End of ISM but journey continues

My time at ISM has officially finished. ISM offered and gave all the exchange students a phenomenal time. They took care of us and made sure to make it the best time possible for us. All the teachers were very eager to help us learn and put in a lot of effort to teach us in an entertaining method. I hope that one day I will be able to once again maybe see some of these teachers.

The last week of classes were definitely very long and tenuous. With two PowerPoint presentations and two tests to study for I had a lot of work to keep up with. The last night before finals was especially tough because of all the last minute editing to the presentations and the extra study cramming in hoping we were studying for the right material. Jeff and I studies with a group of the Portuguese exchange students in the classroom at ISM till 2 in the morning. Very rough night.

The next day of finals I just wanted to breeze right by. It went by really slow it felt. The international management presentation and exam went very well. The marketing presentation went well also we just had some critiquing on what to improve upon, but my group felt strong about our grade. The marketing final was a totally different story. It consisted of 6 very difficult and brain numbing questions. I finished it and felt ok about it so hopefully my grade reflects well.

I decided that being one of the last US students to leave Lithuania I would spend my time wisely and tour around. I along with my friend Martino who was also staying late decided to venture upon some of the sites we hadn't been able to pass through yet.

The first day off Martino, Jessica, and I went to down south of Vilnius called Duraskinekaj to check out the well known Soviet sculpture exhibit. It was definitely a hidden treasure. The bus ride was about two hours, but when napping it goes by quick. There were all sorts of sculptures and monuments taken down from around Lithuania and dropped right here in this one location. The park even included a random museum with some fairly exquisit animals. At the end of the day we were very content with the choice we had made.

The next day Martino and I decided to venture around Vilnius a bit more. This included the TV tower and lookout tower on a hill overlooking Vilnius. We definitely got a workout in with all the walking we did to get to those locations. With still a few more days I decided to travel solo out to Warsaw, Poland.

Classes so far..

When I first came to ISM I had no idea what to expect in how classes were taught and the way people would be interacting with each other. I was coming to a whole new environment where I didn't know any of the other American students also coming to study or the foreign students from the other countries either. Everything has turned out great.

For four days a week we go to two classes a day from 9 to 4 with a lunch in between. Though the class days are long they go by relatively quickly and are taught by very energetic teachers making the overall learning experience more enjoyable. Teachers for both the international marketing and management classes are very knowledgable and helpful. The environment is very different from what I'm used to as well. At least three to four languages are spoken throughout the classes making for a very culturally diversified class environment. Mixing with students from different countries had been a great experience and something I would very much like to do in the future again with studying abroad. This melting pot experience of students from different cultures brings out new viewpoints from the different ways people handle their everyday activities. It has also greatly broadened my overall perspective on the world on how big and different the world really is. I have made many new friends here and gained new knowledge that I'm sure to utilize in my near future.

Mixing in with Vilnius

Coming to Lithuania has been a great experience for me. It has opened up my knowledge to a broad, new range that will only continue to expand. Obviously being to Europe for the first time has definitely opened me up to new cultures, traditions, in all a whole new world.

The hostel life has been a total turnaround in what I would ever expect a hostel to be like. My original idea of a hostel was an old run down type looking building with a forgotten about yard, and a dirty interior from people constantly coming in and out. This has not been my hostel. Paupio Nomai has been a pleasant surprise. Though tightly packed and little space the interior has been relatively clean. What has been most enjoyable about the hostel however has been the roommates I've been staying with. This includes 5 Portuguese, an American student from Chicago, and another Unc student. From waking up to 20 different alarms in the morning all the way to drinking till 4 the next day the environment is always fun filled. Every night has some unexpected event come up only to lead another crazy adventure.

