Chopsticks

It was my host moms 55th birthday yesterday and to celebrate we had a formal dinner party at the apartment. For dinner they ordered in Sushi (from who knows where) and it was a very Asian meal (my host parents went to Nepal this November so they are really into Asian stuff right now). We started eating the sushi with forks and to me it felt very weird until my host remembered that they had chopsticks for everyone. I cannot even convey how hilarious it was to watch a bunch of Latvians trying to use chopsticks. Then they realized that I could use them so..I proceeded to try and explain in Latvian how to eat with chopsticks. It was absolutely hilarious. I ended up having to position them in numerous people's hands and then watched them try and try again to grasp the sushi (which was actually really good). It was one of those moments that made me thankful to be an American because I had been eating with chopsticks from the time my parents took us to Pee King Duck (I think that was the name of the restaurant) in Chinatown.

Christmas Tree Stars

Today my host parents took down the Christmas tree. They put it up on Christmas Eve..and take it down a week later because they don't water it so its shedding needles pretty badly after a week or so. I asked them why they put a bell in top of the Christmas tree instead of a star or an angel (like we do in the US). My host dad told me that it was a psychological thing because to them stars signify the hammer and sickle (the flag of the USSR). So putting a bell on top of their tree was a way of getting away from Moscow during soviet times...sort of a silent revolt against soviet ideals.

Clapping

Those devoted readers of my blog will remember when I wrote about how Latvians clap in unison at concerts. Well I noticed another interesting thing about clapping on my way back from Switzerland. I took Air Baltic the Latvian airline because it was the cheapest and took me directly to Switzerland. When the plane touched the ground on my return to Riga a significant number of people on the plane started clapping. I remember it happening before on flights to Latvia but not from Latvia. Maybe they were happy that we arrived in one piece..or that they were home. Its one of those weird cultural things I am going to have to ask about to find out why it is done...so stay tuned!

Switzerland

I just returned from spending Christmas with my family in Switzerland. I was a nice break from Latvia and I must admit it was hard to leave. We went skiing (I hurt my knee..man getting old sucks) and I got see a significant bit of the country. Here are some of my most favorite photos from the trip.

Me with Geneva in the background
Inside the United Nations where I got to do research!
Smiling at all the junk food at the American Store in Geneva
My Dad, brother and sister on their way to ski in my sister's town of Gstaad
In Gruyere where we watched cheese being made
In Montreaux the Swiss Riviera
Zurich
Overlooking Zurich

My sister and I in Bern
A truly Swiss dish.....Raclette and Dr Pepper