Kalmaņu vīns

Dažādu iemeslu dēļ pasen neko neesmu rakstījusi, bet vismaz šodien klusumu lauzīšu, pastāstot par kādu īpašu Ziemassvētku dāvanu.

Aizvadītajos Ziemassvētkos mani tuvākie ģimenes locekļi saņēma speciālu dāvanu - Kalmaņu vīnu, kas tagad man vienmēr atgādinās tēta pārsteigto reakciju un jautājumus visas nākamās pusstundas garumā.

Latvijā šī iespēja, šķiet, nav īpaši zināma, taču vismaz dažās ārvalstīs ir ierasta lieta dāvināt parastas mantas ar neparastu noformējumu - piemēram, baltvīnu ar unikālu etiķeti tikai dažos eksemplāros. :) Par to uzzināju, nejauši runājot ar vienu šādu meistaru, un ideja manai unikālajai Ziemassvētku dāvanai bija gatava! Ar meistara palīdzību tā tika arī realizēta, maniem vecvecākiem, tētim, mammai un māsai pasniedzot šādu dāvanu ar manis izdomātu tekstu gan pudeles priekšā, gan aizmugurē.

Lai gan šoreiz vīns bija parastais ungāru vīns, Ziemassvētkos par to aizdomājāmies, jo tieši tobrīd vectētiņš brūvēja mājas ābolu vīnu... Varbūt nākamreiz tas būs 100% Kalmaņu vīns ne tikai etiķetes, bet arī sastāva ziņā?!

Baltic Winter Drinks for Charity

Some of you might have already heard - some crazy Baltic people (+ our great Dutch team member) are organising a charity event here in Amsterdam on December 18!

It started as an idea "Let's do something good this Christmas and let's popularise Baltic countries" and it grew into this wonderful event. Baltic Winter Drinks for Charity is organised by youth from all 3 Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) to have a nice winter evening, to educate people here about our countries and to donate income to the charity (soup kitchens in Baltic states).

Able to join on Dec 18? Living nearby Amsterdam? From Baltic states or having an interesting about these countries? Just come!

Every day we are e-mailing each other, updating about news, supporters (today we got to know that not only the embassy of Latvia, but also the embassy of Lithuania is supporting us!), making sure the agenda, promotion and everything else is as good as possible. Feels like back in NGO times! :)

What exactly is voluntary work?

Yet another article to introduce you with.

It was still July (or maybe August) when for AEGEE's annual report "Key to Europe 2010/2011" I wrote two articles - one about voluntary work in general and one with quotes from several AEGEEans about their reasons to volunteer.

The annual report is published and my articles are published as well :) Go to your closest AEGEE office and read the magazine there, your board should have it!

Or do as I did - read it online here!

Hear me singing

As you might remember, I am singing in a Latvian choir here in the Netherlands. Although we have been rehearsing for less than two months, our first performance is going to be already this weekend when the Latvian community in the Netherlands is celebrating the Independence Day of Latvia (my country is getting 93 years old!).

Last weekend we had our rehearsal, where we also recorded the Latvian anthem as LNT (one of Latvian televisions) is collecting videos from Latvians abroad singing the hymn.

While it might not be the best singing ever, please, appreciate our efforts taking into consideration how young is the choir "Ziemeļjūra" (it means Nordic/North Sea)!

Spread the love

Yet another article - this time with the readers of Libertas Magazine I shared my opinion about love... No, not that kind of love as you might think - but my love to volunteer!

"We all know that (almost) all of us love our partners, parents, siblings, children and close friends. It is an unconditional love, which (almost) all of us have experienced in our lives and continue experiencing. But how about loving the world through volunteering?"

To read the rest of the article, please, click here!

1 out of 7 billion

I feel like an ant... How about you?

Caricature

What do you think about this version of Anita? :)

I got this caricature last week from my Dutch course mate who is a professional artist-caricaturist. Every lesson he is drawing some people just for fun (while studying Dutch), so finally I also got my picture.

Michael already gave his opinion - the straw symbolises me drinking capirinhas and the smile symbolises me making fun of Michael. :)

Other opinions?