Trudee Hill

moving on

2006-06-26T14:07:00.000+03:00

three days left. i can't believe the time has gone by so fast. half of my apartment is packed and ready to go while the other half is waiting for me to buy another suitcase. anything with a 220v cord has been donated to european friends. my plants are being inherited as well as the decorative odds and ends i picked up in order to liven up my blank apartment. the work bench is being picked up by a fellow metalsmith today. i'm glad that i found someone who can not only use it but lift it. i thought i'd be ready to go but it seems that i have way too much to tackle in the next few days. i guess that no matter when you plan to leave, you'll always be in a rush towards the end. at least, that's how it is with me.

this week has been filled with good-byes. today it was to elina, someone i met when i first arrived that has remained a constant source of laughter and friendship over these ten months. she cried and i held it in, promising to visit as soon as i can. even though i know we will now live on opposite ends of the earth, i can't help just knowing that we'll not only stay in touch but meet again.

now it's time for visits with old friends, moving to a new city, catching up with family, and the dreadful job/apartment hunt. i don't know exactly what will happen to this blog. i began writing as a way of keeping friends and family back in the states up-to-date. now that my time in estonia is over, should the blog end as well? i'd love to hear what you think.

the proof

2006-06-16T00:35:00.000+03:00

contrary to popular belief, the last four months haven't been all fun and games. after the fashion show and fallen nature exhibition i began working on a series of necklaces inspired by estonian history. the theme of each necklace ranges from estonia's occupying forces, fight for independence, and european union accession. i've just recently completed the series so now you can check out the photos at my online exhibition.

thanks to graham mitchell, the photographer who shot the work!

lit

2006-06-05T22:01:00.000+03:00

senior year of college, my bedroom was windowless. that might drive some people crazy but i was in heaven. any time, day or night, my bedroom could be pitch black like a cave. no matter when i got to bed i could get a full night's sleep without the sun waking me up. this led to an extreme light sensitivity. after moving out of that apartment it was difficult to get my usual eight hours. okay ten.

when i arrived in estonia each day was progressively shorter. the fact that i don't even have a door on my bedroom wasn't an issue. until now. the days are getting longer and the sun is creeping through my curtains earlier each day. i never anticipated that light would be an issue, especially after months of longing for it, but this has got to stop. i'm not the only one. no, there are others. those who purchased sun lamps in winter are now putting up their blackout curtains. it seems that light, or lack thereof, is a constant issue in estonia.

now, to illustrate i have some photos for you to compare. one was taken at 10pm, the other at 3am. can you tell which is which?

pretty tough to tell huh?

i love photobooths

2006-05-25T16:37:00.000+03:00

time goes by

2006-05-25T13:17:00.000+03:00

ten days. that's how long my eldest sister chrystie was here visiting me. besides the fact that we both got pretty sick while she was here, we had a great time. we explored the capital city, visited galleries and museums, ate tasty food, and went to sauna... in two countries. her visit marked my first trip to finland. since it's just a two hour ferry ride you'd think i would have found the time to go in the past nine months but i'm glad that we had the opportunity to explore a new place together. here are some of the highlights from her visit:

chrystie planning our days at hell hunt (gentle wolf) estonia's first pub

hand-made truffles, espresso, and a three piece orchestra...
my favorite old town cafe

view of old town from toompea hill

viru bog in lahemaa national park

palmse manor

installation outside the viinistu art museum which holds the best collection of 20th-century estonian art in the country

helsinki subway
on our way to what we thought was the oldest public sauna in the city... turns out there's now a "thai massaaz" parlor in its place.

suomenlinna island fortress, finland

a very brave duck at suomenlinna

on the suomenlinna-helsinki ferry

port of helsinki

interior of the orthodox uspensky cathedral, katajanokka island, finland

tuomiokirkko (lutheran cathedral) helsinki

the view of helsinki from our ferry back to tallinn

and now...five weeks. seems like a good chunk of time. this winter it seemed like an eternity. now that it's all the time i have left in estonia i know that it's going to fly. but you know what? i'm ready. i'm ready for a job and a schedule and being closer to my family and and... i'm just ready. the opportunity to collaborate with a local artist and show my work, twice, was more than i thought possible before coming here. i've met so many interesting people from all over the world. this experience has been wonderful in other ways that i can't even begin to articulate but yes, i'm ready.

More to see...

2006-04-30T12:36:00.000+03:00

So much to tell...

2006-04-29T22:59:00.000+03:00

i just got back from my whirlwind tour of estonia. the entire country in 9 days seemed a bit overzealous when andrew and i were mapping everything out but we found that we could see what we wanted to and more in just 7. partly because this country is so small (about the size of vermont and new hampshire combined) and partly because i have a lead foot.

so that's what we did. and you know what? it was fantastic.

don't get me wrong... it wasn't all castles and sunshine. here are some low points of the trip: car won't reverse. we found this one out early. at the very first stop actually. but one quick call to roman, our rental car guy, and we were back on track. lost keys. found in a few minutes right between the slide and the swing. the obvious place for keys i know. stuck in the sand. in about two feet of sand to be precise. we weren't going anywhere until we flagged down an estonian hero who single handedly dug, jacked, propped, and pushed our car out of a sand pit. we love you tiit. sickness. our first hostel in narva was freezing. i woke up the next morning with a nasty sinus infection. a lot of medication and nose blowing kicked it by the time i got home. oh well. a dead battery. easily fixed with the purchase of some jumper cables and some helpful punks. a frightening seven point turn. when you realize that you're in the middle of the forest and the very narrow road you're on just ended for no apparent reason you only have one choice.

sounds like we had an awful time huh? well, you're wrong. it could have been bad but when something went awry we figured it out. oh yeah, and we laughed a lot. no point in freaking out right? and of course there are always the highlights of any trip: a great team. i found out after picking up the car that andrew can only drive an automatic. so andrew was the navigator extraordinaire while i was the master of the stick-shift. throw in a few impromptu driving lessons for more laughter. pop megamix. estonian radio got a bit old after the first day so we picked up a tape of the top 51 estonian pop hits from the last decade. play for good times. free fish. offered to us by a woman on kihnu island after we purchased a few handmade items she sold from her home. not just a few fish either. these were 50lb. bags of half dead herring. too bad we didn't have a cooler in the trunk. local heroes. as mentioned above, we weren't going anywhere on several occasions without some help. a push, a jack, a jump, a shove... it never took long to find someone willing to help. a cappella. when the radio and pop megamix no longer cut it. mabel. our rental car. could be a bit testy but she was a trooper and the third member of our gang. which is why i have over a dozen photos of her.

picnic lunches. in order to save money we had a pb&j picnic everyday. yum! plus all of the beautiful chapels, waterfalls, castles, bogs, manors, cities, lighthouses, towns, forests, and windmills we saw along the way.

below you'll find some highlights from the trip. remember that you have the power to enlarge! just click on the photo of your choice.

Estonia...

