Today's excursion (22,09,2010)

So today our class went on a "learning" excursion. We went to the Mežaparks in Rīga. There we first played football for a while, and then ate lunch. BUT AFTER, we went to what was called Mežakaķis (forest cat) and that was a high COPE course. I thought that we were going to go rock climbing, but no...but this was great! First we had a little training exercise which basically taught us how to use the equipment and the proper safety procedures. Then we went to the green course, the easiest course and lowest to the ground. That consisted of some cool little things like having to walk through a net, walk on moving platforms 9they were planks of wood attached to ropes) and a zip line at the end. Then was the silver course. That one was I think the same height as the Green course, but was harder and longer, and with some different obstacles. I dont remember exactly which though. The silver course ended with another zip line, except it was longer. Then was the gold(?) course. It was harder, twice as high, and with the strong winds we were getting, quite wobbly. Oh yeah, and longer. The first thing we had to do was climb a ladder, then cross a gap, then climb another ladder. After the second ladder, we had to cross a gap by means of a barrel hanging from wires. After the barrel, we had to walk across a thin blue piece of what looked like tarp material. It was about 6-7 inches wide, so really nothing scary. Somewhere along the way, one classmate, Jolanta, got stuck on an obstacle somehow. It was the planks of wood hanging by two ropes and organized in a way that they were like a walkway with two foot gaps in between each other. But they were hanging and so they were now solid and quite hard to cross. She got stuck on this. So one of the guides, I guess, they weren't really guide-ish people, had to completely beast his way through to Jolanta to help her. When he finished helping her, everybody else started moving again. At this point, I had to zip line across a gap to a platform where we "Tarzan" jumped to a net. By the way, the platforms were about 3 feet long with a tree going through the center, so about a foot or so of walking space. The Tarzan jump was fun. There was a rope that you connected your carabeeners to, and swung to a net. it wasn't a long distance, but it wasn't a short distance either. When you hit the net, you had to climb up it to the next platform. That platform was where Jolanta got stuck. The next courses where basically different variations of one another, all having to walk across a wire with yourself connected to one wire and walk across. One variant made you step either on or over some small barrels. Nothing really difficult. Then you had to walk on those planks like those that Jolanta got stuck on, except they  were connected to one another at a pivot point and they could turn when you stood on them, like in a zig-zag formation. Then climb down a ladder to another zip line. This zip line was longer. :D I was able to flip upside down on this one. :) But, when i had to grab the net at the end, I lost my grip and went to the middle and got stuck. I tried to pull myself back, which was 25-30 feet, but could not. One of the girls below me yelled: "Yeah show us how Americans do things!" I almost made it there but my fingers just could not hold...i went back to the middle. Frustrated, I hung there...upside down of course hehe :D. After that course was the Black course...the hardest and second shortest. The green course was the shortest. I was too tired to do the Black course, but Arnolds, Niks, Romija, Toms, Ansis, Pēteris, and some others did it and said it was intense. I went to the first platform for it, but then backed down cause my arms weren't with me in this decision. It was fun. Yeah thats basically the COPE course. :)

This Friday is a science night at the medical university where Aija works. I am going to it along with one of Eva's friends, Erika.Artūrs will come too, I'm pretty sure. We are just going to hang out there and look at everything, and try to avoid the cadaver room...That's creepy at night...Eva knows. One time, Eva was at Aija's work for something and she was alone for a bit. Then she had to use the bathroom, and had to walk by the room where they kept these cadavers. She told me it was one of the creepiest things ever. XD

Next Friday is Teacher's Day at our school. So some of the students teach during some classes rather than the teachers. I chose to help teach English along with Niks and Diāna. We have to teach the Freshman. It should be fun. So that's what's new! :D