This is the new High Sierra bag that my parents bought for my trip to Europe. Fancy no?

Interesting Facts

From the LCC student handbook:

LCC has two student dorms that provide housing for non-Klaipeda and international students.
Here is the current dorm composition:
40% -- Non-EU
35% -- Lithuanians
12 % -- EU
12% -- North Americans
1% -- Erasmus (European exchange program)
(>1% Argentine)

Also...
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT LITHUANIA
-Klaipeda celebrated its 750th anniversary in 2002
- Lithuania is among the top 50 countries for potato production
- Because of its distinctive and unspoiled nature, nearly 71% of the Lithuanian countryside
is protected territory, much of it national parks
- There are over 3000 lakes in Lithuania
- Lithuanian is considered one of the oldest Indo-European languages. While other Indo-
European languages underwent rapid change, the languages in the Baltic branch, and
Lithuanian in particular, remained relatively unchanged

I also find it interesting that they recommend that we buy our stationary in Lithuania and not take it from the States. Mmmhh some people....

They suggest that we take a backpack for our trip to Russia. My dad is working on that as we speak. I don't want to take my Dana Design backpack because it will get too beat up while traveling and someone might take a fancy to it (chaucito backpack). Something not too expensive yet not too ugly please! :)



(A photo of me giving water to my dog Clyde while on a hike...with my Dana Design backpack on!)

Getting Things Done

I realized that all of my paper-work concerning classes were supposed to be turned in Friday the 12th. Ooops! I also need to turn in housing information and a list of classes that I want to take when I get back in August. I've been extremely distracted with friends, homework, and other activities and it completely slipped my mind. I'm still waiting to hear from LCC concerning the classes that will be offered (Baltic History?) and my practicum. Thankfully the history department has agreed to write to LCC if they don't communicate about the practicum soon.

One of the two pictures from above will be used in my international student I.D. Which one do you like best? I need to get a 1' x 1' print of it so it will get cropped. Please vote in the "encuesta" that is to the right.

Lithuania: Here I come!

I probably should have started this blog a long time ago. I will continue to update this blog though as I find out more about my trip and studies. Also, come here to find out about my travels through Europe.

This is what has happened so far:
-Approval to study abroad (by Taylor): July 19
-Acceptance into Lithuania Christian College: September 17
-Round trip ticket bought to Vilnius: October 4
Ida: January 7
Vuelta: June 3
LCC website: http://www.lccbc.org/

I'm still working on:
-What classes to take
-Applying to graduate in 2009 (bureaucracy!)
-Getting classes approved here at Taylor (bureaucracy!)
-History practicum (either in a Lithuanian museum or doing research)
-Travel plans within Europe

Please keep me in your prayers as I finish my classes and prepare to go. It's a lot of work and my mind is already wandering to the sweet streets of Klaipeda (a city thats 750 years old!).