beyond the weather

Now that I have warmed up with a short discussion of the weather, I suppose that a few updates are in order. I feel as if a million things have passed in the last weeks and I haven't had time to share. Here are some new developments (beyond the weather) in Tartu:

English teachers are cool. They really are. Perhaps teachers are cool in general, but I can't speak from that perspective as accurately. This weekend, I attended a conference for the Estonian Association of Teachers of English (EATE) and met many language teachers from the area. There were some good speakers at the conference, many of them from abroad, but the real highlight was meeting participants. I have felt a little bit professionally isolated since my arrival, especially since I am sponsored by and situated within an administrative university unit rather than a faculty. Having conversations about teaching and language was just the confirmation and energy boost I needed about my vocation. Woo-hoo!!!

I've joined a cross-country skiing training group at the ski club here in Tartu. The group is for adult beginners and meets twice a week to exercise. Last year, several members of this beginning group later participated in the Tartu Maraton in mid-February. Estonia is famous for its skiers and has had several Olympic medalists in skiing events in 2006 -- No small feat for a country of 1.3 million people! I don't have any Olympic ambitions (ha, ha, ha) but it does seem to be a great way to enjoy a country that has such a long winter and great skiing places. The Estonian winter paradise is just south of Tartu in Otepaa. My training at this point includes exercises and running, but I am waiting for a bit more snow so we can really practice! I'll keep you posted on my progress...

A couple of international students from the university came over to my apartment this last week to do some baking for an international food fair in the student dormitory. I have an oven, and one of the Americans wanted to make snickerdoodle cookies. It was fun to have the company over and filling my apartment with the lovely scents of baking. However, they also brought with them some Kefir, a sour yogurt-like milk product common here. The Lithuanian student brought it to use as a cream substitute in one of the recipes. The kefir got left behind in my refrigerator. As I don't have any real affinity for drinking milk, I thought I would never consume it. However, I have become a huge fan of this thick drink and find myself enjoying a small glass almost every day. Opening the refrigerator the other night, I even experimented with a variation of mixing kefir together with Vana Tallinn, the rum-like liquor that is made here (absolutely delicious!). I guess you never know what you might like until you try it out.

Today is the closing concert of the Tartu Organ Music Days here. Although I would have rather attended a concert in one of the churches, I have tickets to the gala concert this afternoon. Promises to be really nice... I'll keep you posted!