Holland.. Maastricht..

I just realized that I'm really going to study in Maastricht. I'm leaving 27th of August 6.40.. juhuuuuuu... My life is great! Holland here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

France.. Embrun..

My sister Kati and I decided yesterday that we are going to South-France to Embrun in around two weeks. We gonna hitchhike. GREAT! We both have been there in Embrun already two summers and we have fallen in love. We have to go back. We are both so exited and can't wait. I'm sure that we gonna have an excellent time together. With Kati I'm ready to go till the end of the world. She is the best fellow passenger ever..hahaha :P

Mom's birthday ...

My mom has her birthday today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Dad and I are home. We sang to her in the morning, had flowers, a present and I made a cake to her. Looks delicious or what :P It sure did taste good :P

An Essay: Cacao and Chocolate ...

As we all know chocolate is made from the fruit cacao, cocoa beans. Cacao is used in many different ways. Mostly as food (chocolate bars, candies, ice cream, cookies, cakes, pies, chocolate cream), but nowadays people have started to use it in the beauty industry as well as there are scientific experiments for using cacao as a medicine. All kinds of drinks and desserts made from cacao are irresistible, especially for children. Chocolate brings a smile on peoples' faces, it is like a drug which people are addicted to. But how many of us have thought about the history of cacao, or where the chocolate comes from and which countries are consuming cacao the most? These questions are not coming into people’s minds so often, but they are good to know to have a better knowledge of the world we are living in.

Originally cacao is from tropical rain forests of the northern area of the Amazone. Cacao has been cultivated more than 3000 years and it has got its name from the Mayan word for the plant „cacau”. The people who first started to use cacao were the inhabitants of Venezuela in South America. Cacao was highly valuated by these people and they spread it to north by trading with their neighbours. Cacao was used in a number of ways, as a bitter spice in food and as a base for pasta or bread, but the most well known way of using cacao was as a drink. The beans were toasted, ground up and mixed with hot water and often a bit of corn, vanilla or chilies. Chocolate soup was also popular. Cacao was first domesticated in Central America about 1000 BC and grew for religious services.

There are amount of different versions how cacao arrived to Europe. A great deal of countries are claiming to be the first in Europe to grow cacao, but naturally the Spaniards were the first. The Spaniards began adding European flavourings to chocolate, such as vanilla, cinnamon, black pepper and of course cane sugar. Chocolate was widely used in Catholic countries after 1569 and in the middle of the 1600s. The first Chocolate Houses were opened in Europe (this is before Coffee Houses started up). Chocolate Houses became social meeting places for elite class, places were to meet and talk about politics. They were extremely expensive and trendy places. (Coffee was much cheaper and therefor for all people, for masses). At this time cacao was the most consumed in Europe by Spain (Venezuela had 50% of world production).

In 1828 the Dutch developed a press for getting the fat out of the ground beans and the powder, which is familiar today was produced. After that the powder was mixed with milk, instead of water. By the pressing method was also invented the product called Cocoa Butter. Twenty years later the Joseph Fry Factory discovered how to mix melted butter back to the powder to create a mass which was put into the forms: the first chocolate bar was invented.

The New World, Mexico, Costa Rica and primarily Venezuela were the main suppliers of cacao until the start of the 20th century. From there it moved first to the Carabbean and then to Africa. In the latest 19th many companies started to grow cacao on large plantations. Many of these companies were based on religious ideals to substitute alcohol with chocolate. Chocolate was a great alternative to alcohol and during the the First World War chocolate was added to each soldiers' daily food in the US Army. After the Second World War many Belgian and French companies specialized to make high grade chocolate. In 1994 the Chocolate war launched out and standards of chocolate rose. Pure chocolate bars were made of more than 70% of cacao.

Nowadays the six largest cocoa producing countries are the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria, Brazil and Cameroon. America is the biggest chocolate consuming country in the world, with consumers spending $13 billion annually on chocolate. M&M/Mars is the largest chocolate and candy company with annual sales of more than $20 billion. The other major chocolate companies are Cadbury, Nestle and Hershey. More than 90 per cent of the world’s cocoa is grown in small family farms and a mass of them are in trouble with poverty and even forced to use child labour. In the cacao market there are also problems with Fair Trading. It’s not lack of interest by consumers that keeps Fair Trade chocolate off the market. It is the resistance of big businesses to exchange a part of their profits to guarantee better working conditions and wages for cocoa farmers.

