I never seem to know anything that’s going on around here until right before it happens. I guess I should just be glad I find out at all. ;)

So I was at school yesterday and Andis was going to help me take our cat to the vet (the vet is his god-mother) but said he didn’t have alot of time. Always curious I asked him why, and I got the news, well, some of it… He had to be back and dressed up because 1t 4.30pm he had to be at the monument by the lake because the president was coming & we was one of the 3 guys from our school that would hold a flag. Cool… the president.

After we made it back to town, I met up with Ieva and we walked down to the monument for the 4.30 event. We were quite surprised when we got there and there were very few people… we waited and waited and realized that maybe it started at 5.00, and Andis was confused because maybe he had to be ready by 4.30. OK, so we walked back into town to get some food. On our way back to the lake, we met up with Andis, Eduards & Maris, the “Talsi Christian School Flag Holders” for the day. (No, it’s not an official title or position… in fact, when I asked why they got to do it, Andis responded that they were the tallest & best looking guys… oh the sarcasm.) We walked back down to the monument, and there were more people there this time, but it seemed like no one really knew what was going on… there were no places roped off for spectators or anything… there were a few military guards and some dogs, but that’s about it. Not what I was expecting with a president coming. Ieva and I just kinda crowded into a group with the best view we could get and waited. And waited. And waited. Yeah, it started at 6.00. :)

It was pretty cool though. President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga (yes, the Latvian president is a woman) spoke and, though most of it was in Latvian, I felt pretty inspired and proud. I was really excited when she gave part of her speech in English, as well. That was for the benefit of visitors from Talsi’s sister cities in Lithuania, Estonia & Turkey, but I didn’t care… I pretended it was for me. I was VERY impressed by her as she gave her whole speech, some of it in 2 languages… with no notes, no teleprompter… only from memory… this from a nearly 70 year-old woman. Very cool.

There were some other things… choirs singing, other people speaking, and such… it was all in celebration of the 10 year anniversary of the monument which was erected just before Independence Day and in honor of it.

I’ve heard the Latvian national anthem sung more times in the last few days than ever before, and I’ve decided I really should learn it. Ieva’s going to help me.

It’s a strange thing feeling so proud and feeling such a part of two different countries. I never want to give up my American citizenship, but I feel so proud being here and celebrating Latvia and have a small burst of excitement when people speak to “Talsinieki”, or “residents of Talsi”. I guess I REALLY do have 2 homes.

PS Remember, if you click on the pictures, they’ll get bigger and you can see them better.