we left. Maybe that is why we were overweight in Amsterdam! One man in my class borrowed a pencil from me during class and as he returned it at the end of the day he said, "Thank you for your generous heart." I said, "You're welcome. Thank you for being such an active participant in the class." He said, "You're welcome. Thank you for your big voice." I said, "uh, thanks." Then he left and I started to tidy up the classroom. He suddenly returned to the classroom and said, ""Your smile. Your smile, not your voice."
Following our first day of classes, we traditionally share in a potluck meal at the gym with the entire staff. It's fun to share first day war stories...like any place. For those of you who have been to Klaipeda, I will post a picture of the new footbridge over the railroad tracks. It reminds me of a bridge on steroids. There are even speed run offs/ups for the wheel chairs. We finished the night with tea and chat with some of the 32 adults living in the Karklu dorms, the dorms where most of the summers teachers live in...But alas, it's also good to go back to our room, write in the blog and catch up on some sleep.

Happy 4th of July...Lithuanian style

                                                                           There were no parades, no fireworks and no flag waving. In fact, it's been awhile, almost nine years since we celebrated this day in the States. We received our class lists today and eveyone has come to our room for pronunciation lessions. Jude has Greta, Michal, Giedre, Tomas, Lyubov, Dovydas, Malgorzata, Juozas, Leta, Piotr, Rasa, Sofya, Fausta, Ingrida, and Sergei to name a few. Altogether, I have 72 students. I'm not going to even try the last names. We're only here for a month. Last night we went to an outdoor concert [see picture]. They played many familiar songs, lasting about 45 minutes. The city has free concerts on Saturday evenings. You can tell how light it still is at 9:15 pm when the concert ended. Sunday, we went to Palanga with two new firends Ted and Corrie from Toronto but of Dutch origin. We also went with Laura Enns from Vancouver. After walking to the bus station, we jumped into a minibus and drove to Palanga, a resort city about 20 k from Klaipeda. During Soviet times, this city was a destination for the Kremlin crowd for a beach side resort.  They still use the airport for international flights.  I forgot how hot those rides were--no air, no windows open--just bodies. From the boardwalk, I took the picture of the beach at the left. Yes, there were lots of people. Some here said it was the real first day of summer in the city. So, I guess you could say, we did have our crowds on July 4th.

Never too old for friends

My ganndson Grayson would have a blast here with Eva and Lena, my two new friends in Lithuania.  Jude and I met their parents Tim and Heather for an Armenian shish kabob dinner on Wednesday evening.  At three and one half years of age, they kept me busy.  Before, during and after the meal, we were on the swings, doing "underdogs," climbing the ladders and kissing at the top and swinging on the glider.  We watched the cook make our kabobs.  Eva was particularly interesting to watch. She kept asking the waitress [who was a grandma herself] for candy in English ,of course.  And she kept getting candy.  There's no language barrier there...not when it comes to candy.  Heather and Tim are just some of the great people who draw us to this mission.  Together with their 10 year old daughter Emma, they have been here as many times as we have.  They hail from Indiana.  Both are teaching afternoons this year, which means that Emma and another 11 year old Ella from Poland are teaching the twins the alphabet--making lesson plans and the works.  Tomorrow, they're focusing on the letter ""A."

At 8 p.m. on Thursday, we met and worshipped on the Melnaragie Beach.  The service was great but some of the people got a bit chilled with the strong winds of the sea.  The temperature had also dropped into the low 60's. 

On Friday, most of the teachers went on a Lithuanian safari or bus trip around the northern part of the country.  Jude and I strolled through Old Town to see what changes had occurred during the year.  There were many new buildings constructed along the Danes River, mostly quaint cafes.  We amber shopped in Old Town and had a lovely lunch on Mantos Street.  Later, we met Kel and Sharon, our friends from New Zealand who pastor the Vineyard Church in Klaipeda and who help out at the orphanage for supper.  We sat just below this tree of birdhouses.  We had a lovely time revisiting the past year.  Tomorrow, the students arrive and take their tests.  This year, there are 300 students--220 females and 80 males.  70% fo the students will be 16-22.  There will be 22 adults over 40. 

All in a day's travel...

We left Milwaukee at 2pm, originally scheduled for 1pm.  At the gate, we found out that our luggage could only go as far as Amsterdam--something about Estonian Air not being part of the network.  Yeh, for those of you who remember, I am my own travel agent...maybe someday I will learn.    Oh well, what that meant was that at Amsterdam, we had to get our baggage, find Estonian Air, check in again, go through security again and then find the gate.  We landed at 8:30 am and our new flight was leaving at 9:40 am....an impossibe human task but not too big for God.  Our luggage was near the first to come out of the carousel, all three pieces. Time--8:53.  Running to find Estonian Air, we arrived to find out the check in lady was on the phone with the gate telling them all who were here had checked in....now us. 
there, a little snafu happened.  Since we were now on a new carrier, we had new luggage rules--40 kilos max.  We were 20 kilos overwight for a domestic flight.  She directed us to the overweight luggage payment area so we could pay our penalty...9:10 am....After paying, we sprinted to the security area.  Jude's luggage got tagged so I ran ahead to the gate to tell them we were still coming.  9:25 am.  Jude finally got to the gate at 9:30 am...I remember saying to Jude, that lady at the check in said is was just around the corner.   What she really meant to say was it's about 800 meters aways, you better run fast.  Estonian Air was the only leg of the flight to take off on time--9:40.  We arrived in Vilnius right on time to meet the group...some new faces but many old faces.  For most of these travelers, they spent more than 24 hours just to get here.  This is a special place.  Photo:  Sunrise over the British Isles, just before landing in Amsterdam

On your mark, get set, gone

As the school year winds down, Jude and I are getting excited about starting our summer sojourn.  This will be our eighth summer and the 20th anniversary of the summer language institute at LCC.  Jude will be teaching intermediate beginners, and I will be teaching advanced reading with the True Story of Hansel and Gretel. Both of us will be teaching in the afternoons.  We're taking a laptop with us this year, so that we can Skype home every now and then.  Like each year, we will fly into Vilnius and then take a bus to Klaipeda, our Lithuanian home for the summer.   This map may help to visualize our location in Eastern Europe.  We hope to keep you informed of the people we meet, the situations we encounter and our Lithuanian summer.