2006-04-29T21:24:00.000+03:00

well. me me me.

2006-04-12T20:48:00.000+03:00

for my birthday, my lovely friend margit gave me a gift certificate to the make up store for a consultation and to purchase some cosmetics. i had such a great time! since i don't wear make up during the day, i asked for a dramatic evening look and that's exactly what i got. i fell in love with their teal eye-liner, it's devine. they spent an hour with me and we talked and laughed the whole time. only one little snag... the 4pm commute was not prepared for my dramatic look... i got a few stares on the tram home.

in other news... it seems like spring may actually be coming which means that i'm much happier. i've been working for the past month on a series of necklaces. each one references an occupying force in estonia. i've completed three so far... nazi germany, soviet russia, and estonian independence. now i'm looking for images that recall danish and swedish occupation, which is proving to be quite difficult because they occurred so long ago. in the meantime i've begun a new project that i'm pretty excited about though it doesn't seem to have much, if anything, to do with estonia. oh well.

i'm also getting ready for a road trip. yay! i love driving and exploring so road trips are really my idea of a good time. estonia is such a small country that, as andrew and i have mapped out our trip, we should be able to see most of the country in only eight days. score. basically we'll be driving around the perimeter visiting waterfalls, lakes, bogs, castles, ruins, villages, and a few islands. the most important part of the trip will be setumaa in south-eastern estonia. before coming, i researched an indigenous group known as the setus and their jewelry. small communities of setus still live in setumaa and we will be visiting them! unfortunately this region was halved by the current estonia/russia border which means that some villages can only be visited with a visa. what a pain and not really an option for this trip but we'll make do.

one funny thing about our trip so far... we've managed to get a great deal on our rental car. the catch is that this agency places taxi style billboards on each rental! ha. this should make for some interesting looks from the small town folks.

Rarrrrrrrrgh!

2006-04-07T11:12:00.000+03:00

it's snowing.

I'm waiting...

2006-03-23T17:55:00.000+02:00

every year as my birthday approaches i get antsy. not only because i love birthdays, especially mine, but because spring is on its way! well the first day of spring has come and gone and just like every year i am disappointed. nothing has changed. it's still freezing. i know, i shouldn't be surprised but part of me always hopes that on march 20th i will wake up and magically the snow will be gone and the flowers will be blooming. the worst part is knowing that in other parts of the world it is spring. i saw the little leaves and buds in madrid and they made me so happy. and even though some people in tallinn are talking about the effects of spring, i am incapable of seeing any supporting evidence.

as you can see in this photo, that's ice and snow covering the gulf of finland. looks like winter to me. at least the days are getting longer. the sun rose at 614 today and won't set until 1842. the extra daylight is beginning to wake me from my winter lethargy. i seem to have more energy and am beginning to naturally rise before noon. with just three months left in estonia, i'm happy knowing that each day will be longer and (hopefully) warmer than the last. in fact i'll be here just long enough to experience the summer solstice. a day that will last almost nineteen hours! i can't wait.

Lanzarote de Gran Canaria

2006-03-18T15:06:00.000+02:00

estonia's frozen tundra had become too much to bare, we needed an escape plan. sunshine, beaches, and fruity drinks with umbrellas were top three on the list. then came the cost. after speaking with a few travel agents around tallinn andrew and i were on our own, determined to find cheap flights to paradise. after five hours online, lots of map checking, and a few bright ideas we had purchased a week of unlimited vitamin D consumption in the canary islands. these islands are an autonomous region of spain located off the northwestern coast of africa. weather conditions are considered perfect as are the beaches.... jackpot.

the only catch... two nights in madrid to break up the total of six flights we would be taking.

some highlights from our trip:

our flight out of tallinn was delayed by two hours due to a blizzard. the plane was de-iced twice with orange foam and they attempted to clear the runway three times before the snow let up and we could take off for amsterdam. you may now understand why we so desperately needed to leave...

here we are in madrid at 11pm. a few hours late but so happy to be
wearing t-shirts outside for the first time in almost five months.

plaza mayor by night

time for a cup of coffee at the hostel
before our morning flight to lanzarote

the walk to the subway revealed
signs of spring in madrid

we have arrived

costa teguise, lanzarote

a carnival parade on my birthday

fancy costumes

happy birthday to me!
#3 on our list... check!

teguise sunday market

cacti

a camel ride

bitsy loves andrew

and i love mittens

the view from a camel's back

a green lagoon

black sand beaches

timanfaya national park

a crater

geothermal cooking over steam vents

back in madrid:
palacio de comunicaciones

inside the museo del prado

one night in the airport and we're home

we had such a wonderful time! now back in estonia where spring is far away (it's snowing as i write this) i hope that the warm memories and golden tan will last at least until the thaw.

Vabariigi aastapaev - veebruar 24

2006-02-25T01:21:00.000+02:00

estonia's independence day - february 24

on this day in 1918, the estonian republic was proclaimed, declaring independence from soviet russia. however, august 20, 1991 is the date estonia declared its independence from the soviet union.

the pictures below are from a parade that took place this morning at vabaduse valjak - freedom square....

i love a good parade...the multi-purpose bayonet...

the crowd on toompea hill -
which overlooks vabaduse valjak...

quick fact:
8 months of military service is
compulsory for all male citizens...

there were even
amphibious trucks...

but we're ready for some hot tea... brrr!

fair warning

2006-02-23T19:15:00.000+02:00

so, as you should know.... my birthday is in two weeks! yay! yay! yay!

it just so happens that some local travel agencies are offering some amazing package deals right now to very sunny places. as i haven't seen the sun in four months (that's an absurd exaggeration but that's what it feels like) i am planning a trip to las palmas de gran canaria, spain with andrew a few days before my birthday. the trip will last a week so..... if any of you have some major exciting surprise in store for me that involves showing up on my doorstep..... tell me now or forever hold your peace.

berlin = rad

2006-02-21T23:25:00.000+02:00

sunday morning i awoke an hour before my alarm went off. i was seriously in need of sleep, a friend's birthday party was the night before, but i was too excited to stay in bed any longer. john, another fulbrighter, and i caught a plane out of tallinn at 1130am and were stepping onto german tarmac just a few hours later. one great thing about living in europe... hopping flights to other countries is not only quick but cheap. one bad thing... now that i'm starting to pick up estonian and feel comfortable in everyday situations, the shock of being surrounded by a language i can't come close to understanding, again, was unnerving. but we made our way through customs with ease and found a small coffee shop where we were to meet anna.

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you remember anna. she lived in tallinn last "semester," but has since moved to berlin to work with the fourth biennial for contemporary art. i'm so jealous of her right now. moving on... anna met us at the airport and helped us navigate the trains back to her apartment. so glad that she did, the 45 minute trip wasn't so complex that it would have been impossible for us... it was just so nice to see a familiar face amidst the foreign landscape. her apartment is located in the middle of this funky, artsy, hip neighborhood which is within walking distance of berlin's major attractions. after dropping off our stuff, we set off for a late lunch. (that's the view from her apartment...)

