Happy Birthday to Larisa!

Larisa is the main housekeeper at LCC.  She has worked here longer than just about anyone on staff.  She is dependable, a hard worker, and eager to do her job well.  We in Residence Life appreciate all that she does!  Her birthday was today, so we celebrated by giving her cupcakes and flowers.

Josh, Alisha, and Amanda with Larisa a Happy Birthday!

(I was there too...taking the photo!)

FYS 2012

On Thursday I met my new group of First Year Seminar (FYS) students.  For those of you who don't know about FYS, it is a class that each first year student is required to take.  LCC's core competencies and tips for be a successful college student are taught.  We also do a lot of checking in with how they are personally adjusting to college and building community within the group.  I have taught this course the past 2 years and have found that the students in this class become very dear to me.  It's a smaller group that I get to personally invest in and I really love that!  

(left to right) Artem (my student assistant), Sasha, Luicija, Laura, Olga, Janis, me, Elvyra, Aleksandr, Ikihtar, Erika, Matas, and Martynas

acting a little (or a lot) crazy!  

Some statistics for you...

Our Student Life VP made this slideabout the 2012-2013 student body to share at the faculty/staff retreat.  I thought my readers might find the information interesting. 

 

Faculty/staff retreat

Here is a photo that was taken at our Faculty/Staff retreat this week.

2012-2013 LCC International University Faculty and Staff

Res Life Retreat

Another retreat!  It seems like all we do around here this month is retreat.  Can't beat that!  :)  Last night we took the RAs on an overnight retreat.  I've wanted to arrange something like this since I came to Lithuania, but am just now getting comfortable enough with navigating the countryside and culture to actually organize it.  My main goal was to create some team spirit/space for group bonding.  I think the event succeeded at doing that. 

We drove out to the camp on Friday evening.  We made shaslik for dinner and then played several rounds of Scribblish (one of my new favorite games!).  After the game we spent some time in the sauna.  The we ate snacks and chatted.  Around midnight we played a game of Apples to Apples.  And around 1:30 we all turned in for the night.  In the morning we had breakfast, cleaned up, and headed back to campus.  I think the time away from campus together was so worthwhile.  I feel like I got to know several students much better and came away feeling excited and energized about the great group of RAs we have this year!

Festive decor at the camp

Josh was the griller and the others supervised him.

Josh, Ausrius, Ieva, Toms, and Vadim

A nice shot of the group

front row: Toms, Melisa, Vadim, and Josh

middle row: Alisha, Amanda, me, Kristine, and Ira

back row: Sarune, Ieva, and Ausrius

mandatory funny photo!  :)

Student Life Retreat

Thursday was our annual Student Life Retreat day!  I decided that I felt well enough to join the group for the day.  (Honestly, I would have been heartbroken to stay home and miss this day of fun with my colleagues/friends!)  I watched some of the activities from a hammock when I got a little tired and skipped the sauna to take a nap, but still had a wonderful time of fellowship with these great people!

Bethany, Amanda, and Olena made a 

Lithuania/LCC/Student Life version of Jeopardy for us!

My relaxation spot!

Student Life 2012-2013

front: Amanda, Bethany, me, Alisha, Josh, and Olena

rear: Margarita, Elena, Vaida, Egle, Demas, and Ina

And the amazing Community Life Team!

Amanda, Alisha, me, Olena, and Josh

First (and hopefully last) Lithuanian hospital stay

Last week was rough...really rough!  I woke up Monday morning and was very dizzy.  I then proceeded to have "digestive issues" for the next several hours.  A couple of my Lithuanian co-workers came to check on me after lunch and decided to call the ambulance to evaluate my condition.  (Here calling the ambulance is more like a doctor/paramedic making a house call - they come to assess the situation.)  The paramedic decided that I was likely dehydrated and needed to go to the hospital.  I took my first ambulance ride (ever!) and went to the hospital.  Upon arriving my condition was assessed by a doctor who concurred with the paramedic that I was dehydrated and needed more fluids.  So, I was admitted and hooked up to an IV.  It was a pretty uneventful hospital stay.  My room had no television or phone, so I slept most of the time.  I did, however, have my smart phone with me and was able to update friends on my condition via Facebook and called my mom on Skype to let her know what was going on.  I felt well enough to go home the next morning and called a co-worker to come pick me up.  I spent the next two days on the couch or in bed pushing as much fluid as my system could hold.  It still isn't clear exactly what was wrong with me...maybe food poisoning, maybe a stomach bug, or maybe as the doctor said, I had "viral diarrhea"...which between my groggy state and the thick accent I at first thought he called "wild diarrhea"!  

Here are some photos of my medical journey...

Looking up at my IV pole

My bed and nightstand

sink in room

My meds were in powder form.  I dissolved them in my cup of water.

Seriously?!  THIS was my dinner...I am vomiting and they give me a hot dog?!  

I only ate the piece of bread.

This is the card and flower that my thoughtful Res Life team brought me when I came home from the hospital.  The card was handmade by Alisha and was a little flip book where you can change the head, torso and legs on the character.  This combo was the beauty queen face, my torso (holding yummy looking cupcakes) and the LCC Moose legs!  :)