Narva Week 1

This week, we all arrived in Narva and started with classes! Monday began with placement testing and ended with a tour of the city. We walked down the promenade and saw the beautiful Narva River. We learned a lot about the history of the city and saw a few local landmarks. Tuesday, we went to the Narva Museum and toured Narva Castle. It was so incredible to look right across the river into Russia. Seeing the refurbishments on the castle was super interesting, some parts of the walls have been there since the 13th century and some parts were only newly added. Thursday involved a lecture on the Ivan Kupala holiday which was super cool to learn about. We played games and did traditional dances. It was a cool bonding experience for all of us. Saturday was by far my favorite day. We went to Laheema National Park and toured the grounds there. We took a quick stop on the beach which was absolutely incredible. The rocks on the beach were huge, bigger than I have ever seen on a beach. Later, we went on a nice hike and saw some beautiful nature. It was amazing to learn that so many different landscapes can all converge in one area. We also got to swim in one of the bogs which was an incredible experience. It was a great break from the classroom. Adjusting to being in a new country has been interesting. It is a lot to digest with a new culture, new people, and new expectations. However, the friends I have made this week make it so much easier. We are all getting along great and spending lots of time together. I think we have a lot more to look forward to as the trip goes on and I am so excited to see what the next two months bring. – Natalie Peters