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why berlin is so rad, #1 reason: we had our choice of international foods. we started off with middle eastern. a few orders of falafel, some doner, grape leaf wraps, and fennel/fig dessert later we were stuffed to the brim but rejuvenated. the next day for lunch we had thai. the rice noodle duck soup i ordered was so delicious i had to force myself to not suck it up with a straw. the jasmine tea was divine and a kiwi, orange, banana, mango smoothie was almost too wonderful. monday night it was sushi. mmmmmmmmm. some miso soup. some inside out california and tuna rolls. yum. and i hate to mention this. it makes me sound like an absurd american tourist, which i can't deny that i am.... but i'll tell you anyway. starbucks. i know, half of you can't believe i just said that. but come on, i haven't had a caramel frappuccino in SIX months. give me a break. to make up for that sin, we also hit a small funky cafe for breakfast which had the tastiest, freshly made, orange-carrot juice. yum yum.

the real reason we went to berlin however, was not for the food but for a concert. again, kind of lame. sue me. john's sister works with maxim radio and happens to be friendly with a band called the blood hound gang. so we were on a list to get into the show for free and backstage for an after party. not my first choice in music but live concerts can be so much better than the processed music you hear on the radio so i was willing to check 'em out. the concert was on sunday night so we weren't feeling especially gung ho after the flight and party the night before. but we rallied, got some caffeine in us, and went to the show.

thank you anna! that's something we must have said ten times that night. without her near fluency in german, we would have been lost. getting into the concert was alright, our names were on the list for that. the opening band wasn't so great, but when are they? the show was pretty good though. the crowd was so stoked, most people seemed to know all the words, everyone was dancing around and the band was right on. we definitely had a really fun time. after the show, we tried to find someone who could give us clearance to go back stage. we were sent from one person to another and back again, but anna was polite and persistent enough that finally they allowed her, and only her, to go backstage to talk to the bassist. that was enough, we were in. tom, our new best friend, came out with our wrist bands and we headed back stage.

meeting a "rock star" wasn't as climactic as i had anticipated. maybe it's because i'm not their number one fan. maybe i would have felt differently if i was suddenly shaking hands with, let's say... michael stipe. but who knows. "Evil" Jared Hasselhoff seems like a nice guy, definitely workin' the "rock star" shtick but nice. i'm sure there are a few people out there right now that would give something important to them in order to meet this band but oh well. we can't really choose random encounters right? the after party was pretty chill, about sixty people in a back room of the concert hall hanging out, talking, dancing, and taking advantage of the free booze.

monday morning we weren't in top form, but we got out of bed anyway in order to explore the city. anna had work so john and i were on our own with a map. after a very tasty breakfast we headed into the heart of the city without any real intentions. when we wound up near the tv tower it seemed like a good idea to go up, so we did. certainly the best way to get a feel for any city is an amazing view from high above. so hard to believe that each neighborhood, street, house, and window meant enough people to fill it. whoa. we decided to get our $10 worth by having some tea in the revolving cafe. by the time we were ready to meet anna for lunch, we had seen the entire city.

after lunch, mmm thai, we had a few hours to see all that we could of berlin before anna got off of work. the first stop was the museumsinsel (museum island) where we took in some amazing architecture. the berlin cathedral blew me away and the altes museum is simply massive. i'll definitely have to actually enter all of these buildings when i return (hopefully) in the spring. our next stop was the brandenburg gate. on the way we encountered one amazing landmark after the other. almost too much to absorb at once but we took our time and a lot of photographs.

the gate itself is quite impressive. in the center of the square a photo shoot was taking place. the model was sporting an american flag turned shirt. i was interested to know what their intentions were... negative or positive political commentary... but that's not as important as the fact that they have the freedom to make a statement, any statement they so choose. alright, enough of that.

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just around the corner was the reichstag . this building is incredibly imposing. again, when i return i have to see the inside of that building! that sentiment was definitely the theme of the trip. a little frustrating but so much better than not finding anything to be excited about. from there we headed straight for a remaining section of the berlin wall. daylight was fading fast and we were meeting anna for dinner in two hours so we had no time to spare.

map in hand, i knew we were close... but looking up to suddenly see a section of the wall intact stopped me instantly. berlin is a city that i have always been aware of. through history books. to see such an important landmark in person for the first time... i was in awe. and again just half a block away when we came upon checkpoint charlie. there are no words to describe it.

that evening we met anna for sushi and went back to the middle eastern restaurant for dessert. i'm definitely missing several different types of international cuisine that for whatever reason are either not available or ridiculously expensive in tallinn. after we'd stuffed ourselves we headed back to anna's apartment to just chill out. john and i were catching an 8am flight the next morning and we were all completely exhausted.

seeing anna was definitely a major highlight of the trip. leaving college, philly, and many great friends behind to come to estonia was really difficult. i was so fortunate to find anna and elina shortly after arriving. their friendship means a lot to me and unfortunately they both left estonia a few months ago... elina to return to her studies in finland and anna to take an awesome job in berlin. though i have andrew and john as two great friends as well as a handful of wonderful acquaintances.... you just can't substitute great girlfriends.

knowing that we needed to get up at 5am the next morning, we got ready for bed a bit early. but just like any good slumber party, anna and i were up for hours talking and laughing, whispering and planning. such a great time.

who knew so much could be accomplished in 48 hours?

Valentines

2006-02-15T16:55:00.000+02:00

being single and dating in a foreign country is difficult. though many of the people i meet speak english quite well, i have often found that my humor does not translate. when i make sarcastic comments with a laugh or smile and still receive blank stares i know that the relationship has ended. beyond that, the fact that i am in estonia for a limited amount of time seems to deter those interested in the long term. with valentines day approaching, i felt a bit sad knowing that the romantic holiday i've known in the past was not to be in my immediate future. i got over it and decided to be proactive. when out at a concert with my friend andrew last week, i turned to him during intermission and proposed, "will you be my valentine?" he said that he would and we immediately began planning "our" holiday. you see, andrew and i talk about dating all the time. my bad dates and his bad dates. as two american fulbrighters living in estonia with many common interests we've become good friends these past few months. spending the holiday together, getting dressed up and going to a nice restaurant so that we could talk some more about bad dates was the best way to spend valentines. wonderful food, lovely wine, two red roses, and a lot of laughter made my night.

Ei Jaatis!