Our July 4th was without a doubt one of the best ones I have ever had. Getting out after a 8 hour day at school we were all definitely ready to celebrate. The Portuguese having always wanted to play beer pong after watching trashy American tv shows were anxiously waiting to begin the night. Searching for ping pong balls and plastic cups was not exactly an easy task in an environment that has no idea what beer pong is. After eventually finding our supplies we made our way back to find the parties already starting. Beer pong and the sloshy socializing had begun. Vilnius stays bright till around 11 at night and starts back up around 4 the next morning. After darkness approached the trek began to the hill to shoot off the fireworks we had surprisingly been able to find. With the knowledge that fireworks were illegal to shoot in the city we had no reason but to shoot everything we had. The next couple hours were filled with booming noises, smoke filled air, and what must've looked like prancing elves on Christmas from a distance constant laughter the whole night. July 4th and U.S.A were constantly shouted out with every firework that went off. Eventually a Lithuanian police officer on duty showed up and off we ran back to our safe grounds at Paupio Nomai. The night however could not end and on we continued with the festivities. Music from both cultures blared all night, new travelers joined in, and broken chairs themed the night. Nothing can top the 4th of July being celebrated halfway across the world in the tiny country of Lithuania.

Vilnius the First Few Nights

My last few days since coming to Vilnius have been nothing but spectacular. Lithuania is a hidden gem hidden away on the eastern side of Europe. Coming here I did not really know what to expect at first. My first thoughts were that it would be a run down old Soviet territory that was still recovering and trying to rebuild. Or I pictured it looking like a vast forestland with gingerbread looking homes speckled throughout, the type of pictures you would find in old European fairy tale books. Lithuania however is a gorgeous country from what I have seen so far. Here is is a recap of my first day since I couldn't use my laptop due to forgetting a wall adapter.

I arrived from Copenhagen on the 28th around four in the afternoon. I immediately looked to switch to some Litas that way I could pay for a ride to my hostel. After a little negotiating with the taxi drivers I eventually got a ride for 50 Litas, which was still a rip off from what I've come to find out. The ride happened only to be around 10-15 minutes from the airport. Eventually I arrived at my hostel Paupio Nomai which looks like an old apartment complex tucked away on the side of the street. The classes don't start till July 2nd so I was arriving a little early before the rest of the students. I checked in and found out I would be the only one for a couple days. I walked up to my hostel room which consists of nine single beds all tightly packed together in a bright white room. Being the first student I was fortunate enough to have the first picking of beds. I chose the corner bed which had the most space of all from the other beds. After dropping all my belongings off I decided to go and do a little adventuring. Our hostel is located on the southeastern side of Vilnius which happens to be walking distance to a lot of the main attractions and bustly centers of the city. My first destination was the Old Town which is considered the best Old Town center in all of Europe. It did not fail to meet expectations. Walking up and past the hill  where all the local teenagers like to hang out and get sloppy I reached the first visual signs of the Old Town. Cobblestone roads lead you up narrow alleys with authentically decorated entrances at the very top. The architecture around the town is beautiful consisting of various European styles from different regions and periods. The area is also filled with very extravegent and beautifully designed churches around every corner. I eventually made my way through the curvy paths to the town center where it was bustling with events. Outdoor bars, people shopping, fancy restaurants, and vendors on the street sides made it a very spectacular scene. Fancy name brands fashion labels, well known hotels, and delicious looking restaurants were everywhere. I began walking around just to get a better feeling of the area and to see how big it really was. After a good couple hours of just absorbing the spectacular sights and environment that I was in I decided I should probably get something accomplished. I personally did not know where to start , but I knew that my stomach was growling at me so I knew where to begin. My stomach eventually lead me to an underground supermarket where I stocked up on a good amount of grocery. Lithuania I have since found out is great at cooking all kinds of baked goods to munch on. I made sure to buy a fair share of what all looked tempting and made my way back to my hostel where I passed out for the night.

Heading Out to Lithuania

Well it's June 26th. I am very fortunate to have comfortable timing with my whole flight schedule. My initial flight will not leave till 1130 a.m.giving me plenty of time to pack up any last minute items I may need and enough time to get in a fulfilling breakfast. Today we were also emailed our class and event schedules. It looks to be a very busy, yet entertaining and fun filled time. Hopefully these flights will go by very quickly. With three connecting flights I will definitely have to rush and make sure I catch each and every flight.