Voices from a Town: Recent Episodes
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“Singers. What about singers? All singers, tall and small, and old, and young. Everybody sings? Yes. ” -Student, grade 3 “I would like the world to know that Latvia has one of the fastest internet connections in the world. Another thing I would like everyone to know is where Latvia is because when I talk to some people onContinue reading "What do you want the world to know about Latvia?"
Two students from Madona Secondary School #1, who wish to remain anonymous, share with me their thoughts and experiences on a variety of issues facing contemporary Latvia. Life in a small town: Alcoholism: Russia: LGBT: The future of Latvia:
Language in Latvia is intertwined with politics and driven by emotions tied to history, patriotism, and nationhood. A saying, emblematic of the changing generations, articulates: if parents want to speak about their kids when they are in the room, they speak in Russian, but if children want to speak about their parents, they speak inContinue reading "In Conversation: Teaching in the USSR and Today"
It’s one of the first warm days of an unseasonably cold spring, and I sit on the porch with Kārlis in the village of Cesvaine, Latvia. Sula Upe, or Juice River, runs through the tiny town, weaving around wood-heated soviet-style housing, a few shops, and winding forest paths. An otherwise ordinary Latvian settlement, the townContinue reading "Canada to Latvia: an adventure story"
Marco and Ilze Ligouri moved to Madona in 2011 and opened “Neapole,” a pizzeria situated in the main square next to the town hall. While Ilze is a native of Madona, Marco comes from Varese, Italy, a town on Lake Maggiore just north of Milan. They have 23 pizzas on their menu, including a vegetarianContinue reading "Portraits: Pizzeria “Neapole”"
“Nature-filled. Like a normal town but smaller” – Student, grade 3 “Pretty small. There’s some shops but mostly there’s houses and some, like, schools, sports center places like that, but mostly there’s just like houses” -Student, grade 10 Students, grade 10: “Well I know that if I talk to my friends from Ireland they wouldContinue reading "Describe your town to someone who has never been to Latvia"
Describe the weather in Latvia: “We have big slow winter and fast small summer” -Student, grade 12 “Everything. From rainy to sunny to cloudy. um a lot of clouds. Personally, I can’t stand Winter because I’m always cold” -Student, grade 10 “It’s like basically, if it’s not raining, it’s snowing, or maybe the sun isContinue reading "Everybody’s Talkin’ ‘Bout the Weather"
“Oh, it’s green. It’s um noiseless. It’s relaxing. The best thing? One thing only? It’s pollution, but the reverse word, unpollution. I like of course that there are no crowds of people giggles. It’s wonderful living there” -Zane Burnevska, English Teacher “It’s not too crowded. You kinda know everyone who lives here. Maybe not everyone,Continue reading "What’s the best thing about living in Madona?"
“Big distance between big cities. You need to spend a lot of time to go to your capital city. And the work thing. Many people don’t have work here” -Student, grade 12 “Finishing school quicker to get away because I want to go away. Why do you want to go away? Because I want to beContinue reading "What is challenging about living in Madona?"