2006-02-09T14:19:00.000+02:00

i stopped by a corner store the other day for a few quick grocery items. on my way out i noticed this series of signs posted on the door...

suitsetamine keelatud! (no smoking!) no dogs, no roller skates, no cameras... but wait.

is there really an Ei Jaatis! (No Ice Cream!) sign?

i don't get it. if they sell ice cream in the store... besides, it's freezing outside. lately it's averaging about 10F! you would think that no one in their right mind would be out walking the streets with an ice cream cone...

oddly enough, people do. granted i'm new here and it's taking a while to get used to the freezing rain, negative wind chills, and ice coated everything... i don't think i'll ever be able to walk around in this weather without a hat (and ear muffs, and long johns, and on and on and on) but to eat ice cream when the snot in your nose is frozen and it's becoming difficult to open your eyes... it just seems crazy.

or maybe it's genius... reducing core temperature in order to bridge the gap between body and environment could make you much more comfortable. i don't think i'll be testing that theory though... i can just imagine trying to explain how a spoon got frozen to my tongue in estonian.

2006-02-01T15:36:00.000+02:00

the lake

2006-02-01T15:34:00.000+02:00

benjamin instigating a snowball fight

2006-02-01T15:31:00.000+02:00

a hole in the lake for a quick dip between sauna sessions

Nelijarve

2006-02-01T14:36:00.000+02:00

every year kunstiakadeemia (the estonian academy of art) hosts a winter days weekend for the students and faculty. this year over 200 participated. we were bussed out to nelijarve (four lakes) an hour south-east of tallinn for a day and a half of winter sports including cross country skiing, ice skating and hockey, sledding, and snowball fights. for only 100 eek (about $8) we had transportation, all of our meals included, accommodations in the nelijarve hostel, a party saturday night, and a lecture on the history of pornography on sunday morning. in all of the four years i attended university in the states, not once was there a large-scale, university supported and planned activity for the students. the weekend turned out to be a great way to meet people, especially the new group of international students that will be studying here during the spring semester.

otherwise.... the exhibition ended on the 29th and the gallery was completely cleared out by the next evening. i'm excited to have my days back and have begun researching estonian history and collecting materials for a series of necklaces i plan to make. i've also begun private tutoring with a fellow fulbright grantee named andrew. i was participating in a language course offered by the academy last semester, but with a new group of international students the curriculum will be repeated. being tutored an hour and a half a day, four times a week has begun to make a huge difference in my comprehension of the estonian language. i still have a long, long way to go but it seems a bit more attainable now.

2006-01-18T20:05:00.000+02:00

tallinn at 10 am, the snow reflects the minimal light making it almost bright out! almost.

Bbbbrrrrrrrr!

2006-01-18T18:30:00.000+02:00

the most commonly asked question of foreigners in estonia has to be "are you cold?" until today i thought it was funny. after living in philly for four years and surviving a few major snow storms i was pretty sure that i could handle it. so confident in fact that i vowed to put off wearing long underwear until late january or even february if possible. my reasoning being that if it did become as cold as everyone warned me it soon would, i would be prepared. nothing could have prepared me for today. the temperature gauge in my window informed me that it was a mere -15 degrees C (4 degrees F) at 11 am. i immediately realized that it was currently the coldest day i had yet to personally experience. this information, combined with the fact that my curtains were frozen to my double-paned windows, led to no amount of hesitation when breaking my vow and reaching for the long underwear. plus a few more layers and ear-muffs under my hat while i was at it. i'm glad that i did. even taking a train as close to the gallery as i possibly could, i still had an excruciating ten minute walk. when i left the gallery and returned home i found that the temperature was -18 degrees C (0 degrees F) and dropping! i'm told that it may even reach -26 degrees C (-12 degrees F) tonight. what? what did you ask? am i cold? yes. yes i am.

ps - don't worry! even though my curtains were literally frozen to my bedroom window, my apartment is not cold. it's actually quite toasty. you just can't touch the windows for an extended period of time.....

Online Exhibition

2006-01-12T23:39:00.000+02:00

i've finally gotten around to posting my jewelry, past and present, online in a new blog.

that address is www.trudeehilljewelry.blogspot.com

(i know, what a creative title) it will only be updated when i have new work but be sure to check in from time to time. thanks!

2006-01-12T18:58:00.000+02:00

i got fun new glasses. yay!

Stiil ja Anne

2006-01-11T19:42:00.000+02:00

after locking up the gallery today, mikko and i went to the nearest book shop to look for a few articles that were due to come out about the collection and exhibition.

in the estonian magazine stiil there is an article about four "noor (moe)kunst", meaning up-and-coming fashion artists. there is a short interview and mikko is featured along with three models wearing designs from the fallen nature collection, including the hood and jewelry.

then in the magazine anne, uus & huvitav (news & entertainment) section, there is a short description of the exhibition and collection which is accompanied by an image of the model wearing the "mother nature" design (which includes the hood). this blurb mentions some background information on mikko, where he's studied, etc. and on me as well! even noting that i am living and researching in estonia through the us fulbright program.

how exciting!

*magazines are linked to their respective websites

2006-01-08T20:34:00.000+02:00

the permanent smile i had at the opening, with anna

2006-01-08T20:33:00.000+02:00

beautiful mannequins provided by Stockmann,
a finnish department store

2006-01-08T20:32:00.000+02:00

even the hair was recreated by Impuls team,
Nina Bjorkman and Piatu Puhakka

2006-01-08T20:30:00.000+02:00

monday's project

2006-01-08T20:28:00.000+02:00

the view

2006-01-08T20:27:00.000+02:00

it's official

extravaganza

2006-01-08T19:12:00.000+02:00

the few days i had to set up the exhibition were taxing. there was still a lot to be done, framing the prints, picking up the flyers, mannequins, refreshments, projection equipment.... and taking down the previous exhibition. these are unusual circumstances. the artists whose exhibition ended a week before mine were out of the country, wouldn't be returning any time soon, and happened to be friends so i agreed to pack everything up and remove the acrylic paint covering the front window. not the most enjoyable task, but i was able to finish the take down by monday afternoon and immediately begin setting up our show. with the help of friends the exhibition was ready by wednesday night, leaving thursday free for all the last minute things that inevitably come up. which included warm tights, fake eyelashes for one of the mannequins, and forcing myself to eat two meals even though i felt like i was going to vomit.

i arrived at the gallery by 5 pm, one hour before the opening, to set up the projection equipment, attempt to apply the false eyelashes on the mannequin but eventually give up, and prepare the gallery. by six pm sharp we were ready, people were arriving, and drinks were being poured. the only thing left being my opening speech. without mikko there to take at least half the attention if not more, i was forced to stand on my own and address a crowd of about twenty. i've never been comfortable speaking publicly so i prepared a short but informative speech and had notes on hand, without them i probably would have forgotten the name of the collection or at least how to pronounce the names of the photographer, tanja muravskaja, and videographer, joonas kolehmainen. even with the notes i was nervous, though at least feeling less nauseous at this point, my hands were shaking and my voice cracked a few times but i said what i needed to say, thanked everyone that needed to be thanked and was even complimented on my sweet and sincere delivery later in the evening.

after my speech i was ready for a drink, fearing that had i had one before i would have inevitably spilled wine on my blouse or at least had some nice red teeth for the photographer. i was then able to relax and enjoy the evening. in all about thirty came and i loved talking to people about my work and the collection, one on one anyway. the feedback was positive, people were having a great time, and i was getting tipsy. by 830 there were just 10 of us left so i locked up the gallery and we headed out to a nearby poshy bar/restaurant named moskva for some pricey but delicious appetizers, dessert, and mojitos. yum. in all a great night.

