Hi class, we're from America.

(Vija writing...)

This morning, we had a quick bread-n-butter breakfast, because no matter how early we get up, we're always running late if we have to be somewhere before 10 am. :)  Our host mom and sister took us to the school (which is really nice, by the way) and we participated in an English class.  Because it's the end of the year, and many kids leave school early to start work, there were only 4 students in class today.  They were told that once they asked us 20 questions in English, they could speak to us in Lithuanian...in the end, I think that they really only asked us about 5 questions, but that's because we really elaborated on our answers.  Especially Andryte, who tried (unsuccessfully) to explain about her IB (International Baccalaureate) classes.  Also, because Andryte normally mumbles/talks a bit too fast and she had lost her voice, the teacher said that she had some trouble understanding her. (Oops...)

After we had eaten our lunch at the school, we went to the main part of town to wait for the President of Lithuania - Valdas Adamkus (Dalia Grybauskaite hasn't been inaugurated just yet).  The street slowly filled up with impatient onlookers.  A coach bus even brought a bus-load of "tourists" from a neighboring town.  When the president finally arrived (he was a bit late) we caught a glimpse of him going into the basilica....and on his way to lunch, he waved to us! :)  Hoping that we would get yet another chance to see Presidentas Adamkus, Andryte, Emilija, Ruta, Silvija (one of the girls who showed us around on our first day) and two of her friends and I sat on the sidewalk between the basilica and the parish center.  While we were waiting, a photographer from Plungės news took a picture of us....basically looking like bums on a sidewalk. :)

When we realized that we probably weren't going to get another chance to see the president, we decided that it was time to go home and relax.  At home, we were calmly making some friendship bracelets for ourselves and the kids at the center, when we heard a loud buzzing noise.  I looked up to see an enormous wasp fly into our room through our open window.  The wasp was really about 2.5 inches long....and pretty scary.  However, because it's so big, maybe it's more intelligent than most insects, because it soon found its way out.  The weather was gorgeous today and we wanted some fresh air, so thought we could avoid more encounters with unwanted visitors by closing the window halfway.  After having to catch/release about 5 more bees (smaller ones) in the next hour, we decided to close the window all the way.

Later today, we were told that a group of students from the other side of Lithuania had come to Zemaiciu Kalvarija to sightsee and that our host dad was going to be their guide.  We were invited to come along with them, and we ended up going on a little field trip to the birthplace and resting place of a famous Lithuanian poet (Macernis).  Once again, when we got on the bus, we received strange looks from the new students, but we're getting used to it.  "Hi, I'm Bronius, and I have three Americans with me today.  Emilija (wave), Andryte (wave), and Vija (wave)."  Sometimes, we even feel like we're famous!  (We don't feel like that every day in America.) :)

After we got back from our little "excursion" (as they called it), we hung out with Ruta, Silvija, and her friend Tadas.  There wasn't much to do, so we just sat on a public lawn and hung out for a bit, until a girl from the "excursion" asked if she could join us.  After a while, Silvija and Tadas decided to show us around Zemaiciu Kalvarija some more, so we got a chance to see some beautiful nature again.  We also picked some wild strawberries (zemuoges!), saw a stork in its nest, climbed some hills (ZK is known for being hilly), and walked through an evergreen forest to a beautiful field.  By 9:30 the sun was finally starting to set and the temperature was steadily dropping, so we split up and went home (where we had some nice, hot tea, fresh strawberries, and homegrown cucumbers with homemade honey - delicious!)

Tomorrow, we have been invited to see a special end-of-the-year performance of all the "best" students in the school.  We heard that students will be singing, dancing, and showing off other, various talents.  (Earlier, our host family had suggested that we also perform - but it doesn't look like that's going to happen...) :)

Iki rytojaus!