Istanbul, not Constantople!

Those of you who have been reading my blog for the past year may remember that I got sick during fall break last year while in Riga.  And you may remember that I ended up staying in Klaipeda for spring break.  I was quite disappointed that neither break let me experience the joy of travelling in Europe.  Everyone went on and on about how great it is to live in Europe because you can travel everywhere so cheaply.  Unfortunately it didn't work out for me quite like that.

Well, this year is going to be different!  I have tickets booked with a couple friends to go to Istanbul, Turkey for fall break!  We got together tonight and booked our flights, so we are going!  I had never really thought about going to Turkey, but when a group started talking about fall break plans a couple of weeks ago, Turkey became the hot topic.  I decided that I'd would prefer to go somewhere, even if it wasn't on my list of places I'd like to visit, than to stay home again.  Then I started exploring what we can do there and now I am totally psyched to go!

Here are a couple photos from our planning meeting...

Amanda getting ready to hit the button to purchase our tickets!

Unfortunately the transaction didn't actually go through this time, so this is not when the tickets were officially purchased!  :)

Me and the gals I'll be travelling with - Bethany and Amanda.

We are holding my laptop showing our flight confirmation.

And this is the song we kept playing over and over again as we talked about and booked the tickets!  :)

Opening Convocation

Today was our third day of classes already.  We gathered at noon for convocation to celebrate the beginning of a new year at LCC.  Our 21st year...the start of our thrid decade.  It was so good to see students.  To see them grinning and waving at me from the crowd.  To know that I am finally known here and am a part of their LCC experience, not just a new face that they wonder about.  I LOVE not being the new gal!  :)

Convocation was a predictable event, but one filled with meaning and warmth.  My favorite part is when they have the students stand in recognition of the country they come from.  I love that we are such and international place.  I think we have faculty, staff and students from 27 different countries this year.  I think that is SO cool!  At the end of the service we have a candle lighting where a representative from each country brings a candle up to the stage.  It is beautiful.

I was in the front row of the staff side, so I snuck a photo of the crowd.

The big LCC candle in the middle surrounded by the smaller candles that represent each country that our community members are from.

Having a little fun with the fact that today is the start of the EuroBasket tournament in Lithuania!  Here is Lina, our associate dean, wearing her Lithuanian colors with pride!  :)

Enns Hall - final details amidst day to day life

Our new residence hall is officially in use now.  Students and faculty/staff have moved in and life is happening!  Now, that doesn't mean that all the details are taken care of just yet.  Each day more things get scratched off the "to-do" list for Enns.  I look forward to the day (when?!) that it is completely finished.  Until then, we are grateful each day for this amazing space that is completely paid for...what an amazing gift from our board to make sure every last penny was raised for the building before we began building! 

The new study carrels in the Study Room...chairs are coming!

Washers & dryers installed in the laundry. 

Couches, coffee tables, tables and more! 

This kitchen/lounge is in full use by students.

I thought this was funny!

What do you do when your roommate's shoes stink?

Why, put them on the ledge outside the room, of course!  :)

Sunday with Susie

Back in the day when I lived in Goshen I often spent afternoons with Amanda.  We would call our times together "Sundays with Susie".  She and I would either go our for lunch and to look at books at Barnes & Noble or we'd make something yummy at my place.  Now that she is in Lithuania with me, we are able to continue the tradition!  Today I showed her where a few more stores were - Rimi (an American style grocery store) & Jysk (a Bed, Bath, & Beyond sort of store) and then we came back to my place to make dinner.  Here are some photos from our cooking endeavor...

Fajitas!

Amanda cooking the onions & peppers

Eager anticipation!

Fabulous ladies with some fabulous food!  :)

Hereare some links to my old blog and entries about the US version of "Sundays with Susie."

http://simplysusiecute.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html

http://simplysusiecute.blogspot.com/2010/02/roasted-acorn-squash-and-gorgonzola.html

First Year Seminar!

I am teaching a section of First Year Seminar again this year.  On Thursday afternoon I met my new group.  They seem like they are going to be a FABULOUS group!  They were talkative, energetic, and seemed to be having fun together. 

Here's the new group!  :)

The young lady on the back -second from the left - is my Student Assistant for the group, Victoria. I think we are going to work really well together.

Faculty/Staff Retreat

Faculty/Staff Retreat took place off campus this year.  We went to a traditional Lithuanian restaurant/playland.  It was a great mix of business sessions and play time outside.  AND it was a gorgeous day, so it was nice to not be stuck inside the entire time.

me with the old lady on the merry-go-round

Bethany & Amanda on the teeter-totter

me & Alex

Olena on the zipline!

My lunch - a vegetable bake.  It was quite tasty.

Basketball fever!

I mentioned earlier this month that EuroBasket is coming to Lithuania later this month.  There is Lithuania gear everywhere in the stores.  When we were at the grocery the other night I got in on the fun!  (Like you would expect any less from me!)

LOL!