now that the excitement of the opening is over, three and a half weeks lay ahead of gallery sitting. a-gallery is open wednesday through sunday 11-6. after three days i'm already looking forward to mikko's return from new york on tuesday so that i'll get at least half the hours from now on. we can opt to pay for a gallery sitter, it isn't very expensive, but i like being able to speak to the people who come in and answer their questions or at least say "tere" (hello) and motion that they are welcome to come in and take postcards with them when they leave (since my grasp of the estonian language is still questionable).

not to jinx anything but we've had a few visitors to the gallery that are interested in the work. one couple owns a gallery outside of tallinn and might like to have the exhibition in the spring. another gallery in helsinki is considering our exhibition as well. and my favorite yet, an estonian dancer who wants costumes and wearable art made for her that will inspire and inform her work. we'll see over the next few weeks where this takes us and i'll be sure to keep you all informed.

"aitah ja head aega" (thank you and good-bye)

2006-01-03T22:52:00.001+02:00

head uut aastat!

2006-01-03T22:52:00.000+02:00

estonian 80's dance party

Haid joulupuhi ja Head uut aastat!

2006-01-03T21:50:00.000+02:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

i had a great holiday, nine days in seattle with my family. just enough to enjoy their company and remember why i like living alone. having spent four years in philadelphia for university, going back for christmas felt normal. something i've been doing for a long time. but knowing that i won't be "home" again until july is strange. never have i been away from my family for such an extended period of time. at least my sister chrystie is planning a visit in may, that i'm really looking forward to.

new years in tallinn was nice. i spent the evening with friends of a friend, a small party just outside the city. we ate, drank, listened to music, and watched fireworks from a parking garage that offered a complete view of the city. a great night, complete with dance party to really aweful estonian covers from the 80's.

these past few days have been hectic. getting everything organized for the opening has been madness. i spent all day yesterday making the frames for ten large prints that will be hung in the gallery and today was spent mounting, framing, and hanging them. thanks so much to andrew for helping me today, i would have been there all night if not for his assistance. tomorrow i'll be rounding up mannequins, the collection, projection equipment, drinks for the opening..... but i'll have some help in the afternoon from more friends willing to spend their day with me on the verge of a panic attack. i'll let ya'll know how it goes, cross your fingers for me.

2005-12-19T22:41:00.001+02:00

soil ring with gold leaf

2005-12-19T22:41:00.000+02:00

the hood

2005-12-19T22:40:00.000+02:00

dirt "pearl" necklace

Jewellery

2005-12-19T22:33:00.000+02:00

i just got some of the proofs from the photo shoot before erki moeshow. i've cropped them a bit so you can see (hopefully) some more detail.

today was busy! i spent nine hours with mikko getting things taken care of for the opening in january. since we'll both be home for the holidays there were a few things that we had to order today so that they would be ready to pick up in time for the installation. a little hectic but we managed to check off some very important things from our list. the highlight had to be getting sponsored by jajaa print center for our flyers. in exchange for their logo on the back we get 400 postcards printed, double sided, for free!

2005-12-18T21:44:00.000+02:00

anna, the spare queen

Bowling

2005-12-18T20:26:00.000+02:00

i haven't been bowling in at least a year. though i've never scored over 100 points in any game, think 50% or more gutter balls, i really enjoy the sport. this afternoon anna and i went bowling just outside the city with two new estonian friends, aivar (pronounced i-var) and maik (sounds like mike). the four of us were able to bowl two games, rent shoes, and drink cokes for 220 kroons (that's about $17). i can't think of the last time i've spent less than 5 dollars for almost two hours of entertainment. the best part is that the bowling alley is one of the few establishments in estonia that i've found to be completely smoke free. since i'm quitting tomorrow this may become a regular thing. wait, i was wrong. the best thing actually was that the second game ended with me not only breaking 100 points but somehow managing to obtain the highest score. who knows, maybe i'll change my project proposal to "breaking 150 in estonia." it could happen.

2005-12-14T14:11:00.000+02:00

plastic bag stand

Plastic Bags

2005-12-14T13:56:00.000+02:00

when you go to the grocery store in estonia, if you want a bag to carry your purchases home you have to pay for it. it's not very expensive, 1 to 3 kroons (9-27 cents each), but it encourages customers to bring their own bags which promotes recycling and is a good thing. what i didn't expect to find is that this practice has led to certain plastic bags becoming more desirable than others. in fact at tallinn's balti jam (train station) there is a plastic bag stand. there are a variety of available sizes and designs ranging from plain, solid colors for 1 kroon to colorful, holiday scenes for up to 5 kroons. as you can see from the above photo, this stand is quite popular.

2005-12-01T21:19:00.000+02:00

me, john, and raphael at the felt hat stand!

2005-12-01T21:16:00.000+02:00

raikoja plats christmas market

Christmas Market

2005-12-01T20:44:00.000+02:00

without seeing halloween decorations and candy in stores by september i began to wonder what the christmas season would be like in estonia. would there be decorations in department stores? christmas trees in living room windows? lights hung up in the town square? my worries came to an end when i saw the christmas market in raekoja plats (old town square). it's like a fairytale christmas village! small wooden houses with thatched roofs are scattered around the square with every imaginable hand-made item pouring from the windows, there are vendors selling gingerbread and hoogvein (warm mulled wine) and honey in the comb (yum!). the best part by far is the huge, 30-40 foot, christmas tree right in the center of the square. this is the very spot where they say the first christmas tree stood in 1442, as in the first christmas tree ever. it's so lovely i've been back twice and will go again tomorrow which means that everyone on my christmas list is getting hand-made estonian gifts. i'm so excited that christmas is almost here! i'm going home to spend the holiday with my family and i'm no longer embarrassed to be listening to my holiday classics playlist (which has been in heavy rotation since october).

okay, okay, after looking at my pictures of the christmas market i realized that the little houses don't actually have thatched roofs. apparently my excitement led me to fabricate a few details. i apologize.

