Daily Activities

I think one thing that made the first few weeks in Lithuania so hard was the stifling, monotonous routine. We almost spent the entire first week planning lessons and getting used to teaching. The second and third weeks, we were all dealing with sicknesses. The day literally consisted of sleeping or planning lessons at the apartment, going to the school to teach, and going back to the apartment. No wonder we were all so depressed and homesick! My roommate Camee and I decided that we actually needed to start going out and doing things during the day or we were going to go crazy. Maggie decided to join us, so the past couple weeks have been filled with activities. Last Friday morning, we went to Old Town and hiked up to Gediminas Tower. It was really fun, and the hike is really more of a walk up a paved trail. The tower was so cool to see up close. Usually you can just see it sitting on the hill from a distance as you’re walking around the city. Actually going up there and getting to see the views of Vilnius was spectacular.  

On Wednesday, we hiked the Hill of the Three Crosses. Now this was an actual hike! And we were totally unprepared. I was wearing sandals and Camee was wearing flats. It was so steep,  and I got so much dirt in my shoes! But luckily, the hike wasn’t that long. It was just really, really steep. The crosses weren’t really as cool as the tower, but they are an important national symbol. Allegedly, some Catholic missionaries were burned at the stake there in 17^th century. The crosses were put up to commemorate them and their devotion to Catholicism. So they are extremely similar to the Hill of Crosses we went to. But at least it was another thing we could check off our Vilnius bucket list.

The rest of the days, we have mainly just hung out at the mall. That usually involves looking around the stores and eating gelato and McDonalds. But today we went to see a movie. We saw Pitch Perfect 2! It was actually really good and so, so funny. I haven’t been to a movie in so long, so it was so nice and relaxing to do such a normal activity. I haven’t even seen the first movie, but the second one was great. I’ll have to see if I can track it down somewhere.

Today was so crazy! Maggie went to the movie with us, and then she came back to the apartment with us to hang out before teaching. However, just as we were getting to leave, she started to feel sick. Immediately, she begins to throw up! Then a massive migraine sets in and she feels chills all over her body. She literally developed a full-blown virus in ten minutes! We leave her lying down on the couch and decide to go over to the school. We figure Camee could just take over all the beginning classes today. But it turns out, Camee still needs to get some things at the apartment, so I go over to the school by myself. At this point, it is already 3:05. When I get there, absolutely no one else is here. I try to open the door to the supply room. It’s locked. I’m thinking, where is everybody? Two kids, Vanessa and Alex, are already here. I walk down to the first floor with them to get the keys. We walk back up, and I help them unlock all the doors. Finally, Alona shows up. I’m just in the middle of telling her that Maggie is sick when all of a sudden, she throws her hand on her forehead. Then she passes out! I am so freaked out! I rush to help her, and thankfully Dima walks in right at that moment. We get her into a chair. She’s already conscious again. She tells us her vision is going black and she can’t hear anything. Dima takes her to the hospital.

Camee finally comes. She tells me Maggie is still throwing up at the apartment. I tell her Dima is taking Alona to the hospital. Paige, Rusty, and Emily are still at the new school. They can’t get here for another hour. Camee and I are freaking out. We have to teach the elementary, basic  reading, beginning, and prelanguage kids between the two of us! We decide that’s never going to happen. We put all of the kids in one room. For an hour and a half, we sing songs. We sing every song from opening twice. Then we begin teaching them songs from Frozen. Eventually, we make a paper chain. Then we play Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum in a Dish five times. We are dealing with 13 kids. Finally, Paige and Rusty get there. Rusty takes the elementary kids. Camee and I keep entertaining the beginning and basic reading kids. Paige teaches prelanguage. It was crisis mode all day with literally no learning.  It was insane; I have no idea what we’re going to do tomorrow. Paige and Rusty are going somewhere with their host family, and if Alona and Maggie are still sick, we’re going to have to take all the kids again.

This week has been jam-packed with lots of worry and panic. These types of experiences are those you need to learn to deal with though. I hope everything works out.