NSLI-Y Alumni Travel Program – Riga, Latvia
Druz’ya! (Friends!) It is hard to believe that we have already reached the halfway point of our trip! We have had quite the adventure thus far and are looking forward to an action-packed week to conclude what is guaranteed to be a life-changing experience for us all. While we already have more than we could possibly share in one blog post, please keep reading for some highlights over the past week!
Leaving Frankfurt for Riga!
Luggage, luggage, and more luggage at Riga International Airport
Despite the early hour, students find the energy to climb on play structure at Frankfurt International Airport.
Day 1
The students – more than a bit tired from their lengthy travel the day before, arrived at the language center eager to meet their new teachers and begin their first day of classes. They were enthusiastically greeted by our oversees partners and given a brief orientation before heading off to their first classes in Riga.
Lunch for the students is quite the step up from a traditional school cafeteria. They are treated to local cuisine at a café directly across the street from the school, where they can sit back in a relaxing atmosphere and recount their experiences with their classmates.
In the afternoon, the students were treated to an expert lecture from Oleg, a university professor who detailed the ongoing war in Ukraine and answered questions on the subject from the students.
After our lecture, the group headed off to Riga’s Old Town for a guided tour of the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation. The students learned all about the city’s rich history dating back to its founding in 1201 before setting off on a walking tour of Old Town. It was dark (the sun sets around 4 p.m. this time of year!) and a bit cold, but our expert guide, Alyona, kept the students entertained and informed.
The students are attentive during their first-day orientation.
Learning about the history of Riga during our tour of the history museum.
Students enjoying their lunch at a café.
Taking in the sights of Riga’s Old Town!
Day 2
Our second full day in Riga brought us some great new experiences. Prior to our morning classes, we were invited to the U.S. Embassy to learn a bit about Latvia from the perspective of government officials. After listening to a presentation on safety and security while in Riga, the students were treated to a talk by the embassy’s cultural attaché, highlighting the importance of cultural exchange between the U.S. and Latvia. As some of our students aspire to work for the government, this embassy briefing proved an excellent opportunity to ask questions about their own prospective career paths.
After morning classes and lunch, the students met their peer language partners, who will be joining them in structured activities throughout the duration of the course. The students were eager to make new friends in Latvia, and their Russian-speaking partners were excited to help American students learn their language.
The final portion of our day included a trip to the Latvian National Museum of Art where we were taken on a guided tour, exploring Latvia’s rich artistic history.
Getting to know our peer-language partners.
Taking in all the art at the national museum.
Hello from the U.S. Embassy! (no pictures were allowed inside…)
Day 3
After our scheduled morning class, our group was given the opportunity to tour Latvia’s Parliament complex – the Saeima. The students learned a great deal about the Latvian government and its history. They were even granted access to the parliament’s plenary chamber, where they learned more about the process of government and were allowed to pose for photos in front of the speaker’s chair. With their knowledge of U.S. relations with Latvia gained from the visit to the embassy the day before, the students now learned about the types of international relations that Latvia seeks to cultivate.
At the culmination of our tour of the Saeima, we sat down with a member of the parliament in her party’s offices for a discussion of some of the difficulties currently facing Latvia and some possible paths forward. Many students came away feeling that some of the problems we experience at home are very similar to those described by our host.
In the plenary chambers.
Posing after some serious political talk.
Day 4 & 5
On Saturday, the temperature dipped to about -11 degrees Celsius (about 12 degrees Fahrenheit), but our students bundled up and braved the cold to see one of Latvia’s oldest sights – the town of Cēsis, located about an hour and a half northeast of Riga. Most notably, the town has one of the best-preserved medieval castles in all of Europe.
Sunday provided a day off for the students to spend with their host families. Some students went to the movies, others shopped for souvenirs or took in sights around the city, while still others chose to relax and connect with the people who have been gracious enough to welcome them into their homes.
The group huddles together for a picture outside the castle at Cēsis.
A view inside the master’s chambers of the castle.
The group gets treated to a warm lunch in between stops.
Day 6
The students once again met with the peer-language friends to discuss the differences and similarities of celebrating Christmas and the New Year’s in the U.S. and in Latvia. The students and their language partners were separated into groups and provided topics to discuss: customary holiday foods, decorations, activities, etc. Once their discussions were complete, each group created a poster to share with the entire class. Our NSLI-Y students did great!
Here is a peak at some of the great presentations our students did with their peer-language friends:
In the afternoon, the group took a trip to the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia where they were led on a tour learning all about Latvia’s rule by the Soviet Union from 1940 until 1991. While the topic was not the most uplifting, the students left with a greater appreciation of Latvia’s independence and the democracy they celebrate.
Housed in the former secret police (KGB) building, the Museum of Occupation elicits a range of emotion both from the exterior and interior.
We have more activities ahead of us, and we look forward to exploring more of the wonders of Latvia. Thank you to those of you who helped make this opportunity possible for these deserving students. It is an honor and privilege to work with such a fine group of young people. We wish you all the best in the new year and always!