2005-11-30T01:00:00.000+02:00

the hood - image of the day from delfi.ee

2005-11-30T00:54:00.000+02:00

mikko's collection - there's a ring in there somewhere, image from delfi.ee

2005-11-30T00:53:00.000+02:00

mikko's collection - my jewelry, image from delfi.ee

2005-11-28T22:20:00.000+02:00

erki moeshow poster, design by nio dio

Blowin' Up

2005-11-28T18:48:00.000+02:00

i left home this morning thinking that the show is over, now i can rest for a bit before moving on. i was so wrong.

today i met with merle a representitive of a small gallery space in old town. apparently they are having difficulty finding enough artists to fill the space even though the estonian government is subsidizing the rental fees for the year. a friend told me about this and suggested i contact her. having just finished the show, i would love to exhibit the jewelry and hood along side mikko's collection in a setting that allows the audience to view the work up close. during our meeting i pitched my ideas and merle agreed that the collection and jewelry would work well in the space. so in less than half an hour i had secured the gallery for three weeks in january.

there's certainly enough time for this to work. the clothing and jewelry are made. now we just need to design and print cards, advertise, dress the space, secure people to watch the gallery during open hours..... i think there's enough time. we are also thinking of hanging large prints from the photo shoot around the gallery. wow. how just one meeting, one conversation can effect your work, your life. i'm going to be very busy.

we're also getting some wonderful press. today there was a back cover spread in eesti paevaleht of images from erki moeshow. one of mikko's models is featured and now i can say that those brown dots around her neck and on her finger are mine! then in sl ohtuleht there is a center, two page spread on the show with an image of mikko with all four of the models taken back stage. so great. and mikko told me to check out delfi.ee an estonian online publication that has an image of the day column. today the image just happened to be mikko's model wearing the hood. how can this be real?

2005-11-28T03:10:00.000+02:00

me and anna at the show

2005-11-28T03:06:00.000+02:00

the grand finale

2005-11-28T03:04:00.001+02:00

mikko's collection

2005-11-28T03:04:00.000+02:00

dirt pearl necklace (it was wrapped twice and falling down the model's back) and ring

2005-11-28T03:01:00.000+02:00

the hood

erki moeshow

2005-11-28T01:40:00.000+02:00

what a relief! the fashion show, erki moeshow, is over!

these past five weeks have been such a blessing. being a part of this show was such a great opportunity to jump start my work here in estonia and give me some helpful insight into the contemporary scene. i collaborated with mikko seppa, an estonian/finnish designer, who needed a wearable structure (which we refer to as "the hood") for one of his models. this piece really pushed my jeweler comfort zone by forcing me to work much larger than i normally do, but in a way that would be light (aesthetically - to compliment the fashion and physically - to be comfortably worn). we began with mikko's initial sketches, modified the design slightly according to material/functional restraints, and then i got to work. thankfully, i was able to meet the needs of the designer, the piece, and my own aesthetics without much compromise.

mikko was also kind enough to invite me to make more work, time permitting, for the other three models. so, with his collection in mind i created a series of two necklaces and three rings. mikko's collection was entitled fallen nature with a color scheme that included rich browns, hints of red, and golden tones. previously i had been working with deconstructing solid materials, such as concrete, and re-assembling the parts to make a new material suitable for jewelry. the series of jewelry i created for the show utilized this process. i began with fresh soil, forming spheres with the help of a binding agent. i then graded/measured and drilled the dry "pearls." for the necklaces i wanted to maintain the appearance of a traditional strand of pearls, with knots between each one, while adding a hint of color and a contemporary feel. the rings are quite large, measuring 35 to 50mm. in order to highlight the texture and incorporate the golden tones from mikko's collection, i applied gold leaf to two of the rings.

the pictures that accompany this post were taken during the show and therefore do not specifically highlight my jewelry. saturday afternoon before the show mikko organized a photo shoot of the collection and my work in order to take advantage of full hair and makeup that was completed that morning. again, what a great opportunity. to have professional photographs of my work within the appropriate context on gorgeous models is more than i could ask for. as soon as i receive the images from the shoot i'll be sure to post them!

the week leading up to the show was hectic. i helped mikko affix several hunderad viscous threads to the hood on thanksgiving day in between basting the turkey! saturday morning was a rush of bringing everything to the school for the photo shoot, attending hair and makeup, dressing the models for the shoot, packing up everything to be taken to the show, getting ready.... and all on tape. mikko's friend from finland is a film student who, for his senior thesis, created a documentary based on mikko's collection and the days leading up to the show. which meant that through all the chaos, he was there capturing it on film.

the show itself was spectacular. 28 designers were represented from kunstiakadeemia (the art academy), estonia, finland, denmark, and sweden. the theater was filled to capacity, camera crews for print as well as television were present, a dj, a live band, pole dancers during intermission..... in all, a very exciting evening. the best part? nothing went horribly wrong. worst case scenarios had been flashing through my mind all week. the hood falls apart on stage, the pearls crumble, the models trip, you name it i was dreaming about it. but no, it was simply wonderful.

2005-11-25T00:50:00.000+02:00

a thanksgiving feast!

2005-11-25T00:00:00.000+02:00

what's thanksgiving without a feather-headdress? don't forget the leopard print trim.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2005-11-24T23:24:00.000+02:00

well, it's official. my first ever thanksgiving as hostess went off so well i can hardly believe it. at first i didn't even think i would be able to find turkey (kalkun in estonian). at several grocery stores all i could find was small chickens! i was almost resigned to the fact that this thanksgiving would be turkey-free when i found, at a small market near my home, turkey! they had small birds, the size of my head, not suitable for a large dinner party. but they had large, actually extremely large, turkey legs. they weighed in at about 5 pounds each! so i purchased three as i was expecting about 10 for dinner. i planned to cook the turkey, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin-cheese cake, and apple pie. each guest was asked to bring a side dish and whatever they would like to drink, traditional thanksgiving dishes were suggested but not mandatory, so there was plenty of food for everyone and more than enough wine. i spent wednesday preparing the desserts and cranberry sauce. somehow by thursday my guest list had expanded to 14! thankfully everyone left with a full stomach and i even managed to have a fridge filled with leftovers! one of my new friends, adam, is vegan so there was some creative cooking so that he would have something to eat. i wasn't sure how the vegan stuffing would turn out but it tasted just as good as my moms! i think the addition of estonian black bread really made the difference. but my favorite had to be the pumpkin-cheese cake with ginger bread crust, got the recipe off the internet then switched ginger bread for graham crackers. mainly because it's impossible to find graham crackers in estonia but it turned out so well i think i'll have to make it this way again and again. one guest even brought feather head-dresses for us to wear, not very politically correct, but very fun. well, hope all of your thanksgiving celebrations were just as wonderful. so true that it's not really about the proper menu or fine china (we had paper plates and plastic wine glasses) but about the people you choose to spend this day with. i am so thankful that just a few months into my grant i have managed to find people that i could be happy to share this holiday with. so thankful.

2005-11-21T13:24:00.000+02:00

robert van winkle aka vanilla ice....

hey all! just a quick update: i saw vanilla ice in concert last week.... very strange to be seeing him in estonia but very fun in a nostalgic, kitschy kind of way, but his new hard core style was a little much for me.

something very unexpected happened to me the other day. i put some change in a soda machine and nothing happened, nothing came out and my change wouldn't come back. i was with my friend elina who decided to call the customer service center. something i would never do, what's the point? but she got them on the line and they asked where we were, what kind of soda we were trying to get, and what our contact information was. within half an hour, a customer service representative was at the school handing me a coke, on a saturday! that would never happen in the states.

