Tip #1 - God's mercies are new every morning. When day one is just plain hard and full of challenges, this is a good perspective. That is what we found today. Good too because two days in a row like yesterday and, well, thankfully don't have to go there!
Tip #2 - Don't do this alone. When I was frustrated beyond description at midnight here, there were friends online who helped us to stay strong. Even a fellow adoptive mom and son who came over to help when they really should have been sleeping - LOVE THEM! This is not the time for rugged individualism!
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| have to smile when you see a Hapi sign |
Tip #3 - If you enjoy those home decor shows, might want to check out an apartment in one of the old buildings in the city. Lots of space at a decent price. Plus you get to see some very interesting features - like these chandeliers. Picture Trey and Nate sleeping in the room with the red/white one. Wonder what they think when they wake up and see that over their heads? The entry way is often behind a street gate, then you get a key or code to enter and find your space. Always have your new sim card ready in the phone, along with the owner's phone number so you are not like us - dragging heavy suitcases all around the city until you can find a sim card and a place to lay your head.
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| home sweet home - for now |
Tip #4 - Try new foods! We liked the look of the Kristapa Kungs - or close to that. Kept looking for hobbits to sit at the next table. Loved that they had menus in English and Latvian so we didn't accidentally order oxtail or tongue. Did appreciate the noted Russian and Latvian specialties so that we could try more authentic fare. Very yummy - would go back but we might miss some other awesome place if we do. So probably will keep exploring.
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| from the Russian specialties menu - yum! |
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| you can even be flexible with utensils - for example, no forks? well, use the teeny tiny coffee sweetener spoons! takes a lot longer, but it is that or buy a pack of plastic forks. nah!! |
Tip #4 - Be flexible! When we don't have scheduled appointments, I am having the guys decide what they would like to do. Today they wanted to see Jurmala, which is on the Baltic Sea. We found that a soccer game was to be playing there. So, off we went. Look very, very carefully at this amazing game on the very nice field. Maybe if you look really hard, you will see the players more clearly than we could :). Plan B - head to the beach!! Prepare yourself for the occasional topless young lady. Otherwise, very relaxing and beautiful way to spend the evening.
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| wow - can you see their excitement?! :) |
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| Baltic Sea |
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| V makes "porridge" |
thinking about..??
Tip #5 - If you have court in the morning like we do - SET AN ALARM! Would not be a good impression to go to court late or stinky :P
Tip #6 - Give thanks for getting this far! It is a feat worth pausing to recognize.
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| feet hot and tired from traipsing all over the city? try burying them in the cool, wet, soft, soothing sand at Jurmala! |
May many who read this have their very own trip two travel tips one day - with a child for whom they will do whatever it takes to bring him or her home forever.
Love from Latvia,
Sue
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