Monday, Our Final Full Day in Balvi

Today is both an exciting day and also a sad day. Exciting because we will get to finish off things and then present them. Sad because it is our last full day here.

Those not finishing of dresses etc. where able to learn how to make spinning tops in wood work.

The spinning tops were a great success!

Mid morning was the time when the presentation was to take place. There was to be a fashion show. After one rehearsal everyone was ready, eager for the show to begin! We were not disappointed.

After an early lunch we were taken about 8km from the Russian border to a beautiful church were the school choir performed for us wonderfully!

On the way back to Balvi we spent about an hour at a bread making museum. We were again welcomed with traditional singing and dancing.

Making the Sign of The Cross.

As part of Class 12's Main Lesson on astronomy they recite a poem by Rudolf Steiner:

The Stars spake once to men,

It is world destiny that they are silent now

To be aware of the silence,

Can become pain for earthly man.

But in the deepening silence,

There grows and ripens,

What men speaks to the Stars,

To be aware of the speaking,

Can become strength for Spirit Man.

i was reminded of this poem when we visited a museum today about life here in this region about a 100 years ago. There was an elderly woman, dressed in traditional costume, making bread for us in a bread oven. When she had put the hot embers to the side, ready to put 4 loaves inside the oven she made the sign of the cross over the loaves, asking for a blessing.

An hour later when we had seen other parts of the museum, clothes, tools and utensils, we returned to the kitchen. After taking the freshly baked bread out of the oven, she once more made the sign of the cross!

We tend to forget this attitude of reverence that people, in particular in the countryside, had when doing their daily tasks.

Büșra

This recall of our adventures is about meeting young people from Europe. It would not be complete without mentioning Büșra , a young 13 year old Turkish girl. Her bright eyes radiating happiness and eagerness to learn about all of us. Her English was good but she struggled often in her excitement to express what she knew.

Büșra stayed in a hotel with her teachers but would have happily stayed in our basic hostel. She got the shy Polish girls to show her, and us, Polish dances.

When she sat next me on the bus she asked me to speak to her in English. So I told her about Harry Potter and Grayfriars Bobby. Each time she thanked me for taking the time to talk to her .

Meeting Büșra, is meeting hope! Hope, that amongst nationalistic impulses, there are little flames that shine bright.

Final Dinner

We had a most happy and lovely dinner. Lots of good food and chat. There were presentations and speeches. Perhaps the best part was chatting to our friends from Latvia, Poland and Turkey.

After the formal dinner the pupils from all countries threw a spontaneous party with singing and dancing!

All too soon it was time to leave.