Chocolate is a pleasure and a trouble at the same time. Generally there is nothing wrong with chocolate, but the problem of it lies in its deliciousness. Chocolate is addictive, in fact. There was a reason for inventing the word chocoholic. In general moderate consumption might be useful, chocolate leads to immoderate use. Chocolate’s tempting taste has lead numerous of people to replace balanced eating with chocolate and ignore other food. Therefore, there is a considerable number of people overweight which has caused health disorders. Chocolate and products of it are irresistible, but people should be careful with over consuming. It may have an opposite effect to the real value of chocolate, to its pleasure.

...

Life is so damn interesting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially in my fantasy world..

Rosalinde..

Our cat's name is Rosalinde.. she is the best one on the whole planet.. others are saying that she is my cat.. we get along the best (I think) and I miss her every day when I have to be away.. most of the time I am away, so in my heart she follows me everywhere I go.. today she killed a little bird and brought it into my room.. it was like a gift to me.. I was mad at her that she killed a bird, but also very proud at the same time.. sometimes we fight, but we are never mad at each other very long time.. we love each other too much.. when I'm home then she is around all the time.. we take a little walks outside of the house together.. play together.. eat together.. take a nap together.. she is a little boss in the house.. exactly like me.. I JUST LOVE HER SO MUCH!

School.. Cruise.. Positive Feelings..

It's Sunday..a glad rainy Sunday.. I LOVE RAIN! .. I'm free of thinking about school and my worries seem far, far away.. finally.. I can't say that I feel happy because I don't know what is happiness.. I always miss smth or somebody and there is always smth mysterious going on in my mind.. but I can say that I feel free.. and it feels good.. I'm my own master and I'm free to be the way I want to be.. school is over for this year and it really feels great.. what a relief.. I managed all the courses I took and I'm satisfied with myself..

THIS IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE! :)

Couple of days ago I took a cruise to Sweden.. no, it wasn't just for fun.. I got a job offer on the ship and went to so called test ride.. with these two days I got a lot of new experiences and saw how arrogant people can be.. I can't say that this cruise wasn't beneficial..definitely it was.. but that job is not for me.. first thing I felt when I got on the ship was a lot of bad energy.. I wanted to run back to the try land as fast as I could but I thought that it can't do any harm to spend two days on the ship and do what they ask me to do.. first evening was ok.. I just could look what are the duties I have to do: excursion to the captain's bridge, playing with children in the children's room and do the karaoke... I followed the girl who was doing all this to everywhere :D I'm sure that the end of the day she was pretty tired of me ..I can talk a lot.. too much.. I don't care that I meet the person first time in my life.. I still wanna chat :D anyway.. next morning I couldn't get off the ship because there was a misunderstanding with a guard who let me on the ship.. it was ok to me that I had to stay on the ship.. I slept a little, walked on the deck and thought about the life.. I got to know that in the evening it was me who had to do the karaoke.. it scared me cos I hadn't spoken Swedish for ages.. I was very nerves.. imagine.. a stage and A LOT of Swedish people listening to me.. I had never spoken Swedish to so many people.. and with a microphone..oh my god :D it was scary to be there :D but.. I'm still alive.. it was a nice experience and I'm more than sure that if I have to do it again then it is not so scary anymore.. but I think that I skip the next time.. the job was ok.. but the energy on the ship was killing me and it made me feel a little sick inside.. my inner voice said that it is not the good place for me.. I have always listened to my inner voice and so far I have done good in my life.. but I am thankful for the experience..

IT WAS INCENTIVE! :)

In the Friday Morning when I got off the ship I came on an idea to go to the rock festival.. and in the next minute I found myself doing some calls to ask who else is going to be there.. actually I didn't really care cos I had spend a lot of time in the small town where the festival took place and I was more than sure that I'm gonna meet a lot familiar faces.. the only problem was where I can spend my night but I hoped that it will resolve by itself..and it did.. before going to the festival I met my very-very good friend Kadri who came from Sweden by the plane in the same morning.. it was so great to see her again.. with her I spent my year in Sweden and I'm very thankful that she was there for me :) anyway.. it was really good to see her.. Kadri and I went to the lunch with my sister and after that one lady drove us to our home down which is around 120 km from Tallinn.... I spent at home only about an hour, made myself beautiful :D and after that my mom drove me to the rock festival.. a ticket for one evening was a little too expensive, but it was worth it.. I had so much fun.. so many people I hadn't seen more than a year.. a really great evening with a great people.. lot of talking, little drinking, great music etc.

