Day 59: Sunbathing - Take 2

After yesterday's rather interesting experience of sunbathing, I decided to give it another go to become all one colour again... My friend and I met up earlier this time to go to "the island" and soak up some sun rays. Not long after we started tanning, thunder bellowed across Valmiera and yet the sun was still in the sky. My friend even saw lightning!

Nevertheless, we carried on sunbathing, trying to ignore the constant roars of thunder in the distance. Dark clouds started to form so we finished sunbathing and went for a swim. But then we looked up and the clouds (and accompanying thunder) were moving further west. Hurrah! Sunbathing resumed and a couple more hours onwards, I was starting to look somewhat human again!

I am very happy to say that the Baltic International Summer School (BISS) is now underway!

Introductory name game - it was difficult!

It will be quite tough doing my blog over these next two weeks. Each day is packed with social events (and the optional lecture every now and then, of course) but I'll try my best. So far I've made some good friends from countries including Slovakia, Portugal, China and Germany. We spent at least an hour listening to our country's best songs on YouTube - anyone with good taste in music is a good friend of mine!

I'm wearing a name badge and joined in with the name game and quick tours so people keep thinking I am a full participant in the summer school. My new opening line is:

"I'm not strictly a participant. I'm interning at the university and have lived here for two months" 

...or something along those lines, just to avoid any confusion. And being the 2-month resident of Valmiera that I am, I am proud to have given my first restaurant, club and general recommendations for my friends' 2-week stay.

Let the BISS begin!