How did Latvia happen to me?

Wersja po polsku tutaj

Who: Barbara
When? July 2013 , how it happen that I went to Latvia.
As you probably just checked charts on this blog, you already know something about me- I fell in love in medicine since Latvia Exchange, during which I was researching incluence of acids on human skin fibroblasts. This post will tell you how this exchange happen.
In order to get practice abroad, I had to get points in IFMSA, I started collecting them just before medical studies! As a helpful hand of course. It was worth it. It still is.

Now some facts:
December 2012: Katowice, Poland- Collecting documents for exchange and start of quallifications
Plans: exchange in Spain-  didn't work out.

At the day of my 23rd birthday, I received an information that I got an exchange in Riga, Latvia. Considering the fact, that it was my third-choice country- after Spain and Finland- you could say that I was more than slightly dissappointed, but I decided to find out more details about costs of travelling to Latvia. A friend told me about "some cheap bus, that goes somewhere to this Inflants region"- I found it on internet. Price for tickets bought half a year in advance: 6 euros one way! Mood got a little better- more money can be spend in Riga.

Half a year later: anatomy exam on thursday, on friday- haircut (one has to present some class on exchange!) and packing. Saturday: THAT day- the big departure. From Katowice with posh EuroCity train to Warsaw. Then- budget trip: the cheapest bus to Riga with change in Vilnius, Lithaunia.

time: Warsaw, Poland, Earth. 29th of June, just before 23.00,  bus arrives, it is the one to Vilnius? I look around- looking for a person, whos face shows on going thinking process. I foud one- thin blond girl. Standard question: "Sorry, do you know if that bus goes to Vilnius?" "I don't know either, I am going same direction". After chat, I walked to talk to driver, he just opened place for luggage- it is THE bus. I told that to the girl, got inside, showed ID and headed for place no 5 (I bought this ticket as a first person!). After 10 minutes, the girl sits next to me, she has place no 6. She plugs in her laptop (I am getting a little anxious, there is only one socket for both of us and jurney ahead will be long one), goes online, facebook, website of Kraków LC- I am snooping, hell yeah! "Ej, are you maybe going for an exchange?" "Yes" "Me too". That was Joanna- It happend that not only we were both going to Riga, but we were even assigned to the same project.
On the pic above, you can see us in-between work.

What to be affraid of in the East? It it still Europe after all. Or so they say.

How to prepare for this trip?
Vaccination against a tick-borne encephalitis was advised. 
As a future doctor- I say "yes" to vaccinations.
For full immunity- three doses are required, cost of one dose in Poland is around 20 euros.
Immmunity period: 2 years.
Unfortunately, no tick bit me.