Blogs

Exchanging cultures in the Sea Battle

For Erasmus students from Baltic States and Scandinavian countries the spring started with the annual trip Sea Battle from Tallin to Stockholm.

This year a record number, one hundred, exchange students from Latvia were participating in the trip Sea Battle. In total around two thousands students from Baltic Sea coast countries were traveling two days from the Gulf of Finland to capital of Sweden.

Last winter was coldest and longest in many years. Maybe that’s the reason why
Spanish night in the end of April seemed so warm and sunny. Sangria, tapas and a lot
fiesta and fun- the key words for this year’s Spanish night.

(Photo by Jeanne De Préval)

Introduction week

(1st- 5th of February, 2010)

At the beginning of the February– young, hopeful and vigorous students. We can talk especially about last one, because it`s not easy to remember any other semester in which students had been so active in events, organized by ESN Riga team.

After the introduction week with it's activities was over, the main semester starting event - the Welcome Seminar Party by ESN Riga took place. These events are the main starting point for every new exchange period. In this spring semester (2010) the party took place in a wonderful eco guest house.

      The fall semester 2009 is soon coming to an end which means that for many exchange students it will be time to return to their home countries therefore ESN Riga in cooperation with Academic Programme Agency (APA) organized the traditional farewell event on 12th -13 th December. It took place in a nice guesthouse “Zaļie atvari” right outside Jelgava. In this way students could spend time together once again and share all the impressions gathered while they were studying and living in Latvia.

On an early Saturday morning in the centre of Riga Erasmus students met to get aboard the biggest coach of Latvia. Having 80 seats it was still not enough big to fit inside all the students who wished to participate in the ESN event called „Sea Battle”, where also ESN Riga section participated for the first time.

On a wet and grey weekend day ESN Riga joined Erasmus students to go to the woods and enjoy a day by the nature - at the paintball grounds.

A bus full of foreign students stopped next to a house in Saulkrasti. Everybody got an army uniform and after explanation of the game rules we were ready to start. The game looks rather easy while watching, but makes your blood pressure and adrenalin raise sky high, when running around the hunting grounds and keeping your eyes on the enemy.

The first month of studies at the university passed by so quickly and Erasmus students had great time exploring Riga and other cities, as well as getting to know each other ... and the time had come to really get to know more about Latvia and its culture.

We are glad to greet you, our exchange student!