Tartu

2005-11-13T18:31:00.000+02:00

we met up friday morning at the bus station and caught the next express bus to tartu. the ride is about two and a half hours and costs only 70eek ($5) each way. when we arrived in tartu we headed straight for our hotel which was a ten minute walk outside the city center. in such a short distance we were already in the suburbs, wooden houses all around. for 700eek ($54) a night we had a room with three single beds, our own bathroom, and use of a community kitchen. a great deal and worth the short trek to and from the center. after dropping our things off, we headed right back to town to begin exploring. first stop was the information center in raekoja plats (the town hall square). there we picked up a copy of "in your pocket - tartu," a helpful city guide that outlines points of interest, restaurants, night life, etc..

right on the square is the leaning house which was built in 1790. part of the foundation was set on the old city wall while the other was constructed upon wooden piles. not a very good idea. the building was in danger of falling down until polish engineers stabilized the foundation during the soviet period.

after a day of sightseeing and a visit to the estonian national museum, that includes a room filled with national costumes and jewelry over the centuries organized by region, we had an early dinner at a popular russian restaurant then headed to illegaard jazz club for a drink. unfortunately there wouldn't be a live performance that evening so we mapped out a few plans for saturday then headed back to the hotel. though tired from the day we were unwilling to return to our room before 9pm. so we went right next door to a popular pub named olle tare which from the outside looks like a giant beer stein. there would be live music so we paid a small cover, grabbed the last stools in the house, and waited for the show. we soon realized that olle tare is popular but with a much older crowd, the same went for the music, so we were in bed by 11.

saturday began with a visit to the local indoor market. we weren't there to shop but to simply experience the sounds and smells. next we were off to st. anthony's court, home to tartu's craft guild. visitors walk from studio to studio, there are 22 workshops in all, and are able to purchase hand-made items directly from the artists. such a nice change from the souvenir shops in tallinn! a few christmas presents were purchased then we had lunch at a crepe restaurant yum! and ran into a friend from tallinn! one great thing about living in such a small country.

a large portion of our sightseeing consisted of churches. st. john's is the oldest dating back to the 14th century. my favorite was the russian orthodox church of st. george the conqueror built in 1870. we opened the door and saw eight elderly women sweeping the floors with hand brooms, polishing, and dusting. the interior was covered with icons and sacramental objects but there were no pews. anna explained that people come and worship individually, visiting the icons, praying, and lighting candles. the women let us stare in wonder for a few moments then quietly shut the door.

our last stop before dark was the university of tartu museum which is housed inside a five story reconstructed cathedral apse while the rest of the original structure remains a shell. a 10eek ticket granted us entrance into the museum, filled with paintings and university memorabilia, and the towers which offered a nice view of the city but after seeing the sign below we were a bit apprehensive to stick around for too long.

after taking a nap back at the hotel, we were ready to experience a night on the town. we started with dinner then checked out a few pubs around the old town. while tartu is a university town, you don't really see very many students in the pubs but out in the streets just hanging around. i wonder if they'll still be doing that in a few months. our last stop of the night was ironically called club tallinn, it is said to be the hottest night club in estonia. cosmopolitan magazine just came out in estonian so the club was hosting cosmo night. magazines littered the tables, cosmos were complimentary at the bar, images from the magazine were projected on the walls, and there was a live band for a portion of the evening.

sunday morning check out at noon then right to the bus station for the trip home. we had a great time but the experience helped us appreciate all that tallinn has to offer by way of restaurants, clubs, and social interaction.

2005-11-13T16:19:00.000+02:00

bus ride

2005-11-13T16:18:00.001+02:00

raekoja plats - town hall square

2005-11-13T16:18:00.000+02:00

leaning house

2005-11-13T16:17:00.001+02:00

church of st. george the conqueror

2005-11-13T16:17:00.000+02:00

interior of st. peter's church

2005-11-13T16:16:00.001+02:00

tartu university museum

2005-11-13T16:16:00.000+02:00

at least they warned us

2005-11-09T14:55:00.000+02:00

it's been a while since i posted... i've been working for the past few weeks on a wearable structure that will be part of a fashion show at the end of the month. this piece is the result of a collaboration with a fashion designer here in tallinn. i'll also be making some jewelry for the show of my own design. so exciting but very time consuming! i'll be able to post images of the work after the show along with more complete descriptions of the work.

otherwise i've been busy helping the newest fulbright arrival, andrew, get settled in. it didn't start out well though, i arrived at the airport last week two hours late! i had confused the time and andrew had left the airport with no way for me to contact him. being the resourceful guy that he is, he checked into his hotel, then went straight to the mall to acquire an estonian cell phone/number and called me up a few hours later. crisis diverted! he's putting the rest of us to shame having already moved into his apartment, filed for his residency permit, begun classes, and set up a bank account.

i'll be heading off to tartu, estonia's second largest city with a population just over 100,000, this weekend with andrew and anna whose an intern at the us embassy. the university of tartu is the oldest and largest university in estonia, it was founded in 1632! it's also known as the city of "good thoughts" and is considered by some to be more relaxed, intellectual, cultured..... than tallinn, which might be attributed to the estimate that 40% of tartu's population are either students or professors. sounds like it'll be fun. i'll be sure to give you the update next week along with pictures! until then.

Happy Halloween!

2005-10-29T16:18:00.001+03:00

estonians don't celebrate halloween, they've been exposed to it through american television but it hasn't really caught on here. so having a party where everyone has to dress up is a lot to ask. luckily most of the people i've met here attend art school and artists will generally jump at the chance to be the center of attention. there were a few who showed up without a costume that felt so out of place they improvised with borrowed clothing and makeup, way to get into the spirit! since halloween is on a monday this year, the party was held a few days early but no one seemed to mind. there was a lot of dancing, eating of candy, and some very memorable moments that a few people won't be forgetting for a very long time...

2005-10-29T16:18:00.000+03:00

gettin' down!

2005-10-29T16:17:00.000+03:00

ladies night

2005-10-29T16:16:00.000+03:00

don't worry, it's just make up... so punk rock!

2005-10-24T15:07:00.001+03:00

yay! it has arrived, my very first care package! thank you so much! apparently space available means two months but these cookies are so good it was worth the wait. thanks to everyone for all of your support, warm wishes, and comments!

i would like to encourage everyone to join skype! all you have to do is download the software for free and you're connected to millions of people with skype, like me! you can send instant messages or talk using a headset or the microphone and speakers on your computer, it sounds even better than a phone connection, and it's free. you can get it for mac or pc so no excuses! drew and bri were skeptical at first but after talking for three hours yesterday, estonia to cheney for free, i think they're hooked.

2005-10-24T15:06:00.000+03:00

yay!

