UNH Students Visit Riga

Four UNH students, 2 undergrads and 2 grad students, from Social Work and Family Studies Departments arrived on Monday, May 26 for a 2-week study tour in Latvia. It’s been a busy, event-filled, stimulating learning adventure for us all and certainly a highlight of our year here. They stayed in a 4th floor walk-up (maybe it was the 5th floor?!) B&B a block and one-half away from us, shopped for food and snacks across the street and generally explored the city. I had arranged visits to an orphanage/family crisis center, a family shelter, NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations like Soros Foundation & Buckners International) as well as the Ministry of Children & Families and of course Attistiba. We were fortunate to have arranged a meeting with US Ambassador to Latvia Charles Larson followed by meetings with several of the consular staff who deal with issues such as immigration visas, international adoption, passports and other policy and public service matters. Cultural activities included informal, anyone-can-come folk dancing and later in the week a performance of some of the premier Latvian folk dancing groups at a Baltic Sea venue. We had a guided tour of the Occupation of Latvia Museum, portraying the most recent German & Soviet occupation of the country from 1940—1991; the 50-year period after the declaration of independence until Latvia, along with the other Baltic States & several former Soviet states, regained or gained their independence. Journals I read hinted at some additional extra-curricular exploration of Riga life, including night life, not included in the planned schedule.
Since we met almost daily around our dining table during their visit, we do notice it’s a bit quieter now that they have returned to the States. We also have a beautiful bouquet of gerber daisies in a Latvian ceramic vase—a farewell gift. They also left us with positive memories of their engaging efforts to learn about and understand modern-day Latvia, including its human service policies & programs. We look forward to a reunion back in the States with 2 Laurens, Jen & Jenna!!
Story Sequels: Taking out the trash this morning the watchman from the booth downstairs asked me if the four young women were our daughters. Then, just as the trash truck arrived a man about my age looked at my UNH t-shirt and said, in perfect American English, “University of New Hampshire—I’m class of 1957!” Dr. Vieverbrand (sp?) was born in Latvia, raised and educated in the US & is now back teaching a course at the Medical School 3 blocks away from Attistiba. It is indeed, at times, a very small world.
rej