A (Very Long) Breakdown, Day 4-7

On Thursday, Day 4 of my Lithuanian adventure, we went to a castle. Trakai Castle is situated on an island in Trakai, Lithuania. Because it is the middle of winter, the lake that normally surrounds the castle was completely frozen over, making it look like something out of a fairytale.

      

                                      

Trakai Castle felt old. Displays were set up in every room to show what life in the castle used to be like: mannequins clothed in outfits from the 14th century, maps and paintings, jewelry, and rooms decorated in the old fashion.

A four-hour bus ride followed, complete with snacks and naps. That night, we finally arrived at LCC, where my roommate (and RA), Laura from Latvia was waiting in the lobby to meet me. 

My dorm room is more like an apartment. It consists of two bedrooms connected by a shared vanity/kitchen space, a shower room, and a bathroom. My bedroom is a very nice size with plenty of built in shelves. I also have a very roomy desk and a light right above my bed, which is perfect for my late night reading sprees.

I love my room. I love that it makes it easy for me to keep things organized (so much so that my roommate even commented on how "tidy" I am, a compliment I have never received in my life). I love that the shower is always hot and the warming rack keeps my towel nice and toasty for me. I love that the boyfriend lives literally right above me and I can hear him sometimes. I love that I don't need a fan to make the room cool enough to sleep in at night. I just love it.

Anyway, Friday and the rest of the weekend was spent running around Klaipeda and getting to know the area. I have a theory that Klaipeda is a cute little coastal town; you just can't tell with all the snow and ice and fog covering the loveliness. Though I think I would prefer Klaipeda during the summer time to wintery Klaipeda, the snow does add a sense of magic to the area. 

                                              

On Saturday, we walked to a sauna on the beach and I could have sworn I was walking through Lewis' Narnia. The big, fluffy, covered-in-snow trees are my favorite. 

                                              

On Sunday, I met two more of my roommates, Vilma and Benita and both of them are Lithuanian. I've been having a good time getting to know all of my roommates and having conversations about differences in culture and customs. I brought them all scarves from Ecuador, which was perfect because they loved them and it was a great way for me to explain about my not-quite-Americanness

We also attended a Catholic church on Sunday morning and were lucky enough to get a private history lesson and tour of the catacombs. Again I was blown away by the age of everything we were walking through and touching and learning about. Lithuania is old in a way I have never experienced and it surprises me every time I come face-to-face with the evidence of this oldness. 

The world is a lot older than I understand; this is what Lithuania is teaching me right now.