2005-10-22T14:43:00.000+03:00

the more time i spend in tallinn, the more there seems to be going on every night of the week. which is great fun but not the best environment for getting any work done. lately i've seen a few local/regional bands that blew me away. last weekend it was eriti kurva muusika ansambel (especially sad music ensemble), the sax player, kalle klein, also works at kunsiakadeemia (the estonian academy of art). the ensemble is composed of two upright bass, two violin, one flute, one sax, and a mad conductor/lead singer who violently spews poetry. the experience was overwhelming because the music is so charged and delivered in estonian. a language that i may never be able to learn but that is so beautiful when spoken and especially when sung i'll keep trying. last night i saw joona toivanen trio, an extremely talented finnish group composed of piano, upright bass, and drums. the venue, jazzklubi teater NO99, hosts jazz groups every friday and saturday night with a student ticket price of 40 kroons (about $3) so cheap for two and a half hours of live music and a great way to spend friday night with a few friends.

2005-10-22T14:41:00.001+03:00

joona toivanen trio at NO99 theatre

2005-10-22T14:41:00.000+03:00

eriti kurva muusika ansambel

2005-10-14T19:27:00.000+03:00

daniella, the only stylist willing to create the following...

2005-10-14T19:26:00.000+03:00

around here we call that a two-tiered bang mullet mohawk

2005-10-11T12:50:00.000+03:00

housewarming...

2005-10-11T12:46:00.000+03:00

last call...

better late than never...

2005-10-11T12:30:00.000+03:00

the housewarming was great fun, i'm so glad that i waited a little while to have the party. if i had thrown it when i first moved in i would have been able to invite three people...a month later and thirty were on the guest list with 25 in attendance, not bad. every time i throw a party or plan an event i get nervous, rearranging the candy dishes nervous, for no apparent reason. will there be enough food? too much? will people have fun? talk to each other? will the people i know from school get along with the people i know through the fulbright program? who knows and there's no point worrying about it, but i always do and it always turns out just fine.... we had a great time, good food (just the right amount), excellent wine, funky mix of music (everyone found something they liked), and lots of laughter. oh yeah, and an impromptu ballroom dancing lesson, nothing out of the ordinary.... i held the party on a sunday evening with the hope that it wouldn't run too late, people have work and classes in the morning, and i didn't want the first party to annoy my neighbors too much.... so wrong, last call didn't come until three... but thankfully there were no complaints or police reports filed.... a really great time.

Rrrarrrgh!

2005-10-07T14:46:00.001+03:00

i'm sick! *cough, cough* nothing spectacular, just your average cold with an above average amount of phlegm... i know you all wanted to know that. i've been in bed for three days now, drinking tea with honey, taking my vitamins, and even forcing myself to take much needed cough syrup, something that i have never been able to force myself to do but now it is not an option, i must get better now! at this moment i am blogging from my bed, good to know that i get much better wireless reception this close to the window, one good thing coming from feeling so yucky... i have a better late than never house warming party planned for this weekend so i must begin my recovery this instant! knowing full well that no one reading this is close enough to bring me soup or ice cream or a movie, i ask that you all send me healthy wishes. hopefully they will make their way across the atlantic in time for sunday!

2005-10-07T14:46:00.000+03:00

fall in tallinn

2005-09-26T15:36:00.001+03:00

i really love canoeing...

2005-09-26T15:36:00.000+03:00

fairy tale mushroom

2005-09-26T15:26:00.000+03:00

okay, okay. it just dawned on me that all the pictures i just added to this blog posted backwards so bear with me...

friday i left tallinn behind for a relaxing weekend in the country. a friend at school invited several people to hostel soomaa for a few days of sauna, hiking and canoeing in exchange for some help around the hostel. so i'm imagining some window washing or maybe some sweeping, etc.. however, when we arrived friday night i soon found out that "help around the hostel" actually means eight hours of manual labor... we spent saturday cutting wood out back and carrying it to and stacking it in the front, piling up scrap metal, bottles, paper tubes, and carting out loads of concrete chunks, glass, and tiles. by saturday evening we were exhausted but what had seemed impossible that morning managed to get finished with all of us pitching in.

our reward began just a few hours later with sauna! imagine the saunas you have seen in the states at your local gym, they look about the same in estonia... now imagine 70 - 90 degrees celsius ( that's about 160 - 190 degrees fahrenheit ) whoa... and don't think that i'm exaggerating, i saw the temperature gauge... this heat was intense... but cured my aching back! sauna in estonia is a ritual, many people go once or twice a week with friends and family, you spend some time inside the sauna, rinse off, then cool off outside, talking and drinking. when the cold air starts to get to you, back into the sauna! this is repeated two or three times and takes a few hours, a great way to socialize and relax at the end of the day.

sunday our reward continued with an all day canoeing and hiking adventure... we started off at eight thirty with 12 kilometers (7 miles) of canoeing, the sun still rising, birds in the trees, leaves starting to change colors, beautiful... then we pulled our canoes on shore and began a hike through the forrest. we picked delicious apples, saw red mushrooms straight from a fairy tale, marshland, deserted log cabins, a black river... after a few hours we headed back to our canoes for another 8 kilometers along the river. when we returned to the hostel at five pm we were exhausted and hungry but happy to have spent the day in the wilderness.

monday morning we were up at six am to catch the two hour train back to tallinn... with an open-ended invitation to return to soomaa for hiking or even cross-country skiing in exchange for more "help around the hostel"

2005-09-26T14:30:00.000+03:00

monday, morning train to tallinn

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almost home....

2005-09-26T14:28:00.001+03:00

some rest....

2005-09-26T14:28:00.000+03:00

hike through the forest....

2005-09-26T14:27:00.001+03:00

our reward

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sunday, play day on the river

2005-09-26T14:26:00.000+03:00

a long work day.....

2005-09-26T14:25:00.001+03:00

saturday, work day

2005-09-26T14:25:00.000+03:00

out to dry in soomaa

2005-09-26T13:29:00.000+03:00

yay! yay! yay! i finally have a work bench! yay! yay! yay! after weeks of searching and asking and looking for a suitable bench i now have one. as i said before there isn't enough room for me to have my own space at the school so it was very important to find a bench that i could have at home. trying to find one seemed impossible though, everything was too expensive, or too low ( it needs to be 39 inches or about 100 centimeters so that i don't have to crouch down to work ). the other day i ran in to some luck, i was talking with the shop assistant at the art academy about having a bench made by one of the sculpture or metal students, it would have been expensive but seemed to be my only option. another student overheard our conversation and said that he could easily find me a bench, in fact there were several desks in the dormitory that are not in use and we could try to find something there. as luck would have it i found something suitable, a wooden desk, very sturdy, that was already old and banged up a bit so i don't have to worry about messing it up. we then found some 2x4 blocks in a scrap bin that we used to extend the legs of the desk to the perfect height and cut a half round opening in the front of the work area so that i can easily saw and file. getting the bench to my apartment would be the hardest part, with the help of a first year student we were able to get everything the seven blocks to my building and up two flights of stairs into my living room! in all it took just four hours to get the bench i needed after weeks of searching....how lucky! the best part has to be that i only spent 50 cents on some screws and sand paper!