Heading off on another adventure – this time, to the Baltic States.
For those if you who grew up in the USSR era and aren’t familiar with them, those are the countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Latvia – growing up, my close friend Andrea’s father, Jon, was from Latvia. I got to know him, his amazing parents (who taught me a bit more than I probably should have known about vodka), and later her new stepfamily, also from Latvia.
The Baltmanis clan welcomed me into their family fully, so I may not be Latvian by birth, but I am by love.
Her dad actually got me started in politics – we were too young to vote in the 1996 election, but we were old enough to volunteer. Jon mad some phone banking, and hung flyers around Madison in support of Bill Clinton. Latvia’s independence wasn’t restored until 1991 – they had been under Soviet rule, so Jon and his family understood the fragility of democracy, and made sure our generation did too.
Her dad also could be held responsible for my love of travel – he helped Andrea and I join a program our senior year to travel with another school’s program, to Germany and Austria. It was my first time on an airplane, much less traveling abroad, and I fell in love with all of it. Our trip was full of history, incredible nature, a disco, and even spaghetti eis (ice cream, shaped like spaghetti). There may have also been beer and pretzels, but those memories are a bit more fuzzy.
Jon passed away about 15 years ago, but I think he’d be happy that I’m on this adventure.
He’d also be glad to know that, though I will be safe and these countries are all part of NATO, I got the enhanced travel insurance just in case. F*ck Russia.
I have a quick layover in Copenhagen Denmark (55 minutes – let’s hope the Norse gods are on my side) and then will be starting the adventure in Tallinn, Estonia.