Intercultural Leaders

As the Director of Community Life I oversee Residence Life and Intercultural Programs.  Our Intercultrual Program Leaders (IPLs) arrive on Monday and on Tuesday I had lunch with them.  We enjoy catching up about everyone's summers while eating a yummy baked potato bar for lunch.

Here are Olena (Intercultural Education Coordinator) and me with the IPLs.

What a great and energetic group of young people! 

Happy Birthday to John!

John is a faculty member here at LCC.  Both he and his parents work here.  His birthday was last week and his mom emailed me asking me to make sure people wished him a Happy Birthday!  I sent an email out to several fellow LCC folks to let them know it was his birthday.  Bethany and Amanda planned a surprise birthday party for him on Sunday evening.  He was VERY surprised and it was a fun evening of good food and conversation with friends.

I think John ws a little embaressed by all the fuss - so cute. 

I love Amanda laughing in the background of this photo!  :)

The AMAZING snickers cheesecake that Bethany made for the party!

Dariusz & Levi, Amanda, Bethany, me, John, and Levi

Jennifer, Kristine, and Kate

Tall Ships Regatta in Klaipeda

This weekend the "Tall Ships Regatta" was in town!  I was busy with RA training most of the weekend, but made it out to the port to see the ships leave on Sunday morning.  It was a beautiful day - blue skies, bright sun!  And the ships were truly amazing!

A scene from the bridge over the river looking out towards the port.

Look at all those tall ships!

Check out the mermaid on the front of this Dutch ship.

I liked the flags on the mast of the boat in the distance.

A view from a distance of the Mir (right) and Sedov (left) - two Russian ships

They put sailor costumes on the statue of the little boy and his dog - so cute!

The dude on the right who is just hanging there...I wouldn't want his job!

Marlene & me enjoying the beautiful day!

We were sitting very close to the water with no guard rail! 

My mom would've freaked out if she had seen me there!  :)

The Kruzenshtern - the 2nd largest ship in the world.

The Shtandart

The Sedov leaving port!

The Sedov - the largest ship in the world!

Here's a link that will tell you more about the Tall Ships Regatta!  http://www.tallships.lt/en/

HBH with the RAs

We took the RAs out for dinner at HBH as a part of the RA orientation week fun!  HBH is a nice restaurant in Palanga that is known for its outdoor playground for adults and good food.  I didn't get any photos of the playground fun because I waited in line for the group while they all played.  I was happy to let my RDs start bonding with their teams!  :)

I love the menus at HBH - they are shaped like beer mugs - the covers are made of leather and the handle/binding is made of iron.

Here are several of the girl RAs with their mugs of Gira - a traditional Lithuanian beverage made from fermented raisen bread.  It's kinda like root beer - sweet with a bready taste.  HBH is known for having really good Gira - MUCH better than the stuff I tried at Charlie Pica last year!

Tatiana, Iuna, Melisa, Ana, Natlaia, and Ira

(Thanks to Amanda for the photo!)

Here's the other side of the table gathered around Roman and his mug of Gira!

me, Roman, Levi, Amanda, Zhengia, and Alex

(Thanks to Amanda for the photo!) 

Amanda and I split two traditional Lithuanian dishes.  This was the sasliak.  I loved this entree!

We also split and order of cepellini.  Cepellini is the Lithuanian National Dish and HBH is supposed to make it very well.  I was very glad that Amanda and I split the two dishes, because if I had ordered just this I would've been completely disappointed.  The texture is just too gritty and pasty for my liking.  :(

Here are the RDs and the RAs gathered for a group shot after dinner.

Do as I say, not as I do! :)

As at most schools, LCC does not want students (or really anyone for that matter) up on the roof of the residence hall, or any other building either I guess.  We discussed this in depth at our RD meeting earlier this week and decided to put an end to the random RA fun times we used to do on the roofs sometimes.  Then came Friday...we were doing yet another walk through of the new residence hall and were going up to the attic to see the new storage area when we noticed the door to the roof was unlocked.  So, we decided to go out and see what the new roof looked like!  And of course we took a few photos to document the fun! 

RDs always obey the rules, right?!

Alex, Levi, and Amanda

My sneaky team!

(I love this photo...so cute!)

Even the Director of Community Life got in on the fun!

WooHoo!  :)

Dinner with the Rusu's

My friends, Olena and Sergiu, invited me over for dinner on Wednesday evening.  We were having dessert at their place with the entire Community Life team, so they invited me over so that I wouldn't have to run home and back after work.  Olena made Ukranian dumplings filled with curd and cherries.  They were SO good!  I am totally going to have her teach me how to make them sometime this year!

Me, Alex, Levi, Amanda, and Olena

Me and the Community Life team!

Alex, Levi, Amanda, Olena, and Sergui

What a fabulous group of young people! 

Work made delicious!

Wednesday morning this week I had an appointment at the migration office about my temporary residency permit (TRP) for school.  Alex, one of my co-workers had her appointment at the same time.  After the migration business was done we stopped at a new little coffee shop in the mall for a cup of coffee while we went over some details for RA training. 

Me ready to enjoy my chocolate filled pastry.

Isn't the decor in this place adorable? 

My delicious pastry!