Life is very interesting…full of surprises…sometimes because of our job, studies, love or some other reasons we appear in such faraway places we could never imagine before. If during my BA studies, anyone told me: ‘You’ll go to Tartu for Your MA studies’, I would laugh a lot.

I do not remember exactly how I found out about the Baltic Studies Master’s Programme (Baltic Studies Center) at the University of Tartu, or when I fall in love for the first time with this City of Good Thoughts. But I do know that things are happening for reason. And sometimes when you randomly decide to do something on the spur of the moment, it works out well.

Now what all those above-mentioned things have to do with what I am going to describe below?
Very simple, it’s very difficult to take a pen [or alternatively: open the Word document and start typing :)], and start writing about something if you do not love that particular (some)thing very much. And now, when not in Tartu I’m looking through my Tartu pictures, I know that I was exactly where I wanted to be. 

One [fine, sleepless] Day in Tartu
(One day with many mixed emotions)
Every day in our lives brings something new – new events, new hopes, sometimes hopelessness, etc. I cannot duplicate all the events that have happened on a particular day. But let me take you to my own journey through a typical day in Tartu:

• Upon waking up in the morning, it is a delightful routine to talk to my room-mate immediately.
• Then a quick breakfast (The full breakfast traditionally comprises: yogurt with corn flakes :D) with my international flat-mates, and then the whole dormitory (if not the whole city) is hurrying to classes.
• The Co-market shop assistant cared to say “tere” and “aitäh”(“hello” and “thank you” in Estonian) while buying ploomimahl (plum juice) and a bar of Kalev Chocolate.
• Another chain of hurried kisses and greetings on my way to the University.
• I have noticed that the whole city and the professors are unusually cheerful today. Ah, I remember, the deadline for the paper was met already, thus, every course mate I see has a wrinkle of a frown on his/her forehead.
• Lunch is speedy as well: Adele, Alex and I managed to only quickly look through some new Estonian words for our Estonian Language Test while having kohupiima kook and tea at Werner Café (we have been studying for this exam test for the whole day yesterday in the library though :)). We did manage though to discuss our coming Tallinn-Stockholm cruise (which we shall take soon together with Abby and Tanya).
• While being there (Werner Café) we have also heard from our international friends that there’s International Food Festival tomorrow and that representatives from different countries should cook their national dishes (Thus, I have to talk to Tiko, Mari, Kate, Eka, Vakho, Tornike, Levan, Shalva, Erekle aka Georgian delegation in Tartu :)).
• Another friend came up reminding us not to forget that there’s 80’s Disco Party this weekend and to think about the 80’s fancy dress costumes. 

• Aww, I have just remembered that there is the 7th Pancake Party at Nayden’s the day after tomorrow, together with my Georgian (Nino, Amiran), Moldovan (Ileancik), Ukrainian (Maks, Uliana), Russian (Christina, Anastasia), Indian (Margaret), Italian (Ilaria), Estonian (Edeli) friends, and flat-mates’ gathering at “Crepp’’.
• After lunch and after one more class we went to the library to attend amazingly interesting and crowded public lesson by Umberto Eco, and meanwhile to think about the theoretical framework for our next written assignment (this blue Pegasus at the entrance to the UT library is so funny :))
• On our way from the library Nino, Amiran and I once again agreed that Kissing Students are absolutely magnificent, that it is more than just a statue, they are so impressive, holding each other – a real feast for the eyes. 
• After the library I met with my Slovenian friend – Pina to discuss our upcoming visit to Simuna and Väike Maarja to talk about our Estonian experiences with the Estonian pupils, to see Baruto’s house together with his great Japanese fan - Naoyuki, beautiful windmills, and swings. Ah, and I shall also prepare for the Georgian cultural evening at Domus Dorpatensis (Meet the World: Georgia), and I shall talk to Pina about it somewhere later in this week.

• Yes you guessed – I am very hungry already, because it’s dinner time, so I hurried to Raatuse to prepare my ‘pink’ rice salad (bought my favorite, yummy desert in ‘’La Dolce Vita’’ on my way to the dormitory as well), the taste and color of which Zosia (my Georgian friend who visited me in Tartu) still remembers and is still teasing me about it  :))
• What a nice surprise, got a postcard from the USA when I least expected and needed most. 
• Dinner with my international flat-mates. The dinner is simple-studentish; it took me less than an hour to prepare it. As my flat-mates gather around the table eating, we cannot wait to report what happened during the day. Katya (my Russian room-mate) does not speak English, so Zivile and I are speaking in Russian with her and in English with our American flat-mate (Jessica MacDonald), Zivile also has to talk in Estonian with our another flat-mate from Hungary, since they speak only in Estonian with each other :)
• The end of our always interesting and multilingual conversation/dinner. I shall get ready for Nayden's piano concert now. Listening to my all time favorite Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 put myself back on the right track. 
• Enchanted and delighted after Nayden’s piano concert together with numerous international friends we went to the Georgia restaurant “Tbilisi”, had supper – I realized how much I missed Khachapuri. 
• After supper with hugs and kisses we bid each other goodbye. 

• As soon as I thought, okay, the day is over, I am going to sleep now, another event comes out, and friend is calling from the Raatuse 4th floor that there is an ‘animal party’ there (another party? :O)
• At the ‘end’ of the day (which at the same time is the beginning of another day :)) my Georgian friends – Kate and Mariam decided we should watch a movie and/or have a Cheeseburger at McDonalds (it’s too late to refuse :)) and of course, we went there, buy what we want, come back home (Raatuse) and have early ‘breakfast’  :)
• Watched amazing sunrise from my Raatuse window – Yes, to see is to believe! Now I shall really take a nap, because another day full of events is still ahead.

These are the precious moments from Tartu I will always carry with me and cherish.

There were, of course, many other days and not all of them so cheerful and positive, but I described the one in which many of You’ll find Yourself, and which I thought would bring a smile to Your face.

My friends and I always felt welcome there whether we stayed in Tartu for one day, one semester, one year or more. Being there together as friends, not as foreigners and locals, made it that much better. And now after one year and a half spent in that City of Good Thoughts, I really think that Tartu would not be the same without its gloomy, cold weather  :)

TARTu is a small town to think big thoughts.

TARTu is the place where the smallest things become an adventure.

 TartU is the place of our happy depression and serious jokes.

One Day in Tartu is all those things and yet something more.

The [fri]END.