A WONDERFUL EVENING! :)

The next day I was in Tallinn again and went to see a musical with my mom, brother, sister and sister of my sister's boyfriend.. the musical was Romeo and Juliet.. it was really good one.. great actors.. just that I don't like love stories.. I was so close to start to cry, but luckily I managed..hahaha..

I can say that I had really nice weekend.. so many positive energy.. GREAT!

Next weekend is Midsummer Day and I'm sure it is going to me even more greater.. I can't wait :)

Longing..

"Deep in my heart I'm concealing things that I'm longing to say. Scared to confess what I'm feeling, frightened ..."


I miss last summer..it was wonderful..it changed my life for good..but I have to admit that it wasn't easy for me.. too many new experiences..there were moments when I felt like a stranger who disn't know how to be or what to say..I couldn't really be myself...I felt too much presser on me..I wished to be the way others expected me to be..but I couldn't..it made me moody.. in spite of all this I still miss last summer..but I never want it back..cos then it won't be that last summer anymore..only for a second I would like to return back to the mountains with one of the greatest persons I have ever met..

mmm...when somebody mentions mountains then my heart starts to beat really fast..almost as fast when I dream about the sky..I miss mountains..I met them first time two years I ago..I fell in love..now I don't realize how I could live without them before..one day I'm gonna have my own small wooden house with a terrace in the mountains in a very private place..this is really one of my biggest wishes..of course my biggest dream is to fly in the sky like a bird, but I leave that wish for my next life..

I miss closeness..I am longing to meet somebody who could hug me and say that I'm the sweetest for him..I am aware that it will happen someday..but before that I need to grow a little bit more, I need to learn to manage by myself, I need to get to know myself better..and when I have achieved it I am ready to share it with that Special One..hei you!..yeah you!...please, wait for me!..some day you will get to know me! who ever you are :)

Weekend..Part Two (or smth like that..)

Actually I don't feel like writing in English (which make me ask what??? is it me I'm talking about???) anyway..as I already started then I will continue..I never brake promises..especially the ones I promise to myself..

so..what happened at the weekend..actually..I should say a week and a half ago..I just have been too busy and lazy to finish the story..


anyway..


I hadn't seen my friends for ages ...to be specific then two month or smth..you think it's too long? oujeah.I totally agree with you..two of my very good friends went to spend a summer in USA and we had a little goodbye-party..a sad part is that they come back when I'm already gone to the Netherlands and only God knows when I see them again..probably at the Christmas time..jeah..who knows..lets call to who..(damn, I'm funny)..


so..we had a party..believe me, our parties are never easy..at least not for me :D in resent years I have turned into the one who likes to take the responsibility of everything and everybody..and drinking alcohol is others job :D ..no, it's not that bad as it sounds..but the end of the second day I got a bit tired :D..



Friday evening was more quiet and I had a change to relax too..hahaha..we were up till 5 am, drank rum with coca, I fried eggs and potatoes for others and just had some fun..had a joke with one notice I made..my older sister Kati promised to make pancakes on Sunday morning..next day it was Saturday and we couldn't wait..so, I thought it would be fun to make a notice for her that it is Sunday morning and we want pancakes..it has happened before that drunk people miss one day, right ;) hahaha..funniest part was that next morning I found three spelling mistakes from the poster..ups..I must have been a little drunk myself :D


so..as you already understood next morning didn't start with the pancakes.. what a shame :D ..instead I opened a cider and enjoyed the morning.. Kati, Kareli and I were already quite bored from waiting others, so we decided to surprise them.. we hided ourselves into the closet.. indeed.. it does sound like a kindergarten, but we had a lot of fun.. have you ever tried to laugh and breathe normally at the same time, so that no one could hear you?.. believe me, it's not easy :D others thought we were "stupid" :D






before going really crazy we decided to have a little formal part of our evening as well..so we made us a really nice dinner..








After that the evening took its turns..you can only imagine..



but..


next morning my sister did make the pancakes and then we went to the beach..wasn't the warmest day, but after some party just perfect ;)



I took a little walk at the beach, enjoyed the nature and made a wreath from dandelions, which I gave to my friend as a goodbye-gift..damn, I'm sweet :)



WE HAD FUN !!!

Weekend...Part One

DRINK AND DRIVE WHOLE NIGHT..


that's all I can say right now..





to be continued...